in the Name of the Lord the trusting upon the Lord himself This doth make good that former rule What the Name of God is that God himself is And so by way of Opposition what the Name of the Beast is that is the Beast himself If he be described as a Mighty King we have cause to take his Name for his Monarchical Power and sovereignty Secondly We often reade in the New Testament of believing in the Name of the Son of God c. we do not then look to the Name Jesus or the Name Christ as though there were any Vertue or Efficacy in the Letters and Syllables of these Names but in this case the sense of each Scripture must govern And therefore when the Apostles do Exhort us to believe on the Name of the Son of God in their sense we are exhorted to believe on the Lord Christ for pardon of sin for help in temptation and for supply in all our wants We must not look to Letters and syllables but to the main sense of each Scripture In like manner when we reade of the Name of the Beast and the Saints overcoming his Name Mark and the Number of the Name we are not here to look to the word Lateinos or any such Grammatical Name but according to the sense of the Prophecie the Name must be taken for the Potency of the Beast as he is Opposed to the Lamb. But let us come more largely to shew some particular Instances out of the Book of the Revelation where the Name of a thing person or state is to be expounded according to the Analogie of the text We read that there were with the Lamb 144000 and that they had their Fathers Name written in their Forehead chap. 14. vers 1. Now these 144000 are set in direct Opposition to the followers of the Beast and their Father's Name written in their forehead is contradistinct to the Mark of the Beast in the forehead and the right Hand Now here sâ—…th there is mention made of the Name of the Father and of his Name written in the forehead of all the followers of the Lamb shall we think therefore that it is made out of the Alphabet or that it is a literal Name Not so we must look here to the main scope of the text and accordingly we must render the meaning of the words They that have their Father's Name written in their forehead are such who in all the times of Antichrist had consecrated dedicated and given themselves up to God the Father to live in subjection to his Commandements and to take him as their sovereign Lord this was the Badge of their outward Profession By the rule of Opposition they that had the Name of the Beast were such as did resign their Obedience to him as to their sovereign Lord And the submission to this Lordship was the Badge and Livery of their outward Profession this is clear from the scope of the text Further We read chap. 2. vers 17. To him that overcometh will I give a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written that none can read but he that hath it Now what is here meant by the Name written shall we say that it is a Name consisting of Letters and syllables If we so affirm we shall have as good foundation for such a Position as they who take Lateinos to be the Name of the Beast But this is to trifle in a serious matter Therefore we must have recourse to the forementioned Principle to wit The scope of the text When the Lord Christ promiseth to give to him that overcometh a white stone and in the stone a Name written this is nothing else but the inward testimony of the Spirit by and through which he sealeth extraordinary Consolations to his Martyrs and Witnesses in the middest of their sufferings under the tyrannical States and Governments of the world Many worthy Expositors take this for the seal of the Spirit that followeth Justification as may be seen in several late Treatises But I take it That the Promise in the text and so commonly through the whole Prophecie is immediately made to him that overcometh in the times of Persecution And therefore these things do more immediately concern the Martyrs the in-coming of Christ into their hearts and the divine Consolations which they feel in the Name written which none can read but they that have it Let us go to the meaning of that Promise Rev. 3. 12. He that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is the new Ierusalem which cometh down from Heaven and I will write upon him my new Name In these words when the Lord Christ promiseth to him that overcometh That he will write upon him the Name of his God doth he intend here a writing by Letters and syllables This cannot be But according to the scope of the place this is the meaning of Christ That they that overcome shall have this peculiar testimony given into their hearts That the Lord is theirs and that they are his Further Whereas it is said I will write upon them the Name of the City of my God By this he doth mean The true Catholick Church represented Rev. chap. 21. The scope of the words is this That he will inroll them into the Number of Citizens and count them as Members of the true Church his Mystical Body And for the truth of the Interpretation we do chiefly build upon the scope of the text But now let us go to other Scriptures where usually the Name of a thing is taken according to the Analogie of the text It is said concerning the Church of Sardis Thou hast a few Names which have not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3. 4. Here then when it is said Thou hast a few Names shall we understand this to be meant of Grammatical Names This cannot be The drift of the text is concerning the persons of men and women which did not defile themselves in the times of general Pollution And so at the destruction of Rome Antichristian there was a great Earthquake and there were slain of the Names of men 7000 chap. 11. vers 13. Now for the Names of men shall we understand Names consisting of Letters and syllables What a kind of slaughter would this be According to the scope of the text and the manner of the Hebrew expression we may say That such a Number of persons were slain in the Earthquake Adde moreover to this That the Beast which did carry the Whore was full of the Names of Blasphemy chap. 17. There is none so void of understanding to imagine That the Spirit speaketh of such Names that do consist of Letters and syllables We must here go to the sense of the text which speaketh of his
up to attention to look after the Messiah of whom so much was sooken in the Prophecies So in the like case many things being foretold in the writings of the Apostles concerning the coming of Antichrist when that time should begin to draw near the Lord was pleased to suffer such a dust to be raised between Constantinople and Rome to rouze up the spirits of men to examine those things which were foretold in the Scriptures In the Book of the Revelation there is much spoken concerning the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name Now when this Name or Headship was come to the beginning thereof Gregory did plainly declare That the formality of Antichristianism did consist in this Title and that the Man of sin was then at the doors And I wish one day his sayings do not strongly witness against all his Successors who with one joynt consent down from the year of our Lord 606 have appropriated this Title to themselves to the great dishonour of Christ the true Head of the Church But if they alledge That the Bishop of Rome is only a Ministerial head as Christ's Vicar To this I Answer However they may evade by subtilty of words indeed and in truth they have taken for many Ages together the Dignity of Christ and have made him only the titular Head of the Church For is it not clear by the Stories That all doth depend upon the Authority of the Romane See The credit of Scripture the interpretation of Scripture the making of Laws the abrogation of divine Laws and all things in a manner have depended upon the Authority of the Roman Bishop What he would he hath set up what he would he hath plucked down And when all this is done is he only a titular Head Indeed and in â—…uth the Headship of Christ hath been made but a cypher and the words of Gregory have been found too true in the event But for the passages out of him two things are briefly to be observed First If we go to the 600 years immediately after the birth of Christ there was then no Oecumenical Bishop For though the Man of sin had gone very far and had made many progressions in the Mysterie of Iniquity yet the Authority it self was not publickly established in all that time If it were so we may believe that Gregory would not have inveighed against that Headship as he did Secondly In the year of the Lord 606 the Decree was Enacted That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches which Dignity the whole Succession have enjoyed now above this 1000 years And that which Gregory did call Antichristian in others that all his followers have assumed to this very day Therefore Thuanus in his 67 Book doth speak very pithily Phocas Bonifacio tertio insignes Episcopi Universalis titulos quos nuper Gregorius in Iohanne Constantinopolitano improbaverat prolixè attribuit Phocas did largely ascribe to Boniface the third those eminent titles of Universal Bishop which Gregory did lately inveigh against in Iohn of Constantinople Now then to gather all into one sum we may see how the Prophecies and the Stories of the Church do agree First That the two-horned Beast had a determinate time when he rose up out of the Earth Secondly That this time is after the rising of the ten-horned Beast or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Thirdly It is to be applied to such a time only when the Name and the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began publickly to be set up All these three laid together do necessarily bring us to the Decree of the Headship under the Emperor Phocas And so we do Conclude that this is the Number of the Name of the Beast as it is mentioned in the Prophecie Now by what Accompt the Number is 666 we will shew in the Two Chapters following CHAP. V. That the Roman is the Fourth and Last Metal-Kingdom in Daniels Image and the truth of this is proved against the Positions of Junius Broughton Piscator Dr. Willet and others FOr the carrying on of our matter we need not imbark in that great Question Whether the Roman be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Or Whether the Opinion of Junius and his followers be received We are sure both wayes to make the Accompt good That the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is 666. The matter is so firmly grounded upon the event Let us then proceed according to Iunius his Method let us say that the Babylonian is the first Metal-Kingdom that the Mede-Persian is the second that the Macedonian in Alexander is the third that the Seleucian is the fourth Here according to this Analogie there must be an end of all the four Metal-Kingdoms at the destruction of the Seleucian when Syria Iudaea and all that Oriental tract came under the Obedience of the People of Rome Now then if you reckon from the final Conclusion of all the four persecuting Empires and from the beginning of the Roman as that Nation did succeed in the Rule over the Church there will be an exact period of 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And so we do concord with the Principles of Iunius But we do not say That there was a dissolution of all four Metal-Kingdoms but only a dissolution of the third and a beginning of the fourth Now from the beginning of the Roman or the fourth Kingdom we make the accompt And for the clearer manifestation of the truth we will Debate this Point more fully for it is a ruled case in Daniel and the Revelation That one and the same thing is variously repeated for clearer explication As for ensample The Antichristian Kingdom is more obscurely delivered Revel 11. Now if we compare it with the description chap. 13 and chap. 17. all three Scriptures will exceedingly illustrate one and the same truth And so in the present case if it can be solidly proved that the fourth Beast in Daniel is the Roman Kingdom we may safely conclude that the same matter is repeated more largely in the Book of the Revelation Mr Medâ—… speaketh to very good purpose concerning the description of the ten-horn'd Beast Rev. 13. These are his words Toâ—…a autem haec descriptio petita est ex Propheâ—…iâ Danielis cap. 7. ubi de eâdem agitur quâ hic Bestiâ Romanâ status novissimi sed quae ibi Danieli ab Angelo succinctius narrantur ea hîc Iohanni interjectâ quasi explicatione fusius deducuntur Comment Apocal. pag. 190. From which words of his it is clear that one and the same Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian State thereof is the subject matter of both Scriptures And so we have a certain and a demonstrative Principle to build upon For not only the Book of the Revelation it self will be cleared by comparing one part with another that which is more dark with that which is more
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit
c. Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast c. The discovery then must be by understanding But here we are not to conceive such a kinde of wisdome as lyeth meerly in Mathematical subtilties For how can it be imagined that the holy Spirit and that under the highest penalties should give such serious warning to the Church to beware of receiving the Mark of the Beast the Name and the Number of the Name and these things be onely discoverable to them that have skill in the Mathematicks You will say What wisdome is here intended I answer such a skill and dexterity onely by which men are able to render the mystical and figurative expressions of the Prophecy in their true natural sense and construction The like expression is used Rev. 17. 9. Here is the minde that hath wisdome the seven Heads are seven Mountains where the woman sitteth By wisedome he doth here mean a sagacity and skill to expound the Parables and mystical expressions of the Prophecy in their bare sense and signification And so in the present case when he speaketh of the Name and Universal Headship of the Beast and the Number of the Name it is not to be doubted but that he pointeth to some method of Account famously known in the days of Iohn And whereas he doth not openly and plainly but under dark terms express the matter to wit that it is the Number of a Man and the Number 666 By this he doth imply that some kinde of wisdome is to be used in the true calculation and discovery of the Number You will say If there be 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome why is not this expressed in plain and significant terms By the like manner of reasoning you may argue Why doth the Spirit through the whole body of the Prophecy carry on the description of the state of the Church in a figurative mystical and typical way of expression He might if he had so pleased have said in so many syllables that the seven Heads of the Beast are so many Mountains of the City of Rome and so many Heads of Roman Government But he doth rather use a dark circumlocution of a woman sitting upon a Beast with seven Heads He doth use such an hidden way of expressing these things in Emblems and Figures that pious men might bestow the more diligence in searching the Stories of the Church Paraeus in his Commentary upon the Râ—…velatun Chap. 17. v. 7. speaketh to the same purpose Piis vero interpretatione aenigmatic à aurem veâ—…icare voluit spiritus ut subinde in suorum temporum eventus atque Historias invigilarâ—…nt And if we come to example we shall finde That the â—…even Trumpets are delivered in a very dark and mystical manner For after that the Angel had offered much incense with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar before the Throne then the seven Angels began to sound When the first Angel sounded there followed Hail and Fire mingled with Blood Chap. 8. ver 7. When the second Angel sounded a Mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea ver 8. And when the third Angel sounded a great Star fell from Heaven into the Rivers and Fountains and the Name of the Star is Wormwood ver 10 11. Here it is plain That by these Emblems and Figures so many Judgements of God in a succession are said to fall upon the world for their persecuting of the Saints For after the Prayers of all Saints were offered up on the Golden Altar upon the Throne then the seventh Angel began to sound As in the like case when Eliah fled to Horeb he made intercession against Israel saying I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and killed thy Prophets and I am left alone and they seek my life to take it away In answer to this Prayer the Lord bade him go out and stand upon the Mount 1 Kings 19. 11 12 13. And as he stood first the Lord passed by and a great and a strong Wind rent the Mountaine and after the Wind there was an Earthquake and after the Earthquake a Fire Here if we would inquire after the signification of these three Emblems for we cannot otherwise think but that something is specially intended in Visions of this nature the Lords own interpretation will shew the meaning of this in the words that follow He that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Ieâ—…u sâ—…ay and he that escapeth the sword of Ieâ—…u shall Elâ—…shah sâ—…ay Here then are three Judgements in a succession the Wind the Earthquake and the Fire And for the still small voice that is expressed in these words I have reserved to my self seven thousand men that have not bowed the knee to Baal ver 18. Now if you go to the seven Trumpets it is clear That they are so many Judgements of God that come one after another upon the world for their Idolatry and for their killing of the Saints But who shall assure us what is certainly meant by each Trumpet What is meant by the Hail mingled with fire by the Mountain burning with fire Who shall assure us what is meant by these Types seeing the Spirit doth not set down his meaning as he doth in the Vision represented to Elias We should in this case have recourse to the Body of the Stories of the Church For I am perswaded That the Lord doth on set purpose deliver these things more Aenigmatically and Figuratively that we should attentively consider the way of his dealing in judging the World and in delivering his Church O how far then do they go out of the true way who are Enemies against all secular Learning in the profitable and sober use thereof God doth of set purpose carry on the whole Prophecy so darkly because we should turn every way for the discovery of the truth And this is the reason wherefore he doth speak so mystically concerning the Name of the Beast the Number of a Man and the Number 666. Further also we are to consider That seeing the Kingdom of the Beast was to be set up by deceiving of the Nations it was not needful to speak every Circumstance plainly to the understanding of men How should the Beast have deceived the world if his deceits and pious frauds if the time of his Kingdome and every particular should have been fully discovered There is then a peculiar sort of people to whom the Lord hath given a special desire to look into the things contained in this Book of the Revelation and they have in some measure an ability though others are dark to understand the meaning of the Spirit in his deep and mystical expressions In the several Epistles to the seven Churches in Asia this is added in the close of all He that hath an ear let him hear what
in pieces like a Potters vessel The scope of the Text is chiefly concerning the exorbitancy and exaltation of Earthly Powers against Christ. And these we say do more nearly and immediately symbolize with the Great Antichrist Secondly they come also in the nearest resemblance to Antichrist and to that which is truly Antichristian who forsake the Scriptures to hang meerly upon Dreams and Revelations For as the true Believers who take Christ for the Head of the Church have the Word of the Gospel applied to their hearts and sealed to their Consciences by the inward working of the Spirit So on the contrary they who mis-believe and take Antichrist for the Head of the Church have his Superstitions Laws and Decrees rooted and grounded in them by Visions Dreams and Apocryphal Revelations This is clear from the scope of the Scripture And here is the esâ—…igies and lively pourtraicture of Antichrists Kingdome But before I come to the point it is necessary that I should premise one Caution in the beginning And here let it be noted That I do not speak of Revelations absolutely and in their full extent but of Revelations restrictively and in a sense onely If we take Revelations in the first sense I do easily agree That not onely in the first 2000 years from Adam to Abraham but also in the last dispensation since the coming of Christ God hath wonderfully revealed himself to his People as it is clear by the Scriptures and by the Stories of the Church And in my own experience I can avouch it to be true as I have had occasion to converse in several places so I have met with some good Christianâ—… whom it hath pleased the Lord to bring home by an admirable way of Conversion And some select persons also I know whom it hath pleased the Lord to chuse out for himself to bear witness to his Truth both in dark and troublesome times I have found that they have spoken great things concerning the last troubles and divers events thereof which experience hath confirmed to be true But concerning this kinde of people that a distinction may be made between true and Apocryphal Revelations I have ever noted three things in them First they have diligently waited upon the publick Ordinances of God and have broke through all difficulties through perswasions of Friends through oppositions of Enemies through threatnings of Tyrannical Courts that they might enjoy the means of their Salvation Secondly I have observed that they have always adhered to the written Word and have spent very much time in the meditation of the Promises Commands and other Passages desiring nothing more in all the world then that they might know the minde of God that they might save their own the Souls of other people Thirdly I have observed this in them That though they have been under extraordinary teachings yet they have had great darknesses in which they have always begged of the Lord that he would not leave them so and that he would carry them on further Now in praying waiting and using the means they have first or last had assured help from the Lord by the immediate supply of his Spirit There is much spoken by the School-men concerning the harmony betwixt the Grace of God and Endeavor of Man Suarez hath his way Alvarez bath his Penottus seemeth to draw a threed betwixt both and Cajetan saith In hoc ego non possum quietare intellectum meum In this I cannot satisfie my understanding But for my part I never found better grounds of resolution any-where then from the experiences of some Christians whom it hath pleased the Lord a long time to exercise in the Schoole of Temptation As they have had sundry changes of trouble and fear so they have had interchangable supply of Spirit and of auxiliary Grace to direct help and comfort them in all their fears There hath been a sweet parallel betwixt Gods grace and their endeavor as they did work under the grace and by the help of grace received By their experiences I do finde That it is the manner of God in dealing with a Soul to break it all to pieces and then wholly to make it up by the continual help of his Spirit Now this doth not any way drown the endeavor of man but doth onely put him upon the work of his Salvation with fear and trembling and upon an humble dependance upon the Lord for the supply of his grace This I have found from the experiences of such as have lived by Faith in the Promises and have prayed much by Faith in the Promises With some of these the Lord hath dealt by peculiar Revelations But these are particular priviledges which he doth vouchsafe to certain persons extraordinarily whom he doth set apart for special services either to himself or to his Church I do acknowledge That some Believers in this last dispensation may be partakers of such extraordinary workings of the Spirit therefore I will not absolutely and peremptorily conclude against all Dreams Visions and Revelations in these last Times And I think it very expedient that men should be moderate in their censure But yet for the ordinary course of Visions and Revelations which men do make boast of in these days it is very much to be suspected that they do proceed from no good Spirit Especially when they are carried so high as to live above Ordinances and to slight the Scriptures which God hath appointed as the way and means to Salvation Nay when they shall go further and maintain things apparently contrary to Scripture and the analogie of Faith and rest wholly upon the proof of extraordinary Revelation there is great cause why we should have this way in deep suspition that the power and working of Satan is here And they who call every thing Antichristian in the Ministery in the Ordinances in the Worship in the literal expressions of Scripture if they would be pleased to examine themselves and lay their hands upon their own hearts they would finde That by their slighting of the Scripture by their hanging upon extraordinary Revelations in matters contrary to Scripture they themselves are the most Antichristian men and do come in the nearest resemblance to the Great Antichrist as he is described by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Thessalonians and by Iohn in the Book of the Revelation But let us come to particulars these are the words of the Apostle Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with miracles signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they did not receive the truth in the love of it that they might be saved Chap. 2. ver 9 10. In which words the Apostle doth plainly shew and foretell That not onely at the coming of Antichrist but also in all the time of his Kingdome the Devil shall have power given him to do great things to deceive the world that they may believe the lies of Antichrist
THE CONSCIENTIOUS READER Whosoever he be that hath a Minde given to him to calculate the Times and to search into the sense of the most admired Book of the Revelation BEfore I come to the Body of the Treatise it shall not be impertinent to remove a few prejudices in the beginning and that I may the better be understood briefly to shew the whole Patern of the Work When the Spirit doth speak of the Name of the Beast and the Number thereof he doth insinuate that every vulgar understanding is not fit for such a Computation For saith he Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast c. Now I do not assume to my self such a peculiarity of wisdome above other men for none hath greater cause to have the consideration of his own unworthiness to be set before him But because I have had a long time a great inclination to the study of the Prophecies to compare them with the stories of the Church and finding the Lords blessing upon mine endeavors I am the more willing to communicate that to others which I have found to befor my private satisfaction I may speak it with modesty that I have spared no pains to compare the whole Body of the Prophecy Period with Period Time with Time Vision with Vision I have perused many Commentaries both of the Modern and Ancient Times and used all means convenient for the discovery of Truth And therefore though in this kinde of Learning I will not take it upon me to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though I have not this wisedome I do profess my self to be the lover and admirer of them that have it Now whereas it may be some prejudice that in this Treatise mention is made of a Fifth Monarchy and the Reign of Christ upon the Earth I must needs acknowledge the truth of the Doctrine rightly stated but not as the Opinion of the Chiliasts which doth ordinarily congregate with it many Heterogeneal Falsities and Unsavoury Errors For though there may be cause to maintain the Reign of Christ upon the Earth yet it is not necessary to maintain his Visible and Personal Reign And though there may be cause to defend the Resurrection of the Martyrs slain in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom yet it is not necessary to defend their historical literal and corporal Resurrection at the beginning of the thousand years And though with Mr. Brightman and Mr. Forbes we hold the New Ierusalem to be the glorious state of the Church upon Earth yet we are far from the riot of their Opinions who hold that men shall live without Ordinances without Sin and Misery in those times But if it be further alledged That they that are for this way the very best of them have many absurdities I answer That Piscator Alstedius Mede and some others have but generally spoken of the thing and have not descended to particulars And as they have had great reason to depart from other interpreters so have they used great moderation in managing the Point leaving many things for the discovery of future times On the other side for the 1000 years I would gladly know of them that differ Where they will seat this period of time If they will say That it is the state of the Church in Heaven then let them shew what is the Battel of Gog and Magog and how the Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City may be besieged in Heaven But if they take it for the Reign of Christ upon the Earth then they must necessarily come to admit one member in this disjunctive They must say Either this period of time is already past or else it is to come If it be already past VVhere hath the Church enjoyed these years of her Felicity and of her rest from Persecutions upon Earth Adde moreover to all this That the Reign of Christ for 1000 years is immediately opposed to the times of the Reign of the Beast and the Resurrection of the Martyrs to their death that hath been in all Antichristian times Those Souls are onely represented in the figure to live again that were beheaded for the Word of God and for the testimony of Iesus that had not Worshipped the Beast nor received his Mark c. If therefore we will rightly understand the meaning of these things here is no Visible or Personal Reign as some do imagine But when the Gospel of Christ is set up as the Regent-Law among the Nations then the Lord Christ doth take the Kingdome and doth begin to Reign And this the Lords Name be praised is begun already by the Preaching of the Eternal Gospel by Luther and others Rev. 14. 6 7. For now whole Nations Kingdomes and Common-wealths have set up the Faith of Christ as the Religion of the State when it was persecuted and trodden down before by the Authority of the Bishop of Rome and by all States and Governments that did own and submit to him as Head of the Church And for the Martyrs I conceive That here is no liâ—…eral and corporeal Resurrection of their Bodies onely Iohn in the Vision and in the Figure saw the Souls of them that were Beheaded for the Testimony of Jesus And the times of the Antichristian Tyranny being ended he saw their deliverance and emersion from under this kinde of death These things I thought good more largely to note to take off the prejudice of the Millenarian Opinion Meer necessity doth compel me to maintain that which I conceive to be a truth of God And if the matter were rightly stated I believe here will be nothing found that will cross the Analogie of the Christian Faith the Authority of the Magistrate and the support of the Publick Ministery but rather it will establish all these things But to come a little more near to the main scope of the present Discourse Seeing I take 666 to be the Number of years to the setting up of the Name of Universal Headship in this perhaps they may be offended that are against all Calculation of Prophetical Numbers But for such a way in general we have good ground from the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament If any have gone too far in other Points to determine to a particular year before the Prophecy hath been fulfilled and so have been mistaken in the present case there cannot be the same suspicion of Falshood VVhen we say That 666 is the Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast in which respect it is called the Number of the Name in this we are on the surer side because the truth of the thing is already verified and made good in the experience of the Church And whereas all the Reformed Churches and our late Assembly of Divines in their Confession of Faith Chap. 25. Sect. 6. do place the formality of Antichristianism in this as the
Bishop of Rome doth make himself Head of the Church in the place of Christ the true Head of the Church and so consequently is no other but a counter-Christ In this we agree wiâ—…h them and it is the substance of the ensuing Discourse And for a particular accommodation of the Text we will proceed in brief to shew what understanding we have of those passages that have layen in the dark so long The Reader perhaps will be the better prepared to understand when he shall have a short Description of the things that shall more largely be delivered afterwards First for the Name of the Beast the subject of the Number I do not take it in the ordinary way for Lateinos or any such Grammatical Name But the Name in the sense of the Prophecy is the Power Headship and Dominion of the Beast If there had been a true discovery of the Name in this sense I may confidently believe That the Mysterie of the Number had not layen in obscurity all this while Secondly for the time of the manifestation of this Name or Headship the greater part of Protestant Writers and in a manner all that have spoken of these things with any solidity affirm That it began solemnly publickly and by Authority to be set up in the Decree under the Emperour Phocas This was the remarkable time of the rising of the two-horned Beast out of the Earth and this we say is exactly 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome In which respect the Number is called The Number of the Name that is the Number that doth decypher specifie and characterize the Name or Headship in the most remarkable beginning and edition thereof But seeing the great Question will be concerning the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome Let us consider the whole Systeme and Body of these Kingdomes and so proceed by Analogie The first is the Babylonian Now if we enquire where this Kingdome did begin Not from Nabonasser not from any Babylonian King immediately ensuing but from Nebuchadnezzar For of him it is particularly said Thou art this Head of Gold Dan. 2. He first brought the Church of the Iews under the obedience of the People of Babel and in him therefore we are to settle the beginning of the Babylonian as the first Metal-Kingdome The second is the Persian And here also if we examine when this Metal-Kingdome did begin not simply from that time when that people began to have a Form of Government but from that time as they began to exercise Monarchical Dominion in and over the Continent of the Church This came to pass in the times of Cyrus in him therefore the Persian doth commence as the second Metal-Kingdome The third is the Grecian And if we proceed in the same method we must not generally and indefinitely look to the times when the people of Greece began to have Rule and Government among them but when they began their Soveraign Dominion over the People of the Iews Now this came to pasâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 times of Alexander the Great who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 particular sense expresly called The first King Daâ—… 8. 21. In him then we are to fix the true 〈◊〉 and beginning of the Grecian as the third Metal-Kingdome The fourth is the Roman And if we proceed by the same Analogie it will be easie to finde when that Nation did begin as the fourth Metal-Kingdome and here we must not reckon from the time of Iulius or Augustus Caesar but from that time when the Roman Legions first entred Ierusalem when they brought the Land of Iudea in subjection when they erected their Government in those Countreys which formerly did belong to the House of David and when in their particular time they did begin to exercise the same cruelty and hardness against the people of the Iews as the Babylonians Persians and Grecians had done before under each of their Empires respectively Here we are to set the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome Now this came to pass 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the going forth of the Decree That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches And so we have the clear meaning of the Text Let him that hath wisdome count the Number of the Beast and he shall finde That the Number of his Name Government and Universal Headship in the first Institution thereof is 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome And therefore 666 is rightly and Apocalyptically called The Number of the Name By this Character the Church in the days of Iohn and so downward had they given themselves to subtilty of observation in the discovery of the Prophetical times by wisdome some of them perhaps might have found out the particular time of the rising of the two-horned Beast out of the Earth and the time of the first visible appearing of this Name or Headship set up in the greatest derogation to his Soveraignty and Dominion that is onely Lord and Head of the Church There is one thing in the Text which if it be attentively considered will abundantly confirm the truth of the Interpretation It is expresly said Let him that hath wisdome count 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is the Number of a Man Though there may seem to be great difference between these two yet in the case we now speak of they are but one and the same For as Daniel numbreth the four great Empires and Revolutions of Time by so many Regions Parts and Divisions of the Body of Man In which regard it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Number of a Man Dan. 2. So he doth decypher the same Tyrannical Empires and the same Revolutions of Time by four great Beasts in which respect it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Number of the Beast To my understanding the Spirit doth as good as point with the finger to this way of Interpretation For if it be a duty for him that hath wisdome to count the Number of the Beast the Question will be What Rule shall he number by that so he may finde out the Account The Answer is plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the Number of a Man Let him count by the changes of Empire and by the Revolutions of Time in Daniels Image And so the event doth fully answer the Prediction for from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome there are exactly 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome Onely the followers of Iunius such as Piscator Polanus Willet Rolloc Deodate and others will say How can the Number take date from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome when the Roman is no Metal-Kingdome but doth begin at the end of all those Kingdomes To satisfie my own understanding and the understanding of others
of its Heads c. Now then let us say That the Roman Majesty revived again from the dead that this is the Image how shall the Name Lateinos or any other such like Name consisting meerly of Letters and syllables be answerable to such an Image as this What Equipage or Correspondence can there be between quid nominis quid rei Shall we once imagine that the repair of the Roman Majesty in these latter times is only of a Name that consisteth of Letters and syllables and such like elements of the Greek and Hebrew Alphabet Away with such a conceit But if you take the Name for the Universal Headship you shall have a Name truly correspondent to the Image and to the Mark. For when the Decree went forth that the Bishop of Rome should be Universal Head of the Church then was the ancient Roman Sovereignty repaired in the Popes which was formerly lost in the Caesars Here both the Name and the Image are equivalent each to other and do differ only in a certain consideration And the Mark also agreeth with both the former seeing it is but the publick profession of subjection to that Name or Power The Fourth Argument is drawn from the Antithesis or Contraposition of the Name of the Lamb to the Name of the Beast By the description of one Opposite we may finde out the Nature of the other For the Name of the Lamb it is described Revelation chap. 19. vers 16. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Here then in this Scripture we do not look after a literal Name but after his Power or Sovereignty as he is Lord or Head of the Church We reade also Phil. 2. 9. Because he humbled himself to the Death of the Cross God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Iesus every kâ—…ee should bow c. Here many in darker times have taken this for a literal Name and therefore it hath been a great use to bow the knee when the Name of Jesus was mentioned But the ground of the mistake is this They have not looked to the main scope of the text and the Nature of the Expression For the Name in the text is not the word Jesus consisting of Letters and syllables but the sublime Power Authority Headship Dominion and Sovereign rule that God the Father did give to his Son after the suffering of Death And this is so expounded by the Apostle himself in another place Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Eph. 1. 20 21 22. Therefore the Name is no other but the Sovereign Power that God the Father did give to his Son the Lord Jesus as Head of the Church By the rule of contraries then the Name of the Beast must needs be his Universal Power and Headship seeing in all respects he is emulous of the Dignity of the Lamb. By the Nature of the one we may understand the Nature of the other contrary If the Name of the Lamb be his Sovereign Dominion King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Name of the Beast ex adverso on the other part must be his Universal Headship over all Lords and Kings and earthly Dominions The Fifth Argument is drawn from the parallel and resemblance with the Name of the Whore It is a good Observation of some Modern Interpreters That the State or Government described chap. 13. under the Type and Similitude of a Beast with two Horns is again more largely repeated under the resemblance of a Woman riding upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast Râ—…v 17. Now seeing there is such a parallel between the descriptions in both Chapters as to the substance of the matter let us then more diligently consider what is meant by the Name of the Woman Upon her Forehead was a Name written Mysterie Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth vers 5. Here I think none will be so void of Judgement as to look after a literal Name and a literal Inscription in the forehead of the Woman The Name is no other but that Universal Maternity or Motherhood as I may so say of her that professeth herself the Head or mother-Mother-Church of all the Christian world but is indeed and in truth the Mother of all the Abominations and Idolatries of the Earth In like manner when we reade of the Name of the Beast we are not to look after a literal Name as Lateinos and the like but his Namâ—… must be his Universal Paternity Fatherhood Power and Dominion By the Analogie of one Expression we may â—…e out the meaning of the other If the Name of the Great Whore be not a literal and syllabical Name but in the figure doth only denote her general Motherhood so proportionably the Nâ—… oâ—… the Beast is not a literal Name but in the Trope iâ—…â—…oth only signifie his Universal Dominion and Authority If we transfer Matters to Experience we shall finde the eveâ—… of things doth fully Answer these Characters of the Propâ—…ecie It hath been a general received Maxime in many Ages together That out of our Holy Mother the Church of Rome as they call it there is no Salvation to be had she is the Mother of all true Catholicks with them that are her Admirers But in the Scripture-language she is called Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth So it hath been as generally received That all are bound to submit to the Authority of our Holy Father the Pope But this in the Scripture-language is the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name I think it is not done without the special Wisdom and fore-knowledge of God that these two things in which the Christian world should erre so greatly should be set forth with such remarkable Characters to draw the admiration of all that read But leaving these things for a deeper enquire it is sufficient for my present purpose to note that the Name of Mystical Babylon is not a literal Name but the general Motherhood of that City and Church So the Name of the Beast by way of parallel is not a literal Name but it is the Universal Headship of the Beast as Lord and Potentaâ—…e The Sixth Argument is drawn from the Ground and Reason of the Imperial Edict chap. 13. vers 16 17. He causeth all both small and great bond and free to receive a Mark in their Forehead and their right hand and that none might buy nor sell but he that hath the Mark of the Name Now then if the Name be a Title or
or Intercision of that sovereignty before the Roman Dominion in the last the reâ—…aired and Antichristian state thereof In the 13 Chapter it is said That the Ten-Horned Beast had a wound in one of his heads vers 3. What is this wound but an intercision or cessation of all Roman Majesty in the world at the rising of the Ten Kings The Two-Horned beast by his Deâ—…es did cure the wound vers 14 15. What is this cure but the renovation of the same Sovereignty in the Popes which was formerly lost in the Caesars So in the 17 Chapter it is said That all the world worshipped the Beast When they beheld the Beast that was is not and yet is v. 8. What is meant here by the Beast that is not This noteth the total cessation abrogation of the Roman Majesty at the Fall of the Empire And by the Beast that is This â—…eth the reâ—…ing of the Roman Majesty from the Dead when it was formerly lost in the Caesars Both Scriptures then do plainly shew and so doth S. Paul in the Thessalonians That the Empire must first Fall before the Antichristian times can begin They therefore that set the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom at the time of Victor or at Constantines removing the seat of the Empire to Constantinople or at the Reign of the Emperor Iulâ—…an or at any other time before the Fall of the Empire To my understanding they do anticipate the true beginning of the Beast's Kingdom and do go against the Grounds and Foundations of all true Apocalyptical learning The Second Branch of this Principle is this also That the time of the beginning of the Beast with Two Horns must be after the rising of the Ten Kings or the Ten-Horned Beast out of the Sea chap. 13. vers 1. For though the antient Commentators take the first Beast to be the Old Empire yet the latter Interpreters such as Brightman Peraeus Mede and others do more rightly understand this to be the rising of the Ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire And in very deed if we consider the time of the Beginning of this Beast it was presently and immediately after the Dragons Flood scil after the Inundation of the Barbarous Nations Secondly The Manner of the Rising The Beast had Ten Crowns upon his Horns at the time of his Rising out of the Sea which noteth the Division of the Roman into Ten inferiour Kingdoms in that notable change of State Thirdly The time of his Continuance He was to continue 42 Months and this is the exact time of the Sufferings of the Church under the Antichristian Persecution These and many such-like Reasons do strongly prove That the Beast with Ten Horns and his rising out of the Sea doth Note and decypher The standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And here then The beginning of the 42 Months the time of the Reign of this Beast is set forth by a true Demonstrative Character and we may not doubt of the certainty thereof Further then If we look to the scope of the Text the rising of the Beast with Two Horns must needs be after the rising of the Ten-Horned Beast and so consequently after the standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And so the Visions will be rightly applyed to their true times I know nothing of moment which doth contradict this Assertion but only that which is spoken by Mr Mede in his Apocalyptical Key Synchronism the second Where he endeavoureth to shew That the Ten-horned Beast and the Beast with Two Horns are exact Contemporaries in all their times These are his words A se invicâ—…nt neque ortu suo neque interitu separantur quinetiam altera alterius potestatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est in praesentia ipsius administrat And then he concludes Quis non vidit illas omni aevo suo necessariò contemporare But saving the great respect I bear to this Author I cannot see first how this can agree with the scope of the Scripture Secondly With the event of things Thirdly With the Tenor of his own Doctrine as he delivereth it elsewhere Fourthly With the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have spoken most Proâ—…atively concerning the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom First I cannot see how he agreeth with the Scripture For Iohn saw first a Beast come out of the Sea with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns upon his Horns and after that he saw another second Beast which came out of the Earth with Two Horns From whence we may easily collect That the rising of the one is in order of time before the rising of the other and therefore they no not ad amussim contemporare ortu suo they do not exactly agree in the time of their Original Secondly I cannot see how he agrees with the event of things For at that time when the Ten Kings arose out of the ruines of the Empire there was no Roman Sovereignty in the whole world For as we have formerly mentioned The Beast had a wound in one of his Heads and therefore there was an intercision and a cessation of that Potency for a time We yield that the Two-Horned Beast is the Restorer of the Ten-Horned Beast he cured the wound and made the Image to speak and live It is true that he revived the Roman Sovereignty from Death to Life but this reviving was not assoon as the Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire Thirdly I cannot see how this agreeth with Mr Mede's own Doctrine For he saith Apost pag. 83. That the Fourth Beast is the Roman Kingdom the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings that arise out of the dissipation of the Empire and the little Horn he saith expresly that it must arise after them pag. 74. For so he will have the Chaldee word to be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 70 to wit That the little Horn must arise behind the Ten Horns Now then if the Papacie must arise after and behind the Ten Kings it is plain That he doth contemporate with them ortu suo in his beginning and that according to Mr Mede's own Principles Fourthly I cannot see how he can agree with the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have demonstratively written of the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom For as many almost who have spoken of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth have applied this beginning to the Bishop of Rome in the times after the Fall of the Empire when the Decree went forth That he should be Head over all the Churches All the Circumstances of the Text laid together prove the truth of this Interpetation We come now to the Third Principle Princ. 3. The time of the rising of the second Beast must be so stated That all the circumstances of the Text may agree to such a beginning We must not leave the times of the Fall
times must consume the Roman Kingdom in the Antichristian state thereof as it is cleer by the whole Book of the Revelation Object But whereas Piscator doth alledge That the Kingdom of Christ did begin to fill the whole Earth when the Gentiles far and neer were brought to the Faith by the Preachiâ—…g of the Apostles Sol. I do not Deny but that the Kingdom of Christ in the Apostles time did then begin to fill the Earth For the bounds of his Spiritual Kingdom were much enlarged by their travel But what is this to the purpose The text speaketh plainly of a Monarchical Kingdom of such a Kingdom opposed to the Four Monarchies that shall subdue and fill the whole Earth The Apostles Preached the Gospel among all Nations and by name Saint Paul filled all places from Ierusalem to Illyricum with the Gospel of Christ. Yet nevertheless for all this large spreading of the Gospel there was no destruction of the Roman Kingdom In those times the Romans continued their Power and Tyranny though the Gospel of Christ was Preached everywhere But when the stone shall become a Mountain and fill the whole Earth before this can be done the Stone must strike the Image upon the Feet and Toes thereof The Tyranny of the Roman Kingdom must be broken by the Power of the Gospel before the Kingdom of Christ can be set up in the Throne Now if we apply these things to the times we shall find that the Church was in perpetual conflict with the Empire of the Romans for 300 yearâ—… together in all the times of the Ten first Persecutions Now it is said of the Primitive Mareyrs That they overcame him to wit The Persecuting Empire by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12. 11. By the scope of the place it is clear That the Lord Christ by his Power and his Martyrs by their Sufferings both together did break the Tyranny of that Persecuting Empire It is said of them That they overcame him to wit the Dragon with Seven Heads and Ten Horns The Saints by their Sufferings did overcome him and so the Gospel was set up as the regent Law The Woman brought forth a Man-Child that should Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron This is meant of the Reign of Christ upon the Earth and there were some beginnings thereof in the times of Constantine the Great as appears by the scope of the text vers 9 10 11. Now whereas it came to pass afterwards That the Christian Empire was broken to pieces by the coming down of the barbarous Nations out of the North and Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire aforesaid Then also according to the Prophecies a New Persecuting Empire was Erected to try the Faith and Patience of the Saints This in the whole Prophecie is called The Antichristian Empire or The Roman Kingdom in the last Edition thereof Now this Kingdom also shall be broken in pieces by the Preaching of the eternal Gospel the Nations shall be undeceived and the Gospel shall be set up as the regent Law as it began to be set up in the times of Constantine the Great but was hiâ—…dered afterward But now it shall be far otherwise The Kingdom of Christ shall be so set up after the breaking in pieces of the Toes and Feet of the Image after the wearing out of the Antichristian Tyranny that he shall Reign 1000 years From all that hath been said it is clear That we must look after the Monarchical beginning of the Kingdom of Christ according to the Prophecies Of this we shall have some occasion to speak more largely afterward Now let us consider what is Alledged by Polanus Polanus The Scope of Daniel is To speak of those great Empires only that should stand up one after another till Christ in those Territories where the Babylonian began Now the Roman had nothing that the Babylonian had but only Syria and Egypt He had nothing that the Persian had more than the Babylonian but Asia the Less Therefore the Roman is not to be accounted one of the Four Empires Answer It is true that the Roman went no further Eastward than the River Euphrates neither did he possess many of those Eastern Countries which were formerly under the Babylonian and Persian Monarchies But what of all this It is enough for our purpose That he possessed all those Countries on this side Euphrates which were the Continent of the Church In the Churches Continent the Roman was the Successor of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires For look what Monarchy the Babylonian began over the People of the Jews the same was continued by the Romans when their time came to have the Monarchy over the Church If this be a truth we may quickly Answer the Objection of Dr Willet which is much to the same effect These are his words This Vision of an humane Image signified one united Body consisting of divers Kingdoms one succeeding another as the parts of the Body do joyn one to another the Beginning and Head of which was Babylon And then he addeth The Roman Monarchy being distant at least 1200 miles could not make one united Body with it Therefore that Monarchy cannot here fitly be understood By the same Reason he might Argue The Graecian Kingdom being distant many miles from the Babylonian and Persian therefore it cannot be compacted into the same Image of Persecuting Empires But this is not the Point which we are on For we are not to measure the Monarchies by the Longitude Latitude and Distance of place but by the same Succession of Monarchical Dominion over the Churches Territories In this sense the Roman may be placed in the same Image of Monarchical Empires as long as he did continue the same Sovereignty over the Church which the Babylonian began And therefore when the Scriptures do call the City of Rome by the Name of Babylon it is a very proper Expression for she did continue the same Tyranny over the Saints which the Babylonians began And it is clear also That the same Empire did Devolve and Descend upon the Romans in the Fourth Alteration and Change of State But let us proceed Polanus At the Coming of Christ the Kingdom represented by the Feet and Toes was ruined but so was not the Kingdom of the Romans which was not compleat till the time of Trajan Therefore the Roman is not the Fourth Kingdom Answer I have already touched this Point in my Answer to Piscator but because I see many Excellent Expositors build upon this Principle That the Kingdom of Christ Beginneth at the Dissolution of all Four Metal-Kingdoms and that this Dissolution was at his Incarnation Because they build strongly upon this we will bestow the more pains to enquire into the matter To the clearing of this let us look to that which the text naturally affordeth and then let us make Application From
this Fourth Monarchy is to be stated according to Church-relations Secondly We will shew out of the Stories in whose times and by whose means the Church came first under the Dominion of that People Now That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms when the Church came under the Obedience of that People may be proved by these Arguments ARGUMENT I. Where the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin by the same Analogie we are to proceed in stating the Beginning of the Fourth Kingdom But the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin each of them in their several times when the Church and the Confines adjoyning came under their Dominion Therefore the Roman as the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began when the Church and the Confines about the Church came under the Obedience of that People The Major is clear For none will Deny but that the Roman doth hold Analogie with the three former Empires in their beginning And for the Minor we prove it by Induction of Singulars As for Ensample Example 1. First In the Babylonian Kingdom the first of Daniel's Four there were many Potent Kings that did Reign in that Succession before the times of Nebuchadnezzar for he began to Reign in the 144 year of the Aera of Nabonazzar Now the several Names of the Kings the times of their Reign and the order of their Succession are all set down in the famous Canon of Ptolomy as we shall shew afterwards But not to go far for an Example There is mention made of one Merodach-Baladan in the Canon aforesaid called by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah King of Iudah 2 King 20. 12. There was then a Succession of Babylonian Kings before Nebuchadnezzar You will say Why is he then called the Head of Gold as much in sense as the first Babylonian King I Answer Though he was not simply the first Babylonian King others Reigning before him yet he was the first Prince of the Babylonians that brought the Jewish Church and the Confines about that Church within the Babylonian Empire Example 2. Secondly That Kingdom of the Medes and Persians whereof Darius and Cyrus were the Founders if we go strictly to work the Foundation of these was laid before For it is manifestly plain by the testimony of the Greek Historians and by the Chronographical Tables now in the hands of all men That there was a Potent Race of the Kings of Media down from Arbaces the Mede Yet for all this Darius and Cyrus are the true Founders of the Mede-Persian Kingdom because they first brought the Jewish Church under the power of the Medes and Persians And that which is very remarkable to our present purpose though it be a thing famously known among Historians That Cyrus began to Reign in the 55 Olympiad though he subdued many Nations Propagated the Persian Empire very far yet the Scripture taketh no notice of that beginning but then only when the Church came within the limits of the Persian Dominion And therefore it is well Observed by Piscator in his Scholia upon Ezra chap. 1. vers 2. That the Edict came forth in the first of Cyrus King of Persia. This saith he is the first year of his Reign in Babylon Example 3. The Third Kingdom in Daniel's Image is that of the Graecians of which Alexander became the Head at the overthrow of Darius The rough Goat is said to be the Monarchy of the Graecians and the Great Horn to wit Alexander is expresly called the first King Dan. 8. 21. Now How can he be said to be the first King of the Graecians seeing there were many Mighty Kings before him in and over that Nation To let pass all the other States of Greece in Macedonia it self Philip the Father of Alexander was a Potent Prince But the Answer is as before He was the first Monarchical King that subdued the Territories of the Church There was never any Graecian Prince that extended the Sovereign Rule of that People so far Eastward to the Confines of the Church as he And therefore he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first King of the Graecians From all the forementioned particulars it is clear That the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image began each of them in their several times when the Church came under their respective Dominions And so the Assumption is proved If then we proceed in the same Analogie we must necessarily say That the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Jewish Church and the Continent adjoyning came first under the Sovereign Lordship and Command of the People of Rome But yet for further confirmation of this truth we will produce some new Arguments to prove That the Metal-Kingdoms are Numbred in relation to the Church First The Revelation of these Metal-Kingdoms was specially for the Saints and People of God For though one end was to Discover to Nebuchadnezzar what Successions of Tyranny there should be after him yet this was principally for the Churches sake and the Churches use And therefore it is mentioned This Secret is not revealed unto me for any wisdom that I have above all living but for their sakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King vers 30. Therefore in the delineation of these Tyrannical Empires the Lord doth specially intend to Reveal to the Church those Changes and Vicissitudes of times that she should meet withal In Relation to her then There is primarily a Discovery of these things Secondly These Metal-Kingdoms are also Discovered to shew in what Region or Part of Time the Kingdom of Christ should begin All the Scriptures in the Old Testament point mainly to Christ some point to his Parentage others to the place of his Birth others to the Tribe that he should come of So this in special pointeth to that period of time when his Kingdom should begin These are the words of the text In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed From whence it is manifest That the Monarchies are reckoned according to the alterations which shall be in and about the Borders of the Jewish Church For Where should Christ be Born but in Iudea And hereupon he is called The King of the Jews Thirdly If we go to that Expression so often mentioned Dan. 11. where the Seleucian is called The King of the North and the Dominion of the Lagidae The King of the South Here we must necessarily Affirm That these Empires are said to be North and South in some special relation And the Reason is clear Because Iudea did lie in the middest betwixt them as a Lamb betwixt Two Wolves having the Seleucidae on the North and the Lagidae on the South Now that the People of the Jews are herein principally respected the words of the Angel are clear I am come to make Thee Understand what shall befal Thy People in
Story of the Gospel and particularly the entrance of Christ into his Ministery he hath these words In the fifteenth year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Governor of Iudea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene the Word of the Lord came to Iohn the Son of Zacharias in the Wilderness Luk. 3. 1 2 3. Here I demand What hath the Evangelist to do with the times of the Romans being a Government so alien to the affairs of the Church I Answer There be Two Reasons wherefore he Numbreth the times according to the Roman accompt The First is To shew the Truth of Daniel's Prophecie in the Image of Persecuting States For there it is expresly said That in the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. Now the Evangelist expoundeth this to be the Kingdom of Christ and that the Roman in particular is the Metal-Kingdom in whose times the Kingdom of Christ did begin And he doth leave it upon Record That the Lord Christ had a solemn Inauguration into his Office in that part of time when Tiberius was Emperor in the fifteenth year of his Reign when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Iudea c. Now if it be the scope of the Evangelist to shew That the Lord did begin his Office in Preaching the Gospel when the Romans did beaâ—… Rule there must be a particular instant of time also when all in Iudea fell under the Dominion of that People and that in the sense of the Gospel must be the Epocha or term of the Roman Kingdom Secondly The Evangelist doth so punctually Number the times according to the Roman Government because then Iudea where the Gospel began to be Preached was under the Command of the People of Rome And the Evangelist doth no more in the times of the New Testament than what the Prophets and ancient Writers had done in the times of the Old As for Ensample Those Prophets that lived in the times of the Kings of Iudah and Israel as Isaiah Ieremy Hosea dated their Prophecies from the Reign of those Kings And from that time that the Kings of the Line of David were taken away it was the use to reckon by the times of the Four Monarchical States So Daniel and Hezâ—…kiel who lived in the times of the Babylonian Empire do reckon their Visions by the times of the Babylonian Kings And after them Ezrah Nehemiah Haggie and Zachary who lived in the times of the Persian Monarchy dated their times by the Reigns of the Kings of Persia. And as for those Ecclesiastical Writers that lived in the times of the Graecian Kingdom as the Author of the Book of the Macchabees they accounted by the years of the Kingdom of the Greeks In like manner the Evangelists living in the times of the Romans date the Story of the Gospel by the Roman account In all which they do secretly imply That the Roman is the Fourth Metal-Kingdom and it began so to be when the Church of the Jews became subject to the People of Rome So long the Stories of the Church were Numerable by the Roman account But let us adde another Testimony out of the same Evangelist where he telleth us chap. 2. vers 2. A Decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed 〈◊〉 this taxing was first made when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria Now whereas he saith That all the world should be taxed this is meant only of the world under the Roman obedience And here we Affirm When Iudea and the Countries near Bordering became Members of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Roman world then did the Roman begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms The Evangelist being to speak of the Birth of the Kinâ—… of the Jews his special purpose is to shew how that particular Continent was under the sovereign Power of Augustus Caesar at that time Object 1. But here it may be Objected How could Augustus tax Iudea when it was under the Power of Herod the King Sol. This matter is solidly Disputed by the learned Spanhemius in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 2. pa. 157. The sum of that which he doth deliver cometh to this issue Though Herod was King he had not jus summum the supreme Dominion he had only jus subalternum a Right and a Power meerly by the courtesie of Augustus And therefore he citeth a passage out of Appianus That as Darius was the King of Pontus and Polemon of Cilicia so Herod was King of the Jews that is meerly by favour and courtesie Secondly He sheweth That there were often Appeals from Herod to the Romans and therefore he was compelled to pleÌ„ad for himself before Antonius at Laodicea and before Augustus after the Battel of Actium at Rhodes Many more Arguments he brought to prove that his Government was meerly Precatious and at the will of the Romans Now for that particular time when the Romans began to have the sovereignty over the People of the Jews this was at the times of Pompey the Great These are the Authors own words pag. 160 At a sane erat conditio populi Iudaici tempore Macchabaeorum qu indo à Iudâ Macchabaeo foedus primò cum Romanis initum ubi Iudaeâ—… vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi Romani rescripto Sena us ad Deâ—…ctrium à quo premebantur 1 Mac. 8. Sed quamâ—…rimum à Pompeio Magno subacti fuere societatis nomen in servitutem abâ—…r illi aequè ac aliae gentes dâ—…victae Romanis vectigales facti eorum imperio accessêre Ab eâ—… tempore Iudaeorum gens in Clientelâ Romanorum fuit à quâ—…bus Reges pro arbitrio instituebantur vel destituebantur tales quidem quibus precarium limitatum erat imperium à nutu eorum suspensum qui Romae rerum potâ—…ebantur In these words of his he doth plainly distinguish what the People of the Jews were before the Conquest of Judea by Pompey and what they were after Before the Conquest they were Friends Allies and Auxiliaries and after that their society was turned into servitude and as other Conquered Nations so the Jews were made Tributaries to the Empire From that time the Nation of the Jews was alwayes under the Dominion of the Romans by whom their Kings were either set up or plucked down at pleasure And for the manner of their Rule it was meerly limited hanging upon the good will of them that had the supreme Command at Rome Now if this be so I leave it to any man to judge when the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom According to these Principles he must needs begin at the times of Pompey when the Church was brought under the Power of the Romans Object 2. Why is it said That the taxing was when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria and not rather
when Herod was King of the Iews Sol. The Answer is clear That though Herod was King of the Jews yet Cyreneus was the principal Agent of the Romans in the Tax and Iudea was but a Member annexed to the Province of Syria Maldonate upon the place to my apprehension speaketh satisfactorily For saith he Cyreneus was not the Governor of Judea but of Syria but because Judea did then belong to the Province of Syria as all Authors do deliver it was his Office to tax not only Syria but Judea also And in very deed much is spoken in the Roman Story That Iudea was a Member annexed and Iosâ—…phus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apendix or the Additament of Syria If we go to the Original we shall find in the Stories That when the Seleucian Kingdom was destroyed Syria and Iudea both together came under the Power of the Romans by the means of Pompeâ—… the Great And here we set the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom But because Spanhemius doth seem to go another way and doth stand upon it That Iudea was not a Member annexed to Syria till the time of Archelaus when Iudea was made a Province Let him now give his Answer Why the Birth of Christ is recorded by the Evangelist to be in the times of the Oecumenical Tax of the Roman World His Answer is this Ut non tantum res tam illustris Charactere temporis illustri consignaretur sed tali qui responderet vaticiniis Propheticis not only that so famous a matter should be decyphered by so famous a Character of time but by such a famous Character of time which should Answer the Predictions of the Prophets And then in particular he citeth those words of the Prophecie of Daniel In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed chap. 2. vers 44. And then he concludeth upon the Premises in these words Descriptio enim Iudaeorum sub Augusto erat publica servitutis professio tessera Obsequii quod debebatur Principi Extero adeóque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advenisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo Messias nasci debuit lapis sine manibus è monte excindi The Tax of the Iews under Augustus was a publick profession of their Servitude and a Badge of that Homage which was due to a Forreign Prince and therefore a clear Demonâ—…ation that that fulness of time was come in which the Messiah should be born and in which the Stone should be cut out of the Mountain without hands From these words of his we do conclude That in the sense of the Evangelists the Roman is the Fourth and last Metal-Kingdom For when the Lord Christ was born the Jews did yield their Homage and Obedience to the Romans as to those that were set over them But if we do enquire after the time when they came to be Homagers it was at the time of Pompey the Great Therefore in the sense of the Evangelists we must there set the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT V. That which doth necessarily spring from theâ—…r Principles who do most authentically expound the Monarchies that is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom But the beginning of the Roman at the time of their Free-state when the Church came first within the Verge of their Dominion is such Ergo. The Major is plain For we cannot reject that beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom which doth necessarily spring from the Principles of the most Authentick Expositors We do in substance take that for truth which is implyed as that which is plainly expressed But for the Minor That the beginning of the Roman Monarchy was at the time of their Free-stare and that this doth spring from the Principles of the most Authentick Expositors This is proved by the enumeration of Singulars First The most approved Interpreters do hold That all the Four Tyrannical Empires are compacted into one Image and though they differ in some particulars yet they all agree in the greatness of Dominion In this sense nothing doth exclude the Roman from being one of the Four Secondly They agree That all these Tyrannical Empires compacted into one Image continue a succession of that Lordship which the first scil the Babylonian did take from the People of the Jews If this be so the Roman must begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms at that time only when the Church of the Jews came under their Dominion For though the Romans were a mighty State and had gained to themselves a great Power in the West yet they were not the sucsessors of Nebuchadnezzar in that Monarchy which he had begun till they had taken in the Eastern Countries and brought the Jewish Church within the Power of their Kingdom But when this matter was once effected then did the Roman begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And this doth necessarily arise from the Principles and Foundations of such as have best Expounded the Metal-Kingdoms Object But some perhaps may alledge You have formerly taught That the Metal-Kingdoms do not only respect the People of the Iews but the People of the Gentiles also when the Gentiles come to be the Church of Christ. Sol. This I confess to be a Truth Yet withal in the right stating of the beginning of the Four Kingdoms we must have only respect to the Nation of the Jews For when all these Kingdoms began and in particular the Fourth and the last there was no other Church in all the world but that of the Jews only Afterwards by the Preaching of the Apostles the Church did greatly encrease and the whole Empire in its just Latitude from East to West from North to South was the Seat and the Place of the Church And hence it is That the Spirit in the Revelation doth discover her State according to the changes of time in the Empire of the Romans But yet however The Doctrine of the forementioned Interpreters will strongly inforce the beginning of the Roman when Iudea came under the Power of that People seeing there was no Church in all the world but that of the Jews only Object But if it be further Alledged Why do you call this a Principle of the most Approved Interpreters seeing you your self do not Allow their Exposition in some Particulars Sol. So far forth as the Exposition is Approved I do build upon it and it doth strongly inforce the Conclusion And for the kinds of Interpreters I will shew who are the most Approved and why they are so called After such times as it pleased the Lord to Reveal to Daniel the Four Ages of the Church under the Type and Similitude of Four Metals in the Image this Discovery hath been variously received Some only having a glaring light of the Truth have turned it into Fables and it is very probable That Ovid in his Metamorphosis
give them a Mark as if the intent of the Beast were by this that they should give testimony that they are his They are also said to receive a Mark Chap. 14. To have the Mark Chap. 16. Now then we are sure that to give receive or have the Mark of the Beast is no other but that Act by which the Consciences of men are obliged to the Authority of the Pope and his Church When also they do prosess That by their Swords Wits Goods Lives and by all that they have they will maintain the Decrees and Laws made by that Authority The Mark in the Forehead is the publick Profession of the Universal Headship in the view of men and the Mark in the Right-hand is the solemn Resolution and Obligation to defend and maintain the Authority of the Beast against all that do oppose it And truly the event of things doth notably answer the prediction For we see by plain experience That the Papists such is their zeal to the Catholick Cause do out-strip us by many degrees The Jesuiâ—…es are never idle they compass Sea and Land they â—…urn themselves into all forms and are still animating of Princes and People against the Protestant Cause Yea they have so wrought that almost no man among them seemeth to spare either Labour Wealth Counsel or Life it self to uphold the Name and Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome God grant that one day they do not rise up in Judgment against us for we do not come near them in the least degree in promoting the Kingdom of Christ or in setting up the Gospel as the Regent-Law among the Nations But the Papists will not hear that they are enemies or that they go against the Lord and his Word They hold That the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ and that he hath all his Authority by delegation from him These are specious shews But in deed and in truth they are real enemies against Christ For the Scriptures and the words of the Gospel they can do nothing but meerly as the Pope and the Church of Rome do give life vigour and authority to them and as they do interpret them which always they do to their own advantage There is no truth more clearly delivered in Scripture then the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ and yet the Pope saith on the contrary That there is a Purgatory after this life and that the souls there detained are freed by Masses Indulgences Pardons and such like means God and his Word say Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Pope on the contrary saith Thou shalt worship Saints Images Crosses Reliques and the like God and Christ have commanded all men to search the Scriptures and to try the Spirits of what nature they be Now the Pope on the contrary commandeth that men should forbear the doing of this and that they should depend upon him alone God and Christ say Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed undefiled The Pope on the contrary forbiddeth Marriage to the Ministry By these and sundry such-like instances it is apparent That the Name and Soveraignty of the Beast is every way contrary to the Name and Soveraignty of the Lamb. For what the Lamb doth command the Beast doth countermand for the most part From hence it is clear then say the Papists what they will when they leave Christ to follow the Laws of the Pope in sense and substance they make him their Christ their Spiritual King Head and Governour and so in effect are no true Christians Now on the contrary seeing the Lord Christ is given as a Leader and Commander to his people they who refuse the Laws of the Pope to yield subjection to Christ in the times of the greatest persecution are every where mentioned in the Revelation to have the Name of the Father written in their Forehead Chap. 14. ver 15. To be the remnant of the seed of the woman that keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ Chap. 12. ver 17. The Papists then in receiving the Doctrines and Decrees of the Bishop of Rome under that formality as they do believe him Universal Head of the Church are positively directly and immediately Antichristian This Truth being laid down a stream of excellent Uses do naturally flow from it First We may here contemplate and behold the truth and infinite Wisdome of God speaking in the Scriptures It is now above 1500 years since that Iohn wrote the Revelation in which he spake of the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name Now if we go to experience What have all ages for this thousand years last past but verified and fulfilled the truth of that which he spake of long before He that shall diligently reade the present Treatise will finde it to be true as we have said Secondly here is matter for our prayers and tears yea for our bowels to yern over those great Countries Kingdomes and Commonweals which do as yet own the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome They do continue in a great sin against the Kingly Office of Christ their profession is no other but Apostacy from the true Head of the Church and unless they repent they will one day feel the great Plagues contained in the words of the Prophecy Thirdly here is cause for the Protestant Churches to be thankful to the Lord For did they rightly understand it he hath delivered them from a bondage and slavery which far surpasseth the bondage of Egypt or Babylon For in the present case if men under this Government refuse to Worship the Beast and to receive his Mark the penalty is that they shall have no liberty to buy nor sell they shall be killed with the Sword they shall have their blood spilt they shall be subjected to sundry kindes of death On the contrary if they do worship the Beast and receive his Mark the Lord Christ doth threaten on the other side that they shall be tormented day and night and the smoke of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever Rev. Chap. 14. ver 7 8 9 10. The day of the deliverance of the Churches from Romish Tyranny was a day of deliverance from a Tyranny over their Souls over their Consciences over their Bodies over their Estates But all Treatises are full of Uses of this kinde We will proceed â—…o that which is Antichristian by Analogie and Reduction for this is more immediate to our purpose CHAP. XIII Concerning that which is Antichristian by Analogie and 〈◊〉 IN the progress of the Discourse we have shewed That the formality of Antichristianism is in the Headship of the Beast By this Standard of the Market we may prove all other things that do more remotely symbolize and agree with the Great Anti-Christ First the power of the Magistrate when it hath no bounds or limits but he doth all by his Will and Prerogative in
the Church of God doth come too near to the formality of Anti-Christianism Antiochus Epiphanes in the Prophecy of Daniel is described as a mighty King or Potentate in the Seleucian Line but when he was not contented with his Power which was great enough but would exalt himself against the Prince of the Host and tread down the Sanctuary and do all things after his own will in this he was a figure of the Antichrist to come Dan. 8. 12. But that we may speak more distinctly in a matter of so great moment we do desire to lay down this necessary caution in the beginning Let us then distinguish betwixt the Essence and the Exercise of the power For the Essence we do willingly acknowledg that the Lord hath ordained Magistrates to be over the people for his own glory and the publick good and that Magistracy is the Ordinance of God Rom. 13. v. 1 2 3. And though he hath not tied any Nation or People so strictly and precisely to this or that particular Form of Government yet his pleasure is That the People should obey the Government that is set over them In this case If they resist the Power they resist the Ordinance of God and draw great guilt upon their Souls for their resisting If we look to the Nation and People of the Jews they did meet with the greatest Changes and Alterations of State yet in each Alteration the will of the Lord was that they should obey the Civil Authority set over them for the preservation of the Publick Peace The hardest Change that they ever met withal was the translation of their State from the house of David yet they were to pray for the peace of the King of Babylon seek the good of the City whither they were carried Captive All this plainly sheweth That Magistracy is the Ordinance of God and the Lord would have his own Command to be observed by his People though they did live under Heathen Kings Secondly we are to consider the Exercise of the Power And here First is the lawful execution and Secondly the exorbitancy and excess of the Power above Law For the lawful use of the Power we do willingly yield That the Supreme Magistrate hath not onely Authority in the Common-wealth but he hath also great Power in and about the affairs of the Church And this thing we have often incuâ—…cated in the Body of the Treatise to wit That the Reign of Christ doth begin upon the Earth when the Kingdoms States and Governments of this World become Nursing Fathers to the Church And so we do affirm That it doth appertain to the Higher Powers to take order that Unity and Peace be preserved in the Church that the Truth be kept pure and intire that horrid Blasphemies be supprest that the Ordinances of God be duly setled that the profane the ignorant and rude body of the People who of themselves would never call upon the Name of the Lord be brought by their Power and Authority to the publick places of Worship For the better effecting of which they have Power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide That whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the minde of God In this sense we may not doubt to say That the Chief Magistrate in every Common-wealth is the Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical that is to say The Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical that do of right appertain to him and do fall under his cognizance by the Law-Divine In the forementioned cases he is the Delegate and Vice-gerent of Christ upon the Earth And this we take to be the lawful Exercise of the Power Thirdly there is the Hyperbole or Excess of the Power when the Magistrate is not contented with his own limits or bounds but shall further endeavor to carry all by Will and Prerogative in the Church of Christ. This is that which comes nearest to the formality of Antichristianism for Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God If therefore the Supreme Magistrate shall do the same in the Church of Christ if he shall controll and do all things after his own Will in the house of Christ this is to resemble the Great Antichrist and to do the same in effect which he doth But for this we have a clear example in Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who of all others is noted by Forraign Divines to cry up such an excessive Prerogative of the Kings of England in Causes Ecclesiastical For he did not shun to maintain That it was at the pleasure of the King to abrogate Statutes and institute new Rites in the worship of God yea he further said That it was lawful for the King to forbid the people the use of the Cup in the Lords Supper and the use of Marriage to the Ministers And the â—…round of all this was Because the King was Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical Now in way of opposition to this the Forraign Divines have risen with great indignation These are the words of Dr. Rivet in his Explication of the Decalogue Edit 2. pag. 203. Qui enim Papatus doctrinam adhuc fovebat ut posteà apparuit novum Papatum in personâ Regis erigebat For he meaning Steven Gardiner aforesaid who did as yet nourish the Doctrine of the Papacy as after it appeared did erect a new Papacy in the Person of the King And Calvin in his Commentary upon Amos Chap. 7 ver 13. speaking of them who did ascribe the Title of Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical to Hen. 8. King of England hath these words Hoc me semper gravitèr vulneravit quum vocarent ipsum summum Ecclesiae Caput sub Christo. This hath grievously wounded me always when they called him the Supreme Head of the Church under Christ. He did take this for no other then an incroachment upon the Prerogative of Christ. And he might well do so if we look to the Interpretation of Steven Gardiner aforementioned with whom he had to do But the learned man doth proceed in these words It is certain if Kings do their duty they are both Patrons of Religion and Nursing Fathers of the Church as Isaiah calls them Chap. 49. ver 23. This therefore is principally required of Kings That they use the Sword wherewith they are furnished for the maintaining of Gods Worship But in the mean time there are inconsiderate men who make them too Spiritual and this fault reigns up and down Germany yea spreads too much in these Countries And now we perceive what fruit springs from this root viz. That Princes and all that are in the place of Government think themselves to be so Spiritual that there is no other Ecclesiastical Government And this Sacriledge creeps amongst us because they cannot measure their Office with certain and lawful bounds but are of opinion they cannot reign unless they abolâ—…sh all the Authority of the Church and become the Chief Iudges both in
to be Members of his Church The building upon men then is that which doth bring any people in the nearest resemblance to Antichristianisme and the more they do this the more or less are they Antichristian And this I conceive to be one chief reason in Scripture why the falls of the most eminent Saints are left upon record Because others should not dote too much upon them Moses did anger the Lord at the Waters of Meribah and Massah he died before he entred into the Land of Canaan and the Angel of the Lord did bury him in obscurity No man knew of his Sepulchre because the Children of Israel should not go a-whoring after it Deut. 34. 6. And in the New Testament among all the Apostles the faults of none are left so upon publick record as those of Peter And what is the reason of all this Doubtless the Lord did foresee what Idolatry the Church of Rome would commit in owning his Universal Headship over the Church as that the Power of the Keyes was given into his hand alone For these causes I believe the great falls of Peter are left upon record that the Papists should not say I am of Peter I am of the Bishop of Rome the Head of the Church by succession from Peter Cyprian and some of the Churches of Africa fell into another extreme They thought if a man had denied the truth in time of persecution he should never be received into the Ministery again but should stand in the Body of the People as one of them onely I cannot but in the general approve the strictness of the Discipline especially against the faults and corruptions of Ministers who should be Lights and Examples to others But that they should be so strictly dealt with all never to be received no not upon terms of the greatest Repentance Humiliation and godly Sorrow I may say in this case That Cyprian and the rest of the African Fathers were too Canonical And it was well for S. Peter that he was no Minister in Africa when he denied his Master in the High-Priests Hall Surely by the rigour of such Principles they would never have received him into Office again But the Lord Christ had a better end in the permission of his fall Simon saith he Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail Luke 22. 31. Here then the reason is clearly shewed why Satan did prevail so against Peter why he was upheld meerly by the Prayer of Christ the reason is this When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren God in great wisdome doth suffer the most eminent Ministers to fall greatly to pluck down their pride that they may be more humble and that their bowels of affection and tenderness may be greater towards the lost Sons of men and that they should preach the Grace of God more tenderly and more feelingly to the winning and saving of miserable Souls These were the causes of the fall of Peter and one special reason is also here to be remembred God did permit him to fall so foully to prevent that sin of Antichristianity as I may so speak which should be so general in the last times Now the sin of Antichristianity is to make men the Lords of our Faith to build upon Peter or the Pope the pretended Successor of Peter in matters of Faith and Salvation Fourthly they do symbolize with the Great Antichrist who use a lawful Authority Antichrist-like to serve their own pride ambition and external glory The Apostle saith I would have written unto the Churches but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence suffered us not 3 Joh. ver 9. Here then seeing he did love to have the pre-eminence we may probably conceive That it was in the lawful Government of the Church there was an affectation of precedency even in those dayes And in what times may not the like spirit of pride be in some men when they are put into place of Rule We reade also in the Directions of Paul concerning the choice of a Bishop that he must not be a Novice lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6. It is clear from these words as also from the whole Epistle that there must be a Government in the Church of God and whosoever S. Paul's Bishop is he must have the principal stroke in the Government For these words are immediately added If a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care for the Church of God The Church of God is Christs house and the Bishops Elders and Ministers of the Church have their Office by delegation from him and not from any other Authority Now such a lawful power as this is men may sinfully abuse and pervert to the setting up of their own greatness and therefore the Apostle doth give this caveat Not a Novice lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil By a Novice he doth not intend a man yong in years for Timothy himself was but yong but he meaneth a beginner in the School of Christ a Novice in manners such a one he would not have set over the House of God lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the same sin and the same condemnation as the Devil did being sometimes an Angel of light From this instance then it is clear That a lawful Power may be used in an Antichristian manner Such beginnings of pride the Apostle probably might see in those dayes and these might occasion him to say The Mystery of Iniquity doth already work Now whereas some do impute it to this or that Government that it would be as Tyrannical and Antichristian as any that went before Let them not deceive themselves The Government may be Christs yet if any do use it to serve their own Pride Tyranny or Lordliness the fault is their own It lies in the corruption of the Person but not in the nature of the Office The superiority of Parents over their Children of Husbands over their Wives of Magistrates over the People are all by Divine Institution yet the persons may so demean themselves that they may tyrannize and if we may so speak it may Antichristianize That is a remarkable passage which the Lord hath concerning Stewards in a lawful power If that evil servant shall say My Lord deferreth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and shall eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and will cut him in sunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites Mat. 24. 48 49. By a Servant or Steward we may understand Magistrate Minister or any other whom the Lord hath intrusted with a lawful Power in Church or Common-wealth Now if they use this Power illegally and tyrannically if Ministers cast those out of the Church who should be kept in
the other side I conceive That it is too high to call Hen. 8. or any other Supreme Magistrate an Head much more a good Head of the Church the eminency transcendency and sublimity of that Prerogative belonging to Christ alone Our Princes have used such a Title and in the sense of the Statute in a moderate way the people have ascribed it to them to wit a Spiritual Power Authority and Jurisdiction that ever have belonged to Kings and Princes which David Solomon the Kings of Iudah and Christian Emperours have ever exercised in their respective Dominions This no doubt hath been the sense of well-meaning men and so Mr. Bedel doth expound it in the forementioned place and pag. 56. But for my part being inlightned and better informed I pray God such Titles be no more used and let that passage Next under thee and thy Christ in all Causes Ecclesiastical in these His Majesties Dominions Supreme Head and Governour Let the exuberancy of such a Title pass among the iniquity of our holy things Our godly Friends have been offended at it our Enemies have insulted Experience hath shewed much danger in the use of it and the present Treatise I doubt not will shew what an evil thing it is to take away the Prerogative of Christ and to make other Heads of the Church in his room Of all men living the Erastians have greatest cause to look to this For let Princes be once told That there is no Church-Government in the Word of God and that they themselves are the sole Fountains of Church-Power By this means it will be effected That the Name and Power of Christ over his own Church will be plucked down and the Name and Headship of Princes will be onely set up In matters of this nature if you give an Inch men will take an Ell. Rather for acts past we should often think upon that expression of the Prophet I will pour upon the House of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look to him whom they have pierced Zach. 12. 10. Christ is not onely pierced in a literal sense when his body is run thorow with a Spear but he is pierced also when his Name and Headship is taken away from him and given to another So far as a whole Nation have been mediately or immediately directly or indirectly implicated and involved in such a sin so far I believe they ought to mourn If this be not done God perhaps may rebuke us when our Armies go forth against those that Worship the Beast and uphold his Name and Headship in enmity to the Government of Christ. Though not in the favour of the enemy yet we may be chastised for our own faults and the Lord may be provoked to appear against us When the Lamb went forth on his white Horse against the Beast and his Armies the Armies that followed were upon white Horses cloathed in fine linen white and clean Rev. 19. 14. Further also by the process of this Discourse information may be given to certain in these Times who being led by the meer shew and colour of some passages in the Prophesies do think it a part of their duty to level Magistracy abolish Laws and to turn all things up-side down in Church and Common-wealth Of such I may say That they mingle the precious Truths of God with Fables of their own commenting In the Metamorphosis of Ovid we reade of the Beginning of the World of the Chaos of the Giants heaping of Pelion upon Ossa of Deucalions Flood of the Four Ages of the Golden the Silver the Brazen and the Iron Age. These things are not all Fictions because they have some ground of truth in the Scripture neither are they all truths because they are mingled with Fictions of the invention of man Of the same kinde are some Authors who are for the Fifth Monarchy they think that the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ will be the Dissolution of all Earthly Kingdomes But by the purport and whole drift of the present Discourse they may understand That the Kingdome of Christ is not contrary to Governments Powers and Authorities purely as such but onely to Governments as Idolatrous as Tyrannical as contrary to the Laws of Christ and of his Church In the Prophecy of Daniel the Empire of Babel is resembled to a Lyon of Persia to a Bear of Greece to a Leopard of Rome to a Beast of divers shapes All these Monarchies erected and set up on the ruines of the Davidical Kingdome are parallell'd to so many Beasts Buâ—… to what Beast shall we resemble in its right constitution the Davidical Kingdome it self In the Book of the Revelation the Angel doth expresly say That there were eight Kings and yet the Beast had but seven Heads Chap. 17. How can this be I have fully proved That the Dynasty Race and Succession of the Christian Caesars do make the seventh Roman King but no Head of the Beast Therefore the Mediatoriâ—…n Kingdom of Christ is not contrary to Governments as such neither is nor ever shall be built upon the ruines of Governments as Governments but upon the ruines of Governments onely as Tyrannical and opposite to the Laws of the Gospel There is no such cause then why solid and judicious men in these dayes should set aside this kinde of Learning which is so much for the Credit Authority of the Christian Magistrate And for the Government of the Church in some Points if I am not mistaken there is in this Prophecy as strong if not stronger proof then in any other Book of the New Testament As for Example Though Bishops are put down the Service-Book taken away the Ordination of Ministers brought neerer the Rule all this being done men are not pleased What is the cause of the Difference The difficulty lies in the Church-state Robinson and others of that way do plead That we have no Example for a National Church in the New Testament and the bringing in of whole Nations by the power of the Magistrate this is the principal Rock of Offence I confess it is true that we have no Example of a National Church in the Apostles time For how could all Nations come in at that particular instant when the greater part of them did still remain in their Idolatries and the Emperors themselves were the greatest Enemies of the Church Now if we apply our selves to the Book of the Revelation we shall plainly see how the Spirit doth foretel That after the Preaching of the Gospel the Church should fall under grievous Persecutions in all the times of the Pagan Caesars when that time is ended the Empire it self shall become Christian. What else should be the meaning of that expression Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. 10. This doth note no other but the setting up of the Gospel in the Throne in the times of