Consciences and therefore willingly gave up all their power and Kingdomes into his hands so it was given him Again further he is said to continue Some Translations doe read it to make Warre but War is not in the best corrected Copies but making Warre is spoken to in the seventh ver But making War is not spoken to expresly in this fifth verse but power was given him to be doing and as we call it in a generall phrase to be a Factotum the onely doer of the world forty two moneths That what he did was done and what he did not authorize and allow it was not done If the Princes chose an Emperour if he accepted him he stood if he did not accept of him he was not received If any decrees be made if the Bishop of Rome establish them which is the seventh head then they are authenticall If he do not then they are Apocrypha So it is with Scripture though it be such as God never ratified as the Apocrypha but what sense he gives it is Authenticall He hath power to be active and doing This word then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated to continue doth indeed so signifie usually when it is joyned with words of time you have many examples of it in Scripture as in Acts 15. 33. it is said After they had tarried there a space the word is the same as here continue So in Acts 18. 23. it is said After they had tarried some time about three moneths So in Acts 20. 3. you have there continuance or tarrying expressed by the same word And Paul saith Night and day I was in the deep 2 Cor. 11. 25. the same word he had his businesse there there he was duely he continued so long But sometimes the word ever used with this word of time signifies to be active and busie So in James 4. 13. You say you will goe into such a Citie continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine the same word here and there you will be busie and gaining c. This same power therefore to continue and be doing argues that this authority of power absolute Soveraign power over Kindreds Nations and Tongues this is here said to continue a matter of 42. moneths Now for these 42. moneths I would not busie my selfe in needlesse speculations but I finde not any word of God a neednesse speculation for the Church to search into and understand We have had this number three or foure times before For it is the same number of which it is said The Gentiles shall tread under foot the holy City forty two moneths Rev. 11. 2. And 42. moneths if they be dissolved into dayes make up just the sum of a thousand two hundred and threescore days allowing thirty dayes to a moneth as the old account was wont to do which is the same time of the two Witnesses prophecying cloathed in sack-cloath Rev. 11. 3. And the same time of a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes or forty two moneths is just the computation of three years and an halfe that is a time and times and halfe a time which time it is said the woman fled into the wildernesse and was nourished there Rev. 12. 6. So that all these are manifest to be contemporary as they call it to begin together in the same period of time and to end together The Beasts rising and continuing in power 42. moneths The Gentiles which is the Roman Catholick Church treading down the true Church of God forty two moneths And the two Witnesses prophecying in sack-cloath 1260. dayes And the womans flight into the wildernesse and her continuance and abode there 1260. dayes where she was nourished by the prophecying of those two Witnesses So that expound aright one of these and you cleare the right Interpretation of all Three questions therefore may be enquired into to open the durance or continuance of the authority of this Beast 1. Whether this be a definitive or indefinitive time 2. Why it is sometimes reckoned by moneths and sometimes by dayes And 3. When doth this time take his beginning and where doth it expire and take his ending These things spoken to will reach as farre as God hath revealed to me For the first of these Questions 1. There be that think this time is not a definite or determinate time but indefinite forty two moneths shewes a good space of time known and determined by God but uncertaine to the Church Now I must confesse that meaning doth not well sink into my heart to receive it with any faith in Gods word for if God would have put a definite time for an indefinite a certain time for an uncertaine I thinke he would rather have chosen as he is wont to do some such phrase as is wont to expresse illimited time if it had been seven moneths or ten moneths Thou hast changed my wages tenne times saith Jacob to Laban that is many times How often shall I forgive my brother till seven times I till seventy times seven times He doth not meanee to limit us but as oft as he doth offend forgive if he repent or if he professe such repentance as you have no just exception against forgive him But when he saith 42. moneths why not 600. moneths for that is a definite time for an indefinite why should hee say 1260. dayes it is not a speech used in Greek and Latine to express an indefinite number no more is the time and times and halfe a time usuall in Daniel Therefore I cannot rest in that Interpretation though sundry have gone that way 2. There be that take it indeed for a definite time but they would confine it to three years and an halfe for forty two moneths or 1260. dayes is just three yeares and an halfe and that is true But I cannot accept that Interpretation and though it be common yet our Divines do with one accord reject it For this Antichrist which they say is their Beast in which they say true that he should come out of Hierusalem three years and an halfe before the great Judgment day and prevaile against Rome But that it cannot be taken for three years and an halfe may appeare from the great authority he shall gaine in this time and the power that he shall exercise over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations now for any one in three yeares and an halfe to overcome all Nations and to rule them by an Ecclesiasticall and Civill power it is incredible The Leopard of Greece which was a swift Beast and had wings yet he did not conquer the world but in twelve yeares and it was a great matter to overcome it then But this Beast is described to be a Leopard but not with wings now that he should do as much in three yeares and an halfe without wings as Alexander did in twelve years with wings is not credible 3. There is a third Interpretation that make indeed the dayes and time and
ten Kings that is to say the body of Christian Princes and all the Nations subject to them they all gave their power unto the Beast Rev. 17. 17. No nation professed Christianity but professed also subjection to the Sea of Rome that is to the Romon Catholick visible Church And the Papists are large in this Bellarmine makes it a 4 th note of the visible Church amplitude of power and he gives sundry instances Stories are evident that all Nations did professe this Religion specially after the subduing of the Waldences though they did before setting aside that remnant of the womans seed that were fled into the wildernesse Now no Nation in Christendid professe other Religion then Popery especially from the time of Charls the Great to Charles the fifth which was a matter of 720. years There was no visible profession open unlesse in some secret corners of the world no Nation held forth any other Religion then Popish nor professed subjection to any other Church Now in every Nation there are or may be divers Tongues as in England you have the English and Welsh and Cornish Tongues besides others that are discrepant from English But he saith not only every Nation but every Tongue that is every Language they all gave their power to the Beast And in every Tongue we have many Kindreds and there is no man that could ever say but some of his kindred have been Popish or are Popish to this day if not all yet some of the ancientest and those the greater part here is the universality of it And I say further he had ample and great power for to have power over all argues amplitude It is said in the beginning of the 8 vers which I will take in and open here it is said They shall worship him That 's a great power when it doth amount to inward worship not civill but divine worship It was divine worship that he challenged and all Nations gave him To give Laws of faith and worship and government to all Churches in Christendom that was divine power peculiar to the Lord Jesus It was divine power to challenge toihimselfe imposition of Kings and deposition of Kings without consent of the people To provoke the people to do it whether they liked their Prince or no this is transcendant above all created power Besides it was divine worship they gave in giving him power over their Consciences challenging to himself and they also yeelding freely a power to bind Conscience with the Laws he gave them to loose their consciences either from the Laws of God in matter of Oaths to loose them from guilt of sinne to loose their consciences from Contracts from Confederacies this is divine power They all worship him whose names are not written in the booke of the Lamb and some of them too for a season but they continue not God opens their eyes to repent of it and to rise from under it It was divine power to chalenge infalibility of Judgment to judg of Scripture out of the Oracle of his owne braines These were all divine worship they gave to the Catholick Church and to the head of it the Bishop of Rome So that marvayl not as the Text saith there was given Exasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a lame power but an unlimited power over all people in Church and Common-wealth and over conscience There is nothing wherein the Catholick Church had not power throughout all Christendome Now further the Text tells you All this power was given He did not wholly arrogate this power to him though he did so too but it was given him though he took it and took all advantages to get it No man can receive any thing except it be given him from above But he had it given him Given him by whom by God by the Devill and given him by Christian Kings Churches and Common-wealths and Families First it was given by God in his just judgment God gave them up to delusions to believe lyes 2 Thes 2. 11. And he gave two reasons why God gave them up to those delusions 1. To avenge their want of entertainment of the truth in love Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved vers 10. 12. Because they would not receive Christ nor the simplicity of his government and worship in Church-state therefore God gave them up to Satan and to the man of sinne and to the Catholicke visible Roman Church 2. That they all might be damned that have pleasure in unrighteousnesse in the same verse The Lord gave them up therefore to damnable distempers damnable usurpations and Ordnances the Lord gave them up for these two Reasons and they are one subordinate to another Secondly this power was given by Satan also For it is said The coming of Antichrist shall be after the working of Satan with all powers and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 9 10. By the efficacy of delusion which was by the jugling of those great men in those times for efficacy of delusion is by miracles so by deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse which is three-fold The sophistry of Schoolmen the policy of the Canonists that made their Laws out of the Popes decrees still advancing the Popish Church and the head thereof partly by the devotion of Monks and Fryars And if you aske why Satan did this there is a double reason of that First to revenge the injury which the Church did him by bringing forth a Man-child a Christian Emperour to depose him from his glory wherein he was worshipped as the great God of the world Now when hee sees hee is cast off from the honour he had and there was no more place left for him in heaven it comes to passe that he pours forth a flood of barbarous nations and damnable Heresies after the woman and makes war with the remnant of her seed Rev. 12. 13. 15. 2. A second Reason that stirred up Satan was out of the ancient enmity against Christ and the seed of Christ Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed which is Christ and all the seed of Christ which are both publique and private Christians he hath an inveterate enmity against them all and therefore he gives the Church of Rome all the power that Pagan Rome had The third sort of givers of this large power to this Beast and the head of it the Pope was The voluntary devotion of Christian Princes and States They did voluntarily resign themselves up and their Kingdoms and States and Churches and Common-wealth and Consciences and all to the obedience of the Sea of Rome Rev. 17. 17. They with one accord gave their Kingdomes to the Beast God put it into their hearts to do it that is true but they were left of God and acted by Satan and so were they brought about to give this power unto the Beast Some were brought unto this by the Popes
a kinde of sacred Authority in the consciences of men because he had this absolute power in Churches a great power for 1260. years together whether you reckon from Constantines time or Theodosius his time he had a marvellous power in Kingdomes Nations and Common-wealths But notwithstanding he had this power in those times yet Christ kept the interest in his own chosen as in Rev. 14. 1. where he had 144000. that were spotlesse virgins Answ â— The Lord Jesus will at length challenge all his own purchase them into his own hand when at the calling of the Jews all the Kingdomes of the world shall be given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 26 27. The Lord will take them all into his own hand and power and jurisdiction but he must first throw down this enemy that hath usurped over his purchased possession But in the mean time this Beast swallows up all for so many Ages together For the use of the point First it may be to refute the Papists that give this as a true note of the Church namely amplitude of dominion as the Catholick Church had They give this for an infallible note of the Church now that note you see is here evidently ascribed to the people that worship the great Beast of whom the Lord saith here ver 8. their names are not written in the booke of the Lamb. So that this is a note not of an Apostolicall Church but it may be a note of an Apostaticall Church that is fallen away from the Apostles Doctrine It is a true description of that State of the Church You see here Power was given over to the Beast over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And therefore amplitude of dominion is not an inseperable character of the Spouse of Christ for it may be given to those that are not the Church of Christ even to those that are but a Beast in the sight of God not his Spouse I may rather say the contrary that amplitude of Dominion was never a note of a Church of Christ since the world began For in the old Testament the State of the Church was Nationall and they had power over one Nation and sometimes conquered others as in David and Solomons time they conquered the Philistims Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites but it was never over all the whole world and that dominion which they had they did not challenge it by Church power but left them still to their own Religion for the Common-wealth propagated their power by arms having first occasion of warre given them by their arrogance to them In the dayes of the new Testament the Church that Christ instituted reacheth no further then to their own members and their own members reach no further then to one Congregation that all might hear and all might be edefied 1 Cor. 14. 23. So that if Church power extends no further then the bounds of one Congregation then that Church that swelleth and strecheth forth her power all the world over Kindreds and Tongues and Nations what an out-ragious swelling Beast is that that reacheth such vast dominion beyond the proportion that the Lord gave to his Church If you should see a body swell to such a vast bignesse that his armes shall reach from one end of the world to another would it not be counted a monster So in this case the Lord hath limited the power of the Church within it selfe it is a great power that they have but not so great as to binde conscience unless it be Ministerially and so they have power to binde Kings in chains and Nobles in lincks of Iron but to have power judiciary power over the Scriptures and over the conscience over and above the application of the word it is such as the Lord never gave to any Church but it is arrogated and usurped by the man of Sinne. Secondly it may serve to teach you the prouenesse of your natures to that which is evill above that which is savingly and spiritually good This power over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations the Lord hath purchased by his death Rev. â— 9. He dyed and rose againe that he might be Lord both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. And upon his resurrection all power was given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. He prayed for this power and the Lord promised to give him it Psal â— 8. Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession This hath the Lord bought with his pretious bloud and paid for by the power of his eternall Spirit and yet never did the Lord Jesus enjoy this power to this day which the man of Sinne hath enjoyed for so many years together He will enjoy it at lenght when he shall call in the Jews and with them the fulnesse of the Gentiles and reigne in Soveraigne Authority both in Church and Common-wealth according to all the Councell of his word and will But yet it was never known to this day that so many Nations did submit their thrones to the Dominion and Government of Christ and to the Truth of Christ and to worship him with the servants of God notwithstanding the purchase which Christ hath made of this Soveraignty and notwithstanding the efficacy of his prayer for obtaining this power that hee might have dominion over all As soon as Constantine brought the world to become Christian the woman she fled into the Wildernesse The true worshippers of Christ were soon troden under the hatches a mountaine of corruption in Church Government overwhelmed them amain that you cannot set the time when so many Nations served him and were as ready to take up arms in his quarrell as they have done for the man of Sinne. You will say did they not for the recovery of the holy Land many Churches conspire and lay their heads together and engaged themselves for this Warre why when they they undertook that Warre was it Christ that commanded any such thing that Churches should engage themselves and their Estates and Lives and Souls and all for the recovery very of the holy City was it not meerly undertaken by the Bishop of Rome and by the motion of the Catholick Church in a Generall Councell The Roman Catholick Church met in a Generall Councell and they agreed to set about this expedition They promised pardon of Sinne to the people and in hope of that and such like things they went about it It was service to the Beast not to Christ God never acknowledgeth it as any service to Christs Kingdome It was for the advancement of the head of the catholick Church but as any grew more wise they grew more afraid of them So that it is a wonder to see never did the the Christian world give that Authority to Christ as they have done unto the Pope and his Institutions which are not Ordinances of Christ Yea let me say another word which is above
moneths definite that is determined and â—et and do limit them according to the account of the Prophets that take a day for a yeare A like proportion of 42. moneths of a time times and halfe a time and of 1260. dayes taking a day for a yeare they will all come to the same period to the same computation of 1260. yeares Now that the Prophets do sometimes so reckon them appears from Ezek. 4. 5 6. where the Lord did direct the Prophet to lye upon his side 390 dayes according to the defection of Israel from the house of David in all which time the Prophet did beare the burden of the defection of the People and to represent that Son of man saith he I have given thee to lye so long I have appointed each day for a yeare thou shalt lye so many dayes as their apostacy hath continued in yeares For from the defection of Jeroboam to the captivity of the Land they continued 390. years And after that saith he thou shalt turne thee and lye upon thy other side forty dayes and that was the time of the renewing of the Covenant by Josiah in which the Lord was reconciled with his people but the people falling into apostacy againe it proved forty dayes more And so when the twelve Spyes had gone forty dayes and searched out the Land the Lord saith They shall beare the provocation of their Fathers forty yeares after the number of the dayes in which yee searched the Land even forty dayes each day for a yeare c. Numb 14. 34. So that this is a Propheticall phrase in mysticall Scriptures when Ezekiel is to set out a vision for God to expresse his Justice he sets it down dayes for years Then it is not uncouth but very agreeable to Scripture to say 1260. dayes is so many yeares and forty two moneths being so many dayes is all one and those dayes being three yeares and an halfe if you reckon every day for a yeare they will be just 1260. yeares that therefore I take to be most agreeable to Scripture phrase and the sense of the words But then here grows a second Question Why doth he reckon some of these times by dayes and some by moneths There may be a double reason of that 1. When he describes what the Children of God doe he sums up their actions by dayes Children of light it is meet that their actions should be measured out by the period of dayes The Witnesses prophecying and the womans flight into the wildernesse is said to be 1260. dayes But as God gave the Sunne to rule the day so the Moon to rule the night Psal 136. 8 9. Now therefore when you are to speak of superstitious devotions they are works indeed of darknesse and therefore are best reckoned by moneths by that Creature in Heaven which measures out Night the Moon And therefore it may be and so the holy Ghost useth it if he speak of the Gentiles treading under foot the holy City though it be by day-light yet it is a work of darkness They tread under foot the holy City forty two moneths Rev. 11. 2. And if Antichrist be to continue long all his continuance is but a work of darknesse and therefore he is said to continue 42. moneths But what the Church do and what the Witnesses do is reckoned by dayes but it is the same time the one makes day-work of it and the other night-work There may be also this Reason That the Apostle in these Prophecyes in the New Testament might allude to the like in the old Testament as to Antiochus whose dispensation was only a time and times and halfe a time Now for the third Quest when this may be said to begin and when it may be said to end There I confesse lyes the greatest difficulty 1. Some of our best interpreters pitch the beginning from the beginning of the Reign of Constantine when the Man-child was brought forth that is advanced to Imperiall dignity which some make in the yeare 304 after Christ though it be true of later times they will by no meanes grant his Reigne began then but two or three years after and an easie mistake grows there for when they come to measure out a Princes Reign they begin in such a time and a whole yeare is allowed to it and it may be the next begins in that year and so they bring a variation in Chronologies but you may not wonder in such mistakes if there be foure or five years variation that makes no great difference God knows certainly but through reckoning the last yeare of one and the first of another applying the same to both may sometimes make a yeares difference But holy Brightman makes the beginning of that time to be in Constantines coming to the Crown and thence expires the authority of this Beast in the yeare 1546. Now though his paines have been most serviceable to the Church of all that have written of this Book and God is to be exceedingly magnified for him and his Learning esteemed that having such a Prophetical spirit he spake so homely and plainly that without pregnant reason I would not pervericate his judgment Yet as it falls out ordinarily there is something amisse in the best humane Writers that ever wrote Therefore let me tell you what doth not satisfie me The first is this that neither in the beginning nor end doth it punctually jump and suite with all events described First for the beginning it is sayd the woman fled into the wildernesse and continued a time and times and halfe a time after the Dragon was cast out of heaven and there was place found for him in heaven And it is true Constantine made warre against the Dragon but I cannot say there was no place for him in heaven for this was the failing of the good Emperor that he still allowed the Heathens Idols Temples to continue though he shut the doors and his Successor Julian the Apostate opened them againe and restored the Dragon to spiritual authority stated him in heaven as before with a great part of the Empire And besides this certaine it is till Gracians time they all kept the title of Pontifex maximus which was an honour belonging to the great Priest of Jupiter or to the Devill Onely Gracian and Theodosius after him being tender in conscience refused it then the Senate of Rome sayd if he will not be Pontifex maximus yet they will have him to Rome and call him to Rome and had it not been by a marvelous providence they had wonderfully prevailed for at the same time they did restore all the Temples as Julian had done and established all the Revenues belonging to them restored them all to the Priests and the Devill had the place of worship as before but the Lord putting them down by a mighty providence of his through the prosperity of Theadosius he utterly overthrew that title and through the zeal of his spirit cast
down the Temples would suffer none of them to stand rooted them out from East to West Wherever there was any famous Temples down he throws them he utterly renounceth the Pontifex maximus and will have no Temples he doth confiscate the revenues to the Emperors treasury and from that time forward indeed they never recovered there was no more place found in Heaven It is true Constantine began that war in the Empire but war it is not a Skirmish or a Battell it is not soon done but many times continues long as between the house of David and the house of Saul and that for some scores of yeares So in this case the war began with Constantine there holy Brightman takes it most right but for the accomplishment of it for the Devill to be wholly cast out and no more place found in Heaven that was not till Theodosius time now from that time the Emperors renouncing the title of Pontifex maximus the Popish sort thought it was a marvellous providence for the advancing of the Roman Catholick Church that is this Beast so the next year the Pope took up that name and holds it to this day what ever the Popes name be it is Pontifex maximus that is his ordinary style not Bishop or Arch Bishop or Primate or Metropolitan these are but Images of the Beast but the head of this Beast is Pontifex maximus the chiefe Bishop of Rome Now this was to the best observation that I can finde in the year 395. about 90. years after Constantines time or wanting one or two of that Now that is therefore one Reason why I doe not conceive that these 42. months are only at least to be reckoned from Constautines beginning of his reigne for they are reckoned from the time when there was no place found for the Dragon in Heaven which was afterwards accomplished about 90 years after Another Reason why I cannot goe so fully with that holy man of God is because of the end of it when he comes to 1546. It is evident that in that year the Councell of Trent did condemn the Scriptures and advance the vulgar Latine to be the authenticall word of God And Charles the fifth did prevail against the Lant-grave of Hesse Prostestant Princes of Germany in the year 1547. So by that reason it cannot end aright for the Beast hath power given him to continue to make war for 42 moneths now he continued longer then so though it is true his time was limited soon after and therefore I cannot with so full assurance go so clearly with him in that as usually I do in his Interpretation yet still reserving this liberty according to the gift of the spirit of Prophecy he had you may many times read the context of the word of God it may be sometimes somewhat more exactly according to the true meaning then allwayes is exprest which I speak not to impeach the faithfulnesse and learning of the holy man of God but would give every man the honour that God hath put upon them make use of their gifts and leave them where they may at any time mistake the like liberty God forbid but may be left to others that come after us 2. Therefore if you doe a little more narrowly search the Text and weigh every circumstance in it you may observe as I take it a double computation of this time in respect of the beginning and ending of it for you shall read which M r. Brightman rightly observes that the woman fled into the wildernesse at Constantines coming to the Crown it is true for so it is expresly sayd Revel 12. 6. She fled into the wildernesse where she had a place prepared of God and this was before the battell was sought and then he tells you of the battell that was fought in vers 7 8 9. The end of which was there was no place for the Dragon in Heaven and now there is given two wings of an Eagle unto the woman that she might flee into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the Serpent which is just 42 moneths So that take both these places and it will appear there is a double beginning of this time the one from Constantines Reigne the other 96 or 97 years after there abouts it was there is the beginning of it Now if you take it by moneths and take it not as holy Brightman doth the Aegyptian yeare but the Roman yeare methinks it is most probable to take the account of the Roman Affaires to be registred by Roman computation not Aegyptian though it is true Rome is spiritually called Egypt but that 's in another sence they did not follow them in computation and though the Aegyptians count 30 dayes to a moneth which sutes well with this yet it is not usuall in Scripture for roundnesse of number sake they pitch a certain time of the moneth 30 dayes for a moneth and therfore if you count so may years in the Roman Kallender you shall come somewhat neere the account of the continuance of the Power and transcendant Authority of this Beast and if you so reckon 1260. years if you adde them to 300. and the odde four years after before Constantines beginning there-abouts it was and computations are not clear the expiration will fall somewhat after the beginning of the reigne of Queen Elizabeth And especially if you take the account from more exact Chronologies it will come in the year wherein the Pope sent a Bull that is an excommunication agaist Queen Elizabeth to deliver her to Satan which brought forth new treasons against her that followed every year and brought her at length the Spanish invasion hostile invasion but from that time it was that the blast of his power was then broken that whereas before if he had excommunicated a Prince it was fatall he could never have stood out he had been everlastingly blasted with his hopes but from that time forward it hath been truly said by some that have spoken of this time that from that time all the Popes Bulls were but baubles they could not prevaile against her though they brought the Excommunication and fastned it upon the Cathedrall Church as they call it and afterwards read it she going to prayer used the words of the Prophet Psal Though they curse blesse thou let them be confounded that rise up against me but let thy servant rejoyce God heard her prayer and marvellously broke his power he had not the power that the great Bishop of Rome had who by his power should rend rocks in peices and blast all before him he never had that power after God delighting by weak means to bring mighty things to passe By her hand the Lord did maintain the low Countries that this beast had great power over his arme was broken there and so against the King of Navar by her assisting him and so in Scotland she mightily
prevailed to break his power there and so in Ireland where she set her hand she brake mightily his power and the power of Catholick Prinâ— though mightier then she She renounced the Catholick Church that is this great beast and cut off his head to her best understanding which was about the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11. 15. When the Kingdomes of this world became the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ For then did begin the seventh Trumpet to sound which brought the conversion of Kingdomes and States that though the beast still continued yet he still lost his Authority which he had before what he did approve before that stood and what he did not that fell to the ground Now he hath so much power that if France be more pravalent or Spaine he will take with them as he thinks he may with his Catholick Sons for his own security but his power is so blasted that though he doth continue still and will continue yet a great Beast that rules all the world that power the Catholick Roman Church hath lost though he prevail with his superstitious inventions with those that are his in a carnall way or from an opinion of their fathers honesty c. But yet the power is not left to the Bishop of Rome to doe all things as in those former times he might his word is not a law nor his decrees so Authenticall they are now considered of even among Catholicke Princes It is not now in his power to take up Controversies between France and Spain if they will make war Time was they durst as well have eaten a Bears foot as have ventured upon any war without his likeing but that was the time when the armes of his power and his jawes were not broken Thus if you take this Scripture as Brightman takes it from Constantines coming to the Crown it will expire then about the time when the Bull came forth against Qâ— Eliz. and as they thought would be sufficient to blast her and all the Huguenots with her But yet that makes but one beginning and ending of this account whereas the Text makes two for in Chap. 12. 6. when the child was caught up to God and to his throne and the woman fled into the wildernesse then there was a great battle that battle lasted 90 years and then was the Devill cast out of Heaven and his Flamins and Arch-flamins were blasted with him they had no power in Theodosius time from that time the Dragon was cast out of Heaven and persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child and there was given to her two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wildernesse Now I say according to this there is another computation of this time there was no more place found for him in heaven w ch was in the year 395. for two or three years we must not pinch much it is hard to keep exact account by reason of taking up one year from the Predecessor which in so many years come to sometimes more sometimes lesse Now if you shall take the Computation from that time t is true from Constantines time the Church might fly into the wildernesse for it is true the Church is made a wildernesse if you set the doores of the Church so wide and pull down the walls that whereas before it was a Garden inclosed Cant. 4. 12. now you let in vast territories bring in the whole world now you make it Catholick now though it had no Catholick power a Garden is made a wildernesse if you pull down the pales take down the narrow watch of Officers and let in all men that will thrust in ambitiously to gratifie them The Church was full of covetousnesse whoredomes adulteries deceivers haters of God and the true power of Godlinesse even in his time and so forward was almost worn out and never was so in all the time of persecution but after that the Bishop of Rome had taken the stile of Pontifex maximus and Theodosius slept with his Fathers then the Church grew more transcendantly Catholick and that they thought he would be Lord Paramount but yet his transcendant power did spring as he was cheif Bishop then he was universall Bishop for his power grew by degrees Now I say if you take this latter computation which also the Text doth then if you reckon from 395. years and adde to that 1260. years putting these two together they will expire in the yeare that shall be according to the Roman account 1655. I will not be two confident because I am not a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet to foretell things to come but so far as God helps by Scripture light about the time 1655. there will be then such a blow given to this beast and to the head of this beast which is Pontifex maximus as that we shall see a further gradual accomplishment and fulfilling of this Prophecy here You must not think it strange that some Prophecies receive a graduall accomplishment Sometimes you have a Prophecy of the 70. yeares captivity which is accomplished by the redemption of the Church out of Babell yet a more full accomplishment shall be when the Church shall be delivered from this whore of Rome and the Church of the Jewes shall be called againe So it is here according to the different computation of time the wise God hath all seasons in his hand he doth foresee and foretell to his people when they shall come to passe So that though the arme of his glorious power be broken and his bones broken that he is nothing that beast in power that he was and hath not been since the sending of that dreadfull excommunication which was thought to be so dangerous to the famous Princesse I spake of yet a power he hath over many Churches and the power given him by the ten horns they are not all broken as in Chap. 11. 13. The tenth part of the City fell by reason of the earthquake There was such a fall that a tenth part fell but yet a great part stands still to this day in some measure that will take their Religion from him as they see cause but not all in Religion neither for the King of France will not yield to the Councell of Trent to this day it falling out that his Ambassadors did not sit in the cheife place he will not authorize that Councell Thus is his power broken but yet it continues in some measure till a further accomplishment of it but for two or three years I cannot limit that for there may be some uncertainty by reason of the variation of Chronicles that have sometimes more sometimes lesse in the beginning and ending of the Reign of Princes But otherwise about that time will be the expiration of the power and great authority of this Beast But already we see by the blessing of God his power weakned but we look for a further accomplishment The matter hath
1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
time Chap. 17. 12. And the severall Kingdomes that then were broken off from the Roman Empire whereof England was one they were so many severall Kings that all gave their dominion to the Beast with one consent and so were his protectors ver 17. They were his Beauty and his Strength as the Hornes are to the Beast So it is true here is a great Beast indeed of a vast comprehension here is an universall visible Church and he hath seven Heads that is Seven Hilles there he sits and seven Governments There are seven Heads both of the one and other both Hills and Governments whereof five were fallen and the sixth was when John wrote The seventh was to rise in their roomes and that is He that hath two Hornes like a Lambe and spake like a Dragon and doth exercise all the Power of the first Beast what power is in the Church the Pope hath the ordering thereof And it is said here that these Hornes had ten Crowns but so had not the Hornes of Pagan Rome The heads of Pagan Rome had soveraign Authority and lived like Princes but so had not the Pope they did not wear the Crowns though they affect temporall dominion but leave the Crowns to the hornes leave them to Crowned Kings that give their power to him Now upon these Heads are names of Blasphemy The old High-Priest of the Jewish Synagogue he had a plate of pure Gold and there was graven upon it holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. This Beast hath not holinesse to the Lord but names of Blasphemy the Pontifex maximus His head is full of names of Blasphemy But the Pope exceeds all in this case for who ever took upon him as he to pardon Sinne A name of Blasphemy To be Judge of Scriptures a name of blasphemy Hee hath many other names of Blasphemy he will dispence with Oaths of allegeance and all civil subjection he will dispence with marriages most incestuous and doth exalt himself above all that is called God especially the Gods of the Earth His heads are full of names of Blasphemy as we shall come to speak God willing in the 5 and 6 verses Now it is said of this Beast he is like a shee Leopard It is in the 17 Chap. compared to a woman to shew that the Roman catholick visible Church is as fitly resembled by a woman as a she Panther such is this Beast Can a Leopard change his spots Jer. 13. 23. Is it not a State full of spots and the spots are not the spots of Gods people but spots of herisie and spots of Idolatry spots of Tyranny and great variety of all spots of Blasphemy To tell the spots of that Sea were ineeed to enter into a Sea of wickednesse which that Church abounds withall Can a Leopard change his spots This church they make account cannot erre so how should they change for they that cannot erre to what purpose should they change yet of a very sweet fragrant smel as they they perfume their Temples with incense and love to please ambitious minds and to fill covetous hearts they are sweet also and faire to voluptous spirits with their Brothel houses c. But for the Leopard Bear and Lyon I suppose there is speciall reference to them all In Dan. 7. 4 5 6. where he resembles the Monarch of Babell to a Lyon and the Monarch of Persia to a Bear and the Monarch of Greece to a Leopard There the Leopard is the last of the three here it is the first to shew a direct contrary course that this Beast takes in his rise to the old Monarchies Of the great Monarchies the first was a Lyon full of magnanimity the next was a Beare full of cruelty a Bear that devoures mucb flesh and the Leopard the spotted Beast comes after cruell as the former Now here the Leopard is first the whole shape is sweet and savoury other beasts would follow him by the smell and so this church seemes in the wole bulk sweet and savory to inveagle all unstable Soules But where he gets hold he layes his paw like a Beare presseth hard and holds fast and will not let goe Just like the Persian State they hold fast Never did any of the States last so long as the Papall State The Assyrian lasted long but yet did not continue above a thousand years but this is to continue 1260. dayes that is so many yeares in a great deal of Power and Authority And therefore as by subtilty he drawes others to him so them hee holds fast that it is marvellous hard to root out where he hath got hold you may cut off his head as it is in England but it is a wonder to see what paines there is to have the Government of Christ brought in and of the Beast cast out they will make so many Statutes in Parliament that you can have no wills confirmed nor Marriages made but by them nor no Parliments Acts passe but through their hands you have so many matters in the State depending on them that one would think it impossible ever to root them out you may take off the Beast his head you may thrust the Leopard out at windows but he will take hold with his feet that you shall have much ado to root him out The great profits and great preferments they sink deep in the hearts of carnall men And he hath a mouth like a Lyon How did the Lyon of Babell speak presumptuously what God is able to deliver you out of the firey furnace c. and he commands all that will not worship his Image should be cast into the fyery furnace Just such is the mouth of this Beast who so will not worship the Image of this Beast shall be killed in the 15 v. of this chapter So you see this is the Roman Catholick visible church And the Dragon gave this church power All that the Roman Emperor could doe before that doth the Catholick church that w ch the old Roman Emperor did by force of arms that doth the Roman Church by the power of Religion and conscience The Dragon gave him his power and Seat and great Authority And Satan will worke by the power of conscience making them believe that all must be subject to them He gave them his Seat what was the Seat of the old Roman Emperor It was Rome Satan gave that to the Beast There is his Seat and great Authority insomuch that all the world were deeply taken with the reverence they owe as to the Imperial mother City So to this soveraign mother Church their holy Father the Pope that was the head of that Church This is the plain description of this first Beast I canot proceed now to open the wounding of one of the heads of this Beast nor of the healing of that wound nor of his warre against the Saints I am the longer in this because the more clearly these things are opened the more fully will
did any earthly Prince challenge that he could not erre nor that none must controll him if he did There have been Laws made to controll the greatest Princes Nebuchadnezzar was taught to be controlled that in the end Shadrach Mesech and Abednego goe away rewarded 3. The Catholick Church and the Pope is the head of it claimes a power of binding and loosing To bind mens consciences by his Laws and to loose mens consciences by his Indulgences and that not ministerially as Ministers do from the Word but by a Juditiary power to dissolve the bond of naturall Obedience incestuous Marriages Oaths and Covenants in Marriage Natural relations between Parents and Children and morall Relations between Princes and Subjects There is not any bond that he cannot loose nor any liberty which he cannot restraine And this not over a few only but over the vast world so far as it is Christian And 4. It is a great thing he speakes and he speakes it not behind the door when he challengeth Soveraign dominion in way of advancement of Religion over all Kingdoms so as to depose their Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms leave any State to choose where he hath power If his Crowne be to be fetched from Rome as it was in former times when it was most active He will set it on but dash it off againe out of the plentitude of his power to â—et up and throw downe at his pleasure He opened his mouth to speak great things He is never so in his element as when he doth hold forth such vast authority and divine propriety proper to the Father Son and holy Ghost Now as he speaks great things so blasphemes against God and wherein Against his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Against his name All these are blasphemies against Gods name to attribute all these divine properties to a beastly man to a great beast And it is blasphemy to ascribe any divine honour or to put it upon any creature Images served the holy Ghost calls blasphemy Isa 65. 7. You have blasphemed me upon every green hill And in Ezek. 20. 27 28. he complaines of the like blasphemy that they blasphemed him by their Idolatires In Mar. 2. 7. Why doth this man speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God onely It were to speak blasphemy in any but in Christ Secondly It is against his Tabernacle that may be either meant the body of Christ as 1 John 14. He tabernacled amongst us Or it may be meant the visible Churches such as are instituted by him For the body of Christ it is blasphemy to go to every Masse Priest to make him the body and blood of our Saviour Or if you understand the Tabernacle to be the Church that is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. Now to call the Church of Christ a Conventicle of Hereticks and Schismaticks it is blasphemy and so they count all the Churches here And for the Saints in heaven to put upon them divine worship to build Temples to them to put up Prayers to them to keep Holy-dayes to them it is blasphemie to them it is a great dishonour Paul and Barnabas when they saw men to come and offer sacrifice to them Men and brethren why doe you these things you cannot do us a greater injury And for the Saints in heaven that is pure Churches he condemns them for Hereticks and Schismaticks and as unworthy of Christian communion and Christian burial these are blasphemies So you see the meaning of this Scripture There was given him a mouth to speake great things and to blaspheme God in his Name in his Tabernacle in those that dwell in Heaven Thus hath he done many yeares and thus doth hee still Now for the reason of the point you see the point stands upon two branches 1. That such power was given him 2. That he did effectually and abundantly put it foâ—â—h He opened his mouth Let mee give the reasons of both 1. Why such power was given him it was First from God in his just judgement to punish the unthankfull world that received not the love of the truth Therefore the Lord gave them over to efficacy of delusions to believe lies That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 10 11. This is the just judgment of God that since they refused the simplicity of wholsome Doctrine and had itching eares they should have such men as came with the subduing word of the Law to speak great things and they should have what they aske This is from Gods just jugement A second Reason is from Satan for God concurred and Satan concurred and Christian Princes concurred herein Satan concurred for this reason that he might be avenged of God and despight the name of Christ that had cast him out and dethroned him from his divine power That whereas he was the great God of the world and the God of Israel but a puny God of the lesser Nations now hee is to be no God to trust on but like a Toad or Serpent this doth so enrage the venome of the old Devill that he powrs forth a flood of malice and venome against the Church and Christ as much as may be to testifie to the world hee would be Lord and the Lord Jesus should not prevaile And if he may not be God he will set up a Beast that shall be adored as God And it is a great despight to Christ to advance a Beast that shall carry great State and power and dare and will speak greater things then all the Churches of Christ I as great as the Lord himself shall speak look what one speaks the other wil speak it all and speak it abundantly As the Devill himselfe sometimes said to Christ All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me The same doth he speak at this day and he will speak without controll Another reason that binds Satan so to speak is not only his old enmity to Christ but from his malice against the Church When hee saw that the seed of the woman had thus dethroned him and cast him out of divine power he powrs forth a flood of malice after her and he sends forth an ugly Beast that if he can may root out the face of Christianity and root her out from the face of the earth Rev. 12. 15. These are the Devils reasons that mooved him to stirre up the Beast and to give him a mouth to speake so boldly as hee did But why will Christian Princes be so prodigall to submit themselves to him God had committed to them the care of the Churches that all Churches should live peaceably and quietly under them in all godliness and honesty why would they so degenerate and suffer the Bishop of Rome so to arrogate and speak such great blasphemies The reasons were 1. Because they were ignorantly blinde It was a time of palpable darknesse darknesse
patience I pray consider it I do not enter into a common place of faith and patience but let me say thus much of it Patience is a virtue mortifying and moderating greifs and fears or afflictions and subduing our wils to the will of God not onely in contentment but comfort My brethren saith James count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations James 1. 2. That whereas other men or our selves in time of prosperity when as God applies his will to our wils are joyful and this is no great matter This is the joy of Gods people when God shall apply our wils unto his As Christ did comforme his will unto his Fathers will and say O my God I delight to do thy will It is written in thy book I came to do thy will Psal 40. 8. This indeed doth make us compleat christians A man is a happy man that hath his will and Gods will together in all that his heart does desire If God would have me suffer then certain it is best it should be 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 should christians come armed with faith and patience and with wils subdued to the will of the most high not onely to be contented but comfortable in suffering all things for Christ And let your faith fasten upon it and let your patience moderate your greifs and make your hearts comfortable also and this is that which God delights in Here is the patience and faith of the Saints And so I will end with that speech of the Apostle My brethren be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Both by faith of well doing and of suffering evill by faith and patience Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10. 36. You have need of patience that ye may be faithfull and you have need of faith that you may be patient When a man is confident in Christ above all creatures this works patience So we shall follow the steps of our blessed Ancestors we shall still go on in maintayning the same faith and worship and Government wherein our Fathers were taught of God to walk and whereby they did inherit promises both in life and death Rev. 13. 11. to the end of the 17. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon c. WEe come now to the description of the second Beast I beheld another Beast c. I do not love to be large in those Scriptures that do not so narrowly concern us as knowing how farre and what a vast distance by the grace of God we stand in here from them but yet because it is a part of Gods counsell and some-what largely described give me leave to declare the meaning of the words and gather such notes from them as they hold forth Observe then here is a description from the 11th verse to the end of the Chapter of the second Beast I saw another Beast The Originall sets him forth by his nature they that know the language knows it signifies only a wild beast and in proper speech it signifies such a wilde beast as was venomous and therefore the remedy for the venome of this beast they call it Therion a proper preservative against venome or poyson This beast is described by four arguments 1. By his originall He comes out of the earth 2. By his similitude or resemblance in three things First to a Lamb in his horns Hee hath two hornes like a Lamb. Secondly he is resembled to a Dragon in his speech He spake like a Dragon Thirdly he is resembled to the former beast in the exercising of his power He exerciseth all the power of the first beast 3. This beast is described by the particular exercises 〈…〉 power or the effects of his power which are these 1. He causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed he procures adoration to the first Beast 2. He doth great wonders making fire come downe from heaven in the sight of men vers 13. 3. He deceives them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of those miracles 4. He doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by the sword and did live vers 14. 5. He doth animate and give life to this image of the Beast that this image of the Beast should have both power to speak and to cause as many as would not worship the image of the Beast to be killed A sixth effect is he causeth all sorts of men rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their hand c. or at least his name or the number of his name or otherwise hee excludes them not only from spirituall but civill commerce vers 16 17. For the Notes that these words afford I will handle them all in two They will not need much enlargement the Explication and Application of them will reach the meaning and scope of the words Remember what the first Beast was and then you will more easily know what this Beast must be You know this first Beast being described to have seven heads and ten horns was taken by all for the Roman Empire and this being not that but another that comes in his room after him Is is evident then that this Beast must either be the Roman-Heathen Empire or the Roman-Christian Empire or the Roman-catholick visible Church one of these three Roman States it must be Not the first for this rose after that was cast down after the Dragon was cast out of Heaven and had no more to rule that State Also you heard in Chap. 12. that Beast had ten crowns on the heads this hath not Crowns on the heads but on the horns the Princes and heads of that State were crowned This doth not weare the temporall Crown but those Princes that mayntaine him they weare the Crowns Againe that Beast Pagan Rome did not begin his time of prosperity and flourishing with the womans flight into the wildernesse and the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes for their government ended when the Christian State began and therefore it could not be Pagan-heathen Rome Nor could it be the Christian Imperial Roman State For 1. It is said in the second vers That the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority but that he did not to the Christian Emperours for they would not live at Rome but at Constantinople 2. It was never made a signe of reprobation to worship the Roman Christian Emperors but it is made a sign of reprobation to worship this Beast It remayns therefore that this Beast described in the former pare of the Chapter is the third Roman State which being not Rome-Pagan nor Rome-Christian it must needs be the Roman Papall State under