Lords Table though Christ admitted Judas whom he knew far better then these men do know those whom they reject and cast away and we can and ought to do no more to the lewdest offenders but to shew them the danger of the unworthy receivers and exhort them to repent and to believe in Christ and upon the confession of their faults and profession of their Faith and repentance we ought to believe them to be Gods children and receive them among the Faithfull and leave them all for Christ to judge which of the guest doth want his wedding garment Yet we confess That the Apostles had two manner of gifts 1. Extraordinary it is true that the Apostles had a double qualification 1. The one extraordinary which was requisite for the planting of a new Church and that consisted chiefly in these two things 1. Infallibility of the Doctrine which they taught 2. A powerful working of miracles to confirm that doctrine and to win the hearers to give credit and to believe the same And when the Churches were converted these graces determined and ceased with the Apostles 2. Ordinary which were either 2. The other was ordinary which was requisite for the instructing guideing and ruling of the Church so long as the Church should continue till Christ should come to judgement And these graces that were thus requisite for the continuance of the Church in the service of God were likewise of two sorts 1. Common 1. Common to the Apostles and Presbyters and Deacons as reading the Scriptures preaching or expounding the word administring the Sacraments provision for the poor and other like christian duties 2 Proper which the Apostles reserved unto themselves 2. Proper which consisted in two things and to the Bishops that were to be their successors to guide and to govern the Church after them And this proper qualification of the Apostles which they left as peculiar to the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles was and is likewise two-fold 1. Ordination 1. Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons to read the word and to preach and to administer the Sacraments and to do all the other common duties of the Church 2. Jurisdiction which was twofold 1. The lesser censure 2. The greater censure 2. Jurisdiction in censuring those that were refractory and walked disorderly in the Church and this Ecclesiasticall censure is either 1. The lesser which is a debarring of the offendor from the Lords Supper 2. The greater censure which was by such an excommunication as excluded the offender quite from the Churh and was not received into it untill he had satisfied the Church by his confession of his fault and repentance shewed for the scandall he had given Now such is the pride and ambition of every Presbyterian that he would have nothing left proper unto the Bishop but that all must be common as well to him as to the Bishop How the Presbyterians do usurp the authority of the Bishop he cannot indure to be excluded or debarrd from any thing but cryeth out as Corah Dathan and Abiram did against Moses and Aaron that the Bishops take too much upon them And therefore 1. They usurp and assume unto themselves the office of ordination and do make Priests themselves the which boldnesse of theirs I intend not to stand now to confute but do assure the people Lay-preachers and tradesmen to execute the Ecclesiastical function have as good authority and calling as the new Presbyterian Priests that the Priests of their making have no better calling nor authority to enter upon that sacred function then he that is made a Judge or a Justice of Peace to rule the countrey by a company of high-way thieves and robbers and the Lay-preachers be they what they will husband-men or trades-men Taylors Shoemakers or Weavers or the like may as lawfully and perhaps more blamelesly do all the service of the Church as any of them that have their ordination from these Presbyters 2. They usurp the jurisdiction over the Church as well as the ordination of the Priests unto themselves and they are more rigid in their censures that are also more illegally done then either Bishop or Pope See the translation of Grallae pag 69. to pag. 90. and you shall find how these Presbyterian censures do exceed the tyranny of the Pope who exercised their discipline and censures in open Court in forma juris and secundum allegata probata when the Presbyterians do it secundum beneplacitum as it seemeth good in their own eyes because they have the discerning spirit to know who are worthy to be received and who ought to be excluded both from Christ and from the Church of Christ And yet I do not wonder so much that the Presbyters should be so ambitious to lay hold of this authority as I do admire that the people should be so foolish as to hate us for telling the truth unto them for their own benefit and shewing the other mens iniquity But I remember a story that Sir Thomas Moore tells us of two famous Philosophers that by their great skill in astronomy foresaw that at such a constellation A pretty story of Sir Thomas Moor. there would fall such a shower of pestiferous rain upon the earth that all the men which scaped not the drops of that rain should presently prove frantick and be distracted of their sences whereupon those Philosophers concluded that they would hide themselves in a Cave untill that shower was passed over and so they did and all things succeeded as they expected for when they came out of their hole where they were hidden they found all the people like mad-men playing the Anticks and therefore they being sober thought to do them good by advising them to leave their fooleries and to follow after sobriety but the mad people told the Philosophers that they themselves were mad and they would take a course with them for saying that they were out of their wits and knew not what they did and so they laid hold on the Philosophers and beat them and they had much adoe to escape from these mad people with their lives this was the reward they had for their well-wishes and desire to do those mad people good to guide them and to direct them in the right courses I wish it may not be so with us that the people prove not themselves like those upon whom that fatal shower descended and that they would not deal with us It is easier to find few wise men then to find many wise men for telliug the truth of these mens doings for their good as those mad men did with those Philosophers And I would the people that are so affected to the Presbyterian government would consider whether it be as easie to find ten thousand wise and sober moderate men as to finde out ten The Kings and Emperours heretofore were very careful to make choice of the best and wisest men that
that some good men would relieve them or to be put to death whereby they should have had an end of their miseries and enjoy the Glory of Martyrdom but to make their Tyranny to exceed all cruelty and the miseries of the distressed and ejected persons the more miserable when their enemies as the Prophet saith whom they ever honoured as friends chased them sore like a Bird without cause Lament 3.52 and they that did feed delicately even with Kings Dishes Cap. 4. v. 5. must now lie desolate in the streets and they that sate in their Robes of Scarlet even with the best Lords in the Kingdom must now embrace Dung-hils and when the Parliament are told of the unjust and cruel proceedings of their Committee men yet that must not be regarded not their injustice so much as questioned because they are not to consider now quid sit honestum but quid utile what is just and honest but what is availeable be it never so vile and so wicked to further their design and if they did not uphold and countenance these their Instruments and not check them their own Projects might be obstructed And therefore The seeming mercies of tyrants most cruel as Tiberius and other Fox-like cruel Tigers worse than the bloudy Nero would never put them to a present death whom they hated most but said they loved them not so well as to take away their life and therefore in a seeming favour and mercy they suffered them to enjoy some space and liberty but it was in extream cruelty and malice to make them the more miserable by thus inflicting upon them a daily death So the subtle Tiberians of these times have dealt with Gods Servants to prolong their miseries and to make their lives more grievous than any death could be unto them cosque sibi-ipsis graves ponere And as one saith to set themselves to be the heaviest burdens and the greatest Maladies that possibly could be unto themselves when as all men may be assured of that truth What it is to be most miserable quod miserrimum est fuisse foelicem nothing can be more miserable than to have been most happy and then to fall into the depth of infelicity for what other thing is this but to make themselves to become the lingring Executioners of themselves Which is a death worse than any other death even by the Testimony of the holy Prophet For they that are slain with the sword saith he are better than they that are slain with hunger Lament 4.9 because these pine away stricken through for want of the fruit of the field And that nothing might be wanting to fill up the measure of this part The persecution of the Church under the long Parliament how great and how general it was of the iniquity of that Long Parliament and to make their cruelty most cruel and the persecution of Gods Servants most bitter because the more general and the more extensive and spreading the mischief is the more it prevents the persecuted persons of all shelter and deprives them of all Relief and Comfort this course must be taken not with a few of the choicest men of this or that Calling as Capita rerum which might be thought to be the Heads of any disorder after the manner that the Severest of the best Generals in war use to do when they decimate the Mutinous in their Army to be punished ut poena ad paucos metus ad omnes that the punishment of some few might strike a terrour and cause amendment in them all How well the Parliament was acquainted with all Church-Ministers but they must deal more universally with all the most Reverend Bishops all the worthy Deanes Sub-Deans Deans and Chapters arch-Arch-Deacons Priors Chancellors Chauntors Sub-Chauntors Treasurers Sub-Treasurers Succentors Sacrists Prebends Canons Canon-Residents and non-residents Petty-Canons Chorals Vicars-Chorals Choristers Old Vicars or New These be the very words of their Act they were so well acquainted with all the Particulars of the Church-Officers that as Jehu dealt with the Idolatrous Priests of Baal so they might deal with the Faithful Messengers of Jesus Christ and suffer not one of them all to escape but they must all down in Ingland and Wales yea in Scotland and in Ireland in all these Three Kingdoms and you may be sure if their power could reach neither Bishop Dean nor Prebend nor any one of all that depended on them should remain in Italy France Spain or any other part of all the Christian world they must all down and down with them even to the ground and then being cast down Montes insuper altos Imposuit They must lay weight enough upon them all that they may be never able to rise up again until they rise in Judgment against them The long Parliament deal with Christs servants as the Jews dealt with Christ For as the Jews when they had laid Christ in his Grave were afraid he would rise again and therefore laid a huge Stone upon the door of the Sepulcher and hired the Watch-men to keep him down so these men their Scholars for fear that the foresaid Servants of Christ might rise again must sell all their Lands and Possessions and put them into the hands of Captains and Collonels and other men of Armes that with the edge of the Sword should keep them bare enough and naked of all support if ever they should chance to arise Good God saith a Father Si Diabolus nocere posset quantum vellet aliquis justorum non remaneret If the Devil had power to destroy as many as he would and as he desireth there should not remain any one righteous man upon the face of the earth And yet this is not all that the prevalent Faction of the long Parliament have destroyed and extirpated out of house and home for to these afore-named Church-men whom the Devil spited most of all you may add the Catalogue of such Heads and Fellows of Colledges and other Learned and Religious Gentlemen of the famous University of Cambridge as have been plundered that is robbed ejected imprisoned and banished only for their constancy in the True Religion and right Service of God and their Loyalty and Faithfulness to their Lawful King And the like Catalogue of the Heads and Fellowes of the other Famous University of Oxford The great and large extent of the late Persecution of the Parl. besides the great number of Grave Doctors and other Learned Divines in and about the City of London and throughout these Three Kingdoms that have been deprived of all their Means and Livelihoods and many of them most barbarously killed Of all which you may see such a number as is scarce credible yet nothing more than is true in a little Book printed at Oxford in Anno 1647 and entituled Mercurius Rusticus Querela Cantabrigiensis A-Book worthy to be read of all that desire to know the Extent and to understand the Greatness of
ipsetemplum Dei S. Aug. de civ Dei l. 20. c. 19. quod est Ecclesia sicut dicimus sedet in amicum id est velut amicus vel si quid aliud isto locutionis genere dici solet which think it may be spoken in Latine as it is in the Greek he sitteth not in the temple of God but for the temple of God as if he were the temple of God which is the Church of God as we say he sitteth for our friend that is as our friend Whereby you may see St. Aug. understandeth that the Great Antichrist would pretend to be the only great friend of the true Church and so in the true Church and not out of it and consequently not to be the Turk in any wise that pretendeth not to serve Christ nor the Pope if we deny the Church of Rome to be the true Church of Christ and therefore we may conclude with Bellarmine Bp Downam de Antichrist lib 10. cap. 3. 4. that the Pope cannot be said to be the Great Antichrist nor Rome the proper Seat of the Antichrist as Downam Thomson and others would have it to be because as I said before the Antichrist must arise in the midst of the truest and purest Church of Christ which we utterly deny Rome to be For the Apostle saith 2 Theff 2. the man of Sin and the child of Perdition which all Interpreters do expound to be the Antichrist shall sit in the temple of God which as the greatest of the School-Doctors Aquinas saith Aquin. in loc and so Tilenus Exegesis 74. pag. 21. must not be understood of the Jewish Temple at Hierusalem that hath been destroyed and shall never be re-edified as some of the best Jewish Rabbines do believe but as S. Chrysostom and the Greek Scholiast pag. 333. and Gorhan and many others do understand it of the true Church of God The Antichrist riseth and reigneth where God dwelleth where the Gospel of Christ by his Faithful Bishops and Painful Ministers is truly preached the Sacraments duly administred and the Flock of Christ rightly Governed and instructed to serve God as they ought to do there the Antichrist will seat himself and there Satan will assist him to overthrow the Bishops to persecure the true Ministers to neglect and nullifie the holy Sacraments to corrupt the Truth of the Gospel and to ruine that Church which Christ thus buildeth For it is observed that the Apostle useth in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observ which is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies to dwell or to inhabit God dwelleth in the best Saints and where they dwell because that is the House or place where God resideth that is among his Saints and in his Saints as God himself doth testifie unto his People that will truly serve him And therefore Constantinople where the Turk resideth and hath made the Chancel of San Sophia where the High Altar and the Patriarchal Throne stood to be a Turkish Moschy whither the Grand Signior goeth to the Blasphemous Ceremonies of their False Prophet and the City of Rome where the Pope sitteth and hath apostatized from the true Faith in many Points and corrupted the Gospel of Christ at leastwise with many Superstitions cannot be said to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where God resideth and the Antichrist sitteth as god to destroy it but it must be that Church wherein God in the most Special manner dwelleth and delighteth in it and that is in the Purest Church that can be found on earth in respect of all the outward things that do constitute the same for you must know that the Church is to be considered two manner of waies 1. Respectu divinae illius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so God only knoweth his Church The Church considered two waies and who are the Members thereof as the Apostle sheweth 2. In respect of that Discipline Rule and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is apparent to our eyes and consisteth chiefly in these four special things Four things do constitute a true outward visible Church 1. In the Prayers of the Saints 2. The Preaching of the Gospel 3. The Administration of the Sacraments And 4. Obedience to the Discipline of the Lawful Governours And that Church which in these respects is the truest and purest is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Temple and House of God where he dwelleth and which the Devil by his dear Servant the Antichrist laboureth by all means to overthrow Object But you will say Constantinople was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Church and dwelling place of God and so was Rome when her Faith was published throughout the whole world Rom. 1. and so both continued until the Antichrist suppressed the Truth and seated himself therein To this usual Objection I answer Solut. 1. That it is agreed of all sides and by all Interpreters old and new Papists and Protestants that the Great Antichrist should come towards the end of the world 1. That the Antichrist should come towards the end of the world 1 Tim. 4.1 and in the last Period of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last times as the Scriptures testifie the same most evidently for though the Mystery of him and his iniquity began by those Hereticks that sprang up in the Apostles time yet was not he to be revealed in his strength and fulness until the last and latter end of times and therefore not any waies like to come and to appear so many Hundred years agone as they prescribe which make either the Turk or the Pope to be the Antichrist 2. 2. That God suffereth not the enemies of his Church to tyrannize long I say that God being so good and so gracious a God especially to his Church and true Servants will not alwaies be chiding neither will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure but as the Poet saith Nocte pluit tota redeunt spectacula mane Which in the Prophets words I may express that although heaviness may endure for a night yet joy cometh in the morning and he may be sure of it because God himself tells his Church that for a moment in mine anger have I forsaken thee but with everlasting compassion will I have pity upon thee and so accordingly he suffered not Antiochus that was the most lively type of the Antichrist that is in all the Scripture to rage against the Church of the Jews for all their wickedness any longer than Three years and a half neither did he suffer the Captivity of his People in Babylon for their great sins recorded 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. to last any longer than 70 years nor the Children of Israel to be opprest by Pharaoh for the wrong they had done to their Brother Joseph any more after the Death of Joseph than about 200 years as Helvicus collecteth which is the longest time that I find God seems to sleep and
that feareth not his King cannot be truly said to fear God Prov. 24.21 So the Parliament said We will have no more Kings but we will be as our Neighbour Nation is a Free State and a Commonwealth But for all this their saying That they will have no King it is demanded If these men proved not apt Schollars of those dissembling Jews and imitate those their good Masters to a hair for as those Jews said We will have no King that is no Kingdom Gods appointment or no lawful King that hath a just right and title unto his Kingdom yet if you look but two Chapters before you shall find how God complaineth they had set up Kings Hos 8.4 but not by him and this was first in their intention before they rejected their lawfull King that God had set over them but last in the execution because the Old King must be first ejected before any new Kings can be established So have nor the Parliament when they beheaded their Old King of Gods appointment and their lawful King without question made themselves new kings over Gods people I do not say Usurping Kings that had no right nor tyrannical Kings that did no right unto the people but as the Prophet saith of the Jews so it is questioned if the Parliament have not set up Princes yea such Princes as were but Bankrupts Shooe-makers and Taylers Drapers and Tinkers Carters and Coblers and the like Scum of men of no learning Job 30.1 of no breeding of no bloud and of no worth but such as Job describeth whom the ancient Gentry and Nobility of this Land would have disdained to have set with the dogs of their flocks and made these or such as these to be Rulers in all Lands the Justices of the peace that as the Prophet saith the Jewish Rulers would sell the poor for a pair of shooes so would these younger brethren that are to make their Fortunes for a Print of Butter or a groars-worth of eggs sell Justice and betray the right of their poor Neighbours Such Rulers and such Princes as no people in any Country would have endured the like to Lord it over them but those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silly souls and poor spirited men whose hearts and courages the Lord hath taken from them and given up their best nobility and Gentry to be quite befooled besotted and bafled by such Baffoons when he intendeth to plague that Nation and utterly to lay all their glory and honour in the dust even as the Poet elegantly sheweth Hoc placet O superi Lucan Pharsal l. 1. cum vobis vertere cuncta Propositum nostris erroribus addere crimen Thus it pleaseth God when for their sins he intends to plague and to end the glory of any people to blind them so that they commit error upon error adding thirst unto drunkenness basenese unto their beastliness and Pharaoh-like harden their hearts in their follies that they cannot do what is honourable and what they ought untill they be destroyed and made Subjects to those that were their Servants But God tels the Jews that those new Kings of their own election were no Kings of his setting up nor any Princes of his making but of their own establishment Hos 8.4 Usurping Kings no Kings of Gods making and so meer Usurpers through the pride of their hearts and the violence of their hands such as Athalia was among that people and some others of our former Kings That I could name of this Land and therefore the Author of the Treatise of Usurpation saith That the people of any Nation do owe unto such Usurpers such Kings of their own setting up neither reverence nor obedience nor can any Officer with a safe conscience act under them Though I say not this which is true to deny that obedience to any Usurpers or to the unworthiest of our Rulers which may stand with Gods Word and may be yielded unto them without sin because I wâ—â—ld have no weak people stirred up to make an insurrection against their powerful Governours but when God that casteth down one and raiseth up another takes away the right of our former Princes and Rulers and suffereth others how mean or how base soever they be to step into their places and to sit upon the thrones of Majesty and the seats of Justice howsoever this be come to pass Deo permittente my advice is to all private men to rest themselves contented for the present and as the Apostle saith to study to be quiet and for peace and quietness sake to think it far better to obey than to rebel and to leave all things to Gods disposing Dan. 2.21 Rom. 8.28 2. The Antichrist will exalt himself above the Bishops qui disponit omnia suaviter and will set all things right in his good time and as S. Paul saith Worketh all things together for the best to them that love him 2. The Apostle tells us That as the Antichrist will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exalter of himself above every one that is called God and that is principally as I shewed to you above his King because that in the first place the King is chiefly termed God so he will likewise be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lifter up of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is supra numen as Tremellius reads it or adversus numen as Beza renders it above all that is worshipped saith our last and the Geneva Translation and the meaning is in few words that the Antichrist will exalt himself above the Bishops and the Ecclesiastical Governours of the Church as well as above the King wich is the civil Governour of the Commonwealth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word which the Apostle useth coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is read in prophane Authors as Pasor saith and signifieth colere that is religiously to worship or the thing that we worship for Religion sake from whence a Proselite or a religious man is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pious and religious person and all sacred and holy things that are dedicated and consecrated for Divine Service are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religious things or things that appertain to Religion which made Beza and Tremellius to translate it Numen which appertaineth to God doth sufficiently make it plain and manifest that the Apostle meaneth here not the Emperour nor any other King or civil Magistrate which had formerly exprest under the name of God as some Interpreters without reason would have it because that it is said Act. 27.1 that S. Paul was delivered to Julius that was a Centurion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augustus Band saith our Translation whereas it should have been translated of the Band of Augusta That by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle meaneth the spiritual Governors of the Church or Augusta's band which was the wife of Casar and was stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of 1200 and 60 dayes that make three years and a half just so long as Christ Preached after he was Baptized among the Jewes and at the end of those 1200 and 60 dayes they should be slaine by the Antichrist about one moneth before the Antichrist should be destroyed and it is a wonderfull thing to consider how many Papists are led away with the belief of these fictions of which I will not stand to confute and to shew their Vanity for that Bibliander and Chytraeus have sufficiently answered to these places Chytraeus in c. 11. Apoc. Math. 11.14 and have fully shewed howthese were the mistakes of those Fathers and but meere fancies of the Papists when our Saviour tels us plainly that Iohn Baptist was the Elias which was for to come and which the Jewes dreamed as the Papists do should be Elias the Tisbite that was taken up to Heaven in a Fiery Charet Exposition 2 Dr. Hammond in Apoc c. 11. Eusebius l. 4. c. 6. Others by these two Witnesses do understand two Bishops of Hierusalem wherof the one was Bishop over the Converted Jewes and the other of the Gentile Christians and these Berchochabas a Seditious and Rebellious Jew whereof Eusebius writeth did kill in the civil dissention of the Jewes as some Authors testifie but as unlikely as the former fiction of the Papists Reason 1 And the acts of the Apostles seem not to intimate any such thing but rather the clean contrary 1. Because we cannot yield that there were two Bishops of Hierusalem one of the Converted Jewes and another of the Gentile Christians as if they meant to make two distinct and severall Churches which might produce a great division and bring many Inconveniences betwixt the Jewish Christians and the Gentiles whereas now the partition Wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles was broken down and as both people were to have but one chief Shepheard that is Jesus Christ so they were to have but one fold and one Deputy Shepheard that is one Bishop under Christ in one City though I deny not but there might be subordinate Presbyters and Deacons under that Bishop to assist him to instruct the people and to Govern the Church Reason 2 2. Because the Revelation is not of known things that were already past for that is not properly a Revelation but a Narration of things especially things publickly done and not concealed but it is of things that were to come to pass and though Berchochabas was supprest by Rufus in the time of the Emperor Adrian about the 130 year of Christ yet it is thought that these men which are supposed to be two Bishops were slain long before this Revelation was shewed unto St. Iohn and not unlikely because Eusebius nameth 15 Bishops of Hierusalem that succeeded one another before Xistus that was but the sixth Bishop of Rome after the Apostles and lived about the beginning of Adrians time Reason 3 3. Because it is manifest that Berchochabas cannot be understood by the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit and the great Antichrist which is here said to kill the two witnesses because none of the notes and marks of that Beast under which notes the antichrist is described in the Scriptures do any wayes agree with Berchochabas for he never apostatized and fell away from Christ whom he never professed neither did he ever sit in the Temple of God as God nor wrought any signes or wonders nor went about his work slily mysteriously as the Antichrist doth but he went about his design openly and plainly aperto marte with armed Troops and therefore he cannot be understood to be the killer of these two witnesses nor these witnesses to be those two supposed Bishops of Hierusalem Exposition 3 Francisc Junius in loc Others by these two witnesses do understand it generally of the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word that are expressed by the number of two because of their weakness contemptibleness and fewness according to our Saviours words The harvest indeed is great but the labourers are few and yet they are two that they might the better assist one another and especially Deut. 19.13 2 Cor. 13.1 Mat. 18. v. 16. to confirm the Testimony of one another unto all other men according as the Law requireth that by the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word might be made good unto men as the Apostle sheweth But I can see no reason that all the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word should be expressed by the number of two when as though in the beginning when Christ spake it the number of the Apostles and Disciples were but very few yet the Psalmist prophesying of the succeeding time of the Gospel after the day of Pentecost saith that God gave the word and great was the Company of the Preachers and they could not be weak and contemptible during the time of their prophesying and before the coming of the Antichrist because they were the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks that stand before the God of the Earth and if any man hurt them that is during the time of their Prophesie Apoc. c. 11.4.5 fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and therefore our last translation addeth for the explanation of the point the word power unto the Text saying and I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie that is Apoc. c. 11.3 during the time alotted them 1200 and 60 dayes so that none shall be able to hinder them Exposition 4 Others do conceive that by these two witnesses we may better understand the two Testaments that is the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament whereof our Saviour saith Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me John 5.39 and thus do they expound them that make the Pope to be the Antichrist because he hath supprest the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament and hath offered violence and so killed the true sence and meaning of these two Testaments For the violence that the Pope and his Cardinalls and the whole Church of Rome have offered unto the holy Scriptures I cannot and I will not go about to excuse them neither do I think that they can excuse themselves but though the two Testaments are witnesses of Christ and do bear witness of him yet because they are but a dead letter and so dead witnesses as are the Heavens and all the works of God the witnesses of God though the Scriptures truly expounded are by far the clearer and the surer witnesses of him but being turned like a nose of wax by the Hereticks as they are very often I assure my self they are not here meant by these witnesses because they cannot properly nor indeed any wayes be said to be killed when the truth may onely be wounded and for a time suppressed but never killed and quite extinguished quia magna veritas prevalet as Zorchabel proveth and it is but an idle shift
of Expositors to make good their own conceits Esdras 14.41 to run unto tropes and figures when we may literally without tropes expound the same more agreeable unto the truth and without violence unto the Text therefore I conceive that the two Testaments cannot with any probability be understood by these two witnesses that are said to be killed by the beast and especially because they cannot be said to be the two Olive Trees or the anointed ones nor the two Candlesticks that hold up the light when as they are the light that these Candlesticks do hold nor to be confined to such a time as 1200 and 60 dayes when these two Testaments maugre all the malice of the Antichrist shall continue to the last day And therefore I do rather expound these two witnesses to be the preservers and the interpreters or preachers of these two Testaments that being living creatures Who are these two Witnesies that is 1. The King 2. The Bishop may be killed by this Beast and these are rightly termed the two Olive Trees or the two Sonnes of Oyl that is the anointed of God and the two Candlesticks that stand before the God of the Earth that is to hold up the light of the two Testaments to inlighten the Church of God with the truth of his holy word in despight of the Devill which is termed the God of the Earth And these preservers and Interpreters of these two Testaments are as E. H. truly observeth 1 Pet. 2.13 the civill Magistrates and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of Gods Church that is Moses and Aaron or the King as the supreme Magistrate and the Bishop as the chief Pastor that hath the oversight of the rest of the subordinate Ministers as St. Paul sheweth 1 Tim. 3. c. 4.1 for the King is custos utriusque tabulae the defender of the faith and obliged to take care as well of the Church and service of God as of the Commonwealth All good Kings took speciall care to have God truly served so Moses testifieth and so David Solomon Jehosophat Ezechias Josias and all the godly and good Kings of Israel and Judah had and so Constantine Theodosius and our own pious Princes Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles and all other good Christian Kings shewed that they took speciall care to see the truth purely preached and the service of God duly and rightly executed and therefore may most truly and literally without any trope or figure be said to be one of these two witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Bishop is to take upon him curam animarum the speciall care and charge of souls and the charge of them that are under him Act. 20.18 and undertook the charge of souls to see that they do carefully feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy ghost hath made them overseers and therefore also the Bishops and the Ministers of Gods word may be rightly said and none can deny it to be the other witnesses of Jesus Christ and so Christ saith unto his Apostles and in them to all the Bishops that were to succeed the Apostles that they were his Witnesses Act. 1.8 and they should testifie and bear witness of him in Hierusalem and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth which they themselves could not do but in and by those Bishops that succeeded them in all the ordinary duties of the Apostles and therefore no forehead were it of Brasse can deny these to be the witnesses of Christ without blushing when Christ himself doth affirm it And so you see plainly Zechary 4.14 that these two which are indeed the Sonnes of the Olive Tree the two onely Offices and Callings that are the annointed of God and the two Candlesticks that hold up the light of the two Testaments the King by the strength of his Sword and the Bishops by the faithfull preaching of Gods word are the two witnesses of Jesus Christ and therefore well may the King and the inferiour Magistrates under him and the Bishop with his subordinate Clergy like Moses and Aaron the supreme Magistrate and the High Priest be rightly termed the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ in every Kingdom and Commonwealth Then after that the Angell had intimated unto the Apostle c. 11. v. 4. who are to be understood by these two Witnesses by terming them the two Olive Trees that is the two annoynted Officers of Gods Church and the two Candlesticks that do beare and uphold the true light of the Gospel unto the people he proceeds to shew the Power and Abilities c. 11. v. 5. 6. the gifts and Endowments that God would bestow upon them both for to inable them to build up the Temple that was measured that is to edifie and to enlarge the Christian Church and also to protect themselves against their Enemies and to punish those that should be refractory and to shew for how long a time they should freely and fairely enjoy this power and liberty to build this Church for saith the Angel these two Witnesses shall have power to poewr out fire out of their mouth Numbers 16. 2 Reg. 1. Jerem. 5.14 Their power was the same as Christ gave to his Apostles and God to Moses to destroy their Enemies that go about to hurt them and they shall have power to shut the Heavens that it raine not in the dayes of their Prophesie and they shall have power over waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all Plagues as often as they will And these powers and Abilities are the very same that Christ had formerly given unto his Apostles and their successors the Bishops and Governors of his Church and the very same powers and abilities that God long before had given and granted unto Moses and to all his successors that supply his place and office the Kings and cheif Magistrates that are as he was to rule over and to govern Gods people for our Saviour tells St. Peter that he will give to him the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that is of the Church which is the way that brings us to the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever he shall leose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven and this power he gave not only to St. Peter but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their Successors for ever as you may see in Math. 18. v. 18. and John the 20. v. 23. Math. 16.19 so Mr. Mede part 2. pag 11. And so according to this power granted unto the Apostles and Bishops that are the Governours of the Church and have the Keyes thereof the sentence of Excommunication or the shutting out of the Church and the delivery of the lewd and wicked refractory person unto Satan as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.5 The sentence of excommunication is the fire and the key is the fire that proceedeth out of the mouth of
this Ecclesia sticall Witnesse and the Key that shutteth the Gate and the Windows of Heaven that the rain of grace and the comforts and consolations of Gods word cannot fall on such a person so long as he continueth in that excommunicate condition And as God hath given unto Moses power by his Rod to turn the Rivers and all the waters of Egypt into blood and to bring all the other Plagues that were brought upon Pharaoh and upon all the Land of Egypt The extent of the power of the witnesses for their obstinate refusall to let Israel go to serve the Lord So he hath given unto his Kings a power and a Sword that is signified by Moses his Rod to punish and to draw blood even the hearts blood of such wicked offendors as will be like Pharaoh rebellious and obstinate against the Commandements of God And herein you may observe the extent of their power which he granted unto them that is to smite the Earth but not the Heaven with all Plagues and that is to punish the earthly and worldly minded men that are wicked and do follow after the vanities impieties and iniquities of this sinful life but not the godly men whose conversation is in Heaven and which are obedient to the Lawes of God and man with fines mulcts imprisonments banishments and death it self for if they smite the Heaven that is the righteous and the innocent with any of these Plagues that power is not given them from God but from the Dragon that is the Devill gives it them Revel 13 2. as the Apostle sheweth And so you see the powers and the abilities that God hath given to these his two witnesses the King and the Bishop the Civill and the Ecclesiasticall Governours of his People the one exercising his power in the Church with the word of his mouth and the other in the Commonwealth with the Sword in his hand And for the time The time that the two Witnesses shall continue to prophesie c. 11. v. 3. Fran. Jun. in loc Ezek. 4.6 Dan. 9.24 Numb 14. v. 34. Mat. 3.2 Luc. 3.3 that these two Witnesses shall quietly and peaceably execute their Offices and Prophesie that is discharge their Duties to govern the Commonwealth and to build up the Church of Christ the Angell saith it shall be 1200 and 60 dayes cloathed in Sackcloath and that is as Junius here and divers others do rightly take a day for a year 1200 and 60 yeares as they do collect out of Ezekiel and Daniel and other places of Scripture where under the number of so many dayes as are expressed so many years are to be understood And so we find that with the favour and under the protection of Christian Emperors and Godly Kings the Orthodox Bishops and true Pastors and Preachers of the Gospel of Christ did freely without fear publish the Doctrine of faith and repentance which was the Doctrine of John Baptist and the Doctrine that Christ continued to preach and commanded his Apostles in like manner to preach the same unto the people and which I take to be signified by their Cloathing in Sackcloth in their so conforming themselves unto their Doctrine as John Baptist did Mat. 3.4 cloathing himself in a Garment of Camells hair and a girdle of Leather about his loines and not mourning for the pollution of the true Church which during the time of their Prophesie was not polluted as Mr. Mede and others do suppose but Mr. Mede part 2. p. 7 8. as I conceive much amiss that we should think the true Church was or that God would suffer his true Church to be so long polluted for the full space of 1200 and 60. years before the persecution of the Antichrist should begin or that his persecution should last so long And that is if you begin to account not as Junius would have it Junius in annotat in loc immediately after the passion of Christ because this power of free publishing the Doctrine of repentance was not yet given them while they were prohibited and persecuted from place to place for preaching the Gospel of Christ but it was given them after the end and determination of the ten former persecutions of the Church by the Heathen Tyrants and after the other storms and afflictions that were raised against them by the meanes and procurement of the Arian Hereticks and were as violently prosecuted by Constantius and other Arian Kings of the Gothes and Vandalls as the persecution of the Heathen Emperours as the life of Athanasius and the story of the Church doth sufficiently testifie when the Church was setled and established in peace and quietness and the governing Bishops freely permitted and royally protected by the Christian Kings and Emperours to preach the faith of Christ and to exhort their people to repentance from dead works yea and to injoyn the transgressors to repent in Sackcloth and to abhorre themselves and their former courses in dust and ashes And this was not The time when the two witnesses received their full power to prophesie about the year 382. till after the death of Valens which was about the year of Christ 382. When Theodosius had vanquished the Huns and the Gothes and the rest of those boysterous Northern enemies of the Empire that exceedingly troubled and brought infinite crosses and molestations not much inferiour if not some wayes worse then the Heathen persecutions upon the Church as you may easily find in those excellent Books of St. August de civitate Dei and others the Ecclesiasticall Writers of those times And from this suppression of those fierce and cruel enemies both of the Orthodox Church and the Roman Empire which was as I said about the year 382. to the beginning of the long Parliament we shall find about the summe of 1200. and 60 years When the time of their prophesying in Sackcloth was ended throughout all which time the true Orthodox Bishops the one of the two witnesses of Gods truth in all the Christian Kingdoms as Spain France Germany Ingland Scotland Ireland and the rest had full power and free liberty to preach the Doctrine of faith and to injoyn penance unto their people and they were not onely protected from the wrongs violence and malice of all their opposers About the year 1642. but they were also assisted to reduce all transgressors to repentance as above all other times in these Kingdoms that are best known unto us the happy Reign of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles can sufficiently justifie this truth unto you and the Christian Kings and Princes that were the other witness of Gods truth and the nursing Fathers of the Church were through the faithfull preaching of Gods word and the strict and godly Discipline of the Church most loyally obeyed and religiously observed as they ought to be in all the Christian Kingdoms and so both the witnesses by their mutuall helping and assisting one another were throughly strengthned
so cryeth and is pained in bringing forth Children unto God and she is likened to Children in respect of particulars that are all the Children of the Church begotten and brought forth by her unto God through their regeneration and new birth by Baptisme and the Preaching of the Gospel and grace of Christ And these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pangs of the woman and what they signifie pangs and paines of this woman to bring forth her Child may most especially signifie the troubles and afflictions that the Primitive Church endured for the Preaching of the Gospel and converting the Infidels unto the Faith of Christ under the first ten grievous persecutions and so likewise for the troubles that the Church should suffer at any other time and chiefly those great troubles that she must undergoe for doing the same service and work of regenerating children unto God in the persecution of the Antichrist for these troubles and afflictions of the Church are compared by the Prophets to the pain of a woman in travell Esay 66. and Jer. 30.6.7 because the Church will endure as much and as readily hazard her life to beget a Child to God as any woman endureth and hazardeth her life to bring forth her Child into the world and sooner too And our Saviour to shew the greatness of these pangs and pains of a woman that is in travell with Child saith that the troubles of the Jewes which should happen unto them and were as great as any we read of Mark 13.9 as Josephus ben gorion witnesseth are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginnings of their pangs or sorrowes which shall be no lesse then the pangs of a woman in travel so shall the pangs and pains of the Church be under the persecution of the Tyrants and the Antichrist for bringing forth Children unto God very great pains and troubles as that which here followeth will make it more manifest for The Evangelist saith v. 3. 2. The Vision of the Dragon and his malice to the woman v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there appeared another wonder in Heaven and that seems to be a greater wonder then the former and a wonder indeed every way if we should consider all particulars in very many respects and therefore the Holy Ghost prefixeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and behold it or consider it well for a great red Dragon or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great fiery Dragon Job 1.6 or a Dragon as red as fire appeared in Heaven so he that durst go into Paradise before dares now to go into Heaven and to appear among the Sonnes of God as he is more often and more diligent in the Church of God to hinder our devotion then we are to perform the duties of our Religion and he that was but a Serpent before crawling upon the Earth is now become a great Dragon flying in the Air The Dragon had 7 heads and 10 horns and therefore this sign or wonder well deserveth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold him and take heed of him for he hath 7. Heads harder to be discovered then the heads of Nilus and harder indeed to unhead him then it was for Hercules to cut off the heads of hydra and he had 10 horns and therefore he was of a mighty strength The horn an Emblem of strength 1 Reg. 22.11 because the horn is an emblem of power and strength as Zedechia made horns of Iron and said thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou hast consumed them and he had 7 Crowns upon his heads that is upon every head a Crown to shew unto us how glorious and majesticall wickedness and the instruments of wickedness would fain seem to be and his tail drew the third part of the Starres of Heaven and did cast them to the Earth What the tail of the Dragon signifieth Who are the Starres by his tayl I understand the fear of him the terror of his sting and the lashing of them far and neere that will not submit themselves to him and by the Starres of Heaven I understand those that seemed to be holy Professors good Christians and to shine like Starres in the Church of God or else those that were appointed to shine and to give light as Starres to them that are in darkness and do walk in the night of ignorance as are the Bishops Preachers and Ministers of Gods word for so the Angel saith unto our Evangelist Revel 1.16 v. 20. that the seven Stars in the right hand of Christ were the Angels that is the Bishops and Pastors of the seven Churches and by the third part of the Stars I understand not the subduing of the third part of the rulers of the world to the empire of Rome as Mr. Mede thinketh for why should the rulers of the world Mr. Mede pag. 35. be termed the Stars of Heaven and to be cast to the Earth when as they were earthly and worldly enough already and had small correspondency with Heaven but a great many as I told you the number of 3.7 and 110 doth often import What is to be understood by the third part of the Starts Let my Reader Judge whether this was not fulfilled in our time both of the Clergy and laytie that seemed to be as Stars in the firmament of the Church for feare of the Dragons tayle to be stung and lasht with the loss of their preferment their wealth their lands their liberties and their lives are pull'd down from Heaven and drawn away from their station and from the performance of their due respects unto the Witnesses and of their duties of the right service of God in his Church and are cast down to the earth that is to follow after the world and for the love of the world and the preferments of the earth to observe and follow any new forme of Gods service and so to become Apostates Meteors and falling Stars and meere Hypocrites in the Church of God which is very much that the Dragons tayle should do such great mischief And yet this is not enough for this Dragon to do to corrupt the third part of the Stars and to draw a multitude of professors from the right service of God to follow after the world and his wicked wayes but he would faine have more grist to his Mill Hell being like the Daughters of the Horse-leech that still cry give Proverb 30.15 16. give and being one of the four things that are never satisfied and that never faith it is enough and therefore he stands before the Woman which was ready to be delivered to devoure her Child saith our Translation when she had brought it forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to eat up her Son saith the originall but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pario to bring forth it may be translated her Child as well or as I
the Divines into their Cloysters which was the Churches Heaven upon Earth and he will not so part with her Mr. Mede pag. 40. What is meant by the War of Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels as there to let her escape free from his assault but be will now prosecute another kind of Combate with her which he had only begun before when he saw himself like to be worsted in the former conflicts and that Combate shall be not as E. H. and Mr. Mede do imagine the bloody Warrs of the persecuting Tyrants which was already past and the Dragon failed of his purpose therein but bellum dogmaticum a verball Warr that is a spirituall Scholastick and Ecclesiasticall War like the Pharsalian civil War of the Romans when a Kingdome is divided amongst it self which is the Worst and most dangerous of all Wars and so is this Ecclesiasticall War that the Hereticks and their grand Captaines the Proselites of Arius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius Manichaeus Aerius the Trinitarians Millenaries and the rest of that litter did still prosecute to molest the Church of Christ And my reasons to prove this War to be no Bloody War The hereticall War but rather a spirituall and Ecclesiasticall War are these Reason 1 1. Because this War is said to be in Heaven which cannot signifie the seat and place of the Blessed Angels and of the Saints departed out of this life because that neither War nor sorrow nor any other trouble can come there and therefore the seat of this War must be not the World simply considered which is never called Heaven but the Church of God which is the Christians Heaven here upon Earth and the Arke that carrieth us through the Seas of this World into the Eternall Heaven and therefore this War being said to be rather in the Church then in the World when as our Saviour speaking of our bloody Wars saith in the World you shall have Tribulations must needs be an Ecclesiasticall Hereticall and no bloody War no worldly War Reason 2 2. Because it is said that Michael and his Angels that is Christ and the true Bishops and Pastors of his Church that are called the Angels of the Churches and not Michael and his Princes Revelat. 1.20 fought against the Dragon and his Angels and not as it is said in Daniel that he affisted his Angel against the King of Persia but with the Dragon and his Angels Dan. 10.13 that is the Devil and his false Prophets the Hereticks that molested the Church and corrupted the true faith and the right Service of God and yet as their Master the Devil transformeth himself into an Angel of light as the Apostle speaketh so will the false Prophets be deemed and esteemed Angels but this Heavenly Angel tells us they are the Angels of the Dragon that make this War with the Angels of Christ Reason 3 3. And lastly because that in this War we find none slaine nor any blood spilt as they were under the persecuting Tyrants as well the Arian Kings as the Pagan Emperors and therefore this War must needs be understood of no Forreigne bloody War but of a Verball spirituall Warr waged within the bosome of the Church that happened after the death of Theodosius who had freed the Church from all externall Wars and bloody persecutions but could not stop the mouth of the false Prophet nor hinder the Dragon and his Angels to raise and prosecute this Hereticall War And yet now How the Church prevailed against the Hereticks as the Woman formerly prevailed in the first War against the bloody Instruments of the Dragon that were vanquished in patientia Martyrum through the patience of the Martyrs and the sufferings of the Saints so here in this second War she gets the Victory over her Enemies and the Dragon is overcome c. 12. v. 11. by the blood of the Lamb and his Angels vanquished by the word of their Testimony v. 11. that is the Hereticks and Scismaticks were confuted and silenced in prudentia Doctorum by the Wisdome of the Bishops that were the Governours of the Church and by their learned writings and faithfull Preaching of Gods truth and not with the Sword or Cannon shot or any other such outward force which the Angels of Jesus Christ the Ministers of the Gospel never use as the Angels of the Dragon do and now did in many places because they are commanded with St. Peter to put up their Sword into the sheath and it is for none but the satellites of the high Priests Math. 26.52 and the Jannizaries of the Antichrist to come out against Christ and to fight against his Witnesses with Swords and Staves Then Mr. Mede pag. 40. Michael significat quis sicut deus certe nullus nifi Jesus Christus the Dragon being by Michael that is by the power and Wisdome of God that is Jesus Christ which Michael fignifieth and not by any one of the chief Princes or of the seven Arch Angels as Mr. Mede thinketh cast out of Heaven that is driven from the Church as he did the buyers and sellers out of the Temple when all the errors heresies and superstitions which the Devil by his prime Angells the Heresiarches had invented and sowed amongst Gods people were confuted and rooted out of these our reformed Churches and these Churches restored to their Pristine purity and setled in the right forme of serving God by the painefull diligence of the learned Bishops the Pastors and the Protestant Preachers of Gods word which was fairly begun in Queen Elizabeths time The Victory in this War when obtained continued and bettered in King James his Reign but not clearly done and perfectly finished untill King Charles his dayes nor any where so purely done as in these our dominions as I have fully proved unto you before there ensued a two-fold act or a double consequence of this great Victory of Michael and his Angels over the Dragon and his Angels 1. The Tryumph rejoycing and Jo-paean of the Conquerors The twofold Consequence of the Church his Victory over the Hereticks cap. 12.11 the Inhabitants of Heaven 2. The fretfull wrath and continued malice of the Conquered Dragon 1. In Heaven that is in the Church of God as I said before St. John heard a loud voyce saying now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Church c. 12. v. 10. where you must first observe the Emphasis in the word now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now is Salvation come and it was come long before when Christ had fully purchased our Redemption before his Ascention into Heaven but I conceive this Salvation to be meant not of our spirituall and eternall Salvation from Sin Hell and Satan which was come by Christ long before but for our Temporall Salvation and deliverance from the power and malice of our Enemies and that was now come that is fully and perfectly
far greater then the troubles of many of them that were within the Walls of Hierusalem And therefore their being in Pella could not fignifie the earths opening of her mouth to swallow up the flood of their afflictions which no doubt but they endured in full measure Reason 4 4. In that Pella being but a little Village it is not likely that it could containe so many of the Jews or that so many should go out of Hierusalem unto it as should move the Holy Ghost to express them here under the notion of this Woman that was persecuted by the Dragon when as these were not the men against whom Titus waged his War being so few and so contemptible and no wayes opposing him Reason 5 5. In that this persecution of the Woman and her flight into the Wilderness is after the Warre in Heaven and after the Dragon was throwen into the earth as the Text makes it plain v. 13. 14. but these Jewes being in Pella was long before this warre and therefore they cannot be meant by this woman Reason 6 6. In that according to the old rule non est distinguendum ubi non distinguit lex we may not chop and change times places and persons where Scriptures change them not to fit our own purposes and to make good our own best liked Interpretations which is but as the Poet saith to stagger Nunc huc nunc illuc exemplo nubis aquosae Much like a waterish Cloud which sometimes hither is driven with the wind How men should fairly proceed in their interpretations without wresting of any Text. and sometimes thither or as another saith Praxitiles like to make beguiled mindes to bow down to the painted strumpet either of these high conceits of the great Scholars or of the brain-sick fancies of the weaker wits but we ought fairly to proceed according to the most genuine sence of the place that we enterpret and such as crosseth no other truth nor carrieth any absurdity or impossibility with it And who seeth not prima facie at the first sight and reading of this 12th Chapter how the Holy Ghost proceedeth therein to set forth the dangers troubles and persecutions of this woman that signifieth the Christian Church from the time that she became cloathed with the Sun and the beginning of her pain in travell unto the end of her persecutions as how she should flie into the Wilderness how long she should be nourished and fed in that place what Warres she should undergo in that time and after the ending of that Warre and the stepping out of her place how she should be therefore punished and persecuted and for what time she should be distressed in that persecution and how she should be helped and relieved out of the hands and power of her enemies which are all successively in a continued Series and a just order set down by the spirit of God of the same woman that was the Christian Church in this 12th Chapter of the Revelation And as not all this by Junius his concession so indeed not any part of this can be referred to the believing Jewes in Pella as understood by this woman v. 14. but to the Christian Church converted and collected both out of the Jewes and Gentiles especially considered after the time of Theodosins as I have shewed to you before And this last persecution of this woman can be no otherwise understood Why this last persecution of the woman is to be referred to these our times as I conceive then of the sufferings of the reformed Protestant Churches and servants of Christ in these our times wherein we live because they fall out just at the end of 1200 and 60 years wherein the two witnesses after that the woman was cloathed with the Sun should prophesie and the woman should be fed by the witnesses before they should be slain and before the beginning of this her great persecution and flood of all miseries that the Dragon by the service of the Antichrist should raise against her and throw after her And I say that although Arethas Rupertus and Barradius do with Junius understand this woman to signifie the Jewish Synagogue and Alcazar takes it for the primitive Church of the Christians to whom I do assent she may be taken for that Church at that time when the Dragon began to watch her that he might devoure her Child yet St. Ambrose Ticonius and Primasius do with me understand this woman here flying to avoid the Dragons flood to signifie the true Christian Church in her last persecution sub finem mundi a little before the end of the world when Satan should be let loose after his 1000 years imprisonment and should then powre forth a flood and deluge of all crosses troubles and miseries upon the true Church and the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ the which I think he hath now within these late years done to the uttermost Reason 7 7. And lastly in that these times of the womans being fed and nourished in the Wilderness for 1200 and 60 years wherein the Hereticall war betwixt the Angels of Michael and the Angels of the Dragon was made and was not ended here in our Church until King Charles his dayes in whose time both the Brownists and Puritans were suppressed and the Jesuite Fisher the great Golias of the Papists That the times here spoken of cannot cohere with the Jewes in Pella in these parts was quite vanquished and confuted by Bishop Laud and these times that are here expressed by time times and half a time which are the time of the Churches persecution after the 1200 and 60 years and the end of the hereticall warre cannot be referred to the believing Jewes in Pella but rather for the persecution of our Protestant Churches and the preservation of them from being ruined by the earths opening of her mouth to swallow up the flood of afflictions that the Dragon casteth after them because the Holy Ghost saith that after three dayes and a half which is the very same time though expressed in other termes with time times and half a time the spirit of life from God shall enter into the witnesses that is ministris verbi as Junius confesseth the Bishops and Preachers of Gods word or as E. H. more rightly thinketh the Magistrates and Ministers which formerly had been slain and they shall stand again upon their feet that is in their successors by a Monarchicall and Episcopall Government to shew that God will not suffer his Church and Servants to be alwayes nor long trodden underfoot and to want her lawfull Pastors and Governours but should have the witnesses of Christ within a short space restored unto her And we are confident that such a thing as this never happened to the believing Jewes in Pella nor to any other believing Church in the World that we know of that both the witnesses of God That we cannot remember where it happened that the chief Magi. strate and the
was grievously afflicted and persecuted long after Constantines time that is Christ which was brought forth by the Church in her Members and he used all his slights and devices to that purpose And through his Instruments persecuted and destroyed many a Christian man and therefore the Soules beheaded for Jesus did not as yet live in their successors and reigne with Christ nor was Satan bound from persecuting the Church when as he beheaded and killed them still and stirred up not only Constantius the Son of Constantine to be a great persecutor of the Orthodox Christians and Julian the Apostata his Cosen German and immediate successor to be greater then he but also the Arian Kings both of the Huns Goths and Vandalls that invaded Italy sacked Rome entred into Africa besieged Hippo and brought such infinite troubles and miseries upon the Church that Rupertus and Haymo considering the Cruelties of Gensericus against the true Christians Bishops and Priests and all that would not renounce the true faith and become Arians by putting many of them to death Victor l. de Vandalica persecutione and banishing others as Victor sheweth did find in him the number of the Beast 666 and therefore thought he might be the Antichrist and Attila stiled himself * Mundzuccus orbis terror and flagellum Dei the terror of the world and the scourge of God and about the same troublesome times the donatists swarmed in Africa and as St. Augustine sheweth brought an infinite deal of vexations upon the Church as did other Tyrants and Hereticks in other places which were wel-nigh as bloody and as cruel if not altogether as bad persecutions of the Church as formerly the Heathen Tyrants brought upon it Apoc. 11.3 Beza in loc And therefore the words of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will give not Illud nor Illam as Beza saith but power unto my two Witnesses as our last English Translation hath it and they shall Prophesy 1200 and 60. dayes are to be understood to begin then or immediately after to be fulfilled when Phocas granted that power and preheminence unto Boniface the third Bishop of Rome Revel 20.4 Satan was bound and the Saints began to reigne with Christ after Phocas in Heraclius his time about 620. or 630. that the Sword of Satan had neither edge strength nor ability to suppress the word of God nor to abate one jot of the power of the Witnesses but that the Church her Governours were freed from all fear of Tyrants and judgments were given unto the Saints that is they which formerly were haled to be judged and condemned at the Barrs of their Enemies have now quiet possession of judicatures and censures to punnish and condemne the refractory which Ecclesiasticall discipline cold never be free from persecution nor be executed so freely and so justly as it ought to be so long as the Church was awed and her Governours suppressed and terrified either by the Heathen or the Arian Tyrants or by any other temporall Potentate or civill power of the Infidels that could master them for though as I said before Christ immediately after his ascension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave gifts to his witnesses Ephes 4.8 to inable them to prophesie and in and after Constantines time they had free leave to prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a far better manner and condition then before and a more plentifull measure of Gods spirit and assistance to beget Children more plentifully unto Christ and afterwards in Anno 395. Christian Religion tryumphed over the Gods of the Heathen when Theodosius first overcame Eugenius and Argobastus the two Standard-bearers of the Dragon and took away the College of the Idoll Pontifices and as Zosimus saith defaced the Temples of the Idolls which Constantine had onely shut and Julian had opened again yet in all this while he gave them not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power so to prophesie and so to rule the Church as that they could not be resisted or hindered by any Heathen Potentate King or Emperour nor did he give the same power unto them untill Phocas his time Speed in vita Henrici 2. which then they had and held it alwayes after in their hands 1000 years at the least and indeed used it in a far higher measure against Christian Kings then God gave them leave to do as it appeareth not onely in the lives of the succeeding Emperours but also in our own Chronicles as specially by the passages betwixt Hen. 2. and Bishop Becket and the like And therefore the Saints 1000 years reigning and ruling with Christ and Satans 1000 years binding that he could not hinder the Church to rule did then begin either about the end of Phocas or rather in Heraclius Reign about the year of Christ six hundred twenty or six hundred thirty for Heraclius reigned 30 years Satans 1000 years binding ended in King Charles his Reign about Anno 1630. and died 641. and must end just in King Charles his time when the Devills Chain was broken all to pieces and Satan let loose like a roaring Lion to devour both King and Priest the two faithfull witnesses of Jesus Christ and abundance more of Gods true Servants throughout all Christendom And that for their Religion the profession of the true faith and the right service of God which was done no where else at no time before nor by any other instrument of Satan since the determination of the Heathen Tyrants and the Arian persecutions for though the Turks invaded Greece and took Constantinople and brought thither the Mahometan Religion as a just punishment and the first woe upon those Hereticall Churches yet it is most certain that this their invasion was libidine dominandi as Alexander entred into Persia and the Romans warred upon their Neighbours to gain their Territories through their ambition and greedy desire of bearing rule * Which doth so infinitely bewitch the mindes of men as Camerarius sheweth l. 5. c. 8. per totum for to inlarge their Dominion not so much for the suppressing of the Christian Religion or the inlargement of their own idolatrous superstition when we finde the Turks do now as the Romans did of old permit all Religions both Jewes and Christians Orthodox and Heterodox to live and to live peaceably amongst them and to exercise each one their own Religion without any disturbance so they pay their alotted taxations and submit themselves unto their Lawes in a civill Government which cannot properly be said to be a persecution of the Christians qua Christians and because they do profess the Christian Religion but rather a worldly desire of Dominion That the Turks invasion was not for the suppression of the Christian Religion but for the desire of dominion and so we read that Almanzor the great Mahometan Emperour which being interpreted signifieth the defender of the Law of God meaning the Alcoran that Hozman the Husband of
that they may not go thither But least I should condemne all alike you must as I said before distribute the whole Classis of Presbyterians into these two parts 1. The plaine timide unwilling and unskilfull Presbyterians in the plots and practises and cunning devises of their Elder Brethren and the other kind of Presbyterians for these like well of the Episcopall Government and could very willingly conform themselves to the former discipline of our Church but for fear of want and losse of Livings they are unwillingly drawn to comply though more moderately with the rest of the Presbyterians and these I love and pitty and as they are moderate men so I would have all men moderate in their censures of them 2. The rough rigid and proud polypragmaticall plotting Presbyterians Where you may see the Author held the same Principles in his younger years as now he doth in his old age that for those causes and reasons which I have set down in my resolution of Pilate well nigh fifty yeares ago have and do start aside from their faith given and from their duties and obedience to the Governours and Government of the Church and with all their wits wealth power and abilities do strive and labour rather to ruine the whole Church and to bring all things to confusion then to be overswayed in their opinions and be brought to any subjection their high mindes cannot any wayes bend they are like oakes not willowes and these are this second beast whose wayes I hate with a perfect hatred and think them well worthy our Saviours censure to be heaten with many stripes because they know their Masters mind and do it not and in that respect are far worse then the worst men that were in that long Parliament And here I would have all men to observe how these two beasts How the two beasts combine themselves together the feven headed and the two horned beast do combine and unite themselves to effect all their purposes and joyne together hand and heart to assist each other in all their projects whereby it appeareth most manifest that the Great Antichrist consisteth of Tyrannizing Magistrates and false Prophets of a secular Authority and a spirituall or Ecclesiasticall directory all is but one grand Enemy of Christ and one Army of the Dragon though disposed by their Prince into two speciall Regiments CHAP. II. Why this second beast is said to be risen out of the earth what is meant by the two hornes of this beast and the two things signified by them what it is to speake like the Dragon Of the wonders or miracles of the Beast all false in respect of the foure speciall causes of true miracles and of the fire that this Beast bringeth down from Heaven what it signifieth BUt now having understood who is meant and to be understood by this second Beast that is as all Interpreters agree the Preachers and the Proclaimers of the goodness and the piety of the Antichrist which is conceived to be the Presbyterians Independants and Lay Preachers of the Long Parliament we are to proceed to the description of this Beast and his actions both his words and his works which will make the former Exposition that sheweth who he is the more plain unto you For 1. Why this beast is said to be raised out of the earth Jan. in Annot. in hâ—â—oe Mr. Mede in loc page 65. He is said verse 11. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Beast risen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the earth that is saith Junius quia haec bestia est terrae filia id est obscure natae pedetentim emergens ex âbiectione sua because those Ecclesiasticall Prelates he meanes the Pope and his Cardinalls were sprung up out of obscure flocks meane parentage and poore beginnings and by little and little erept into the height and highest step of all earthly dignity and with him Mr. Mede almost agreeth in words as he doth in sence saying that he is sprung from the lowest condition or rather because he is sprung up secretly without noice like herbes out of the earth Mares p. 138. which Exposition though among so many Popes fome of them sprung from meane parentage as Sixtus 5. was the son of a heardsman Benedict 12. of a baker Vrban 4. of a shoemaker and some others so meane that we know neither their Sir-names nor their Countrey yet can it not be applicable to the Roman-Clergy when as I told you before the men signified by the first Beast that rose out of the Sea that is from the vulgar and common people were of meaner abstract and of farr worse breeding then the Roman Cardinalls and Bishops were whereof divers were Princes even by birth and the children of Nobles of Princes and of Kings as not onely the Records of Spain but also to go no further the Chronicles of our own Kingdom do sufficiently testifie therefore I rather conceive this beast is said to be risen out of the Earth because their hearts and soules were like Demases onely earthly glued to these vanities and bewitched with the love of this present world 1 Cor. 15.47 even as St. Paul saith the first man is of the earth earthy and as is the earthy such are they that are earthy so are the men signified by this beast earthy and worldly though of all others they ought to have been as they professed themselves to be most heavenly for so St. Paul tells Titus Titus 1.12 1 Pet 2.3 Jude v. 11. that they teach things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake and St. Peter saith that through covetousness they shall with faigned words make Merchandize of you and St. Jude saith they run greedily after the error of Balâ—am that is for reward and St. Paul tells us plainly that they which cause division and offences Rom. 16 17 18. The Parallele The Assembly of Presbyters and the rest of the pre-byterians most worldly contrary to the doctrine which you have learned serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly that is to get the things of this world to satisfie their fleshly lusts but for their earthliness their covetousness and in justice in taking and possessing their brethrens livings and livlihoods it is so well known that I need not speak of it but onely to say with St. Paul thou that teachest another not to steal doest thou steale thou that wouldest have thy Parishioners to be just wilt thou be unjust and take the bread out of thy brothets mouth take heed how thou wilt answer this at the last day And I believe that if the Assembly of Presbyters and the rest of the Independant and Lay-Preachers had not been very worldly and most earthly minded ambitious of greatness and desirous to be wealthy and to have the honour to beare rule and to be as the Scribes and Pharisees coveted to be great among the people they would never have caused such division
and offences in our Church contrary to the Doctrine that we learned and contrary to all the established Lawes of this Land and they would never have disdained to be Canonically subject to their Diocessan Bishops and so make shipwrack of their faith and a good Conscience and through their pride that aspired to be free Masters and no lesse then a Pope in every Parish and through covetousness and hope to share the Episcopall Revenues among themselves so eagerly to have proceeded to deface the most Glorious Nationall Church that was on Earth And as the Apostle bids us to marke them that cause division and offences as he did himselfe by name marke and made known unto the people Hymeneus and Philetus and Alexander the copper smith and as St. John marked Diotrephes and our Saviour Christ the Scribes and Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Reader judge if this be not fulfilled in the Presbyters that the people might avoid them as they are commanded so I could name to you such Presbyterians that are so earthly so worldly so covetous and such extortioners if printed books say true of them as would make men wonder that any Christians should be such but I love not to throw dirt in any particular mans face onely I let you know that I conceive this to be the meaning of the rising of this beast out of the earth that he is earthly minded as in generall I say and am sure of it the Presbyterians are Then secondly it is said in the same v. 11. 2. What is meant by the two hornes of this beast that this Beast had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two hornes like a Lambe or like unto the Lamb and that is the Lambe which was spoken of in the eighth v. And these two hornes saith Grotius do signifie the chastity and the abstinence of Apollonius and the rest of the Magicians by which vertues so greatly commended by the Christians they made themselves most acceptable unto them but while Grotius applyeth this Prophesie to Domitian and Apollonius as he doth the other of St. Paul 2 Thes 2. to Caius and to Simon Magus he makes the Apostles to Prophesie of things already done and extending themselves no further then their own time which is contrary to the sence of all Expositors and cannot properly be said to be Prophesies as I shewed to you before Mares p. 139. They that mistake this Beast and take him for the Pope do likewise mistake these hornes for the two fold sword the Temporall and the Spirituall Power of the Pope Acosta saith they are insignia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acosta de tempor nouis l. 2. p. 17. the ensignes of the Episcopall Dignity that was expressed by their Miter which seemed like Moses his hornes that were but the radiant beames of Glory which like the sun-beames reflected from his face and forehead when he descended from the Mountain where he had been in conference with Almighty God and this dignity this Beast assumed to himself which was onely peculiar to the Episcopall Function And did not the Assembly of Divines at Westminster The Parallele The Presbyter challenge the Episcopall Dignity and more and every one of the Presbyterians arrogate and challenge this Dignity unto himselfe when he refused to be subject and to be directed by his Diocessan and with the Heretick Aerius did stiffely maintain that there was no difference in Gods word betwixt a Presbyter and a Bishop yes their own writings and the whole Kingdom are sufficient witnesses of this truth yea they affected indeed far more then the Episcopall Power as it hath been fully shewed in the Diurnalls and the weekly intelligence of the Parliament and as King James found it in Scotland and the Independants and Lay-Preachers shall finde it to their cost if ever the Presbyterian Government should be established But Mr. Mede saith that by these two hornes Mr. Mede p 66. we may understand the Power of binding and loosing which Christ left to his Apostles and to their Successors here on earth and which this Beast doth assume unto himsef but if this Power had been here to be understood the Holy Ghost had not said these hornes were like the hornes of the Lambe but that this Beast had the two hornes of the Lamb because the Power of binding and loosing are the two right hornes of Christ Revelat. 3.7 that onely hath the Keyes of David which openeth and no man shutteth and again shutteth and no man openeth and this two-fold Power Christ hath given to his true and lawfull Ministers Cornelius a lapide in loc and they truly and rightly have the two bornes of the Lambe which this beast had not but had counterfeit hornes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the hornes of the Lambe as Cornelius a Lapide well observeth therefore this two-fold Power cannot be here understood But because strength and Power is commonly understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the horne and our Saviour Christ that is here understood by the Lambe shewed his Power while he walked here on earth chiefly in two main things that is The 2 things that are fignified by the two hornes 1. In his Propheticall Office of foretelling things to come 2. In his Supernaturall working of wonders and miracles among the people So this beast pretendeth to be indued with the same double Power of the Lambe as The Paralele Let the reader judge if Presbyters do not arrogate them to themselves 1. Of Foretelling hidden and future things 2. Of Working strange miracles And Though I know the Presbyterians and their associates will deny that they challenge these hornes and the Power of doing these things unto themselves yet res ipsa loquitur let their doings be the Judges of this point 1. To foretell things to come For 1. Do they not presume but most impiously though not directly in words yet obliquely by their deedes to tell you who are Saints and who are sinners who are Elect and who are Reprobates who shall be the Heires of Heaven and who must be the fire-brands of hell not plainly it may be but by their deeds I say it is plainly seen they do it and such knowledge is too excellent for us we cannot attain unto it when the Apostle tells us in plain termes that the Lord 2 Tim. 2.19 and the Lord onely and not any man knoweth who are his that is his Elected Saints They are so well versed in the hearts of men and can so finely distinguish betwixt the Saint and the sinner the elect and the reprobate that herein no Tricotomist can be more acute that shall inherit his Kingdom and yet these wise eagle-sighted Presbyterians contrary to this Testimony of the Apostle when they Administer the Holy Eucharist besides other times at their pleasure can distinguish betwixt the sheepe and the goates and admitting the sheep to partake thereof they can exclude the goates from the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast speaketh like the Dragon that is though their words are pretended to be the words of Christ yet that which they aim at to effect are the plots of the Dragon and I beseech you mark it the first beast had a mouth like a Lion but this second beast spake like the dragon and why so because the first spake Magnalia great and glorious things what would they not do The paralel if they might have what they desired so you may remember what fair promises the Parliament made unto the King and the second spake mendacia lies and falshood which is the first language of the old Serpent the devill who is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lyes saith our Saviour Job 8. John 8. and so is the false Prophet and as the Dragon cloathed his lyes with sair speeches and large promises saying you shall be like Gods knowing good and evill so the Apostle tells us Rom. 16.18 2 Pet. 3.26 Mat. 4.6 these false teachers that make divisions in the Church and Rebellions in the Common-Wealth and dissentions among neighbours do with good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple and what are those good words but the very words of the Holy Scriptures then which no words can be better yet St. Peter tells us the Scriptures may be wrested abused and misapplyed as the Devill did to Christ and so do the false Prophets Trenens l. 1. c. 1. for seeing they come in sheeps clothing it behoves them to bring nothing but good words even the most blessed words of the Holy Scriptures in their mouthes but as Ireneus speaketh adaptare â—upientes ea quae bene dicta sunt iis quae male adinuenta sunt ab ipfis they are alwayes striving to fit those things which are well spoken in the Scriptures to what they have misinvented so did the Valentinians to establish their thirty couples of Gods and Goddesses so did the Arians to deny the Divinity of Christ so do the Papists to justifie their Purgatory and so this Beast the Presbyterians and their Disciples do to uphold all the wicked Tenents that they have invented to oppose their King to expell their Bishops and to extirpate our Lyturgy and service of the Church out of the Church and to spread many other points of their desperate Doctrine which is if any thing be the Language of the Dragon though they speak it in the good words of the Holy Scriptures and fair speeches which is a counterfeit shew of much purity and holiness that so with this shadow of piety they might the sooner make the people believe they are the onely Saints Stap in his counter blast and their words the very truth and language of the Lamb. And I think the adherents of the Long Parliament and this false Prophet scattered as many lies in their Bookes and Pamphlets as Stapleton collecteth out of Bishop Horne if we had but such another Stapleton to pick them out and if you can name any Pope that published more lies then this false Prophet I shall subscribe to the opinion of the Prosbyterians that he is the beast which speaks like the Dragon But Sir John Presbyter confesseth that although they pretend nothing but Scripture yet the Blasphemies Treasons Heresies Incongruities Tantalogies and Absurdities of his brethren and children the Presbyterians in the large measure of their Prayers and Sermons observed by the people hath been a great cause of his untimely death p. 5. 3. It is said v. 12. that this two horned beast exerciseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Power of the first beast or rather all the Authority which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth more properly fignifie and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast Bezius de regno Ital. l. 4. c. 5 1. c. 6. which cannot be applyed to the Pope and his Cardinalls that say the Temperall Sword is and ought to be subject to the Spirituall as Bozius Hostiensis Bellarmine and the rest of that Church do avouch and I shewed you before how this false Prophet the Presbyterians Independants and Lay-Preachers did all that they acted by the Authority aud under the Power of the Parliament Hostien in can quod supor his c. Bellarm. de rom pontif l. 5. c. 5. The parallele Of the power of the second beast plainly fulfilled in the Presbyterians and therefore they Preached and perswaded all men especially the Inhabitants of the earth as the holy Gh. saith all such as were as earthly and as worldly minded as themselves to adhere and to assist the Parliament against the King and his Party which is just as is the worshipping of the first beast that is the temporall state and which is and hath been alwayes the property and practice of all false Prophets to shelter themselves as the Arians did under Constantius and to further their Projects under the wings of their Powerfull Protectors whom they do therefore magnifie perswade all others to worship them that they might thereby effect their own wicked deeds and be secured from the Power of the Church Then 4. Of the miracles of the false prophet 4. It is said v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he doth great wonders where I take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not for a disjunctive or causative as Mr. Mede takes it but as it is commonly used for a copulative to that which went before as that this second beast used the Power and Authority of the first beast and being protected and furthered by the Power and strength of the first beast they did thereby great wonders and so St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.9 the Antichrist should come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with signes and lying wonders and our Saviour saith Bellar. Antichr prodigia potius praestigia daemonum mera mira quam vera miracula statuit de notis eccles c. 14. the false Christs and Prophets that are the followers and promoters of the Antichrist should arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and should shew great signes and wonders whereby you may see that both the beast and his instruments the Antichrist the false Prophet and the whole troope of his disciples shall pretend to shew signes and wonders to deceive the people and the signes that they shew are just like the signe that Judas gave unto his followers a kisse which is a pretence of love and great kindnesse but it was both destructive to Christ and deceitfull to the followers of Christ so the beast and the false Prophet do kisse those their Proselites with good words and faire promises whom they intend to allure to foule acts and to betray them to evill enemies and so the people are thereby deceived and the Church of Chrift destroyed But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wonder which the false Prophets are said by Christ to do Aquinas in 2 Thes 2. Prodigia quasi
patience in all these our sufferings and to assist us for our constancy and perseverance in our duties that we neither murmure at our present condition nor start aside one inch from the truth of our Christian Profession Non me videre superbum prosper a fatorum nec fractum adversa videbunt said Pompey and how much rather should a Christian say it either for fear of losses or for love of gain and preferment but to proceed on codem vultus tenore with the same cheerful countenance as well in these stormy thundring dayes of Adversity and Persecution as we would do in the cleerest Sun-shining dayes of pleasure and prosperity and to remember that Rebus in adversis facile est in contemnere vitam Fortiter ille facit qâ—i miser esse potest 3. To abhor the wayes of the wicked 3. To abhor the wayes and to fly from the service and allurements of these Beasts as from a Serpent because the third Angel that S. John saw sayd with a lond voice so that all men might hear him and plead no excuse If any man worship the Beast and his Image that is serve and follow the two horned Beast which is the false Prophet and the ten horned Beast that is the Image of the false Prophet and assist them in their Impieties or imitate and follow them in their blasphemous doctrines and their wicked wayes or receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand that is take an Ingagement and oblige himself to assure the Beasts that he will uphold assist and desend them and so be true and faithful unto them to further their proceedings or to justifie their doings either plainly or covertly directly or indirectly the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God The heavy punishment of them that assist and adhere to the Beasts which is poured out without mixture that is of any comfortable thing to allay the fierceness or to sweeten the bitterness of it into the Cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and of the Lamb which will encrease his Torment to see their happiness and himself in such extream misery and the smoak of that torment ascendeth up for ever and ever to keep God still in minde of the odiousness and stinking savour of their wickedness and they have no rest day nor night that is no manner of ease or abatement of their Torment at any time that worship the Beast and his Image that is serve and adhere to the false Prophet and the ten horned Beast Revel 14.9 10 11. and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name that is engageth himself to adhere and to assist them which pathetical and fearful expressions of the wrath of God and the unspeakable Torments of them that serve and assist these Beasts if men did believe the Scriptures should as I think make all men affraid to receive the mark The 2 Beasts often termed in the singular number the Beast and why or to do any service to any that is like to have any affinity or society with these Beasts which though they be two as the soul and body are yet by reason of their coberency and conjunction like Samsons Foxes or rather Herod Pilate to crucisie Christ to consume all the Corn in Joabs field as being subservient one to another they are most commonly spoken of in the singular number and tearmed the Beast whose undeniable notes and indelible characters and whose words and works testified by the spirit of God in the holy Scripture I have in all particulars parallel'd and expressed by the doctrines and doings of the Assembly of Presbyters at Westminster and their associates the Independant and Lay-preachers and the long Parliament that beheaded the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ and is therefore believed by very many to be the great Antichrist and the man of the sin that is spoken of by the Apostle from whose impiety iniquity and cruelty I earnestly and humbly beseech Almighty God night and day to preserve me and all the true Servants of Jesus Cstrist Amen Obs 2 The pious works of the long Parliament But secondly Against all this that I have written and shewed in the Application of the description and doings of the Antichrist to the Actions and determinations of the Presbyterians and long Parliament and the just paralleling of the one with the other to be as a man and his Image or shadow in a Glass I know it will be objected and demanded how it can be possible that that Parliament which protested they made their War against the Antichrist to root out Popery Idolatry and Superstition from the Church and made so many Orders and Ordinances for Gods Service and Acts for the propagation of the Gospel and to restrain the prophanation of Gods Name and appointed so many Fasts to beg a blessing upon their Endeavours and so many Thanksgivings unto God for their good snccesses which they ascribed only to God and not to themselves and did many other such like acts of piety and devotion should be the great Antichrist and the greatest enemies that ever were to the honour of Christ and of his Church since his ascention into Heaven as you seem to make theworld to believe they are Are these things the works of the Antichrist or can they be compatiblc with the Antichrist Sol. I answer briefly If they had not done these things they could not have been the great Antichrist for Christ himself doth tell us that the Antichrist and his false Prophets would say Matth. 24.23 Lo here is Christ that is with them and there is Christ that is where they meet in the Desart and in the secret Chambers that is in their private Conventicles and not in his consecrated Church where we pray unto him and hereby sayth Christ they should deceive the World and as S. Revel 13.14 John sayth All them that dwell upon the earth i.e. All earthly men yea Mar. 13 21. and if it were possible they should by this their great profession of Piety deceive the very Elect and the true Servants of Christ and you know the old Rule which is infallible decipimur specie recti Fallit enim vitium specie virtut is umbra We are soonest and oftnest deceived with the shew of piety and under the profession of the greatest holiness Si. Walter Rawleigh in the life of Mabomet pag. 7.8 so Mahomet the great Impostor by embracing a solitary life free from the ordinary conversation of men and his speeches mixed with gravity teaching holiness and a good life and beating down Idolotry and injustice gained such an extraordinary opinion of sanctity among the Arabians that they which saw him admired him and they that heard of him held him to be a Saint and thereby he deceived the greatest part of this side of the world and so all Hypocrits do seem to be