Settlement to the end of the world This they all agree in for the matter and scope of the whole Book tho' they infinitely differ about the Explication of the several parts of it And there cannot be a greater invitation to engage the curiosity of any that are concerned for Useful and Important Truths than that Consideration The great variety of the apprehensions of Interpreters about these things ought not to discourage mens hopes of a clear Interpretation more than the same differences amongst them about almost every other Book of Scripture For it will be found that they do almost as generally agree about the first Grounds of the Interpretation of these Visions as about other Books of Scripture that seem to be less mystical The Language of Prophecy already explained by accomplishments is in these things as sure a Rule of Interpretation as the more common Language of Scripture is for the other Books of it that are more plain And those that seem the most impartial in these things Mr. Mede B p. Usher Dr. More are very confident that there are plain grounds upon that foundation to build a demonstrative Evidence of the Sense of the chief design of these Visions upon With this encouragement it will be first enquired What sure grounds there are for the certainty of the Apostolical Authority of this Book as the only foundation of all satisfaction that can possibly be had from the clearest Interpretation of it There are two ways by which the Authority of any Book of Scripture is secured to us The First An Universal Tradition concerning it in the first Times of the Church soon after the writing of it And the Other The Determination of the Universal Church concerning it after some doubts and scruples concerning it And by both these ways of assurance is the Authority of the Apocalypse secured Two of the first Writers after the writing of the Apocalypse were Justin Martyr and Irenaeus Justin Martyr was contemporary with those who knew the Apostle whose Name it bears Anno 160. and that conversed with him and He in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew pag. 308. quotes the Apostle St. John about the Thousand Years under the Name of A certain man amongst them who was one of the twelve Apostles of Christ speaking of that matter in the Revelation which was given him which all know to be the Subject of the 20th Chapter of the Apocalypse And accordingly does Eusebius l. 4. c. 18. Eccl. Hist quote Justin Martyr as attributing the Apocalypse to the Apostle St. John But Irenaeus does the most satisfactorily put an end to all Controversie about this in his time and Irenaeus was contemporary with Justin Martyr And to assure us of the truth of what he affirms he says he had it from Polycarp whose diligent Auditor Lib. 3. contra Haeres cap. 3. he was and Polycarp was a Disciple of St. John himself and died a Martyr and so secures the truth of his Testimony But Irenaeus his Testimony concerning the Apocalypse is most full in his fifth book contra Haeres sect ult where speaking of the Number of Antichrist he says That that Number was in all the ancient and approved Copies and that he had it also confirmed to him by those who had seen St. John face to face There can hardly be given a more unquestionable or more particular Testimony concerning the true Author of a Book at any distance from the time that it was wrote in than this is Here is a particular search after all the Copies of it soon after the writing of it with the concurrent Testimony of those who knew the Author himself And further to shew the utter unlikelihood of any falsification of the Name of the Author of it a little after speaking of the Name of Antichrist Knowing this says he that if his Name Lib. 5. sect ult were to have been openly known at this present time it would certainly have been expressed by him who saw the Revelation for it is not long ago since he saw it but almost in this present Age at the latter-end of the Reign of Domitian The little distance betwixt the time of Irenaeus and the time of the writing this Book together with the care that he took to look into all the various Copies of it and the Traditions of the Ear-witnesses of the Apostle about it and the confirmation of his own Testimony in all this by dying a Martyr himself does silence all scruples about the Apostolical Authority of this Book But yet about 100 years after the time of Irenaeus Dionysius of Lib. 2. Alexandria in his Disputes against the Millenaries of his time does affirm That many of his Predecessors did reject this Book But then he says It was because they saw it obscure and full of too gross ignorance about the Millenarian state not from any new knowledge they had got of the forgery of it And their grounds were so small for it that tho' he was the chief Head of the Anti-millinarian Party yet he says he believed it to be divinely inspired Tho' from the difference of the Style of it from that of the Gospel and Epistles of John the Evangelist he judged it to be wrote by some other John contemporary with him And yet there are some expressions in the Revelations so peculiar to the Gospel and Epistles of John the Evangelist and used by no other Apostle that it must be either He himself or a very near Friend of his that must be the Author of them such as are The Lamb The Word The bearing record or witness of the Word They that pierced him shall see him The Testimony of Jesus Christ He that overcometh As I received of my Father c. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely and Let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Which are all expressions peculiar to the Gospel and Epistles of St. John St. Jerem indeed says That the Greek Church rejected the Authority of it But as Baronius well observes about it An. 96. St. Jerom must necessarily mean that only of the meaner and lower part of the Greek Church For as he there shews almost every one of the Greek Fathers does quote it under the Name of St. John the Apostle And Eusebius who relates the dissent of some of the Ancients about it and was the most eminent Antiquary of the Greek Church does name Justin Martyr Irenaeus Melito of Sardis Theophilus Antiochenus Origen Dionysius Alexandrinus the chief Writers of the Greek Church before him as Asserters of the Apostolical Authority of this Book If we go to the Judgment of after-Ages we have the Universal Consent of the Christian Church for the Canonical Authority of the Apocalypse after it had been scrupled by some which is the other way of assuring the right Tradition of a Canonical Book The third Council
of Carthage after the time of these scruples of the Antimillenarians and before the degeneracy of the Church to which the aim of the Apocalypse is applied by Protestants viz. before the year 400 does in its 47th Canon ordain the Book of the Apocalypse to be read in the Church as Canonical Scripture And this Provincial Council is confirmed to oblige the Universal Church both the Greek and Latin by the sixth Synod in Trullo at Constantinople Can. 2. Anno 707. But it was unquestionably a Decree of the Greek Church where the Apocalypse had alone been scrupled But the most authentick Evidence of this is the Authority of the fourth Council of Toledo when it could not possibly be any Interest of the then Ruling Party of the Church to plead for the Apocalypse but might possibly enough endanger the Interest of it because it was about the year 640. after the time that the Protestants Applications of that Book do generally date the degeneracy of the Church of Rome from So that the sense of that Council is the Testimony of an Adversary to the General Consent of the Church about the Tradition of this Book The words of it are these The Authority of many Councils and the Synodical Decrees Concil Toletan 4. Can. 16. about the year 640. of the holy Bishops of Rome have determined the Book of the Apocalypse to have been wrote by John the Evangelist and to be received amongst the Books divinely inspired And because there are many that do not receive it for Authentick and scorn to read it in the Church of God if any one for the future shall refuse to receive it or to read it in the Church in the time of Mass from Easter to Whitsuntide he shall be Excommunicated By this it does appear how the Apocalypse came to lose its authenticalness among the meaner part of the Church It was it seems so disused in the Church that it passed for an useless Book the Interpretations that were given of it were either so fanciful or so little concerning the Times when it was neglected that it passed amongst them for a kind of Book of Dreams in which the Church was not concerned and which none knew the meaning of And this cannot much be wondred at when it is considered how little regard is had to these Revelations even in these days unto which they are by the best Learned amongst us judged to belong in matters of the highest importance for the Church to know But as for that suggestion That Cerinthus was the Author of the Apocalypse which was always the most current ground amongst those who rejected the Authority of it there is assurance enough of the falshood of it out of Irenaeus for he was the Scholar of Polycarp who was the Disciple and Companion of St. John to whom Irenaeus every-where attributes Euseb l. 5. Eccles Histor c. 18. the Apocalypse and writes against Cerinthus and reports from Polycarp the great detestation that St. John had against Cerinthus And how absurd a thing would it be to imagine that Irenaeus after so diligent so long and familiar a conversation with Polycarp the Companion of St. John as he particularly mentions of himself should make the Apostle to be the Author Lib. 3. contra Haeres cap. 3. of a Book which was really wrote by his worst Adversary to propagate his Errors Whatever was the true reason of the rejection of the Authority of this Prophecy it is certain That no Book of Scripture has had a more express and unexceptionable Tradition of its Apostolical Authority since it was confirmed by the Testimony of two Learned Martyrs soon after the writing of it who also had searched into all the Copies of it and were confirmed in it by those who were conversant with the Apostle himself that wrote it and that in the very times that it was scrupled it was believed to be Authentical by all the Eminently-learned Fathers of those days and that after the times that it had been scrupled it was owned by the General Consent of the Christian Church This I thought fit to premise for the full satisfaction of those that are altogether sceptical in the first foundation of these Interpretations But the Romanists whose whole concern it is to make every thing in this kind dubious do agree with all other Christian Churches in the World at this time about the unquestionableness of the Canonical Authority of this part of the New Testament And now it may appear to be our Duty and Concern to enquire with diligence after the best understanding that we can get of this Prophecy when we consider what pressing Motives there are to it more in this Book than in any other Book of Scripture beside In the beginning Blessed is he that readeth Rev. 1. 3. 13. 9. and they that hear the words of this Prophecy And again If any man have an ear let him hear And the matter of it is said to be The Revelation that God gave unto Jesus Christ to shew Chap. 1. 1. unto his Servants And that whosoever should add to or take Chap. 22. 18 19. from the words of this Book above any other should have the plagues of God added to him or his part of Eternal Life taken away The First BOOK THE Uniform Constant Notion Of the Term of THE BEAST All over the REVELATIONS CHAP. I. The Ground of the Method here used The first Proposition That Babylon is the City of Rome in an Antichristian and Idolatrous Reign Scruples moved against it The Demonstration of it from the Text confirmed by General Consent NOne could be more disposed to the common prejudices against the study of the Revelations than I was at the time that I first engaged in those things I had till then been so almost wholly confin'd to such Enquiries as are the closest Exercise of Ratiocination upon clear and sure grounds That I was come to have a natural aversion against all such loose Conjectures as the Interpretations of those Visions are generally reputed to be But Mr. Mede's Synchronisms and his offers at Demonstration in them which I lighted on by chance some years since in a solitary retirement did tempt my curiosity to enquire What could be the ground of such a confidence in one of so known a Character for a cautious and imparial Judgment in Scriptural Rev. XVII Expositions At the first cursory view of his performance I was extremely surprized to see such fair grounds of a clear Explication about so intricate and obscure a Subject And tho' upon a more critical examination of the strength of them I found most of his Synchronisms far short of a close and cogent proof in them yet I could not but think that the Subject might be capable of a more certain determination to the Conclusion that he aimed at I did thereupon set my self upon a particular search after a closer demonstration of that Application that he had made
and Restorer m Therefore is Justinian chosen out by the people of Rome in their insurrection against Pope Innocent the 1st as the example of the greatest Roman Prince for the Emperour Conrad to resemble in favour of whom they declared in these Verses Imperium Teneat Romae sedeat Regat Orbem Princeps Terrarum ceu fecit Justinianus As Sigonius Lib. 11. de Regno Italiae does give the account of it so Procopius de Bello Persico makes Vitiges King of the Goths in his Letter to Chosroes King of Persia give Justinian this Character That it is his Nature to be always coveting of new things to which he had no Right And that he did aim at the whole World and every Mans Kingdom And in his description of Justinian's Buildings in his first Oration describes Justiman's Statue upon a Pillar holding a Globe in his Left hand to signify his Conquest of the World and stretching out the Fingers of his Right Hand towards the East to Command the Barbarians and Persians not to advance any further upon the Roman Empire without any Armour or Sword or Spear but only with a Cross upon the Globe to signify by what power he gained his Victories Which if it were to corrupt the Christian Religion was a Magnificent show of a False pretender to the power of Christ of the Imperial Authority in the Western Empire But as that made him eminent and remarkable enough to be taken notice of for the beginning or the restoring of a new Head of the Beast so did the great Bustle which he made in Church-matters signalize him as much for laying the first foundation of a general Uniformity in Religion His Contemporary n See Praefat. in Cod. Justiniani Procopius gives a Character of him that shows how much the Affairs of the Church were the concern of his heart He says of him That Justinian was so continually taken up with Church-men in private for the determining the niceties of matters of Faith that he lost his best time amongst them which he should have spent about his more weighty Coneerns And we do accordingly find him as fierce and severe in his Injunctions for a general conformity to the Definitions that were made about them In the beginning of his Reign He sets out o See Lib. 5. Cod. Justinian de summâ Trinitate an Edict concerning his Faith therein threatens all who should dissent from it that they should have no manner of indulgence And that upon the discovery of them they should suffer the Law as professed Hereticks which was to be banished the Roman Territories and which was never executed upon the generality of Dissenters before And here does his Faith appear to be made the Rule and measure of Orthodoxy to the whole Empire upon a Penalty which had terror enough in it This Faith he sends to Pope John for his concurrence with him in it And tells him that he did it to conform all to the Church of Rome that it was always his desire to preserve the Vnity of the Apostolick See and the state of the Holy Churches of God And for that purpose to bring all the Eastern Churches under his subjection and to unite them to the See of his Holiness p Ibid. l. 8 9 10. Pope John's Answer to him does repeat the same thing out of his Letter with great thanks to him As that he did preserve the Faith of the Roman Church and did bring all else under the subjection of it and did draw them into the Vnity of it Therein also does Justinian expresly call the Church of Rome the Head of all Churches and desires a Rule of Faith from the Pope for the Bishops of the East The Pope on the other side confirms the Emperor's Faith to be the only true Faith and that which the Roman Church did always hold and that whosoever should contradict that Faith must judge himself to be none of the Catholick Church And all this Intercourse betwixt the Pope and the Emperor is inserted into the Code of the Imperial Law as the Standard and Rule for all to conform to under the Penalty of being judged to be Hereticks that should either deny the Faith or the Authority of the Church that enjoin'd it and the q L. 5. c. de Haereticis Penalties against Hereticks was banishment Though the Emperor's Faith should be accounted Orthodox yet the inducing such a new Penalty which should force it upon the Consciences of all men as so necessary to salvation that a man could not possibly be a Member of the Catholick Church without the profession of it was certainly unwarrantable and the first beginning of that Tyrannizing Power in the Roman Church which made the whole World to conform to all its Arbitrary Decrees and to worship it with a blind obedience to all its most unreasonable Commands But the most publick Instances of the effects of the Emperor's zeal for Uniformity are the Synods that were called by him The first was that under Mennas against Anthimus Severus and Petav. Ration Temp. part 1. lib. 7. c. 7. others where after the condemnation of their Opinions they and all the other Hereticks with them were banished by the Emperor's Edict and very great Penalties says Evagrius l. 4. c. 11. were enjoined for all such as maintained their Opinions This indeed was the only means to arrive at a general Uniformity and Justinian had the first glory of it But this was nothing to his Behaviour in the Controversie about the three Chapters and in the fifth General Council as it is called which being after his Conquests of Africa and Italy found his Spirit in a right disposition to affect to exalt the Imperial Authority in the Church He first publishes a Book about those things and passes a censure Petav. Ration Temp. ibidem upon the three Chapters against the will and sollicitations of his Clergy then forces Mennas the Patriarch of Constantinople with the rest of the Patriarchs to subscribe to it sends for Pope Vigilius and after much reluctance he at last gets him to subscribe with the rest The next year Vigilius publishes a Decree in which with a Salvo to the Council of Chalcedon he does expresly condemn the three Chapters Justinian not content with this uses all means with Vigilius by threats and contumelies to condemn them absolutely without any mention of the Synod of Chalcedon but being not able to break him to it to shew him that the Bishop of Rome was set up for nothing but to be the Emperor's Property and to promote a general Conformity to the Imperial Religion Against the Pope's will he calls a General Council at Constantinople for this end which had always been the method of the former Emperors to unite the Differences about Religion and to make the whole Church conformable to their minds The Pope in the mean while declares against this Assembly not upon the account of any claim of
manifest enough from tbe confirmation of this Fifth Council by almost all the Roman Councils after And now came those Laws about Hereticks and Apostates in fashion which were always found to do the greatest service to Vniformity in the Roman Religion and those were such as had a sufficient Penalty in them to oblige all to obey them such as these t Lib. 5. Cod. de Haereticis It is a good observation of Du Plessis Mornay in his Mystery of Iniquity page 100. That Pelagius the first in Justinian's days who confirmed the 5th Council and desired the aid of Justinian against the Bishops of Milan and Aquileia was the first Pope that made a Decree to employ the Secular Arm against those who should be condemned of Schism or Heresie that Hereticks were not to continue within the bounds of the Roman Empire And Hereticks were defined by Justinian's Law to be all such who did not communicate in the Church although they did call themselves Christians But those who were of the Church were enjoined by u See Note d on this Chapter another Law to be called Catholicks Of the same kind is that x Cod. Justinian de Apostatis other Law against Apostates that their Estates should be exposed to sale and another That y Lib. 19. Cod. de Haereticis none but the Children of Orthodox Parents should be capable of the right of succession to the Estates of their Parents And Petavius is sufficient Authority to make any believe that he did by an innumerable Petav. Ration Temp. part 1. l. 7. c. 5. company of Edicts press the Faith and Discipline of the Roman Church And of what nature those Edicts were to force Conformity may be apprehended from the Character of him which Petavius does immediately add to it viz. That in the whole course of his life he was eminent for z See Note m on this Chapter Vitiges to Chosroes Procopius Tribonianus his great Counsellour in the making his Laws c. is set out by Historians as a contemner of all Religions Cuspinian de Caesaribus pag. 141. Oppression Covetousness and Perfidiousness Ibidem If we put all these things together and consider that all the Imperial Edicts were generally published with the Stile of aa See Note p on this Chapter and Novell Justiniani 126. in particular A manifest constitution of our Deity Nostri numinis And Novell 114. Jussionis Divinae And Panirollus observes That Justinian gave the usual Character of the Emperours Subscriptions A. M. D. the name of a Divine Mark Divinam subnotationem Constantine the Father of Justinianus junior Anno. Dom. 683. orders the Archbishop of Ravenna to go to Rome to be Consecrated Divali jussione by his Divine or Sacred Command Lib. Pontifical Our Divinity Our God-head and that Justinian does in particular turn bb See Onuphtius Panvinius's Observation in Pelagio 1. in Note i on the 4th Chapter all the Erroneous Canons of the Church into Imperial Law And that he was the first that made the cc Novell 45. de Episcop Cler. We Decree that those things that are defined by the Holy Canons have as much force amongst them as if they were written in Civil Laws Bishop of Rome's Creation to depend upon the Emperor's Confirmation And that dd Novell 131. And therefore we decree according to their the Council's Determinations that the most Holy Pope of Old Rome be the first of all Bishops the most blessed Bishop of Constantinople which is New Rome to have the next place after the Holy Apostolick See of Old Rome he Novel 45. was the first that made the Primacy of the Pope a Law of the Empire It will not be thought to be an hard Censure of him to think that the Character of sitting in the Temple of God and shewing himself there as God may be fitly enough applied to him as the first appearance of that Anti-Christian Supremacy in the Christian Church after the division of the Empire amongst so many Sovereign Absolute Princes It is certain That by his Conquests of the Western Empire and his suppression of Arrianism in all the parts of it and by the conversion of the Arrian Kingdoms in France and Spain about the same time to the Roman Faith There was a very fair Appearance of a General Submission to the Roman Religion for which the Ten Kings are said to give their Kingdoms to the Beast and to be of one mind and to agree together in it 'T is certain that his ee Justinian's Example was upon all occasions quoted afterwards for the Imperial absoluteness in Church-Affairs and for his Obligations upon the Church of Rome See Sigonius in Note n on this Chapter ceu fecit Justinianus So for all Commemorations of Donations to the Church he is ordinarily put in with Constantine and Charlemaigne as the three remarkable Raisers of that Church Cardinal Zabarella de Schismate about the Year 1406. contends that it belongs to the Emperor to summon the Council as Justinian and Charlemaigne did Example was so taking that the design of an Vniversal Conformity was ever after prosecuted with great success Gregory the Great the best Bishop that they ever had after those times did ff See Baronius Ann. 591. Bolerus Rel. Univer part 2. lib. 4. for these Exploits of Gregory the First not long after clear Egypt of the Agnoitae Africa of the Donatists and Arrians and by Gennadius the Emperor's Exarch converted the Arrian Goths and banished the rest out of Italy The Successors of Justinian continued also to be acknowledged the Supream Governours of the Roman Church and were so acknowledged gg See Note the 23d on the 21st Chapter especially that of Guicciardin there Benedict the Second obtained of the Emperor by Letters-Patents That he that should be chosen Bishop of Rome by the common Agreement in full Assembly should be owned for Bishop without expecting either the Emperor's or the Exarch's Consent which was never known since the time of Justinian the First Mornay Mystere d'inquite pag. 128 Justin Junior to Pope Constantine he sent him sacram his Letter to command him to come to Constantinople and the Pope is said to have obeyed the Imperial Commands in it Anastas Biblioth Constantius Guicciardin shows that the Popes always dated their Bulls according to the year of their Lord the Emperor's Reign Imperante N. Domino nostro Anno 1046. Gregory the Sixth is deposed by a Council held in Lombardy by the Emperor's Order The words of the Council are That he was deposed by a Canonical and Imperial Censure Sigebert in Chronic. Anno 1160. Frederick upon a Schism betwixt two Popes Victor the Fourth and Alexander the Third summons a Council at Pavie according to the Custom of the Ancient Emperors And thus summons the Bishops to meet Having understood by the Decrees of the Popes and the Decrees of the Church that when there happens a Schism in the Roman Church
here be suggested That this would make the Coming of Christ in Glory and his Kingdom of Glory here upon Earth to be but a momentary thing only during the time of the Day of Judgment whereas he is represented in several places as reigning here in Glory with his Saints for a considerable time after the end of Antichrist But Mr. Mede has given this Answer to that That according to the Notion of the Day of Judgment among the Jews from whom the New Testament did borrow it it was taken for a continuance of time for 1000 years together But all that need be regarded for the present purpose in hand is That it is agreed by All Parties That the beginning of the Judgment of the Dead properly so called is not till the second Coming of Christ in Glory By this are we assured now at last That The Beast which killed the two Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. is the same time of Roman Rule with the Beast in the other Chapters Prop. 12. For first This Beast in the 11th Chapter hath one of the most peculiar distinguishing Characters of that Beast viz. The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit which is the very same Character with that of the Beast in the 17th Chapter v. 8. in just the same peculiar phrase And the same Character has that Beast in the 13th Chapter in another different expression indeed but of the same signification viz. That it did rise out of the Sea for the Sea is very ordinarily called in the Septuagint which the Greek of the New Testament does generally conform to by the same name of the Abyss which is here rendred the bottomless pit When therefore we see in the Chapters after this 11th Chapter the mention of a Beast that is to ascend out of the bottomless pit which is made his peculiar Character to distinguish him from other states of him under the succession of his Heads and that here there is the same peculiar description of such a Beast with the name of THE Beast that ascendeth c. which plainly refers us to the same Character of a Beast somewhere else mentioned It must certainly be the same with that Beast or else there is no ground to believe a thing to be the same at two several mentions of it tho' it has the same peculiar Character in both places and a Note of reference in one of them to confine it to the same thing that had been before mentioned which in this case would be a violation of all the first Three Rules which have been judged to be the surest ground for any Interrpetation 2. Besides they both end at the expiration of the same space of time of 42 months or the 1260 days of the Witnesses in Sackcloth which is the same state in both because it is the last state of them both The Beast in the 11th Chapter is also described to end just before a glorious Reign of Christ in the 7th Trumpet which is accompanied with a Judgment of the Dead So also does the Beast in the 19th Chapter come to an end just before a Reign of Christ which is accompanied with the Judgment of the Dead chap. 20. And is not this a very good ground to be confident that they are both the same Beast when they are said to end at the expiration of the same peculiar space of time and at the beginning of just the same kind of peculiar Reign of Christ over all the world and for ever and ever and that is accompanied with the Judgment of the Dead For since they are thus found from these Circumstances to be contemporary how can a Beast with so peculiar Characters that are the same in the other and at the same time be supposed to be quite another thing In both the mentions of the Beasts we also find them warring against the same Martyrs or Witnesses of God and Christ and in both overcoming them and being overcome by them c. From hence may very safely be determined That The Beast is to continue till the beginning of an Vniversal and Eternal Corollary Reign of Christ over the Kingdoms of this World These four last Conclusions have also the Consent of many of the most eminent Interpreters a RIbera about the 15th verse of the 11th Chapter in his Discourse upon Chap. 10. num 20. Caecus est qui non videt c. He is blind that does not see that these things cannot be but after the ruin of Antichrist and at the time of the Judgment Malvenda de Antichristo pag. 226. No man of sense can doubt but that the Beast in the 11th and 13th Chapters is the same Beast of the Church of Rome Thus then do we find at last That the term of the Beast does signifie one and the same particular state of his Reign in all the several Chapters where it is mentioned And from the last proof of this in the 11th Chapter it appears That the Account of the last end of the Beast there is before the Account of his first rise in the 13th Chapter and so mentioned in the 11th Chapter as a thing that was afterwards to appear Which does sufficiently assure us THAT the Order of the things in this Prophecy is many times transposed The Second BOOK THE Constant Uniform Signification OF A BEAST And its PARTS All over DANIEL CHAP. I. The Prophecy of Daniel the clearest Rule for the signification of A Beast and its Ruling Parts Porphyry's Objection against the Authority of it The greatest Confirmation of the plainness of the Predictions in it The Authority of the Book Daniel proved The 13th Proposition The Kingdom of the Son of Man in the 7th of Daniel a Kingdom of Christ Jesus The singularity of Grotius 's Notion of the Son of Man in that place judged to be Blasphemy by the Sanhedrim WE have now our prospect very much enlarged Dan. VII by a multitude of known Marks of the Beast which is found to be the same particular state of one of its Heads from the first mention of him in Chap. 11. to the last end of his History in Chapter 20. by which he is described to us in all his lineaments with his Rise his Mark his Actions and his End and with a great many of his Assistants and Dependants And I think I could make unquestionable to any that were impartial and considerate enough that one may come to a very satisfactory determination from hence about the particular knowledge of him But because I would continue firm to my first design of carrying on the proof all along in so full and convincing a manner as should be able to satisfie the most sceptical scruples it will be much more useful to consult the Prophecy of Daniel for the constant signification of the mystical Phrases that are made use of all over these Visions in the Revelations for there is a great deal more evidence of the determinate signification of a Beast
destruction of the Species or Soul of it that is of the Society of that People either by Slavery or by Subjection only to a new Authority Artic. 4 5 6. Ibid. Artic. 8. As Grotius determines concerning the continuance of the same body of People in the See References 9th Chapter of his Second Book de jure Belli Pacis And therefore were they still the commanding Authority of the Roman Empire 9. This is very learnedly confirmed by b Thus were the People of Rome the same under Kings Consuls and Emperours And Artic. 11. are the same at this day because they still retain that Society in Civil Government which they had formerly and therefore the Imperial Power did always reside in them as in the Body in which it lived For whatever the People of Rome could have formerly done of right before the time of the Emperours the same had they power to do upon the death of any Emperour before there was another chosen The Election of the Emperours did also belong to the People of the City of Rome and was oftentimes performed by the People either alone or by the Senate for them And those Elections which were made by first one and then another Legion of the Army were not valid by the right of those Legions for in a flitting Body there could be no certain right but from the approbation of the People It is no Objection against this that by the Decree of Antoninus all the Subjects of the Roman Empire were made Citizens of Rome For the rest of the Roman Subjects got nothing more by that Decree than what the Colonies and free Cities of the Empire and the Roman Provinces used to have which was to be partakers of the Roman Honours and to have the privileges of Quirites not that the Seat and Fountain of Government should be in other parts of the Empire as it was at Rome For that was not in the power of the Emperour to give who could not change the Fundamental Laws for the exercise of the Governing Power Nor was it any diminution of the Right of the People of Rome that the Emperours chose rather to live at Constantinople afterwards than at Rome For then also did the whole People of Rome confirm and make valid the Election which was made by a part of them at Constantinople who for that are called the Byzantine Quirites by Claudian And those of Rome did still preserve the Prerogative of their City and the honour of the precedence of their Consul which was no small Monument of their Original Right Wherefore all the Right which those of Constantinople had to chuse the Roman Emperour did depend upon the Will of the People of Rome To this purpose is that of Hieron Balbus de Conventione c. 13. But sometimes the Emperour was chosen by the Army who was then accounted rightly chosen if the Authority of the Senate and People of Rome did confirm it Ludovic â Rebeuberg a Caesarian Writer cap. 3. de juribus Reg. Imp. Romanor Charlemaign never called himself Emperour before he was anointed and crowned by Pope Leo The Romans with one Consent did give the Imperial Acclamations to Charlemaign And when he was crowned by Pope Leo they called him Caesar and Augustus M. Fribeius in the Comment In which way of Acclamation says he the popular Election both at Rome and Constantinople did at that time consist As Paulus Diaconus in Histor Miscella Anastas Bibliothecarius do testify Grotius himself in that same Chapter and the Comment on it where he shews as a Lawyer That it was always acknowledged to be the right of the Senate and People of Rome to determine the next Succession to the Government of the Roman Empire in the time of every vacancy That therefore all Elections of Princes and Laws were to be confirmed by them So that the Constantinopolitan Emperours were generally so confirmed and their Laws ratified by the Authority of the City of Rome And to give authority to their Government they had one of the Consuls and a part of the Senate of Rome generally residing with them as delegated from that City to give authority to their Orders as long as there was a good correspondence betwixt the Eastern and Western Empires And to show which of the Seats of the Empire was the chief Fountain of the Roman Power the Consul of the City of Rome always had the precedence So that as long as the Power of the Roman Senate and Consuls did continue at Rome which was till the Conquest of Rome by Justinian the Sovereign Power of that City must come in for a share at least in the then Ruling Head of the Beast which is all that is necessary to be here established 10. And the way to make any man a Roman in distinction to others that were Subjects of that Empire was to make him a Citizen of Rome which did manifestly shew that no Power could be properly said to be the Head of the Roman Empire that was without any Authority from the City of Rome 11. The City of Rome had also a very peculiar acknowledgment from the whole Government of the Empire that it was the Head and Fountain of all the Power of the Roman Empire and in a more eminent way than we read of any other City besides For all the Governors of the Provinces at their return from their Office used to lay down the Ensigns of their Authority at the Gates of the City of Rome before they entred the Town in acknowledgment of the first Fountain of their Magistracy which they did therefore thus signify to be resigned up into her hands when they returned home again L. ult de Officio Procons 12. Besides That during the whole time of the division of the Empire to the Reign of c Cod. Justinian Praefat. Consuetudo Romanae Urbis sequenda ab omnibus quia Roma est Caput Orbis Terrarum To this purpose do the Eastern Emperours before give the precedence to the City of Rome So all over Cassiodorus's Varior p. 41 112 207 302 311 319 341 348 359 361 390 396. Rome has the name of the Head of the World with such Characters as these in that City where Honour does always reside in the most sacred City none can be greater than he to whose care Rome is committed not only Rome tho in it are contained all things whatsoever is done in that City is almost in the eyes of the whole World If the Head of the World rejoyces all the rest must do the same not in the Provinces but in the Head of all things And this was just before the Reign of Justinian Justinian at least the City of Rome though no longer the Seat of the Empire was called and accounted the Metropolis of it and therefore was it for all that time called The Head of the World the Head of all things Wherefore by the Head of the Roman Empire that is by any Head
time of the Vision If it be said that these Emperors were rather two Heads than one like the representation of two of the four Kingdoms in the Graecian Monarchy by two distinct Horns succeeding to Dan. 8. the first It may be answered That according to the account of all Historians Thô they seemed to have a divided Empire yet they acted in almost all the publick affairs as but a BEllarmin de Translat Imperii Occident l. 1. c. 4. Erat tamen c. But so common to them both was the whole Administration of the Empire that is to both the Western and Eastern Emperour that the Laws were made for the whole Empire by the Authority and in the name of both the Emperours And if one of them died without Children the Government of the whole Empire fell to the other One Government of the whole Empire They had both their Authority confirmed at Rome they owned the same Laws and joyned together in the making of them The Laws bear the names of both the Emperors And no Laws could be made but by the consent of both the Princes And if either of them died without Children the other succeeded him in that part of the Empire The supream Authority of Rome was divided betwixt them part of the Roman Senate did always sit at Constantinople one of the Consuls did ordinarily belong to that City There was indeed a promiscuous use of this right of chusing the Consuls betwixt the Two Imperial Seats as Onuphrius Panurinus does show Lib. Fastor pag. 290. sometimes both the Consuls were made at Rome sometimes both at Constantinople sometimes none at all sometimes one in the East another in the West So that as b Panciroll notit Imp. Occident p. 1. But yet both the Princes of See Onuph Panvi Fastor p. 61. and p. 290. where he gives a Chronicle of the Eastern and Western Consuls the East and West did always administer the Affairs of the Empire by a joint consent They made the Laws together they governed the Army by consent and chose the Consuls one of which resided at Rome and the other at Constantinople so that they seemed to be two halves of the Empire joined together Pancirollus does very properly express it They seemed to be Two half Empires joyned together And accordingly in the Notitia Imperii which was the Imperial standard of all the Dignities and Offices of the Empire both Civil and Military and was in use in the time of this division of the Empire The Military Ensigns and the Arms of the chief Dignities are there described as representing the perfect Vnity of the Two Emperors in their design of Governing the whole World All the greater Civil-Magistrates as the Praefects Pancirol Not it Imp. Orient pag. 40. Consuls Proconsuls Vicarii c. had always the Two Emperors Heads raised upon gilded Pedestals and carried before them as the Ensigns of their Authority Pancirollus admires That of the Correctors of Apulia and Calabria as the most expressive of the intent of all the rest Notit dignitat Occident p. 87. And that of the President of Dalmatia was much the same pag. 91. ibid. It was Two Princes upon the top of a gilded Pillar with their backs to one another but so close joyned together that they ended in one common Body And of all the publick Ensigns of Authority he says pag. 46. Notit Orient That the Heads or Faces of the Princes was the chiefest 3. The Military Dignities had the same Figure of the Princes Heads conjoyned Engraven on a Gilded Plate on the back-side of a Book And c Panciroll Notit Imp. Orient p. 56. de M. militum praesentali The Badges of the Authority of this Dignity was a Book upon a Chest covered with white Tapistry In the middle of it is a golden Plate with the two gilt Faces of the Princes engraven in it every Legion had the same drawn together with the Eagle in their Banners besides the distinguishing Figure of the Legion The distinguishing Ensigns d Panciroll notit Imper. Orient p. 59. de Legionibus Every Legion consisted of ten Companies the first of which was called Milliaria This had the charge of the Eagle which was the chief Ensign in the Army and the Faces of the two Princes And pag. 46. Every Legion had the Princes Heads with the Eagle and they adored them upon the top of the Colours The first Company pay their veneration to the Images of the Emperours that is to a Divine Representation of Authority and present at hand And Vegetius de re Militari In the second Rank after the Eagle and the Images stands the 6th Troop And adds The Imaginiferi are those that carry the Emperours Images Panciroll Notit Imper. Orient à cap. 50. usque ad cap. 60. Idem Notit Imper. Occident à cap. 20. ad cap. 28. Panciroll Notit Imper. Oriental cap. 39. pag. 70. Defensores The Old Coin that has two Serpents joined by the Tails is a Type of the one common Power of the two Consuls in both their Authorities The Inscription is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The twofold Rule of the two Consuls Prattica dalle Medaglie di Carlo Patino pag. 150. The Romans used to comprehend their History in two or three words as may be seen in these following Examples of Medals Amor mutuus Augustorum c. and p. 161. among the Abbreviations of the Inscriptions of Medals this is one Augg. which is interpreted to be Augusti duo of every particular Legion had also generally the same signification and that was shown most commonly by two circles of different colours Pancirol Notit dignitat l. 1. 252. c. 2. p. 35. Rounding a Ball which Augustus first ordered to signify the Rule of the World by the Romans sometimes by Two half Circles conjoyned and yet distinguished sometimes by a Circle or Ball girt about with two different wreaths sometimes by two half Snakes rising from a Basis and meeting with their Heads in a Circle Or by two half Horses or Hawks or Horns enclosing a Ball or some round figure sometimes by Half-moons c. And the Sagittarii had this plainly expressed in theirs by a Cirlce about a Globe and Two Eagles on each side of it and the Two Emperors above it The Mattiaci also by a White Globe encircled with two Rounds Red and White and above it the Faces of the Two Emperors And much the same have the Tertia Dioclesiana Thebaeorum Others that are more uncertain I will not mention And these seemed all to be done in imitation of the impress of the old Coynes made to signify the Two Consuls Governing the one Roman State which was represented by Two Serpents joyn'd by their Tails with this Inscription e Baronius Anno 472. Odoacer made a Law which he proclaimed by his Praefect Basilius in a full Assembly of the Bishops in the Vatican That after the decease of Simplicius then Bishop of Rome
Emperors and their Images as well as the Pagans It is manifest that there must be something more here meant than a bare external Civil Veneration of the higher Powers as the Ordinance of God It must be something very much like the Worshipping of Nebuchadnezzar's Image and of those Babylonian Kings in such a manner as not to be allowed the exercise of the true Religion And nothing less than this can answer the Character of the man of sin 2 Thes 2. 4. who is said to exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped So that be as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And by the consent of all Interpreters that Prophecy does certainly belong to that state of things that is represented by the Beast and his Image By this then it appears that by the Worship here mentioned must be understood the giving of Divine honours or the peculiar Prerogatives of God or Christ to the Beast or his Image that is to the Civil and Ecclesiastical Authority of the Romans after the Restauration of the Imperial Roman Government in the West The unquestionable way to effect this would be to make * Grot. Responsde Antichristo pag. 77. I detest every thing that belongs to the Spirit of Antichrist that is the imposing persecuting Spirit And that has appeared not only near the Tyber but about the Lake Lemanus and in other places the Arbitrary will and pleasure of the Supreme Authority of the Roman State or the Church to be acknowledged for the Law of God Divinely inspired or to be publickly obeyed as such by outward compliance with it This is certainly to set up ones own will for the will of God and so to stand ones self in the place of God to the World And if this be exercised with an irresistible power over the Universal Church of Christ upon Earth it is plainly the showing ones self to be a God in the Temple of God For there could nothing else be understood by the Temple of God after the Destruction of Jerusalem but the Christian Church which also has that name in several places of the same Apostle's Writings A still much higher improvement of this Worship is it if it be enjoined as necessary to Salvation to believe these Arbitrary Decrees to be the Inspirations of God and to obey them But especially if these Decrees be not only about things left indifferent by the Word of God but are also Injunctions contrary to the Will and Word of God For this is to oppose and exalt ones self above God in the Temple of God And if this be done with the shew of the Authority of God himself in it this is to oppose all that is called God shewing himself to be God For he does certainly make himself very near as absolute a Sovereign of a Nation who does unjustly exercise all the Acts of the Sovereign Power of it against the will of the undoubted Prince of it but yet under the name of his Authority as he that does it by an open Usurpation of the Title of the Sovereign Power This Power and Authority is carried on with a still greater arrogance and claim of divinity in it if it pretends to a Title of Infallibility in all that it can enjoin For as this Divine Attribute is the fundamental ground of all the highest Acts of Faith in God so is it a claim of an infinite power in men and does give b Thomas de Albiis in his Tabulae Suffragiales does the best lay open the dreadful Consequences of establishing Infallibility in any Head of the Church or any where where it really is not Tab. 20 21. This Claim in reference to the Pope he proves there to be the Mother of all Heresies and the worst of all sins because if those who claim it should err it would lead all the Church into the same without any possibility of remedy There is the same reason for that Claim in any Governing-part of the Church where that Privilege really is not Authority to all the Acts of their own Will frees them from See References all Bounds and Measures or Rules to distinguish betwixt Truth and Falshood sets them out of the reach of all humane Judicature and makes their Will and Pleasure the last Appeal for all Controversies and their Arbitrary Decisions to be the Oracles of God How inconsiderable does the Worship of Nebuchadnezzar's Image appear to be in comparison with this profound Veneration of the Soul and Conscience given to the arbitrary false and wicked Decrees of either ignorant or designing Men under the Character of the Word and Will of God And all these particulars are made good in the matter before us by the Imperial Laws and their Sanctions and Edicts to force their own Faith in indifferent things And the Errors of General Councils upon the Consciences of the whole Christian Church Catholick to be assented to as c It had been the common stile of Councils ever since the Council of Nice to publish their Decrees under the Title of Things Divinely Inspired Thus does Socrates shew lib. 1. cap. 6. Ep. That Constantine there says of the Decree of the 300 Bishops at Nice That it was to be looked upon as the Sentence of God himself And ibid. Ep. 4. To the Churches he says of all Councils That whatsoever is decreed in the Holy Councils of Bishops the same is to be attributed to the will of God Cardinal Julian's Harangue to the Deputies of the Bohemians in the Council of Basil tells them That the Decrees of Councils are not less to be believed than the Gospel because it is THEY that give AUTHORITY to the Scriptures Divine Truth See References and many times as necessary to Salvation and the giving of the Secular Arm to execute the like Injunctions of the Roman Church Of this kind also are the unwarrantable Acts of Councils and the unlawful Canons of the Roman Church inforced by the d By vertue of such Orders from that Power as these Determinations in the Decretals and Glosses do authorize viz. That the Pope of Rome is by the Order of God set over the Nations and Kingdoms That it belongs to the Pope to depose the Emperour and all other Kings and States and to assign them Deputies That the Pope is to be esteemed the Vicar of Jesus Christ for all things here upon Earth in Heaven and Hell That he can make that which is square to be round Injustice to be Justice that which is nothing to be something That he has an Absolute Power of Judging and that justly Against the Law of Nature Nations and of particular Countreys Human and Divine above and against Right against all Decrees and Orders of Council That he can dispense with the Injunctions of the Apostles And these Glosses the Popes do recommend to the Publick as AUTHENTICK See Jus Canonic Gregor 13. Aventin lib. 6. Histor Boior
the custom of the former Synods at Constantinople sent its Legats at thy Command And the Emperor himself says in the Preface to this Council That the Divine Benignity having committed the Helm of the Vniversal Ship to his care he had taken care before all things to appease the Ecclesiastical Storms The Popes Legats did indeed preside in this Council But it is the first where-ever they can be found to have done so Radevicus says of the Council of Pavie that was called to judge of the Schism betwixt Alexander the Second and Victor the Second in the Year 1160. That the Emperor Frederick did declare that he summoned it by his Authority according to the custom of the Ancient Emperors And in his Decree for it to the Bishops expresses the same thing Radevic c. 51. deinceps And all their meeting in Council asserts his Authority from the Examples of Constantine Theodosius Justinian Charles and Otho Aeneas Sylvius Ep. 34. says of the Council of Basil That it was called by the King of the Romans with the permission of the King of France the Emperor See References at the end of the Fourth Chapter that summoned the General Councils at his pleasure He often presided himself in them and managed the Disputes there and appointed others to preside in his absence All Applications were made to him as the Supream Authority amongst them when he was present And those that were the Judges of the Assembly in his absence were delegated from him His will was consulted upon all occasions The definition of Faith that the Council subscribed to was many times proposed by him and it was called the Emperor's definition of Faith and after the Bishops the Emperor subscribed to the Acts of the Councils in the last place and as the last confirmation of it and then was the Councils said to be c Concil Arelatense sub Carolo M. Ann. 823. cap. 26. These things we have decreed should be sent to our Lord the Emperor beseeching his Clemency that if there be any thing here omitted it may be supplied by his prudence If any thing unreasonable that it may be corrected by his judgment If any thing be well determined that it may have its effect by His Assistance the Divine Aid concurring with it Eutychius in Origen says That the Bishops of the Council of Nice upon Constantine's resigning up himself and his whole Empire to them by the laying down of his Sword before them did begirt him with his Sword again for the defence of the Faith Euseb de vitâ Constantin l. 4. c. 35. Constantine tells the Bishops there That they are Bishops for the things within the Church and he appointed by the Grace of God to be Bishop over the things without the Church And l. 1. c. 37. ibid. that he called a Synod as if God had appointed him to be the Universal Bishop Concil Milevitan under the Emperors Arcadius and Honorius cap. 11. It was also decreed that Legats should be sent from this Honourable Council to obtain from the most Glorious Emperors whatsoever they shall judge useful against Hereticks Pagans or their Superstitions Novell 42. Cod. Justinian Justinian gives this account of the Deposition of the Patriarch Mennas by him after he was condemned by the Council We according to the Usage of the Imperial Power have our selves also resolved upon this Law For whenever the Assembly of Bishops have ejected any out of the Priestly Thrones as Nestorius Eutyches Arius Macedonius Eunomius and others The Imperial Power did agree to it confirmed or made valid and not before For the Emperor had a negative Voice in all they did as well as the chief power in the doing it whenever he pleased to concern himself in it After the conclusions of these Assemblies that which made their Definitions and Decrees to be universally received and obeyed was d Concil Arelatense sub Carolo M. Ann. 823. cap. 26. These things we have decreed should be sent to our Lord the Emperor beseeching his Clemency that if there be any thing here omitted it may be supplied by his prudence If any thing unreasonable that it may be corrected by his judgment If any thing be well determined that it may have its effect by His Assistance the Divine Aid concurring with it Eutychius in Origen says That the Bishops of the Council of Nice upon Constantine's resigning up himself and his whole Empire to them by the laying down of his Sword before them did begirt him with his Sword again for the defence of the Faith Euseb de vitâ Constantin l. 4. c. 35. Constantine tells the Bishops there That they are Bishops for the things within the Church and he appointed by the Grace of God to be Bishop over the things without the Church And l. 1. c. 37. ibid. that he called a Synod as if God had appointed him to be the Universal Bishop Concil Milevitan under the Emperors Arcadius and Honorius cap. 11. It was also decreed that Legats should be sent from this Honourable Council to obtain from the most Glorious Emperors whatsoever they shall judge useful against Hereticks Pagans or their Superstitions Novell 42. Cod. Justinian Justinian gives this account of the Deposition of the Patriarch Mennas by him after he was condemned by the Council We according to the Usage of the Imperial Power have our selves also resolved upon this Law For whenever the Assembly of Bishops have ejected any out of the Priestly Thrones as Nestorius Eutyches Arius Macedonius Eunomius and others The Imperial Power did agree to it the Emperor's Edicts for that purpose which were published with the Threats of Anathema's as well as Civil Punishments e See Cod. Theodos Tit. de Haereticis Item Cod Justiniani Tit. de Episcopis Clericis Item de Apostatis So also was it in the times of the Gothish Kings of Italy after the ruine of the Western Empire Cassiodor Variar l. 9. Ep. 15. King Athalaricus to Pope John concerning the Conditions of the Elections of Bishops Novell 434. Justiniani Orders that no Bishops be sued without an Imperial Command for it And Pope Pelagius the First upon the choice of Paulinus Bishop of Aquileia in his Letters to Narses desires him to send the principal of the Faction to Justinian and gives this reason for it that Totila himself would not suffer the Bishop of Milan who consecrated Paulinus to be created without his leave first had in writing for it Cod. Theodos Novel Valentin l. 2. Tit. 12. The Emperor Valentinian forbids the Bishops to be Judges of the persons of Bishops and that in any Civil or Criminal Causes but that they should come before the Secular Judges unless they go by consent to the Bishops Courts Liberatus in Breviario c. 22. gives an account of Belizarius's setting up and deposing one Pope after another And that Anthimus being deposed by Justinian gave up his Pallium or Episcopal Robe to the Emperor Gregory the Great in the Case of
power who are the executioners of the Sentence All that the Civil power does in it is but to follow the commands of the Church and to strike the last stroke only which is all that can make them be said to have an hand in it And thô it must be confessed that the Secular part in it is that which does the most effectually persuade to the worship of the Beast yet it is plain That the Church is the principal Agent in that also because they overawe the Civil Power into compliances with them which does very naturally answer the power of the Image in the Prophecy to cause all those who would not worship it to be killed The False-prophet is the Head of this Image and so is the chief manager of this Church-Tyranny and therefore is it accordingly said of him That he spake like a Dragon or like that Red Dragon in the 12th Chapter just before and found to be the Devil raging against the followers of the Lamb. If any one should question a COrnelius à Lapide in c. 13. Apoc. v. 11. The Two Horns according to Josephus Acosta l. 2. De temporibus Noviss c. 17. are the Ensigns of the Episcopal Dignity viz. the Mitre or the Episcopal Crown It should seem therefore by this That this false Prophet should be some Apostate Bishop a great pretender to Religion It is not therefore the Mitre but some Mitred Apostate that is here set out who shall treacherously abuse these Horns of Christ the Lamb to propagate the Party of Antichrist And before when he had reckon'd up the several opinions about the 2 d Beast In the fourth place says he the best opinion is that of Irenaeus Tertullian Ribera Viega and others who by this Beast understand some Eminent Pastor of the Church the forerunner and Preacher up of Antichrist Viegas in c. 13. Apoc. v. 11. after the mention of the opinion of others But Andreas Caesariensis and Irenaeus to me seem to have been much more in the right who understand by the 2d Beast some Eminent Preacher the â—â—â—erunner of Antichrist The Armour-bearer of Antichrist as Irenaeus whether so dreadful a character of a Beast speaking like a Dragon or like the Devil can belong to a Christian Bishop of so great eminency in the Church of Christ as the Bishop of Rome is he may easily be satisfied if he considers that by his description he ought to be nothing less than such a person For that he must be the Head of a Roman Church extended over all the World has been shown from his Character of being a Church-Head over the same extent of dominion that the Beast did Rule in For he exercised all the power of the Beast And then that he must have the show of the chief Head of the Christian Church appears from his having Two Horns like a Lamb. For the signification of a Lamb all over the Book of the Revelations is nothing but the person of Christ It would indeed have a more plain reference to the other mentions of that word if it were said like THE Lamb. But we have Grotius's Authority for it upon this place which in Criticisme is of the best account when Impartial That nothing is more ordinary in Scripture then to b Ribera upon this place of the Apocalypse after he had pleaded for the indefinite signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the absence of the Article concludes But yet this which I have said of Articles is not always observed by the Greeks Alcasar upon the same The Article is wanting and yet it is an allusion to the Lamb Cap. 5. omit the Article of reference before a word which should denote its relation to the former mentions of it where yet the sense does shew it to be necessary to be understood It appears then from the description of him that he must be as it were c Malvenda de Antichristo pag. 348. quotes Irenaeus for making Antichrist a pretender to be Christ upon Earth And Lactantius affirming that he should falsly pretend himself to be Christ And pag. 349. says That it is the consent of the Fathers That Antichrist shall take away Idols And shall set himself up in the Temple of God as Antiochus Epiphanes had his own Image put into the Temple at Jerusalem who yet Worshipped his own Country Gods and obtruded them upon the Jews He contends indeed That the Temple of God in which Antichrist must sit is the Temple of Jerusalem But Pererius the Jesuit upon the 7th of Daniel quotes Theodoret Damascene and others of the Fathers Interpreting it of the Christian Church For that says he is the only true Temple of God And then Antichrist must be like Christ the Head of the Church And pag. 351. Malvenda shows how Antichrist shall pretend himself to be true God according to the agreeing sense of the Fathers viz. As Nebuchadnezzar Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar the latter of which did certainly do no more than order himself a like worship with the gods And Antiochus Epiphanes who is made the Type of Antichrist did set up the Statue of Jupiter Olympius in the Temple as well as his own And is said by Malvenda to have Consecrated the Temple of Jerusalem to Jupiter Olympius and the Temple on Mount Gerizim to Jupiter Hospitalis It is not therefore necessary according to Malvenda that Antichrist should set himself up as the one supreme God or Christ Irenaeus pag. 483. Edit Erasmi de Antichristo Of whom the Apostle in the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians He shall sit in the Temple enendeavouring to show himself to be Christ Bellarmin also says Lib. 1. de Pontif. cap. 1. That by the common agreement of all Christians Antichrist is understood to be some Eminent False Christ a Vice-Christ or pretend to be the Vicar of Christ which is the same as both of them are also the same with an Antichrist Besides this Beast thus described in one place with Two Horns like a Lamb in the other Chapters is called the False Prophet To acquaint us that the Horns of the Lamb were but the outward show of the Christian Spirit So that if we put these two Characters of him together and then add the other of his speaking like a Dragon and consider that the name of a Dragon is very ordinary in this Book and that it every where else relates to the representation of the Devil in the 12th Chapter just before this as a raging Red Bloody Dragon What can more manifestly denote him to be A False Prophet in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly a Ravenous wolf How could this have been more clearly expressed in a Prophecy where the Lamb and the Dragon are in a very peculiar manner and very commonly restrained to signifie Christ and the Devil And what could more openly show us the difference betwixt the Dragon in the 12th Chapter and the Beast in the 13th thô both enemies to the Christian
by the dissention of two Popes we ought to summon the one and the other and to determine the difference by the Advice of the Orthodox at the day of meeting declares that the right of assembling them did belong unto him For so says he did Constantine Theodosius Justinian Charlemaigne Radevicus l. 2. Ã cap. 52. ad c. 65. Grotius Respons de Antichristo Gregory the Great acknowledges the Emperor to be His Lord and obeys his Edicts And the Imperial Power was very magnificently exercised upon the Popes themselves by the Otho's And Rome had its Magistrates set over it that were sworn to the Emperor Onuph Panvin l. de Fastis pag. 61. From the time of Justinian the Power of the Consuls ceased at Rome And it was governed by the Emperor's Exarchs and by a particular Duke over the City of Rome Hieron Rubeus Histo Ravennat Anno 590. Alberic de Rofat a Famous Lawyer shows in verbo Roma that Rome was under the Emperor's disposal to the time of Innocent the Second and that the Popes acknowledged the Emperors their Lords by the Bishops of Rome Their ordinary Style was Our Lords the Emperors and themselves their meanest Servants They got indeed not long after the Title of Vniversal Bishop over all the whole Church but it was then known to be got hh See Note m on Chap. 4. and the Note g ibidem Ludovic Bebenburg de jurib Reg. Imp. Rom. Edit Heidelbergi pag. 46. The Greeks a long while before the Translation of the Empire to Charlemaigne were departed from the obedience of the Roman Church setting up the Church of Constantinople for their Head And because that Church did write it self the first of all Churches Phocas the Emperor at the request of Boniface the Third decreed that the Church of Rome should be the Head of all Churches by the Emperor's Allowance and Protection in it And the very opening the Pantheon for the worship of the Saints was wholly ii Anastas Bibliothec. in Bonifacio Quarto At the same time he begg'd of the Emperor Phocas the Temple called Pantheon which he made the Church of the Blessed Virgin and all the Martyrs by the Emperor's Grant and Favour But notwithstanding this Grant we see kk See Note b c e x on this Chapter the Imperial Jurisdiction over the Councils still continuing ll See the Sixth General Council in Note b on this Chapter The Sixth General Synod is acknowledged in the Acts of it to be called by the Emperor Constantine to be wholly managed either by himself or such as he deputed in his absence to be confirmed by him and to be made an Imperial Law by his Edict for the observance of it Concil Univers 6. Action 18. Therein also do we find Pope Honorius anathematized for an Heretick But Justinian's Fifth Council with all the Extravagancies of it though called managed and enforced by the Emperor 's sole Power against the will of Pope Vigilius is there made a perpetual Concil 6. in Trullo Action 18. Edit Constantin Rule for the Church and of equal Authority with the first four famous Councils which Gregory the Great did reverence like the four Gospels and Justinian's Faith there celebrated by Pope Agatho as a great Pattern Thus did things continue till that famous Breach betwixt the East and the West about the Point of Image-worship and yet at that time did Gregory the Second who rebelled against the Emperor Leo Isaurus call him the King and Head of the Christians And long after that did the mm See Notes i l xx on this Chapter Platina in Pelag. 2. Pelagius having been elected by the Clergy and People without staying for the Emperor's leave because the Lombards did then besiege the City sent Gregory his Deacon to excuse it to the Emperor at Constantinople Because says Platina the Election of the Clergy signified nothing in those days without the approbation of the Emperor Blondus Decad. 1. l. 9. de Severino 1. Honorio Then was that Custom observed that he that was chosen Bishop of Rome was not crowned till the Exarch came from Ravenna to confirm him D. 63. c. Hadrianus 22. Sigonius de Reg. Ital. l. 4. By the Consent of all the Great Men of Rome there assembled it was agreed that Charlemaigne should have the power of electing the Pope and of ordering the Roman Church D. 63. c. in Synodo 23. Pope Leo the Eighth Anno 963. in a Synod at Rome consents to that Canon That none shall be elected Pope but by the Emperor's leave The Title of the Canon in Gratian is The Election of the Bishop of Rome belongs of right to the Emperor And also two years before at his reception at Rome Ann. 961. the Romans swear Fealty to him and that they would never elect a Pope without his leave nor ordain him without the Consent and Election of the Emperor Otho and the King his Son Luitprand l. 6. c. 6. Aventin l. 5. Annal. Boiar Till his time Gregory the 7th the Popes used to be chosen by the Clergy Nobility People and Senate and above all came in the Emperor's Authority to confirm it The Council of Worms says the same of Gregory Sigonius de Reg. Ital. lib. 9. The Diet of Ratisbonne 1322. published a long Decree against Pope John XXII and amongst other things declare against the Pope's Election without the Emperor Aventin l. 7. Popes not only continue to be confirmed by the Emperors but also to be chosen by them But since it was necessary for this universal conformity to the Roman Worship to be managed by a Church-Head after the division of the Empire into so many absolute Civil Sovereigns there can be no dispute in this case about the Imperial share in the worship of the Beast though the Papal Power should afterwards appear to be the almost only active thing in this Affair For it must necessarily be so to fulfil that which is said of the False-prophet that he did exercise all the power of the first Beast and caused the World to worship that Beast and made men make an Image to it which they must worship under pain of death For the power of the Roman Church under the Pope does exactly answer these things and this being all done in honour of the Imperial Command of the City of Rome makes it still the worship of the Imperial Power CHAP. VIII Rev. XIII The first date of the Idolatry of the Roman Church very early The worshipping of Images or Saints in honour of the True God Idolatry shown from Hosea 4. 15. and chap. 8. 13. compar'd with chap. 13. 2. So also chap. 8. 5. Idolatry begun in Justinian 's days proved from the Second Council of Nice The 82 d Canon of the Synod in Trullo From the Zeal of Serenus From the 26. c. Episc Clero Saint-worship in use before St. Augustin 's days and unquestionably in his time shown from the Accusation of
represented by the False Prophet cannot be the same thing with that which is called the Beast viz. Because the Beast is really nothing but an Head of the Beast which by consequence the 6th Chap. 3. does denote Prop. 6. a Civil Power of the Romans whereas the False Prophet is described as an Ecclesiastical Power employed in the service of that Civil Power See Revelat. 13 12 14. But yet they might very well agree That the Beast and the False Prophet might be used promiscuously to signify the really distinct Actions of one another because they were joined together in one Confederacy And the names of any Confederates or Partners in any thing are commonly used to express the Actions of one another in the common Design So Primasius upon the 13th of the Revelations concerning them both Both of them says he are every-where to be understood in conjunction And presently after It is manifest that both the Beasts are one and the same body of men and exercise the same wicked Worship so that the First is said to fight for the false Shows of the Second Thus I have drawn down the Consequences of the General Consent of the Ancients to mine own particular Opinion concerning the first date of the Rise of the Beast and the particular Roman Power that is now signified by that Term. But that which is to be observed for the General Confirmation of the Conclusion in which almost all Protestants agree in is That if it be sure as may appear from the 4th Query That the Sixth Head of the Beast is the Imperial Government at the time of the Vision then there need nothing be granted to prove the Beast and the False Prophet to be the Civil and Ecclesiastical Power of Rome at this present but only to demonstrate from History That there has certainly been two Changes of the Sovereign Power of the Romans since the time of St. John For they did agree That Antichrist from his first appearance must continue 4th Agreement Chap. 3. 3d Agreement this Chap. till the Second Coming of Christ and that the next Change of the Sovereignty of the Romans but one after the time of the Vision must be the Eighth King or the Beast and Antichrist And therefore at the beginning of the last of those two Changes of the Government of the Romans since the time of St. John must the Kingdom of Antichrist have begun whensoever that does appear from History to have happened And whatsoever the Fathers have delivered contrary to this concerning the Time Times and half a Time of the Beast as but three years and an half must have been acknowledged by them to contradict their General Agreements in other things more plain and from Experience which they often mention as the only means to determine the meaning of some Mystical Expressions that regarded future Times they would have learnt that those Times were necessarily to be understood in a Mystical Sense and not as they ordinarily signify according to the frequent Examples in Scripture of such a Mystical Signification of parts of See Corol. 1. Prop. 23. Rule 2. time and the true Rule of Interpretation in such like Cases For a clearer satisfaction about the contrariety and inconsistency of some of the particular Opinions of the Fathers with the Conclusions in which they agree with the Unanimous Judgment of the rest it may be convenient to inquire into the grounds or reasons of their Paradoxical Fancies about the Beast in the Revelations which contradicted the General Agreement about the signification of A Beast and its Ruling Parts in the Prophecy of Daniel For this purpose it is in the first place to be considered That it is a true Observation of the Learned Grotius That the Reason why the Apocalypse was not added at first to the rest of the Books In Praefat. ad Apocal. of the New Testament which did afterwards give ground for questioning the Canonical Authority of it was That it did so openly point at the Roman Government as the great Enemy of God that it lay concealed in a few hands amongst the Christians of the first times for fear of exasperating the Romans against them This does St. Chrysostome and Augustine make to be the ground why St. Paul spoke so mysteriously about the Roman Empire in In 2. Ep. Thess his Prophecy about Antichrist 2 Thess 2. 6. when he says And now ye know what doth withhold the Reason they give for it is That if the Apostle had openly named the Romans they would have accounted him and all the Faithful very pestilent Members of their Government This fear of the then Ruling Power together with the Professions of their ignorance of the application of the Characters of Antichrist because they look'd upon their times as not at all concerned in those things may be very reasonably judged to be the cause of the little care that the Fathers took to be wary in the Interpretations that they gave of this Book For they esteemed it to be both a dangerous study and also relating to things that they could not well judge of and also to future times in which they should not share And might therefore as Chrysostome and Augustine do expresly say bring themselves unnecessarily into great danger And Jerom in his Answer to 11. q. ad Algasiam and Primasius upon 2 Thess 2. 6. to the same purpose This Account may the more easily be allowed from the general neglect of the Book of the Apocalypse even in this Age to which the chief things in Mr. Mede Bp. Usher c. it are by the severest Examiners of the Sense of Scripture judged to belong so as to be even laid aside out of the Calendar for * Homilies of the Church of England p. 69 and p. 316. the daily readings of Scripture by Protestants themselves †who nevertheless do give the present Church of Rome the name of Babylon It is then no great wonder That Irenaeus and Hippolytus and some other of the Fathers whilst the Roman Government continued Pagan should be so willing to make the Beast in general to be the World and the Seven Heads of it to be seven Wicked Ages of the World as the sum or Recapitulation as Irenaeus calls it of all the Apostate times For in that way the Sixth Head said in the Prophecy to be then in being was not more applied to the Romans than to all the other Wicked Nations in the World at that time and the last Head called the Beast would not concern the then Roman Empire because it was not to come till after the end of that present Reigning Age. And their willingness to take this safe way might make them easie to be satisfied with such small grounds as these for it viz. 1. That the Beast in the Revelations is signified Chap. 13. 2. to 1. Dan. 2. 40. and 7. 7 23. contain all the Four Beasts of the 7th of Daniel in his own