1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
60 why pleasing to the flesh 117 Power of the Beast whence it iâ— p. 22. 115. and what it is 23 What Power Princes have over the Church what not 39 Princes Power ought to be limited 73 We should pray for the Beasts ruine 95 Christs Purchase for his people 171 R. THe blood of Christ a Ransome for sinne page 176 Popish repentance no better then Judas repentance 212 Reconciliation with God the purchase of Christs blood 171 Roman Catholicke visible Church described p. 2. 7. And whence this first Beast did arise 9 When Rome-Pagan ended and Rome-Christian began 5 S. SAints alwayes victorious page 106 No Salvation in the Romish Church 215 What is meant by Sea 8 Christ slaine p. 168 and wherefore p. 170. and how slaine from the beginning of the world 189 The Spirit is purchased by Christs death 172 Sufferers for Christ and his cause are blessed 219 Sweden is one of the ten Horns 50 T. TEnths is the number of the beasts name pag. 253. 257 Thâ—odosius overâ—hrew the Temples 88 The Turk invincible whilst the Pope stands 50 V. UNiversality and prosperity no notes of a true Church page 57 Union purchased by Christs death 172 W. VVAldenses and Albingenses slaine to the number of 1000000. page 100 Saints are Saints in Warre as well as in Peace 108 Such as War against Antichrist are called Saints 106 A warning from checks of Providence 44 The Beast makes War with the Saints 98 The great words of the Beast 65 Works and grace opposite 210 Popish worship is the worship of the Devill 58 ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. r. a part l 17. r. they are p 4. l. 17. r. Pagan p 8. l. 19. r. partions p. 9. l. 26. r. Decemviri l. 28. r. was p. 14. l. 34. r is it p. 16. l. 17. r. is it l. ult r. edefied p. 18. l. 3. r. examination p. 29. l. 34. r. edefied l. 35. r. bring p. 30. l. 25. r. passeth p 31. l. 37. r. Church will p. 32. l. 3. r. they p. 33. l. 24. r. Decemviries p. 34. l. 23. r. some such l. 35. r. must therefore p. 43. l. 32. r. sacrifice p. 62. r. delegation p. 6â— l. 27. r. Dan. 7. 8. p. 64. l. 16. r. audible p. 82. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 38. r. there p. 37. l. 17 r. prevaricate p. 90. l. 14. r. many p. 91. l. 22. r. talke p. 123. l. 21 r. Albigenses l. 29. r. suiâ—â— p. 124. l. 24. r. without p. 129. l. 29 r. men p. 132. l 24. r. acceptation p. 145 l. ult r. irrevocable p. 159. l. 6. r. unexcusable p. 157. l. 31. r. many p. 160. l. 6. r. antiquity p. 178. l. 23. r. applyed to p. 181. l. 19. r. repetitions p. 182. 29. r. the. p. 184. 36. r. grace p 211. l. 28. r. stony p. 229. l. 36. r. appeals FINIS The Analysis of this 13. Chapter of the Revelation This Chapter contains the Warr which the Dragon or Devill made against the Woman or Church mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing Chapter which is managed by two Beasts as his Instruments First beast is described v. 1. to 11 by his 1 Originall or Fountaine whence he springs viz. the Sea vers 1. 2. Shâ—pe or Figure having 7. Heads with the Title of blasphemy upon them ib. 10. Horns with Crowns upon them ibid. A Body like unto a Leopard or Panther v. 2. Feet as of a Beare ibid. A mouth as of a Lyon ibid. 3. State which is set forth by 1. The efficient Cause viz. the Dragon he gave his power and authority ibid. 2. The variable change of it 1. 'T was great being cal'd Power Seat Authority 2. One head was wounded as it were to death v. 3. 3. That Head was healed ib. and the effects thereof 1. The worlds wondring ibid. 2. The worshipping of the Beast and Dragon v. 4. 3. Liberty to blaspheme v. 5. 6. 4. Power to continue 42. moneths overcom the Saints v. 7. 5. The amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion v. 7 8. 3. A Conclusion containing a word of Attenttors and Consolation v. 9 10. 1. His Originall He comes on t of the earth vers 11. 2. A Similitude or Resemblance in 3. things viz. to 1. A Lamb in his horns ibid. 2. A Dragon in his speech ibid. 3. The first Beast in the exercise of his Power v. 12. 3. The particular Exercises of his Power or effâ—cts of it viz. Hee 1. Procures Adoration to the first beast ibid. 2. Doth great wonders making fire come down from heaven in the sight of men ver 13. 3. Deceives them that dwell on the earth by those miracles v. 14. 4. Doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had a wound by the sword and did live ibid. 5. Animates and gives life to the Image of the Beast that it should have both power to speake and to cause as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast to be killed v. 15. 6. Causeth all sorts of men small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead or at least the Name of the Beast or the number of his name or otherwise he excludes them not only from spirituall but also civill Commerce v. 16 17. The number of his Name is also ver 18. illustrated 1. By the wisdome needfull to the understanding of it 2. By an exhortation to search out and count it 3. To be the number of a man expresly decyphered to be 666. The Reader is desired to correct with his pen these faults amongst others which through precipitance of the Press have fallen to the prejudice of the sence Page Line Read 2 2 a part 6 31 give 9 26 Decemvirs 11 30 much  34 whole  last lasted long 13 34 persumed 14 36 is it not 16 17 is it not  29 Metropolitan  last edefied 29 35 bring  37 primitive 36 11 head of the.  37 Supremacy 37 6 incompatible 64 10 premeditation  16 audible 65 29 derision 66 10 Pope that is the 69 6 Cantury  20 could not for would 73 11 clouds to keep them from the earth  ib. Firmament to the clouds  31 blot out a. 75 27 Pontifex 82 2 limited  28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   blot out ever 83 35 a definite or indefinite time 87 17 prevaricate  25 there was no place 88 8 Theodosius  20 for scores of r. number 90 13 time for the moneth  14 many for may 95 1 the children of Israel in the land of Aegypt 101 36 readinesse for necessity 102 2 even for him and 107 32 they are not hereticks  35 if not they 109 13 not lift up  22 holinesse  28 hand for head 115 6 blot out Exasia 116 24 the Pope was 117 10 Abominations 123 21 Waldenses and Albâ—ngenses  29 suite for smite 124 24 Without mixture 129 penult of life for of the life 134 1 else they may not  3 the booke of life of  25 Wherein whoever is not  33 blot out out of 141 34 35 the world it carryeth away them 145 lâ—st irrevocable 146 8 receive him  31 there be in us 148 13 blasting 150 10 how for now  13 many times  30 seale for search  32 after worke for Christ make 155 34 that for as 159 4 This is for this this  6 unexcusable 165 31 many times  23 applyed to thee 178 29 the stay 182 1 of temptations 184 36 way of grace  19 in Sauls and Solomons 197 â—â— take it at the best 198 â—9 And 〈…〉 201 2 blot out in doing and suffering all for them 206 12 which be haâ—h 208 21 not for nor  29 tells you of the.  30 blot out to in that sentence and to the holy Citie they 209 4 not for nor 210 19 subtile 211 7 word for world 215 28 â—â—ony for strong 218 27 tale for taile 229 15 appointed time is come 231 36 appeals 236 12 the Church 237 23 the head of this beast 239 10 Congregations to  4 5 speech of the sins of Christians in c.  35 blot out as  36 for a great 240 16 loth for loft 241 28 given for gotten 246 9 me for men  2 account 247 27 〈…〉 249 25 as well 251 31 then let all 252 14 of it more 253 8 pretty 256 6 victory  10 born witnesse against  11 a Papist so far 257 6 sixe more in 259 17 in the foundation 〈◊〉 Doct. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Doctr. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. ☞ Note Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Doctr. 2. Quest 1. Answ Quest 2. Answ Quest 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctrine 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 2. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 1. Doct. 2. Vse 1. V se 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine Parker Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4.
They may lye in danger but they shall come out in due time but however it should be a warning to the sonnes of men how they adventure their lives by going into any danger where God calls them not But if you be brought into danger when the Lord doth deliver you have cause to blesse him and to render your selves and Families back to him that you may walke with more girt up spirits to God that so he may not repent of what deliverances he vouchsafeth to you Rev. 13. the latter part of the 3. 4. ver And all the world wondered after the Beast And they worshipped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make Warre with him I Come now to speak of the sequell of the healing of this wound upon the healing of it there is a double effect 1. The admiration of the world after the Beast 2. A worship set forth by a double object the Dragon and the Beast 3. The causes are set forth that made them to worship them both The Dragon in that he gave power to the Beast and the Beast for his unmatchable power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him Here might be three or four Notes justly gathered from hence but because I affect brevity in mysticall Scriptures I shall compact them into one The note is this That upon the healing of the Beasts wounded head all the world fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power yea into an adoration of worship both of the Beast and of the Dragon This containes both the latter end of the third and part of the fourth vers For the causes of this Admiration they will be just reasons of the point To open the Doctrine upon the healing of this wounded head of the Beast Remember the Beast is the Roman Catholick visible Church whereof Rome was the mother City and mother Church accounted of all the Churches in the world and the Pope is the visible head of this Church in this Chapter called the seventh head Observe 2ly the healing of this seventh Head wounded by the captivity and calamity it fell into by barbarous Nations Upon the healing of this wounded Head by the removal and scattering and subduing of these Enemies as also by the playster that was put to him when such Titles of Soveraign Authority were put upon him by the Emperors Now this was the Originall of that wonder for so it comes in His deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast And so he expresseth it Chap. 17. 8. All that dwell upon the earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is He was when he flourished as that which was the great Authority of the world He is not when he is wounded in his head but as it were troden under foot wounded to death as if he had not been But yet he is againe that is he is restored And they that dwell on the earth when they saw that wondered to behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is A Beast that cannot be crushed and beaten downe with such desperate calamities so that 's the occasion of their wonderment now upon this occasion they fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power An admiration implies some high esteem of some great happinesse betiding this Beast not only beyond their expectation but transcendant beyond their apprehension and capacity to understand For a man doth not admire a thing unlesse it goe not only beyond expectation but is transcendant above his reason and understanding Yea beyond any meanes he could use to bring such a thing to passe Therefore when they see this great change they fall admiring of the Beast and the head of the Beast and of the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and worship them both For their Admiration then let me speak something of that and then of their Adoration both of the Beast and of the Dragon It was in a way of Admiration I will not say what expressions some have made of it some that were called Fathers of the Church and have left such things in writing It would mightily possesse one with Admiration of the Sea of Rome looking at him as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah looking at him as by his Primacy to be like Adam for his Faith like Abraham for his government like Noah gathering all the world under him for Order like Melchisedech for his function to be Christ himselfe deservedly to be God after sometimes called the Vicar of Christ and of God marvellous transcendant strains put upon him which argues a high esteem of him But to omit such things as are but flourishes these are reall 1. That all the Churches of the world are to receive all their doctrine and worship from them Though it were never so superstitious as worshipping of Angels and Saints and making use of their meditation besides Christ and they did receive from them more then all this which is the life and quintiscence of all They looked from the Father of the Catholick visible Church to receive Indulgences and pardon of all their sinnes If he retained them then they were retained if he remitted them they were remitted This they looked for from him not only for Doctrine and worship but for sealing up their Pardon for so many hundreds and thousands of years and not sealed with waxe but with a wap of Lead and a Seale set on that And this was the chiefe comfort of troubled minds in those ages these things they received from them and admirable honour they put upon that Beast to receive all such things from them 2. They made to Rome all their Appeals What ever government there was in the Christian world from thence were their Laws and thither were their Appeals as out of England and many other places to the great disturbance of Church and Common-wealth as also large and bountifull payments were made to them It were a vast thing to sum up the totall sum of constant payments that were from every Kingdome repayed to the Sea of Rome And as their Appeals Payments went to Rome so did their bodies on pilgrimage and it was thought a great devotion to kisse the feet of the Pope and to see those blessed Shrines Thus was their admiration of the Beast 3. They fetched from Rome the Ordination of all their chiefe Officers Any Arch-bishop who-ever chose him yet he was not installed but he must fetch it from Rome and pay well for it And from thence they fetched all their Coronation of Kings and Emperors and sundry fundamentall Lawes of every Catholick Kingdom were derived from thence All their Dispensations were fetched from thence that Princes might marry where they would And dispensation from Oaths and from Marriages contracted all these things they fetched from Rome It was
that might be felt From the ninth Centuary to the tenth both Protestant and Popish Divines complaine that had not some lived in the 800. year and in the thousand yeare after Christ they should not have known what had beene done in the nine hundred a whole hundred years together Men were so full of darknesse and ignorance that scarce any set pen to paper to tell us what was done in those dark times that men did not know what were principles of Christianity much lesse were able to discern of Cases of Church-government or the misterie of godlinesse which requires more diligent attendance And thence it was that they were so taken with the pretended claymes of the Catholick visible Church that it would not erre because it was built upon a Rock and had the keys of Peter and he had the keys of heaven What he bound on earth was bound in heaven and what he loosed on earth was loosed in heaven that had there not been palpable grosse ignorance it had not been possible such grosse things should have been suffered to come in And a second thing that moved them was the strange successe of the Beast in recovering of his wounded head for that made them wonder after the Beast when they saw such a mortall wound so throughly healed They thought had it not been above the power of mortall men it had not been possible it should have been healed but certainly there was a power above mortall men in it and that is the reason in the Text to give him a mouth to speak great things to speak what hee would And a third reason why Princes gave this power was their devout superstition many were convinced by Matchivilian policy of their great sins and they had in those dayes a notable dexterity to apply the Law of God and to sting mens consciences like a Cockatrice Rev. 9. 5. and then they would do any thing for ease out of the bondage they lay under and this was a great meanes Then they directed them to give so much to such a Monastery or to goe a Pilgrimage or fast such a time and such devotion which a mans own unsanctified heart could reach That when this Beast speaks great things that he can pardon sinne and his Shavelings will take a course for redeeming souls and preserving them out of hel this was such satisfaction to them that you need not wonder if all Princes gave their Kingdomes to the Beast And so having advanced him as supream over them all he hath a mouth he may speak what he will Princes may make Laws on this hand or on that but if they do not suite with him they are disannulled And they must be reconciled to the mother Church and so this Harlot gives them all to her and hath a mouth speaking great things and therewithall great blasphemieâ— Thus have you the point and the reasons of it For the use of it I might from hence first speak to this point that it were therefore a necessary counsell to all Roman Catholicks to consider diligently the grounds of the great priviledges of the visible Catholick Church they stretch their authority beyond all degrees of Churches beyond all Temporall States or particular Churches Now necessary it were for them to reverse all the great things which are delivered and which the Pope hath set open his mouth to speak though they be delivered with never such fulnesse and boldnesse and plentitude of power It behoves men to consider whether all these great words be not the words of a Beast and blasphemies which the head of the Beast had taken upon him to utter for it is not enough that they are spoken boldly and confidently and with good advisement and grave Counsell Provinciall Decretals and Decrees for they are distinct things It behoves Catholicks not to be gulled with Titles and great things for it is not alwayes that power which God in mercy gives to men when they dare speak great things they think the Pope is not Antichrist but when Antichrist comes will he do greater things then these as they sayd of Christ when Christ comes will he doe greater workes then these And so when Antichrist comes can he speak grater things then these And if I were to speak to Lay-men as they say in their Religion I might advise them to take heed they be not taken with the confidence of their Priests that speak with good advisement even to impudency and with such resolute courage that many thousands are carryed away with it and say certainly men would never be so bold if they were not possessed with the goodnesse of their cause Let them not be deluded the Beast hath power to speak great things and he opens his mouth with all courage and confidence and whispers it not but speaks with impudency and abundance of resolution Secondly This may serve to teach us the danger of allowing to any mortall man an inordinate measure of power to speak great things to allow to any man uncontrollâ—bleness of speech you see the desperate â—â—â—ger of it Let all the world learn to give mortall men no greater power then they are content they shall use for use is they will and unlesse they be better taught of God they will use it ever and anon it may be make it the passage of their proceeding to speake what they will And they that have liberty to speak great things you will finde it to be true they will speak great blasphemies No man would think what desperate deceit and wickednesse there is in the hearts of men And that was the reason why the Beast did speak such great things hee might speak and no body might controll him What saith the Lord in Jer. 3. 5. Thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldst If a Church or head of a Church could have done worse he would have done it This is one of the straines of nature it affects boundlesse liberty and to runne to the utmost extent What ever power he hath received he hath a corrupt nature that will improve it in one thing or other if he have liberty he will think why may he not use it Set up the Pope as Lord Paramount over Kings and Princes and they shall know that he hath power over them he will take liberty to depose one and set up another Give him power to make Laws and he will approve and disprove as he list what he approves is Canonicall what hee disproves is rejected Give him that power and he will so order it at length he will make such a State of Religion that he that so lives and dyes shall never be saved and all this springs from the vast power that is given to him and from the deep depravation of nature Hee will open his mouth His tongue is his owne who is Lord over him Psal 12. 3 4. It is therefore most wholsome for Magistrates and Officers in Church and Common-wealth never to affect
he goeth They kept themselves undefiled of this Antichrist of Rome were not defiled with the whoredome of this great beast in all things they consented with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and their hypocrisies and whoredomes and coveteousnesse were things that would by no means be borne therefore the Pope who was the great head discerning he was thus contested against and as they say blasphemed he thinks he does nothing though he destroy Turkes and Sarazens and Aegyptians and whoever took the Sepulcher of Christ as long as those Heretickes at home were not subdued therefore he thinks it as meritorious a worke to subdue them as ever to fight for the holy Land But there was another thing that made the war for no warre can be made but by levying of Forces on both part◠And therefore a second was their taking up of Armes in the just defence of their liberties both of conscience and outward man For if the Catholick Church had raised up all these Forces and they had quietly submitted themselves like sheep to the slaughter there had beene no warre then there had been massacres It would have amounted to that as the massacre in Paris that a man did not lift up his hand but they were slaughtered like dogs in the street Though they come with fire and sword yet unlesse they resist with fire and sword it cannot be said to be war Some set in against them though their weaknesse caused them to presume but it was to weak a businesse for flesh and bloud Wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers and spirituall wickednesses They which trust to flesh and bloud shall be deceived as these men they stood out and sometimes prospered while the Earl of Tone and some other Princes joyned together though they were but few they prospered but war is not one Battel or two and in the end they were overcome and this Beast prevailed and that 's the reason of the 2 d part how he came to make warre against the Saints For the 3 d How came he to overcome them Truly not by strength he had very little that way but First he overcame them by their a little too much confidence in the arme of flesh when they see the King of Aragon set on they come to be a little set on by the power of the King and a great Battell recoyled by trusting to the arme of flesh You read in Heb. 11. 34. That by faith the Saints waxed valiant in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens but when our faith runne in another channell that we grow confident not in the Lord Jesus by trusting in him but on the arme of flesh we know what is said in Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man ye though he be a good man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord It withers it cannot stand against the potent Army that rise up against them though their enemies were never lesse in number nor never lesse provided yet they prevailed more then ever before The second Reason was by their attention to politick and deceitfull Treaties of peace for when they saw the men were good Souldiers valient in battell and able to fight it out and they found the 3000. that were to fight for plenary pardon three years had served out their time and they had got as they thought their souls saved they would go home now and they had got peace by this carnall confidence of theirs So they perceived this war would be troublesome and the Hereticks were like to prosper therefore they gather in the cheif Leaders to Treaties about peace and great pitty that such bloud should be shed therefore for the honour of Rome it were needfull to cease the warre and so would draw their cheif Leaders to firme leagues of Peace and then they kept their best Generals in Prison and thus when they had got them to yeild to their pretences then they had their neckes under their girdles and their throats under their axes they might hew them out of measure Insomuch that the King of France hearing of such cruell massacre he sent to know what their Religion was and though he sent expresse charge that none of his Souldiers should offer violence to them yet they concealing his Letters they went on in massacring the poor Saints and scattering them up and down in so much that they prevailed partly by the Saints cleaving to the arme of flesh and by trusting their false pretences And there is a third Reason mentioned in the 10. vers saith he Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints It was Gods pleasure to make it the season of the Patience of the Saints It was the season wherein Antichrist should swell to his height and the Saints be brought low and their Patience be tryed to the utmost and it being a time of the Saints Patience it must needs be a time of their suffering and suffer they did with much patience but yet they were not utterly exterpated for some fled to France and some to England and so propagated Christian Religion which after turned to the conversion of many John Husse and Jerome of Pragues Doctrine grew and spread more till God raised up Luther to set forward the power of the Gospell Thus you see the truth of the Doctrine For the use then First it may serve to let us see whence is the power of waging war for the Text saith it was given To him it was given to make war with the Saints All men cannot receive this as our Saviour saith in another case but they to whom it is given It is not an easie matter for any to be 〈◊〉 to wage war it requires great store of persons and great store of Treasury and Fountain to maintaine both And besides all this it require◠no small measure of Wisdome and Policy to undertake such designes all these you see the Lord gives and gives them to those that his soul take no pleasure in and to those that in his esteem are men of beastly spirit◠yet he gives them power to make warre He may blesse himself in his rule and bravery that they were able to 〈◊〉 against Infidels and after against Heriticks as they called them but indeed the Saints of God but you see God gave power unto this Beast which is therefore no cause of triumph or glorying that he hath recived such a power for you see it may be given to these that are enemyes to the Lord Jesus Secondly observe this much That the Lord himselfe doth acknowledge even his poor children on Earth to be that which is commonly by priviledge sequestred to the holy Saints in Heaven He calles them Saints We think Saint-ship is a peculiar priviledge to the Saints in Heaven when they have ended their dayes in peace and a good conscience then they are accounted Saints and Angels but the Lord accounts
the government of the Pope and that is no other but the Roman Catholick visible Church to which all the description you have heard opened doth naturally belong Now that being the first beast what is this second beast This is apparantly distinct from it and it is not so proper to say that the first beast was the Pope as he had soveraign authority in Temporalls and that he is the second Beast as he hath supream power in Spiritualls for he had his Temporall power lâ—st and therefore that would not agree to the Pâ—pâ—ll State he first had supream power in Spirituals before he had supream power in Temporals Now the beast here being not the Roman Catholick Church what is it then It is the head of that Church and what is that It is no other but the Pope of Rome The heads of the Roman Catholique visible Church from one succession to another they are this second beâ—st and that will appeare in a double note which will both cleare that and the rest of the Text. First then take this note That the Bishop or Pope of Rome is in the sight of God and of his Saints no better then a wilde beast for his Originall arising out of the earth for his resemblance like to a Lamb in his borns like to a Dragon in his speech like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power This is the former part of the description by his Adjunct by his Similitude and by his Originall However he seems to Catholicks a holy Father and a god on earth yet in the sight of God and of his Saints he is no better theâ— a wilde Beast whose off-spring is from the earth who though he have horns like a Lamb yet speaks like a Dragon and thus John guided by the holy Ghost saw him Let me shortly open these points 1. He is here described to be a wilde beast The word so signifies that is to say not so tame a beast as those in Isa 11 6. to 9. that a child may lead them Wolves or Leopards or Lyons that can sleep with Kids and Calves and little children and they may play on the hole of the Aspe and put their hand on the Cockatrice den He is not so tame that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth or by the censures of the Church no nor by the power of Princes he is above them all and beyond them all a wild beast he is therefore For his Originall He ariseth out of the earth That implyeth he hath it not from Heaven but from below not from Christ but from Satan You are from beneath saith Christ I am from above John 8. 23. Hee springs from the earth especially from earthly and carnall policy that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches they must be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs and to keep unity you must have one over them all and that was the Bishop of Rome for all unity they say springs from â—nits if you have more then one Governour you will have no peace Now this being a carnall principle some carnall reason being the ground for the preservation of the Church of Rome for that the Emperours thought if the Bishop of Rome were advanced it would be a means to strengthen them against the barbarous Nations that come against them this carnall reason brought him to be exalted And though his Originall was earthly for the cause yet he ascended above the earth to Ecclesiasticall power And 2. He arose out of the Earth because he rose up insensibly by degrees he makes no great noyse As any thing that comes out of the earth it makes no great noyse in its growing but at length comes to a vast height So it was with the Bishop of Rome this is his descent out of the Earth For his resemblance He hath horns like a Lamb. Horns expresse his power Like a Lamb that is like the Lamb of God Church-power he claims directly no other at least for a long time The power of binding and loosing were his two horns to bind all and loose all and that lay in the closet of his own breast when to put it forth this is but the power of the Lamb. But he spake like a Dragon You have two or three severall speeches of the Dragon In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon What did hee speak 1. Venomous words to our first Parents You shall not dye at all Gen. 3. 4. And so the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conscience of the word 2. The speech of the Dragon it is imperious and arrogant All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luk. 4. 6 7. And that is the speech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have set theâ— this day over the Nations and over the kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and to plant And the Pope sends a Crown with this inscription to Frederick the Emperour Christ gave this power to Peter and Peter gave it to the Pope this is Imperiall State And 3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth whereby he speaks â—avenous words Whoever will not worship the Image that I have set up shall be cast into a hot fiery furnace and who is that God that is able to deliver you Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worship the Pope claymes and what he threatens if it be neglected Thus you see in Gods account and in the sight of John the Pope is a wild Beast and the holy Ghost as he inspâ—red John he directs him what to say The holy Apostle he stood upon the sand of the Sea and few two beasts one arisiâ—g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine c. And another out of the earth out of earthly pretences He sees no holinesse in this Beast nothing but beastly cruelty and beastly blasphemy nothing but argues a wilde beast that will not be tamed neither by the Church of God nor by the word of God nor by Princes and States He sees him rising out of â—â—ire pretences pretending nothing but Lamb-like power but â—ee speakes like a Dragon venomous and devouâ—ing words Damnable heresies as being spewed out of the Dragons mouth such a volume of false worship and doctrine and government as destroys the faith of the Church and subverts the foundation of the Church This is the very state of the Pope as John beheld it as he was wrap't up in a vision by the Spirit and he judged of it as hee saw it Now because I cannot so well make use of this before I have spoken of the rest because they are co-incident take this for a second Note and so make use of both together The note is long but it is but the collection of the sum of these verses the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine easily to remembrance This then
kind of Civill and Ecclesiasticall power mingled together that a Cathedrall Church forty or fifty miles off shall send terrible censures to cut off the poor Saints of God and they must obey it and if they stand in an Hereticall course as they call it there is no living for them they will kill their Propheticall life as they did the two Witnesses or if they do in any effectuall manner work they will not stick to call them to account and cast them out and deliver them to the Secular power and they shall deliver them to fire and sword So then see the danger of such Constitutions it was wrought by the Bishop of Rome and lives by life from him the life of the Law of God breaths not in the pulses of it any that know them know how far they be from the pattern of the Scripture how ridiculous they be to such as discern the state of them You see also what mighty power they have that all civill States have been contented to deliver such to fire and sword whom they have delivered up as Hereticks They soon loose the protection of the Civill State if they loose the favour of imaginary Churches well doth he call them images they are images of the Pope and images which God forbids and the inventions of the sonnes of men Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image in the second Commandement You shall make no Images of Officers nor Government nor worship but that which Christ himselfe hath set up Fifthly it lets us see how dangerous it is to annex civill penalties ipso facto upon such as are cast out of the Church an usuall thing in Popish Churches or in the Images of such First they suspend them from the Sacrament but then it comes with an Excommunication no man must buy nor sell he hath refused to honour the image of the Beast It is dangerous to bring in civill Authority immediately upon Church-censure A warning to us here that if men be excommunicated not to deny them civill Commerce or to say such as stand out excommunicated so long shall no longer enjoy the priviledges of the State The Church may cut them off from fellowship with it selfe there may be just reason so to do they may discover such hypocrifie as may make them unfit for the Church but yet they may not altogether be unfit for the Common-wealth Sixthly It may serve to humble us so farr as in times past we had any thing to do with this Beast eyther in the loynes of our Fathers with this first Beast the Roman Catholick visible Church or as in our own time we have had any communion I meane Ecclesiasticall communion with the image of this first Beast that is with Provinciall Diocesan Cathedrall National Churches You know it is not my manner to fall into speeches of Christs in other parts it is best for us to look to our owne but when the Text is just so fit now to be silent were to deny the children of God the bread of their portion If it be such a Church as is of the Popes devising as hath provoked the jealousie of God and hath not been derived from the primitive institution that Christ hath established then so far as we have had to deale with them either in office or out of office receiving their Sacraments and their Censures or have published their Censures though God it may be mercifully kept us from publishing such as we did conceive unjust yet forasmuch as there hath been any submittance in this kind any Church-communion whereby we have been admitted into Church-office by the Image of this beast or installed by the ordination of the first beast or so far as wee have submitted to the first or second Beast so far as we have partaked in the holy things of God which flow from Church-communion as Sacraments and Censures do verily so farre we have cause to be humbled though the Lord kept any of us from thinking it any necessity to be reconciled to the Church of Rome or kept us from sundry things in our practice which the Image of the Beast required and though he kept us also from receiving all their Dictates without controll yet for our practice in entring into our calling and our dispensations which have been but images of the first beast and so far as our fellowship in Ordinances with them have cleaved to that Church verily the guilt of that will lye upon such soules as have not unfeignedly bewailed it before the Lord. What think you might be the cause that Christians do complayn of so much deadnesse under such plenty and as some say power of Ordinances I might as justly blame the world for as great part that men think they are forced to lanch out in building and planting an evill haunt and custome hath been rivetred into mens spirits that they have much ado to be content any where but this is not all Nor can I lay it wholly upon over-much confidence in Ordinances we have heretofore thought men happy that had liberty of Ordinances though out in a duty of humiliation God will let you see the emptinesse of all Ordinances that there is no life in them further then he puts in them but I will not put in neither of both these though both these may challenge a part of the deadnesse of the Countrrey and may because of humiliation But giue me leave to say I feare this chiefly that men thought it enough that they were got out of the reach of Summoners and Pariters and such like whose offices have been by the power of the beast the remnants whereof hang in those places where they should not stand I feare men have rested in turning their backs upon such troubles as they were put unto when they have not been serious in judging themselves for these Images of jealousie when they are so loft to be rent from them I feare the Lord hath not humbled them for their old contagion and therefore they are not so dead for what is an Image but deadnesse truly because we are rather in bodily presence then in heart departed from them therefore there is such deadnesse what 's the reason that upon the least motion men are ready to remove to a new Plantation as if they removed from old England to New in a pang If men had a calling upon just grounds to come hither then when we come where the Ordinances of God are we should sit down under the Ordinances under the shadow of the Almighty and never look for more But when that doth not satisfie that we enjoy Ordinances all that liberty we did desire we do enjoy and yet it doth not satisfie certainly there is some sinne lyes in the breast still for which the Lord pursues men with a restlesse frame they are not yet purged from the image of Romish pollution and therefore the Lord sees it not meet to give us rest no not in Sion because in
AN EXPOSITION UPON The Thirteenth CHAPTER OF THE REVELATION By that Reverend and Eminent servant of the Lord Mr. JOHN COTTON Teacher to the Church at Boston in NEW-ENGLAND Taken from his mouth in Short-writing and some part of it Corrected by himself soon after the Preaching thereof and all of it since Viewed over by a friend to Him and to the Truth wherein some Mistakes were amended but nothing of the Sense altered LONDON Printed for Tim. Smart at the Hand and Bible in the Old-Bayly 1656. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE tongue of the just or righteous saith Solomon Prov. 10. 20. is as choise silver The words that fall from the tongue of such are very precious and profitable And truly such are the words that dropt from the tongue and lips of this holy and righteous man Mr. Cotton As he himselfe had by his owne blessed experience found the tongue of that righteous man D r Sibbs as choise silver yea better then the choisest gold of Ophir by which the Lord was pleased to convey heavenly and eternall treasure into his soule Even so also have many precious soules some now above in glory others still here below found the words that have distilled from his tongue to be above much fine gold and of more weight and value then the greatest treasure of this whole world Divers that are yet alive and do remain unto this present may can hear witnesse to the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth But I shall crave leave to name only one now amongst the Saints at rest who was indeed one of a thousand in his time and place viz. that great and eminent man Dr. Preston whose heart the Lord wrought powerfully upon by the tongue of Mr. Cotton and that not long after his heart had been seized upon by the tongue of that sweet Singer before mentioned And because the story is so remarkable I shall be willing to relate in briefe the substance of what I had sometimes in private from the tongue of this our Reverend Author himselfe He being according to his course to Preach before the University Schollars in Cambridg had a great conflict in himselfe about the composing of his Sermon viz. whether after the plain profitable way by raysing of Doctrines with propounding the Reasons and Uses of the same Or after the mode of the University at that time which was to stuffe and fill their Sermâ—ns with as much Quotation and citing of Authors as mighâ— pâ—ssibly be On the one side 't was suggested to him that if he should not go the former way he should not be faithfull to the Lord in seeking his glory but his owne c. And on the other side if he should not shew his Learning it would not onely be a disparagement unto himselfe but also unto the Colledg which had so lately chosen him out of another to be Fellow for he was chosen Fellow in Emanuel Colledg out of Trinity where according to his yeare it fell out so as he could not be capable of a Fellowship What is this that Cotton that was so famous and had such a name for a great Schollar what a poore choise hath Emanuel Colledg made Thus he was tossed too and againe pro and con in his thoughts as I thinke he sayd about a fortnight the Lord seeming to try his sincerity at the first but at length he came to a resolution to deny himselfe what ever the world might judge or say of him His Text if I mistake not being in 2 Cor. 2. 16. And who is sufficient for these things Two or three Doctrines as it seems he raised from the words The Schollars came generally with great expectation to heare a more then ordinary learned Sermon from him that was so famous throughout the University and thereupon the Masters of Art at the beginning stood up erectis auribus amongst whom Mr. Preston was one but soone perceiving which way he went which was so extreamely contrary to their expectation they sate them downe in great discontent pulling their hats over their eyes thereby to expresse their dislike of the Sermon but before 't was ended something dropt from the tongue of the Preacher which the Lord made unto Mr. Preston to be as choise silver indeed whereby hee was so affected that he was made to stand up againe and change his posture and attend to what was spoken in another manner then he and the rest had done These things Mr. Preston afterward getting to be acquainted with Mr. Cotton by coming to him under pretence of borrowing a Booke of him which he might have easily had elsewhere returning it againe related particularly unto him Thus our Reverend Author by denying himselfe for the Lord had that cast in upon him viz. the gaining of such an eminent person to Christ which was a thousand times better then the airy applause of the world in being accounted a learned man Yet neither did he loose that way but had the repute of that too and not without cause to his dying day notwithstanding his continuall care to avoyd all appearance of affectation in the course of his Ministry either in regard of shewing Learning or in the manner of expressing what he did deliver whereby the power and effect of his Preaching did appear to be wholly of God being desirous to speak to the understanding and capacity even of the meanest and by manifestation of the Truth to commend himselfe to every mans conscience in the sight of God A taste whereof we have in these Sermons of his here published It were too great arrogance for mee to thinke to adde any authority to these or any other of his precious labours by my commendation of them I might as well go about to adde to the light of the Sunne by my Candle The very name of Cotton is enough to set an high price upon what ever hath that stamp Oâ—ely being earnestly desired by the Christian brother the publisher of this Exposiâ—ion who having the pen of a ready Writer did take those Notes from the mouth of the Preacher to give my testimony to the world that these were indeed the very Sermons of that holy Servant of the Lord whose name they bear I shall willingly affirm and testifie having lived in that American wildernesse about 13. or 14. yeares in the Towne next adjoyning to Boston and so had thereby the happy priviledg of enjoying the benefit of the precious labours of Mr. Cottons in his Lecture upon every fifth day in the week I say I do here declare and testifie unto the world that these Sermons upon the 13 th Chapter of the Revelation for the substance of them giving allowance for such defects of the Amanvensis which cannot but be expected ordinarily and yet I confesse are but very few in this Treatise were published by that faithfull servant of the Lord Mr. John Cotton about the 11. and 12. moneths if I mistake not of the year
Nations and that in so many Nations with Spirituall and Temporall Dominion carry all before him will it not be a Monster What a disproportion is this to the Churches of Christ and to the Officers thereof Not to speak of their other monstrous usurpations of the head of this Church but take the body as it is how they speak like a Lyon and hold fast when they get like a Beare and are spotted like a Leopard that they are nothing but hotch-potch and mingle-mangle If any man have understanding let him understand what kind of Church this is that is thus deciphered and described this visible Catholick Church For the Use It may first teach us the great and just reason which all Protestant Churches have to with-draw themselves from the fellowship of the Church of Rome from the Catholick visible Roman Church though they look at those that submit not to them as Schismaticks and Hereticks I pray you consider would they have us submit to this great beast would they have the Lambs of Christ for such are the Churches of Christ to submit to a Lyon Beare or Leopard Hath any Lamb in the world much lesse a Lamb of Christ so many Heads and Horns and such spots and such feeâ— and such a mouth Therefore I pray you consider it is not time for the Lambs of Christ and for all the Churches of Christ to flye off from this Monster and to abandon them utterly as having no part nor portion with such a beast as this Secondly let this be another Use it may teach us how Christian Protestant Churches wrong themselves that leave any footsteps of this government in their Churches For that is part of the image of the beast for the second beast when he was advanced he would have an image of the first beast they must have Provinciall and Diocesan Churches and National Churches and carry I know not how many hundred congregations into one Nationall Church and there must be some Diocesan and Metrapolitan church and the rest must be inferiour to that Though this be not so great a monster as the great Beast yet it is an image of this beast can any brother tell his offence to such a church And will you have him stay till the whole National church meets Or will you have him stay till the Diocesan church meets and carry his offences to the Visitation Do you think they will right his cause then Are a few such kind of men the Chancellor and Register and Surrogate and Apparitor do you think the church that our Saviour bids us tell Are these they that are gathered together that all may heare and all may be edefied Do these serve the Lord Jesus and not their owne bellies I say therefore you may see what great reason men have to with-draw from subjection in spirituall matters to the Image of this great beast that in some measure represent the same state as they Thirdly let it be a seasonable advertisement to all if I were to speak to Princes to all Princes but however to all Magistrates how to make use of their Authority to be as Protectors of the Church in respect of their spirituall estate as children of the church but not to give the horns to the church though horns be for beauty and strength you see it makes the Church a monster and it is to make a beast of the Church And so if you should make Church-Officers Justices of Peace or Councellors or prostitute your own Government to them that if the Church condemn any then you must do so too as heretofore if a man were condemned by the Church and by them delivered to the secular power then burn him presently this puts your Horns upon the Churches head unto monstrous deformity And therefore it is necessary for Magistrates to keep their power in their owne hands and not to take things Ipso facto from the Church but to consider what is done and then they are to confirm what the Church doth according to God Here are ten horns and these are tenne Kings by the holy Ghosts interpretation and they adde to the monstrousnesse of this Beast by giving their power thereto Why doth this mishape a Christian Church for Magistrates to submit their crownes to the Church No God forbid it is an honour and happinesse to them when Kings are nursing Fathers to the church and bow down their faces to the earth Isa 49. 23. But why then doth he put it as a part of the mishapen state of the Church that it had tenne hornes to wit because these Kings did give their strength and power to the Beast that the Beast did act these Horns acording to the power of his lust as Chap. 17. v. 17. as it was truly accomplished in all the Kings of Europe that did submit all their Scepters and Thrones and Crowns and Dignities to the Bishop of Rome That if hee command this or that there must be room for him what ever becomes of Princes Laws and Endeavours and all acts and enterprises of War or Peace He had their horns on his head he might push with them as he would This made the Church a monster when soveraign power was obnoxious to the Bishop of Rome when without Excomunication whether a cause were of God or no Magistrates proceeded if the Church had censured As a Beast that hath horns on his head as hee turns so must the power of his horns be set and put forth If therefore the Catholick Church or any Officer of it shall condemn a man as an Heretick and then deliver him to the secular power they never dispute the cause but take it for granted If their holy mother Church condemn him the Secular Power must push and crush him to the very Earth and trample him under foot and rend his bowels from his body if he once be delivered to them Now this makes the Church a beast that hath this power over the Princes of the Earth that look what is their lust or their ignorance or their errour and the contrary adjudged by them to be Heresie that the Secular power must mayntain the one and condemn the other It is a comfortable thing for Churches to be strengthned and protected by civill Magistrates But if they captivate their power to the Church that what Church Rulers call for not according to the Word but their Lusts that the civill Magistrate must confirm that makes the Church a Beast And therefore be wise now O ye Kings be instructed O ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling c. Psal 2. 11 12. Kisse the Lord Jesus submit to him and in him to the church Lick the dust off the feet of the church dispensing his counsell and will But when by implicite obedience the Common-wealth must he prostitute to the Beast it makes the Beast more monstrous then it is The authority of Princes in that kind makes such churches to be
discharged of this burden This was very plausable to carnall reason especially if they gave so much to such a Monastery that they may offer so many Sacraments for them for they look at the bread in the Lords supper as a propiatory Sacrament here were so many means to satisfie the consciences of those that were superstitious as nothing could be devised to give better content to the spirits of men in those dayes any man that knowes it shall finde it true that when the conscience is terrified with the curse of Gods Law and never shewed the true way of fellowship with Christ no man is so tender and conscionable in the performance of all duties as they If you will have them kisse the Popes foot or give so much to a Monastery and by this means Hell shall be shut against them and Purgatory discharged But for assurance of Salvation in Christ they could not endure that they that stood for that they tell them what you will not have men doe good workes away with that faggot and halter for such Hereticks Thirdly there was a third Reason and that was from the great reverence of all Councells and Synods to the Sea of Rome The City of Rome had wont to be the imperiall City now in such a case as this they thought it but reasonable In heathenish Rome they gave all worship to them and so let Christian Rome give all their worship to the chief Head there and so to their mother Church all Catholicks would incourage others so to doe and so by this means there were such incouragements laid for admiration and adoration that you may not wonder at what the holy Ghost saith That when the wound was healed all the world wondred after the beast saying who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Not the Emperors of the East and West not the King of England France Spain nor all that have been of greatest force they were none of them able to hold up their heads against this great Beast The use of this point is thus much First you may observe from hence that Universality and Prosperity though they be given for two notes of a true Church by the Papists yet indeed they are but sopisticall deceitfull delusions They are not such marks of a Church as are peculiar to a true Church here is Universality All the world wondred after the beast and here is Prosperity all the world adore and admire the Beast Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Not all the Princes of the world So that here is externall prosperity for so they call it here are both these concur and they doe indeed argue a Catholick Church as Bellarmine saith but note this that Catholick Church which is visible which is the Roman visible Catholick Church the Scripture holds it forth as a great and ugly and monstrous Beast look not therefore at these as any good marks and signes by which Jesuites and Seminaries are wont to draw to deep devotion to the Catholick Church for all the world have run this way there is but a handfull a few of such as are otherwise minded what is Genevah and some others to Rome what have they been able to doe in comparison of the Church of Rome which is the Church of Churches none have been able to doe as they Secondly we may see the danger of this admiration and adoration the deadly and desperate danger of adoring the Catholick visible Church and the Dragon It is the cunning of these Priests and Jesuites to draw men by all means to be at least devoted to the Catholick Church and to submit their power thereunto for they say there is no union with Christ the head unlesse you be united to the visible head on Earth this is their usuall plea Now marke what the holy Ghost speaks in this Text he doth say that all the worship of this mother Church is but the worship of the Dragon Men are devoutly adicted to give up their souls to the Devill when they give up themselves to the Catholicke visible Church the Lord professeth he is not honoured by them they professe honour to he-Saints and shee-Saints and dead Saints and to all relicks and remnants of them the honour of them is given unto the Devill and not to God That look what Paul saiâ—h of heathen Rome John speaks of christian Rome This I say saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 20. That the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils And so this saith John the holy Apostle equall to the Apostle Paul or next him but here guided equally with Paul in the Authentical word of God he saith They that worship God according to the prescript of the Church of Rome they worship the Devils and not God they worship the Dragon the old Serpent So that it is not so light a matter as Gallants at Court and great Kings apprehend they will be reconciled to their mother Church they will goe a Pilgrimage that is devised by the Pope and perform duties as their ghostly Father directs them and have their bead-prayers In all this what do they doe This is a worship to the great beast but this is the issue and substance of it they doe indeed worship the Dragon It is not the Lord Jesus nor God the Father nor the blessed spirit that is thus worshipped but this is indeed the worship of the Devill Thirdly this may serve to teach us to blesse the name of the Lord that hath delivered us from this admiration and adoration from this wofull Captivity and Calamity whereto our Fathers have been enthralled All those of them whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life they were all led this way and it is a marvellous deliverance that God hath wrought for us in taking our Religion from universality and from outward prosperity It is sometimes a snare to Christians this kinde of Government that we have and they are apt to say what doe any of the great Nations of the world for worship and Government did you ever know any such thing authorised in any Kingdome There is an inward principle in us by nature to doe as all the world doe what are we more wise then they It is a great temptation but we have cause to blesse God that hath wrought deliverance for us But what if all the world did worship the Devill as time was when they did what if all the world worship the Beast and the Dragon that gave power to the Beast must we doe so And as they are not grounds of our worship so they are fit grounds of unfeigned thankfulnesse to God that hath delivered us from that Religion by which all the world was bewitched to give their Crownes Honours Bodies and States to the devotion of the visible Catholick Church and to the
prevailed to break his power there and so in Ireland where she set her hand she brake mightily his power and the power of Catholick Prinâ— though mightier then she She renounced the Catholick Church that is this great beast and cut off his head to her best understanding which was about the sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11. 15. When the Kingdomes of this world became the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ For then did begin the seventh Trumpet to sound which brought the conversion of Kingdomes and States that though the beast still continued yet he still lost his Authority which he had before what he did approve before that stood and what he did not that fell to the ground Now he hath so much power that if France be more pravalent or Spaine he will take with them as he thinks he may with his Catholick Sons for his own security but his power is so blasted that though he doth continue still and will continue yet a great Beast that rules all the world that power the Catholick Roman Church hath lost though he prevail with his superstitious inventions with those that are his in a carnall way or from an opinion of their fathers honesty c. But yet the power is not left to the Bishop of Rome to doe all things as in those former times he might his word is not a law nor his decrees so Authenticall they are now considered of even among Catholicke Princes It is not now in his power to take up Controversies between France and Spain if they will make war Time was they durst as well have eaten a Bears foot as have ventured upon any war without his likeing but that was the time when the armes of his power and his jawes were not broken Thus if you take this Scripture as Brightman takes it from Constantines coming to the Crown it will expire then about the time when the Bull came forth against Qâ— Eliz. and as they thought would be sufficient to blast her and all the Huguenots with her But yet that makes but one beginning and ending of this account whereas the Text makes two for in Chap. 12. 6. when the child was caught up to God and to his throne and the woman fled into the wildernesse then there was a great battle that battle lasted 90 years and then was the Devill cast out of Heaven and his Flamins and Arch-flamins were blasted with him they had no power in Theodosius time from that time the Dragon was cast out of Heaven and persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child and there was given to her two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wildernesse Now I say according to this there is another computation of this time there was no more place found for him in heaven w ch was in the year 395. for two or three years we must not pinch much it is hard to keep exact account by reason of taking up one year from the Predecessor which in so many years come to sometimes more sometimes lesse Now if you shall take the Computation from that time t is true from Constantines time the Church might fly into the wildernesse for it is true the Church is made a wildernesse if you set the doores of the Church so wide and pull down the walls that whereas before it was a Garden inclosed Cant. 4. 12. now you let in vast territories bring in the whole world now you make it Catholick now though it had no Catholick power a Garden is made a wildernesse if you pull down the pales take down the narrow watch of Officers and let in all men that will thrust in ambitiously to gratifie them The Church was full of covetousnesse whoredomes adulteries deceivers haters of God and the true power of Godlinesse even in his time and so forward was almost worn out and never was so in all the time of persecution but after that the Bishop of Rome had taken the stile of Pontifex maximus and Theodosius slept with his Fathers then the Church grew more transcendantly Catholick and that they thought he would be Lord Paramount but yet his transcendant power did spring as he was cheif Bishop then he was universall Bishop for his power grew by degrees Now I say if you take this latter computation which also the Text doth then if you reckon from 395. years and adde to that 1260. years putting these two together they will expire in the yeare that shall be according to the Roman account 1655. I will not be two confident because I am not a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet to foretell things to come but so far as God helps by Scripture light about the time 1655. there will be then such a blow given to this beast and to the head of this beast which is Pontifex maximus as that we shall see a further gradual accomplishment and fulfilling of this Prophecy here You must not think it strange that some Prophecies receive a graduall accomplishment Sometimes you have a Prophecy of the 70. yeares captivity which is accomplished by the redemption of the Church out of Babell yet a more full accomplishment shall be when the Church shall be delivered from this whore of Rome and the Church of the Jewes shall be called againe So it is here according to the different computation of time the wise God hath all seasons in his hand he doth foresee and foretell to his people when they shall come to passe So that though the arme of his glorious power be broken and his bones broken that he is nothing that beast in power that he was and hath not been since the sending of that dreadfull excommunication which was thought to be so dangerous to the famous Princesse I spake of yet a power he hath over many Churches and the power given him by the ten horns they are not all broken as in Chap. 11. 13. The tenth part of the City fell by reason of the earthquake There was such a fall that a tenth part fell but yet a great part stands still to this day in some measure that will take their Religion from him as they see cause but not all in Religion neither for the King of France will not yield to the Councell of Trent to this day it falling out that his Ambassadors did not sit in the cheife place he will not authorize that Councell Thus is his power broken but yet it continues in some measure till a further accomplishment of it but for two or three years I cannot limit that for there may be some uncertainty by reason of the variation of Chronicles that have sometimes more sometimes lesse in the beginning and ending of the Reign of Princes But otherwise about that time will be the expiration of the power and great authority of this Beast But already we see by the blessing of God his power weakned but we look for a further accomplishment The matter hath
of the Saints Whereupon the Waldenses being warned by a Religious man sent by the Bishop of Tholouse to confesse the hand of God against them for Hereticall pravity in blaspheming the Roman Catholick visible Church and continuing so long in it and to turn to the Catholick Church For their defence to answer the Temptation that was put upon them said they it is written The Beast shall make war with the Saints and overcome them therefore it is no argument of Gods being against us in respect of our Religion for he may acknowledg us Saints though we be slain to this day and therefore though there were but a handful left they would rather dye then yeeld to conformity to the Church of Rome So you see the point opened For the Reasons First how this Beast comes to have this power to make warre Secondly how the Saints come thus to be warred upon And thirdly how they come to be overcome for all these would be opened First this beast had power given him to make warre by severall hands First the devout subjection of the ten Christian Kings to him that gave their kingdoms and swords into his hand Rev. 17. 17. God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and give their Kingdoms unto the Beast The principall Kings of Christendome in those dayes came and gave their power to the beast and by their power he was able to do wonders against all A second reason and cause of his power to war against the Saints was because of the prosperous successe which they had in the warre against Christians a hundred yeares before and that was in an expedition of Godfrey of Bulloign in Greece and Duke Dalbo that went forth to recover the holy Land as they call it to overcome the Turks and Sarazens and Godfrey Bullen a Christian Prince as they call him they made him King at Jerusalem there he continued and prospered mightily in this war and held it for many years together and Christian Princes seeing the prosperous successe of this War which he had raised up to recover the holy Land and the Sepulchre of Christ therefore upon the same tearms that he did procure that Expedition against Infidels he doth procure warre against these Hereticks and out of the same notion there were gathered an innumerable company A third Reason was from the zealous Sermons of Fryars and Monks exciting all Christendom to this Warr under the Standard of the Crosse in promise of equall pardon as if the Expedition had been against the Sarazens thence came he to make such authority to make Warre with the Saints that if he call for it it is done He agrees upon it in his own Councell and he gives instruction to all Abbots and Fryars and Governours of religious Orders that they should send out chiefe Preachers to call upon all the people as in Psal 94. 16. Who wil rise up for me against the evill doers or who will stand up for me against the workers of Iniquity Sometimes complayning of the slacknesse of men to holy zeale for Gods glory and maintenance of purity of Religion and sometimes a necessity of taking part with those that are Infidels abroad and Hereticks and Schismaticks at home They found their Explication amounting to that use that whereas there had been many Hereticks nestled up in this Countrey therefore it pleased him and the Apostle Peter to stirre up the Bishop of Rome to vouchsafe the like plenary pardon to those which would go to warre against these Hereticks as those which had prevailed against Infidels and the premise of pardon did so farre prevail that they shortly gathered together 300000. that in hope of plenary pardon of sinne did give up themselves to go on upon their owne charges they would sell goods and Lands for pardon of sin and peace of conscience And in those dayes men were wont to be troubled at the Sermons of the Fryars and Monkes and never found setled peace by pardon from Christ Jesus and never thought to look for pardon where it was and they told them it was to be had by bestowing their goods and lands thus and those Fryars and Monks did so inculcate and drive the nayl to the head in the hearts of people that they were never at rest till they went about this Expedition there were raised a matter of ten Captains Simon Munford was one a notable instrument for the Devill and this great Beast The last Reason was the superstition of those times the deep devotion and dejection of spirit that was in the bodies of Christians in those dayes in regard of their spiritual estate They being deepely convinced of sinne and sharply reproved by the Fryars and Monks who had a notable dexterity to sting the consciences of men and wound them by the terrour of Gods wrath sometimes for their great exactions sometimes for their incest sometimes for their whoredome and neglect of the Ordinances of the Church and they had things so full against them that it made them strictly devout and so were taken up in devotion to this great Beast and the head of it that all the world admired and adored him for his admirable and transcendant power and keyes that he had to heaven as they thoughtâ— they all yeelded themselves some their bodies to fight and some that had not sufficient to maintaine themselves other good Catholicks were ready to cast in some more some lesse to maintaine them according to their abilities and happy he that could make something to make warre aginst these Hereticks So that lay all these together and you will see how he had this great power to make war with the Saints Here was a great and vast change from the Institution of Christ who confined all Churches into one Congregation that all may heare and all may be edefied that one Parish Church should grow to that vastnesse to levy 300000. to the warre and that by a word of his mouth to have them all mayntained without grudging for every man did thinke the worke as pious a marvellous change and well doth the holy Ghost say Hee had great power that the power of that Church should reach over all Churches and shall have such an influence into Kings that look what they shall dictate all shall be ready body and goods and life and all to maintain them you see the reasons of it how he comes by this power But secondly how comes he to make War against the Saints There is a double reason for that one is taken from the profession and practice and conversation of these Saints This was their practice They followed the Lamb as in the next Chapter I looked and loe a lambe stood on the mount Sion and with him an hundred fourty and four thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads These are they which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb whether soever
favour and large gifts he bestowed upon them Charles the Great had his Empire from the Bishop of Rome and translated it from Constantinople to France and Germany and therefore he had reason to stand to the Authority that set him up And the ten Kings of Christendom that rose upon the demolition of the Grecian Empire which was then called the Empire of Rome their absolute authority did much depend upon the Bishop of Rome if the Grecian Empire had not yeelded they had been liable in conscience to restore these ten Kingdoms In point of State-policy they had cause to be much observant to the Pope But that is not all for they could never have done it had not the Subjects yeelded And what moved them Truly they were all taken with the Religion of the man of sinne That flood of Heresies and Abhominations which the Catholick Church did hold forth as in a cup of poyson to the world these earthly sort of Christians swallowed it all up They were carnall and yet superstitious and devout Carnall for want of saving grace and regeneration And devout for then generally Christians lay under the terrour of the Law as in Rev. 9. 5 6. The locusts came in which were the Fryars and Monkes and they had this power to sting their Consciences even to the death that a man would give all he had for pardon of sinne Now having power to sting mens Consciences but not to heale them to kill but not to make alive they were now fitted to receive the Impression of the Popish Religion and that religion to men so qualified and disposed was fit to heal them overly and to skin the wound of Conscience and there are three things in that Religion that helped to skinne over the Conscience 1. The suitablenesse of it to humane and naturall sences 2. To carnall naturall reason 3. To naturall Conscience For these three concur and that strongly in this Religion to carry all Christendome after it First for naturall sense All that have travayled into Popish Countreys know that their Religion is composed to naturall sence 1. To satisfie the eyes with goodly Images and Pictures and gorgeous Temples and Vestures that young and old are taken with these goodly spectacles 2. For the eares you know in their Cathedralls what curious musique they have both vocall and instrumentall 3. For the smell you have Incense and sweet perfumes to entertaine you 4. For the taste you have double Feasts and solemn Feasts many Feasts full of luxury and ryot 5. For the Touch there is toleration of Stews to give up their names to Stews They will not suffer men to live unlesse they give up their names to be free of such unclean houses And if you commit any lewdnesse then it is easie to come off with some light penancâ—s and especially the purse that will doe all These things marvellously please the sense Secondly for naturall Reason it suits marvellously with naturall reason 1. To hold forth an historical implicite faith Historical the Devils may have and implicite for a man to believe as the Church believes and hee believes this Faith hath power to quench all temptations of the Devill 2. To hold forth such a repentance as consists in Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Judas reached all this For contrition his heart was humbled in sence of his sinne For confession I have sinned in betraying innocent blood And for satisfaction He brought again the thirty pieces of silver He would not meddle nor make with them 3. To hold forth such an obedience as a man may be able to perform and keep the whole Law of God which he thinks to be easie And this doth please naturall Sence to work our own salvation 4. To hold forth pardon of sin for money and for bodily exercises 5. Uncertainty of Salvation 6. Such a frame of Church-government as keepeth all in a politick order and unity That all Popish Churches be subordinate to such a Bishop as he is to some Metropolitan and they to some Primate and all to the Bishop of Rome And why From one unity ascends and it is good to keep unity And so to look at a mans selfe as unworthy to come into the presence of God and to call upon Christ and therefore manners would make a man cleave to some he-Saints or she-Saints and they shall present their prayers to Christ and Christ to the Father which is very plausable to naturall reason And for our Fathers which grew zealous of that Religion we should not damn them to hell Reason abhors that Thirdly for naturall Conscience it will counter-work with God and walk in equipage with God all the way that is to say for a man to look to find according to his works natural Conscience hath this in Nature it is ingrafted in nature from the God of Adam from his Ordinance in Nature or the rudements of it restored 1. Election of Faith or works foreseen 2. Redemption of all men alike 3. Conversion by the power of free-will This is in the natures of all men by the very Law and works of Nature 4. Justification by works naturall Conscience dictates that Do this and thou shalt live do it not and thou dost forfeit the favour of God but receive it and thou hast fellowship with God 5. Perseverance by our owne endeavours 6. Glorification by merits of works All these suit with naturall Conscience that Conscience is satisfied if the work be accomplished if not then they make satisfaction If they faile in these works by giving way to this oâ— that arrogance that the work is not compleat then Conscience hangs in some dispence and demur And if they cannot satisfie all in this world yet they should do what they can by giving to this and that good use and do pennance for their sinne And if all faile they may make satisfaction in Purgatory and not sink downe to the nether most Hell These things be very acceptable to naturall Conscience Thus we see how it comes to passe that to this Beast was given authority and power over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations Obj. You will say to me But doth not this crosse some other Text in Rev. 5. 9. where it is said the Lord hath redeemed his people out of every Kindred and Tongue and Nation If the Pope had this power over every Kindred Tougue and Nation where stands Christs redemption I answer for Christs Redemption it is some out of every Kindred Tongue and Nation whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life but it was but a remnant There is at this time a remnant according to the Election of Grace Rom. 11. 5. But otherwise all Kindreds Tongues and Nations have been swallowed up by the usurpation of this Beast and by their subjection to him So that Christ hath his number out of all these but it is the Beast that carryes away the body of them for that season especially He did rule over them by
what I said It hath been a very rare and singular case when any man would acknowledge a particular visible Church depending on no power but Independant within it selfe It is such a rarity that a man may here and there indeed finde it in times of persecution in 3000. years But after the Church come to peace it is very rare to heare such a matter till you come down to the Waldences and Albedences and those poor Churches that were scattered in the Wildernesse It is very hard to finde the Church of Christs Institution to remain in the world whereas this Roman Catholick Church reigns in the world This is a great power and yet this power the Church of Rome had The Harlot reigns over Kindreds Tongues and Nations whereas the true Spouse of Christ hath scarce a subsistance in the world So that consider if it did not smite with our hearts to close with the Inventions of men with satanicall power rather then with Christ it were not possible there should be such aberations from the Institutions of Christ were it not for the impetuous licentiousnesse of the hearts of the Sonnes of men And therefore when there is such a vast swelling that many Congregations shall be but one Church how shall we go home edefied by such discourse This belonges to all the Churches to take the opportunities that we have that we may not runne headlong upon the devices of men or our owne wits to that which is suitable to sence and naturall reason and walking according to the light of naturall conscience Conscience was never so corrupt as in corrupt nature it is and reason never so blinde as in corrupt nature it is and sence never so luxurious A man is ready to please sence his pallat his nostrils his eye and hand and touch and naturall reason and conscience a manis marvellous free that way so free that the lesse a man discerne it the more he is captivated to it And therefore let every man know that we carry about with us a principle of subjection of our selves to the Ordinances of men rather then to Christ If it be to speak to our owne honour and applause we have words at will and hearts that runne full stream that way If it were to set out our selves or our friends we are open hearted and open mouthed that way but if it shall be to give glory to God in the presence of a particular visible Church of Christs Institution there we are marvellous unwilling to submit to edifie our brethren and glorifie God If it were to an Ordinance of man it is a wonder to see how men will runne and ride to give satisfaction to this and that Episcopal Court higher and lower and clear all scores there that we may not be debarred of Christian buriall or Church Communion though it may be we cannot have it with mixture of corruption and can scarse close with it especially those that are enlightned But when we come to sanctifie God his praise and holding forth our own shame there is an inward principle in us to consider whether it stands with our honour and credit with our peace and safety a world of carnall reason and conscience will worke together in this case and inwardly so reply and muzzle the hearts and consciences of men that it is a wonder to see what shifting and daubing there is which they willingly give up themselves to when they are called about the inventions of the Sons of men Thirdly it may teach us if the whole world have runthus mad and wild to give their Crowns and Scepters Churches Common-wealths and consciences to have power put upon all these of their own choise by the man of Sinne every Kindred Tongue and Nation what a shame will it be if we be not as truely devout in our Religion as it is said of Cornelius Acts 10. 1. He was a devout man a Godly man given up to God So should we give up our selves to the Lord and sacrifice our credit and profit and whatever wee have to the Lord. There have been men that have been content to forfit all their Kingdomes to the man of Sin The Emperours in Germany have given their Crowns The Kings of England King John in his time did as much to the Popes Legat And it hath been frequent with him to set the Crowns upon their heads and dash them down with his feet These 42. moneths it hath been frequent with them to give up their Crowns to him but much adoe to runne any hazard for Christ though a petty jurisdiction And yet none did ever truely runne hazard for the Lord but the Lord took up their Crowns and maintayned their cause and honour and recoverd what honour they lost David by making known his Adultery and by his repentance for it did recover what Power and Authority he might seem to loose in the hearts of his subjects It is true he had lost his Kingdome but was it for his Repentance No but for his natural affection to his rebellious Sonne Absolom and his incestuous Sonne Amnon that should have been cut off He lost his Crown not for his Repentance but for want of executing the Law of God upon his own children as upon others there was his Sinne otherwise had he executed judgement upon his rebellious Sonne Absolom as the Lord required thou shalt pluck him from mine Altar that Rebell he had not lost his Kingdome But if so be his naturall affection over-rule him that he doe not execute judgement then no marvaile though they cast him out of his Kingdome and cut his throat at length if God doe not come between as he did to David But belive it no man did ever loose by sanctifying God in his heart by giving honour to him and taking shame to himselfe The Lord hath maintained peace in the conscience hath given it when it hath bin wanting and the Lord hath been pleased to sanctifie their names as they have sanctified his before men whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. And it will shortly be the ruine of those things they would preserve the ruine of a mans name and state the ruine of his body and soul together if a man shall dare in the presence of God to give the Glory doe to his Name to a Beast The Lord will be a swift witnesse against all the workers of iniquity Trust God with your honour and estate did he ever â—aile any man to this day Theodosius did submit himselfe and gave glory to God and acknowledged his offence to Ambrose the Pastor of his Church and to the people of God because he had sinned against the Lord to the offence of the Church of God did it weaken his esteem did not all the Churches hear of his repentance
man would choose to live no better life nor keep a better house then his Father or Grandfather but wish their souls might be but as safe as theirs when men are once redeemed by the bloud of Christ and that is sprinkled upon their consciences then the bloud of Christ is warmer then the bloud of Ancestors though the Religion of our Fathers should be strong in the hearts of devout Catholicks as in Bilney or Latimer then alasse for our poor Fathers what is become of them they pity them and see plainly that unlesse the Lord led them a further way then the Religion of those that taught them they are gone everlastingly and then they wonder that God should ever choose such a dunghill thee and me that they see a broad difference between the Religion of their Ancestors and that which they see now but that is the efficacy of the bloud of Christ there is that efficacy in it that it washeth away all relations to Fathers to antiquity and universality he is crucified to them all God forbid saith the Apostle that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6. 14. So that though all the world runne after the Beast they will not the world looks at them as base unworthy creatures and so they look at the world And there is a third fundamentall Reason and that is taken from the power and presence of the Spirit of Gods grace in the hearts of his people We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. That is by the spirit of God and by the power of that spirit he keeps our faith and by faith keeps us in the way of his ordinances and in the way of sanctification to salvation Little children yee are of God and you have overcome these Antichrists why for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 John 4. 4. The power of God is in you they are of the world and the world is carryed away with them you are of God and you hear them not for greater is he thaâ— is in you then he that is in the world These are three fundamentall Reasons which are indeed the demonstrative cause of the impossibility of them to be finally carried to the worship of the Beast the election of God will not suffer it the unchangeblenesse thereof the faithfulnesse of Christ the efficacy of the blood of Christ and the power of the spirit and that which flowes from it is the experience of Gods love and the vertue of their faith in Christ Their faith is unchangeble not possible to be rooted out in Luke 22. 31 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not It may be shaken but it shall not finally fail I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. and that is the proper act of faith Be not high minded but fear his mercy is sufficient for us trust steadfastly on the grace of Christ and though Peter seemed not to trust on the grace of Christ yet in his worst state he knew that all the courses of Satan were vanity and he durst not but in his heart believe that Christ was the Messiah so all the elect of God know the Beast is a Beast and the Catholick Roman Church is a Beast and the head of that Beast is a beastly head and they know that their Doctrine is sensuall and carnall and that they all shall go into perdition and withall their experience doth evidently convince them that were it not in a pang of temptation in which they are not able to abide by it yet by a renewall of the blood of the Lord Jesus sprinkled on their souls they are brought a fresh to see the work of Gods grace stirred up in them but otherwise their constant course is as in Rev. 14. you hear them coming as on a stage representing the Lambe in their carriage and conversation and follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes but for the Beast a stranger they will not follow but both their faith and experience yeild them a third cause and that is the spirit of God carying them an end My sheep hear my voyce and they follow me but they know not the voyce of strangers they see a difference between good and evill and therefore if they hear a man speak and doth not speak of salvation by him but of the world or of himselfe they will not follow him John 10. 45. Thus you see the Reason why none of them worship the Beast But on the other side all the rest of the world doe meaning where Antichrists power comes speaking of those times when there was great power given to him to speak great things and no man might say Sir why do you so in that time when he had power to be active forty two months when he had power to make Warre with the Saints and to overcome them and when all Nations worshipped him and did not shake off that Religion but in former times before reformation of Religion this was an universal practice they all Nations Kindreds and Tongues gave their power to the Beast and the reason of that was from Gods just judgement for their not receiving the truth in love therefore he gave them over to strong delusions to believe lyes Secondly from the efficacy of Satan in the power of deceitfull sophistry and doing wonders And thirdly by the plausiblenesse trumpery and bravery of that Religion so suitable to carnal reason that they were carried away thereto and it could not be but they should be carried away by the man of Sinne. The use first may then be thus much If all that dwell on Earth whose names are not written in the book of life do worship the Beast and none are excluded but those whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life then this will unavoidably follow that a Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a Reprobate what he may and renounce his Religion is another matter as Bilney and Latimer sometimes did they were written in the Lambes booke of life but by his Religion take them that do believe as the Catholick Roman Church believes and believe no more but practice that which that Religion directs them to and goe no further and they continue and live and die in that then I must pronounce it from the Text they cannot go beyond a Reprobate the reason is evident from the Text for if none of them whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life doe worship the Beast and onely they do worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Lambs booke of life then if they be not written in the Lambs booke of life the Text is very strong clear in Rev. 20. 15. Whosoever was not found written in the Lambs Book of life was cast into the lake
down to the pit I have found a ransome Job 33. 24. He now pleads satisfaction to the justice of his Father and having satisfied for all there is a sufficient plea in his mouth for all the Elect of God whatever our actual transgressions have been the Lord hath aboundant plea for all his people that so he may both obtain of the Father the spirit to bestow good things upon us and having given us such things as faith and love and repentance he may plead our sincerity of heart and that argues communion with himselfe and saith in his bloud But that which doth make us stand righteous before him is this that he himselfe was a Lamb without spot and yet did not plead his own innocency but did bear all for us and for us all that we might ever be righteous in the sight of God And thus will God have all his servants plead or else they shall not have salvation First to plead silence That then thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Ezek. 16. 63. Secondly to plead our iniquity Psal 51. 3 4. I acknowledg my transgression and my sinne is ever before mee Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest c. But purge me with by sope and I shall be clean Looke therefore unto this point mainly and principally that if we come to plead before the Lord our God hee doth require we should examine our selves and in the end be so surprized when we have done as not to have what to answer Christ could not tell what to answer and we must not wonder if wee doe not finde what to answer For here God magnifieth his love in setting forth himselfe unto a believer to be a God justifying him that cannot justifie himselfe He seeth there is the way of the grace of God the Lord hath done this in Christ and the manifestation and declaration of it doth so possesse the hearts of Gods children that it causeth them to cleave unto him for all their righteousnesse and peace And this is of great necessity and of continuall practice for the Saints of God to attend unto that we might not be at a losse in this great question of our soules Conscience cryes out unto us and wee know not in the world what to say for wee are wicked beyond measure in the sight of God our own sincerity will not plead our righteousnesse before God But all it will do will come to this end that we shall be convinced we have nothing to say Nay an Angel nay the Sonne himselfe could not tell what to say for us but wee look to be justified freely by his grace And the God of all grace doth so justifie Christs cause that all the world that are justified shall be justified by his plea who hath done all things for us that concern our everlasting salvation For a third use of the point it may be for reproof to unconscionable Advocates but I have not I thinke so much cause to speak of it here but in most places of the world I might speak of it It might teach all Advocates to take heed of bolstering out a bad Case by quiâ—ks of wit and tricks and quilets of Law the Lord abhors such things If you will have the Lord to smell a savour of rest plead the cause of the faithful and of the widow but thou shalt not accept the person of the poor nor of the rich And for men that professe Religion as many Lawyers do to use their tongues as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto wickednesse it is a professed practice against the doctrine of mortification For a man to give his tongue his glory as David calls it to become a member of unrighteousnesse to plead in corrupt Causes and to strain the Law to that purpose were I to speake in place where I should think it meet to speak more But I shall not be accounted a good Lawyer may some say No Christ was the best Advocate that ever was and yet he could not answer Let the cause be what it is where the tree fals let it lye If Christ do keep silence in point of our righteousnesse let us keep silence also in point of our own Fourthly It may be a use of instruction unto all those that professe fellowship with Christ and the saving knowledg of Christ Jesus You see here how Christ is described a Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world None more innocent and yet none more meâ—k and paâ—ient If you speak of Christ as a Minister the spirit of a Dove doth come upon him For the Sacrifice he is a Lamb. The wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the Faâ—ling together and a little child shall lead them And the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the Oxe and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cock-atrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine Isa 11. 6. to 9. Doe you see a man boysterous in his spirit and in his own will and wayes and will not be willing to see a difference in himselfe from the spirit of Christ Jesus as it is possible that a child of God may be rough in his way yet hee dare not allow himselfe long in it it is a body of death But if you see a man that doth allow himselfe in a passionate frame of spirit that a man will have his owne will and will not be crossed in it whether it be right or wrong doubtlesse this is not the spot of Gods children It is not the spirit of those whose names are written in the Lambs bâ—ok of life God did not indeed elect us because either we are such or would be such but he did elect us to be made such first or last before we come to enjoy the everlasting Inheritance which this book hath written us downe unto And therefore it must cut off all our boysterousnes and churlishnes of spirit all this ruggednesse and churlishness it must be taken off The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye downe with the kid and a little child shall lead them Therefore all bitternesse of contention and pangs of passion that prevaile that are farre from the spirit of love must be removed But this will prevaile in all Gods people that God will carry an end your spirits in conformity to the spirit of his own Be of that spirit therefore in all your Transactions that is to say mild and patient and innocent And so it will require all the children of God in the same
sure he never fetched any acceptance from Heaven But you read of another fire fetched from Heaven by Eliah and that was to destroy those that mocked him 2 Kings 1. 10. 12. Which practise when James and John would have followed in Luke 9. 54 55 56. You shall read that they being offended with the Samaritans because they would not receive them Master say they shall we call for fire from Heaven to consume them as Eliah did Our Saviour utterly rejects that You know not saith he of what spirit ye are Now minde you that fetching fire from Heaven which is to destroy mens lives and not save them that James and John are taught to refusâ— as being incompatible to the Gospel But that which they refuse the Successour of Peter as they call him takes up if any Scribe or Pharisee or Samaritan refuse him then fire comes down from Heaven consuming fire and vengance and wrath and blood-shed and extreamity of outraged evils he causeth to come down upon them and in pretence from Heaven to destroy the Church and people of God that I take to be the cheif parâ— of the meaning of that But if any man will urge the letters of the Text which you need not in mystical Scriptures yet it is not without truth therein Gregory the seventh he declares this that he had strange power when he had much people about him he would have shaked the sleeve of his gound and caused fire to come down Now it is evident it might be for he was a Conjurer and 22. Popes together as their own storyes do record they were wiâ—ches and gave their soules to the Devil that they might obtaine the Popedome but they were but lying wonders for miracles require divine power but the Devil cannot go beyond the power of nature so that you may take it in the proper meaning their own men do much magnifie it and make it one of the markes of their Churche whereas Protestants that want miracles are not Churches So that those censures by which they thundred against christian Emperors they did follow with such success that they made all wonder that none could stand against them not Henery the fourth nor Henery the fifth not Leo the Emperour nor the King of Fraunce none of them all were able to take up armes against him they did all admire him Who is able to stand against him end to make Warre with him And that gave such free passage to his Laws that all christian States presently took up what injunctions he put upon them Fourthly by these miracles and the mighty successe of them he had power to cause them that dwell on the earth to make an Image to the Beast that had the deadly wound and was healed that is the Roman Catholick visible Church What is this Image of the Beast he causeth all the earth that is all earthly States to receive it he will suffer none to be without it what is this Image an Image not of their own making they must make an Image by his appointment It is an Image of the first beast not of the second directly and consequently the officers of that Beast must represent this second Beast but be an Image of the first if the first Beast was the Roman Catholick visible Church then if he causeth all the Earth to make an Image to that Beast then he causeth all Churches and Common-wealths to frame their State and platforme according to the Image of the Roman Catholick visible Church and therefore he causeth all Christian Princes to erect all their Churches in a Roman Catholick way what is that Metropolitan National Provnciall Diocesan Cathedral and Provincial Churches These are all lively characters of the Roman Catholick Church reserving stil pre-emenency to their mother Catholick Church of Rome but otherwise they are the lively Image of such a Church even as daughters are of their mothers and being overcome with the power of his miracles and deceits and delusions as you heard by the Policy of Canonists by carnall Policy and by their Votaries and by working miracles signes and lying wonders it is a wonder to see what power he had that all the power of the Popedome and of the Catholick Church was in a model and representation drawn in all Churches in Christendome during the time of 42. moneths which is 1260. years and then a great part of his Image was marred in a great part of Christendome but yet he still continues so then there is a lively Image of the Roman Catholick Church though it may be some are drawn from subjection thereunto and yet though they be drawn off from subjection to it yet still the Image and representation is written in the very foreheads of such Churches that is a fourth thing Fiftly He had power to give life to the Image of the Beast what life that it should both speak and cause That as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed How doth he put this life into the Image of this Beast to speak It is to speak with authorty as in verse 5. A mouth speaking great things He would speak and speak with authority that now these Diocesan Metropolitan and Provinciall Churches they can speak with authority as the Roman Catholick Church doth and their words must take place and he puts that life into it by his own canons and laws which they take up the canons and laws made by the Church of Rome do so animate Provincial and Diocesan Churches that they speak the same language not altogether so corrupt but with like authority and require like subjection of all persons and by your leave they grow to it for very conscience sake that those things which were indifferent before yet being laws of the Church now they must binde conscience this is to speak great things Now they have power likewise to cause as many as will not worship the Image of the Beast they shall be killed a signe none of them took that power like the beast but yet though they have not power to kill them yet to deliver them to the Secular power and they must kill them â— whatever the Diocesan Church doth agree on against her Hereticks that will not obey the Government or doctrine of the Church what then The deliver him to the Secular power then they cause him to be put to death and they deliver him to fire and faggot so you see the mighty power of this Beast There is one thing remaining of his power and that is the sixth and last effect He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads Kings and Princes Ministers and Clergy men as they call them high and low whatever they be he causeth them all to receive a character or marke either in their right hand or in their foreheads A marke in the hand that character themselves call an indelible character and
an admirable honour they put upon the Church of Rome and upon the Head of it what ever the first Beast did the second Beast also did and so in worshipping the one they worshipped the other and in admiring one they admired both 4. They expresse their admiration in this that they will undertake establishing of Laws from the Sea of Rome and persecution of such godly persons as did not submit such as were different in their minds from the Catholick Church if they never so little swerve from that they undertook to execute the Laws of the Church And if the Church declared him him to be an Heretick there was no more to do the Common-wealth presently put him to death And as they took upon them persecution of their Subjects at home so the Subjects took upon them to depose their Princes and might depose them if they would not submit their power to the Pope so that there was no subsisting without submitting to them And which is a branch of this they undertook a vast and costly War abroad against the common Enemy the Turke whereas in very deed whilst the Pope stands it is not possible any War should prosper against him for it was for the sinne of Rome that the Turk was advanced a barbarous and beastly Enemy to punish a beastly Religion This was their admiration And all the world wondered after the Beast He meanes as he expounds himselfe ver 8. Those whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb. They that were redeemed from the world they were not of the world though they lived in it but those in the world that were of the world they did honour this beast and were subject to him and gave all their devotion to the Catholick Church And when I say all the world I meane all the Christian world which was the visible face of the world the reputed world These barbarous Nations were not then so owned but as for the Eastern world they were all willing to give way to this transcendant Usurpation of the Bishop of Rome in a generall Councell at Asia They looked at the reigning and Imperiall City of Rome as the chiefest Seate of the Catholick Church the highest throne of that Church and were content that no Councell should be ratified but by him If hee ratified a Councell in so many Canons it was established if he did not then they were not and the Emperors were willing it should be so because they found insufficiency in themselves to maintaine the Royal City of Rome against barbarous Nations And therefore they thought it State-policy to maintain the Bishop of Rome and let him grow up to as great power as he could It was as they thought the preservation of their State but it was indeed their ruine so they willingly gave their power to the beast Now the barbarous Nations that had not forsaken the Country and had builded them houses they that were not driven out as many rested in some parts of the Empire they willingly closed with such a Religion as was pretty savoury to their apprehensions they began to comply with it and put their necks under it Charles the Great having received the Kingdome of France from the Pope he did his best endeavour to bring the people to yeeld themselves but the people were somewhat sowr and rugged that way to be wrought upon Therefore the Pope had another sophistry to help himselfe He sends three Apostles Gregory the Great he was one Apostle that he sent for England and he brings great Reformation that is he sways the whole State to the Bishop of Rome and those that would not yeeld were miserably slaughtered And Bonifacius he did the like in Genevah and in France and Denmarke and Germany And where ever the world was Christian it was now Catholick all submitted to the Church of Rome and so by this means all the world admired him they received doctrine and worship from Rome they will goe for pardon of Sin thither They make Pilgrimages to Rome Appeals to Rome From thence they receive their fundamental Constitutions Dispâ—nsations Persecutions deposition of Princes They receive and undertake generall war from thence for the recovery of the holy Land And in one word in such admiration the Beast of Rome was that it was a Proverb among them He ruled all the world and therefore he ruled all the Churches and was esteemed to be God on Earth Thus did all the world wonder after the Beast and admire him and so did they also hiâ— power They did excâ—â—dingly admire his power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make warre with him It is not cleare adoration but it is an attributing to the Beast that which is peculiar to God Who is like unto the Lord our God Exod. 15. 11. It is a style of the high and mighty God This admiration of this wonderfull power and holinesse it is now added to the Pope Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make warr with him Who is the Lord of hosts but our God as if he were invincible For they had found that when some of the Grecian Emperours that had given their power to the Beast did vary in point of judgment as they did not love to take up the worship of Images then the Beast is offended and excommunicates him and deprives him of his Empire and gives it to Charles the Great takes away the Kingdome of France puts him into a Monastery removes Fredericke first and second And what he did with King John of England you know He deprived him of his Kingdome and hee makes some of them do very hard penance whiles he was solacing himselfe with his Harlot She being more compassionate then he besought his Holinesse to have compassion on him and so he sent him back yet afterwards they made him away And his Son when they came to Crown him it must be with the Popes foot and when he hath done he dasheth it off to shew that he hath power to take it as easily from him as to fell it from his head Though great men and greatly beloved of the people all is nothing if they be alienated from the Pope All mens affections are his when he turns the whole body turns when the head moves the whole body doth accordingly So that it was marvellous admirable power that he had whom he would he set up and whom he would he pulled downe Peter he said gave it to him and he did what he would to those that were on the earth this is great power They professe if their holy Father carry many millions of soules to Hell yet no man must say Sir why do you so All appeals were from him so that there is transcendant soveraign power and indeed divine such as no man can attaine Power to pardon sin power to bind Conscience to dispence with the Law of God to interpret and judg of Scripture as he sees cause and this
is such power as is far above the reach of man None of them all have such power as he not those that are called Gods So they admire his power what he can do to inward or outward man to publique or private States And they do not only admire the Catholick Church and the head of it and adore them but in both these they adore the Dragon that gave all this power to the Beast The meaning may be exprest in two branches 1. The Dragon is expressed as animating heathen Rome for that hath seven heads and ten horns which are the armes both of heathen Rome and of this Beast Now he is called the Dragon as he acted heathen Rome and as he was Lord of heathen Rome he gave all this power to the Pope For they thought it meet since it was the Imperiall City when it was Pagan that therefore it should be the mother of all Churches And being the Imperial City it was the bloud-sucker of many millions of the souls of Gods servants that caused the Dragon to put that honour upon Rome 2. But that is not all There is another branch comes neerer the full meaning of the Text that was for the honouring of the Bishop of Rome and of the Catholick Church viz. taking another doctrine for the Gospell their Idolatry for pure worship their Government for the discipline of Christ their pardons for Justification of sinne by Christ In all this they doe indeed give true worship to the Dragon for what are all these but Images they are none of Gods Ordinances if you referre them to the heads of Scripture they are but Images of Christ In stead of the Ministery of Christ you have doctrines of men In stead of justification by the righteousnesse of Christ you have justification by works In stead of pardon of Sin from Christ you have it from the Pope All things are in another forme an Image of another forme set up devised contrary to what the word establisheth Now you shall finde this to be true if you doe vary from the kingdome of God and Christ then you worship the Dragon You read in 2 Chron. 11. 15. Jeroboam ordained him Priests for the high places and for the Devils and for the Calves which he had made he had no Preists but for the golden Calves and what were they they were but Images and his intendment was not to bring in another object of worship but another manner of worship Jeroboam worshiped Jehovah in Images which God had not appointed and so he worshipped the Divill and not God And you shall read when the Turke was brought in to revenge the Idolatry of Christendome Rev. 9. 20. It is said The people that were not cut off with the plague they repented not of the worke of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and brasse and Stone and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk which shews that when men worship Images that is God in Images it is not God that is so worshipped but the Divill and all such worship doth not advance the kingdome of God but the kingdome of the Devill therefore it is reall honour to him and therefore this their taking all this vast honour all Churches receiving all from them is none of Gods Institution but the Devils practice for it was the Devill that gave him his power and great authority Therefore saith the holy Ghost they worshiped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the beast This worship of the beast they gave it all to him that gave this power to him which was to the Dragon and therfore you read that he had the key of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9. 1 2. And he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth There went out Monks Friars and a rabble of all superstition Now if you shall aske the reason why people upon the healing of this wound did so mightily admire both the visible Catholick Church and the head of it and adore both and Satan himselfe in both The reason was First from the wrong Interpretation of some Scriptures which were very frequent with them in those dayes and are still and that was that the Catholick Roman Church was builded upon a rock and that rock was the Bishop of Rome and into his hand the Lord Jesus by Peter had given the keys of the kingdome of Heaven and these keys had absolute universall power to binde on Earth and upon his binding on earth Christ would bind in heaven this was an error in judgment that did so possesse their hearts that upon the healing of this wounded head all the world did admire him Therefore Bellarmine makes a large discourse Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone and they that trust in him shall never be confounded and so never was there any man that was an enemy to the Catholick Church but was confounded nor never did any man stand for the Catholick Church but was preserved and so they did admire him A great inundation of barbarous Nations were all driven out by the piety of the Bishop of Rome they were able to overturn the Emperors of the East and it was overturned and bring them to his feet and all to be at his disposing This was some confirmation to them that he was the successor of Peter that now whoever is saved it must be by the power of this key or else never look for any saving in this world A second reason may be taken from the correspondency and plausablenesse of such a kinde of Religion and Government to carnall reason especially when it is subdued by any terrors of consceence for it was a season and that held many years together wherein the Priests Friers and Monks had marvellous power to sting the consciences of men with the loathsomnesse of their sinne in the sight of God and they had admirable dexterity therein These foure things were all the matter of their Sermons Vertue and vice Heaven and Hell If you be vertuous then you shall go to Heaven If you be vicious then you must go to Hell Now they would so convince mens consciences and upon conviction binde the conscience under terror as eternally shut out of Heaven for want of virtue which they had not that indeed when these mens consciences are thus perplexed and wounded here is a Religion that findes them so many salves and medicines as ease the power but not remove the cause of the disease that is they set men a course well though you be vicious and though Hell be dreadfull yet Purgatory may ease you by Prayer and you may be dispensed with from going to Hell especially by the Popes pardon or by your own workes by your confessions by selfe-whippings and scourgings or by going a Pilgrimage you may be