Opinions and vomited forth the Blasphemies of the old hereticks and chiefly of the Anthropomorphites Sabellians Nestorians Sadduceans Alexander Ross in the Epistle to the Reader before his animadversions Arabeans Taceans or Euchratites Manichaeans Mahometans and others the like wicked Hereticks All which Errors Heresies and Blasphemies the said Rosse hath observed and quoted the very Chapters where they were to be found and seen in the said Leviathan and hath in his animadversions most religiously and learnedly like a good Servant of Christ confuted the same to whom I refer my Reader to be more fully satisfied in every point And so the Reverend Bishop Hall hath somwhat shewed the Errors Heresies Blasphemies Bishop Hall in his revelation unrevealed Absurdities and Confusions that sprang amongst us and these Sectaries have brought into this Church of Christ And so likewise no doubt but many other Divines have observed and confuted the Blasphemie of these Beasts that have so divided the seamless Coat of Christ and brought such a confusion into his Church And letting pass the multiplicity of errors dissentions and absurd conclusions that have now lately crept into these Dominions about the Government of the Commâ—â—-wealth when some would have it a Monarchy others no Monarchy some desire it to be Aristocratical others Democratical and others Anarchical no Government at all If all the foresaid errors and all other sorts of heresies and blasphemies be not the undeniable marks and notes and the Causers of the greatest confusion and division that can be among Christians in the Faith and Doctrine that they do profess and if every Parish-Priest in order or without order becoming absolute like a Pope in every Congregation without any subordination to superiour Governours as the Independant Anabaptists and Lay Preachers would have it doth not breed the greatest confusion that can be in the Discipline and Government of the Church I leave it to any wise man to determine it and to judge whether the Popes Traditions or the Turkes Alcoran or the Jews fabulous Targum can bring more Sects and divisions and cause greater confusion among the people than these Sectaries and Hereticks have scattered and produced in our Church Objection But here it may be some Presbyterian will object against me for making the Region of division and confusion to be that great City of Babylon that is spoken of in the Revelation and is the place and City where the Antichrist shall enthrone himself and say to me as S. Bernard doth in the like case to Abaylardus that answered him quod omnes Patres sic ego autem non sic that although all the Fathers thought so as S. Bernard said yet he thought not so therefore that I must with Acetâ—erigere mihi scalam set up a Ladder for my self alone to ascend and climb up to the high top of this great Mystery the understanding of what place is meant by this Babylon Author Romae ruinae finalis Anno 1666 when as most of the Expositors of this Point and Place both old and new Papists and Protestants as you may see them produced in heaps by the author of Romae ruina finalis Anno Domini 1666. which is dedicated inclitissimo D. O. Protectori do by Babylon there spoken of literally understand the City of Rome and no other place but Rome and I expound it not so grammatically as they do for any special place or City but altogether mystically for the great City of this world and especially for that part of the world where most errors heresies divisions and confusions are spread and do infest both the Church and Common-wealth And why should I think to be believed before all the rest Or what revelation have I had to understand it better than they did Respon To this I answer 1. That the Particulars of the Person time place and other adjuncts of the great Antichrist are tendered unto us every where in the Scriptures as Prophesies and as Mysteries sealed up obscure and not manifested nor to be understood many times by the Prophets themselves until they be fulfilled and are made known by evident and plain event which as I said before is the best exposition upon all Prophesies And therefore as Bishop Morton saith in excuse of the Fathers concerning their erring in this very case of the Antichrist the ignorance or mistaking of those things Bishop Montagu in his apello Caes c. 5. p. 146. which cannot possibly be understood before the time of their accomplishment in the last daies can no waies be held prejudicial to the wisdom and judgment of the Fathers of former times nor the receding from them can be said to be a fault or presumption in us when we see things otherwise fulfilled than they thought Tilenus exeges de Antichristo 73. p. 21. because as Tilenus saith very well aliud est latentem Antichristum non posse agnoscere aliud revelatum nolle adspicere it is one thing not to know the Antichrist while he lieth hid before he cometh into the world or to know the place or time of his coming before he cometh for so neither the Fathers of old nor the Protestants of latter years though never so learned could rightly and infallibly discern either who he was or at what time and in what place he should arise untill they saw him and it is another thing to refuse to know him or to take notice both of him and of the place where he is when he plainly appeareth and is made manifest to as many as are willing to take notice of him Dr. Hackwill in his Preface to his Book of Gods Providence 2. I say with Dr. Hakewel that sometimes an error and mistaking of a point hath been conceived and delivered by some man of note and worth both for learning and judgment and then the same error hath by the succeeding Schollers been generally imâ—taced and received for a truth sine judicio as Mr. Calvin saith in the like case anâ— without further search or discussion into the nature and ground of the matter and in such a case we ought to accept and follow a late and newly delivered truth and recede from the old and ancient error though never so generally imbraced by the former Authors rather than to continue in a generally received error because truth whensoever and by whomsoever discovered is to be received and preferred before error how anciently or how generally soever it hath been delivered §. 3. The Antichrist will accomplish and fulfill all the Prophesies and do all the things that are foretold us should be done by the Antichrist and that being but an insipid speech to say mallem cum Socrate errare quam cum aliis verè sentire 3. The Antichrist having seen the rebellion and apostacy of the Church and now growing strong by the division and confusion that is both in the Church and State wherein he inthroneth himself as in the seat of his Majesty
expended and consumed yet certainely to their Offices and dignities with some competency of estate to support their dignities which they shall obtaine in despight of the beast and all his followers for their Enemies shall see them saith the Text though they were brought to that pass in a Cloud that is by a misterious and an unperceived way and they shall not be able to hinder them because they shall be advanced and lifted up into their places by a Cloud and in a Cloud which signifieth an innumerable multitude of Gods Servants that shall unite themselves together to re-establish the two Witnesses and to advance the Kingdome of Christ against the Antichrist And therefore it is immediately added v. 13. v. 13. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very self same houre that is wherein the Witnesses shall ascend up to Heaven that is to take their places and dignities in the Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was or there shall be a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell or shall fall for in the Prophetick stile things to come are spoken of for the certainty of their fullfilling in the present or perfect tense as if they were already past and in the Earth-quake were slaine or shall be slain of men 7000. Where by the way What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth you must observe that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moveo to move doth not properly signifie an Earth-quake but simply any quaking or motion and may be referred to any matter as head heart City Kingdome or Commonwealth And this I conceive to be also fulfilled and by the figure Synecdoche it is specially used to signifie an Earthquake and therefore the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this expression is that when the two witnesses that were killed shall in their successors be listed up to their offices of government both of the Church and Commonwealth there will be a great quaking and fear and shaking in the Land and a grievous stir among the multitude and perhaps a commotion or an insurrection or at the least a mighty discontent and murmuring among the enemies of the witnesses and of the people against the Antichrist and his party and in all likelihood whensoever and in what place soever the stir and commotion shall happen to be it will begin among the Antichrist his own party either his Souldiers or adherents or some others of his chief Commanders And the Angel saith eodem v. that in the same stir and commotion and discontent the tenth part of the City that is of that great City where the Lord was crucified and the witnesses lay dead in the streets thereof that wicked Sodom and hypocriticall Hierusalem fell that is from the Antichrist and that is but a very small number out of a very great City What is meant by the tenth part of the City or else it may signifie the tenth part of the servants abettors and followers of the Antichrist that adhered unto him in that City Church or Kingdom where the two witnesses were slain shall fall away from him and assist him no further in his Antichristian proceedings against the Servants of Christ because they shall by that time perceive his hypocrisie and how themselves were deluded by his dissembling pretences of piety and if thus it be understood yet this is but a small discession from him and he need not much care to loose one part of ten he may do mischief enough with the other nine parts M. Mede p. 24. and therefore I do rather approve of Mr. Medes interpretation that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tenth part of the City we may understand the tribute of the Antichrist the Taxes and Contributions that are imposed upon the people to maintain the warre to pay the Souldiers and to defray all the other expences of the Antichrist which are usually the tenth part of their estates at the least which will be denied unto him And the falling away of this part may be to some prejudice unto him and cause some stir and commotion indeed The chiefestcause of the Earthquake or commotion because neither Warre nor Souldiers can be maintained without money nor the nine parts of the City stick unto him without their pay and I conceive that the deniall of those Taxes Contributions and Excises will be the prime cause of that commotion dissention and difference betwixt the Commanders of the Antichrist for want of their pay and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that stir quaking motion or commotion and discontents were slain of men saith our Translation heads of men saith Junius names of men saith the Text 7000. the meaning is the same videlicet that in the stir tumult and commotion which shall happen among the Souldiers of the Antichrist and about the time of the setting up of the witnesses and the deniall of the Tribute and pay to the Souldiers 7000 men which may signifie a great many men shall be slain That men may be said to be killed two manner of wayes and it may be the meaning is that they shall be civilly killed that is onely excluded from their places and offices and become of no power or authority being disbanded and scattered because they did contest one with another and oppose and withstand the rising of the witnesses for as here amongst us the two witnesses of Christ 1. The Monarchy and Magistracy 2. The Hierarchy and Episcopacy were not all corporally slain but onely the King as the head and chief of the Magistrates and the arch Bishop as the prime and first of the Hierarchy and the rest both of the Magistracy and Ministry were onely mystically and civilly slain by their suppression silencing and taking away their meanes and offices from them so I conceive that in the stir muttering and discontent for putting down the witnesses and in the desire and workings to set them up again to revive them How the enemies of the witnesses shall be slain and restore them to their places and dignities some few of the grand opposers of the Monarchicall Government shall be corporally put to death or kill'd and the rest that will be very many exprest here by the number of 7000 Chiestains Officers and their adherents shall be onely cashiered displaced and their Commissions and power taken from them and so mystically and civilly slain And those 7000 men that shall be either thus mystically slain or according to the letter corporally killed in that commotion and for their opposition against the rising of the witnesses are not of the common sort of men but Chiestains and Officers and all men of name of note and account such as the Companions of Corah were termed men of renown in the Congregation so shall these men be Numb 16.253 The great multitude of the followers of the Antichrist men famous in the
Army and for their service unto the Antichrist capita hominum heads of the people and ring leaders of the seduced multitude Where by the way you may yet take notice of the great malice of Satan against Christ and the great power of the Antichrist against the witnesses of Christ that he should have such a number of men of note to assist him to overthrowe the Servants of Christ for though among 600 thousand men that came out of Egypt Exod. 12.37 there were but 250 men that rose up and rebelled against Moses and Aaron yet here is 7000 men of renown that stand up and fight and are slain for the Antich to withstand the witnesses and to hinaer them to obtain their Offices and places and if so many men of note be slain what a multitude of other inferiour men of no note may be slain and of others that fight and assist the Antichrist against the witnesses are not slain But it may be the number of 7000 doth signifie as I said a great many That the number of 3.7 and 10. do very often signifie many because the number of 3 and of 7 and of 10 hath very often none other importance then a great deal or a great many as in St. Jude the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints so in St. Matth. 12.45 and in St. Luke 8.2 the number of 7 betokeneth many and so I rather conceive the meaning of these words 7000. men were slain to be that a great many were slain and not that the just and full number of 7000 men were to be slain in that commotion And it may be likewise conceived that all these 7000 or great many names of men that were to be slain or annihilated and undone in that commotion are not all of the Antichrist his party but rather so many and such a great number should be slain of both parties which is the likeliest interpretation Yet howsoever whether you understand the words literally for the full number of 7000 men or mystically for a great many * Or 7 that should be in the stead of 7000. The love of Christ to his servants and his power to desend them greater then the malice and power of Satan to hurt them or whether you understand them all of both parties or all of the Antichrist party you may here observe a greater love of Christ unto his witnesses then the malice of Satan can be against them and the power of Christ far greater and better able to protect and to set up his witnesses and to overthrowe their enemies then the Antichrist can possibly have to destroy them or to hinder their restauration for to the comfort of the witnesses and of all others the Servants of Christ St. Cyprian that was himself a Martyr and a faithfull witness of Christ saith most truly that non plus valet addejiciendum terrena paena quam ad erigendum divina tutela the Lamb that standeth on Mount Sion is far more able to protect us then the roaring Lion is to overthrowe us and Christ is far more powerfull to raise his witnesses then the Antichrist is or can be to hinder their rising and therefore were the Souldiers of the Antichrist and the followers of the beast 70 times 7000. And I demand if the adversaries of the King and Bishops be not affighted to see them restored yet they should be subdued and slain in this Earthquake rather then the witnesses of Christ should be hindered to ascend up into Heaven and to be restored to their offices and places for so the Angel testifieth that the witnesses ascended up in a Cloud unto Heaven and 7000 heads or names of men were slain in the Earthquake and the remnant were affrighted as well they might to see how gracious the Lord is to assist his servants and how powerfull to overthrow his adversaries that will oppose and suppress his witnesses and they that is the witnesses gave glory to the God of Heaven which is indeed the God of his Church more especially then he is the God of any other place or people whatsoever And then saith the Angel When the second woe shall passe away when the witnesses are restored and their enemies subdued the second woe shall be past and the Saints and servants of Christ will give thanks and prayse unto God as they have most just cause to do as for all things else so likewise more especially for overthrowing their enemies and restoring the witnesses of Christ to erect and build up the Temple of God by serving God with the right service and preaching his word truly unto the people as you see they do from this 14. verse unto the end of this Chapter But lest the restored witnesses A good lesson both for the King and Bishops and the Church and the rest of Gods Servants should grow secure after they had overcome these great troubles that with great constancy they had passed through they must still be exercised and trained up in gymnatio patientiae in the School of afflictions and therefore the Angel addeth that although the second woe be past when the witnesses are restored and the 7000 men slain yet behold saith the Angel and consider it well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third woe cometh quickly And this woe I take to be the last woe that shall fall upon the Sons of men The last woe upon whom and when to fall and under which the Lord God will powre out the 7 last vialls of his wrath upon the Antichrist and his adherents and upon the false Prophet and upon all prophane worldlings and wicked Hypocrites and in some respects upon very many of the true Servants of God and the witnesses of Jesus Christ as failing in the same Ship and being commorants in the same City among the wicked and perhaps soiled in some measure with the manners and evill practices of the world and therefore must partake in some kind of the plagues and punishments that God powreth down like rain upon the wicked and then that is after the powring out the Vials of Gods wrath the mystery of God which he hath declared to his servants the Prophets shall come to an end and be fully finished as the Angel testifieth to our Evangelist Revel c. 10. v. 6. 7. c. 10. v. 6 7. And this mystery of God I conceive to be with the favour of them that think the contrary not the restauration and calling of the Jewes and the other ten Tribes of Israel as Dr. Willet E. H. and some other learned men do imagin The fictions of the Presbyterians and Jesuites in mistaking this mystery of God 1 Tim. 3.16 nor the reformation of the relapsed gentile Churches and the destruction of the Papacy Turcisme and Mahometisme as others of our late Presbyterians do as fondly conceit nor yet the overthrowe of the Popish Antichrist set forth by Sanders Bellarmine and others but the great mystery of
and his love towards his Church and Servants is such and so great that he sheweth himself to be Psal 46.1 as the Prophet speaketh deus in oportunitatibus a good God most gracious in the most needfull time of trouble for as soon as the Dragon began to persecute the woman after that he was thrown out of Heaven and cast unto the earth God gave unto the woman two wings of a great Eagle that she might flie away into the Wilderness into her place v. 14. c. 12.6 Two speciall things to be observed v. 14. which was the place that was prepared by God for her to secure her from the Dragon v. 6. touching which wings we are to consider these two speciall things that is 1. What these two wings be 2. Why they were given unto the woman and 1. We may well understand these two wings are not the Magistrates and the Ministers as E. H. thinketh and some others with him because now in this persecution of the woman and the rest of her Children the true members of the Church the two witnesses are likewise persecuted and killed and do lie dead and unburied all the while that the woman is persecuted and therefore they could not possibly help the woman to flie away Mr. Mede p. 64. Neither are these two wings of the Eagle the Eastern and the Western Empire as Mr. Mede imagineth because the East Empire at the time of this persecution of the woman had wholly apostatized from Christ and was become another enemy unto the woman and the West Empire under the Papacy was no faithfull friend but had anathamatized the true Church that is thus persecuted by the Dragon and therefore I do rather conceive that these two wings are 1. 1. Observation What are the two wings that are given to the woman 1 Pet. 3.16 Faith by which we escape all the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 1.16 2. Good works and an holy conversation which stops the mouth of the wicked as St. Peter saith or rather because their mouthes that hereby should be stopped will not be stopped but will traduce and slander Innocency it self as the Jewes slandered Christ himself in whose mouth was found no guile these two wings may be said to be 1. Constant patience 2. Fervent Prayers Patience 1 1. Patience manfully to suffer whatsoever it should please God to permit the Dragon and his Instrument the beast to inflict upon her for not onely Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas patience makes every burthen to seem lighter then it is and helps us to bear that which we cannot shun but also vincit qui patitur by a patient suffering we overcome the greatest maladies as Christ himself by his suffering overcame all his and our enemies and therefore si vis vincere disce pati if thou wilt overcome this Dragon and conquer this beast arm thy self with patience Prayers 2 2. Prayers fervently and constantly made to the Almighty God that he would assist her and strengthen her to endure faithfull against all the assaults of Satan and in his good time to deliver her from them for the time would be too short and my papers too scant if I should go about to set down Nothing so powerfull to obtain what we desire as fervent and constant prayers what great things have been obtained and what wonderfull things have been brought to passe and effected by the power of prayer when as a Father saith haec est victoria quae vincit mundum preces nostrae this is the victory that overcometh the world and will overcome the Dragon even our prayers And these be the two wings of the great Eagle that is most able and powerfull to flie and to escape and I know no graces more powerfull then these two whereby the Church and all her members have alwayes and shall ever through Gods help which their prayers will obtain be able to persist in the true faith and right service of God and likewise to discharge all other duties that they owe both to the witnesses and to all other men during their lives maugre all the spite of the Dragon and the persecution of the beast and likewise to escape all their malice and mischief and therefore let us ever pray to God and be patient and contented 2. We are to observe 2. Observat To what end the two wings were given to the woman that the Holy Ghost omitteth not to explain the reason and the end why God gave these two wings unto the woman not onely to fly away and to escape from the violence of the Dragon but more especially to be noted that she might flie into the Wilderness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into her place which God had formerly prepared for her therefore it is apparent that she was now come out of the Wilderness and out of the place and as the Children of Israel left their Tents where Moses was and joyned themselves to Baal-Peor so no doubt but she had left the Wilderness and the heavenly life that she should have led Had not the Church offended in stepping out of her place she had not been afflicted and associated her self too much with the world and worldly men which is the cause of her persecution and the inflicting of the second woe upon her which she might have escaped had she continued in her place because no punishment cometh untill a transgression proceedeth the sin goeth before and the correction followeth after so the woman came out of her place and the Dragon was permitted to whip her into her place and therefore this is a second passage of the woman into the Wilderness which being not well observed hath made many Interpreters to mistake the times and the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this place But seeing her coming out of her place is the cause of her present woe and of the persecution of the Dragon by the meanes and malice of the beast let her quickly if she would be preserved and escape the flood of waters and afflictions that the Dragon sâ—ueth after her get again into the Wilderness and return into her place and continue faithfull in her Christian Profession and the discharging of her duties both to God and man because the neglect thereof hath been the cause of all her troubles at all times whatsoever And let her and all her Children the members of the Church How God looketh upon the afflictions of his people the sconer and the rather do this because that to incourage her to continue constant in the right service of God and to honour the witnesses so religiously as she ought to do God locked down from Heaven and considering the great wrath of the Dragon and the flood of all miseries that by the service of the beast he had cast after the woman as he looked upon the afflictions of his people when they were in Egypt and sent Moses for to help them so now in this
the holy City under foot as the Holy Ghost setteth down the time in the self same phrase c. 11.2 But Mr. Mede excepts against this time of three years and a half because all the things that are to be acted in the time of the Beast could not be performed in so short a time as that 1. Ten Kingdoms to be founded in that time 2. Peoples and Nations and Tongues to become to serve the Beast 3. To make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Mr. Medes exception against the continuance of the Beast three years and a half Sixfold The foresaid exceptions answered To cause all that dwell upon the earth to worship the Beast 5. The whore of Babylon to ride the Beast so long that all Nations shall drink the wine of her fornication and the merchants that had ships should grow rich by trading with her And 5. That the time of the Beast followed immediately after him that is said to continue but a short space c. 17.10 therefore if the time of the Beast be but three years and a half how short must the other that preceded him be or doth not this expression of his precedents short space imply that the other which is the Beast should continue a long space when the Holy Ghost doth insert so singular a note of difference to the time of the former from the time of the latter To which I answer that all the things requisite to be acted in the time of the Beast may very well be accomplished as we see it already acted within three years and a half for 1. There is no such thing to be done as the founding or setting up of 10. 1. Exception answered Kingdoms as I shewed to you before But Mr. Mede produceth many Authours of the old Fathers to prove that the Beast should rise when 10. Kings should spring out of the Roman Empire and that was in Anno 456. when Gensericus took the City of Rome I confess that divers of the ancient Fathers supposing that the Roman Empire was that 2 Thes 2. which the Apostle meaneth to be the lette which hindered the rising of the Antichrist and therefore prayed in their Liturgies that the Roman Empire might long continue Tertul. in apolog cap. 32. Aug. de civit dei l. 20. c. 19 that the coming of the Antichrist might be deferred and be long before it came did imagin that when the Empire should be shared among 10. Kings the Beast would then shew himself as you may see in St. Hierome in Dan c. 7. and ad Ageruchiam de monogamia and in Ireneus l. 5. c. 21. 25. and others But the Roman Empire being not the thing that hindered the rising and the manifesting of the man of sin that is the Beast who is the Antichrist it followeth not that the Beast must then rise when the Empire falls to be divided among those 10. E. H. de Antichristo part 3 p. 114 Kings for the stop and remora that hindered the man of sin to be revealed is clearly and sufficiently proved by E. H. to be not the Roman Empire but the two witnesses that were as a Serpentine barre in his way that he could not rise and tyrannise over Gods flock untill they were killed and you know when they were killed as I have shewed to you before 2. I say that peoples and Nations and Tongues 2d Exception answered might well serve the Beast in a lesse time then three years and a half as we see they have done to the long Parliament 3. He might as Antiochus that was his type did warre with the Saints 3d Exception answered and overcome them in that or lesse then that time and the issue of that Parliaments Warre ending much about that time proves this to be true 4. He might by an hyperbolicall speech which is not unusuall in the Scripture 4th Exception answered cause all that dwell on the Earth that is to cause abundance of people and most of his Neighbour Nations to worship him that is to reverence and to respect him to send Embassadors unto him and to court him for otherwise all that dwell on the Earth will never worship him nor reverence him as the true Servants of Christ that never did nor ever will and therefore by all that dwell on the Earth we must understand all the earthly minded men or else as the Evangelists say Matth. 3.5 Mark 1.5 there went out to John Baptist all Judaea and all the Region round about Jordan that is most of the people of those parts or a great many out of all the parts of Judaea and this we have seen done in lesse then three years to the long Parliament 5. It is not requisite that Babilon or the Whore should ride the Beast 5th Exception answered so long as Mr. Mede saith neither doth the Text alot any time nor determine how long the Whore should ride the Beast but saith I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured Beast c. 17 3. 5. And I will tell thee the mystery of the woman verse 7. and the Beast that carrieth her and this doth not shew but that the Whore which signifieth the superstitious and Idolatrous Church might be of a long continuance and yet that she hath not rid the Beast all that while for I do not find that the beginning of the Whore and of the Beast do synchronize and are of the same time but that the Whore began to play the harlot that is the Church began to apostatize long before the Beast rose out of the Sea and when the Beast did rise and began to appear then the Whore began to ride him the meaning of which riding I shall hereafter declare unto you 6. I say that the precedent Kings continuance is termed a short space 6th Exception answered not in opposition to the long space of the Beast but for the consolation of those distressed Christians that suffered under that seventh King and I shewed you that Julian which I conceive to be understood by that seventh King continued not in all his whole Reign and likely not so much in persecuting the Saints above three years which certainly is but a short space neither doth it follow that because this is said to continue a short space it implieth that the other shall continue a long space nor that the Holy Ghost doth insert this as a singular note of difference of the formers time Why the Holy Ghost saith the Antichrist should continue a short space from the time of the latter but that the spirit of God for the comfort of his Servants foretells them that as well this as the other shall continue but a short space God having alwayes this respect to his Children Si languor longa sit levis est Si gravis brevis est when their afflictions are long as the Israelites vexation in Egypt and in Babilon was then are they but light and when
the Civill State decayed and the Power of the Emperors was so usurped and transferred unto the Pope because this Power which they now unjustly exercise was the just Power of the Emperor and of other Kings whom the Pope and his Cardinalls subjected Volater l 22. Authropolog in Alexand. 3. Hoveden Math. Paris in Reg. Joh. ursburgens in Fred. 1. as the Histories do relate unto themselves Sol. I answer that the Holy Ghost meaneth not that this second Beast took away and usurped the Power and Authority of the first Beast but did all Acts and exercised all his jurisdiction and his function by vertue of the power and under the protection and the countenance that he received by and from the authority of the first beast as the Sheriff exerciseth the power of the King for the service of the King for so the words do plainly intimate that this two horned Beast exercised the Power of the former beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of him or before him that is for the service and to the use and behoofe of the former Beast because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In conspectu Jehovae saith Tremelius 1 Sam. 2.18 is here equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dative case as when it is said that Samuell was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring in the presence of the Lord or before the Lord it signifieth as it is also expressed Cap. 3. 1. that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring to the Lord so this second Beast exercised all the Power of the first Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the use service and setting forward the practises and designes of the first Beast and this appeareth very cleare from the words immediately following in that this second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 13.12 that they should worship the first Beast that is not to ascribe any Divine Honor but to submit themselves to obey and to serve and assist the first Beast And we know the Pope and his Cardinalls and so all the Roman Clergy That the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy cannot be meant by the second Beast cause all the Rulers of the Earth and all the Iuhabitants thereof to worship Honour and serve themselves as those that are most worthy of Honour for the care that they take to save the soules of the people rather and before the other Beast that is the Civill Magistrate which careth onely for our Temporall estates and the things of this present life and therefore deserves not so much worship as the other that by the Testimony of the Apostle are worthyer of double Honour because they labour to bring us to eternall life in which respect we find how the Popes exacted Platâ—na in vita ejus French Epit. p. 93. and required the greatest Kings and Emperors to serve and to worship them as Gregory the third did to Leo Iconomachus Gregory the seventh to Henry the fourth Pope Zachary the first to Childerick King of France Allexander the third to Frederick Barbarossa Celestine the third to Henry the sixth Speed in the life of King John Hoveden Annal p. 2. sub Rich. 1. Innocent to King John Adrian the fourth that made the Emperor to hold his stirrop and the like that you may find in the Annalls and the lives of the Kings and the Emperors and therefore questionless the Pope Cardinalls and Clergy of Rome cannot be understood by this second Beast But all that is here specified and spoken of the second Beast The Parallel That the Assembly of Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay Preachers of the Parliament are the second Beast and the false Prophet doth in every particular point agree and most aptly cohere with the Parliaments Heterâ—geniall and Laâ—dicean Assembly of Divines that sat at Westminster together with their dispersed Disciples wheresoever inhabiting within these Kingdomes and with the swarme of Independant and Lay-Preachers that sprang up since the beginning of that Parliament for these Presbyterian Divines that contrary to their Oathes contrary to the Commands of their King and contrary to their Faith given in the presence of God and in Gods House when they were admitted to Holy Orders and the rest of the Independant and Lay-Preachers have as the Text saith exercised all the Power of the Parliament they sat in Westminster under the wings of the Parliament and with the rest of their Associates wheresoever dispersed trusting to the Power and Protection of the Parliament they Preached Consulted and Determined all things by the Power and Authority and for the service and advancement and behoofe of the Parliament for the overthrowing of the King See also what the Author of the last Will and Testament of Sir John Presbyter saith Edwards in his Gangraena p. 26. the rooting out of the Bishops and the utter defacing of Gods Church And I think all the people of this Land knoweth this to be so true that I need not use any argument to confirm it and so the Independant Sectaries do avouch that the Presbyterian Government is the false Prophet and the Beast here spoken of and the third part of the great Citty Revel 16.19 and on the other side the proud Presbyterians do as confidently aver that the Independants and Lay-Preachers are this Beast and so Clodius accusat moechum Catelina Caethegum and I out of their own mouthes will take it pro confesso and conclude them both to be partes constitutivas the chiefest constituting parts that make up the second Beast That the false Prophet is three foldâ— and the false Prophet And this false Prophet is like the three-headed Cerberus consisting of three speciall branches or three sort of Preachers 1. The Presbyterians And to begin with the last 2. The Independants And to begin with the last 3. The Lay Preachers And to begin with the last 1. The Lay Preachers may rightly be said to be one of the heads of Cerberus and the false Prophet in two speciall respects 1. In respect of his eutrance into his Office 2. In respect of his ignorance to discharge the duties of his Office For 1. 1. The Lay Preacher a false Prophet in two respects 1. His unjust entrance Malach. 2.7 that the Priest is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts and the Apostle tells us that no man taketh this Honour unto himselfe that is to be a Messenger and an Embassador sent from God but he that is called of God as was Aaron and how was Aaron called First by the inward inspiration of Gods Spirit Secondly least he should be mistaken in the inspiration of the Spirit because there are many spirits by the appointment and Ordination of Moses that had his Authority from God to approve of his Vocation and to confirm him in his Priestly Office thus was Aaron called and yet more then this Heb. 5.4 the Apostle saith that Christ himself who is the
and offences in our Church contrary to the Doctrine that we learned and contrary to all the established Lawes of this Land and they would never have disdained to be Canonically subject to their Diocessan Bishops and so make shipwrack of their faith and a good Conscience and through their pride that aspired to be free Masters and no lesse then a Pope in every Parish and through covetousness and hope to share the Episcopall Revenues among themselves so eagerly to have proceeded to deface the most Glorious Nationall Church that was on Earth And as the Apostle bids us to marke them that cause division and offences as he did himselfe by name marke and made known unto the people Hymeneus and Philetus and Alexander the copper smith and as St. John marked Diotrephes and our Saviour Christ the Scribes and Pharisees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Reader judge if this be not fulfilled in the Presbyters that the people might avoid them as they are commanded so I could name to you such Presbyterians that are so earthly so worldly so covetous and such extortioners if printed books say true of them as would make men wonder that any Christians should be such but I love not to throw dirt in any particular mans face onely I let you know that I conceive this to be the meaning of the rising of this beast out of the earth that he is earthly minded as in generall I say and am sure of it the Presbyterians are Then secondly it is said in the same v. 11. 2. What is meant by the two hornes of this beast that this Beast had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two hornes like a Lambe or like unto the Lamb and that is the Lambe which was spoken of in the eighth v. And these two hornes saith Grotius do signifie the chastity and the abstinence of Apollonius and the rest of the Magicians by which vertues so greatly commended by the Christians they made themselves most acceptable unto them but while Grotius applyeth this Prophesie to Domitian and Apollonius as he doth the other of St. Paul 2 Thes 2. to Caius and to Simon Magus he makes the Apostles to Prophesie of things already done and extending themselves no further then their own time which is contrary to the sence of all Expositors and cannot properly be said to be Prophesies as I shewed to you before Mares p. 139. They that mistake this Beast and take him for the Pope do likewise mistake these hornes for the two fold sword the Temporall and the Spirituall Power of the Pope Acosta saith they are insignia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acosta de tempor nouis l. 2. p. 17. the ensignes of the Episcopall Dignity that was expressed by their Miter which seemed like Moses his hornes that were but the radiant beames of Glory which like the sun-beames reflected from his face and forehead when he descended from the Mountain where he had been in conference with Almighty God and this dignity this Beast assumed to himself which was onely peculiar to the Episcopall Function And did not the Assembly of Divines at Westminster The Parallele The Presbyter challenge the Episcopall Dignity and more and every one of the Presbyterians arrogate and challenge this Dignity unto himselfe when he refused to be subject and to be directed by his Diocessan and with the Heretick Aerius did stiffely maintain that there was no difference in Gods word betwixt a Presbyter and a Bishop yes their own writings and the whole Kingdom are sufficient witnesses of this truth yea they affected indeed far more then the Episcopall Power as it hath been fully shewed in the Diurnalls and the weekly intelligence of the Parliament and as King James found it in Scotland and the Independants and Lay-Preachers shall finde it to their cost if ever the Presbyterian Government should be established But Mr. Mede saith that by these two hornes Mr. Mede p 66. we may understand the Power of binding and loosing which Christ left to his Apostles and to their Successors here on earth and which this Beast doth assume unto himsef but if this Power had been here to be understood the Holy Ghost had not said these hornes were like the hornes of the Lambe but that this Beast had the two hornes of the Lamb because the Power of binding and loosing are the two right hornes of Christ Revelat. 3.7 that onely hath the Keyes of David which openeth and no man shutteth and again shutteth and no man openeth and this two-fold Power Christ hath given to his true and lawfull Ministers Cornelius a lapide in loc and they truly and rightly have the two bornes of the Lambe which this beast had not but had counterfeit hornes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the hornes of the Lambe as Cornelius a Lapide well observeth therefore this two-fold Power cannot be here understood But because strength and Power is commonly understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the horne and our Saviour Christ that is here understood by the Lambe shewed his Power while he walked here on earth chiefly in two main things that is The 2 things that are fignified by the two hornes 1. In his Propheticall Office of foretelling things to come 2. In his Supernaturall working of wonders and miracles among the people So this beast pretendeth to be indued with the same double Power of the Lambe as The Paralele Let the reader judge if Presbyters do not arrogate them to themselves 1. Of Foretelling hidden and future things 2. Of Working strange miracles And Though I know the Presbyterians and their associates will deny that they challenge these hornes and the Power of doing these things unto themselves yet res ipsa loquitur let their doings be the Judges of this point 1. To foretell things to come For 1. Do they not presume but most impiously though not directly in words yet obliquely by their deedes to tell you who are Saints and who are sinners who are Elect and who are Reprobates who shall be the Heires of Heaven and who must be the fire-brands of hell not plainly it may be but by their deeds I say it is plainly seen they do it and such knowledge is too excellent for us we cannot attain unto it when the Apostle tells us in plain termes that the Lord 2 Tim. 2.19 and the Lord onely and not any man knoweth who are his that is his Elected Saints They are so well versed in the hearts of men and can so finely distinguish betwixt the Saint and the sinner the elect and the reprobate that herein no Tricotomist can be more acute that shall inherit his Kingdom and yet these wise eagle-sighted Presbyterians contrary to this Testimony of the Apostle when they Administer the Holy Eucharist besides other times at their pleasure can distinguish betwixt the sheepe and the goates and admitting the sheep to partake thereof they can exclude the goates from the
Bellarmine well observeth out of Arâ—thas this beast is said to do his wonders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sight of menj that is so appearing to men whose sight and judgement are thereby deceived for that they do nothing of what they pretend and seemed to do but the things that they do are no such things indeed in the sight of God 4. 4. Difference Whereas true miracles do exceed all naturall causes tam occultas quam manifestas as well the hidden secrets of nature as those causes that are knowen to us and are done onely by the hand and Power of God and therefore they are wonders and not onely in the fight of men but also in the sight of Angells and Devills the wonders of the Antichrist and his adherents the Presbyterians and Lay-Preachers have all of them their naturall causes though they be hidden from the sight and understanding of the people as the victories of the beast and his successes are obtained meerely by his subtle tricks his cunning carriage of the war and the desperate valour of his soldiers God giveth them leave so to prevaile over the pufillanimity and security of his children that offendeth him and they are not obtained by the immediate hand of Gods active Power The Presbyterians gaining so many Proselites to what it is ascribed and a miraclous effecting Providence from heaven as the beast pretendeth and so desperately blasphemeth God in making him the author of all his bloody cruelties and the shedding of all the innocent blood that was spilt which can no wayes stand either with the goodness or justice of God and the Presbyterians winning of so many simple men to follow after them and to become their disciples to believe their erronius heresies and damnable positions it is to be ascribed to their sedulity vehemency and good oratory wherewith Aeschines Demosthenes and Cicero perswaded their Auditors to follow them and not to the powerfull working of Gods Holy Spirit who though for their sins he permitteth the simple people to believe strong delusions and to be misled into most damnable conclusions by this beast yet he never worketh and leadeth them into the same And therefore what Vulteius Remensis saith of some Franciscan Monkes that played many jugling tricks in Orleance Anno 1534. the same may be rightly applyed to these Presbyterians Cum clamat larvas furiosa caterua leonum Infestare suam nocte dieque domum Res vera est falsi larvati denique fratres Quos vestis sanctos prodigiosa facit Sunt lemures larvae furiae vulpesque lupique Qui infestant vitiis seque suamque domum Which I may very well thus translate When Presbyters do cry that scisme and heresie Do spoile the Church of Christ The thing is true for so these Saints in shew Are furious Fiends the limbs of Antichrist That with their Lies and Heresies given in a golden Cup Have poysoned all the whole Flock of Christ And so themselves are the Mischief that have spoyled all things both in the Church and Common-wealth But though all the wonders and workings of this false Prophet be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying wonders and no truth in them yet hereby he deceiveth the people and especially when as the Holy Ghost sayth He maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth Touching which fire What is here meant by the fire that the beast maketh to come down from heaven 1 Reg. 18.38 we must not understand it to be such a fire as Elias brought down to consume the two fifty men that the King sent to fetch him nor such a fire as by his prayers came down to consume the Sacrifice upon Mount Carmel because those fires were true fires and truly miraculously brought down by the Prophet when as the sire that this false Prophet pretendeth to bring down is no such thing neither must we take it for such a fire as Philostratus sayth Apollonius Tyanaeus fetched down from Heaven in the fight of many people because this was some elfe-fire that he procured to appear as the flash of a Meteor by the help and procurement of the Devil when as this false Prophet pretendeth not to bring down any such a fire neither yet can I yeild it should be taken as Mr. Mr. Medes Expofition rejected Mede and others of our late Writers do expound it for the lightnings and thunders of the Popes Buls and Excommunication against those that submit not themselves to him and to his Decrees because as I shewed to you before the Pope and his Cardinals cannot be understood by this false Prophet But I take it as a proverbial Hyperbole for the application of that which was sayd before That this Beast doth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from Heaven The parallel The fire that Christ came to send on earth the Beast pretendeth to bring from heaven because the Jews do commonly attribute so much to the miraculous fire of Elias that they use for all wonderful works proverbially to say He bringeth down fire from heaven sayth Graserus Or else it must be taken as I rather conceive in that sense as our Saviour takes it when he sayth I came to send fire upon the earth because this Prophet would fain seem to imitate Christ and to do all the things that he should do and can do as Christ did and therefore he pretendeth to bring the same fire that Christ brought down and that is the fire of zeal and a most ardent affection to Christ and to the truth of his Religion and this fire the Presbyterians and the Independant and Lay-preachers pretend to bring down from heaven to the earth above all other men whatsoever but in very deed this fire of their is but an ignis fatuus a deceitful fire and their seeming zeal as well as all the rest of their doings is but as the Apostle saith a lying-wonder for the true fire that these men do bring is of another kinde from another place and to another end and that is the fire of hatred and persecution which they bring from Hell Not the fire of persecution and not from Heaven and they bring it into the Church and upon the true Members of Christ and not on the earth but this their fire is not to be understood in this place Reason 1 1. Because the Holy Ghost sayth The Beast bringeth the fire upon the earth that is the earthly minded men whom only he perswadeth to worship the Beast and to adhere unto him as being deceived by his false wonders and this he doth by the fiery zeal of Gods worship which he pretends to bring unto them and the persecution of the Beast is against the Saints and not against these earthly men that by the sight of this fire are perswaded to serve and assist the beast and to afflict the Saints Reason 2 2. Because it is immediatly sayd that hereby he deceiveth them that dwell
Rome for as the Prophet saith that the Lord would search Ierusalem with candles so have our men searched everie corner of Rome that there is not a stone of it unfound out but everie point of the Popes faith Zephan 1.12 and everie act of his Court and of his Councill are all discovered to the world and if I did the like to Constantinople or Paris or Antwerp or London or any other such great Cittie as Rome is Perphaps I should finde as many 25 Particular things therein as he findes in Rome and as many 25 things in other Churches as he found in the Church of Rome But let it be granted that Rome is answerable to Ierusalem and the Pope and his Cardinalls to Christ and his Apostles which is the sum of of his 14. c. yet take it not in his sence but as Aleazar saith utque successit antiquae Hierosolimae in co quod fidelium omnium eaput et metropolis sit effecta and so take the Pope and his Cardinals not as enemies but as successors unto the Apostles and Vicegerent unto Christ then all that he saith is rather an argument to approve and commend them for their desire to imitate Christ and his Apostles then any wayes to condemn them for the Antichrist and for the 25 number of their Cardinals which at first in the time of Clemens were but 15 and then were augmented by Anacletus the 3 Pope or the 2 as some count him and a most holy Martyr within the 1 centurie in anno 94 to 25 and the 25 number of the articles of the Roman faith into which Pope Pius the fourth reduced the sum of the Tridentine Councill as Mr. Potter reckoneth them even as the articles of our Church which we beleeve are augmented to 39 and the 25 gates of Rome which notwitstanding are not agreed by the best authors to be just so many when plinie saith there be but 24 and Liuius saith there be 27. and the 25 figures and characters that he saith are ingraven upon their chiefest Altar and all the other 25 particulars that he collecteth from his authors to belong to any thing either in their Cittie Church or religion as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrarie positions to all the 12 things that are found in the new Ierusalem as the 12 gates 12 angels 12 Tribes 12 foundations 12 thousand furlongs 12 fruites of the tree of life doe no way convince and prove the Pope and his Heirarchie to the beast and the antichrist no more then the Mayor and the four and twenty Aldermen and if I should finde 25 gates and 25 Presbyters and some other 25 particulars either in London or Lisbon or Paris to be the verie seat of the Antichrist But I have been too long in the pursuance of these things that he saith are to be found in Rome and we are better to beleeve him then to goe there to see but I beleeve few wise men upon such an implicite faith of things not apparant nor approved by any of the ancient authors nor understood by verie good scholers except perfect arithmeticians as I take Mr Potter to be will make this inference to conclude the Pope and his Hierarchy to be the beast and the antichrist that is more perspicuously and plainely deciphered and shewed unto us in the holy scriptures which I have applied to nothing but to what wee have seen with our eyes and all men know to be true except the actors of these impieties and those that will be wilfully blinde And so to proceed upon plainer evidences then these arithmeticall ridles to discover the beast unto you 4. The name of Independents is most proper to the antichrist I demand if the verie name of Independants that is usaully and generally given them and by which the prevalent faction of that Parliament was best known and distinguished from the rest of the House and of all other true Christians apostate hereticks and wherein both themselves and their adherents doe so much glorie doth not sufficiently mamanifest the same thing and evidently prove them to be this beast and the antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was prophesied by the Apostles and expected by the Church to come into the world for though in the dayes of Aurelius Bishop of Carthage that lived in the fift centurie there were some that as the Cannon saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest their absurdities and novelties should be discovered refused to submit themselves unto the Councill and so became Independants from the Church of Christ for which cause Aurelius caused them to be removed by the Councill as obstinate and rebellious from all rule and authoritie over the people yet these men never assumed the name of Independants neither was it given them for ought I read by any others because they persisted not in their obstinafie to draw more proselites after them but our Independants of these times as flat and fully oppsite to the Church of Christ are and are so generally termed and taken Independants from the Catholique Church and from every particular nationall Church and therefore they doe gather Churches and congregations unto themselves and in that respect are most properly stiled Independants as fit a name as any is in the world for the followers of the antichrist when as all other creatures men and Angels good and bad and not any of all the former hereticks excepted but that they acknowledged themselves to be entia dependentia not only depending upon him Heb. 1.3 that beareth up all things by his mighty word or the word of his power that is Jesus Christ but also desired to be received into that unitie and to depend upon the communion and society of the Church as Arius that arch heretick made great friends to be admitted into the communion of the Church of Alexandria as Theodoret writeth Theodor. haret fabul l. 4. The paralel But these men as A per se A or as the arctick pole is from the antarchtick so are they fully opposite ex diametro to their head and have assumed and let them have it this antichristian name of Independants they say not from Christ but I say certainly from Christ because it is from the Church of Christ for whosoever hath not the church for his mother 1 pet 3.20 shall never have God for his Father but as all perished by the deluge that were not in Noahs Arke that was the type of the church as St. Peter sheweth so shall they perish everlastingly that are not the members of Christ and of his church and within the communion of Saints which is a speciall article of the christian faith Then 5. The ancient Fathers as St. Aug. upon the words of Christ 5. The great persecution of the Parliament a concomitant signe of the antichrist Aug. de civit Dei l. 20. c. 8. and 9 Hypol. in erat de consumwat mundi Cyrillus cateches 15. Bellarum de rom Pot. l. 3. c. 7. The