the Church of God doth come too near to the formality of Anti-Christianism Antiochus Epiphanes in the Prophecy of Daniel is described as a mighty King or Potentate in the Seleucian Line but when he was not contented with his Power which was great enough but would exalt himself against the Prince of the Host and tread down the Sanctuary and do all things after his own will in this he was a figure of the Antichrist to come Dan. 8. 12. But that we may speak more distinctly in a matter of so great moment we do desire to lay down this necessary caution in the beginning Let us then distinguish betwixt the Essence and the Exercise of the power For the Essence we do willingly acknowledg that the Lord hath ordained Magistrates to be over the people for his own glory and the publick good and that Magistracy is the Ordinance of God Rom. 13. v. 1 2 3. And though he hath not tied any Nation or People so strictly and precisely to this or that particular Form of Government yet his pleasure is That the People should obey the Government that is set over them In this case If they resist the Power they resist the Ordinance of God and draw great guilt upon their Souls for their resisting If we look to the Nation and People of the Jews they did meet with the greatest Changes and Alterations of State yet in each Alteration the will of the Lord was that they should obey the Civil Authority set over them for the preservation of the Publick Peace The hardest Change that they ever met withal was the translation of their State from the house of David yet they were to pray for the peace of the King of Babylon seek the good of the City whither they were carried Captive All this plainly sheweth That Magistracy is the Ordinance of God and the Lord would have his own Command to be observed by his People though they did live under Heathen Kings Secondly we are to consider the Exercise of the Power And here First is the lawful execution and Secondly the exorbitancy and excess of the Power above Law For the lawful use of the Power we do willingly yield That the Supreme Magistrate hath not onely Authority in the Common-wealth but he hath also great Power in and about the affairs of the Church And this thing we have often incuâ—…cated in the Body of the Treatise to wit That the Reign of Christ doth begin upon the Earth when the Kingdoms States and Governments of this World become Nursing Fathers to the Church And so we do affirm That it doth appertain to the Higher Powers to take order that Unity and Peace be preserved in the Church that the Truth be kept pure and intire that horrid Blasphemies be supprest that the Ordinances of God be duly setled that the profane the ignorant and rude body of the People who of themselves would never call upon the Name of the Lord be brought by their Power and Authority to the publick places of Worship For the better effecting of which they have Power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide That whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the minde of God In this sense we may not doubt to say That the Chief Magistrate in every Common-wealth is the Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical that is to say The Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical that do of right appertain to him and do fall under his cognizance by the Law-Divine In the forementioned cases he is the Delegate and Vice-gerent of Christ upon the Earth And this we take to be the lawful Exercise of the Power Thirdly there is the Hyperbole or Excess of the Power when the Magistrate is not contented with his own limits or bounds but shall further endeavor to carry all by Will and Prerogative in the Church of Christ. This is that which comes nearest to the formality of Antichristianism for Antichrist is said to sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God If therefore the Supreme Magistrate shall do the same in the Church of Christ if he shall controll and do all things after his own Will in the house of Christ this is to resemble the Great Antichrist and to do the same in effect which he doth But for this we have a clear example in Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who of all others is noted by Forraign Divines to cry up such an excessive Prerogative of the Kings of England in Causes Ecclesiastical For he did not shun to maintain That it was at the pleasure of the King to abrogate Statutes and institute new Rites in the worship of God yea he further said That it was lawful for the King to forbid the people the use of the Cup in the Lords Supper and the use of Marriage to the Ministers And the â—…round of all this was Because the King was Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical Now in way of opposition to this the Forraign Divines have risen with great indignation These are the words of Dr. Rivet in his Explication of the Decalogue Edit 2. pag. 203. Qui enim Papatus doctrinam adhuc fovebat ut posteà apparuit novum Papatum in personâ Regis erigebat For he meaning Steven Gardiner aforesaid who did as yet nourish the Doctrine of the Papacy as after it appeared did erect a new Papacy in the Person of the King And Calvin in his Commentary upon Amos Chap. 7 ver 13. speaking of them who did ascribe the Title of Supreme Head in Causes Ecclesiastical to Hen. 8. King of England hath these words Hoc me semper gravitèr vulneravit quum vocarent ipsum summum Ecclesiae Caput sub Christo. This hath grievously wounded me always when they called him the Supreme Head of the Church under Christ. He did take this for no other then an incroachment upon the Prerogative of Christ. And he might well do so if we look to the Interpretation of Steven Gardiner aforementioned with whom he had to do But the learned man doth proceed in these words It is certain if Kings do their duty they are both Patrons of Religion and Nursing Fathers of the Church as Isaiah calls them Chap. 49. ver 23. This therefore is principally required of Kings That they use the Sword wherewith they are furnished for the maintaining of Gods Worship But in the mean time there are inconsiderate men who make them too Spiritual and this fault reigns up and down Germany yea spreads too much in these Countries And now we perceive what fruit springs from this root viz. That Princes and all that are in the place of Government think themselves to be so Spiritual that there is no other Ecclesiastical Government And this Sacriledge creeps amongst us because they cannot measure their Office with certain and lawful bounds but are of opinion they cannot reign unless they abolâ—…sh all the Authority of the Church and become the Chief Iudges both in
in the Name of the Lord the trusting upon the Lord himself This doth make good that former rule What the Name of God is that God himself is And so by way of Opposition what the Name of the Beast is that is the Beast himself If he be described as a Mighty King we have cause to take his Name for his Monarchical Power and sovereignty Secondly We often reade in the New Testament of believing in the Name of the Son of God c. we do not then look to the Name Jesus or the Name Christ as though there were any Vertue or Efficacy in the Letters and Syllables of these Names but in this case the sense of each Scripture must govern And therefore when the Apostles do Exhort us to believe on the Name of the Son of God in their sense we are exhorted to believe on the Lord Christ for pardon of sin for help in temptation and for supply in all our wants We must not look to Letters and syllables but to the main sense of each Scripture In like manner when we reade of the Name of the Beast and the Saints overcoming his Name Mark and the Number of the Name we are not here to look to the word Lateinos or any such Grammatical Name but according to the sense of the Prophecie the Name must be taken for the Potency of the Beast as he is Opposed to the Lamb. But let us come more largely to shew some particular Instances out of the Book of the Revelation where the Name of a thing person or state is to be expounded according to the Analogie of the text We read that there were with the Lamb 144000 and that they had their Fathers Name written in their Forehead chap. 14. vers 1. Now these 144000 are set in direct Opposition to the followers of the Beast and their Father's Name written in their forehead is contradistinct to the Mark of the Beast in the forehead and the right Hand Now here sâ—…th there is mention made of the Name of the Father and of his Name written in the forehead of all the followers of the Lamb shall we think therefore that it is made out of the Alphabet or that it is a literal Name Not so we must look here to the main scope of the text and accordingly we must render the meaning of the words They that have their Father's Name written in their forehead are such who in all the times of Antichrist had consecrated dedicated and given themselves up to God the Father to live in subjection to his Commandements and to take him as their sovereign Lord this was the Badge of their outward Profession By the rule of Opposition they that had the Name of the Beast were such as did resign their Obedience to him as to their sovereign Lord And the submission to this Lordship was the Badge and Livery of their outward Profession this is clear from the scope of the text Further We read chap. 2. vers 17. To him that overcometh will I give a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written that none can read but he that hath it Now what is here meant by the Name written shall we say that it is a Name consisting of Letters and syllables If we so affirm we shall have as good foundation for such a Position as they who take Lateinos to be the Name of the Beast But this is to trifle in a serious matter Therefore we must have recourse to the forementioned Principle to wit The scope of the text When the Lord Christ promiseth to give to him that overcometh a white stone and in the stone a Name written this is nothing else but the inward testimony of the Spirit by and through which he sealeth extraordinary Consolations to his Martyrs and Witnesses in the middest of their sufferings under the tyrannical States and Governments of the world Many worthy Expositors take this for the seal of the Spirit that followeth Justification as may be seen in several late Treatises But I take it That the Promise in the text and so commonly through the whole Prophecie is immediately made to him that overcometh in the times of Persecution And therefore these things do more immediately concern the Martyrs the in-coming of Christ into their hearts and the divine Consolations which they feel in the Name written which none can read but they that have it Let us go to the meaning of that Promise Rev. 3. 12. He that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is the new Ierusalem which cometh down from Heaven and I will write upon him my new Name In these words when the Lord Christ promiseth to him that overcometh That he will write upon him the Name of his God doth he intend here a writing by Letters and syllables This cannot be But according to the scope of the place this is the meaning of Christ That they that overcome shall have this peculiar testimony given into their hearts That the Lord is theirs and that they are his Further Whereas it is said I will write upon them the Name of the City of my God By this he doth mean The true Catholick Church represented Rev. chap. 21. The scope of the words is this That he will inroll them into the Number of Citizens and count them as Members of the true Church his Mystical Body And for the truth of the Interpretation we do chiefly build upon the scope of the text But now let us go to other Scriptures where usually the Name of a thing is taken according to the Analogie of the text It is said concerning the Church of Sardis Thou hast a few Names which have not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3. 4. Here then when it is said Thou hast a few Names shall we understand this to be meant of Grammatical Names This cannot be The drift of the text is concerning the persons of men and women which did not defile themselves in the times of general Pollution And so at the destruction of Rome Antichristian there was a great Earthquake and there were slain of the Names of men 7000 chap. 11. vers 13. Now for the Names of men shall we understand Names consisting of Letters and syllables What a kind of slaughter would this be According to the scope of the text and the manner of the Hebrew expression we may say That such a Number of persons were slain in the Earthquake Adde moreover to this That the Beast which did carry the Whore was full of the Names of Blasphemy chap. 17. There is none so void of understanding to imagine That the Spirit speaketh of such Names that do consist of Letters and syllables We must here go to the sense of the text which speaketh of his
of its Heads c. Now then let us say That the Roman Majesty revived again from the dead that this is the Image how shall the Name Lateinos or any other such like Name consisting meerly of Letters and syllables be answerable to such an Image as this What Equipage or Correspondence can there be between quid nominis quid rei Shall we once imagine that the repair of the Roman Majesty in these latter times is only of a Name that consisteth of Letters and syllables and such like elements of the Greek and Hebrew Alphabet Away with such a conceit But if you take the Name for the Universal Headship you shall have a Name truly correspondent to the Image and to the Mark. For when the Decree went forth that the Bishop of Rome should be Universal Head of the Church then was the ancient Roman Sovereignty repaired in the Popes which was formerly lost in the Caesars Here both the Name and the Image are equivalent each to other and do differ only in a certain consideration And the Mark also agreeth with both the former seeing it is but the publick profession of subjection to that Name or Power The Fourth Argument is drawn from the Antithesis or Contraposition of the Name of the Lamb to the Name of the Beast By the description of one Opposite we may finde out the Nature of the other For the Name of the Lamb it is described Revelation chap. 19. vers 16. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Here then in this Scripture we do not look after a literal Name but after his Power or Sovereignty as he is Lord or Head of the Church We reade also Phil. 2. 9. Because he humbled himself to the Death of the Cross God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Iesus every kâ—…ee should bow c. Here many in darker times have taken this for a literal Name and therefore it hath been a great use to bow the knee when the Name of Jesus was mentioned But the ground of the mistake is this They have not looked to the main scope of the text and the Nature of the Expression For the Name in the text is not the word Jesus consisting of Letters and syllables but the sublime Power Authority Headship Dominion and Sovereign rule that God the Father did give to his Son after the suffering of Death And this is so expounded by the Apostle himself in another place Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Eph. 1. 20 21 22. Therefore the Name is no other but the Sovereign Power that God the Father did give to his Son the Lord Jesus as Head of the Church By the rule of contraries then the Name of the Beast must needs be his Universal Power and Headship seeing in all respects he is emulous of the Dignity of the Lamb. By the Nature of the one we may understand the Nature of the other contrary If the Name of the Lamb be his Sovereign Dominion King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Name of the Beast ex adverso on the other part must be his Universal Headship over all Lords and Kings and earthly Dominions The Fifth Argument is drawn from the parallel and resemblance with the Name of the Whore It is a good Observation of some Modern Interpreters That the State or Government described chap. 13. under the Type and Similitude of a Beast with two Horns is again more largely repeated under the resemblance of a Woman riding upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast Râ—…v 17. Now seeing there is such a parallel between the descriptions in both Chapters as to the substance of the matter let us then more diligently consider what is meant by the Name of the Woman Upon her Forehead was a Name written Mysterie Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth vers 5. Here I think none will be so void of Judgement as to look after a literal Name and a literal Inscription in the forehead of the Woman The Name is no other but that Universal Maternity or Motherhood as I may so say of her that professeth herself the Head or Mother-Church of all the Christian world but is indeed and in truth the Mother of all the Abominations and Idolatries of the Earth In like manner when we reade of the Name of the Beast we are not to look after a literal Name as Lateinos and the like but his Namâ—… must be his Universal Paternity Fatherhood Power and Dominion By the Analogie of one Expression we may â—…e out the meaning of the other If the Name of the Great Whore be not a literal and syllabical Name but in the figure doth only denote her general Motherhood so proportionably the Nâ—… oâ—… the Beast is not a literal Name but in the Trope iâ—…â—…oth only signifie his Universal Dominion and Authority If we transfer Matters to Experience we shall finde the eveâ—… of things doth fully Answer these Characters of the Propâ—…ecie It hath been a general received Maxime in many Ages together That out of our Holy Mother the Church of Rome as they call it there is no Salvation to be had she is the Mother of all true Catholicks with them that are her Admirers But in the Scripture-language she is called Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth So it hath been as generally received That all are bound to submit to the Authority of our Holy Father the Pope But this in the Scripture-language is the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name I think it is not done without the special Wisdom and fore-knowledge of God that these two things in which the Christian world should erre so greatly should be set forth with such remarkable Characters to draw the admiration of all that read But leaving these things for a deeper enquire it is sufficient for my present purpose to note that the Name of Mystical Babylon is not a literal Name but the general Motherhood of that City and Church So the Name of the Beast by way of parallel is not a literal Name but it is the Universal Headship of the Beast as Lord and Potentaâ—…e The Sixth Argument is drawn from the Ground and Reason of the Imperial Edict chap. 13. vers 16 17. He causeth all both small and great bond and free to receive a Mark in their Forehead and their right hand and that none might buy nor sell but he that hath the Mark of the Name Now then if the Name be a Title or
under these Tyrants But in this matter let us Answer Mr Hayne with Mr Hayne In the first Page of his Book he speaketh of the Eternity of Christ's Kingdom and of its extent to the end of the world And afterward in the second Page he speaketh as followeth Of this Extent saith he is Christ's Kingdom yet in regard that God hath soâ—…etimes permitted Satan and wicked men in extraordnary manner to domineer and to exercise their worldly and ungodly Power and that at other times he hath made his own Sovereignty by remarkable Mercies and Iudgements to appear God and Christ upon this more glorious expression of their more Over-ruling Might are then especially said to have a Kingdom and to Reign Because in such times their Glory and Majesty doth more manifestly shew it self Exod. 15. 18. 1 Sam. 12. 12. Obad. vers 21. Rev. 12. 10. In like manner I may say Though at the Ascension of Christ there was given to him a Kingdom far greater than all the Kingdoms of the world yet in regard that it hath pleased God the Father for many Ages together to permit Rome Imperial and afterwards Rome Papal in an extraordinary manner to exercise their worldly Power And seeing also it is his pleasure after some Ages to make his Sovereignty known in the destruction of the Tyranny of these States and in setting up the Gospel as the regent Law in this respect the Reign of Christ may be said to begin at the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom in the last and Antichristian State thereof But a little further to open the meaning of the Scriptures When Michael and his Angels i. e. Christ and his Primitive Martyrs had conquered the Dragon presently and immediately upon the Conquest this Acclamation was heard I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down Rev. 12. 10. Here I demand what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that Kingdom of God and Power of Christ You are to Note That the scope of the place is concerning the Fight between the Lord Christ and his Primitive Martyrs on the one side and the Powers of the Persecuting Empire of the Romans on the otherside After a long and terrible Fight the Dragon was overcome by the Faith and Patience of the Martyrs by the Prayer of Faith grounded upon the Promise of God And in the times of Constantine the Great when the Christian Faith as the best Expositors will have it became Religio Imperii the Religion of the Empire then at that time the Kingdom of God and the Power of his Christ was revealed to the world The Deliverance and Salvation of the Church from under the Ten first Persecutions was much desired before but it was not effected till the dayes of Constantine the Great To his times then that notable expression the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ is come is more immediately â—…o be applyed By that which the Church hath had Experience of already we may learn what is the meaning of the Spirit when he speaketh of her Deliverance from under Antichristian sufferings and of the future Reign of Christ upon the Earth for 1000 years And though there was some beginning of his Monarchical Reign in the dayes of Constantine yet that was but radiatura vel specimen Regni Christi a glympse or a handâ—…el as it were of the Kingdom of Christ and of the future liberty of the Church that shall be For that glory was Eclipsed and the Church fell under Persecution in all Antichristian times When those times shall be fulfilled the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And so they shall continue and remain for many years when Jews and Gentiles both together shall make a glorious Church under Christ their Head and King in the latter dayes After the destruction of the Fourth Beast it is expresly said The Dominion under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High and that this Dominion is to continue for ever Dan. 7. 27. Now then If the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ did begin at the Incarnation and so forward to continue for ever what shall we make of the Reign of Antichrist for so many Ages together Christ hath Reigned but a little if we look to an exteriour Reign Mr Hayne The Reign of Antichrist and of other Tyrants is no impeachment to Christ's absolute Sovereignty The wickedness of Sons taketh not away the Fatherhood and Authority of Parents Nor a Debauched Servant's ill carriage argue his exemption from the Master he is subject to David was and continued a King though Ishbosheth and Saul's House though Absolon his own Son though Sheba a Benjamite and many of Israel rose up against him and submitted not to his Scepter Answer We agree That the Tyrannical States and by Name the â—…ntichristian cannot be such impeachments to Christ's Kingdom so as absolutely and finally to obstruct it in every part and point of Power We yield also That the Right belongeth to Christ to be Universal Head of the Church though Antichrist hath Usurped his Right for many Ages together And further Though his Jurisdiction hath been detained by others a long time yet he hath Power enough in himself to recover it again when the time appointed for the Dominion of the Tyrannical States is once fulfilled But to say for the present That the Antichristian State is no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ this is a marvelous thing When a Usurpet is in the place of Government is this no impeachment to the lawful power All the world did agree together to worship the Beast and to receive his Mark and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ The great Whore corrupted the Earth with her Fornications and the Kings of the Earth agreed together to give their Power to the Beast and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ Though David was anointed King over Israel and though by vertue of his Unction he had true Title to the Kingdom yet so long as Saul and Ishbosheth did bear Rule the Kingdom was not his In like manner Though the Lord Christ by suffering Death and by his Unction had Title to all the Kingdoms of the Earth yet as long as the Tyrannical States of this world and particularly the Antichristian Kingdom do continue the Kingdoms of this world in that form and manner as they shall be are not his And therefore at the Fall of the Great City this expression is used The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Here is a tacite implication That they were none of his Kingdoms before in that sense which the text intendeth Mr Hayne You much debase and vilifie Christ and his Kingdom in comparing it and counting it Inferiour to
Roman Obedience or that all had the Mark of the Beast who were Subjects under that Jurisdiction To speak properly they sin onely against the Kingly Power of Christ and his Regal Office as Mediator that submit to the Roman or rather to the Antichristian Dominion in these last times Princ. 12. The Mark of the Beast ought so in special to be expounded that the whole Company which câ—…rrieth the Mark may be set in direct opposition to the 144000 who had their Fathers Name written in their Forehead This is clearly proved from the collation of two Scriptures Chap. 13. ver 16 17 18. with Chap. 14. ver 2 3 4 5. In the former Scripture we have a description of those that worshipped the Image and received the Mark and immediaiely after them there is the description of those that were with the Lamb upon Mount Sion and had their Fathers Name written in their Forehead It is plain then That there is an immediate Antithesis or Contraposition betwixt the Lamb and the Beast the Name of the Lamb and the Name of the Beast the Followers of the Lamb and the Followers of the Beast There is then a perfect contrariety betwixt these two as may be seen in the whole Body of the Prophecy They therefore who will rightly expound the Book of the Revelation must diligently observe the Contraposition and by the one expound the meaning of the other contrary But withall this Rule ought to be remembred That oppositio must be in eodem circa idem the opposition must be in the same and about the same matter And therefore to apply the matter to particulars I cannot see how Mr. Potter doth proceed by this Rule in that Contraposition of his between the Number of the Beast and the Numbers of the New Ierusalem First whereas he opposeth the Number 144 to the Number 666 he should have proceeded in eodem and made the opposition in the same matter If therefore 144000 be the Characteristical Number of the Subjects of the Lambs Kingdome then 666000 should be the Number of the Subjects of the Beast and so Subject will be opposed to Subject and Number to Number Secondly Mr. Potter opposeth the Number of the Beast to the Numbers of the New Ierusalem which cannot properly be said to be oppositio in eodem an opposition in and about the same matter For in the true Apocalyptical method the Beast is not so much opposed to the New Ierusalem as to the Lamb his Riâ—…al in Kingly Power If we will speak plainly the New Ierusalem is opposed to the Whore of Babylon the Gospel-Church to the Roman Idolatrous Church For after that the Saints had sung their Halelujahs at the destruction of the Great Whore these words are immediately added Let us be glad and rejoyce for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Chap. 19. ver 1 2 3 4 c. Therefore the contrariety standeth more immediately betwixt the Lamb and the Beast the New Ierusalem and the Whore of Babylon Therefore the Number of the Beast is not so immediately opposed to the Dimensions of the New Ierusalem And yet further in the opposition between the Lamb and the Beast between the Whore of Babylon and the New Ierusalem we must go so far onely as may be well warranted by Scripture or by necessary deduction from Scripture And therefore whereas Mr. Potter layeth down this Maxime The description of the New Jerusalem is not for this reason onely set down in Scripture that by it the knowledge of the true Church of Christ might be described but that the false Church of Antichrist by way of Antithesis might by the same description mutatis mutandis be also manifestly revealed pag. 122. This Position of that learned Author I do in part receive but yet I do not think that we are to extend it to every particular without any restriction We reade in the description of the New Ierusalem of 12 Gates 12 Apostles 12 Angels 12 Foundations and yet I do not think that we have warrant to look after such a set Number of Gates of Angels of Apostles of Foundations in the City of Rome And yet further if we could finde such certain Numbers in the City aforesaid it were not to the purpose in hand For in the true sense of the Prophecy not Rome within such Walls or Gates but the Romish Church in such a largeness and compass of Territories is immediately opposed to the New Ierusalem or the Gospel-Church that shall be in the latter times at the end and destruction of the Beasts Kingdome We reade in the slaughter of the Witnesses that they did lie slain in the streets of the great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and where our Lord was Crucified Chap. 11. ver 8. Now there is none that will say that they did lie slain in the streets of Rome literally so called but within the verge and precincts of the Romish Church This properly is the Great City that is opposed to the New Ierusalem to the Holy City to the Lambs Wife that comes from God out of Heaven Princ. 13. The Number ought so in special to be expounded that it may appear to be 666 in that method and way of account which is called the Number of a Man For so it is expresly said Let him that hath wisdome count the Number of the Beast for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of a Man They therefore who will have Lateinos or some such Grammatical word to be the Number of the Name how do they make it appear That this is the Number of a Man or that it is the manner of men to calculate States and Governments by Anagams or Numeral Letters of any Grammatical Name whatsoever Princ. 14. The Number ought so in special to be counted not according to the subtilties of humane invention but according to the nature of the subject matter and the manner of the Holy Spirit in such-like descriptions For the nature of the subject matter the great sin of the world is in receiving the Name and the Mark of the Name And shall we think when the Lord Christ speaketh to his Churches concerning these things that only they who have skill in the subtilties and mysteries of Art shall have ability to understand his meaning Surely though the Number it self may be more mysterious yet the Matter Numbred must be in more open view Secondly for the manner and use of the Spirit in such-like descriptions his use is to speak Parabolically and Typically and yet we finde no one instance of the discovery of a Government by the extraction of the square-root Very often we finde when he speaketh of the rising of a Government or the destruction of a State he doth usually Number such a Chain or Line of years to each such remarkable occurrence and he doth refer us either to the Chronologie of the Bible or to the Stories of the Church These