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
God for all Blasphemy against the name of God or hâ—s Tabernacle or those that dwell in heaven it is blasphemy against God It is said here there was power given to the Beast to speak great things and blasphemyes wherein did that lye against Gods name and against his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven So that blaspheme any of these and you blaspheme God blaspheme the name of God the Tabernacle of God and those that dwell in Heaven whether Saints above or Saints on Earth and you blaspheme God himself And therefore it should be farre from us to abuse any ordinance or providence of God for it is blasphemie against God himselfe they are the name of God Gods name is called on his providences If we speak evill of Gods ordinances or providences as for a man to say would to God I had never known such a woman it is blasphemy Gods wisedome and righteousnesse hath ordayned it If we be in distresse or in any sicknesse and we snarle against God and mutter at our poverty and sickness it is to blaspheme the name of God all these are providences of God To speak evill of Churches as if they were Congregations of Heriticks or Schismiticks or Congregations of Rebels or Libertines and Brownists and such like it is blasphemy against the God of Heaven Besides it is blasphemy against the Body of Christ in the Sacrament to think every Baker can make it that is Popish blasphemy To speak evill of the Saints of God on earth to thinke to take liberty because they are absent Our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us Little do we know how tender God is of his people we cannot speak evill of any in the Church but we blaspheme God And so if we speak evill of his providences it is as much as if we speak evill of God himself And therefore how precious ought the name of God to be to us to whom our names are pretious It is but a scandall to a christian brother but it is blasphemy to God and therefore speak not evill as thinking it shall never come to his eare If we speak evill of Authority of Churches of Saints or evill of them that doe evill unlesse you may take order to represse it the Lord himself looks at it as blasphemy and therefore we must not look at it as a light matter our tongues are our own and we may have liberty to speak I you have liberty but not to speak blasphemies either small or great There is not the least blasphemy but it is a great Sinne and therefore greatly to be avoyded Rev. 13. latter part of the 5. vers And power was given him to continue forty and two moneths THis is the continuance of the description of the former Beast which the Apostle John saw rising out of the Sea to be the instrument of the Dragons power that is Satans rage against the Woman and her feed Among other parts of the description which have been opened this Beast is described by the change that befell him in his head wounded and healed the effect whereof was 1. The admiration of the world 2. The worship of the Beast and of the Dragon The third effect or event was the authority or power that the Beast did receive and did exercise and that power was 1. To speake great things and blasphemies which accordingly he did exercise in blaspheming the name of God and his Tabernacle and the Saints 2. There was a power of continuance as it is here translated forty and two moneths 3. There was given to him power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them Of the first part to speak blasphemy we have already spoken Now come we unto the second part of the power given him which is his continuance There was power given him to continue forty and two moneths The note from thence is shortly this That power and authority was given to this Beast that is to the Roman Catholicke Church to continue that is to be active and doing to be busie fortie and two moneths This expresseth the sum and sence of the words they are obscure as any place in the word and therefore need your more diligent attention and the power of the Lord Jesus to clear his counsel and will in this point who alone openeth the Seales and none can shut them To open the words Power was given to him The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies the power of Authority or Jurisdiction a soveraign kind of power as it is here described in the seventh verse over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations Such power that all the world wondered at it and adored especially that which they call the Christian world did exceedingly magnifie the power and authority of this Beast and he speakes here principally of Spirituall Authority though it grew to Temporall Power in making Warr in the 7. vers for he riseth by degrees to further power but authority was given him Given him by whom 1. By God that put it into the heart of the tenne Horns that is the tenne Kâ—â—gs to give their Kingdoms with one consent to the Beast Rev 17. 17. So God by his wise and just providence gave him authority such as God hath ordained in his word but he put it in their hearts by his wise and just providence 2. This authority was given by Satan who assisted Antichrist in the mystery of Iniquity in working signs and lying wonders with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse till hee lift up himselfe above all that is called God 2 Thes 2. 9 10. And indeed Satan wrought mightily what by the sophistry of the School-men and by the policy of the Canonists and what by the devotion of Cloyster-men and Fryers it was a wonder to see how he gained a mighty power against Churches all the world over 3. This power was given him by those States the ten Horns which gave their Crowns with one accord to the Beast that he should rule in their Dominions The chiefe Kingdoms in Europe are in these ten our Native Countrey for one France and Spaine and Navarre Sweden Denmarke and the rest they did with one accord give their Kingdomes to the Beast that in point of Religion they should establish all Ordinances according to the wisdome of his soveraign power And in Temporall matters they gave him greater power to depose and dispose of their Kings then the Roman Emperour had in sundry respects for his was limâ—ed by Laws but this was without Laws 2 Thes 2. 4. He opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God That without all power of Laws he did out-rage out of measure Given it was by their Devotion and Superstition God piercing their hearts much in those times by the Ministery of their Fryars that did wound their consciences with the sense of their murthers and lusts that they were willing to do any thing for the peace of their
time Chap. 17. 12. And the severall Kingdomes that then were broken off from the Roman Empire whereof England was one they were so many severall Kings that all gave their dominion to the Beast with one consent and so were his protectors ver 17. They were his Beauty and his Strength as the Hornes are to the Beast So it is true here is a great Beast indeed of a vast comprehension here is an universall visible Church and he hath seven Heads that is Seven Hilles there he sits and seven Governments There are seven Heads both of the one and other both Hills and Governments whereof five were fallen and the sixth was when John wrote The seventh was to rise in their roomes and that is He that hath two Hornes like a Lambe and spake like a Dragon and doth exercise all the Power of the first Beast what power is in the Church the Pope hath the ordering thereof And it is said here that these Hornes had ten Crowns but so had not the Hornes of Pagan Rome The heads of Pagan Rome had soveraign Authority and lived like Princes but so had not the Pope they did not wear the Crowns though they affect temporall dominion but leave the Crowns to the hornes leave them to Crowned Kings that give their power to him Now upon these Heads are names of Blasphemy The old High-Priest of the Jewish Synagogue he had a plate of pure Gold and there was graven upon it holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. This Beast hath not holinesse to the Lord but names of Blasphemy the Pontifex maximus His head is full of names of Blasphemy But the Pope exceeds all in this case for who ever took upon him as he to pardon Sinne A name of Blasphemy To be Judge of Scriptures a name of blasphemy Hee hath many other names of Blasphemy he will dispence with Oaths of allegeance and all civil subjection he will dispence with marriages most incestuous and doth exalt himself above all that is called God especially the Gods of the Earth His heads are full of names of Blasphemy as we shall come to speak God willing in the 5 and 6 verses Now it is said of this Beast he is like a shee Leopard It is in the 17 Chap. compared to a woman to shew that the Roman catholick visible Church is as fitly resembled by a woman as a she Panther such is this Beast Can a Leopard change his spots Jer. 13. 23. Is it not a State full of spots and the spots are not the spots of Gods people but spots of herisie and spots of Idolatry spots of Tyranny and great variety of all spots of Blasphemy To tell the spots of that Sea were ineeed to enter into a Sea of wickednesse which that Church abounds withall Can a Leopard change his spots This church they make account cannot erre so how should they change for they that cannot erre to what purpose should they change yet of a very sweet fragrant smel as they they perfume their Temples with incense and love to please ambitious minds and to fill covetous hearts they are sweet also and faire to voluptous spirits with their Brothel houses c. But for the Leopard Bear and Lyon I suppose there is speciall reference to them all In Dan. 7. 4 5 6. where he resembles the Monarch of Babell to a Lyon and the Monarch of Persia to a Bear and the Monarch of Greece to a Leopard There the Leopard is the last of the three here it is the first to shew a direct contrary course that this Beast takes in his rise to the old Monarchies Of the great Monarchies the first was a Lyon full of magnanimity the next was a Beare full of cruelty a Bear that devoures mucb flesh and the Leopard the spotted Beast comes after cruell as the former Now here the Leopard is first the whole shape is sweet and savoury other beasts would follow him by the smell and so this church seemes in the wole bulk sweet and savory to inveagle all unstable Soules But where he gets hold he layes his paw like a Beare presseth hard and holds fast and will not let goe Just like the Persian State they hold fast Never did any of the States last so long as the Papall State The Assyrian lasted long but yet did not continue above a thousand years but this is to continue 1260. dayes that is so many yeares in a great deal of Power and Authority And therefore as by subtilty he drawes others to him so them hee holds fast that it is marvellous hard to root out where he hath got hold you may cut off his head as it is in England but it is a wonder to see what paines there is to have the Government of Christ brought in and of the Beast cast out they will make so many Statutes in Parliament that you can have no wills confirmed nor Marriages made but by them nor no Parliments Acts passe but through their hands you have so many matters in the State depending on them that one would think it impossible ever to root them out you may take off the Beast his head you may thrust the Leopard out at windows but he will take hold with his feet that you shall have much ado to root him out The great profits and great preferments they sink deep in the hearts of carnall men And he hath a mouth like a Lyon How did the Lyon of Babell speak presumptuously what God is able to deliver you out of the firey furnace c. and he commands all that will not worship his Image should be cast into the fyery furnace Just such is the mouth of this Beast who so will not worship the Image of this Beast shall be killed in the 15 v. of this chapter So you see this is the Roman Catholick visible church And the Dragon gave this church power All that the Roman Emperor could doe before that doth the Catholick church that w ch the old Roman Emperor did by force of arms that doth the Roman Church by the power of Religion and conscience The Dragon gave him his power and Seat and great Authority And Satan will worke by the power of conscience making them believe that all must be subject to them He gave them his Seat what was the Seat of the old Roman Emperor It was Rome Satan gave that to the Beast There is his Seat and great Authority insomuch that all the world were deeply taken with the reverence they owe as to the Imperial mother City So to this soveraign mother Church their holy Father the Pope that was the head of that Church This is the plain description of this first Beast I canot proceed now to open the wounding of one of the heads of this Beast nor of the healing of that wound nor of his warre against the Saints I am the longer in this because the more clearly these things are opened the more fully will
may be the more able to finde the free passage of joy and the power of godlinesse in all your private or publique conversation Revel 13. the latter part of the 2 d. verse And the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority THe next note is this That the Dragon that is Satan as he had the government of the Pagan Roman Empire so being cast out of it he gave or procured and obtained to the Roman Catholicke visible Church his power and seate or Throne and great authority For so it is plainly here said That the Dragon gave to the Beast his power and his seate and great authority The Dragon who is that You heard the Dragon is the old Serpent called the Devill and Satan but the Dragon considered as he sometimes swayed the Roman Pagan Empire as in Rev. 12. 3. There appeared a wonder in heaven a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns they are interpreted by the Angell Rev. 17. 3 4. 9 10. 12. 18. The seven heads to be the seven hills of Rome and the ten horns so many Kings that arose with the last head of the Beast Therefore he means the Dragon as he sometimes swayed the City of Rome and so the Seate and State of the Pagan Roman Empire And being now cast out and seeing he cannot maintaine his State and divine honour as before to whom doth he give his honour what to the Roman Christian Empire No his rage is against them and the Church amongst them Neither did he give them his Seate they sate not at Rome but at Constantinople Neither can he easily fasten upon the civill State such delusions as to cause the Christian Emperours to take to themselves divine honour though the Pagan Roman Emperours had so done But now hee doth choose to fasten them upon the Ecclesiasticall State and thinks he shall more prevaile with Church-men as I may speak to drinke in an inundation of Heresies in Doctrine and Tyranny in Government and Superstition in Worship he thinks he shall sooner prevaile with the Ecclesiasticall State then with the Civill Therefore upon this Beast which can neither be Roman Heathen nor Christian Empire but the Roman Church doth he fasten his power and seate and great authority His power A three-fold power did the Devill fasten upon the Roman Catholick visible Church 1. The power of signes and lying wonders Hee gave him great power to worke great wonders 2 Thes 2. 9. Of which there is more spoken in the sequell of the Chapter where some of his miracles are mentioned 2. He gave him the power of effectuall Sophistry or as the Scripture calls it 2 Thes 2 9 10. of deceit of unrighteousnesse partly in the Schoolmen and partly in their Votaries or Cloyster-men and partly in their Canonists By the efficacy of Sophistry in School-men he corrupted all Doctrine By the deceit of the Cloyster-men the Monkes he corrupted all their devotion and worship And by the policy of their Canonists he corrupted all Church-government and this was carryed with such efficacy of deceit that those School-Divines were accounted the most profound and the Monks most devout and the Canonists most judicious and exquisite Polititians Now these three did mightily deceive the Christian world by their power and all this power Satan gave to this Beast 3. He gave him the power also of making war for in vers 7. It was given him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them putting into the hearts of christian Kings to give their power to the Beast and to wage all their Battels at their own charges whiles he sate still this was the power which was given him by the Dragon And for his seate what was it It was the City of Rome which ruled over the Kings of the earth Rev. 17. 18. And for that end he would not suffer Constantine nor other Emperors to dwell at Rome If they were in Italy they should dwell at Ravenna So that the Dragon granted his owne Seate or Throne not to the Emperors for they never cared for it but he reserved it for this Beast to be the center and chief Seate of the Roman Catholick Church And he gave him also great authority transcendently great indeed Great Authority 1. Over the Scriptures 2. Over the consciences of men 3. Over the treasury of the church Over Church-Rulers and Churches over the merits of Christ over Kingdoms and Common-wealths over Purgatory and for mitigating the paines of Hell All this he gave to the Roman Catholick visible Church 1. He gave him power over the Scriptures 1. As Judg of them The Church is the Judg of controversies and the head of that Church is the Judg of all places of Scripture by his authority it is authenticall This the Catholick Church doth challenge 2. He doth prefer the vulgar Latine before the Originall Scripture a transcendant power 3. It is in his power to make Apocrypha Scripture to be of like power with the canonicall Scripture 4. It is his power and authority that gives unwritten Traditions like power with the canonicall Scripture 5. He takes upon him to be the infallible Interpreter and Judge of the meaning of Scripture and that is Blasphemy 6. He takes upon him power to dispence with Scripture Hee hath power to dispence with the morall Law of God in point of Marriages even in incestuous Marriages this is a power beyond Scripture 2. He hath great authority over the consciences of men making Laws and Canons to bind the conscience and releasing and loosing them from the power of Gods Lawes either in point of Marriage or in point of Oaths and Covenants or in point of naturall relation He can dispence with children in respect of duty to Parents if they come into Monasteries and with duty which Subjects owe to Magistrates 3. They have power over the Church Treasury by which they meane the supererogation of the merits of Christ and of the Saints They say Christ merited for a thousand worlds and because he saved but a few it is free for the Pope to take the surplussage of merit He can take them and apply them by Indulgences for the pardoning of them that pay well for them And thus they who despise Gods imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ for justification they take upon them to impute it to themselves and to this and that notorious wicked man 4. They have power over Kingdomes and Common-wealths to depose Kings and to dispose of their Kingdoms as they please and to absolve Subjects from all Allegiance to civill power and for that end to nullifie their Oath for that end you know what the Pope sent to Henry the fourth Christ say they gave this power to Peter and Peter to the Pope and to that end abuse Jer. 1. 10. See I have this day set thee over the Nations to root cut and pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe to build and to plant 5. They
did any earthly Prince challenge that he could not erre nor that none must controll him if he did There have been Laws made to controll the greatest Princes Nebuchadnezzar was taught to be controlled that in the end Shadrach Mesech and Abednego goe away rewarded 3. The Catholick Church and the Pope is the head of it claimes a power of binding and loosing To bind mens consciences by his Laws and to loose mens consciences by his Indulgences and that not ministerially as Ministers do from the Word but by a Juditiary power to dissolve the bond of naturall Obedience incestuous Marriages Oaths and Covenants in Marriage Natural relations between Parents and Children and morall Relations between Princes and Subjects There is not any bond that he cannot loose nor any liberty which he cannot restraine And this not over a few only but over the vast world so far as it is Christian And 4. It is a great thing he speakes and he speakes it not behind the door when he challengeth Soveraign dominion in way of advancement of Religion over all Kingdoms so as to depose their Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms leave any State to choose where he hath power If his Crowne be to be fetched from Rome as it was in former times when it was most active He will set it on but dash it off againe out of the plentitude of his power to â—et up and throw downe at his pleasure He opened his mouth to speak great things He is never so in his element as when he doth hold forth such vast authority and divine propriety proper to the Father Son and holy Ghost Now as he speaks great things so blasphemes against God and wherein Against his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Against his name All these are blasphemies against Gods name to attribute all these divine properties to a beastly man to a great beast And it is blasphemy to ascribe any divine honour or to put it upon any creature Images served the holy Ghost calls blasphemy Isa 65. 7. You have blasphemed me upon every green hill And in Ezek. 20. 27 28. he complaines of the like blasphemy that they blasphemed him by their Idolatires In Mar. 2. 7. Why doth this man speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God onely It were to speak blasphemy in any but in Christ Secondly It is against his Tabernacle that may be either meant the body of Christ as 1 John 14. He tabernacled amongst us Or it may be meant the visible Churches such as are instituted by him For the body of Christ it is blasphemy to go to every Masse Priest to make him the body and blood of our Saviour Or if you understand the Tabernacle to be the Church that is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. Now to call the Church of Christ a Conventicle of Hereticks and Schismaticks it is blasphemy and so they count all the Churches here And for the Saints in heaven to put upon them divine worship to build Temples to them to put up Prayers to them to keep Holy-dayes to them it is blasphemie to them it is a great dishonour Paul and Barnabas when they saw men to come and offer sacrifice to them Men and brethren why doe you these things you cannot do us a greater injury And for the Saints in heaven that is pure Churches he condemns them for Hereticks and Schismaticks and as unworthy of Christian communion and Christian burial these are blasphemies So you see the meaning of this Scripture There was given him a mouth to speake great things and to blaspheme God in his Name in his Tabernacle in those that dwell in Heaven Thus hath he done many yeares and thus doth hee still Now for the reason of the point you see the point stands upon two branches 1. That such power was given him 2. That he did effectually and abundantly put it foâ—â—h He opened his mouth Let mee give the reasons of both 1. Why such power was given him it was First from God in his just judgement to punish the unthankfull world that received not the love of the truth Therefore the Lord gave them over to efficacy of delusions to believe lies That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 10 11. This is the just judgment of God that since they refused the simplicity of wholsome Doctrine and had itching eares they should have such men as came with the subduing word of the Law to speak great things and they should have what they aske This is from Gods just jugement A second Reason is from Satan for God concurred and Satan concurred and Christian Princes concurred herein Satan concurred for this reason that he might be avenged of God and despight the name of Christ that had cast him out and dethroned him from his divine power That whereas he was the great God of the world and the God of Israel but a puny God of the lesser Nations now hee is to be no God to trust on but like a Toad or Serpent this doth so enrage the venome of the old Devill that he powrs forth a flood of malice and venome against the Church and Christ as much as may be to testifie to the world hee would be Lord and the Lord Jesus should not prevaile And if he may not be God he will set up a Beast that shall be adored as God And it is a great despight to Christ to advance a Beast that shall carry great State and power and dare and will speak greater things then all the Churches of Christ I as great as the Lord himself shall speak look what one speaks the other wil speak it all and speak it abundantly As the Devill himselfe sometimes said to Christ All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me The same doth he speak at this day and he will speak without controll Another reason that binds Satan so to speak is not only his old enmity to Christ but from his malice against the Church When hee saw that the seed of the woman had thus dethroned him and cast him out of divine power he powrs forth a flood of malice after her and he sends forth an ugly Beast that if he can may root out the face of Christianity and root her out from the face of the earth Rev. 12. 15. These are the Devils reasons that mooved him to stirre up the Beast and to give him a mouth to speake so boldly as hee did But why will Christian Princes be so prodigall to submit themselves to him God had committed to them the care of the Churches that all Churches should live peaceably and quietly under them in all godliness and honesty why would they so degenerate and suffer the Bishop of Rome so to arrogate and speak such great blasphemies The reasons were 1. Because they were ignorantly blinde It was a time of palpable darknesse darknesse
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
Priest also over the Kings of the world in Temporalls Hee had two hornes like a Lamb as the successor of Peter and as if he had nothing but from Christ but he spake like a Dragon When he had once power by his Lamb-like horns he then spake like a Dragon Therefore to speak that which I conceive to be the truth I do look at this first beast as indeed of like condition with the Pope and very nearly joyned to him The Pope is one of the heads and rulers of this Beast but yet distinguished from the beast it selfe and is not the same with the beast This therefore all things weighed according to the Text I conceive to be the first beast the Roman Catholick visible Church The seven heads and ten horns are a clear description of the Roman State Now this State here is neither the Pagan Roman Empire nor the Christian Roman Empire as hath been shewed And therefore it must needs be a third Roman State distinct from the former and succeeding in their place and what is that but the Roman Catholicke visible Church Of this Church the Pope is the head both as universall Bishop over all Churches and chiefly Lord in Temporalls that had both Swords and obtained both Authorities to be highest supream head in Spirituals as also supream head in Temporalls he was Soveraign Governour in all And the Roman-catholick visible Church it comes just in the room of the Roman Empire how was it described The beast that had seven heads and ten horns this comes in his room the one governs all the world in his way and the other all the Churches another way This is the Beast that the Dragon stirs up to make War with the Saints Now to appply this description to this Church for the better understanding of the Text. Qâ— I saw a beast rise out of the Sea You may aske what is the Sea from whence this beast ariseth Answ The Sea is the collection of many waters The gathering together of the waters called the Seas Gen. 1. 9 10. And what are the waters The waters which thou sawâ—st are People and Nations and Languages and Tongues Rev. 17. 15. So then what is the beast here that ariseth out of the Sea It is some soveraign State that ariseth out of the connexion of many Nations into one body as you know the Roman Catholick Church is not confined within the lifts of the City of Rome though there the head is seated but the whole Roman Sea it is well called a Sea in that respect it is that which comprehends all Nations whether subject to the Eastern or Western Emperour yea and other Nations that did not submit themselves to the one or other as if they did recollect themselves as into one Sea all banks are broken down in the Sea yet there is no distinction but all is one Sea one vast body And such is the Roman Catholick visible Church all partitions are here broken downe all Churches make but one visible Catholick Church And again it is well said to arise out of the Sea according to the like description which Daniel makes of the foure Monarchs in Dan. 7. Hee saw the foure windes of heaven strive upon the great Sea and foure Beasts came up from the sea divers one from another From the multiplyed agitations of the Sea it came to passe four great Monarchs did arise Just thus from the tumult of particular Churches did this Beast arise for when they could not agree in the Churches but some were of one minde some of another it was the wisdom as they thought of Christian Princes and Bishops but it was but humane wisdome and was indeed from the Dragon and not from Christ they thought it would be best to have but one church and the Bishop of Rome to be the head though at first they divided them to four but in the end they would have the Bishop of Rome over all that so they might have unity for they say unity springs from one head and unlesse you have one head you cannot have unity Therefore from the particular Church of a Congregation they came to Diocesan from Diocesan to Metropolitan from Metropolitan to Patriarchal from Patriarchal to Cecumenical And so it comes to pass all Churches must be gathered into one Sea that is one Catholick Church For look what reason they had to set Bishops over particular Churches So having many Bishops by the same reason they must have some Metropolitan and of many Metrapolitans foure or five Patriarchs and of them one Chief that is the Pope the Father of Fathers he must be the grand Governour of all Therefore doth he rise out of the Sea out of the Sea of Tumult and Sea of Contention And if you take Sea for corruption in Doctrine and worship and Government as some good Interpreters do it was from thence also that this beast did arise This beast did arise out of them all for had either pure Doctrine or worship or Discipline been well looked unto it had not been possible that such a beast as the Catholick visible Roman Church should have bin raised up It is further described to have seven heads and ten horns The holy Ghost describes them so fully that we need no further interpretation of them He tells us in the 17. Chapter of this book the ninth and tenth verses The seven heads are seven Mountaines on which the Woman sitteth which are the mountaines of the City of Rome it is built upon seven hills and the seven heads are also seven Kings that is seven Kingly governments soveraign governments The first were Kings then Consuls then Decemvins then Dictators then Tribunes and then the Caesars Five were fallen that is were past in John's time the sixth were then extant and they were the Caesars the Pope he makes the seventh Now the Pope then is the seventh of these Heads but the seventh head and the beast are two distinct things though he be one that rules the beast and hath a great influence in the guiding of it Hee was to receive a deadly wound and after became an eighth head whereas he was but one of the seven So that he is one of the Heads but there is difference between the head and the beast and the beast it selfe And it is said He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast that in conclusion what the Pope decrees that stands So that it is not a generall Councell that determines any thing authentically without him but he doth all that the first beast doth Hee would have the Catholick Church honoured but it is that himselfe may be honoured as the Lord of the Church So therefore for the heads these are the seven Heads And for the Hornes he tells you they are so many Kings which were not then risen to Soveraigne Power but John saw it in a Mystery afore hand But when this Beast ariseth this Pontifex maximus then they receive a Kingdome at the same