the chiefest of the Prelates and Clergie of diverse dominions should be gathered togither to make lawes and canons which all men should be constreyned by penall lawes to observe and yeild obedience unto that so peace and vnitie might be preserved and kept amongst them And in short time it came to passe that whatsoever these Synods or Counsells did agree upon and set downe how false soever was to be held canonicall and those that contradicted the same were therfore cast out and condemned as Heretickes This was the manner the occasion of the rising of this Beast out of this turbulent Sea And here by the way observe That * Every good giving and perfect gift is from above Iames 1. 17. from the father of lightes But this beast is from the Sea beneath not from above and therfore not belonging to the kingdome of Christ but an adversary and enemie thereof Of this Beast it is sayd that he had 7. heads a thing which is monstrous in nature And therfore by this was foreshewed that the dominion represented by this Beast should be a monstrous dominion Concerning these heads let this be considered That the whole state or societie of the Antichristian Sea is of two sorts of people the one sort they call the Clergie the other sort the Layetie Of these the Clergie are as heads and guides to direct and goe before And the Layetie as the body or rather the tayle to follow after Agayne by the same policie their clergy are sorted into 7. orders or degrees namely to speak in their language 1. Ianitores seu ostiarij 2. Lectores 3. Exorcistae 4. Acolithi 5. Subdraconi 6. Diaconi 7. sacerdotes These are the 7. orders of the Antichristian Clergy As for Popes Cardinalls Patriarchs Arch Bishops Bishops Arch deacons c. they are titles of dignitie and not of orders For the Pope is but a Preist concerning his orders and when he stands at the Altar and sayth Masse he doth that as a Preist and not as a Pope and so of all other degrees This considered it way well be saide of the Antichristian Sinagogue and State that it is as a Monster with 7. heads As for the Ministers which God hath ordeyned to be in his Church they are first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. c. See also Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. Ephes 4. 11. 12. 13. And these onely were given for the gathering together of the Saincts for the work of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ Not some to have a bunch of keys with a charge of the doores of this or that Temple or Cathedrall Church Another to have a booke to read to the people things which neither he nor they did understand A third to have a booke of Coniurations or Charmes with charge to read them or say by heart to such as were distracted of their witts or possessed with divills and to put their hands vpon them A fourth to have a Taper or wax candle with a candlestick to carry before the preists and deacons in doeing their service A fift to receive of the people oblations and offrings and to deliver them to the Deacon to carry to the Altar To reade the Epistle and to stand by the Preist while he was saying the Masse A sixth to be the Bishops spye and intelligencer to informe him of such as be irregular and observe not their orders To read the Gospell attend the preist at the Altar c. A seventh to consecrate the Hoast as they call it and then to offer it as a sacrifice propitiatory for the quick and dead These are not they which God hath given to be in the Church But these are they wherof the Antichristian clergy consisteth for whosoever is one of that clergy is one of these 7. orders be he Pope Prelate or els whatsoever and to note and foreshewe this point of policie this Beast which Iohn saw had seven heads If any shall think this to be a vaine frivolous and straunge interpretation to understand by the 7. heads of the beast these 7. orders of the Clergie as thinking those heades to betoken things of greater note and importance Let such consider what account and reckoning is made of such persons as have received the Sacrament of Orders and holy tonsure in the kingdome of the Beast and they shall find the interpretation not impertinent but very agreable For a time there was since the writing of this prophecy * when the meanest shrimpe that was within these holy orders as they call them was held to be of that dignitie that Vide Concil Matisconen secundum Canon 9. 10. the chiefest and worthiest secular Iudge in a kingdome was held vnworthie to judge or censure them for any trespasse or fact how notorious wicked and manifest soever because they had received holy Tonsure were therby consecrated and set a part unto God to be his portion and heritage to pray for the people and therfore were exempted from all secular jurisdiction and power such was their dignitie accounted to be and still is where that kingdome prevayleth and hath the dominion yea even in this land that quarrell hath cost the King his Crowne as is to be seen in the Historyes of the Reigne of King Iohn and not his Crowne onely but his life also Now if the meanest of them be above the dominion of any King or secular Iudge and secular Iudges be the heads of the people whome God hath appointed to beare rule over them well may these be said to be as heads in the kingdome of the Beast wherin these shavelings are holden to be so holy and high in dignitie and degree As this Beast which Iohn saw had 7. heads so likewise it had 10. hornes whereby was foreshewed that as the kings of the Medes and Persians were shewed and represented to Daniel by the 2. hornes of the Beast which he saw in his vision so the kings of many kingdomes should be as guarders and defenders of the Antichristian kingdome and state And that this scripture hath beene fulfilled to the vttermost by the kings of the Nations is so manifest that none can be ignorant of it that are of judgment and experience And it was just with the Lord to make the Kings of the earth vassels to this Beast because they received not the love of the truth but tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse they would not forsake their sinnes to liue godlily righteously and soberly as all must doe that will attaine salvation but they would liue after their lusts and for their sinnes they would make satisfaction by building of Churches and Monasteries c. and endowing them with lands rents and other revenewes by meanes whereof those which traded like Marchants in those many waters the kingdome of the Beast grew rich and wealthy and became the great men of the earth Furthermore Iohn saith of the Beast which hee saw that it was
like a Leopard c. By the resemblance and likenesse of a Leopard was signified that this Beast should be foule and full of spots as is shewed in the 18. Chapter Babylon is become the habitation of Diuels and the hold of fowle spirits and the cage of every vncleane and hatefull Bird. The filthinesse of this Beast is apparant in that he doth by force and Armes compell all sorts of wicked and ungodly people to be of his societie and refuseth none but the godly therefore fitly was he thus prefigured Secondly by the qualitie and disposition of the Leopard was signified that this generation should bee subtill and craftie in getting their prey They boast themselues to bee the Church and Spouse of Christ but if it be so whence then had they that infinite store and aboundance of worldly wealth and riches wherewith they exceed in deliciousnesse of liuing This was not the condition of Christ and his Disciples the Lord himselfe had not whereon to lay his head but in that respect was more destitute then Foxes which haue holes and then Birds which haue nests his Disciples wanted gold and silver and had no certaine dwelling place whence therefore had this generation their lands liuings and Lordships Their Castles Mannors Houses and Princely Palaces It will bee said of the donation and gift of Emperours Kings and other great States and of the charitable deuotion of all sorts of people But how were people brought to bee so full handed to this generation To bring this about much slight craft and nimblenesse of wit was vsed first people were made to beleeue that what they gaue to the Church was to the maintenance of the Ministerie of the Gospell and for the comfort and reliefe of the poore and therefore should be a sacrifice so well pleasing to God and meritorious as that it should receiue great reward at his hands herewith the mindes of religious and devout people were so much moued that they thought nothing too much to giue to the Church by meanes whereof Churches began to grow rich Secondly people were made to beleeue that the worshipping of Images and relickes of Saints and building of Churches Chappels Oratories c. and endowing them with Lands Tenements Parsonage and Vicarage houses c. was an effectuall way to haue favour with the Saints and to procure their prayers and intercession for them By these and such like meanes this wylie and crafty generation deluded the people and made themselues rich and robbed Christ of his honour who onely is our Advocate to God And furthermore they gathered in heapes of wealth by Masses Pilgrimages Pursse-pennance Offerings and such like Marchandises wherein their subtilty and craft was prefigured by a Leopard a beast subtill by nature whose propertie is to lie in waite for her prey and slylie to catch it as the Cat doth the Mouse and in that respect doth well resemble the Antichristian Clergie that subtill generation But further it is added that the feete of this Beast were as the feete of a Beare The Leopard is more nimble to catch then the Beare but the Beare is more strong and eager to hold fast that which hee hath seased vpon then is the Leopard both these properties this generation hath nimble to catch and greedy to hold they catch by slight but hold by force and therefore in catching resemble the Leopard but in fast holding the feete of a Beare To this it is added that the mouth of this Beast was as the mouth of a Lyon And by this another property of the Antichristian Clergie was foreshewed for as the Lyon when hee hath taken his prey roareth upon it at whose roaring the beasts tremble So this Generation being thus exalted and made rich and hauing gotten their prey they terrifie the small Beasts of their Forrest roaring with curses and excommunications against any be he Prince or Pesant that shall presume to part stakes with them or meddle with their prey or diminish their portion but an Egge or an Onion That these be the properties of this Generation needs no proofe it is manifest by daily experience Here therefore wee may learne what to esteeme and iudge of the Antichristian Clergie together with those Multitudes People Nations and Tongues out of which they haue sprung and over which they are set and supported namely that they are a monstrous and beastly generation excelling in craft covetousnesse pride crueltie and all iniquity and therefore not to be esteemed as they boast themselues to be a holy Catholick Church and Spouse of Christ which cannot erre c. And by this wee may see how lamentably the Nations haue beene deluded and led into errour and vngodlinesse by their Guides and Leaders Now it followeth that unto this Monster the Dragon gaue his power and his Throne and great authoritie Here is declared of whom the Prelates and Clergie haue received their spirituall Lordships power authoritie and iurisdiction to devise and make spirituall Lawes and Canons to erect spirituall Courts and create Officers to beare rule and exercise dominion over the Nations euen from the diuell they haue not any lawfull authoritie from God but an vsurped authority from the diuell whose instruments they are to advance his kingdome and to persecute the Saints which obey God rather then men And here wee may obserue that they are rightly called spirituall Lords because originally they proceed from that Prince that ruleth in the aire the spirit that worketh in the children of vnbeleefe but withall in stead of spirituall Lords Lawes Courts and Officers call them spirituall wickednesses and so wee giue them their right title and being such if we will fight the good fight of faith wee must by witnessing what they bee wrastle against them and not submit vnto them but stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not be intangled with any yoke of bondage and that we may wrastle and prevaile we must take vnto vs the whole Armour of God Ephes 6. Further Iohn saith that he saw one of the heads of the Beast as it were Ver. 3. wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast By this Head which was as it were wounded to death was signified the reviving of Priesthood the mysterie whereof in few words is this The workers of iniquitie in this Antichristian Kingdome having ordained this order of ministery called Priesthood whether it were in imitation of the Iewes or Heathen it is doubtfull but certaine it is that because it wanted externall sacrifices it came short both of the Iewish Priesthood and also of the Heathen so that it was a lame and wounded Priesthood and was not respected In time it came to passe that they found out a sacrifice as is to bee seene in their Masse-booke which was the transubstantiating of bread and wine into the very Bodie and Bloud of Christ really and substantially as they vse to speake and teach
knowne unbeleevers to the end to meete together for the mutuall edification and comfort one of another by doctrine breaking of bread and prayer and to practise all other Ordinances of Christ set downe in his Testament as they shall haue occasion and to companies of Beleeuers hauing such fellowship and communion one with another the title of the Churches of Christ doth in our use of speech properly and of right belong but for beleevers to doe this apart by themselues is adiudged contempt of authority factious novelty making of Conventicles and unlawfull Assemblies dangerous to the State and not to be suffered in any Kingdome or Common-wealth and so they blaspheme the Tabernacle of God in a high degree as if Gods people were a company of ungodly rebels and wicked conspirators but the righteous Lord will in due time visit his people rebuke his enemies And on the other side for Gods people now to deny the kingdome of the Beast that is as they call it the holy Catholick church Militant to be the true Church of Christ To refuse to partake and communicate with them in their abominations delusions and unfruitfull workes of darknesse is adjudged disobedience schisme and contempt of the power and authoritie of the Church To speak against their proceedings sedition disturbance of the peace of the Church heresie impietie and what not Thus they adorne the Harlott which corrupteth the earth with her fornications with the title of the Church and spouse of Christ and Tabernacle of God And so blaspheme the Tabernacle of God as if it were not a communion of Saincts by calling and profession but an habitation of Divells an hold of Fowle spirits and a cage of every uncleane hatefull bird Further it is sayd of the Beast that it did blaspheme those that dwelt in heaven that is the Saincts departed this life Those that dwell in heaven are then blasphemed when it is sayd of them that they take it as honour done unto them when we make them our Patrones build them Temples set up their images offer and pray unto them and make them Mediators between Christ and us for by this they are made not onely idolls but also favorers and cheife maynteyners of idolatrie They are also blasphemed when the doctrine which they taught and practised is condemned for heresie or when erronious doctrines vayne traditions superstitious rites ceremonies and customes are fathered upon them as received from them by Tradition as unwritten verities but the world hath been brought to beleeue that Saints in heaven might by these meanes bee as it were bought and fold betweene Priest and people wherein they haue been highly blasphemed Moreover it is said that it was given to the Beast to make warre with the Ver. 7. Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations Warre is made with the Saints when they are accused to Rulers and Governours to be Hereticks Schismaticks wicked and ungodly persons and they may then be said to bee overcome when their accusers are iustified and they condemned according to this this Scripture hath been fulfilled and verified Great and of long continuance haue been the warres which the Beast hath made with the Saints and many haue been the victories of this kinde which the Beast hath had against them as the Histories and other records of the Nations do plentifully witnesse It was given to the Beast to make warre with the Saints when Rulers and Governours gaue way to the Beast to devise and make lawes at their own pleasure concerning Religion and the worship of God and then to condemne for delinquents and euill doers all that would not obserue those lawes How free and forward Rulers and Governours haue been to giue such power unto the Beast they themselues haue felt by long and wofull experience for much woe hath the Beast wrought not to the poore and meaner sort of the Saints onely but even to Emperours and Kings and all degrees of people and therefore it is said in the words following that power was given unto this Beast over every Kindred Tongue and Nation So that the exaltation thereof was such as to be as a father aboue all fathers to every Kindred a Lord aboue all Lords to every Tongue a King aboue all Kings to every Nation Thus was this Beast exalted and sate as a Queene triumphing over them having all of all degrees brought in bondage unto her dominion which was a just recompence upon their heads that gaue such power unto this Beast yet see how the world was herein deluded they were not as captiues against their wills but in blinde devotion had this Beast in most high reverence as being a Divine Power ordained and given by God and not from the Dragon Thus did the Lord giue them over to bee deluded by this Beast as a iust reward of their ungodlinesse in that they received not the loue of the truth but tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse Further it is declared in the words following That all that dwelt upon Ver. 8. the earth shall worship him that is the Beast whose names are not written in the Booke of the life of the Lamb slayne from the foundation of the world By those that dwell on the earth is meant those that haue set their habitation there and choose rather to enioy the prosperitie of the world and the pleasures of sinne together with the Beast then to suffer affliction for the truth and for witnessing against the Beast These are they that worship him that is receiue their precepts and rules for doctrine and wholesome instruction and obserue their ordinances and lawes as perfect rules of equitie and righteousnesse casting the Word of God declared in the holy Scriptures behind their backes and treading his Ordinances under their feete making farre more conscience not to eate an Egge on a Friday then to steale or commit adulterie But of such it is said that their names are not written in the Booke of life of the Lamb which was slaine from the beginning of the world That is they are not of the number of Gods Elect and Chosen in Christ and given unto him for his portion and heritage whose condition is to be hated despised persecuted and afflicted in the world for righteousnes sake in whom the Lamb Christ Iesus as in his members hath been slaine since the beginning of the world which condition those which cannot brooke and indure but count it a pleasure to liue deliciously for a season and take delight to inioy the pleasures of sinne may thereby bee discerned not to haue their names written in the Book of Life Concerning these things it is added If any man haue an eare let him heare Ver. 9. As if it should be said few there bee which haue an eare to heare these things For who can indure to heare that Catholike Church which they account to bee spirituall holy and heavenly to bee compared to a Beast
and although by meanes of their Guides which make them to erre and goe astray keeping them in ignorance of this doctrine yet it shall go well with them Such persons I say are fit stones for the building of the Church of Christ but so long as they remaine in this confusion they can no more bee said to be the true visible Church of Christ then a heape of stones fitted for a building can bee said to be a house therefore they must be separated from the wicked and placed together according to the order prescribed by Christ Iesus and practised by his Apostles as in the new Testament before they can be so esteemed As these Prelates will haue this Church of England to be accounted the true Church of Christ so they will haue the true Church of Christ to be accounted false schismaticall and hereticall as in the 9. 10. and 11. Canons by which it doth appeare that if any people separate from this corrupt Church state and ioyne together apart from the wicked and prophane to walke in all the wayes and ordinances of Christ prescribed in his Testament acknowledging Christ Iesus to be the onely King Lord and Law-giver in matters of Religion and the worship of God which is the true and right rule whereby Gods people ought to walke and by so doing they become indeed the true Church of Christ to whom hee hath promised his presence and blessing yet notwithstanding such persons are for this to be accounted Schismaticks and to be excommunicated ipso facto as holding wicked errours Thus they open their mouthes wide to speake evill of the waies of God whereby also they appeare to be the very Image of the Beast that blasphemed the Tabernacle of God as is shewed before upon the sixth verse Further whereas the Apostles did ordaine divers Elders in every Church to whom they gaue charge to feede the Flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers On the contrary these Prelates in stead of Elders to feed one Flock they do ordaine one idle Priest to be fed of divers Flocks that is some to haue two some three and some foure Benefices and this they are not ashamed to publish as appeareth in the 41. Canon by which it is allowed that Licences and Dispensations shall be granted to Masters of Arts and other Graduates to haue pluralitie of Benefices so that they be within the compasse of 30. miles Concerning their Copes Surplices Crossing in Baptisme and other their foolish ceremonies which they themselues acknowledge to bee things indifferent yet those that refuse to use them through the tendernesse of their consciences are therefore greatly afflicted and persecuted so farre are they unlike the Apostle who would not use * 1. Cor. 8. 13. necessarie things that were offensiue to his brethren as that they themselues will not onely use those things which are unnecessarie but also in their use iustly scandalous and offensiue yea and compell their brethren also to use them which if they refuse they shall enjoy neither liberty nor worldly possessions How unworthy this their practise is for those that would bee accounted Christians let the world iudge certainely it is so contrary to Christian Charitie as that it is to be accounted Heathenish impiety and beastly cruelty and it is as a Marke in their foreheads to testifie unto the world that they are those which our Saviour Christ speaketh of that should come in sheepes cloathing that is pretending themselues to bee the Ministers of the Gospell and such as desire peace and unity but inwardly are ravening Wolues such as do sow strife and contention and by this meanes they grow rich filling themselues with the spoyle of their brethren whom they persecute as Lyons Beares and Leopards fill themselues with their prey These and many other evils by their Canon Law established and to the dishonour of God and vexation of his people daily practised haue been much opposed and the iniquity of them sufficiently manifested but as yet it remaineth like unto the Decrees of the Medes and Persians that may not bee changed yea they boast and say like their old Mother that without their Lawes the Church of Christ would run into confusion as if the Testament and Lawes of Christ were not sufficient for the governement of his Church and Kingdome Thus they open their mouthes and reproach the Almightie But hee who sitteth in the heavens laugheth them to scorne and will vexe them in his sore displeasure if they repent not By these few examples of their wicked practises I haue briefly shewed that this Church of England still remaineth under the bondage of Antichrist and is ruled and governed by the Image of the Beast mentioned in this 13. chapter which usurpeth that power which is onely proper to Christ Iesus And whereas it is objected in the behalf of the Church of England that it is fallen and separated from Babylon the universall Church of Rome and therfore it is the true Church of Christ and needs no other separation To this I answere that true it is that that great Citie is now divided into three parts as was foreshewed in the 16. chapter of this prophecie and the cities of the Nations that is the Nationall churches wherof the church of England is one are fallen from it but this is no argument that therfore they are the true churches of Christ that are divided from Rome unlesse they be united and joyned to Christ and framed and built together according to the patterne prescribed in his Testament It is indeed an argument that their kingdome shall not long stand as our Saviour Christ teacheth Mat. 12. Every kingdome divided against it self is brought to desolation and every Citie or House divided against it self shall not stand And if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himselfe how shall then his kingdome stand Thus by the division of this great Citie Gods people may receive comfort and rejoyce in assured hope that the fall and destruction of Babylon is neere and that the Lord will shortly be avenged of their iniquities which should teach us to come out from amongst them that we partake not of their synns and so receive of their plagues and to have no fellowship with their unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reproove them and stedfastly resist and fight against them So shall we receive the crowne of righteousnesse which God the righteous Judge shall give at his appearing To whome be glory and Dominion for ever ever Amen Revel 20. 4. And I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnes of Iesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares