the Duke should be accounted by all men absolute Governour and all men dispenced withal not to hold or observe any Ordinance or Institution made by any others then by him and that all things should be referred to his discretion I would not be understood as if Duke d' Alva were meant in this Prophesie for I think otherwise 1. Because he was no Apostate that is did never vow and promise better things 2. He had no form of godliness Both which must be in the persons here foretold Fierce or unmild not tame wilde savage â— Inhumani seri beastiarum more saith Osiander Inhumane and wilde after the manner of Beasts So Junius Feri Bestiaruns more efferatos Arias Montan. The Dutch Cruel with whom it is perilous to converse The word properly is applied to the rage and cruelty of Beasts Hence some translate Bestiales Memorable is the thing which fell out lately at Abingdon The Souldiers were more wilde and savage then the Beasts they rid upon for the poor Beasts would not do the cruelty upon the Saints though spurd kickt and beaten to trample them under foot being at Prayer as their barbarous Riders would have had them do How will some stamp rage rail threaten and shake their Heads as if they would eat up God's people when they are brought before them But that which I take to be chiefly meant by the word is this Look as Beasts will hear no reason neither is there any stopping of them in their fierceness by speaking to them So to speak to these men meant here in the Text of Reason Law Justice Conscience Right it is to no purpose they are Feri wilde Beasts their Will and Lusts must be satisfied Again as some Beasts having gotten by force or fraud mastery over their Fellows rule them by no Law but their will such a Beast-like Government doth the Spirit of God here intend so that without doubt by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyrants are here meant Now according to Statists and Lawyers there are two sorts of Tyrants One absquetitulo qui Rempub. sibi non commissam sine ullo justo Titulo vel Successionis vel Electionis invadit aut vi aperta aut malis Artibus He is called a Tyrant without Title who invades the Commonwealth not committed to him without any lawful Title either of Succession or Election either by open fraud or wicked designs Others describe him thus Qui sine ullo jure aut iniquo minimè legitimo Titulo Principitatum invadit who without any right or the least lawful Title usurps the Principality The other is Tyrannus exercitio sive â—su id est qui legitimum quidem jus ad Principatum habet sed eum injuste contra Leges exercet A Tyrant by Practice or Exercise who though he have a lawful right to the Government yet administers the same unjustly and against Laws Of this later Tyrant Bartolus and others give Ten Notes Again touching the former Tyrant their judgement is thus Quia Tyrannus absquetitulo nullum habet Fundamentum sut Principatus sive Regiminis ideo eâ— tanquam privato licet sine ulla conscientiae difficultate resistere eumque pellere velâ— medio tollere Quin desensio est juris Naturae A Tyrant without Title having no Foundation of his Principality or Government may as a private man without scruple of Conscience lawfully be resisted and expelled and removed from his place The Reason is because it is the defence of natural right The Conclusion is When the Later Apostacie shall be in the World or rather in the Church Tyrants shall then reign it is not said which of the Two but one of them will be Neither have we ground to think that such an Apostacie is already come unless so much doth appear There may be yet something more in the word Out of this Apostacie as the Bottomless Pit ascendeth the Beast that slayes the Witnesses Now observe it Reader it is a Beast that kills the Witnesses and what are the Later Apostates said to be Feri wilde Beasts Despisers of those that are good or not lovers of good men nor good things for the word takes in both minimè amantes bonorum Beza Negligentes bonorum Pagn If good men are not lov'd it is for the good things which they hold and practice Two ways men are said to be good men either as they stand for the good of their Country against Tyranny and Oppression and for the Liberties Freedom Priviledges and just power of the people Or standing up for the Truths of the Gospel and the Interest and Cause of Christ Now the Later Apostates shall appear against Good Men both these wayes And if this be not so now it is not the Apostacy in Timothy Traytors A name given to Judas Luk. 6. 16. and to the Murtherers of Christ Act. 7. 52. So that there are two sorts of Traytors 1 Spiritual or Gospel-Traytors 2. Civil or Law-Traytors Whether the Present Back-sliders are meant here I shall onely shew what they have said and leave the Reader to be Judge For the first thus they have said We have not onely proclaimed Jesus Christ King of Saints to be our King by profession but to admit him to the Exercise of his Royal Authority And upon this simple account we engaged not knowing the deep policy of Wordly States-men And those things simply were in our eyes namely THE DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST THE ADVANCEMENT OF CHRIST's KINGDOM THE DELIVERANCE AND REFORMATION OF HIS CHURCH IN THE BEST ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS ORDINANCES ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD and the just Civil Liberties of English-men Besides not onely would they have That the exaction of Tythes and all manner of Impropriations removed but all corrupt forms of an outside-outside-Religion and church-Church-Government Now with this compare their PRACTICE since whether the good things they declared for and the evil things they witnessed against they have not onely declined and most unworthily betrayed as the destruction of Antichrist and the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ but have do most cruelly hate persecute by banishment and imprisonment many of the Lord's people Because they do desire and for no other cause to have such things made good as they themselves pretended sometimes to be zealous and earnest for but now have betrayed into the enemies handâ— if this be not true the Holy Ghost intends them not neither do I. For Civil or Law-Treason besides what was said before in the Case of the King Strafford and the Judges about Ship-money I finde four Acts of Parliament not yet as I know of repeal'd which say thus Be it Enacted and Ordained That whosoever shall declare publish or any way promote any Person to be King or Chief Magistrate of England or Ireland c. without consent in Parliament shall be judged and deemed a TRAYTOR to the Commonwealth and shall suffer pains of death and such other punishments
shall be amazed one at another their faces shall be as flames Isa 13. 7 8. But when shall this be At this time I say now the Lord having called his Mighty ones and his sanctified ones and mustered the host of the battell agaixst Babylon v. 1 2 3 4. And this is one Reason why I doe conceive For material weapons the Saints have no need to make much provision before hand Though Joshua took All the People of war with him and all the mighty men of valour Yet there died more with hailstones then they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword Josh 107 11. So at this time howsoever there shall be the Sword of the Lord and the Sword of Gideon yet Gideon but a thousand and David his ten thousand And here I desire the discreet Reader to observe the Method and order which the Lord as it seemes to me will follow in making Christs enemies his footstool When the three yeares and an halfe are expir'd for till then the appointed time will not come for him to arise and have mercy upon Zion there will be a pouring out of the Spirit in abundance whereby the hearts of the faithfull every where will be raised up to high and great resolutions against the later Apostacie the little Horn and Beast Even publickly to declare the war of the Lamb against that Government and State and the whole dominion of Antichrist This will strike a dreadfull terrour through the hearts of the Enemies especially HYPOCRITES AND SINNERS IN ZION They will be driven to their wits end not knowing what to doe seeing judgment must begin at them And that the Lords work may the more effectually goe forward and prosper now the Lamb himselfe will speak to the hearts of his sincere ones touching the great Commandment of love and for peace and union By whose Spirit working effectually in them his Commandment shall be obeyed â—o that all breaches and differences will be speedily and perfectly done away and they all of one accord and of one mind And what then As the Armies of Heaven and Angels of the last plagues goe out of the Temple to pour out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the Earth And as the Saints are thus raised up in faith life light love wisedome courage c. So on the contrary the Enemies now fall and are cast down under unbelief death darknesse division folly fear c. Reader I pray thee mark it The three yeares and halfe being expird This will follow As the followers of the Lamb shall have faith love light courage and understanding rise and increase among them So among the followers of the Horn and Beast quite otherwise viz. Fear unbeliefe contention blindnesse and confusion will break out and abound And by this many will be convinc't and satisfied that the set time is come That which is next is Action And it follows in the Text. And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven Here I think the Vials begin this shaking Earth is the Earth Rev. 16. 2. the subject of the first Viall That State-Apostacy of which we have spoken out of Entituled which as the Bottomlesse Pit Truth ascended the Beast headed with with Time a little Horne But of this I have elsewhere written and shall refer the Reader to it I come now to our last point and so will Conclude Whether the Prophesie of slaying the Witnesses be fulfild in our time or no Answ By what hath been said let the READER Judge I shall add nothing of mine own But draw up some particular Heads from the the Prophesie opened If it be fulfild in whole or part These things must be as I soberly think I. A Government or State set up by Apostates II. No sooner is it erected but there will be a glorious Testimony of Jesus formerly held forth imediately kild III. If it be this Beast his dominion and Government must suddenly and strangely come forth neither expected nor desired of the people nor hath it their consent Yet IV. For craft and policie there will be more used about raising this Beast then hath been known before V. Hypocrisie in religion will be the great thing whereby the Beast being ascended out of the bottomlesse pit shall seek to establish his Government VI. They are not Persons he shall slay but the Truth witnessed by them yet not all truth But that Testimony which is now held forth for the Reign and Kingdome of Christ against worldly powers VII This Testimony he will kill in many great Professours by corrupting them with preferment Job 34 30. Again he himself will pretend much piety perswading people it is not the Testimony of Jesus he kills but errour and falshood Besides if he be the Beast he will have such Souldiers about him as will act any wickednesse he bids them Lastly he will make Lawes against the witnesses VIII This Beast shall not be under the authority of the Church of Rome neither shall the place or Country where the witnesses are slain in their Testimony belong to the Jurisdiction of the Papal Beast IX Neverthelesse this Beast shall be a main pillar and supporter of Babylon in her greatest Idolatry and Tyranny X. Though this Beast shall indeavour to destroy utterly the present Generation Testimony yet he shall not be able For the Lord will have a Remnant in whom the witnesse shall live Though he have kild it in others XI Where this is their hypoctites doe reigne It will be a time in which Apostates shall florish XII Now the Carnall and corrupt professour will rejoyce and make merry And Priests say as Agag surely the bitternesse of death is past call for Samson that he may make us sport Who is wise and he shall understand these things Frudent and he shall know them For the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them But the transgressors shall fall therein Hos 14. 9. FINIS A POSTSCRIPT Ye Precious Ones and Saints of the most High It is not much that I shall add But it is to give YOU an Account of the Occasion of this Work UPON my Banishment from Hull for what Cause I know not there being nothing to this day made known to me I went a part as Elias did into the Wildernesse And as I lay under hedges in holes my Soul in bitternesse breathed forth many sad complaints before the Lord. It is enough O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers Often and sore wrestlings I had with my God to know His Meaning and Teaching under this Dispensation And what further work whether Doing or Suffering he had for me his Poor old Sevant being now againe Banished after 17 years Banishment before Being brought thus at the feet of God and there waiting
praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare If this Head should erre in ordaining evil things or prohibiting good things the Church is bound to believe the evil things to be good and the good evil unless she will sin against conscience Again whereas All other sentences and judgements both of Councels and persons may be examined for that they may be corrupt but as the Head of the first Apostacie is above all Civil powers and free from all Constitutions whatsoever So whatsoever he acts approves or disapproves men are bound without either judging or disputing or retracting to approve or disapprove the same For here obedience must be without enquiring as a horse is obedient to his master and it were heresie to think otherwise To know therefore whether the Apostacie of this age be it of which Paul speaks we must consider the Parallel 1. If it be the same it hath its beginning and rise in the Churches of Christ and among eminent professors of the Gospel this appears by having a form of godliness 2. Self-love and covetousness is the root from whence it springs so much I shall shew presently 3. If it be the lâ—â—er Apostacie it must have a Head conformable to the first who in his actions must speak great things as the other did Dan. 7. 8 20 25. It is given into my hands to change times and laws and therefore I will do what I please neither shall there be any law but according to my will I am above the people and all their Representatiâ— s to call them when I please and to break them to pieces at my pleasure What I will shall be for Law whether it be above Law or against Law or without Law neither may any man say Sir why do you so For I am not nor will not be subject to any Law nor responsible for my actions to any Councel Court or Judicatory whatsoever Whom I think fit to banish imprison or any other way to destroy that I will do neither am I bound to give any reason to any man for it Those that acknowledge me to be their Head must justifie whatsoever I do for I judge him a State heretick and traytor that shall question my power or say that I may not do what I will I am free from all Constitutions of men all are bound to obey me without judging disputing or retracting I say All my commands and commissions must be obeyed without enquiring of Reason as the Horse or Ass is obedient to his master You that are enquiring after the Time of the end ought to minde this It is not the present Apostacie which is come upon us that the holy Ghost fore-tells in Timothy if it agree not with the first Apostacie namely had its beginning in the Churches of God and among professors of Religion occasioned through self-love covetousness and pride and hath a Head speaking great things as did the Head of the first Apostacie For judging and applying things this I leave to the unbyass'd Reader it being my work but to open the Prophecies But there is one thing and the Scripture notes it in which these two Apostacies agree not The former by reason of the abominable Lyes and damnable Heresies which were received was a departure both from the power of godliness and the form too The later being a falling away not in doctrines but manners will keep still a form of godliness but denying the power thereof I have thought sometimes what the reason might be that the holy Ghost useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence we say apostacie being a word proper to Souldiers and borrowing it from them applies it to religious matters Whether it might not be closely foretelling of some eminent and notable falling away which would be among such kinde of men in the last days to the great scandal of the Gospel being high and glorious professors thereof But I proceed 2. And before we come to speak of the particular sins set down in 2 Tim. 3. it is worth observing the vices which are not there mentioned as Idolatry Adultery Murder Drunkenness common Swearing and such-like And no marvel for these are of so gross a kinde as they cannot well stand with a form of godliness and be defended and pleaded for as the sins there specified Here again the judicious Reader is desired to consider whether this come not home to the present Apostacie can the sins which are left out by the Spirit of God as Idolatry Adultery Murther c. be charged upon them at least so eminently visibly and generally as the sins in the text As for the vices which are not nam'd do they not preach against them and punish them But for the other which are nam'd if they are not as plainly seen in them as was the leprosie on Gehazâ—'s forehead they are not the MEN meant in Timothy So for the sins which are exprest we must not take it of personal failings that is of good men who by occasion fall into such sins for so we should condemn the generation of the righteous For who liveth and sinneth not But when the Apostle saith Men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous proud c. he means such MEN in whom these sins do reign and they live in them and are under the power of them and think it strange that other men run not with them into the same excess of riot and therefore speak evil of them This likewise must the Reader observe that the sins in Timothy cannot be applied to the Apostates of this age unless they walk after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3. 3 and are so far from acknowledging the evils which they have done as that they are hardned in them go on in the constant practice of them and yet say Stand by thy self come not neer to me for I am holier then thou Isai 65. 5. 3. It was foretold by the wisdom of God in Paul that the first Apostacie should be a departing from the Lord in points of Doctrine that is as I said a turning aside from the Truth to lyes and vanities 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 c. The other not in doctrine but vitious walking I hope the Reader will minde whether this is fulfilled in our time Are not the Tryers zealous men against the Idolatry of the first Apostacie They will tell you there must be no inventions in Gods worship but every thing must be according to the Pattern viz. Church Ministry Worship and Government But what say ye to the Characters of the later Apostacie are they not lovers of themselves covetous proud c. I wish for their own sakes it be not so Since my thoughts were upon this Apostacie I have been considering whether till now from the rise of the first Apostacie it hath been known that at any time the
son Others leaving out Demetrius chuse Antiochus the great father to this Antiochus the vile And a third sort leave it indifferent which bee nam'd So for others applying the little Horn to the Pope One takes it for the excommunication of this King and that Emperour another for the deposing of such and such Now that which I shall say to all is this whether wee consider Kings or Kingdomes named by them they were not any of the ten Horns neither were they broken by a little Horn which grew upon the fourth Beast nor in three years and half neither together and at one time Nor doth it appear by any History that so many Horns more nor lesse were pluckt up by the persons named by them nor that it was the last Horn which grew upon the fourth Beast and another from the ten Horns Therefore I shall propound this to the Reader to bee considered and weighed by him whether England Scotland and Ireland are not three kingdomes and these three at one time as to their Priviledges Laws Rights Freedomes c. broken And whether this bee not done by men who have the Characters of the last Apostacy upon them and such as call themselves a State and Government but never could formally put themselves either into a Kingdom or Commonwealth And whither the time in which all this was done were not as probably it may be thought neer or about the period of the forty-two months But it is likely some will question whether England Scotland and Ireland are three of the ten Horns in the division of the Roman Empire To this I Answer 1 All know that are acquainted with Histories and Interpreters such difference there is among them in the enumeration of the ten Horns whether understood of persons or States that nothing from them can be certainly concluded And therefore I may say and as groundedly granting there were ten disstinct divisions that England was one Scotland another and Ireland a third as others who name either this or that Countrey But 2. My opinion is and so is the judgement of most by ten no precise and certain number is meant but an uncertain and indefinite that is the Roman Empire dissolved into several States and Kingdomes And thus was England one Scotland another Ireland another Neither doth the Holy Ghost I think intend any thing further But many Nations and Countries should withdraw from the Power of Rome and become Independents free and absolute in and among themselves So that by ten many are understood as it is often so in scripture Numb 14. 22. Job 19. 2. Pluckt up by the rootes The Angel opening these words vers 24. saith hee shall subdue three Kings Humiliabit saith Rob. Steven and Pagnim bring them low or humble them as if hee should say three Kingdomes which shall arise after the division of the Roman Empire I would have the reader to consider whether these may not bee England Scotland and Ireland being by the mighty hand of God brought off and raised up from a great deal of Tyranny and arbitrary Poner under which they were enslaved and having obtained much of their ancient freedome rights and Priviledges and in a hopeful way to a thorow Reformation at home and to have been instruments abroad of much good us other Nations in suppressing Tyranny and Idolatry Behold on a sudden out of the last Apostacy as the bottomlesse pit up starts the last Little Horn who humbles them and brings them down under the oppression and bondage wherein they were before or rather more hinders them in going on in the work of Reformation and instead of doing good to other Nations makes these three Countries a reproach and scorn every where Now howsoever this Humbling bringing down may largely bee taken Yet I think the holy Ghost chiefly intends religious things that is this last Horn shall be an occasion of rendring the blessed name of God and the cause of his dear Sonne contemptible to the World The which before was not onely mightily cried up and pretended to but gloriously held forth as a burning light before all people and kindreds and Tongues and Nations In this Horn were eyes like the eyes of a man This may bee taken two wayes 1 Of his Carnal Wisdome worldly prudence subtlety policy making an outward shew to bee a great lover of Laws of justice and Equity and the interest of the People hereby the easier and sooner to effect his own design That he is said to have Eyes and no such thing mentioned of the Ten This I understand comparatively For they did see that is they were crafty and politick yet so as blind to what sight this Horn shall have in all cunning devices Hee will exceed all that were before him both for matter and manner of deceits their craft was shewed but now and then and onely in some of their publick affairs and transactions they studied other things besides carnal policy and carried on some of their Actions without deceit simply and honestly In a word their Policies were but rough draughts at the belt Whereas this Horn whosoever hee be will mannage none of his actions without deceit his head and heart will never bee off from studying craft and for all his projects and contrivements they will be most artificial works But 2. And this I rather take to bee the meaning The Little Horn hath Eyes the other none Here is signified that hee will by a subtle Practice cal'd Religion Liberty of Conscience Gods glory the advancement of Christs kingdom c. set up himself and his own Interest A thing which the ten Horns never saw such eyes will bee proper to this Horn for hee shall joyn himself to the people of God and take part with them against Tyranny and Idolatry as seeing it to bee the way for his own advantage As the Pope Mahomet and others brought their designs to pass by such Eyes to wit religious pretences In the same way will this Horn exalt himself It will not bee so much by carnal Policy and the Wisdome of this World for in this respect the other Horns were not blinde but hee gets power place and authority another way into his hands namely by standing up for And with a good Interest and so gains the hearts and prayers of Gods people and afterwards having what hee desired turns his HORN that is his Power Army and Councel against the holy People and the good old Cause by which he was first raised Eyes of a man Not of an Angel this is added to shew that all the time of his Saint-like carriage and when hee appeared most earnestly zealous for the interest of Christ and his people like another John his heart is not upright before the Lord but is a very Hypocrite even that Fool who saith in his heart there is no God For under all his Protestations Oaths Covenants great undertakings c. The Plot and Design which hee will carry on is how to make
three years and an halfe before the end of the 1260 years neither sooner nor later and done with so much secresie policy and craft as no such Beast or Government shall be expected or thought of till it be brought forth And howsoever it hath a mean and low beginning yet it will rise to a monstrous height of Pride against God and man This State or Kingdome of the Beast will be full of darknesse great oppression exercised by reason the people have their power Laws and liberties taken from them And howsoever this be so yea and withall the blessed Cause of Christ destroyed in his Witnesses by an usurped power yet this Beast or Goverment shall have with it such a glorious out-side of Religion and Form of Godlinesse as among Gods own people many of them shall not know this State or Government to be the Beast which slays the Witnesses till the three years and halfe are expired And thus much for the Beast who he is and what is signified by him We come now to the Witnesses and how they are kild 1. By the Witnesses I understand not persons but the Truth or Testimony it selfe which is held forth and asserted by them I say it is not the person which the Beast is said to kill but the holy Cause and Interest of Christ witnessed too and for by the Saints of the most High So that the person may live though he be slaine in his Testimony 2. For the Testimony or Witnesse it comprehends not all Truth For the Beast shall allow much Truth and countenance men in the practice of it Therefore the Testimony which he shall slay is to be taken restrictively that is some particular Truth which he will not indure as proper to that Generation and Time In all the dayes of the Papall Beast the Sack-cloth Witnesses might safely and without danger assert many Gospel-Truths That which they suffered for was for asserting such Truths and speaking against such Errours and lies as that Time would not bear it being to the disadvantage of the Beasts Kingdome that such abominable filthinesse should be discovered So this Beast will not make war against every Truth but seeks only to destroy that Testimony which he thinks if not kild will be his utter ruine Quest What is that Truth or Testimony here slaine by the Beast Answ It is the last witnesse which Saints shall hold forth for and in the behalfe of Jesus Christ against the Enemies of Gods people And being the last of their Testimony it can be no other then bearing witnesse to Christs blessed and visible Kingdome That he as heir of all things will take all power rule dominion into his own hands and that all the present Powers and Governments of the world shall be broken to pieces And more particularly they shall now bear witnesse against this Beast as to be that Power and State by whom the witnesses are to be sâ—ain and after three years and an half his Dominion shall be taken from him The observing of this will lead us to the knowledg both of the Beast and Time for it cannot be this Beast unlesse he slay such a Testimony in the Saints as is here set down that is A testimony for Christ against all present powers and particularly against the Government of this Beast as declaring openly who he is where his seat is and that the Lord after three years and an halfe will utterly consume him And here I think lies the difference between the Testimony of the Sackcloth witnesses before the Beast ascended out of the bottomlesse pit and afterwards Their Testimony before was mainly against the Idolatry of the whorish Church bearing witnesse to the Propheticall and Priestly office of Christ and suffered upon that account But afterward when the three years and half begin their Testimony is as I said before for his Reigne and Kingdome And this witnesse will the Beast seek to murder allowing that Testimony which was born before to his Propheticall and Priestly office by which meanes the slaughter and murder he commits will not easily be observed 3. That the witnesses are said to be two I conceive it is for this reason Because their Testimony consists of two parts viz. 1. That Jesus Christ ought to have his right his honour glory service dominion 2. That his enemies in not giving the same to him But instead of exalting him exalt themselves and their own interest shall extreamlysuffer for it Or two as witnessing for righteous things and against unrighteous things Now for the manner of their Slaying He shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them First though the witnesses in their Testimony are slaine upon the rise of the Beast and there we are to begin the three days and an half yet doth he continue his persecution till the whole terme be ended Secondly There may be something in the words make warre overcome and kill more then hitherto hath been minded In Chap. 12. 14. The womanâ— to shun the face of the Serpent slyes into the wildernes where she is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time The slaying of the witnesses and that slight of the woman is at one time And I think the occasion of that flight is this war of the Beast So that he slays not the whole Testimony or witnesse but the Lord preserves a remnant as he did the 7000 in Israel up and down the Nation which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus all the time that the witnessesly slaine Thirdly He shall make warre against them and shall overcome them These words are taken from Dan. 7. â—2 and have been opened before It is true in Daniel there is no mention of killing The reason may be because he hath respect to what the Horn or Beast shou d doe against the persons of the witnesses but speaks nothing of killing because the Lord will not suffer him to proceed unto blood John names killing in regard he should slay the Truth and Testimony in many persons though not the person for the truths sake This likewise is worth the Observing to know the Beast by Quest But how doth he slay the Testimony of Jesus I answer many wayes First In some he slays their Testimony by preferment and bestowing great Offices and places upon them Here I may say changing a few words what is said Rev. 12. Woe to the Inhabiters of heaven Churches and Church-Officers and Professours of Religion for the Devill is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that the hath but a short time This Beast scornes to be serv'd for nought specially if they are religious and men searing God these rather then others shall be prefer'd in his Councel Army Navy Vniversities Parish-Tithes so they will fall down and worship HIM and his Image And in this designe he hath a double advantage 1. He is sure to slay in them the last Testimony of Jesus for Noman