Beast is no other but his Universal Power and Headship over the Church of God then I will leave any man to consider Whether one and the same thing is not here spoken by S. Paul in the Epistle to the Thessalonians He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And hath not the Bishop of Rome for 1000 years put himself in the place of Christ as the Head and Law-giver to the Church of Christ But the Apostle goes on Vers. 5. Remember you â—…ot when I was with you I told you these things We reade in Acts 20. when the 〈◊〉 sent to Ephesus he called for the Eâ—…ders of the Church he told them that grievous Wolves should come and that they should not spare the stock The same things in effect he spake among the Thessalonians when he did foreshew the decay of the Christian faith and the revelation of the Man of Sin Now for the time of his coming and the knowledge they had oâ—… that time he hath these words Vers. 6. And now ye know what with holâ—…eth 〈◊〉 he may be revealed in his time â—…y the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that doth withhold all Interpreters for the most part 〈◊〉 understand the Great Empire of the Romans For as long as the Mâ—…jesty of that Empire did stand it would keep 〈◊〉 the dominion of Antichrist who should ariâ—…e What knowledge the 〈◊〉 Thessalonians had of this is doubtful yet there iâ—… nothing more â—…ure then that the Ancient Writers 〈◊〉 as lived before the fall of the Empire did believe That when this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come then the Man of Sin should be revealed Among many others when Hierom heard of the taking of Rome by the Râ—…me he did make application of this Scripture that then the Man of Sin was at the doors Now whereas some Interpreters think that we cannot shew any precise time of the coming of Antichrist they divide themselves into sundry opinions And therefore some speak of his Conception some of his Birth some of his higher advancement into the Throne and some of the full Perfection of his Power Others there are that take all these together and tell us That he was conceived in the Primitive Times born about the times of Constantane set up in the Throne under the Emperor Phocas and raised to the high pitch when he did assume the Power of both Swords But all these are but conceits of mens own Commenting For the time of the revelation of the Man of Sin must not be as every one will feign it at his own pleasure but as it is positively and plainly set down in the Word of Truth Now if we go to the scope of the Context the Great Empire of the Roman the impediment that hindred must be taken away and then after that the Man of Sin must be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite and determinate time There is then a precise definite and determinate time for the revelation of the Man of Sin and this must be after the fall of the old Empire Nâ—…w according to these grounds there can be no other time intended but when he was installed Oecumenical Bishop under the Emperor Phocas It is clear by the Stories of the Church That the Empire fell and the Kings arose in the fifth Century And after that in the year 606 from the birth of the Lord and in the year 666 from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome the Bishop of Rome was declared Universal Head over all Churches in the times of the Emperor Phocas In this year he was revealed and declared to the world in such a manner as the Apostle doth describe him for in this year he did begin to sit in the Church or in the Temple of God as in Cathedrá as Oecumenical and Universal Bishop and Head of the Church And so we have the particular time when Antichrist was revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite time This we take to be the natural sense of the Text for if these two things be supposed First that the beeing of the Man of Sin lies essentially in his Headship over the Church and Temple of God Secondly that he did appear in his proper time after the fall of the old Empire What other thing can here be signified or decyphered but that which we speak of to wit that the Number 666 in the Revelation doth point out the time of the rising of this Spiritual Monarchy For as we have formerly shewed the year 606 according to the calculation of the times in Daniel is the Number 666 the Number of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And thus we see how the scope of the Apostle in this Scripture doth fully answer our Interpretation concerning the Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name Now let us go to the words of the Apostle as they follow Vers. 7 8. For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked one be revealed Here Interpreters do inquire what is meant by the Mystery of Iniquity Some do think that the Apostle doth refer to those Heresies in the first times that were previous to the bringing in of the Man of Sin But how could those gross Heresies be so called The Mystery of Iniquity did incroach upon the Church and upon godly men under the appearance of the greatest holiness Secondly suppose that in those first times there were some beginnings of Free-will Justification by the Merit of Man yet these things are not to our purpose for we are here specially to look after such a working of the Mystery of Iniquity as makes way for the Papacy or the Papal Government or the Universal Headship of Antichrist that he shall sit as Lord or chief Ruler in and over the Church and Temple of God The question is What previous workings were there in the Apostles days and so downwards towards the setting up of the Universal Headship For this is to the scope of the Text and this doth answer the matter in hand Let us therefore consult with other Scriptures S. Iohn saith Ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even so the spirit of Antichrist is already in the world 1 Joh. 4. 3. What doth he mean by this that the spirit of Antichrist was already in the world He doth explain himself in his third Epistle and the 9th verse I would have wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence suffereth us not It appears from hence then that in those first times men did affect that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Primacy or Headship in and over the Church of God Here then the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work in those first times But lest any man might alledge that these incroachments were too gross and that the Mystery of Iniquity must be carried on with greater shews
fitly applied to Rome Antichristian which is truly and properly called the Whore of Babylon in the figure But now a little to draw nearer to the Point When was it that the Whore did begin to ride the Beast and where shall we set the date of her Dominion For so the Angel doth expound the words The Waters where the Whore sitteth are Kindreds and People and Multitudes and Nations and Languages ver 17. Her sitting upon the Beast and upon many Waters doth not onely imply an ordinary sitting but a sitting in the way of Lordship Dominion and Supreme Command Such a kinde of sitting we must look after if we will truly know the time when the Whore began to ride the Beast And here I say at that time when the Bishop of Rome did begin to be the second Beast or Universal Head under the Emperor Phocas then at the same time did the Roman Church begin to be the Mother of all Churches or rather the Great Whore that rideth the Beast the Mother of all the Fornications and the Idolatries of the Earth Let us therefore more distinctly consider the times as the Angel doth give the true delineation of them And therefore speaking of the Ten Kings that should carry the Whore that should be wholly at her devotion he doth expresly speak of them They have no Kingdome as yet but receive a Kingdome as Kings one hour with the Beast ver 12. Therefore the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Kings must needs anticipate or go before the Jurisdiction and Dominion of the Great Whore And lest there should be any mistake in the time the Angel doth plainly shew That there must be eight Revolutions of State in the City of Rome and that seven of them must fall before the time cometh that the Whore shall ride the Beast These are his words There are seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goeth into Perdition ver 10 11. From whence it is manifest That the Ten Kings must arise and seven Forms of Government must fall in the City of Rome before the times of the Great Whore can begin But here is a hard question to be decided by the way How can the Beast be said to be the eighth King and yet one of the seven Heads I will the more willingly take it into Consideration because I have been heretofore much puzled with the question And I finde also that the very best and most approved Interpreters do not give a certain sound To let pass how far Brightman and Paraeus have gone aside in the matter Mr. Forbes makes the Kings and Heads of the Beast to be co incident terms but in this he is greatly mistaken For the Beast in the order of Kings is expreslâ—… said to be the eighth King and in the order of Heads he is onely one of the seventh Therefore we may certainly conclude That these are not equivalent terms but that necessarily some distinction must be made betwixt the Heads and the Kings Mr. Mede therefore keeps himself in doubtful terms for speaking of the seventh Change of State to wit The Christian Caesars he saith That this Potentate because he should be of short continuance shall seem to be Dynastes alius another Ruler sed revera non alius in deed and in truth not another So likewise concerning the Beast in which State he should carry the Whore This Beast saith he in respect of the Change of the Caesars seemeth to be the eighth but revera non nisi septimus in deed and in truth no other but the seventh In which words of his so far as I apprehend there are two passages which seem to me to differ from the scope of the Text For when he speaketh of the Change of the Caesareate from the Pagan to the Christian Caesars how can he call that of the Christian Caesars Dynasten quasi alium revera tamen non alium The words of the Text are plain Five are fallen one is to wit that of the Pagan Caesars when Iohn wrote the Revelation and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of the Christian Caesars is not yet come It is clear then that the Governments of the City of Rome are eight in all and not eight in appearance onely and the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in reality and truth and not another in shew onely as Mr. Mede will have it So likewise for the Beast it is strange that he should affirm him to be quasi octavum Dynasten as it were the eighth Potentate sed revera non nisi septimum but in deed and in truth no other but the seventh The words of the Text are express The Beast that was and is not he is octavus the eighth in reality and in truth and not the eighth in appearance only Therefore the Exposition of Mr. Mede doth contradict the words of the Text and the knot remains Upon much debate I finde that we must go another way to work and here we must distinguish the Roman Governments as they are simply so called from the Roman Governments as they are Heads of the Beast If you look upon the Roman Governments as so many Policies and Forms of Dominion then it is clear That there are eight Forms of Regency to wit The Kings the Consuls the Decemvirs the Dictators the Tribunes the Pagan Caesars the Christian Caesars and after all these seven cometh the Beast as octavus Dynastes the eighth Potentate Now on the other side if you reckon the Heads of the Beast there can be but seven Heads and therefore the Beast must needs be the particular seventh seeing the Christian Caesars from Constantine to Augustus cannot be called an Head of the Beast at all unless we will go against the scope of Scripture For it is not the manner of the Scripture to call Christian Governments by the Title of a Beast or the Head of a Beast This Character doth properly appertain to the Kingdomes and States of this World that persecute the Church and are contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom of Christ. Upon this account the Christian Caesars do indeed make a distinct Dynasty or Policy and yet are no part or Head of the Beast The words of the Text are clear for when the Spirit speaketh of the other that should come to wit the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Head but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another King which sheweth plainly That the Christian Casars are a distinct Form of Government but no Head of the Beast So likewise the Beast of the last edition is not termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth Head but he is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth King Touching the Kings it is spoken
Reproof and Instruction in Righteousness I shall do it the rather because many in these times are preoccupated with prejudice Paraeus in his Commentary upon the Revelation and in the Preface of the Work hath these words Apocalypsin interpretari non est nodos aenigmatum omnium solvere apices omnes aâ—…u fodere nihil omnino ignorare vel quid Imago quid Character quid Numerus Nominis Bestiae quid Bestia ipsa c. By this it is evident what the forenamed Interpreter doth judge concerning these Points to wit The Beast the Name the Mark the Number of the Name He taketh them to be but Punctilio's and Niceties in this kind of Learning But saving the great worth of so judicious an Author I shall now endeavour to make good the Contradictory to his Assertion and shall prove these to be Points very Momentous and much conducing to the knowledge of the whole Prophecie First If you take the Book of the Revelation in the main Scope it is for the most part carried on in the Description of the Kingdom of the Beast in the time of the beginning and continuance of that Kingdom as it standeth in Diametral opposition to the Kingdom of the Lamb and of his Saints The Lord Jesus Christ that sent his Angel of â—…et purpose to sigâ—…e to the Churches things that must shortly come to pass â—…endeth a great part of the Prophetical Narration in the description of the Beasts Kingdom and in the delineation of the Name Mark and Number the essential Badges and Characters of the Kingdom Therefore it must needs be a matter very behooveful to the right understanding of other parts of the Prophecie to define in the beginning what is signified under these Emâ—…ems or typical Expressions Secondly The holy Spirit speaking of the Image of the Beast 〈◊〉 Name Mark and the Number of his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That iâ—… giving worship to the Image and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark the great sin of the world hath consisted in these latter times chap. 13. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Now then if the great sin of the world hath primarily and chiefly consisted in these things it is a most material Point to finde out what the holy Spirit doth mean by these symbolical and figurative expressions I cannot mourn for a sin privately in heart neither can I publickly reprove it in others but I must first know what the sin is But that this Idolatry may more fully appear let us amplifie it by two Circumstances First By the Circumstance of Place where and how far it hath been used And here it is plain in all the parts of the Dominion of the Beast none may buy nor sell but he that worshipeth the Image and receiveth the Mark He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to be subject to his Laws If you look to the Latitude of the Dominion the Scripture speaketh of a very large and ample Dominion that the Beast hath For the Nations were deceived chap. 20. vers 3. All the world worshiped the Beast chap. 13. vers 8. The Kings of the Earth did also agree to give their power to the Beast chap. 17. vers 17. Therefore the Dominion of the Beast must be very great and by consequent the sin must be an Oecumenical sin practised in all the parts and precincts of so large a Dominion Seeing also it is not the sin of one particular Nation City or Church but in a manner the general and the common Apostacy of the times therefore it is of great moment to be considered The sin of Ieroboam is much spoken of in the Scripture that it was a sin of departure from the true God and that it continued long after his death yet for all this it was only practised within the compass of the Ten Triâ—…es so long as they continued a Kingdom But now the worship of the Beast and the receiving of his Mark have overspread all Nations in the Christian world only there have been some faithful Witnesses which have stood for the Truth and have been slain for the testimonies sake Secondly For the Circumstance of time how long shall it be that men must worship the Beast and receive his Mark This must be in all the times of the Kingdom of the second Beast For though I do not fully agree with Mr Mede as may appear by that which I shall afterwards deliver That the ten-horn'd the two-horn'd Beast are exact contemporaries in all their times yet in substance and in the main they are said to be of equal continuance The time of the ten-horn'd Beast is 42 months or 1260 prophetical dayes or ordinary years So then some small proportion being deducted this period will be the time also of the two-horned Beast and of the worlds receiving the Mark and the Image which he made Therefore seeing this sin shall continue many ages together it behoveth us to make the more diligent search into the matter Nebuchadnezzar set up a great Image as the type of the Babylonian Majesty he caused all the States of that Empire to come together to the Dedication of the Image he commanded them all under pain of death to fall down before it He had a note of distinction also to discern between the worshipers of the Image and those that refused that worship Yet all this was done as it were in an instant of time But for the Image of the Beast set up in honour of the Roman Majesty this hath continued many ages Here all Nations Languages and People are required to worship here is a penalty laid upon all that shall refuse to yield Obedience to the Command and here is a mark to distinguish between those that are the Beast's and those that are none of his These Tyrannical and Idolatrous practises have continued by the fore-appointment and counsel of God for many generations Therefore considering the largeness of the place and the long continuance of the time that the world hath sinned and doth yet continue sinning against Christ in these very things we may conclude That it is no nice curiosity to finde what is meant by the Beast his Name Mark and the Number of the Name Thirdly If we consider the grievous Judgements of God denounced against all those that worship the Beast his Image and receive his Mark in their Forehead and their Right hand that they shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation Also that they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and of the Lamb and the smoak of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever chap. 14. vers 9 10 11. The learned Grasserus rightly observeth That in the whole Canon of Scripture there is nowhere a more terrible judgement threatned than that which is here denounced against the men that worship the Beast and receive his Mark. And shall
up to attention to look after the Messiah of whom so much was sooken in the Prophecies So in the like case many things being foretold in the writings of the Apostles concerning the coming of Antichrist when that time should begin to draw near the Lord was pleased to suffer such a dust to be raised between Constantinople and Rome to rouze up the spirits of men to examine those things which were foretold in the Scriptures In the Book of the Revelation there is much spoken concerning the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name Now when this Name or Headship was come to the beginning thereof Gregory did plainly declare That the formality of Antichristianism did consist in this Title and that the Man of sin was then at the doors And I wish one day his sayings do not strongly witness against all his Successors who with one joynt consent down from the year of our Lord 606 have appropriated this Title to themselves to the great dishonour of Christ the true Head of the Church But if they alledge That the Bishop of Rome is only a Ministerial head as Christ's Vicar To this I Answer However they may evade by subtilty of words indeed and in truth they have taken for many Ages together the Dignity of Christ and have made him only the titular Head of the Church For is it not clear by the Stories That all doth depend upon the Authority of the Romane See The credit of Scripture the interpretation of Scripture the making of Laws the abrogation of divine Laws and all things in a manner have depended upon the Authority of the Roman Bishop What he would he hath set up what he would he hath plucked down And when all this is done is he only a titular Head Indeed and in â—…uth the Headship of Christ hath been made but a cypher and the words of Gregory have been found too true in the event But for the passages out of him two things are briefly to be observed First If we go to the 600 years immediately after the birth of Christ there was then no Oecumenical Bishop For though the Man of sin had gone very far and had made many progressions in the Mysterie of Iniquity yet the Authority it self was not publickly established in all that time If it were so we may believe that Gregory would not have inveighed against that Headship as he did Secondly In the year of the Lord 606 the Decree was Enacted That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches which Dignity the whole Succession have enjoyed now above this 1000 years And that which Gregory did call Antichristian in others that all his followers have assumed to this very day Therefore Thuanus in his 67 Book doth speak very pithily Phocas Bonifacio tertio insignes Episcopi Universalis titulos quos nuper Gregorius in Iohanne Constantinopolitano improbaverat prolixè attribuit Phocas did largely ascribe to Boniface the third those eminent titles of Universal Bishop which Gregory did lately inveigh against in Iohn of Constantinople Now then to gather all into one sum we may see how the Prophecies and the Stories of the Church do agree First That the two-horned Beast had a determinate time when he rose up out of the Earth Secondly That this time is after the rising of the ten-horned Beast or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Thirdly It is to be applied to such a time only when the Name and the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began publickly to be set up All these three laid together do necessarily bring us to the Decree of the Headship under the Emperor Phocas And so we do Conclude that this is the Number of the Name of the Beast as it is mentioned in the Prophecie Now by what Accompt the Number is 666 we will shew in the Two Chapters following CHAP. V. That the Roman is the Fourth and Last Metal-Kingdom in Daniels Image and the truth of this is proved against the Positions of Junius Broughton Piscator Dr. Willet and others FOr the carrying on of our matter we need not imbark in that great Question Whether the Roman be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Or Whether the Opinion of Junius and his followers be received We are sure both wayes to make the Accompt good That the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is 666. The matter is so firmly grounded upon the event Let us then proceed according to Iunius his Method let us say that the Babylonian is the first Metal-Kingdom that the Mede-Persian is the second that the Macedonian in Alexander is the third that the Seleucian is the fourth Here according to this Analogie there must be an end of all the four Metal-Kingdoms at the destruction of the Seleucian when Syria Iudaea and all that Oriental tract came under the Obedience of the People of Rome Now then if you reckon from the final Conclusion of all the four persecuting Empires and from the beginning of the Roman as that Nation did succeed in the Rule over the Church there will be an exact period of 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And so we do concord with the Principles of Iunius But we do not say That there was a dissolution of all four Metal-Kingdoms but only a dissolution of the third and a beginning of the fourth Now from the beginning of the Roman or the fourth Kingdom we make the accompt And for the clearer manifestation of the truth we will Debate this Point more fully for it is a ruled case in Daniel and the Revelation That one and the same thing is variously repeated for clearer explication As for ensample The Antichristian Kingdom is more obscurely delivered Revel 11. Now if we compare it with the description chap. 13 and chap. 17. all three Scriptures will exceedingly illustrate one and the same truth And so in the present case if it can be solidly proved that the fourth Beast in Daniel is the Roman Kingdom we may safely conclude that the same matter is repeated more largely in the Book of the Revelation Mr Medâ—… speaketh to very good purpose concerning the description of the ten-horn'd Beast Rev. 13. These are his words Toâ—…a autem haec descriptio petita est ex Propheâ—…iâ Danielis cap. 7. ubi de eâdem agitur quâ hic Bestiâ Romanâ status novissimi sed quae ibi Danieli ab Angelo succinctius narrantur ea hîc Iohanni interjectâ quasi explicatione fusius deducuntur Comment Apocal. pag. 190. From which words of his it is clear that one and the same Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian State thereof is the subject matter of both Scriptures And so we have a certain and a demonstrative Principle to build upon For not only the Book of the Revelation it self will be cleared by comparing one part with another that which is more dark with that which is more
Earthly Monarchies and Kingdoms Answer For the Kingdom of Christ I acknowledge that it is far above Earthly Monarchies in largeness of Dominion in greatness of Power in time of continuance Yet we do not vilifie and debase it by compaâ—…ing it with the Kingdoms of this world We see both in Daniel and in the Revelation That the Kingdom of Christ and the Monarchies are all Numbered together and are set one in Opposition against the other the Kingdom of Christ against the Governments of this world Further We have good Reason to Affirm That this Kingdom is not begun in that fulness and amplitude of Power as it shall have because the Lord Christ hath not yet Ruled Universally over the known parts of the Earth as Earthly Monarchs have done Mr Hayne That Christ hath not so Ruled the Reason is easily given Soloman who excelled in Abundance of all outward and royal Accoutrements found all to be vanity of vanities and vexation of Spirit Answer That Christ hath not so Ruled is because the time of such a manner of Ruling is not yet come to that fulness of Perfection as it shall have The Scriptures do everywhere speak of his Kingdom over Jews and Gentiles in the latter dayes and shall any imagine that there shall be no such Kingdom And though that of Solomon be rightly applied to the Kingdoms of this world that they be all vanity of vanities yet we must take heed that the same things be not spoken of the Kingdom of Christ. For the Nature of this Kingdom we desire that we may not be mistaken We do not plead for a Personal Reign nor a literal Resurrection of the Martyrs nor a confluence of all Sensual Delights as many have done That which we principally stand for is The Universal Subjection of the Nations to the Laws of the Gospel and the rest of the Church from such Persecutions as have been in all Antichristian times when the Governments of this world have been engaged to Afflict the Church For as formerly The Kings of the Earth being deceived did yield a Universal subjection to the Bishop of Rome and to the Laws made by his Authority So the times shall be when the spiritual Excellencies of the Gospel shall be discovered to the world then the Dominations Dignities States and Governments of the Earth shall willingly submit to the Laws of Christ Whole Nations shall come in in the time of the Gospel They that will call such a Kingdom vanity of vanities must needs call many Promises of the Scriptures Vanity of Vanities For many Promises are concerning the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles when that Nation of the Jews shall be called Secondly The Hallâ—…lujah that was sung to the Lord Christ at the burning of the Great Whore was in reference to this The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth chap. 19. vers 6. For as the Great Whore somtimes Reigned over the Nations when their Laws Statutes Customs Priviledges and all other things were made subject to the Authority of that Church So the Lord Christ shall Reign when the Nations shall willingly yield themselves up to be governed by his Scepter and shall live in subordination to the Laws of the Gospel Be it far therefore from any to think That the Hallelujah was sung to Christ in reference to his Monarchical Reign and such a Reign when all comes to all be but vanity of vanities But leaving this Point let us come to that which is more pertinent to our purpose to the Discourse concerning the Four Metal-Kingdoms and to the Parallel between the Ten-Horned Beast in Dan. 7 and the Ten-Horned Beast in the Book of the Revelation Mr Hayne The Beast Rev. 13. expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom to the Fourth Kingdom Dan. 7. Therefore it is not one and the same Roman Kingdom That the Beast Rev. 1â—… expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom I thus prove The Chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation having reference to some thing in the Old Testament express some New matter like the Old yet not the same with the Old But the Beast in the Revelation hath in the Figurative and Mystical terms thereof reference to the Old Testament namely to the Fourth Beast in the Propheâ—…ie of Daniel Therefore the Beast in the Revelation expresseth not the same but a like Kingdom to that in Daniel's Prophecie What I Affirm of the chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation is evident For Egypt Babylon the New Ierusalem the Wilderness Paradise Manna express new terms like 〈…〉 same Answer I can see no Reason but the Fourth Beast with Ten 〈◊〉 in the Prophecie of Daniel is one and the same in substance with the Ten-Horned Beast in the Revelation They are â—…et out by one and the same Character with the same circumstances and both Prophecies do pitch upon one and the same Roman Kingdom And what Mr Hayne doth Alledge to 〈◊〉 contrary in my Apprehension is not of such great moment For what if it happeneth many times That the 〈◊〉 mystical terms in the Revelation having reference to 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament express some New matter 〈◊〉 the Old yet not the same with the Old What if this be true in many particulars as in those aforenamed yet it dâ—…th not follow That it is true in every particular We can shew many Instances to the contrary That the same truth is literally and historically mentioned in both Prophecies First The Kingdom of Christ is described to be an everlasting Kingdom that shall not pass away Dan. 2. And is not this one and the same Numerical Kingdom with that which is mentioned in the Book of the Revelation concerning the Dominion of Christ that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last which is and which was and which is to come the Lord Almighty Secondly Muâ—…h is spoken iâ—… the Old Prophets concerning the future Glory of the Church of the Jews that shall be at the Call of that Nation and are not the same things Numerically and in terms repeated by Paul in Romans 11 and by Iohn in the Revelation But now let us come more particularly to enquire concerning the Ten-Horned Beast whether he be one and the same in both Prophecies for if Mr Hayne or other Interpreters of his way can make it appear That this Beast is the Seleucian Kingdom and the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings in a lineal Succession we will willingly yield the truth of that which he Affirms But on the contrary if we can make it appear and that by true Demonstration That the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom then we may conclude That one Kingdom is Identically Literally and Historically spoken of in both prophecies and that Iohn doth but more fully declare those things which were more fully decyphered in the prophecie of Daniel This is that which we shoot at to make it appear that both Daniel and Iohn do describe one and
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit
It is expresly said That his coming is after the power of Satan for as God did work by the Apostles to bring men to Salvation so shall the Devil put forth all his power in Antichrist and his followers to seduce the world to destruction Oecumenius hath a very proper expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devil shall do all in the middest of him or by him as the mean or instrument The friends and followers of the Church of Rome do strongly plead the glory of Miracles as a note of their Church and so they do truly fulfil the Scripture for it is expresly said that the coming of Antichrist is with all power and signs and lying wonders and that he doth seduce the world with all deceivableness of unrighteousness And we see by experience where he hath wanted the Scripture and the colour of Divine Revelation there he hath usually confirmed his Doctrines by lying wonders that is by such wonders as the Lord doth permit him to work to establish lies and errors in the Consciences of men The Stories of the Church are full of examples of this kinde and innumerable instances may be given And although many of our Writers do take all those things in a manner for lies which are written in the Legend for it is the punishment of a liar that he shall not be believed when he speaks true yet for all this I do incline to their opinion who do distinguish the several pieces contained in that Rhapsodie Some things there mentioned were meerly invented and others there are which we may probably judge to be real operations of Satan to deceive the world The words of the Scripture come to this Emphasis and height of expression For this cause God shall give men strong delusions to believe lies Therefore the Devil must have very great power in the times of Antichrist to deceive the world how else should the Scriptures be fulfilled But passing by the multitude of examples that might be given for their sakes who in these times do slight the Scriptures and hang upon Revelations we will come to a pregnant instance in the Tenth Century This for the most part is called by Writers The dark age Bellarmine and Baronius themselves do mourn over it for the want of learning But for my part I do believe it was not so much defective in these things as it did abound in Revelations Visions Dreams and such-like by and through which Satan had a very great power in the Consciences of people In that Century in the times of the Saxon Monarchs in the year 977 well near 700 years ago there was as Speed doth relate in his Chronicle a very hot contention about the Marriage of Ministers Dunstan and the Monks stood strongly on the one part that Ministers should put away their wives and the Ministers strongly pleaded on the other side that Marriage was the Ordinance of God Concerning this matter a Councel was held at Winchester where after long dispute and much against the Monks it was greatly suspected that side had gone down had they not referred themselves to the Rood or Crucifix placed upon the wâ—…ll of the Church where the Councel sate To this great Oracle S. Dunstan desired them devoutly to pray and to give diligent ear for an answer who in as great bounty as they in devotion gave them this advice God forbid it should be so said he you judged well once and to change that again is not good This saith our Historian was Authority sufficient to suppress the Priests who now with their wives went down the wind And indeed saith he to blame they were to suspect this their Iudge who never was heard to give wrong sentence before Speed Chron. pag. 355. Saving the great worth and learning of the Historian I believe That this was not the first false judgement given by this Judge and I believe it will not be the last as afterwards shall be declared Spondanus in his Epitome of the Annals of Baronius in the year 975 doth differ somewhat from this relation These are his words Quâ de re cum à Sancto Dunstano Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo Synodus Wintoniae congregata esset deprecante ipso rege ac plerisque Episcopis ut iidem Clerici restituerentur mirandum illud contigit ut Imago Crucâ—…fixi in edito Ecclesiae affixa audientibus cunctis dixerit Non fiet non fiet judicastis bene mutaretis non bene Quod omnes Clericos eorumque fautores confusos reddidit lingues It appeareth by this passage That King Edward surnamed the Martyr and many Bishops with him did intercede very much that the Ministers might have their wives restored unto them and when all were in a suspence what answer should be made this wonder happened that the Crucifix determined the contrary and so the Priests were confounded and made speechless After these things were done the Ministers were not yet satisfied therefore the matter was brought again to Councel and a great Assembly congregated at Cleve in Wilishire whither repaired the Prelates and most of the Estates of the Land besides Gentlemen and of the Commons an innumerable sort This Synod being set and the Controversie propounded a hot and a sharp Disputation insued and was maintained for a while with many bitter invectives But whether through the weakness of the foundation or the overpress of weight or both the Joysts of the upper-Loft wherein the Councel was held suddenly brake and down fell the floor with all the people thereon whereof many were hurt and some slain out-right Onely Archbishop Dunstan then President and Mouth for the Monks remained unhurt For the Post whereon his Chair was set stood and not without miracle wholly untouched And hereupon the Historian concludeth in these words Thus by this fall fell the Cause of the Secular Priests and the Peoples affections were drawn to the Monks and the liberty of the Ministers to accompany their wives was now taken away Spondanus saith that this Councel was held at Calne but there is no great difference Calne the Market-town and Cleve a small Village are so near together In that Councel saith he Mirandum illud accidit cunctis adversariis vel extinctis vel contritis solus Dunstanus qui Synodo praesidebat illaesus evaserit That is All of the adverse party who were for the Marriage of Ministers being either killed out-right or sorely brused onely Dunstan the President of the Synod remained without hurt This is a true relation of the fact and most Historians do agree Now let us come to inquire by what power and by what efficacy these things were done And for my part I think it was very just with God to forsake the Christian world and to deliver them uâ—…to strong delusions to believe lies because they had forsaken his truth and because the Ministers were so base as to suffer their Cause to be tryed by the Rood or Crucifix it was very just that they should further
Nation Yet if we seriously consider the times we shall finde That the light began to break out and the day began to dawn at the taking of Constantinople in the year 1453. For the Greek Empire being destroyed and that Eye of the Christian world being put out it pleased the Lord by this means to cast many learned Grecians into this Western World This gave occasion to the reviving of the Languages and the reviving of the Languages brought in the study of the Scriptures and other ancient Authors and things began to be cast into another mould By this means the more learned sort were brought off from the Doctrine of the School-men and the more zealous ones from Visions Dreams and Revelations and so the world was prepared to receive another kinde of light Not to mention the troubles which Reuchlin Pagnin and Arias Montanus did meet withall it is manifest by the Epistles of Erasmus how much the Monks and Friars were inraged at him He tells us how in England France Spain Italy and every-where in a manner they did both publickly and privately inveigh against him And it went for a received Maxime among many That Erasmus did more hurt then Luther How could that be He revived the Tongues he was an instrument to bring men to the study of the Scriptures and ancient Authors and by those amoeniores literae which he so often speaks of he did bring the world from Monkish darkness and foolish Revelations Campanella therefore calls the War betwixt the Protestants and the Papists Grammaticale Bellum a Grammarian War because by the study of the Languages by the Greek and the Hebrew Tongues the Reformation of the Church was introduced And it is the sentence of Melancthon Non aliam ad veterem barbariem reducendam magis compendiariam esse viam quam si studia linguarum interirent There is no more compendious way to reduce the ancient barbarism then if the studies of Languages should peresh Orat. tom 4. pag. 465. As light then as men make of Humane Learning in these times it was one chief mean under God to bring the world out of Antichristian darkness And it is the judgement of so id men that if it should be totally abolished it would occasion the return of that darkness once again Now let us come to consider the Stories and the time of the immersion how the Church came first under this darkness It is clear from the process of the aforementioned Discourse that about the time of the Emperor Phocas the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome was publickly proclaimed the Scriptures began to be slighted and the Traditions of the Church immoderately extol'd Now here is a great demand How is it possible that the Church could apostatize and degenerate so far in one or two Centuries seeing in the age of the Christian Caesars when Chrysostome Hierom Augustine and others lived there was so much light The answer is clear The Goths Hunnes and Vandals and other barbarous Nations came out of the North overturned Churches burned Libraries overthrew Schools of Learning and by this means the world was organized and fashioned to receive the Kingdome of Antichrist and all that whole body of false Doctrine that should be set up in the Consciences of ignorant people by Visions Dreams and Revelations From all which I do conclude If there should be a total abrogation of Book-learning it would be a compendious way means to bring the Church into its former darkness For as experience sheweth That the taking away of that Learning was one chief meâ—…n to introduce Antichristian darkness So the restoring and renewing of it again was one principal mean of the recovery of the former light Thirdly they do symbolize and come in the nearest similitude to the true formality of Antichristianism who do build their Corsciences upon men and do make men the Lords of their Faith In this sense we are to take the words of our Saviour when he saith Mat. 23. 9. Call no man your Father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in heaven Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ. Some are so void of understanding as to take these words according to the letter as though the practise of Christianity should extinguish civil relations and distinctions betwixt man and man But these are idle conceits we are to look to the scope of our Saviours meaning The Jews in his time were divided into divers Factions into the Sects of the Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Gaulonites and the like Now it was the ambition of those times for every man to have his Rabbi and each Rabbi to have his Scholars depend upon him as the Lord of their Faith In this sense our Saviour speaks that they should call no man Rabbi Rabbi and gives this reason One is your Master even Christ and all ye are Brethren In these words he doth especially point at the formality of Antichristianism that should be in the Popes Kingdome For though there is much ado made betwixt the Criticks in the Greek Hebrew and Syriack Tongues about the true Origination of the word Papa yet I finde That all do agree in the signification that it is as much in sense as Spiritual Father Now then if we look to the practise of the Romish Church we shall finde it apparent That the Body of the People do depend upon their Teachers as their Spiritual Fathers and all the Spiritual Fathers of the lower degree do depend upon the Bishop of Rome as the Father of all And herein that Hierarchy doth directly oppose the true Church of Christ as it is described Eph. 4. ver 4. 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as you are called into one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all The Apostle further speaketh how the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work in the Church of Corinth Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptized in the Name of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. It appears by this That the Unity of that Church was broken by many divisions several Believers had their several Rabbies on whom they did depend and though Paul and Cephas would not take so much upon them to be the Lords of peoples Faith and the Heads of Parties yet the false Apostles did wonderfully affect such a kinde of Title and too many carnal Christians in those days were too forward to pin their Faith upon other mens sleeves and to come in the nearest formasity to the Antichristian practise in these last times The world is too apt to fall into Divisions and to say I am of Paul I am of Apollo and I am of Cephas And in this men must needs symbolize with them who make the Bishop of Rome the Lord of their Faith and do profess themselves
we account it but a curiosity to finde out the meaning of Christ in these things in which also the precious Souls of many thousands are so deeply hazarded and that for ever to their eternal perdition if they repent not Our Saviour fore-seeing the great Calamities that should befal the Church and People of the Iews at the Destruction of Ierusalem had great tenderness of heart toward them At the instant of his Suffering he said Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children For the dayes are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the barren that do not bear and the Papps that never gave suck Luk. 23. 28 29 30. Even so at this present day though the friends and followers of the Church of Rome are the greatest Enemies that we have yet nevertheless had we the heart of Christ and did we see the greatness of their sin and the grievousness of the wrath to come we would have tender Affections towards them we would mourn over them with many tears But how shall we do this if we our selves do not understand what this sin is and what judgment the Lord will bring upon them for these things Therefore it is no idle Speculation to meditate on this subject which concerneth the sin of the world and the great judgment of God because of the sin Fourthly If we consider the special Cause of the Martyrdom and the Sufferings of the Saints it was specially for these things And therefore in the beginning of the Beasts Kingdom and Edict was made That all who would not worship the Image should be put to death chap. 13. vers 15. The Victory of the Saints also that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire was of them that had overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name chap. 15. v. 2 3. At the beginning of the thousand years also those Souls saâ—…e upon Thrones and judgment was given to them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God that had not worshiped the Beast nor received his Mark. We may conclude then That these were the special Causes of the Martyrs Sufferings in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom and were the eminent object of their Victory and Crown in the end of the Kingdom Now shall we think the knowledge of these things to be a nice Speculation I think that there is nothing more seriously to be thought of and I believe also that it is the minde of Christ that we should so judge of the matter Fifthly If we consider the object of the Vials upon what kind of persons they are poured out They are poured out upon a People that are distinguished by such Badges and Cognizances as these That had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 1 2 10 13. Now then if we would know what the Vials are and wherein the justice of God doth appear in his pouring forth of them in these times for these are the times of the Vials it would be a Point very necessary and material to the opening of this Doctrine to shew what is meant by the Image of the Beast and the Mark of his Name for the Vials full of the wrath of God have their several and respective operations upon these kind of men Therefore it is no matter of light curiosity to discover what these things are and what kind of persons are deciphered and set forth under these Characters Sixthly Considering the Promises that are made to the Church That after the time of the Beasts Kingdom then the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. v. 3. That wherein the Nations have been deceived in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom is in the matter of worshipping the Beast in adoring his Image and in receiving his Mark as may appear chap. 13. v. 13 14. chap. 20. v. 3. Further whereas it is said that the two-horned Beast did deceive them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles he had power to do Here we must not think that this deceiving of the Nations was only at that instant but he hath deceived them and doth deceive them and will deceive them in all the times of his Kingdom And it is particularly said of the Kings of the Earth to wit The deluded Kings that they shall agree to give their Kingdoms to the Beast till the words of God shall be fulfilled When those times are once fulfilled the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more For though he and the Beast are two yet in this business they are but one The Dragon deceiveth the Nations by the Beast the Beast is the Dragons Vice-gerent in deceiving the Nations When the Beast is destroyed the Dragon also shall be bound up that he shall deceive the Nations no more If we descend to particulars and enquire wherein the Nations have been deceived the whole Scope of the Prophecie doth direct us to the worship of the Beast and to the receiving of his Mark. It is no frivolous study then to dive into the Sense and to search into the Meaning of these things seeing they are the subject-matter of such an universal Delusion And who can tell when these things shall come to be more clearly known to the Consciences of them which have been formerly seduced When they shall come also more perfectly and fully to know what the Spirit meaneth by the Name of the Beast his Mark and Image and how they have greatly sinned against Christ in yielding to these things Who can tell what a mean this may be of their undeceiving We may probably suppose that the States and Governments of this world may more easily be brought off from their subjection to the Beast when we shall define the true natural meaning of the Spirit and lay the definition before the Conscience In the great Controversies betwixt the See of Rome and other States it is remarkable what the Champions of that Church do usually propound they speak much of the stability of that Seat grounded upon the Promise Tues Petrus c. And in very deed if we look to experience how many Kingdoms how many Churches in the East and in the West have totally perished and have come to nothing when that Church and See hath continued in the greatest Glory and that for many Ages Now this being laid as a Foundation is not here great reason alledged to the Conscience that the States of Christendom should yet continue their Obedience to the Catholick Apostolick Romane See as they call it None can deny but That Authority hath been wonderously and miraculosly preserved in all times and in all changes of time And for mine own part I do openly confess That to me it is a great wonder to see a State oâ—… Government to continue so many Ages and yet to abide one and the same still But when I read the Scriptures I find that the
Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian Edition must continue a long time â—…o the admiration of the world The Caesarean Majesty was to continue some good space of time and that being cut off the Antichristian is to be restored as the wonder of the world And therefore it is said That all they whose Names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world shall admire when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is chap. 17. vers 8. Now then if we can make it appear what is the meaning of the Spirit in these things when the Antichristian Kingdom began and how long it must continue if we can shew what is meant by the Name Mark and the Number of the Name and how all these are applicable to the universal headship of the See of Rome and to the worlds living in subjection to that headship if these things can be cleared as by the Lords assistance I shall endeavour to clear them in the process of this Treatise I hope that this will not any longer be accounted a fruitless inquiry which may be the mean under the grace of God to redeem the Souls of men from such a thraldom For put case you have to do with such a one who placeth a great part of his Religion in yielding subjection to the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome You shall do much toward his Conviction when out of the Scriptures in general you shall be able to prove such an Obligation to be contrary to Faith in Christ. And this many worthy Writers have done already Yet you shall do more when out of this particular Scripture you shall be able solidly to prove the Profession of such an Allegiance to be the Mark of the Beast If they that separate from our Church and cite that Scripture Come out of Babylon my People would first define what Babylon is and that the Church of England is the Babylon that St. Iohn speaks of they would carry on their business more demonstratively and Apocalyptically Till this be done they do but beat the Air. The same Law may be given to us when we charge the Roman Catholicks that they are such that receive the Mark of the Beast To justifie the charge we should define in the first place what the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name do signifie and when this is done we should shew how these things do agree to the head-ship of the Roman Bishop If there be no performance of this how can we accuse them of a sin and we our selves be altogether ignorant what that sin is Therefore the right determination of these things is no trivial matter as some imagine Seventhly If we consider the Reign of Christ upon the Earth for 1000 years to the better understanding of this it is behoveful for us first of all to know what is the Reign of the Beast over those that have the Mark and worship the Image For it is the Scope of the Spirit to set the Reign of Christ in immediate opposition to the Reign of the Beast If therefore we can well understand the nature and manner of the Beast's Reigning over those that have his Mark and worship his Image we shall be the more able to see the nature of the Reign of Christ. For the knowledge of one contrary doth exceedingly conduce to the knowledge of the other specially in that Point wherein the contrariety doth stand and the contrariety between the Lamb and the Beast doth lie in the Soveraignty Now for the clearing of this Truth we can prove it from the Scope of the Prophecie and from the coherence of the Visions For in the former part of the Prophecie from the beginning of the 13 chapt to the end of the 19 it is the Plot of the Spirit to describe the Kingdom of the Beast in its first Institution in the greatness of its power in its cruelty against the Saints in the time of its continuance and in other Adjuncts of that Dominion At the end of the 19 chap. he sheweth how the Beast is cast into the Lake of Fire and when this is done he beginneth to â—…peak of the Reign of Christ and of the Resurrection of the Martyrs From the whole Scope of the Prophecie it is evident That the Reign of the Beast is opposed to the Reign of Christ for 1000 years where the Beast doth make an end at that instant of time the Reign of Christ doth begin And where the death of the Martyrs is fully complete there the Resurrection and emersion out of the Antichristian Death doth immediately ensue Now for the Consequents that follow the destruction of the Beast's Kingdom Iohn tells us I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pâ—…t and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon and bound him 1000 years Further he did cast him into the bottomless pit and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. vers 1 2. Now if the question be put How and wherein were the Nations deceived I Answer It was in the worship of the Beast and in receiving his Mark for it is mentioned in the two last verses of the former Chapter That the false Prophet deceived them that received the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image When the Beast was destroyed then the Dragon was bound up and so an end was put to the deceiving of the Nations By all that hath been spoken it is evident That the Reign of the Beast in all his times is immediately opposed to the thousand years of the Reign of Christ. Therefore if we would know the nature of the Reign of Christ in what manner he shall Reign upon the Earth and how his Martyrs shall Reign with him it is needful that we should understand what is the Reign of the Beast over those that receive his Mark and worship his Image It is needful also that we should understand the whole Antichrisian time to be the season of the Death Sufferings and Beheading of the Marâ—…yrs for the testimonies sake When this time is ended then there shall be a rising or a standing up from this Death The right stating of these things will prepare the way for the discovery of the 1000 years And for ought as I can discern one chief reason wherefore we are so dark in the Apprehension and confused in the Notion of the Reign of Christ is this Because we do not first Expound and make cleer the Reign of the Beast what it is what his Name Mark or Image are nor what is the Number of his Name These and many other Reasons might be brought to prove the Use and Profit of the Discovery But to gather up all into one Sum If any think these things to be a Nicety â—…et them consider First That these are the distinctive Badges of the Beast's Kingdom Secondly That