1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
the counsell of the holy Ghost appear in the sequell If any man have eares to heare let him heare doe not think that these things concern Students onely and Scollars But what is this to common christians He that hath an eare let him heare what the holy Ghost saith It is the same charge which he gave concerning the Epistles which were common to all churches If any man have an eare let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Those generall doctrines necessary for all Christians to understand the same charge is laid upon all to heare what is spoken concerning this beast If thou understandest Religion if thou wouldst be or art a member of a Church of Christ know this point If any man have an ear let him hear this But you will say to me shall we make it an Article of our Creed to believe the Catholick Church and shall we now make it an Article of Faith to beleive it to be a Monster I believe the holy Catholick Church and shall we make it a Beast To this I answer The holy Catholick Church we make it an Article of our Creed that is a company of the Godly called out of the world we look at them all as those for whom Christ shed his bloud But we must not look at this as a visible Catholick Church much lesse the Roman Church as the Catholick Church we believe the Catholick Church is invisible we believe no visible Church but Congregations and therefore if you come to heare of a Roman Catholick visible Church whereof the Pope is the head and who takes upon him all this Soveraignty and power here described we look at such a body as a great Bâ—ast Communion of Saints wee acknowledge and that all the Churches of Christ have one and the same power amongst them The Church of this Congregation hath power within it selfe equall to what others have and none have power one over another None of us are like Leopards to other beasts perfumed to draw other beasts after us and then like Beares to clasp them in to be subject to this Church then speak like Lyons that all shall be subject to our commands This is a Beast and this is no Catholick Church This is a Catholick Church of the Devill but not of Christ Thus have you the two first verses opened unto you Come we now to gather one briefe note from the words The visible Catholicke Roman Church is in the esteem of the holy Ghost a monstrous Beast that is the note That it is the beast here described you have heard it opened Some Roman State it must be and you have heard it can neither be Rome-Pagan nor Rome-Christian It must therefore be the Roman Church for it is described by seven heads and ten horns which are the Arms of Rome as they are described in the Revelations That it is in the eyes of the holy Ghost a monstrous beast is here evident for imagine a beast set before you with seven heads and ten horns would it not seem a monster and unnaturall that it should look like a Leopard all sported and feete like a Beare and look at his mouth and that 's like a Lyon is not this a monster to say nothing of his blasphemies which makes him a wicked beast but look at his visage which is here resembled and what is here deciphered but a monster It holds forth his description in other places in Chap. 16. 13. There came forth three unclean spirits out of the mouth of the Dragon that is the Devill and out of the mouth of the Beast out of the mouth of the false Prophet And you shall also read that the beast was taken and with him the false Prophet these were two still they could not be made one Rev. 19. 20. And they were both cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone both the the first beast and the latter beast the beast and the false Prophet He like a Lamb comes in sheeps cloathing but inwardly is a ravening wolfe Now why is it such a monstrous beast If God had made such a kinde of creature a Leopard is no monster nor a Beare nor a Lyon But if you make a Beast of all these that will be a monster that is contrary to the course of nature cleare besides the ordinary course of naturall generation that makes a thing monstrous this then is the reason of the point A beast ingendred against the course of nature that is a monster especially if there be so many uncouth shapes of which it is composed And it is not so with this universall Catholick visible Church Doe but consider what kinde of Church the Lord instituted the Church of a particular congregation If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between thee and him c. If he will not hear thee take with thee one or two more c. If he shall neglect to heare them tell it to the Church Mat. 18. 15 16 17 18. What the Catholick visible Church when will that meet think you And is it ever to be expected that when they do meet that every brother of this countrey and other countreys must go to Rome and tell the Trespasses of his brother against him and send for those that have offended him and thus and thus plead with them And when do you think that a Catholick Church will heale all offences between brethren Will not this be a monstrous beast when the Catholick Church must heare and remove offences That Church which Christ hath ordained will heare the offences of brethren and a brother hath liberty to tell his offence to the Church and at length the matter will be brought to an issue when they they have two witnesses then the Church sees what is to be done Now to have a Catholick visible Church what a monstrous disturbance will that be to the free dispensation of the government of Christ and yet the rulers thereof will be the only visible Church-governnours of the world Again you read in 1 Cor. 14. 23. When the whole Church saith the Apostle shall come together into one place c. The Church therefore which the Apostles instituted may be gathered into one place that all may heare and all may be edefied Why is it possible that all Churches should be gathered into one place or should all heare if they were gathered or will they be ever so gathered what a wondrous beast will this be Againe whereas Christ hath said his Kingdome is not of this world and hath appointed to his Disciples that they should not be Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. and in Mat. 20. from 23. to 29. It shall not be so among you But whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and let every soule be subject to the authority of the higher powers Well now if there must be a Catholick Church and an Officer that shall rule all
down to the pit I have found a ransome Job 33. 24. He now pleads satisfaction to the justice of his Father and having satisfied for all there is a sufficient plea in his mouth for all the Elect of God whatever our actual transgressions have been the Lord hath aboundant plea for all his people that so he may both obtain of the Father the spirit to bestow good things upon us and having given us such things as faith and love and repentance he may plead our sincerity of heart and that argues communion with himselfe and saith in his bloud But that which doth make us stand righteous before him is this that he himselfe was a Lamb without spot and yet did not plead his own innocency but did bear all for us and for us all that we might ever be righteous in the sight of God And thus will God have all his servants plead or else they shall not have salvation First to plead silence That then thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Ezek. 16. 63. Secondly to plead our iniquity Psal 51. 3 4. I acknowledg my transgression and my sinne is ever before mee Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest c. But purge me with by sope and I shall be clean Looke therefore unto this point mainly and principally that if we come to plead before the Lord our God hee doth require we should examine our selves and in the end be so surprized when we have done as not to have what to answer Christ could not tell what to answer and we must not wonder if wee doe not finde what to answer For here God magnifieth his love in setting forth himselfe unto a believer to be a God justifying him that cannot justifie himselfe He seeth there is the way of the grace of God the Lord hath done this in Christ and the manifestation and declaration of it doth so possesse the hearts of Gods children that it causeth them to cleave unto him for all their righteousnesse and peace And this is of great necessity and of continuall practice for the Saints of God to attend unto that we might not be at a losse in this great question of our soules Conscience cryes out unto us and wee know not in the world what to say for wee are wicked beyond measure in the sight of God our own sincerity will not plead our righteousnesse before God But all it will do will come to this end that we shall be convinced we have nothing to say Nay an Angel nay the Sonne himselfe could not tell what to say for us but wee look to be justified freely by his grace And the God of all grace doth so justifie Christs cause that all the world that are justified shall be justified by his plea who hath done all things for us that concern our everlasting salvation For a third use of the point it may be for reproof to unconscionable Advocates but I have not I thinke so much cause to speak of it here but in most places of the world I might speak of it It might teach all Advocates to take heed of bolstering out a bad Case by quiâ—ks of wit and tricks and quilets of Law the Lord abhors such things If you will have the Lord to smell a savour of rest plead the cause of the faithful and of the widow but thou shalt not accept the person of the poor nor of the rich And for men that professe Religion as many Lawyers do to use their tongues as weapons of unrighteousnesse unto wickednesse it is a professed practice against the doctrine of mortification For a man to give his tongue his glory as David calls it to become a member of unrighteousnesse to plead in corrupt Causes and to strain the Law to that purpose were I to speake in place where I should think it meet to speak more But I shall not be accounted a good Lawyer may some say No Christ was the best Advocate that ever was and yet he could not answer Let the cause be what it is where the tree fals let it lye If Christ do keep silence in point of our righteousnesse let us keep silence also in point of our own Fourthly It may be a use of instruction unto all those that professe fellowship with Christ and the saving knowledg of Christ Jesus You see here how Christ is described a Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world None more innocent and yet none more meâ—k and paâ—ient If you speak of Christ as a Minister the spirit of a Dove doth come upon him For the Sacrifice he is a Lamb. The wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the Faâ—ling together and a little child shall lead them And the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the Oxe and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cock-atrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine Isa 11. 6. to 9. Doe you see a man boysterous in his spirit and in his own will and wayes and will not be willing to see a difference in himselfe from the spirit of Christ Jesus as it is possible that a child of God may be rough in his way yet hee dare not allow himselfe long in it it is a body of death But if you see a man that doth allow himselfe in a passionate frame of spirit that a man will have his owne will and will not be crossed in it whether it be right or wrong doubtlesse this is not the spot of Gods children It is not the spirit of those whose names are written in the Lambs bâ—ok of life God did not indeed elect us because either we are such or would be such but he did elect us to be made such first or last before we come to enjoy the everlasting Inheritance which this book hath written us downe unto And therefore it must cut off all our boysterousnes and churlishnes of spirit all this ruggednesse and churlishness it must be taken off The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye downe with the kid and a little child shall lead them Therefore all bitternesse of contention and pangs of passion that prevaile that are farre from the spirit of love must be removed But this will prevaile in all Gods people that God will carry an end your spirits in conformity to the spirit of his own Be of that spirit therefore in all your Transactions that is to say mild and patient and innocent And so it will require all the children of God in the same
but we were by nature children of wrath as well as others How came we to be restored and reconciled to the Father from whom we fell as much as we could by the bloud of the Lamb that hath reconciled us to God Secondly by his death he hath paid a price of purchase for union and possession of union with the Sonne So doth the holy Apostle teach us Ephes 2. 13. to 16. You that were sometimes farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one Jewes and Gentiles both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us So that he hath made Jewes and Gentiles one houshold of God and hath built us upon Jesus Christ the cheif corner stone This is the second purchase which the Lord hath given his blood for the price of We had never been united to Christ nor by Christ been brought to the Father but by the bloud of his crosse his blood hath flain all enmity between God and us Thirdly by the same price he hath also purchased us the holy Spirit These are the three persons in Trinity a possession of Christ to be our head of the Father to be our God and King and our Father as his Father therefore he tels his Disciples in John 20. 17. saith he Touch me not for I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God As soon as he had by death overcome death now I go to my Father and your Father He hath purchased the possession of Gods fatherly love he hath also purchased union with himselfe and therefore he prayed that his passion might be available to this end that all that should beleive through the Apostles preaching should be one with them John 17 21 23. That they all might be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one So that this is the purchase which the Lord by his blood hath purchased reconciliation with the Father and union with the Sonne and also the inhabitation of the holy Ghost as 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you And as he tels us in Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father So that this is a purchase of unspeakable blessings which the Lord hath given his blood for It was not meet the blood of the Sonne of God should be spilt in vain it were abhomination to God therefore he gives it to avoyd the greatest evill that can befall us to cleanse us from sinne and Satan and to redeem us from the curse of God and to free us also from death and hell and the world and all the enemies of our souls He gave his blood for all this not to redeem us from crosses but from the curse in crosses and that is the part which drives us from God Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me yee cursed So farre as any affliction might separate us from God he hath redeemed us from it Now from thence as Christ hath given his blood for reconciliation with the Father and for union with the Sonne and for communion with the holy Ghost so he hath given his blood for the purchase of some blessings that flow from these For by communion with the spirit we have 1. First communion with Christ in his death mortifying sinne and communion with him in his resurrection raising us up to righteousnesse Whence the Apostle professeth that he desires to rejoyce in nothing but the crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to him and he unto the world Gal. 6. 14. And in Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is crucified with him that the body of death might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne So there is the power of the spirit of Christ applying his death killing and crucifying sinne and the world in us crushing the head of the Serpent and consequently all the power of the Beast of the Catholick Church of Rome and the head of that Beast which is the Pope He did therefore shed his blood that he might destroy all the power of the enemy That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare all the dayes of our life Luke 1. 74. This is the mighty power of the spirit applying the warme blood of Christ to our foules 2. The second fruit that flows from union with the blessed Trinity is ratification of the Covenant of Grace And Christ layd downe his bloud for that end to ratifie all the promises that a reconciled God hath made and that is God in a Covenant of Grace That he will write his law in our hearts that he will forgive our sinnes and remember our iniquities no more that we shall know him Jer. 31. 33 34. Christ gave his blood to ratifie this Covenant Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And as the Testament of a Testator stands not in force till the death of him that made it so the death of Christ ratifies this Covenant and as all the Covenants were confirmed by bloud so hath Christs blood done in a speciall manner And when he speaks of ratifying the Covenant he doth not onely speak of ratifying of it in word but cheifly in the hearts of Gods people and no price could have done that but the blood of the Sonne of God by which he hath ratified all the promises of God to the consciences of Gods people That when the heart and conscience of a sinner is overwhelmed with inward agony and fear of the wrath of God and the curse of the Law the fear of death and Hell now what shall satisfie a christian in this but the death of Christ and what shall ratifie it His death hath purchased reconciliation with the Father union with the Son and communion with the holy Ghost now he hath shed his spirit in our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 3. 14. This spirit of God works faith in the hearts of Gods people whereby all these promises are confirmed they are all certainly made good because such is the value and virtue of the death of this innocent lamb of God they are now free from the terrour of death It was not possible the bloud of Buls and Goats should take away sinne therefore still they had new sacrifices for the conscience had lost the copy by which it pleaded reconciliation by the spirit of God now he applying the death of Christ to the soul doth fully pacifie the conscience and ratifie the Covenant to the soul that now all the promises of Grace belong to this or that servant of Christ and I pray mark it because it is as weighty as any point of Religion And of all the
doctrines of Religion there is none sanctified so effectually and immediatly to beget faith in the soul as the preaching of the crosse of Christ All the doctrines of the Gospel are for the begetting of faith but they have no efficacy this way further then they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ other promises do confirme faith and they may also beget it but it is with reference to the crosse of Christ That which gives satisfaction to Gods justice that gives satisfaction to our consciences for conscience is convinced that if God deal in justice as he knows no reason but he should then he of all men is most miserable the burden of thâ—s lies heavy and is ready to plunge him to hell what will satisfie the conscience now nothing in the world except it see some reason why Gods justice should be satisfied and how shall that be done onely by the death of the lamb of God So that well doth the Apostle make the crosse of Christ the ratification of the Covenant for that cuts of all sinne and curse and the rigor of the Law hell and death and devill and damnation and all evil that can befall us in this or another world and doth satisfie the justice of God that it might remove all these and bears the whole burden of the desert of our sinnes purchaseth reconciliation with the Father union with the Sonne communion with the holy Ghost But what is all this to me will the soul say unlesse these be so given that faith be wrought in my heart to discerne all these and finde them The Lord doth indeed all these the spirit of God comes and so preacheth the Gospel and so applyes the Gospel as that in preaching these things he doth beget faith in the heart to believe that all these things are indeed belonging to such a soul and to every one whom he is pleased to accept to the benefit of the crosse of Christ and to fellowship therein and now indeed is the whole Covenant of Grace confirmed when by the death of Christ the virtue of it is applyed by the spirit to the soul Not that there is a reconcilement to God before faith and union with the Sonne and communion with the holy Ghost before faith It is before in Gods purpose and Christs purchase but when the spirit comes to apply this whose work it is to give accomplishment to the work of the other persons he applying this works saith and ratifies the Covenant and thereupon the heart is satisfied and the justice of God satisfied and the spirit at rest from unsupportable anguishes which did before plow up the tender heart of a christian that he lay sprawling as it were in his blood 3. A third benefit that flowes from the former in respect of the price paid and in regard of the virtue and efficacy of the price when it comes to be applyed you have not onely lawfull right unto the creatures to eat and drink c. but some right and title to them by the blood of Christ And he hath also paid a price for the possession of eternall glory Vntill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 14. Untill doth argue that there is a purchase we do not yet receive and when shall that be received when both we our selves and the creatures shall be redeemed to the glorious liberty of the sons of God Then shall we receive the full benefit of the price which he hath paid whiles he suffered upon the Crosse Therefore wonder not that though Christ being a lamb yet he was slain that he being slain we might be redeemed and might enjoy the purchased possession redemption from all evill in every kinde from sorrow paine c. from the evil of them And his blood also was a price for a purchased possession of reconciliation with the Father of union with the Sonne of communion with the holy Ghost dominion over all sinne ratification of the Covenant to our soules and at length the possession of everlasting glory This was the reason why the lamb was slaine and had it not been for these divine and supernatural and blessed ends he would not have prostituted his life to such a bitter and shamefull death as the death of the Crosse was It was not meet the onely begotten Sonne of God should come down into the world to lead a miserable life and to dye an accursed death but for noble and glorious ends and you have the sum in these particulars For the use of it First it is a cause of just humiliation to us whose sins were so out of measure sinful as that there is no ransome to be given for them but such an invaluable price as the blood of the Sonne of God All the Gold of Ophir all that the world can give what is it to this invaluable blood of the Sonne of God Yet this was our case and estate that if we had had many worlds for our inheritance and given them all for the redemption of one soule it had not been sufficient This was our estate and this is the estate of all such as yet live in sinne to this day It is a desperate estate that cannot be repaired nor themselves rescued from by ransome but the blood of Christ If our sinnes had been of a lesse nature a lesse price might have made satisfaction And yet such is the pride of the hearts of the sonnes of men that because we live civil lives though yet natural we have good natures are so well bred do so many good offices that we think it is not so dreadful a matter nor that we are so dangerous for our estate as others If it go ill with us what will become of desperate roaring ruffines whatever becomes of them it is a frivolous matter to you or to such as are civil and hinder the free passage of the grace of God but if our natures be so good and our carriage so comely I pray you what need such an invaluable price be given If a small matter would have saved us from the world what need such an invaluable price be given to rescue us from it You will say I hope I am not so addicted to the world I would drive a bargaine home to the head and would not be cheated But is that all you know by your selves certainly there is more for if the Lord did not see that inveglement which the word hath of us and that close combination of us to it the Lord would not have thought it needful to send his onely Sonne to redeeme us from this present evill world Frugality is not a vice in any but a virtue and if there were no more but good husbandry surely there need not such a price to be paid to redeeme us from the world But certainly the Lord sees such power of worldlinesse and untemperance in us and such power of passions and lusts that no means would rescue us therefrom
Churches National Churches and Provinciall Churches 6. He causeth all men to worship that Image that if any will not worship that Image Churches of that mold they shall be delivered to the secular power and so they shall be killed Lastly He will not suffer any Commerce nor civil Commerce much lesse Ecclesiasticall communion but to them that have the mark of the beast or the name of the beast or the number of his name vers 16 17. They must swear or perform some loyalty to the Church of Rome The mark of the beast the carriage of the beast in the Originall All that have received Religious Orders have received the mark of the beast all their religious Orders leave an indelible Character upon them so that all that are entred into religious Orders are sworn Catholiques The name of the beast what is it Though they be not of the religious Order yet they professe themselves to be Roman Catholiques and professe subjection to the head of that Church and so to his doctrine and worship though it be be to Saints and Angels and to his government as that which binds the conscience the name of the Beast is a Roman Catholicke submitting himselfe both to the Church and to the head of that Church and that for conscience sake But for the number of his name it was reserved to this dayes exercise Wheras the holy Ghost having said that he would permit no man to buy or sell but such as had received the marke or his name or the number of his name he doth in this last Verse declare what this number of his name is which at least they must have or else they cannot have commerce Now this number he first doth amplifie or illustrate and then expresse it He doth illustrate or amplifie it First by the adjunct of wisdome needful for the understanding of it Here is wisdome Secondly the duty of men that have understanding to count it And thirdly He doth amplifie it by the subject or by the efficient of it It is the number of a man This is his illustration It requires wisedome to count it It is the duty though of them that have understanding to search it out And when they do count it they finde it the number of a man In the Second place he doth expresly designe or discipher out the number and that is in the last word his number is six hundred threescore and six The place is very obscure as any in the word and therefore the holy Ghost tels us here is wisdome to finde it out but withal here is a command that every one that hath received the least measure or talent of wisdom should endeavour it and he doth incourage men to find it out But were it not that the Lord hath said If any man want wisdome let him aske it of God and it shall be given him James 1. 5. And were it not that God hath given Christ to be our wisedome to declare to us the whole councel of his Father 1 Cor. 1. 30. And were it not that the providence of God in the invitation of sundry brethren hath put me upon the handling of this book and now it fals in order to be opened for my own part I think I should never have chosen this Text to have spoken to whilst I had lived But now since we are come to it in our interpretation of this book and the wisdome of God is perfected in the weaknesse of his servants I shall therefore endeavour by the helpe of God and by the light of his wisdome to expresse such meditations as God hath suggested to men and leave them to your further consideration and spiritual discerning and judgement The note then is shortly thus much To finde out the number of the Beast requires heavenly wisdome and yet such as have received any wisdome ought to count that number and upon the acount shall find it to be the number of a man in sum six hundred threescore and six This is the sum I wrap up all in one Doctrine that handling the Doctrine in the parcels all the parts of the verse may be opened therewith First I say to finde out this number is wisdome it requires heavenly wisdome Here is wisdome And God accounts not the wisdome of this world wisdome but foolishnesse he speaks therefore of that which in Scripture language is wisdome not Mathematical nor Airthmetical wisdome for what great wisdome would it require to count this number it ariseth out of six and is multiplyed by ten this is such wisdome as any mean Arithmetition might count six times ten is 60. and ten times 60. is 600. and six times one is six the wisdome therefore lies not there But to see how this count disciphers the Beast and by that means to give more perfect intelligence of the Beast and of his nature then by his marke and name alone could be gathered that requires heavenly wisdome but wisdome therefore it doth require It requires a mans best understanding to enquire what the holy Ghost hath said of this number and though it require much wisdome yet the counting of this number is both possible and necessary if it were not possible the holy Ghost would not say Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast Hee is wont to say Let him that hath an eare hear what the spirit saith but here he saith Let him tha◠hath understanding count the number of the Beast And it is also necessary for him not of necessity to salvation without which a man cannot be saved but necessitate precepti necessary in regard of Gods command Now because there are none of Gods commandements that are vaine things but weighty therefore they are either very necessary to salvation or very expedient so that a man shall be much weakened in his spiritual progresse especially in Popish times or in such times where men live in the Image of Popish Churches National or Diocesan if he be ignorant thereof he shall finde it to be much expedient to count the number of the Beast And further I adde it will be found to be but the number of a man What is the meaning of that I will not trouble you with variety of interpretations briefly the number of a man I suppose it is here opposed to that which ye read of in Rev. 21. 17. where he tels us The new Jerusalem was measured an hundred and fourty and four cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel here he doth not say so the number of a man that is of the Angel but it is the number of a meere man a carnal man and therefote in sum this number wil proove but an humane invention it is therefore called the number of a man And finally he saith this number is six hundred threescore and six Six hundred sixty six is not in the Original in so many words onely three greek letters are put for these three numbers 〈◊〉