The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Proposition 31 – Proposition 35

The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises · Treatise 1 · Proposition 31 – Proposition 35

p. 5431 PROPOSITION. The viſible marks of the Beaſt, are the abuſed characters, of foreign and croſſes of all kindes, taken out of the number of the firſt beaſts name.

THeſe viſible marks, whatſoeuer they be, hauehave fiue notes or tokens, aſsigned by the text to knowe them by. Firſt they are called the marks of the Beaſt, Reuel. 13.17. and 14.9. that is to ſay, marks of the firſt and great Romane beaſt, as is proued by 27. Propoſition. Secondly, and more eſpecially, they ar called marks of that Beaſts name. Reu. 14.11. Thirdly, & moſt eſpecially of all, they are called the marks of the number of that beaſts name, in theſe words, Reuel. 15.2. And theſe who obtained victorie of the beaſte, and of his Image, and of his marke p. 55of the number of his name, worde by word out of the originall greek: And ſo this victorie is not ſpoken of his mark, (and) of the number of his name, as ſome tranſlats, but of his mark of the nūber of his name; meaning ſo expreſlie, that his mark, is a marke of the number of his name: that is to ſay, is deriued or compoſed of the number of his name, but the greeke number of his name is, foreign, as expreſlie ſaith the text, Reuel. 13.18. Therfore, in theſe numeral letters foreign, ar theſe marks contained, and this wee hauehave very ſpecially for the third token. Fourthly, theſe markes muſt be deuiſed, injoyned, and appointed: by the ſecond Beaſt or Antichriſt, as prooues the text, Reuel. 13.16. Fiftly, theſe marks muſt be vniuerſall vponupon all men, rich and poore, free and bound, and that no man might vſe his traffike of marchandice or lawful affaires, who had not receiued theſe marks, as teſtifies the text. Reuel. 13. 16. & 17. Then, vntounto whatſoeuer marks all theſe fiue tokens do agree, the ſame are the Antichriſtian markes: But vntounto the abuſed characters of foreign, and croſſes of al kinds, doth all theſe fiue tokens agree: for firſt foreign is juſtly called the marke of the firſt Beaſt and Roman Empyre, for two cauſes; the one for that all theſe of that Empyre, are entiſed vnderunder colour of the name of Chriſt, to reverence that character, being neuertheleſſe, as it is abuſed, nearer to the name of the Antichriſtian and Latin kingdome, nor to the name of Chriſt, as hereafter ſhall be ſaid. The other cauſe is, for that theſe marks of foreign are gathered of theſe letters foreign, which are the number of the name of that Latin kingdome and Romane Beaſt (as hereafter more ſpecially ſhal be prooued) Therfore, juſtly ar the marks of foreign, called the marks ofthe firſt Romane Beaſt, agreeing with the firſt token. Secondly, and agreeable with the former, becauſe (by the 29. propoſitiō) that beaſts name is foreign, whoſe numeral letters foreign, repreſents and yeelds the marks of foreign (as more ſpecially immediatly ſhal be ſaid.) Therefore foreign agreeth with the ſecond token, to bee called the mark of that Beaſts name. Thirdly, and according to the third token, this mark foreign is contained vnderunder the numerall letters of that beaſts name foreign, and is hereby perfitly repreſented, the two extreme letters reſpectiuely agreeing in one, p. 56and the ſmal diſagreance of the middlemoſt: to wit, betwixt ξ and ρ̄ to be vponupon very neceſsitie: for where as S. Iohn here ſpeakes expreſlie of numerall letters, he could hauehave no one numeral letter to repreſent both ρ and his crowne, this way ρ̄, more like it nor ξ, whereof the vpper parte repreſents the Crown, the nether part the figure of ρ. Moreouer there is yet greter affinitie betwixt … & ρ, for ρ or rather ρ after this form fn the greek, & ξ in this Beaſts language & cōmon writtē letter in Latin is ρ, which is al one in figure, & ſo the marks of foreign agrees with the third tokē. Then fourthlie the mark foreign is deuiſed, & takē vp by the ſecōd Beaſt the Pope & his Clergie, to repreſent as they ſay, the name Chriſt thereby, but rather the contrary, as followeth hereafter. Fiftly, and according to the fift token, the Pope and his Clergie ordains vniverſallie all theirs, (whome only they cal Chriſtians) to reverence the verie naked figure of foreign and bare character thereof, as hauing a divine vertue in it, transferring and diſtracting our zealous reverence from Ieſus Chriſt our Saviour, who is God with vsus, to ſuch bare characters, & to ſuch dead and naked wordes in an vnknown language, as IHS ✚ Xp̄s ✚ SOTER ✚ IMMANVEL ✚: And therfore appoint they all men to beare and weare this foreſaid character foreign, with ſuch like other bare names, in their rings, amulets, pēdaries, breaſtplates, tablets, Principios and Agnus Deis: Abuſing it in way of ſorcerie, as in a thouſnd papiſticall charms and conjurations, not onelyonly in the Clergies priuie bookes, but alſo in their publike ſervice, called Exorciſmus, is to be ſeene. So then, ſeeing theſe fiue tokens do agree with foreign, it followeth neceſſarily, that that abuſed character is one of the Antichriſtian marks. It remaineth then to proue the like concerning their croſſes of al kinds. And firſt, the croſſe is juſtly called the mark of the firſt greate Romane beaſt & Latin Emperours, for three cauſes, the one becauſe that the Emperour and all his ſubjects generally, ar ſome times marked therewith, & bears the ſame, as ſhall be ſaid. The other cauſe, becauſe the Emperour Conſtantine illuded by a croſſe ſhadowe in the clouds, taketh vp at the deuiſ & perſwaſion of Sylveſter the firſt, and firſt Antichriſtian Pope, the marke of the croſſe, and that the p. 57rather, becauſe (as theſe fabulous hiſtories report) his mother Helena was ſaid to hauehave found Chriſts croſſe, & ſo juſtly may the croſſe be called the mark of the firſt Beaſte and Romane Emperour. The laſt cauſe, why the croſſe is called the mark of the Romane Beaſt, or Latin Emperour is, for that it is taken out of his name, even out of the three numerall letters thereof, as preſently you ſhall heare. So then the firſt token of the Antichriſtian mark, agrees with the croſſe. Then agreeable to the ſecond token: forſomuch as by the 27. propoſition foreign is that Beaſts name, at the leaſt vndoubtedly, the numeral letters of his name are foreign, out of the which are gathered croſſes of al kinds (as immediatly ſhal be ſaid.) Therefore theſe croſſes, are juſtly called the markes of this Beaſts name. Then thirdly, according to the third token, in the ſaid numerall letters foreign, ar contained croſſes of diuers kindes, both in figure and in name: In ſuch manner, as both the Greeke Churches and Latine Churches, are certified thereof: for among the Grecians the forme of χ is a croſſe, and among the Latins ξ which is X, is alſo a croſſe, and theſe bee croſſes aſidewaies called S. Andrewes croſſe: Therefore the third and laſt letter is a double letter of abbreuiation, containing theſe two letters ς. τ. wherof the laſt is called a headles croſſe, likeſt to the croſſe, which they cal our Lords croſſe: And ſo alwaies and of eueryevery letter hereof ariſeth the figure of the croſſe. As to the names of the croſſe, in latine crux, & in greeke foreign, it is not poſsible for them to be expreſſed vnderunder ſo fewe letters more viuely, nor they are here, for here hauehave you their cheif letters, even both their capital & their final: for by χ and ξ, hauehave you in Latine C. & X. making crux, or. C H. and X making barbarouſlie CHRVX, as I hauehave ſeene & heard it ſo in print & pronounced. And againe by the laſt letter foreign hauehave yee the greeke name of the croſſe foreign likewiſe expreſſed, by his capitall and final letters. So then according vntounto the thirde token in foreign, which ar the greek nūber or numeral letters of the beaſts name, are contained croſſes of diuers kindes, both by figure and by name evidently expreſſed, to both the orientall or greeke Churches, and to the occidentall or latine Churches, & what p. 58is more evident? Fourthly, and agreeing to the fourth token, theſe croſſes (I meane the abuſes thereof) were deuiſed by the ſecond Beaſt, the Pope and his Clergie, as magical marks of ſorcerie, gree by gree, to withdraw that godly meditation that we ought to hauehave of Chriſts paſsion, and that reuerēce that wee ought to hauehave towardes Chriſt, for ſuffering death for our ſakes, and to beſtowe the whole merite, honour and vertue thereof, firſt, to the material croſſe, whereon he ſuffered, and then to bare figures and marks therof, and laſt of al, to other curious ſophiſtical figures and marks, ſuch as … which they cal the croſſe of Ieruſalem, and ſuch as this croſſe … which is to be ſeen vpō diuers old Church walles. Which figures are ſo degenerat gree by gree frō croſſes to cōpaſſes, crooks & rammald, that altogether they hauehave no reſēblance of Chriſts paſsiō. Finally, and according to the fift & laſt token: theſe croſſs were ſo vniuerſally vſed, that (beſide their daylie croſsings with their right hande on their fore-heads, which they cal ſaning) all manner of perſones, behooued to beare and weare, euen viſible markes thereof, at appointed times on their forheads, or in their hands; ſuch as to be croſſed with aſhes on their forheads on Aſhwedneſday, and to bear Palme croſſes in their hād on Palmſunday, otherwiſe they wer thought to be Hereticks, and curſed from the communion of Chriſtians: And theſe excommunicates (as ſaith the Bull of Pope Martin the fift, Fol. 134) ſhal not be permitted to keep houſes or lodging, or to make any block or bargain, or to occupie any traffike or trade of marchandize, or to hauehave any ſocietie with Chriſtians. Then, ſeeing theſe croſſes agree now with all theſe fiue tokens of the Antichriſtian marke, as a litle before foreign, was prooued to do. Therefore, neceſſarilie theſe markes of foreign and croſſes of al kindes, muſt bee the beaſts viſible marks. Let no man grudg hereat nor grieuouſly tak it, objecting, that we hauehave made theſe to be the marks of the Antichriſt, which men hauehave hitherto deuiſed (as they ſay) to repreſent the name of Chriſt, and his paſsion. For certainlie theſe ſame thinges, which not men, but God hath deuiſed and appointed; how ſoone they are miſuſed, they ar called by the Spirit of God, abhominations. Appointed not p. 59God the braſen Serpent to be erected, as healthful, but after that it was worſhipped, it was deſtroied by4. Reg. 18.4. Ezechias as damnable? Appointed not God the Sacrifices and incenſe offerings, & yet ſaith he in Oſee, Oſee. 6.7.Hos 6:7Miſericordiā volui & non ſacrificium: I deſired mercy & not Sacrifice: And in Eſay, Ne afferat is vltrà ſacrificium fruſtrà: incenſum abhominatio eſt mihi: Eſa. 1.13.Isa 1:13Bring no more Sacrifice in vaine: Incenſe is an abhomination vntounto me? Seeing the Lord then doth reject thoſe ordinances which himſelfe hath inſtituted, & calleth thē Abhomination, when they are abuſed, how much more ought we to reject theſe ſophiſticall marks of foreign & croſſes of all kindes; ſuch as theſe † which they cal our Lords croſſe, & ✚ S. Georges croſſe, & X, S. Andrews croſſe, & … the croſſe of Ieruſalem, & … the Croſſe of Dedication, beſides the Popes Croſſe, and manie Croſſes moe, & eſteeme thē as abhominable Antichriſtian badges, wheras we ſee thē not onelie deuiſed by men, but alſo abuſed by them in way of ſorcerie and magicke: imputing vntounto theſe naked figures, a vertue & ſanctitude in their charmes & exorciſms, as thogh, the whol vertue of Chriſt & his paſsion, wer transferred ouer into thē. And althogh they ſay, that they hauehave deuiſed foreign, to repreſent the name of Chriſt foreign therby, & croſſes of ſundry kinds, to repreſent his paſsion therwith: yet the Spirit of God lets vsus ſee euidently by this text, that he doeth reject & caſt ouer theſe their magicall characters & ſorceries to themſelues againe, as liker to the numeral letters of their name, thā to his name, euē liker to foreign; than to foreign and ſo let none doubt, but theſe foreſaide figures, as they are vſed, or rather abuſed, are the verie markes and tokens of the Beaſte, agreeing with the foreſaide tokens of the text, in all pointes and properties.

32 PROPOSITION. Gog is the Pope, and Magog is the Turkes and Mahometanes.

THis is prooued three waies, to wit, firſt by the ſignification of the names, ſecondlie, by compariſon; and thirdlie, p. 60by their linage: As to the firſt, Gog doeth ſignifie Tectum; Chron. lib. 1 fol. 21that is to ſay, Couered: and Magog (as Carion doeth teſtifie) ſignifieth De Gog, or Detectum, that is to ſay, Diſcouered, as many learned do affirme, thought others eſteeme it rather to mean detecto, of a covering, nor detcctum, diſcouered. So then, there being in theſe latter daies onlie two great notable and mightie enemies to God: the one the Pope, a couered enemie & a diſſembling Chriſtian: the other the Turks and Mahumetans diſcouered and open profeſſed enemies: It muſt needs be, that that ſecreet enemy Gog, is the Pope, & the open enemie Magog, is the Mahometans. As to the ſecond like as by compariſon, Gog was an Iſraelite borne, the Iſraelites thē being the Church of God.1, Chro. 5, 4 Gen. 10.2Gen 10:2 And as Magog was a borne Ethnike: ſo is the Pope borne among Chriſtians, which nowe are Gods Church: And the Turks and Mahumetans are born Ethnikes. Geneſ, 49, 4And againe, as Gog was of the tribe of Reuben, who was accurſed for inceſtuous whoordome. So is the Pope chiefe of that Romiſh ſeate, which is called that ſpirituall whoore and accurſed Idolatreſſe,Apoc, 17, 2 with whō, the Princes of the earth hauehave committed Idolatrie and ſpirituall whoordome. As to the third concerning their linage: Ezechiel defines Gog to be the chiefe Prince of Tubal and Meſhech: Ezech, 38 and 39then read Ierome de interpretatione nominum &c. vponupon Italia and Tubal, and ye ſhall find of Tubal to be deſcended, Iberi or Iberes, which hee cals the Spaniards or Italians in Europe, and likewiſe of Meſhech to be deſcended the Cappadocians in littell Aſia: which all hauing embraced the Chriſtian faith, doth accept the Pope as their ſupreame head or chief prince: And ſo Gog, the chiefe prince of Tubal and Meſhech, muſt be the Pope, ſeeing he is ſupream head of theſe Tubaliſts in Europe, & Meſhechiſts in Aſia. And as cōcerning Magog, …en. 10, 2he was the ſon of Iaphet. Of this Magog deſcended the whole Scythians which nowe ar the Turks and Mahumetans, according to the opinion of all writers. Then by theſe three reaſons (by and beſides the whole notes and tokens of the 20. cap. contained in the principall treatiſe) it appeareth evidently that Gog is the Pope, and Magog the Turk or Mahumetike Emperour,

p. 6133 PROPOSITION. The armies of Gog and Magog (cap. 20) are all one with the armies of the ſixt Trumpet and ſixt Viall.

THis is ſufficientlie prooued, by the harmonie of the whole tokens aſsigned by the Text of the Trumpets and Ʋialles, and by the text of Gog and Magog Apoc. 20.Rev 20. For theſe of the ſixt Trumpet and Ʋial, dwelt beyond & about Euphrates, and wer kings of the Eaſt: ſo here doth Magog, for that he is proued latelie, to meane the Mahometanes. They are there called in the ſixt Trumpet foure, as indeed they are foure families, and foure nations Mahometanes: Here likewiſe, are they termed the people of the foure quarters or corners of their land. There were theſe foure nations bound at Euphrates till their due time, and then looſed to mak war-fare: Here is the Deuill bounde from ſtirring them vp or entiſing them, till their due time, and then is looſed to ſtir them vp to battell. There are theſe Mahometanes alone reckoned, to two hundred thouſand thouſandes of horſemen: Here are both the Armies, euen both Gog and Magog, compared to the ſea ſand in number. There, doeth three diueliſh inſpirations (called ſpirits of Deuils) gather and ſtir vp all thoſe people to battell: Here, the deuill himſelfe is looſed to ſtirre them vp to battell. There, doe they convene to fight in Armageddon, Hier. de int. nominum.which is the mountaine of the Euangell, and landes of the Elect and choſen people: Here, doe they compaſſe the whole lands, companie, and armie of Chriſtians, and their elect cities. And finallie, theſe foure of that ſixt Trumpet or Viall, are prooued by the fourth propoſition, to bee the foure nations Mahometanes. The ſame is this Magog, prooued to be by the former propoſition. And conſequentlie, the armies or Gog and Magog, whome Sathan here in this 20. cap. doeth ſtirre vp to warre-fare, are the ſelfe ſame armies of Papiſtes and Mahometanes, that made greate warres in the daies of the ſixt Trumpet or Viall.

p. 6234 PROPOSITION. The thouſand yeares that Sathan was bound (Reuel. 20.) began in Anno Chriſti 300. or thereabout.

FOr proofe hereof, it is euidēt by hiſtories, that after the cōtinual and ſucceſsiue tyrannie of Ethnick Emperours, and laſt of Diocletian, (who in one monethmonth made ſeuenteene thouſand Martyrs) there aroſe about this 300. year of Chriſt, Conſtantine the greate, a Chriſtian and baptized Emperour, who, and whoſe ſucceſſors (except a few of ſhort raign) maintained Chriſtianiſme and true religion, to the aboliſhing of Sathans publique kingdome: and therefore, ſay wee, this yeare Sathan is bound. Secondlie, ſhortlie after this time, was the firſt publike and generall godlie counſell, holden by the Chriſtians at Nice, in the which the Apoſtolicall beleefe was publiſhed, the authentik Scriptures authorized: and finallie, the true Chriſtian religion ſo receiued, that all Sathans outwarde oppoſition was baniſhed, and his publique tyrannie and kingdome ouercome: although yet, by his Lieutenaunt the Antichriſte, euen then began his diſsimulate and hypocriticall kingdome. Thirdlie, ſeeing by the former propoſition, Gog and Magog are the armies of the ſixt trumpet and Viall: and theſe (by the fourth propoſition) were looſed about the yeare of God 1296. to make warres. Therefore, about the yeare of God 1296. or rather (as hiſtories preciſelie report) about the yeare of God 1300; were the armies of Gog and Magog looſed, and ſo Sathan was then looſed, to ſtirre them vp to battell: from the which 1300. yeares deduce the thouſand years, that Sathan lay bound, and it will conſequentlie followe, that Sathan was firſt bound in Anno Chriſti 300. Fourthlie, and for confirmation of the former, theApoc. 20.7.Rev 20:7 text ſaith, that howe ſoone the Deuill is looſed, he paſſeth foorth to ſtirre vp and ſeduce, theſe Papiſtical and Mahometicke armies of Gog and Magog, to ſtrife and warre-fare. But in that 1300, yeare, began (by Sathans inſtigation) that proude ſtrife betwixt them for ſupremacie, both of them chalenging to themſelues the Empire of the whole earth: for Pope Boniface the eight, inſtituted the firſt Iubelee, that p. 63yeare, and clothed himſelfe the one day in the Pontificals of a Biſhop, and the other day in the robe-royall, of an Emperour, and hauing borne before him two ſwords, proclaimed theſe words, Ecce duo gladii hîc: meaning thereby, that he was ful Monarch, and more than Monarch: For; thereby he vſurped to himſelfe vniuerſallie both ſpirituall and temporall power. Likewiſe, on the contrarie parte, that ſame yeare, the whol nations Mahometans crowned Ottoman the great, their firſt Emperor: And ſo betwixt theſe contrarie Empires, euer from thenceforth followed out ſuch vniuerſall and terrible warres, that the Deuil (doubtles) from that 1300. yeare of God forth, ran looſe among them, ſtirring vp theſe warres, and conſequentlie, he lying bound 1000. yeares afore, behoued to begin that bondage, in Anno 300.

35 PROPOSITION. The Deuils bondage a thouſand yeares (cap. 20) is no waies els, but from ſtirring vp of vniuerſall warres among the nations.

SOme by this bondage of Sathan, hauehave ſought out to find the viſible Church of God a thouſande yeares pure and vncorrupt, or beleeued that the true Church ſhoulde enjoy 1000 years peace: But the plain contrary appeareth here by the fourth & fift verſes, where it is meant expreſly, that in the time of theſe 1000. yeares, ſhould the Antichriſtian beaſt raign, and ſhuld ſlay and behead thoſe, that worſhipped not him, nor reverenced his mark & image, but liued & raigned with Chriſt Ieſus, as true Chriſtians, all theſe 1000. yeares: and that all the reſte of the people lay deade in his errours; & roſe not therefrom, til theſe thouſand years were expired. And ſo, ſeeing both by this text, theſe Antichriſtiā Ethnicks raigned in this time, as alſo by the chap. 11.2. they poſſeſſed the outward viſible Church: Therfore, could neither the true inviſible church injoy peace vnderunder the Antichriſt, neither yet could that viſible Church be pure & incorrupt, during theſe thouſand years, but rather after the ſaid 1000. years, becauſe it is meant (verſ. 5,) that the reſt, who were dead in Antichriſtian p. 64errours ſhoulde not reuiue, or riſe there-from, till after theſe thouſand years. And beſide this, it is not ſaid, that the Deuil is bound from troubling the Church of God (which euer he troubleth) but from ſeducing or deceiuing the Gentiles or Nations; which for the moſt parte, are taken in the Scriptures in an euill part, for the idolatrous, wicked, & leud people of the worlde, to whome God here granteth theſe thouſand yeares peace; becauſe they (Reuel. 11.2) do poſſeſſe the outward and viſible Church, and hauehave the true inviſible Church lurking vnderunder their feete, which by their continuall trouble might alſo bee troubled. Then reſteth the affirmatiue parte of this propoſition, to wit, this bondage of Sathan to bee from ſtirring vp of theſe Nations, to anie vniuerſall warre-fare, while the end of theſe thouſand years. For proofe whereof, when he was looſed, then (ſaith the text) he paſſed foorth to ſtir vp the whole nations, of the foure quarters of the land of Gog & Magog, to war-fare & vniverſal bloodſhed: whereas contrarilie, by hiſtories it is found, that all the 1000 yeares praeceeding, there were no ſuch huge imperial armies nor terrible bloodſhed as nowe, when the whole Papiſtes & pretended Chriſtians on the one ſide, againſt the whole Mahometanes on the other ſide, euen the whole Occident againſt the whole Orient, vnderunder the names of Gog and Magog, were conuened in number as the ſand of the ſea, as the text ſaith. So that in compariſon hereof, all ſmall ciuill warres, skirmiſhings and incurſions, that occurred during thoſe thouſand yeares, were thought nothing but peace; and conſequentlie, thoſe terrible and vniverſall warres, that fell out from this time forth, were the onlie troubles and ſeditions, from entiſing and raiſing whereof, the text meaneth, that Sathan was boūd & reſtrained al the former 1000 years, & not from ſtirring vp of errors, hereſies, martyrdom, & provincial warfare.