Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 1
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 11th. 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 a… 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 eff…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 Saint…, 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 of this deſcription, the matter whereof is weighty, and challengeth all our intentions; and the more, becauſe it is very rare to meet with that which will ſatisfie a diligent Reader in the Expoſition hereof; But yet ſo much light God caſts almoſt into the head of every man that takes this Book in hand, eſpecially in his name and feare (according to his promiſe, Cap. 1. verſ. 3) that he adds ſome light more than hath been before brought to his hand. Here you ſee are two Beaſts, what is the former? Many take it to be the Roman Empire, ſome take it to be the Roman Pagan, ſome the Roman Chriſtian Empire, but I feare neither of them are right: It is not the Roman Papan Empire, that is, take the Empire as it was before the converſion of Rome from Pagan to Chriſtian, in the dayes of Tyberius, and other perſecuting Emperours, till Conſtantine: This Beaſt was not the Roman Pagan Empire, I will give you a double reaſon from the Text, the firſt is this.
1. The Pagan Empire was deſcribed as this Beaſt is, in Rev. 12. 3. Behold a great red Dragon, having ſeven heads aud tenn horns; but with this difference, The ſeven heads had ſeven Crowns upon their heads: Now this Beaſt hath alſo ſeven heads, which make it like the other, but theſe Crowns are not upon the heads, but upon the horns, which maketh a great difference, an evident ſigne it is not the Roman Pagan Empire.
2. Againe, it is ſaid of this Beaſt, that he continues 42. moneths, and that is as long as the Church was in the wilderneſſe; for the Church continues in the wilderneſſe (as in chap. 12. 6.) a thouſand two hundred and three-ſcore dayes, which is juſt 42. moneths: And ſo Chap. 11. 2. It is ſaid, The holy City they ſhall tread under foot forty two moneths, all the time that the two witneſſes prophecyed in ſackcloath, which was a thouſand, two hundred and threeſcore dayes. Now it is certain the Roman Pagan Empire did not continue as long as the Church was in the wilderneſſe; for the Church went not into the wilderneſs till the Pagan Empire ceaſed to be Pagan, and was tranſlated to Chriſtian. Now the Roman Pagan Empire was removed as by a great Earth-quake in Conſtantines time, and changed from Pagan to Chriſtian; it cannot therefore be the Roman Pagan Empire, though many judicious Divines have gone that way.
What then, may it be the Chriſtian Empire? Many have run that way, but neither is it ſo:
1. For it is ſaid, this Dragon gave to him his power, his ſeate, and great authority; now the ſeat of the Roman pagan Empire indeed was Rome, but the Dragon did not give the Chriſtian Emperors Rome for their Seat, they would never ſit there; but the…e ſate at Conſtantinople, and prepared it to ſit there, and for that end Conſtantine named it after himſelfe, Conſtantinople; and if they had occaſion to come into the Weſtern parts of Italy, they would ſit at Ravenna, but at Rome they would not come, unleſſe it were Gueſt-wiſe.
2. Though it be true, as they ſay, the Roman Chriſtian Emperour had a deadly wound given him by barbarous Nations, yet when it was healed, the whole world did not admire him: When Charles the great did heale the wound, yet all the world did not wonder after him; It is true, France, and Germany, and Italy did admire him, but all the Eaſtern parts did not ſubmit to him, no nor England, nor Scotland, nor Sweden, nor many other parts, they did not acknowledg the Weſtern Emperour, gave him neither civill nor religious worſhip.
3. Neither doth this ſuffer it to be the Roman Chriſtian Empire, that it ſhould be a note of perdition and reprobation to honour the Roman Chriſtian Emperours; for they that have lived under the Roman Chriſtian Emperour, have not hazarded their ſalvation by that ſubjection: but here it is ſaid in the eighth verſe, that they that honour this beaſt are ſuch, whoſe names are not written in the booke of the life of the Lambe: So that for theſe reaſons I dare not ſo conceive this Beaſt to he either Roman Pagan, or Roman Chriſtian Empire.
What then, is it Antichriſt? The third ſort of Interpreters run that way, and I would not exclude that wholly, but yet neither dare I conſent to reſt in it; for when we open the Oracles of God, we muſt not alwayes give the Comments and Judgments of men for Scripture truths (though the men be highly to be reverenced:) But in this place their Interpretation doth not ſatisfie me, I will give my reaſon; Antichriſt doth evidently appeare to be the other Beaſt that comes out of the Earth, which is ſayd to have two hornes like a Lamb, &c.
You may ſay, but Antichriſt may be more wayes conſidered then one, as he is inveſted with temporall ſovera…gnty and dominion, and ſo he may be the former beaſt: and as he is inveſted with ſpiritual ſupremacy, and ſo he may be the latter Beaſt; and indeed ſo, many Interpreters take it: but conſider theſe deſcriptions.
1. They differ in number; John ſaith, I ſaw a beaſt riſe out of the Sea; and then it is ſaid in verſ. 11. I beheld another beaſt; it is not therefore the ſame.
2. They differ, as in number, ſo in their originall; the firſt roſe out of the ſea, the ſecond out of the earth.
3. They differ in their ſhape; The firſt beaſt had ten horns, the ſecond had but two horns like a Lamb.
4. They differ (and are apparantly diſtinguiſhed in the exerciſe of their power, for he exerciſeth all the power of the firſt Beaſt in his preſence: And it is ſaid alſo in the 12th. verſ. He cauſeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worſhip the firſt beaſt: and he cauſeth them to make an image of the firſt beaſt, and he had power to gve life to the image of the beaſt, &c. So that the deſcription ſeems to be different; The ſecond beaſt gives all his power to the firſt, and yet honours himſelfe too.
But that which moſt of all prevailes with me, and which wholly captivates my Judgment to leane another way, is this, That whereas they ſay the firſt beaſt was the Pope, as Dominus in Temporalibus, as Lord in Temporalls; and the ſecond beaſt is the Pope, as he is Dominus in Spiritualibus. It is evident that the Pope did not inveſt himſelfe with temporall authority at the firſt: But at firſt claimed ſpirituall and univerſall Epiſcopacy, over-ſight over all the Churches; he was firſt ſupream head of the Church in his ſpirituall Juriſdiction, and did not claime dominion in Temporalls till after his wound was healed, and then he took power to depoſe the Emperour of the Eaſt, and tranſlated his Empire from Greece to France, this was his Dominion in earthly Monarchies which he took in the latter place: And therefore I would rather ſay, that the ſecond beaſt is the Pope in both reſpects, as Lord and Soveraign, high Prieſt in Spiritualls, and the high Prieſt alſo over the Kings of the world in Temporalls: Hee had two hornes like a Lamb, as the ſucceſſor of Peter, and as if he had nothing but from Chriſt, but he ſpake like a Dragon; When he had once power by his Lamb-like horns, he then ſpake like a Dragon: Therefore to ſpeak that which I conceive to be the truth, I do look at this firſt beaſt as indeed of like condition with the Pope, and very nearly joyned to him. The Pope is one of the heads and rulers of this Beaſt, but yet diſtinguiſhed from the beaſt it ſelfe, and is not the ſame with the beaſt.
This therefore (all things weighed according to the Text) I conceive to be the firſt beaſt, the Roman Catholick viſible Church.
The ſeven heads and ten horns are a clear deſcription of the Roman State:…. Now this State here is neither the Pagan Roman Empire, nor the Chriſtian Roman Empire, as hath been ſhewed. And therefore it muſt needs be a third Roman State diſtinct from the former, and ſucceeding in their place; and what is that but the Roman Catholicke viſible Church? Of this Church the Pope is the head both as univerſall Biſhop over all Churches, and chiefly Lord in Temporalls, that had both Swords, and obtained both Authorities, to be higheſt ſupream head in Spirituals, as alſo ſupream head in Temporalls, he was Soveraign Governour in all: And the Roman-catholick viſible Church, it comes juſt in the room of the Roman Empire: how was it deſcribed? The beaſt that had ſeven heads, and ten horns, this comes in his room; the one governs all the world in his way, and the other all the Churches another way: This is the Beaſt that the Dragon ſtirs up to make War with the Saints. Now to appply this deſcription to this Church, for the better underſtanding of the Text.
Q…: I ſaw a beaſt riſe out of the Sea:] You may aske what is the Sea from whence this beaſt ariſeth?
Anſw. The Sea is the collection of many waters; The gathering together of the waters called the Seas, Gen. 1. 9, 10. And what are the waters? The waters which thou ſaw…ſt are People, and Nations, and Languages, and Tongues, Rev. 17. 15. So then, what is the beaſt here that ariſeth out of the Sea? It is ſome ſoveraign State that ariſeth out of the connexion of many Nations into one body, as you know the Roman Catholick Church is not confined within the lifts of the City of Rome, (though there the head is ſeated) but the whole Roman Sea; it is well called a Sea in that reſpect, it is that which comprehends all Nations, whether ſubject to the Eaſtern or Weſtern Emperour; yea and other Nations that did not ſubmit themſelves to the one or other, as if they did recollect themſelves as into one Sea, all banks are broken down in the Sea, yet there is no diſtinction, but all is one Sea, one vaſt body: And ſuch is the Roman Catholick viſible Church, all partitions are here broken downe, all Churches make but one viſible Catholick Church.
And again, it is well ſaid to ariſe out of the Sea, according to the like deſcription which Daniel makes of the foure Monarchs, in Dan. 7. Hee ſaw the foure windes of heaven ſtrive upon the great Sea, and foure Beaſts came up from the ſea; divers one from another: From the multiplyed agitations of the Sea it came to paſſe four great Monarchs did ariſe: Juſt thus, from the tumult of particular Churches did this Beaſt ariſe; for when they could not agree in the Churches, but ſome were of one minde, ſome of another, it was the wiſdom, as they thought, of Chriſtian Princes and Biſhops (but it was but humane wiſdome, and was indeed from the Dragon, and not from Chriſt) they thought it would be beſt to have but one church, and the Biſhop of Rome to be the head, though at firſt they divided them to four, but in the end they would have the Biſhop of Rome over all, that ſo they might have unity; for they ſay unity ſprings from one head; and unleſſe you have one head, you cannot have unity: Therefore, from the particular Church of a Congregation, they came to Dioceſan, from Dioceſan, to Metropolitan; from Metropolitan to Patriarchal, from Patriarchal to Cecumenical: And ſo it comes to paſs, all Churches muſt be gathered into one Sea, that is, one Catholick Church: For look what reaſon they had to ſet Biſhops over particular Churches: So having many Biſhops, by the ſame reaſon they muſt have ſome Metropolitan, and of many Metrapolitans, foure or five Patriarchs, and of them one Chief, that is the Pope, the Father of Fathers, he muſt be the grand Governour of all: Therefore doth he riſe out of the Sea, out of the Sea of Tumult, and Sea of Contention: And if you take Sea for corruption in Doctrine, and worſhip, and Government (as ſome good Interpreters do) it was from thence alſo that this beaſt did ariſe; This beaſt did ariſe out of them all; for had either pure Doctrine, or worſhip, or Diſcipline been well looked unto, it had not been poſſible that ſuch a beaſt as the Catholick viſible Roman Church ſhould have bin raiſed up.
It is further deſcribed to have ſeven heads, and ten horns: The holy Ghoſt deſcribes them ſo fully, that we need no further interpretation of them: He tells us in the 17. Chapter of this book, the ninth and tenth verſes; The ſeven heads are ſeven Mountaines on which the Woman ſitteth, which are the mountaines of the City of Rome, it is built upon ſeven hills, and the ſeven heads are alſo ſeven Kings, that is, ſeven Kingly governments, ſoveraign governments: The firſt were Kings, then Conſuls, then Decemvins, then Dictators, then Tribunes, and then the Caeſars: Five were fallen, that is, were paſt in John's time, the ſixth were then extant, and they were the Caeſars; the Pope he makes the ſeventh: Now the Pope then is the ſeventh of theſe Heads, but the ſeventh head and the beaſt are two diſtinct things, though he be one that rules the beaſt, and hath a great influence in the guiding of it: Hee was to receive a deadly wound, and after became an eighth head, whereas he was but one of the ſeven: So that he is one of the Heads, but there is difference between the head and the beaſt, and the beaſt it ſelfe: And it is ſaid, He exerciſeth all the power of the firſt Beaſt; that in concluſion, what the Pope decrees, that ſtands: So that it is not a generall Councell that determines any thing authentically without him, but he doth all that the firſt beaſt doth; Hee would have the Catholick Church honoured, but it is that himſelfe may be honoured, as the Lord of the Church: So therefore for the heads, theſe are the ſeven Heads.
And for the Hornes, he tells you they are ſo many Kings, which were not then riſen to Soveraigne Power, but John ſaw it in a Myſtery afore hand; But when this Beaſt ariſeth, this Pontifex maximus, then they receive a Kingdome at the ſame time, Chap. 17. 12. And the ſeverall Kingdomes that then were broken off from the Roman Empire (whereof England was one) they were ſo many ſeverall Kings that all gave their dominion to the Beaſt with one conſent, and ſo were his protectors, ver. 17. They were his Beauty and his Strength, as the Hornes are to the Beaſt: So it is true, here is a great Beaſt indeed, of a vaſt comprehenſion, here is an univerſall viſible Church, and he hath ſeven Heads; that is, Seven Hilles, there he ſits, and ſeven Governments; There are ſeven Heads, both of the one and other, both Hills and Governments, whereof five were fallen, and the ſixth was when John wrote: The ſeventh was to riſe in their roomes, and that is, He that hath two Hornes like a Lambe, and ſpake like a Dragon, and doth exerciſe all the Power of the firſt Beaſt: what power is in the Church, the Pope hath the ordering thereof; And it is ſaid here, that theſe Hornes had ten Crowns, but ſo had not the Hornes of Pagan Rome. The heads of Pagan Rome had ſoveraign Authority, and lived like Princes, but ſo had not the Pope, they did not wear the Crowns though they affect temporall dominion, but leave the Crowns to the hornes, leave them to Crowned Kings that give their power to him.
Now upon theſe Heads are names of Blaſphemy.] The old High-Prieſt of the Jewiſh Synagogue he had a plate of pure Gold, and there was graven upon it, holineſs to the Lord, Exod. 28. 36, 37. This Beaſt hath not holineſſe to the Lord, but names of Blaſphemy, the Pontifex maximus; His head is full of names of Blaſphemy; But the Pope exceeds all in this caſe, for who ever took upon him as he to pardon Sinne? A name of Blaſphemy; To be Judge of Scriptures, a name of blaſphemy: Hee hath many other names of Blaſphemy; he will diſpence with Oaths of allegeance, and all civil ſubjection; he will diſpence with marriages moſt inceſtuous, and doth exalt himſelf above all that is called God, eſpecially the Gods of the Earth. His heads are full of names of Blaſphemy (as we ſhall come to ſpeak God willing, in the 5 and 6 verſes.)
Now it is ſaid of this Beaſt, he is like a ſhee Leopard.] It is in the 17 Chap. compared to a woman, to ſhew, that the Roman catholick viſible Church is as fitly reſembled by a woman as a ſhe Panther, & ſuch is this Beaſt: Can a Leopard change his ſpots, Jer. 13. 23. Is it not a State full of ſpots, and the ſpots are not the ſpots of Gods people, but ſpots of heriſie, and ſpots of Idolatry, & ſpots of Tyranny, and great variety of all ſpots of Blaſphemy: To tell the ſpots of that Sea, were ineeed to enter into a Sea of wickedneſſe, which that Church abounds withall. Can a Leopard change his ſpots; This church they make account cannot erre, & ſo how ſhould they change? for they that cannot erre, to what purpoſe ſhould they change? yet of a very ſweet & fragrant ſmel, as they they perfume their Temples with incenſe, and love to pleaſe ambitious minds, and to fill covetous hearts; they are ſweet alſo, and faire to voluptous ſpirits, with their Brothel houſes, &c.
But for the Leopard, Bear, and Lyon, I ſuppoſe there is ſpeciall reference to them all, In Dan. 7. 4, 5, 6. where he reſembles the Monarch of Babell to a Lyon, and the Monarch of Perſia to a Bear, and the Monarch of Greece to a Leopard: There the Leopard is the laſt of the three, here it is the firſt, to ſhew a direct contrary courſe that this Beaſt takes in his riſe to the old Monarchies. Of the great Monarchies, the firſt was a Lyon, full of magnanimity, the next was a Beare, full of cruelty, a Bear that devoures mucb fleſh, and the Leopard, the ſpotted Beaſt comes after, cruell as the former: Now here the Leopard is firſt, the whole ſhape is ſweet and ſavoury; other beaſts would follow him by the ſmell; and ſo this church ſeemes in the wole bulk ſweet and ſavory to inveagle all unſtable Soules; But where he gets hold, he layes his paw like a Beare, preſſeth hard, and holds faſt, and will not let goe; Juſt like the Perſian State, they hold faſt; Never did any of the States laſt ſo long as the Papall State; The Aſſyrian laſted, long but yet did not continue above a thouſand years; but this is to continue 1260. dayes, that is, ſo many yeares, in a great deal of Power and Authority; And therefore as by ſubtilty he drawes others to him, ſo them hee holds faſt, that it is marvellous hard to root out where he hath got hold; you may cut off his head, as it is in England; but it is a wonder to ſee what paines there is to have the Government of Chriſt brought in, and of the Beaſt caſt out: they will make ſo many Statutes in Parliament, that you can have no wills confirmed, nor Marriages made, but by them, nor no Parliments Acts paſſe but through their hands; you have ſo many matters in the State depending on them, that one would think it impoſſible ever to root them out: you may take off the Beaſt his head; you may thruſt the Leopard out at windows, but he will take hold with his feet, that you ſhall have much ado to root him out: The great profits, and great preferments they ſink deep in the hearts of carnall men.
And he hath a mouth like a Lyon.] How did the Lyon of Babell ſpeak preſumptuouſly; what God is able to deliver you out of the firey furnace? &c. and he commands all that will not worſhip his Image ſhould be caſt into the fyery furnace: Juſt ſuch is the mouth of this Beaſt; who ſo will not worſhip the Image of this Beaſt ſhall be killed, in the 15 v. of this chapter. So you ſee this is the Roman Catholick viſible church.
And the Dragon gave this church power.] All that the Roman Emperor could doe before, that doth the Catholick church; that wch the old Roman Emperor did by force of arms, that doth the Roman Church by the power of Religion and conſcience: The Dragon gave him his power, and Seat, and great Authority. And Satan will worke by the power of conſcience, making them believe that all muſt be ſubject to them: He gave them his Seat: what was the Seat of the old Roman Emperor? It was Rome, Satan gave that to the Beaſt; There is his Seat, and great Authority, inſomuch that all the world were deeply taken with the reverence they owe as to the Imperial mother City; So to this ſoveraign mother Church, & their holy Father the Pope that was the head of that Church: This is the plain deſcription of this firſt Beaſt. I canot proceed now to open the wounding of one of the heads of this Beaſt, nor of the healing of that wound, nor of his warre againſt the Saints: I am the longer in this, becauſe the more clearly theſe things are opened, the more fully will 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 onelyonly, 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 B…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,Doct. 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,Reaſon. 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 Nations, and that in ſo many Nations with Spirituall and Temporall Dominion, carry all before him, will it not be a Monſter? What a diſproportion is this to the Churches of Chriſt, and to the Officers thereof? Not to ſpeak of their other monſtrous uſurpations of the head of this Church, but take the body as it is, how they ſpeak like a Lyon, and hold faſt when they get like a Beare, and are ſpotted like a Leopard, that they are nothing but hotch-potch, and mingle-mangle: If any man have underſtanding, let him underſtand what kind of Church this is that is thus deciphered, and deſcribed, this viſible Catholick Church. For the Uſe.
It may firſt teach us the great and juſt reaſon which all Proteſtant Churches have to with-draw themſelves from the fellowſhip of the Church of Rome, Ʋſe 1.from the Catholick viſible Roman Church, though they look at thoſe that ſubmit not to them as Schiſmaticks and Hereticks; I pray you conſider would they have us ſubmit to this great beaſt? would they have the Lambs of Chriſt (for ſuch are the Churches of Chriſt) to ſubmit to a Lyon, Beare, or Leopard? Hath any Lamb in the world (much leſſe a Lamb of Chriſt) ſo many Heads and Horns, and ſuch ſpots, and ſuch fee…, and ſuch a mouth? Therefore I pray you conſider, it is not time for the Lambs of Chriſt, and for all the Churches of Chriſt to flye off from this Monſter, and to abandon them utterly, as having no part nor portion with ſuch a beaſt as this?
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. let this be another Uſe; it may teach us how Chriſtian Proteſtant Churches wrong themſelves that leave any footſteps of this government in their Churches: For that is part of the image of the beaſt; for the ſecond beaſt, when he was advanced, he would have an image of the firſt beaſt, they muſt have Provinciall and Dioceſan Churches, and National Churches, and carry I know not how many hundred congregations into one Nationall Church, and there muſt be ſome Dioceſan and Metrapolitan church, and the reſt muſt be inferiour to that: Though this be not ſo great a monſter as the great Beaſt, yet it is an image of this beaſt; can any brother tell his offence to ſuch a church? And will you have him ſtay till the whole National church meets? Or will you have him ſtay till the Dioceſan church meets, and carry his offences to the Viſitation? Do you think they will right his cauſe then? Are a few ſuch kind of men, the Chancellor, and Regiſter, and Surrogate, and Apparitor, do you think the church that our Saviour bids us tell? Are theſe they that are gathered together, that all may heare, and all may be edefied? Do theſe ſerve the Lord Jeſus, and not their owne bellies? I ſay therefore, you may ſee what great reaſon men have to with-draw from ſubjection in ſpirituall matters to the Image of this great beaſt that in ſome meaſure repreſent the ſame ſtate as they.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. let it be a ſeaſonable advertiſement to all (if I were to ſpeak to Princes) to all Princes, but however to all Magiſtrates, how to make uſe of their Authority to be as Protectors of the Church, & in reſpect of their ſpirituall eſtate, as children of the church, but not to give the horns to the church (though horns be for beauty and ſtrength:) you ſee it makes the Church a monſter, and it is to make a beaſt of the Church: And ſo if you ſhould make Church-Officers Juſtices of Peace, or Councellors, or proſtitute your own Government to them, that if the Church condemn any, then you muſt do ſo too (as heretofore if a man were condemned by the Church, and by them delivered to the ſecular power, then burn him preſently;) this puts your Horns upon the Churches head, unto monſtrous deformity: And therefore it is neceſſary for Magiſtrates to keep their power in their owne hands, and not to take things Ipſo facto, from the Church, but to conſider what is done, and then they are to confirm what the Church doth according to God; Here are ten horns, and theſe are tenne Kings by the holy Ghoſts interpretation, and they adde to the monſtrouſneſſe of this Beaſt, by giving their power thereto. Why, doth this miſhape a Chriſtian Church, for Magiſtrates to ſubmit their crownes to the Church? No, God forbid, it is an honour and happineſſe to them, when Kings are nurſing Fathers to the church, and bow down their faces to the earth, Iſa. 49. 23. But why then doth he put it as a part of the miſhapen ſtate of the Church, that it had tenne hornes, to wit, becauſe theſe Kings did give their ſtrength and power to the Beaſt, that the Beaſt did act theſe Horns acording to the power of his luſt, as Chap. 17. v. 17. as it was truly accompliſhed in all the Kings of Europe, that did ſubmit all their Scepters, and Thrones, and Crowns, and Dignities to the Biſhop of Rome; That if hee command this or that, there muſt be room for him, what ever becomes of Princes, Laws, and Endeavours, and all acts and enterpriſes of War, or Peace: He had their horns on his head, he might puſh with them as he would: This made the Church a monſter, when ſoveraign power was obnoxious to the Biſhop of Rome, when without Excomunication, whether a cauſe were of God or no, Magiſtrates proceeded, if the Church had cenſured: As a Beaſt that hath horns on his head, as hee turns, ſo muſt the power of his horns be ſet and put forth: If therefore the Catholick Church, or any Officer of it ſhall condemn a man as an Heretick, and then deliver him to the ſecular power, they never diſpute the cauſe, but take it for granted; If their holy mother Church condemn him, the Secular Power muſt puſh and cruſh him to the very Earth, and trample him under foot, and rend his bowels from his body, if he once be delivered to them. Now this makes the Church a beaſt, that hath this power over the Princes of the Earth, that look what is their luſt, or their ignorance, or their errour, and the contrary adjudged by them to be Hereſie, that the Secular power muſt mayntain the one, and condemn the other. It is a comfortable thing for Churches to be ſtrengthned and protected by civill Magiſtrates: But if they captivate their power to the Church, that what Church Rulers call for not according to the Word, but their Luſts, that the civill Magiſtrate muſt confirm, that makes the Church a Beaſt: And therefore be wiſe now O ye Kings, be inſtructed O ye Judges of the earth, ſerve the Lord with feare, and rejoyce with trembling, &c. Pſal. 2. 11, 12. Kiſſe the Lord Jeſus, ſubmit to him, and in him to the church; Lick the duſt off the feet of the church, diſpenſing his counſell and will: But when by implicite obedience the Common-wealth muſt he proſtitute to the Beaſt, it makes the Beaſt more monſtrous then it is: The authority of Princes in that kind makes ſuch churches to be very beaſtly and ugly monſters.
Fourthly,Ʋſe 4. let it be of this uſe to raiſe up our hearts in holy thankfulneſſe to God, that hath delivered us from this Monſter, both our Fathers from this great beaſt, and our ſelves from the remnants of the Image of this beaſt, from all Dioce…ſan and National Churches, and from Metropollitan & Catholick viſible Churches that are Images of this great beaſt. You know how much the civill Laws of Chriſtian Kingdoms doe ſtrengthen Eccleſiaſticall power, that if once a Church excōmunicat a man, you know the power of the Law, if once this or that court excomunicate a man, though it be but for not paying fees, when it may be he hath no money, or thinks it not lawfull to maintain them by his purſe: yea when he is excommunicate, it may be for going to hear a Sermon in another place, when he hath nothing but reading at home; or if a man faſt with his neighbors in his houſe, then what power there is out of ſuch a Court, civill Courts of Juſtice confirme, there comes a Significavit, that if he ſhall live ſo excommunicate: and if he continue and ſtay out a certain time, then the Common-wealth apprehends him, and never conſiders whether the cauſe be juſt or unjuſt: I confeſſe there is a liberty to traverſe ſuch a cauſe; but if a man want money, or want friends, he may be taken and carryed to Priſon, and there he may lie and rott for any of theſe miſhapen Clergy men: But I ſay it is a great liberty to be freed from this great beaſt, that he hath no finger amongſt us, we are out of his paw, and out of his ſmell: It was a matter in queſtion here not long agoe, whether the Court ſhould not take a courſe to puniſh ſuch perſons as ſtood excommunicate out of the Church, if they ſhould ſtand long excommunicate, but it was a good providence of God that ſuch a thing was prevented: Let not any Court, Ipſo facto, take things from the Church; If ſuch a Law were made (the Fathers live not for ever;) and if ſuch a Law were once eſtabliſhed, that a Church-member ſtanding ſo long excommunicated, the Common-wealth then ſhould proceed againſt him; were this eſtabliſhed, it would make a Beaſt of the Church; we are ſubject to erre, and our poſterity that comes after us may erre (it may be feared) worſe; It is therefore a mercy to be freed from the beaſt, from the paw of the Bear, and the mouth of the Lyon: It is ſuch a mercy that they that got the victory over theſe, they ſtood praiſing God, as Chap. 15. 1, 2. The Lambs company that ſtood on mount Si…on they ſtand and praiſe, and wonder at the gracious hand of God in this caſe; And therefore we ſhould in the fear of God be unfeignedly thankfull to God for our preſent liberties, and withall that we may be ſo, Let him that hath an eare to heare, heare; If you be of Spirituall diſcerning, and know what theſe mercies mean, you will be really thankfull; Therefore ſhew this thankfullneſſe, not onelyonly in ſearching the true meaning of the Text, and the true nature of this beaſt deſcribed in it, but alſo in ſtanding faſt in theſe great liberties wherewith Chriſt hath made us free, Gal. 5. 1.
You ſhall have many poore creatures that came hither to this Country, and will be ready to go back againe, they looke at things as mean and poor here; believe it, ſuch a man hath not an eare, nor an eye open, he knows not whether he goes: Hagar, Sarahs maid, whether goeſt thou? ſaith the Lord to her: And ſo may I ſay to ſuch, whether will you goe? will you be gone back againe to Egypt (God forbid I ſhould count all our Native Country as Egypt) but if you goe thither, you will have much adoe to eſcape the paw of of the Bear: If you be once incorporated into any of their Pariſhes, you will finde ſuch beaſtly work in Church Government (I may ſpeak it without wrong to any, but that I may bear witneſſe againſt what is corrupt) that you will then finde the bleſſing of thoſe that enjoy liberty and piety together, you muſt worſhip the beaſt or the Image of the beaſt; A Dioceſan, or Nationall Church, it is but an Image of the great beaſt, it is a plain pattern of the ſame; and you will finde the body of the Church rent from you, or you will be rent from the body, if you ſhall walk roundly and ſincerely in the ways of God; you will finde ſad work to have your own officers or others to riſe up againſt you: but we have here cauſe to praiſe God for our preſent liberties, and therefore you are to be wary what you doe. If this be cauſe of thankfulneſſe, turn not againe to that from which the Lord by his ſtretched out arme hath delivered you: And this let me ſay further, as it may provoke us to thankfulneſs, ſo to forego all the Profits of this life, rather then to be drawn to ſubjection to ſuch a Spirituall Government; you ſee what the holy Ghoſt counts it, ſeven heads, ten horns, heads full of names of blaſphemy, horns crowned, and here is a beaſt like a Leopard, with feet like a Bear; that all the Government of it looks like rapine and robbery, catching and ſnatching, rending and tearing, this is the ſum and ſcope of it: And therefore be not deceived; if men ſhall tender you faire termes that may ſmell ſweet, you ſhall have liberty in this and that, and protection of a good State, but it is but the ſmell of a Leopard; when you have yielded to ſuch Conditions as may be tendred, you will finde ſuch ſtrong hold got of you, that you will never get out: And then you ſhall finde what ever Conditions are put in at firſt, the laſt Edition will be a mouth like a Lyon: They will bring you in with ſubtilty, like a Leopard, lay faſt hold upon you like a Beare; and before they have done, there will be a mouth like a Lyon: And therefore as we are to be thankfull, ſo we are to be faithfull to God, that hath purchaſed theſe great liberties for us, and be no more willing to be intangled with your former ſtate, than you would be willing to fall into the mouth of a Lyon, or come under the paw a Beare.
Q…. But you will ſay, what is this to me, I am but a private Chriſtian?
Anſw. Private Chriſtians muſt not live alwayes in a private State, for that darkens a mans eſtate, if he knows not the order of Gods houſe, nor addreſſeth himſelfe to it. It is true, if a man either were in the Temple, or looked towards it, his prayers were accepted; but if a man have no minde to know the orders of Gods houſe, his ignorance of Church matters will darken his own ſpirituall eſtate: And therefore whoſoever thou be, Sonne or Daughter; If any have eares to heare, let them liſten to what is here ſpoken, that ſo by the bleſſing of God, you may be the more able to finde the free paſſage of joy, and the power of godlineſſe in all your private or publique converſation.