Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 15
Rev. 13. 11. to the end of the 17.
And I beheld another beaſt coming up out of the earth, and he had horns like a Lamb, and he ſpake as a Dragon, &c.
WEe come now to the deſcription of the ſecond Beaſt; I beheld another Beaſt, &c. I do not love to be large in thoſe Scriptures that do not ſo narrowly concern us, as knowing how farre, and what a vaſt diſtance by the grace of God we ſtand in here from them: but yet becauſe it is a part of Gods counſell, and ſome-what largely deſcribed, give me leave to declare the meaning of the words, and gather ſuch notes from them as they hold forth.
Obſerve then, here is a deſcription from the 11th. verſe to the end of the Chapter, of the ſecond Beaſt; I ſaw another Beaſt. The Originall ſets him forth by his nature; they that know the language, knows it ſignifies only a wild beaſt, and in proper ſpeech it ſignifies ſuch a wilde beaſt as was venomous; and therefore the remedy for the venome of this beaſt, they call it Therion, a proper preſervative againſt venome or poyſon.
This beaſt is deſcribed by four arguments.
1. By his originall; He comes out of the earth.
2. By his ſimilitude (or reſemblance) in three things.
Firſt, to a Lamb in his horns; Hee hath two hornes like a Lamb.
Secondly, he is reſembled to a Dragon in his ſpeech; He ſpake like a Dragon.
Thirdly, he is reſembled to the former beaſt in the exerciſing of his power; He exerciſeth all the power of the firſt beaſt.
3. This beaſt is deſcribed by the particular exerciſes … power, or the effects of his power which are theſe:
1. He cauſeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worſhip the firſt beaſt, whoſe deadly wound was healed; he procures adoration to the firſt Beaſt.
2. He doth great wonders, making fire come downe from heaven in the ſight of men, verſ. 13.
3. He deceives them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of thoſe miracles.
4. He doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beaſt, which had the wound by the ſword, and did live, verſ. 14.
5. He doth animate and give life to this image of the Beaſt, that this image of the Beaſt ſhould have both power to ſpeak, and to cauſe as many as would not worſhip the image of the Beaſt to be killed.
A ſixth effect is, he cauſeth all ſorts of men, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their hand, &c. or at leaſt his name, or the number of his name, or otherwiſe hee excludes them not only from ſpirituall, but civill commerce, verſ. 16, 17.
For the Notes that theſe words afford, I will handle them all in two: They will not need much enlargement, the Explication and Application of them will reach the meaning, and ſcope of the words. Remember what the firſt Beaſt was, and then you will more eaſily know what this Beaſt muſt be. You know this firſt Beaſt being deſcribed to have ſeven heads, and ten horns, was taken by all for the Roman Empire; and this being not that, but another that comes in his room after him: Is is evident then that this Beaſt muſt either be the Roman-Heathen Empire, or the Roman-Chriſtian Empire, or the Roman-catholick viſible Church; one of theſe three Roman States it muſt be.
Not the firſt, for this roſe after that was caſt down; after the Dragon was caſt out of Heaven, and had no more to rule that State. Alſo you heard in Chap. 12. that Beaſt had ten crowns on the heads; this hath not Crowns on the heads, but on the horns; the Princes and heads of that State were crowned: This doth not weare the temporall Crown, but thoſe Princes that mayntaine him, they weare the Crowns.
Againe, that Beaſt, Pagan Rome, did not begin his time of proſperity, and flouriſhing, with the womans flight into the wilderneſſe, and the two witneſſes prophecying in ſackcloath, a thouſand two hundred and ſixty dayes; for their government ended, when the Chriſtian State began, and therefore it could not be Pagan-heathen Rome; Nor could it be the Chriſtian Imperial Roman State: For
1. It is ſaid in the ſecond verſ. That the Dragon gave him his power, and his ſeate, and great authority; but that he did not to the Chriſtian Emperours, for they would not live at Rome, but at Conſtantinople.
2. It was never made a ſigne of reprobation to worſhip the Roman Chriſtian Emperors, but it is made a ſign of reprobation to worſhip this Beaſt.
It remayns therefore, that this Beaſt deſcribed in the former pare of the Chapter, is the third Roman State; which being not Rome-Pagan, nor Rome-Chriſtian, it muſt needs be the Roman Papall State, under the government of the Pope, and that is no other but the Roman Catholick viſible Church, to which all the deſcription you have heard opened doth naturally belong.
Now that being the firſt beaſt, what is this ſecond beaſt? This is apparantly diſtinct from it; and it is not ſo proper to ſay, that the firſt beaſt was the Pope, as he had ſoveraign authority in Temporalls; and that he is the ſecond Beaſt as he hath ſupream power in Spiritualls, for he had his Temporall power l…ſt: and therefore that would not agree to the P…p…ll State; he firſt had ſupream power in Spirituals, before he had ſupream power in Temporals. Now the beaſt here being not the Roman Catholick Church, what is it then? It is the head of that Church; and what is that? It is no other but the Pope of Rome; The heads of the Roman Catholique viſible Church, from one ſucceſſion to another, they are this ſecond be…ſt; and that will appeare in a double note, which will both cleare that, and the reſt of the Text.
Firſt then, take this note;
That the Biſhop or Pope of Rome is in the ſight of God,Doctrine 1. and of his Saints, no better then a wilde beaſt, for his Originall, ariſing out of the earth; for his reſemblance, like to a Lamb in his borns; like to a Dragon in his ſpeech; like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power.
This is the former part of the deſcription by his Adjunct, by his Similitude, and by his Originall: However he ſeems to Catholicks a holy Father, and a god on earth; yet in the ſight of God, and of his Saints, he is no better the… a wilde Beaſt, whoſe off-ſpring is from the earth; who though he have horns like a Lamb, yet ſpeaks like a Dragon, and thus John guided by the holy Ghoſt, ſaw him. Let me ſhortly open theſe points.
1. He is here deſcribed to be a wilde beaſt▪] The word ſo ſignifies; that is to ſay, not ſo tame a beaſt as thoſe in Iſa▪ 11, 6. to 9. that a child may lead them: Wolves, or Leopards, or Lyons that can ſleep with Kids, and Calves, and little children, and they may play on the hole of the Aſpe, and put their hand on the Cockatrice den: He is not ſo tame, that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth, or by the cenſures of the Church, no nor by the power of Princes; he is above them all, and beyond them all; a wild beaſt he is therefore.
For his Originall, He ariſeth out of the earth.] That implyeth, he hath it not from Heaven, but from below; not from Chriſt, but from Satan; You are from beneath (ſaith Chriſt) I am from above, John 8. 23. Hee ſprings from the earth, eſpecially from earthly and carnall policy; that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches, they muſt be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs; and to keep unity, you muſt have one over them all, and that was the Biſhop of Rome, for all unity they ſay ſprings from … nits; if you have more then one Governour, you will have no peace: Now this being a carnall principle, ſome carnall reaſon being the ground for the preſervation of the Church of Rome; for that the Emperours thought, if the Biſhop of Rome were advanced, it would be a means to ſtrengthen them againſt the barbarous Nations that come againſt them; this carnall reaſon brought him to be exalted: And though his Originall was earthly for the cauſe, yet he aſcended above the earth to Eccleſiaſticall power. And
2. He aroſe out of the Earth, becauſe he roſe up inſenſibly by degrees, he makes no great noyſe; As any thing that comes out of the earth, it makes no great noyſe in its growing, but at length comes to a vaſt height: So it was with the Biſhop of Rome, this is his deſcent out of the Earth.
For his reſemblance, He hath horns like a Lamb.]
Horns expreſſe his power: Like a Lamb; that is, like the Lamb of God. Church-power he claims directly, no other at leaſt for a long time; The power of binding and looſing were his two horns, to bind all, and looſe all, and that lay in the cloſet of his own breaſt when to put it forth; this is but the power of the Lamb.
But he ſpake like a Dragon.]
You have two or three ſeverall ſpeeches of the Dragon. In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon: What did hee ſpeak?
1. Venomous words to our firſt Parents; You ſhall not dye at all, Gen. 3. 4. And ſo the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conſcience of the word.
2. The ſpeech of the Dragon, it is imperious and arrogant: All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me, Luk. 4. 6, 7.
And that is the ſpeech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have ſet the… this day over the Nations, and over the kingdomes, to roote out, and to pull downe, and to deſtroy, and to throw downe, and to build, and to plant: And the Pope ſends a Crown with this inſcription to Frederick the Emperour; Chriſt gave this power to Peter, and Peter gave it to the Pope, this is Imperiall State. And
3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth, whereby he ſpeaks …avenous words: Whoever will not worſhip the Image that I have ſet up, ſhall be caſt into a hot fiery furnace, and who is that God that is able to deliver you? Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worſhip the Pope claymes, and what he threatens if it be neglected. Thus you ſee in Gods account, and in the ſight of John, the Pope is a wild Beaſt: and the holy Ghoſt as he inſp…red John, he directs him what to ſay; The holy Apoſtle he ſtood upon the ſand of the Sea, and few two beaſts; one ariſi…g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine, &c. And another out of the earth, out of earthly pretences; He ſees no holineſſe in this Beaſt, nothing but beaſtly cruelty, and beaſtly blaſphemy, nothing but argues a wilde beaſt that will not be tamed, neither by the Church of God, nor by the word of God, nor by Princes and States: He ſees him riſing out of …ire pretences, pretending nothing but Lamb-like power; but …ee ſpeakes like a Dragon, venomous and devou…ing words: Damnable hereſies, as being ſpewed out of the Dragons mouth, ſuch a volume of falſe worſhip, and doctrine, and government, as deſtroys the faith of the Church, and ſubverts the foundation of the Church: This is the very ſtate of the Pope as John beheld it, as he was wrap't up in a viſion by the Spirit, and he judged of it as hee ſaw it.
Now becauſe I cannot ſo well make uſe of this, before I have ſpoken of the reſt, becauſe they are co-incident, take this for a ſecond Note, and ſo make uſe of both together. The note is long, but it is but the collection of the ſum of theſe verſes, the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine eaſily to remembrance; This then is the note.
The Biſhop of Rome exerciſeth all the Authority of the firſt Beaſt,Doct. 2. that is, of the Roman viſible Catholick Church, he cauſeth all that dwell on the Earth to worſhip that Church, he doth worke wonders, even to the fetching of fire from Heaven, and by his wonders procures all chriſtian States to make an Image to the firſt Beaſt, and gives ſuch life and power to the Image of the Beaſt that it is able to ſpeak, and it ſhall cauſe ſuch as do not worſhip it to be put to death, and finally he leaves an impreſſion, or imprints a character upon all ſorts of chriſtians, and will ſuffer none to enjoy ſpirituall or civill communion with them, unleſſe ſuch as will receive either his marke, or his name, or the number of his name.
I put them into a doctrinall frame, becauſe they are the ſum of the words of the Text. Let me breifly open them all.
Firſt, He doth exerciſe all the Authority of the firſt Beaſt. Let all that are acquainted either with the writings of the Romaniſts, or of our Divines that bear witneſſe againſt Rome, be teſtimonies in this caſe; what is there that the Catholick Church claimes, but the Pope can do it all: There are ſix or ſeven traſcendant …cts of power, which that Church claymes, and the Pope familiarly exerciſeth them all.
1. The Pope hath power to convent generall Councels; or if the Emperours will call a general Councel, it ſhall not ſtand in …o…ce unleſſe the Catholick Church and the Biſhops meet in a repreſentative Synod, it concludes with their determination; this he pleads for to this day, it belongs not to the Emperors, nor to Chriſtian Princes, but to the Biſhop of Rome: It is one of Bellarmines affirmations, that one Church ſhall have power to call all Churches, be it to Florence, or Baſſeil, thether they muſt go whether he will.
2. As the Catholick Roman Church did uſurpe power to make Laws and Canons to binde all Churches; So the Pope doth challenge the ſame power to make Laws to binde all Churches; he pleads for it, and will not be content without it.
3. Look as the Catholick viſible Roman Church doth claime Authority of ratifying Scriptures; if they put in the Apocrypha, it ſhall be good Scripture; and if the Church do not approve the Goſpel of Matthew in Greek, but in Hebrew, it ſhall be that; or if they refuſe both them, and take the vulgar Latine, that ſhall ſtand: This power the Catholick Church challengeth power to do, and the ſame doth the Pope.
4. If the Roman Catholick viſible Church challenge a power of interpreting Scripture, and judging of controverſies with infalibility of judgement: The Pope challengeth that to himſelfe when he interprets Scripture, or decides controverſies about Religion, he cannot erre, and ſo they make account he is a fit Judge therein.
5. Look as you ſee the Roman Catholick viſible Church had power of binding and looſing, challengeth all appleal… and great things they will do by that priveledge, excommunicate ſome of many Churches that are abſent, ſome they excommunicate for ſeven years, ſome to their death, that the ſhall not be reconciled: All this the Pope challengeth in a larger meaſure then the old Roman viſible Church did challenge. This the Roman Biſhop challengeth to binde conſcience, to looſe oathes and covenants between Prince and people, between man and wife, to looſe vows, and oaths, and natural relations, between parents and children, if they will ſhrowd themſelves in a Monaſtery, and will diſpence againſt the Apoſtle Paul in caſe of inceſt: this is ſuch a power to looſe the bonds of Gods commandments, and Gods oaths, and relations to God and his ſervants, it is ſuch Tranſcendant power, the Roman viſible Catholick Church never challenged greater.
6. The Roman viſible Catholick Church never challenged ſo great power till it was animated and acknowledged by the Pope, to take upon them to ſet up one King, and to take down another; King John in England, Frederick the firſt, and Frederick the ſecond, Henery the fourth, and Henery the fifth; he crowns and diſcrowns whom he will, and this out of the plentitude of his power.
And laſtly, he doth challenge this beyond the Church it ſelfe, Immunity, and Impunity from all Civill and Eccleſiaſtical power, and judicature. The Church is above all j…dicial power, and the Pope the head of it is above it, and therefore may not be brought into order by any cenſure of any Church, nor by the civil ſword: And therefore he … well called one that exerciſeth all the power of the firſt Beaſt, and rather puts more power to it; whatever the Catholick Church may do, that he can do; where they can diſpence and make Laws, where they can bind or looſe, &c. So farre as they may go, he can go, and he doth all in the name, and ſight of the Church.
And he cauſeth all that dwell on the Earth.] That is, carnal chriſtians, whoſe converſation is not in Heaven.
To worſhip the firſt Beaſt.] How to worſhip? He ſpeaks of divine worſhip not civil adoration: This is an aberation from a Church; but a beaſtly Church, it is a monſter; The Church of the firſt inſtitution was of one particular congregation; and for all the Churches of the world to be ſubject to one Cathedral, it is far beyond all comprehenſion of rule: Now he cauſeth all that dwell on the Earth to worſhip that Beaſt. Wherein are they to worſhip him?
1. It is made a matter of neceſſity to ſalvation to be reconciled to that Church; and more care is had of being reconciled to that Church, then of being reconciled to God in Chriſt: All pleas of being reconciled to Chriſt will not ſtand in their judgment, unleſſe you be reconciled to them.
2. Except you be bound in conſcience to that ſtate, he will allow you no communion; he will have all the decrees of the Church as binding the conſcience.
3. This is divine worſhip, you ſhall take no doctrine but that is of his ſtamp, nor worſhip, nor Government but of his acknowledgment, nor no diſpenſation of them but according to his Canons: And all that dwell on the Earth muſt worſhip him, all run upon the Beaſt; the Pope doth not ſo much challenge it to himſelfe as to the Church, and that which is given to the Church he takes to himſelfe.
Thirdly, He doth great wonders, ſo that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the ſight of men: And it is ſaid, Antichriſt ſhall come in all power of ſignes and lying wonders, 2 Theſ. 2. 8, 9. Their Legions are full of theſe wonders: And in particular, for this point, of cauſing fire to come down from Heaven: It is an alluſion ſure to the fire that the old Prophet fetched from Heaven: As Eliah fetched fire from Heaven to conſume the ſacrifice, 1 Kings 18. 38, 39. And that was a fire that expreſſed Gods gracious acceptance, that made all the people cry, the Lord he is God: But this the Pope did not fetch ſure, he never fetched any acceptance from Heaven. But you read of another fire fetched from Heaven by Eliah, and that was, to deſtroy thoſe that mocked him, 2 Kings 1. 10. 12. Which practiſe when James and John would have followed in Luke 9. 54, 55, 56. You ſhall read, that they being offended with the Samaritans becauſe they would not receive them; Maſter ſay they, ſhall we call for fire from Heaven to conſume them as Eliah did? Our Saviour utterly rejects that; You know not, ſaith he, of what ſpirit ye are: Now minde you, that fetching fire from Heaven, which is to deſtroy mens lives, and not ſave them, that James and John are taught to refuſ…, as being incompatible to the Goſpel: But that which they refuſe, the Succeſſour of Peter, as they call him, takes up; if any Scribe, or Phariſee, or Samaritan refuſe him, then fire comes down from Heaven, conſuming fire, and vengance, and wrath, and blood-ſhed, and extreamity of outraged evils he cauſeth to come down upon them; and in pretence from Heaven, to deſtroy the Church and people of God, that I take to be the cheif par… of the meaning of that. But if any man will urge the letters of the Text (which you need not in myſtical Scriptures) yet it is not without truth therein.
Gregory the ſeventh he declares this, that he had ſtrange power, when he had much people about him, he would have ſhaked the ſleeve of his gound, and cauſed fire to come down; Now it is evident it might be, for he was a Conjurer, and 22. Popes together (as their own ſtoryes do record) they were wi…ches, and gave their ſoules to the Devil, that they might obtaine the Popedome, but they were but lying wonders; for miracles require divine power, but the Devil cannot go beyond the power of nature; ſo that you may take it in the proper meaning; their own men do much magnifie it, and make it one of the markes of their Churche, whereas Proteſtants that want miracles are not Churches: So that thoſe cenſures by which they thundred againſt chriſtian Emperors, they did follow with ſuch ſucceſs, that they made all wonder, that none could ſtand againſt them, not Henery the fourth, nor Henery the fifth, not Leo the Emperour, nor the King of Fraunce, none of them all were able to take up armes againſt him; they did all admire him; Who is able to ſtand againſt him, end to make Warre with him? And that gave ſuch free paſſage to his Laws, that all chriſtian States preſently took up what injunctions he put upon them.
Fourthly, by theſe miracles, and the mighty ſucceſſe of them, he had power to cauſe them that dwell on the earth to make an Image to the Beaſt, that had the deadly wound, and was healed; that is, the Roman Catholick viſible Church: What is this Image of the Beaſt? he cauſeth all the earth, that is, all earthly States to receive it; he will ſuffer none to be without it: what is this Image? an Image not of their own making, they muſt make an Image by his appointment: It is an Image of the firſt beaſt, not of the ſecond directly, and conſequently the officers of that Beaſt muſt repreſent this ſecond Beaſt, but be an Image of the firſt: if the firſt Beaſt was the Roman Catholick viſible Church; then if he cauſeth all the Earth to make an Image to that Beaſt, then he cauſeth all Churches and Common-wealths, to frame their State and platforme, according to the Image of the Roman Catholick viſible Church, and therefore he cauſeth all Chriſtian Princes to erect all their Churches in a Roman Catholick way: what is that? Metropolitan, National, Provnciall, Dioceſan, Cathedral, and Provincial Churches; Theſe are all lively characters of the Roman Catholick Church, reſerving ſtil pre-emenency to their mother Catholick Church of Rome; but otherwiſe they are the lively Image of ſuch a Church, even as daughters are of their mothers: and being overcome with the power of his miracles, and deceits, and deluſions (as you heard) by the Policy of Canoniſts, by carnall Policy, and by their Votaries, and by working miracles, ſignes, and lying wonders; it is a wonder to ſee what power he had, that all the power of the Popedome, and of the Catholick Church was in a model and repreſentation drawn in all Churches in Chriſtendome during the time of 42. moneths, which is 1260. years, and then a great part of his Image was marred in a great part of Chriſtendome, but yet he ſtill continues; ſo then there is a lively Image of the Roman Catholick Church, though it may be, ſome are drawn from ſubjection thereunto; and yet though they be drawn off from ſubjection to it, yet ſtill the Image, and repreſentation is written in the very foreheads of ſuch Churches; that is a fourth thing.
Fiftly, He had power to give life to the Image of the Beaſt; what life? that it ſhould both ſpeak, and cauſe, That as many as would not worſhip the Image of the Beaſt ſhould be killed: How doth he put this life into the Image of this Beaſt to ſpeak? It is, to ſpeak with authorty, as in verſe 5. A mouth ſpeaking great things; He would ſpeak, and ſpeak with authority; that now theſe Dioceſan, Metropolitan, and Provinciall Churches, they can ſpeak with authority, as the Roman Catholick Church doth, and their words muſt take place, and he puts that life into it by his own canons and laws which they take up; the canons and laws made by the Church of Rome, do ſo animate Provincial, and Dioceſan Churches, that they ſpeak the ſame language, not altogether ſo corrupt, but with like authority, and require like ſubjection of all perſons; and by your leave, they grow to it for very conſcience ſake; that thoſe things which were indifferent before, yet being laws of the Church, now they muſt binde conſcience; this is to ſpeak great things. Now they have power likewiſe to cauſe as many as will not worſhip the Image of the Beaſt, they ſhall be killed; a ſigne none of them took that power like the beaſt; but yet though they have not power to kill them, yet to deliver them to the Secular power, and they muſt kill them … whatever the Dioceſan Church doth agree on againſt her Hereticks, that will not obey the Government or doctrine of the Church; what then? The deliver him to the Secular power, then they cauſe him to be put to death, and they deliver him to fire and faggot, ſo you ſee the mighty power of this Beaſt.
There is one thing remaining of his power, and that is the ſixth and laſt effect, He cauſeth all, both ſmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: Kings, and Princes, Miniſters and Clergy men (as they call them) high and low, whatever they be, he cauſeth them all to receive a character, or marke, either in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
A marke in the hand; that character themſelves call an indelible character, and they receive that who receive any orders from the Pope, and are reconciled to the Roman Catholick viſible Church; This Beaſt cauſeth all to receive a marke, that is, they ſhall ſweare fidelity, and loyalty to the Roman Catholick viſible Church, this they make indelible; wherever they come, they are Prieſts for ever after the order of Melcheſidech.
Or on their foreheads; they have a marke anſwerable to their name; their name, what is that but Roman Catholicks? or elſe there is no fellowſhip with them; and all muſt at length have that name, and go under the number of that name, Roman Catholicks; there is the number of that name: but I leave that to the next time (as being too large to enter into at preſent.) In the mean time, you ſee theſe things thus opened, touching the nature and character of this ſecond Beaſt.
Now to make ſome uſe of all.
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. it may be an evident conviction, and demonſtration, and deſignation of this Beaſt who it is: Is hath been much diſputed, but all the parts of this deſcription doth directly fall upon the Biſhop of Rome; that if John had lived in theſe dayes, he would have ſeene all this with his eyes, which he ſaw in a viſion: No man can tell where to beſtow all this deſcription for 1260. years, but upon the Biſhop of Rome, that is of ſuch a wilde nature, that no Church, no law of God, no ſociety of men, no Kings, nor Princes can rule; and all the world that knows this Beaſt, knows this to be true of the Pope, whoſe Original (all Chriſtians know) ſprings from the Earth, to keep men in unity, and to preſerve the Empire from inundations of Barbarians, to keep Chriſtian Princes cloſer together, and in better order, all carnall policy out of which he ſprings, yet incenſibly, and ſlowly, that he is not diſcerned for many years together.
And he hath horns like a Lamb, that he pretends nothing but (Saint Peter as they call it) the Keys of the kingdom of Heaven; But he ſpeaks like a Dragon, as if he had the Keys of the bottomleſſe pit; he thunders ſuch ſentences, gives diſpenſations both againſt the lawes of Paul and Moſes, to diſſolve oaths, and covenants, and relations, they ſhall marry whom they will, their own ſiſters: he will venom with ſuch noyſome doctrine, as the breath of them will ſtinke: he will ſpeak ſo terrible, that time was, when Princes were to tremble; he hath ſpoken as a Dragon: The Devil himſelfe as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire, hath not ſpoken greater words then he: Thoſe that ſpake, Whoever will not worſhip an Image ſet up, ſhall be caſt in a fiery furnace, it is not a greater word then he ſpeaks.
Secondly,V;ſe 2. this doth juſtly reprove all the Popiſh admiring and adoring of the man of Sinne; They look at him as their holy Father, and Biſhop of Chriſt, and Vicar of God, as one that hath an infallible judgment, that cannot erre, that he is above all power of cenſure: If he ſhould draw miſſions of ſoules to hell, no man muſt ſay, Sir, why do you ſo? they have this opinion of him: No matter what they conceive, he muſt be judged by the King of Kings, and by the God of Gods, and by the Saints of that God that judgeth according to the word; and they look at this Father as a Monſter, as a wilde beaſt, whom no Scripture, no Church can keepe in awe, but he is Lord paramount above them all; they look at him as the Dragon of the bottomleſſe pit, as he that deſtroys the Chriſtian world: and however he may pretend, as if he had nothing but Lamb-like power, yet hee ſpeakes like a Dragon; thus John ſaw him.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. Obſerve from hence a reaſon of a note that troubles many Interpreters; That if this beaſt have ſuch power, why doth he not cauſe the earth to worſhip himſelf? why doth he not provide for his own honour, but for the firſt beaſt? The reaſon is plain; the firſt Beaſt being the Roman Catholick Church, and the head of that Beaſt, all the honour that redounds to the beaſt, falls upon the head of the beaſt, and it is upon himſelfe; He exerciſeth all that power that the firſt beaſt hath, and therefore no marvell if he labour to draw all men what he can to worſhip, not himſelfe, but the Roman Catholick Church, to be reconciled to it, and receive decrees from it, and ſubmit in conſcience thereunto, and receive no worſhip nor doctrine but from them, nor government, but eſtabliſhed by them; no Lawes to be enjoyned and tranſacted but by them, for he knows that this honour will redound to him; He knows all this power doth reſt in his own breaſt, and it is he that acts the Roman Catholick Church, and he can do with a Councell, and without a Councell what the Church can do, and he failes not to do it from time to time. Wonder not therefore that he puts off the honour to the firſt beaſt, the old Roman Church, there he layes all his devotion, but in concluſion it is all for himſelfe.
Fourthly,Ʋſe 4. you may ſee the corrupt Originall, and dangerous State of corrupt religion, and of ſuch kind of Churches as are drawn out by the modell of the Roman Catholick viſible Church, any image of that beaſt: I do not trouble you with what others think to be the image of the Beaſt (I ſhould but weary my ſelfe in ſo doing) but if the firſt beaſt be the Roman Catholick Church, as it muſt needs be, then the image muſt be according to it, though not of equall authority, yet of the like frame; whereas the Lord hath inſtituted no other but particular Congregations to bring in a whole Nation (that may containe a thouſand Congregations) into one Church, what an image is this of the Roman viſible Catholick Church: It is not Catholick indeed, it is ſhort of that, but ſo large as it carries a Nation, it exceeds Dioceſan, and Dioceſan exceeds particular Congregations: Now ſee the danger of this; you ſee the firſt riſe was from the power of this beaſt, He cauſeth all the earth to make an Image of this Beaſt: He did not bring them to make one in number, but one in England, and one in Scotland, and one in France, and one in Germany, and in every Countrey according to their diviſions, and Princely Potentates; that all that dwell in the limits of that Juriſdiction, they have one Cathedral Church, to which all other Parochiall Churches do belong; this hee cauſeth them to do: and when he hath done it, giveth it the very like breath of the Roman Order; though not in ſo vaſt a meaſure, yet in a faire modell, that they are like the image of this holy Father, and ſo by this meanes it comes to paſſe, by his Laws and Canons which he perſwades all to receive, and which is a wonder, ſince they have cut him off from being head of the Church, yet ſtill they reteyn the life of Papacy, in the State of ſuch Chancellors, and Parators, and ſuch kind of Civill, and Eccleſiaſticall power mingled together; that a Cathedrall Church forty or fifty miles off, ſhall ſend terrible cenſures to cut off the poor Saints of God, and they muſt obey it; and if they ſtand in an Hereticall courſe (as they call it) there is no living for them, they will kill their Propheticall life, as they did the two Witneſſes; or if they do in any effectuall manner work, they will not ſtick to call them to account, and caſt them out, and deliver them to the Secular power, and they ſhall deliver them to fire and ſword.
So then, ſee the danger of ſuch Conſtitutions, it was wrought by the Biſhop of Rome, and lives by life from him, the life of the Law of God breaths not in the pulſes of it; any that know them, know how far they be from the pattern of the Scripture, how ridiculous they be to ſuch as diſcern the ſtate of them; You ſee alſo what mighty power they have, that all civill States have been contented to deliver ſuch to fire and ſword, whom they have delivered up as Hereticks: They ſoon looſe the protection of the Civill State, if they looſe the favour of imaginary Churches; well doth he call them images, they are images of the Pope, and images which God forbids, and the inventions of the ſonnes of men; Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven Image, in the ſecond Commandement: You ſhall make no Images of Officers, nor Government, nor worſhip, but that which Chriſt himſelfe hath ſet up.
Fifthly,Ʋſe 5. it lets us ſee how dangerous it is, to annex civill penalties, ipſo facto, upon ſuch as are caſt out of the Church; an uſuall thing in Popiſh Churches, or in the Images of ſuch. Firſt, they ſuſpend them from the Sacrament, but then it comes with an Excommunication, no man muſt buy nor ſell, he hath refuſed to honour the image of the Beaſt: It is dangerous to bring in civill Authority immediately upon Church-cenſure: A warning to us here, that if men be excommunicated, not to deny them civill Commerce, or to ſay ſuch as ſtand out excommunicated ſo long, ſhall no longer enjoy the priviledges of the State: The Church may cut them off from fellowſhip with it ſelfe, there may be juſt reaſon ſo to do; they may diſcover ſuch hypocrifie as may make them unfit for the Church, but yet they may not altogether be unfit for the Common-wealth.
Sixthly,Ʋſe 6. It may ſerve to humble us ſo farr, as in times paſt we had any thing to do with this Beaſt, eyther in the loynes of our Fathers with this firſt Beaſt, the Roman Catholick viſible Church, or as in our own time we have had any communion (I meane Eccleſiaſticall communion) with the image of this firſt Beaſt, that is, with Provinciall, Dioceſan, Cathedrall, National Churches.
You know it is not my manner to fall into ſpeeches of Chriſts in other parts, it is beſt for us to look to our owne; but when the Text is juſt ſo fit, now to be ſilent, were to deny the children of God the bread of their portion: If it be ſuch a Church as is of the Popes deviſing, as hath provoked the jealouſie of God, and hath not been derived from the primitive inſtitution that Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed; then ſo far as we have had to deale with them, either in office, or out of office, receiving their Sacraments, and their Cenſures, or have publiſhed their Cenſures, though God (it may be) mercifully kept us from publiſhing ſuch as we did conceive unjuſt; yet foraſmuch as there hath been any ſubmittance in this kind, any Church-communion, whereby we have been admitted into Church-office by the Image of this beaſt, or inſtalled by the ordination of the firſt beaſt, or ſo far as wee have ſubmitted to the firſt or ſecond Beaſt; ſo far as we have partaked in the holy things of God, which flow from Church-communion, as Sacraments and Cenſures do, verily ſo farre we have cauſe to be humbled; though the Lord kept any of us from thinking it any neceſſity to be reconciled to the Church of Rome, or kept us from ſundry things in our practice, which the Image of the Beaſt required; and though he kept us alſo from receiving all their Dictates without controll; yet for our practice in entring into our calling, and our diſpenſations which have been but images of the firſt beaſt: and ſo far as our fellowſhip in Ordinances with them have cleaved to that Church, verily the guilt of that will lye upon ſuch ſoules as have not unfeignedly bewailed it before the Lord.
What think you might be the cauſe that Chriſtians do complayn of ſo much deadneſſe, under ſuch plenty, and (as ſome ſay) power of Ordinances? I might as juſtly blame the world for as great part, that men think they are forced to lanch out in building and planting; an evill haunt and cuſtome hath been rivetred into mens ſpirits, that they have much ado to be content any where; but this is not all: Nor can I lay it wholly upon over-much confidence in Ordinances; we have heretofore thought men happy that had liberty of Ordinances, though out in a duty of humiliation; God will let you ſee the emptineſſe of all Ordinances, & that there is no life in them further then he puts in them; but I will not put in neither of both theſe, though both theſe may challenge a part of the deadneſſe of the Countrrey, and may becauſe of humiliation: But giuegive me leave to ſay, I feare this chiefly, that men thought it enough that they were got out of the reach of Summoners, and Pariters, and ſuch like, whoſe offices have been by the power of the beaſt, the remnants whereof hang in thoſe places where they ſhould not ſtand; I feare men have reſted in turning their backs upon ſuch troubles as they were put unto, when they have not been ſerious in judging themſelves for theſe Images of jealouſie, when they are ſo loft to be rent from them, I feare the Lord hath not humbled them for their old contagion, and therefore they are not ſo dead, for what is an Image but deadneſſe? truly becauſe we are rather in bodily preſence, then in heart departed from them, therefore there is ſuch deadneſſe: what's the reaſon, that upon the leaſt motion, men are ready to remove to a new Plantation, as if they removed from old England to New in a pang: If men had a calling upon juſt grounds to come hither, then when we come where the Ordinances of God are, we ſhould ſit down under the Ordinances, under the ſhadow of the Almighty, and never look for more: But when that doth not ſatisfie that we enjoy Ordinances, all that liberty we did deſire, we do enjoy, and yet it doth not ſatisfie; certainly there is ſome ſinne lyes in the breaſt ſtill, for which the Lord purſues men with a reſtleſſe frame, they are not yet purged from the image of Romiſh pollution, and therefore the Lord ſees it not meet to give us reſt, no not in Sion, becauſe in heart we are not returned from Babell, but every new occaſion puts us to a new plantation, and when we are there we cannot reſt: And therefore I feare, becauſe we have not judged our ſelves for our inordinate walking in polluted Churches, but have rather ſought for our own peace, then purity from theſe pollutions, which there have defiled us, or do not ſee any great need of judging our ſelves in that kinde; thence it is, that to this day the Lord hath much ado to quiet our hearts in his peace and purity, and in power, but ſtill we are much deſtitute of inward purity and power of godlineſſe, and therefore dead heartedneſſe hangs about us to this day. And therefore as we deſire the power, and purity, and peace of Ordinances ſtamped upon our hearts, ſo we are to bewaile the contagions we have had in this Image of the beaſt with Officers or people, that ſo the Lord may give a reviving according to the deſire of our hearts.
Laſtly,Ʋſe 7. let it be of much praiſe and thankſgiving to God, that hath delivered us and ours, from theſe Contagions and pollutions, in which you ſee all that dwell on the earth have been intangled and polluted in time paſt: That he hath delivered us from the power of this Beaſt (the Roman Catholick Church) that he hath freed us from making an Image to that Beaſt; we own none of his Ordinances, and that God hath removed us from the marke of this Beaſt, that we deſire not to be accounted Catholicks, nor Hirarchies, nor ſtand members of a Dioceſan, or Provinciall, or Cathedrall, or Nationall Church, but beare witneſſe againſt them all: And alſo that he hath freed us in ſome meaſure from the number of his name; that many things that are of number and account with them, are not of any number with us, if there be any thing of the Beaſt in it. And therefore it is matter of great praiſe to God; You ſhall read of the hundred and forty foure thouſand, that God had gotten victory over the Image, and mark of the Beaſt, and over his name, and the number of his name, or had not left them in any bondage, they ſung as it were a new ſong before the Throne; It is great matter of praiſe that here we may enjoy no head but the Lord Jeſus. (Saul indeed was head of the Tribes of Iſrael, but not of the Church, 1 Sam. 15. 17.) That the Lord hath given us to enjoy Churches, and Congregational Aſſemblies by his Covenant, to worſhip him in all his holy Ordinances; that he … given us to look for no Laws but his word, no rules nor forms of worſhip, but ſuch as he hath ſet downe in his word; no platforms of Doctrine, but ſuch as are held forth in the word of the Prophets and Apoſtles: It is ſuch a priviledge, that for 1260. years, the Chriſtian world knew not the meaning of it, unleſſe it were here and there a few whom God had ſealed (this was the priviledg of a few ſealed ones) but this the Lord vouchſafeth to us this day, above all Nations that have power of the civill ſword: It is true, there is a great deale of theſe things in ſundry other Churches, but yet there is a tang of the image of the Beaſt, that a company of Elders and Miniſters, they ſhall have power to impoſe Officers upon Churches, and to excommunicate Officers and Members; It is too much the image of the firſt Beaſt, and too much of the power of both Beaſts, and therefore it is to be lamented: but that the Lord ſhould give us ſuch liberty, that all our Churches are not ſubordinate one to another, and none arrogate nor plead Supremacy, but are preſerved and kept from all contagion of the firſt and ſecond beaſt, this calls us to abundant thankfulneſſe, and wee are to deſire that the Lord would keep us at ſuch a diſtance, that we may never return to the image of either of the beaſts.