Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 4
Rev. 13. the latter part of the 3. & 4. ver.
And all the world wondered after the Beaſt.
And they worſhipped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beaſt, and they worſhipped the Beaſt, ſaying, who is like unto the Beaſt? who is able to make Warre with him?
I Come now to ſpeak of the ſequell of the healing of this wound; upon the healing of it there is a double effect.
1. The admiration of the world after the Beaſt.
2. A worſhip, ſet forth by a double object, the Dragon, and the Beaſt.
3. The cauſes are ſet forth that made them to worſhip them both; The Dragon in that he gave power to the Beaſt, and the Beaſt for his unmatchable power. Who is like unto the Beaſt? who is able to make war with him? Here might be three or four Notes juſtly gathered from hence, but becauſe I affect brevity in myſticall Scriptures, I ſhall compact them into one: The note is this;
That upon the healing of the Beaſts wounded head,Doctrine. all the world fell into an admiration of the Beaſt, and of his power, yea into an adoration of worſhip, both of the Beaſt, and of the Dragon.
This containes both the latter end of the third, and part of the fourth verſ.
For the cauſes of this Admiration, they will be juſt reaſons of the point.
To open the Doctrine [upon the healing of this wounded head of the Beaſt] Remember the Beaſt is the Roman Catholick viſible Church, whereof Rome was the mother City, and mother Church, accounted of all the Churches in the world, and the Pope is the viſible head of this Church, in this Chapter called the ſeventh head.
Obſerve 2ly. the healing of this ſeventh Head, wounded by the captivity and calamity it fell into by barbarous Nations. Upon the healing of this wounded Head, by the removal, and ſcattering, and ſubduing of theſe Enemies, as alſo by the playſter that was put to him, when ſuch Titles of Soveraign Authority, were put upon him by the Emperors: Now this was the Originall of that wonder, for ſo it comes in; His deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beaſt: And ſo he expreſſeth it, Chap. 17. 8. All that dwell upon the earth ſhall wonder when they behold the Beaſt that was, and is not, and yet is. He was when he flouriſhed, as that which was the great Authority of the world: He is not, when he is wounded in his head; but as it were troden under foot, wounded to death, as if he had not been: But yet he is againe, that is, he is reſtored: And they that dwell on the earth, when they ſaw that, wondered to behold the Beaſt that was, and is not, and yet is; A Beaſt that cannot be cruſhed and beaten downe with ſuch deſperate calamities, ſo that's the occaſion of their wonderment; now upon this occaſion they fell into an admiration of the Beaſt, and of his power. An admiration implies ſome high eſteem of ſome great happineſſe betiding this Beaſt, not only beyond their expectation, but tranſcendant, beyond their apprehenſion and capacity to underſtand. For a man doth not admire a thing, unleſſe it goe not only beyond expectation, but is tranſcendant above his reaſon and underſtanding. Yea, beyond any meanes he could uſe to bring ſuch a thing to paſſe: Therefore when they ſee this great change, they fall admiring of the Beaſt, and the head of the Beaſt, and of the Dragon that gave power to the Beaſt, and worſhip them both. For their Admiration then, let me ſpeak ſomething of that; and then of their Adoration both of the Beaſt, and of the Dragon.
It was in a way of Admiration; I will not ſay what expreſſions ſome have made of it, ſome that were called Fathers of the Church, and have left ſuch things in writing: It would mightily poſſeſſe one with Admiration of the Sea of Rome, looking at him as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah; looking at him as by his Primacy to be like Adam, for his Faith like Abraham, for his government like Noah, gathering all the world under him; for Order like Melchiſedech, for his function, to be Chriſt himſelfe, deſervedly to be God, after ſometimes called the Vicar of Chriſt, and of God; marvellous tranſcendant ſtrains put upon him, which argues a high eſteem of him: But to omit ſuch things as are but flouriſhes, theſe are reall.
1. That all the Churches of the world are to receive all their doctrine and worſhip from them; Though it were never ſo ſuperſtitious, as worſhipping of Angels, and Saints, and making uſe of their meditation beſides Chriſt; and they did receive from them more then all this, which is the life and quintiſcence of all. They looked from the Father of the Catholick viſible Church to receive Indulgences, and pardon of all their ſinnes: If he retained them, then they were retained; if he remitted them, they were remitted: This they looked for from him, not only for Doctrine and worſhip, but for ſealing up their Pardon for ſo many hundreds and thouſands of years, and not ſealed with waxe, but with a wap of Lead, and a Seale ſet on that: And this was the chiefe comfort of troubled minds in thoſe ages, theſe things they received from them, and admirable honour they put upon that Beaſt, to receive all ſuch things from them.
2. They made to Rome all their Appeals: What ever government there was in the Chriſtian world, from thence were their Laws, and thither were their Appeals, as out of England and many other places, to the great diſturbance of Church and Common-wealth, as alſo large and bountifull payments were made to them: It were a vaſt thing to ſum up the totall ſum of conſtant payments that were from every Kingdome repayed to the Sea of Rome: And as their Appeals & Payments went to Rome, ſo did their bodies on pilgrimage, and it was thought a great devotion to kiſſe the feet of the Pope, and to ſee thoſe bleſſed Shrines; Thus was their admiration of the Beaſt.
3. They fetched from Rome the Ordination of all their chiefe Officers: Any Arch-biſhop, who-ever choſe him, yet he was not inſtalled, but he muſt fetch it from Rome, and pay well for it. And from thence they fetched all their Coronation of Kings and Emperors; and ſundry fundamentall Lawes of every Catholick Kingdom were derived from thence. All their Diſpenſations were fetched from thence, that Princes might marry where they would: And diſpenſation from Oaths, and from Marriages contracted, all theſe things they fetched from Rome: It was an admirable honour they put upon the Church of Rome, and upon the Head of it; what ever the firſt Beaſt did, the ſecond Beaſt alſo did; and ſo in worſhipping the one, they worſhipped the other; and in admiring one, they admired both.
4. They expreſſe their admiration in this, that they will undertake eſtabliſhing of Laws from the Sea of Rome, and perſecution of ſuch godly perſons as did not ſubmit, ſuch as were different in their minds from the Catholick Church, if they never ſo little ſwerve from that, they undertook to execute the Laws of the Church: And if the Church declared him him to be an Heretick, there was no more to do, the Common-wealth preſently put him to death: And as they took upon them perſecution of their Subjects at home, ſo the Subjects took upon them to depoſe their Princes, and might depoſe them, if they would not ſubmit their power to the Pope, ſo that there was no ſubſiſting without ſubmitting to them. And which is a branch of this, they undertook a vaſt and coſtly War abroad, againſt the common Enemy the Turke, whereas in very deed, whilſt the Pope ſtands, it is not poſſible any War ſhould proſper againſt him; for it was for the ſinne of Rome that the Turk was advanced, a barbarous and beaſtly Enemy, to puniſh a beaſtly Religion: This was their admiration.
And all the world wondered after the Beaſt.] He meanes as he expounds himſelfe, ver. 8. Thoſe whoſe names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb. They that were redeemed from the world, they were not of the world, though they lived in it: but thoſe in the world that were of the world, they did honour this beaſt, and were ſubject to him, and gave all their devotion to the Catholick Church: And when I ſay all the world, I meane all the Chriſtian world, which was the viſible face of the world, the reputed world; Theſe barbarous Nations were not then ſo owned; but as for the Eaſtern world, they were all willing to give way to this tranſcendant Uſurpation of the Biſhop of Rome in a generall Councell at Aſia: They looked at the reigning and Imperiall City of Rome, as the chiefeſt Seate of the Catholick Church, the higheſt throne of that Church, and were content that no Councell ſhould be ratified but by him: If hee ratified a Councell in ſo many Canons, it was eſtabliſhed; if he did not, then they were not; and the Emperors were willing it ſhould be ſo, becauſe they found inſufficiency in themſelves to maintaine the Royal City of Rome againſt barbarous Nations: And therefore they thought it State-policy to maintain the Biſhop of Rome, and let him grow up to as great power as he could; It was as they thought, the preſervation of their State (but it was indeed their ruine) ſo they willingly gave their power to the beaſt: Now the barbarous Nations that had not forſaken the Country, and had builded them houſes, they that were not driven out (as many reſted in ſome parts of the Empire) they willingly cloſed with ſuch a Religion as was pretty ſavoury to their apprehenſions, they began to comply with it, and put their necks under it. Charles the Great having received the Kingdome of France from the Pope, he did his beſt endeavour to bring the people to yeeld themſelves, but the people were ſomewhat ſowr and rugged that way to be wrought upon: Therefore the Pope had another ſophiſtry to help himſelfe; He ſends three Apoſtles, Gregory the Great, he was one Apoſtle that he ſent for England, and he brings great Reformation, that is, he ſways the whole State to the Biſhop of Rome, and thoſe that would not yeeld were miſerably ſlaughtered. And Bonifacius he did the like in Genevah, and in France, and Denmarke, and Germany; And where ever the world was Chriſtian, it was now Catholick, all ſubmitted to the Church of Rome; and ſo by this means all the world admired him, they received doctrine and worſhip from Rome, they will goe for pardon of Sin thither: They make Pilgrimages to Rome, Appeals to Rome; From thence they receive their fundamental Conſtitutions, Diſp…nſations, Perſecutions, depoſition of Princes; They receive and undertake generall war from thence for the recovery of the holy Land: And in one word, in ſuch admiration the Beaſt of Rome was, that it was a Proverb among them, He ruled all the world; and therefore he ruled all the Churches, and was eſteemed to be God on Earth: Thus did all the world wonder after the Beaſt, and admire him, and ſo did they alſo hi… power: They did exc… dingly admire his power; Who is like unto the Beaſt? who is able to make warre with him? It is not cleare adoration, but it is an attributing to the Beaſt, that which is peculiar to God; Who is like unto the Lord our God? Exod. 15. 11. It is a ſtyle of the high and mighty God: This admiration of this wonderfull power and holineſſe it is now added to the Pope: Who is like unto the Beaſt? who is able to make warr with him? Who is the Lord of hoſts but our God? as if he were invincible: For they had found, that when ſome of the Grecian Emperours that had given their power to the Beaſt did vary in point of judgment (as they did not love to take up the worſhip of Images) then the Beaſt is offended, and excommunicates him, and deprives him of his Empire, and gives it to Charles the Great; takes away the Kingdome of France, puts him into a Monaſtery, removes Fredericke, firſt and ſecond: And what he did with King John of England, you know; He deprived him of his Kingdome, and hee makes ſome of them do very hard penance, whiles he was ſolacing himſelfe with his Harlot: She being more compaſſionate then he, beſought his Holineſſe to have compaſſion on him, and ſo he ſent him back, yet afterwards they made him away: And his Son, when they came to Crown him, it muſt be with the Popes foot; and when he hath done, he daſheth it off, to ſhew, that he hath power to take it as eaſily from him, as to fell it from his head. Though great men, and greatly beloved of the people, all is nothing, if they be alienated from the Pope: All mens affections are his; when he turns, the whole body turns; when the head moves, the whole body doth accordingly: So that it was marvellous admirable power that he had; whom he would he ſet up, and whom he would he pulled downe. Peter, he ſaid, gave it to him, and he did what he would to thoſe that were on the earth, this is great power. They profeſſe, if their holy Father carry many millions of ſoules to Hell, yet no man muſt ſay, Sir, why do you ſo: All appeals were from him, ſo that there is tranſcendant, ſoveraign power, and indeed divine, ſuch as no man can attaine; Power to pardon ſin, power to bind Conſcience, to diſpence with the Law of God, to interpret and judg of Scripture as he ſees cauſe, and this is ſuch power, as is far above the reach of man: None of them all have ſuch power as he, not thoſe that are called Gods: So they admire his power, what he can do to inward or outward man, to publique or private States. And they do not only admire the Catholick Church, and the head of it, and adore them; but in both theſe they adore the Dragon that gave all this power to the Beaſt. The meaning may be expreſt in two branches.
1. The Dragon is expreſſed as animating heathen Rome, for that hath ſeven heads and ten horns, which are the armes, both of heathen Rome, and of this Beaſt: Now he is called the Dragon, as he acted heathen Rome, and as he was Lord of heathen Rome, he gave all this power to the Pope; For they thought it meet, ſince it was the Imperiall City when it was Pagan, that therefore it ſhould be the mother of all Churches: And being the Imperial City, it was the bloud-ſucker of many millions of the ſouls of Gods ſervants, that cauſed the Dragon to put that honour upon Rome.
2. But that is not all, There is another branch comes neerer the full meaning of the Text; that was for the honouring of the Biſhop of Rome, and of the Catholick Church, viz. taking another doctrine for the Goſpell, their Idolatry for pure worſhip, their Government for the diſcipline of Chriſt, their pardons for Juſtification of ſinne by Chriſt; In all this they doe indeed give true worſhip to the Dragon, for what are all theſe but Images, they are none of Gods Ordinances; if you referre them to the heads of Scripture, they are but Images of Chriſt; In ſtead of the Miniſtery of Chriſt, you have doctrines of men; In ſtead of juſtification by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, you have juſtification by works; In ſtead of pardon of Sin from Chriſt, you have it from the Pope; All things are in another forme, an Image of another forme ſet up, deviſed, contrary to what the word eſtabliſheth: Now you ſhall finde this to be true; if you doe vary from the kingdome of God, and Chriſt, then you worſhip the Dragon: You read in 2 Chron. 11. 15. Jeroboam ordained him Prieſts, for the high places, and for the Devils, and for the Calves, which he had made: he had no Preiſts but for the golden Calves, and what were they? they were but Images, and his intendment was not to bring in another object of worſhip, but another manner of worſhip; Jeroboam worſhiped Jehovah in Images, which God had not appointed, and ſo he worſhipped the Divill, and not God. And you ſhall read, when the Turke was brought in to revenge the Idolatry of Chriſtendome, Rev. 9. 20. It is ſaid, The people that were not cut off with the plague, they repented not of the worke of their hands, that they ſhould not worſhip Devils, and Idols of Gold and Silver, and braſſe, and Stone, and of wood, which neither can ſee, nor hear, nor walk: which ſhews, that when men worſhip Images, that is, God in Images; it is not God that is ſo worſhipped, but the Divill, and all ſuch worſhip doth not advance the kingdome of God, but the kingdome of the Devill, therefore it is reall honour to him: and therefore this their taking all this vaſt honour (all Churches receiving all from them) is none of Gods Inſtitution, but the Devils practice, for it was the Devill that gave him his power and great authority; Therefore ſaith the holy Ghoſt, they worſhiped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beaſt, and they worſhipped the beaſt: This worſhip of the beaſt they gave it all to him that gave this power to him, which was to the Dragon; and therfore you read that he had the key of the bottomleſſe pit, Rev. 9. 1, 2. And he opened the bottomleſſe pit, and there aroſe a ſmoke out of the pit, as the ſmoke of a great furnace, and there came out of the ſmoke locuſts upon the earth: There went out Monks & Friars, and a rabble of all ſuperſtition.
Now if you ſhall aske the reaſon why people upon the healing of this wound did ſo mightily admire both the viſible Catholick Church, and the head of it, and adore both, and Satan himſelfe in both? The reaſon was,
Firſt,Reaſon 1. from the wrong Interpretation of ſome Scriptures, which were very frequent with them in thoſe dayes, and are ſtill; and that was, that the Catholick Roman Church was builded upon a rock, and that rock was the Biſhop of Rome, and into his hand the Lord Jeſus by Peter had given the keys of the kingdome of Heaven, and theſe keys had abſolute univerſall power to binde on Earth, and upon his binding on earth, Chriſt would bind in heaven: this was an error in judgment that did ſo poſſeſſe their hearts, that upon the healing of this wounded head, all the world did admire him: Therefore Bellarmine makes a large diſcourſe; Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner ſtone, and they that truſt in him ſhall never be confounded; and ſo never was there any man that was an enemy to the Catholick Church, but was confounded; nor never did any man ſtand for the Catholick Church, but was preſerved: and ſo they did admire him; A great inundation of barbarous Nations were all driven out by the piety of the Biſhop of Rome; they were able to overturn the Emperors of the Eaſt (and it was overturned) and bring them to his feet, and all to be at his diſpoſing; This was ſome confirmation to them, that he was the ſucceſſor of Peter, that now whoever is ſaved, it muſt be by the power of this key, or elſe never look for any ſaving in this world.
A ſecond reaſon may be taken from the correſpondency and plauſableneſſe of ſuch a kinde of Religion and Government to carnall reaſon.Reaſon 2. eſpecially when it is ſubdued by any terrors of conſceence: for it was a ſeaſon (and that held many years together) wherein the Prieſts, Friers, and Monks, had marvellous power to ſting the conſciences of men with the loathſomneſſe of their ſinne in the ſight of God, and they had admirable dexterity therein: Theſe foure things were all the matter of their Sermons, Vertue and vice, Heaven and Hell; If you be vertuous, then you ſhall go to Heaven; If you be vicious, then you muſt go to Hell: Now they would ſo convince mens conſciences, and upon conviction binde the conſcience under terror, as eternally ſhut out of Heaven, for want of virtue, which they had not; that indeed when theſe mens conſciences are thus perplexed and wounded, here is a Religion that findes them ſo many ſalves and medicines, as eaſe the power, but not remove the cauſe of the diſeaſe; that is, they ſet men a courſe; well, though you be vicious, and though Hell be dreadfull, yet Purgatory may eaſe you by Prayer, and you may be diſpenſed with from going to Hell, eſpecially by the Popes pardon, or by your own workes, by your confeſſions, by ſelfe-whippings and ſcourgings, or by going a Pilgrimage, you may be diſcharged of this burden; This was very plauſable to carnall reaſon, eſpecially if they gave ſo much to ſuch a Monaſtery, that they may offer ſo many Sacraments for them (for they look at the bread in the Lords ſupper as a propiatory Sacrament:) here were ſo many means to ſatisfie the conſciences of thoſe that were ſuperſtitious, as nothing could be deviſed to give better content to the ſpirits of men in thoſe dayes: any man that knowes it, ſhall finde it true, that when the conſcience is terrified with the curſe of Gods Law, and never ſhewed the true way of fellowſhip with Chriſt, no man is ſo tender and conſcionable in the performance of all duties as they: If you will have them kiſſe the Popes foot, or give ſo much to a Monaſtery; and by this means Hell ſhall be ſhut againſt them, and Purgatory diſcharged: But for aſſurance of Salvation in Chriſt, they could not endure that; they that ſtood for that, they tell them, what, you will not have men doe good workes, away with that, faggot and halter for ſuch Hereticks.
Thirdly,Reaſon 2. there was a third Reaſon, and that was from the great reverence of all Councells, and Synods to the Sea of Rome. The City of Rome had wont to be the imperiall City, now in ſuch a caſe as this they thought it but reaſonable; In heatheniſh Rome they gave all worſhip to them, and ſo let Chriſtian Rome give all their worſhip to the chief Head there, and ſo to their mother Church, all Catholicks would incourage others ſo to doe; and ſo by this means there were ſuch incouragements laid for admiration and adoration, that you may not wonder at what the holy Ghoſt ſaith, That when the wound was healed, all the world wondred after the beaſt, ſaying, who is like unto the beaſt? who is able to make war with him? Not the Emperors of the Eaſt and Weſt, not the King of England, France, Spain, nor all that have been of greateſt force, they were none of them able to hold up their heads againſt this great Beaſt. The uſe of this point is thus much;
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. you may obſerve from hence, that Univerſality, and Proſperity, though they be given for two notes of a true Church by the Papiſts, yet indeed they are but ſopiſticall, deceitfull deluſions; They are not ſuch marks of a Church as are peculiar to a true Church; here is Univerſality, All the world wondred after the beaſt; and here is Proſperity, all the world adore, and admire the Beaſt; Who is like unto the beaſt? who is able to make war with him? Not all the Princes of the world: So that here is externall proſperity, for ſo they call it; here are both theſe concur, and they doe indeed argue a Catholick Church, as Bellarmine ſaith; but note this, that Catholick Church which is viſible, (which is the Roman viſible Catholick Church) the Scripture holds it forth as a great, and ugly, and monſtrous Beaſt: look not therefore at theſe as any good marks and ſignes, by which Jeſuites, and Seminaries are wont to draw to deep devotion to the Catholick Church, for all the world have run this way, there is but a handfull, a few of ſuch as are otherwiſe minded; what is Genevah and ſome others to Rome? what have they been able to doe in compariſon of the Church of Rome, which is the Church of Churches, none have been able to doe as they.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. we may ſee the danger of this admiration, and adoration, the deadly and deſperate danger of adoring the Catholick viſible Church and the Dragon. It is the cunning of theſe Prieſts and Jeſuites to draw men by all means to be at leaſt devoted to the Catholick Church, and to ſubmit their power thereunto; for they ſay there is no union with Chriſt the head, unleſſe you be united to the viſible head on Earth; this is their uſuall plea: Now marke what the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks in this Text; he doth ſay, that all the worſhip of this mother Church is but the worſhip of the Dragon. Men are devoutly adicted to give up their ſouls to the Devill, when they give up themſelves to the Catholicke viſible Church, the Lord profeſſeth he is not honoured by them; they profeſſe honour to he-Saints and ſhee-Saints, and dead Saints, and to all relicks and remnants of them; the honour of them is given unto the Devill, and not to God. That look what Paul ſai…h of heathen Rome, John ſpeaks of chriſtian Rome; This I ſay, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10. 20. That the things which the Gentiles ſacrifice, they ſacrifice to Devils, and not to God; and I would not that ye ſhould have fellowſhip with Devils; And ſo this ſaith John the holy Apoſtle (equall to the Apoſtle Paul, or next him, but here guided equally with Paul in the Authentical word of God) he ſaith, They that worſhip God according to the preſcript of the Church of Rome, they worſhip the Devils, and not God; they worſhip the Dragon, the old Serpent. So that it is not ſo light a matter as Gallants at Court, and great Kings apprehend, they will be reconciled to their mother Church, they will goe a Pilgrimage that is deviſed by the Pope, and perform duties as their ghoſtly Father directs them, and have their bead-prayers; In all this what do they doe? This is a worſhip to the great beaſt, but this is the iſſue, and ſubſtance of it, they doe indeed worſhip the Dragon; It is not the Lord Jeſus, nor God the Father, nor the bleſſed ſpirit that is thus worſhipped, but this is indeed the worſhip of the Devill.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. this may ſerve to teach us, to bleſſe the name of the Lord, that hath delivered us from this admiration and adoration, from this wofull Captivity and Calamity whereto our Fathers have been enthralled; All thoſe of them whoſe names are not written in the Lambs book of life, they were all led this way; and it is a marvellous deliverance that God hath wrought for us in taking our Religion from univerſality, and from outward proſperity. It is ſometimes a ſnare to Chriſtians, this kinde of Government that we have, and they are apt to ſay what doe any of the great Nations of the world for worſhip and Government; did you ever know any ſuch thing authoriſed in any Kingdome? There is an inward principle in us by nature to doe as all the world doe: what, are we more wiſe then they? It is a great temptation, but we have cauſe to bleſſe God that hath wrought deliverance for us; But what if all the world did worſhip the Devill, as time was when they did? what if all the world worſhip the Beaſt, and the Dragon that gave power to the Beaſt, muſt we doe ſo? And as they are not grounds of our worſhip, ſo they are fit grounds of unfeigned thankfulneſſe to God that hath delivered us from that Religion by which all the world was bewitched to give their Crownes, Honours, Bodies, and States to the devotion of the viſible Catholick Church, and to the head of that Church: It is cauſe of everlaſting thankfulneſſe and watchfulneſſe, not to be deluded by fine ſhewes of worldly men, but let us ſee and know where true worſhip lies, as the Lord hath declared himſelf in Chriſt, and held him forth in the Goſpel of truth.
Forthly,Ʋſe 4. let it teach us all where to beſtow our admiration, and adoration; It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill, (and which accordingly he himſelf practiſed, and requires us to doe) Mat. 4. 10. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerve: The Devill askes this of Chriſt to bow downe to him and worſhip him; The Lords Indignation is kindled, his holy Zeale is inflamed againſt ſuch a Sacriligious requeſt; Get thee hence Satan, for it is written, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerve. And as we are to worſhip him alone, and no God but him, ſo we are to admire none but him; Who is like unto thee, O Lord amongſt the Gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holineſſe, fearfull in praiſes, doing wonders, Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration; who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sinne; of which you read, Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground: who is a God like unto thee? why what is there in him that you ſo magnifie him? he is a God that forgives Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion, and Sinne; here is cauſe indeed of admiration. They admire and adore the Pope, why? Becauſe they had ſatisfaction to their conſciences in their way, and an ungrounded hope of a better ſtate in another world, and pardon of Sinne in this, and now they come to fellowſhip with Chriſt by the worſhip of the Devill: But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion, and Sinne? So that here is indeed matter of due admiration, and let it be faſtned there. When a mans ſoul is brought low with the ſence of Sinne, and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conſcience by reaſon of the guilt of Sinne; what is matter of admiration now? who is a God like unto thee, that paſſeth by Iniquity, tranſgreſſion, & ſin? It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away ſin, it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it: And therefore to what end are all the admirations, and worſhips that are put upon the Biſhop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power? They may pleaſe themſelves in what ſatisfaction they apprehend they have, but their own principles poſſeſſe them, that they can never come to ſee the admirable goodneſſe of God in forgiving their Sinnes. But now when the Lord ſheds abroad a ſpirit of grace and peace in the conſcience, and applyes the goodneſſe of Chriſt to the diſcharge of the burden of Sinne, and of quickning the heart in the peace of Chriſt Jeſus, this breeds admiration: Bleſſed be God the Father of mercy, and God of all conſolation, that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope: I ſay this bleſſing is worthy of admiration, and not onelyonly of wonderment, but of acknowledging all glory and bleſſednes to him. When the conſcience is not pacified by a ſorry duty done from man, but by a ſealed pardon from the ſpirit of God, witneſſed by the breath of the holy Ghoſt; this is ſuch a mercy to the ſoule; as indeed raiſeth the heart above all admiration of ſuch a Beaſt, I, to a true deteſtation of this Beaſt, and of the Dragon that hath ſo long bewitched, and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts, and in the end to their everlaſting perdition. But let it be the care of Gods people, as ever you deſire to be bleſſed from the admiration of ſuch a worm-eaten Religion, ſo grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace: and ſo we ſhall doe that upon juſt grounds, which our Fathers did without grounds, to this Beaſt, and to the head of it. Upon this ground, this head being wounded, and afterwards healed, all the world wondred after him: Here is an Image of Chriſt, he was wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed: and he riſeth againe, and he proclaims all power is given him, in Heaven and Earth; Now ſee how this Vicar of Chriſt (as they call him) uſurps; as Chriſt was wounded, and is riſen againe; ſo it is with this Beaſt, he is wounded to death, and afterwards healed and reſtored, and now all the world admire and worſhip him: Have they forgotten that Chriſt dyed for our Sinnes, and was raiſed again for our Juſtification? and doe they ſtand admiring at this Beaſt as he that was wounded, and healed? Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulneſſe to the Lord, for the great change that is wrought in Chriſtendome, and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him, that we may be preſerved from thoſe deluſions, wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way conſtantly which the Lord hath eſtabliſhed, and called us unto.