Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 2
LECTURE II.
Vers. 4.
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5.
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue fourty and two moneths.
6.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7.
And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world.
THe first part of this Chapter describeth Antichrist under a secular notion of civil power. It setteth him out, first, in his rise, vers. 1, 2, 3. In three things, 1. To what state he belongeth, to wit, that of seven heads and ten horns, that is, the Roman, vers. 1. 2. Of what nature he is; he is compounded of monstrous qualities, vers. 2. 3. To what time or revolution of that Roman state he belongeth, to wit, that which after the wounded head was healed and the horns had gotten Crowns, that is to say, after the civil Empire is weakened and divided in sundry Kingdoms, and the Pope steppeth up to act them all.
2. His reign or the effects of his rise, after this head is sealed, are set down, from vers. 4. forward, in four steps or effects, first, toward the gracelesse world; he obtaineth much respect and applause from them, even in the highest degree, so that he ruleth amongst them at his pleasure, vers. 4. The second is the time of his continuance, vers. 5. The third containeth his blasphemy or doctrine towards God, vers. 6. The fourth and last, his persecution against the Saints, or his practice towards them, vers. 7. and 8. The universality of the subjection he getteth, or of the power he hath, is restrained to the Reprobate world, as the proper object of his Kingdom, as it is of the Dragons who giveth him that power.
The first effect after his rising, (vers. 4.) is set out in three steps, expounding the wondering that was mentioned, vers. 3. 1. It is said they worshipped the Dragon. 2. The Beast. 3. Their respect to the Beast, is set down in a Question or two, expressing their admiration.
This worship is not such as is given to civil Emperours, but is some religious, superstitious worship. 1. It is somewhat which is sinfull to be given, which meer civil worship is not: for, Christ, the Prophets and Apostles do allow honour where it is due, as to great men, &c. 2. It is such worship, as is, on the matter, worship to the devil, that is, not as directly intended to him, but as all Idolatry and worshipping of Images is interpretatively worshipping of devils, Chap. 9.20. it being not commanded of God, but derogatory to him; so the worlds applauding and adoring this Antichrist will be, on the matter, before God a worshipping of the devil, especially considering that this Antichrist is peculiarly the devils lieutennant and trusty servant: and therefore, what honour he getteth, redoundeth to the honour of him that commissionateth him; so this worship terminateth immediately on the beast, as ye see in the end of the verse, who is like him? but mediately and consequently on the devil, who gave him power. In a word, the world gave divine honour to this beast, and in him to the devil that commissionated him. Now, concerning that divine honour Popes get in their titles, by being accounted gods on earth and able to forgive sins, being adored by kissing their feet and by reverencing their words and decrees as infallible, even like Scriptures; yea, esteeming the Scriptures (as Bail. Iesu. Catech. part. 1.) but, as Livius, writings without their Authority, and so receiving them only as they are ratified by them, &c. These are known things.
It may be questioned here, how it can be said, that the devil gave him power, seing he hath no power to give, and seing it is universally said, Rom. 13. That the powers that are, are of God? Answ. Certainly this power is by Gods secret justice to punish the worlds ingratitude, 2 Thess. 2. He sendeth this delusion for a just end; yet it is said to be of the devil and not of God, because it is not by His revealed approving will, but contrary to it. 1. In the nature of the power, or the things wherein he taketh power. 2. Of his way of coming to it. 3. In his exercising of it: in all which he holdeth of the devil as his author, and not of God, who hath warranted no such thing in His Word.
However by this worshipping, it appeareth that this beast who is the object of it, is more in the account of his worshippers than ordinary Monarchs. 2. That he standeth in a speciall relation to the devil, who is thus a sharer of his honour, and so can be no other than the Antichrist.
The particular worship, is instanced in two questions, 1. Who is like the beast? which setteth out their thoughts of him as more than ordinary. It looketh like these questions that the true worshippers of the true God have of Him, Who is like the Lord? &c. so there is a superstitious admiration wrought through delusion in these false worshippers, as supposing Antichrist to have some divine eminency and singularity in him, which hath been verified in reference to the Popes. 2. These two questions also hold out the ground and height of their admiration, to wit, his dreadfulnesse and power. Therefore the second question is, Who is able to make war with him? or, who can stand in opposition to Him? It looketh to His power and the consequents of it. This was the worlds judgement of their Popes long, That they thought the greatest powers could not make head against them, and indeed so it was; partly, by that drunk-in delusion of his sanctity and Authority; partly, by his Excommunications and Bulls, deposing Kings, loosing Subjects from their oaths, giving away their Crowns, hounding out others on them; and all this to be executed under pain of damnation: and partly, by his having all civil powers at his devotion, as horns to push with where he pleased, and to set one against another; he did what he pleased. The examples of the Popes proceedings against the Emperours of the East, who were against Images, and against Emperours of the West, giving their Crowns from them to others, which wrought such terrour upon all others, that there was much more fear to anger the Pope than ever there was to anger any Monarch; yea, than there was to anger God, to such an height came his impiety. Ma…k here the Lords censure of Popery in its full extent, it is a worshipping of the devil; and this, in lesse or more, will be His censure of all corrupt worship not warranted by Him.
The second step of the description of his dominion, is in its continuance, vers. 5. What is spoken of his blasphemies, cometh in vers. 6. He speaketh great things, in threatnings, promises and assertions of his own power. This the devil putteth him to; not by giving him power, But, 1. by making him take this power to him, as though he might blaspheme without hazard, he having liberty to say and do what he will. And, 2. By moving others to grant this to him, as if he only were to be exempted, and this is meaned by power given him to blaspheme: which is not simply to blaspheme as others do, but a liberty by his office to do it without controll, as one who legally and by right doth what he doth: and this agreeth well to the Pope, who pretendeth a power to do whatever he doth. This is a peculiar clause and article (as it were) in his commission, and it alludeth to what is spoken of Antiochus, Dan. 7.25.
His time or continuance in this blasphemy, is, fourty and two moneths: the same with the Gentiles treading-under the holy City, Chap. 11.2.… during which time blasphemy prevaileth, and the Saints are overcome and he domineereth. By the fourty and two moneths are not to be understood so many naturall dayes, but (as was expounded) a long considerable time, probably counting a day for a year. This only is marked here, to shew it would not be a short storm, it looked like a continuing one: and this expression, It was given him to continue, though there be a limitation in it, yet its main purpose is to shew its long continuance. 2. To shew it belonged to the same time of the Churches low condition, Chap. 11. and 12. and that he is the beast spoken of, Chap. 11. vers. 7. 3. To learn us where to fix this beasts first rise, or from what time to deduce him; It is from the Churches fleeing or the Gentiles beginning to tread under foot the holy City. 4. It sheweth also that this power of his, is bounded, and though God give him way so long in His just permissive Providence, yet it is but so long: His close trysteth precisly with the witnesses killing and the putting off their sackcloth.
2. By the setting this time of fourty two moneths, we would not conceive, 1. That he was at an height in the first monethmonth or alway alike; no, but as the Churches declining grew, so grew his rise: Nor, 2. that at the end of fourty two moneths his power shall be utterly broken; no, for when he killeth the witnesses, then the vials are to be powred out, that piece and piece slowly bring on his destruction. But this is meaned, that his Kingdom is on the encreasing hand till these moneths be past, what opposition cometh to him he will crush it; but after that, he will not be so, his power will be cliped, his tyrannie discovered, and his Authority so shaken and questioned, that it will never be so universally after that accepted, or be admitted to the exercise of it; for, as that tearm bringeth not the full outgate of the Church to an height, but a beginning of it, even so here. Out of all this we may confirm what we said of this beast and that wound and its healing, which must be before these fourty and two moneths, during which time he continueth whole, and persecuteth the Saints, even at the very close or last part thereof.
His blasphemy is more fully set down, vers. 6. in reference to three objects, whom he taketh a liberty to blaspheme, which, being in reference to God, derogateth some way from His excellent holinesse and pure soveraign Nature; when applied to men or creatures, to blaspheme, is to speak ill of, to detract from and to wrong them by our words, so to blaspheme God and the King, 1 Kings 21.10. and in the New Testament often, Col. 3.8. Tit. 3.2. or to make them subservient to our blasphemy.
This blaphemy is three wayes vented, 1. Against God: this he doth by assuming to himself and giving to Idols, Angels and Saints, what is due to God and His Son Jesus Christ. What prerogative is more than to forgive sins, and to be worshipped with religious worship? and this he taketh to himself and giveth to others at his pleasure, making them the object of Adoration, Invocation, and so of Faith; his Dispensations, Indulgences, &c. 2. It is against Gods Tabernacle, that is, either the humane Nature of our Lord Jesus, called the true Tabernacle, Heb. 9. wherein God dwelleth in a speciall manner, Ioh. 1. and Col. 2.9. or His Church and Saints on Earth, which is called the Temple, Chap. 11. opposit to the outward Court, and is Gods Tabernacle with men, because in them he dwelleth, and, as it were, sojourneth till He bring them to a settled enjoying of Himself in His Temple in Heaven, which sometimes in Scripture is opposed to the Tabernacle, as the triumphant Church is to the militant. Both these the Pope blasphemeth; the first, by Masses, Hoafts, Adorations, Transubstantiation, and such things as these, whereby our Lords humane Nature is quite altered and blasphemed, as if it were there, or had a created being at the pleasure of a wretched man. The second, the true Church and Saints are here blasphemed, to wit, by curses, reproaches, excommunications, and devoting of them to destruction, and proposing them as the vilest men and as the greatest hereticks in the world. Instances many are palpable. 3. He blasphemeth these that dwell in Heaven, that is, Saints departed, and Angels, fathering many mischievous things on them, abusing their name to Idol-worship and charmes: is there any thing more wronged and abused by them than Peter and Mary the blessed Virgin? when many vile things are fathered on them and sought from them as if they approved these things, Idols and Idolatrous Temples stiled by them and erected to them; and what greater wrong than this can be done to these Saints, while as the Angel (Rev. 19.) reproved Iohn for it? These three, to wit, God, His Church-militant and triumphant, the most excellent things in the world, he wrongeth them all and in the highest degree; and to whom agreeth this so well as to the Pope? and all this he doth not only in his own person, but, by decrees ordaineth it as by law. In short, a… Antiochus blasphemed all whom in His practice he despised, and abused all, so shall he do and so hath he long done as if he professedly did blaspheme them.
The fourth part of the exercise of his power, is in persecution, vers. 7. It was given to him, even as all the rest was given, to make war with the Saints and to overcome them: here are his fightings with the remnant of the womans seed, Chap. 12.17. he raiseth the world against them, and over their bodies they prevail. This war with the Saints taketh in all violent Martyrdoms of singular persons put to death for opposing this beasts usurpation, as were (specially in the end of those moneths) very many in Italy, Germany, England, &c. It taketh in also the purposed wars that for many years to the effusion of much bloud were undertaken against the Waldenses and others that looked on the Pope as Antichrist. Ten hundreth thousand men were slain (as is reported by Per…nius apud Med.) in France, and this done by way of stated war, not by pillagings, but by making use of strong Armies once intended against the Sarracens, which by the Pope were diverted and imployed against the Waldenses. The historie also of the Bohemian wars, after Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague were burnt, against these who were called Hussits, which continued in great eagernesse for many years; The history of the poor people of Piedmont, Calabria and Angrongue, and other places in Italy, persecuted by an Army under the Lord of Trinitie, the destruction of Merindoll, and many poor people about in Provence, by the Archbishop of Aix, and the Lord of Opede President, beside the many barbarous cruelties in Holland, Germany, France, &c. are evidences of this war of the beast against the Saints, touched before, Chap. 11.7. which bloud, though immediately shed by civil men, yet principally flowed from, and is to be charged on the whore, in whole skirts is found the bloud of the Prophets and Saints, Chap. 17.6. and 18.24.
The successe is set down, he overcometh them, to wit, by spoiling them of their liberty, life and temporall estate for a time; but they overcome him, by adhering to Truth and refusing his corruptions, even at their lowest estate of suffering, as it was, Chap. 1…. vers. 11.
After these characters of his dominion, his successe, or the amplitude of his dominion, is more particularly set out and repeated, in three things, 1. In its extent, He had power over all Kindreds, Tongues and Nations, that is, there was none exempted from him, no Nation, Tongue, &c. who were Christian, that were preserved from his corruptions, and many whole Nations carried away with it, though not all of every Nation and Kindred were infected: In a word, it was very broad, vers. 7. 2. It is set out in the degree of their submission, All that dwell on the earth, they shall worship him, that is, be every way at his devotion, and shall take orders from him, and be as slaves to him. It is a sort of submission from some apprehension of some deity peculiar to this beast and this state of it beyond all others, as is said. 3. Lest it should be thought that all went wrong, and there were no Church, the Elect are excepted, and this universality is restrained by this implied exception, All such as were written in the Lambs book of life are preserved: These are the little Temple set by, Chap. 11. and the same who were sealed, Chap. 7. and excepted from the hurt of the fifth trumpet, Chap. 9.4. and the one hundred fourty and four thousand, which (Chap. 14.) are standing as conquerours over the beast with the Lamb upon mount Sion. Whereby it appeareth, 1. There will be some excepted in the greatest tyranny of Antichrist. 2. That they are the same with the one hundred fourty and four thousand that were sealed, and consequently then this beast is Antichrist, and this worship antichristianism; for, these Saints, or Elect, are not keeped or exempted from giving civil worship to temporall powers, or from being overcome with this beast as to temporall hurt, but from worshipping of him, which is the sinfulnesse of this plague. Therefore after it is said they got the victory over him, Chap. 14. and 15. this also is to be understood of full and finall yeelding to the Popes blasphemies; for, otherwayes Elect souls have sometimes been ensnared. In which respect here it is implied to be impossible, that an Elect can worship him, whence plainly it followeth, that no native Pope-worshipper, owning him and the compleat body of his doctrine, and dying so, can be saved, except we would say one not elected may be saved; for, clearly this is pointed at as inconsistent with election, and proper to the Reprobate, Matt. 24.24. 2 Thess. 2.10.
It is true, this assertion is not rigidly to be extended to all who in part shall be guilty of Popery; Nor, 2. (as is said) to these who shall repent, but where there is a full and finall whoring with wondering after this beast: this standeth as a peremptory truth, because in the Spirits account this worshipping of the beast, is blasphemy, and derogatory in a high degree to God. And, 2. his manner of worship in its compleat body, is Idolatry. And, 3. his intermixing of Traditions, Satisfactions, merit of Works in Justification, &c. in his doctrine, is a perverting of the right wayes of the Lord, and a corrupting of the pure waters, that who drinketh thereof must die. Therefore we may confidently assert it; and indeed seing the Lord distinguisheth His true Church from Antichrist, and calleth them Gentiles, Chap. 11.2. and such as are not elected, Chap. 13.8. but are to be damned, 2 Thess. 2.10. and to drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mixture for ever, Chap. 14.9, 10, 11. there is no place left for disputing this: which is set down as a dread full sentence for scaring all from worshipping of that beast or receiving of his mark. Popery will be found no little crime before God, and to bring no little guilt and hazard upon souls what ever men think of it.