The Name Mark and Number of the Beast, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. The Application of the whole: … … is made first, of those things t…at are … ….
HEre if we apply our selves to the Times, we shall finde, That the term …ntichristian, is used by sundry sorts of men, for sundry kindes of Intere…. …ome do use it aright, and others do dangerousl… and schismatically traduce, by the misapplication thereof. For, seeing the great sin of the world hath consisted in this, In subjecting themselves to an Anti-Christian Authority, and to the Laws ma…e by that Power; And seeing i… is the duty of all true Christians, to separate and depart from such an Authority, as being so diametrally contrar… to the Crown and Dignity of Christ their Soveraign Lord: In this point, it is not to be doubted, but the Protestant Churches have rightly rejected the Beast, his Name, Mark, Image, and the Number of his Name, as they have cast away the Authority of the Bishop of Rome, and the Laws, as they stand by that Power and Headship. In all the passages of the …atise af…regoing, we have largely proved, That the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome, is the Name direct… opposed to the Name, P…wer and Headship of the Lam… ▪ And therefore the Protestant Churches, as formerly, so now, …ave just Reason to depart from the Church of Rome, as she ha…h departed from Christ.
Now the Friends and the Followers of the Separation, do endeavor in these times, to go in t…e same method; for by this they think to free themselves from Schism. When they are put upon it to give a Reason, Why they depart from the Ministery, from the Ordinances, and the Publick Worship; they tell us, The Ministery is Antichristian; they have not renounced their Calling by the Bishops. In a word, they call all that Antichristian, which hath been used in Antichristian times, and hath a conveyance and transmission down to us, by the means of Antichristian men. Which Position of theirs, as it is most erroneous and false; so it doth draw many dangerous consequences along with it. Therefore to prevent such cunning Tricks of Legerdemain, we will lay down the truth distinctly. First, we will shew the things that are directly Antichristian. Secondly the things that are Anti-Christian by Analogie and Reduction. Thirdly, the things that are Antichristian by the Position of some Circumstances, as they are truly Christian by the Position of others. Fourthly, the things that are Antichristian falsly so called. For that which is …ruly Antichristian, all such are said to have the Mark of the Beast in their Forehead, and Right-hand. For the Mark, in the Greek it is said, He caused all to give them a Mark; as if the intent of the Beast were by this, that they should give testimony that they are his. They are also said to receive a Mark, Chap. 14. To have the Mark, Chap. 16. Now then we are sure, that to give, receive, or have the Mark of the Beast, is no other, but that Act by which the Consciences of men are obliged to the Authority of the Pope and his Church; When also they do prosess, That by their Swords, Wits, Goods, Lives, and by all that they have, they will maintain the Decrees and Laws made by that Authority. The Mark in the Forehead, is the publick Profession of the Universal Headship in the view of men: and the Mark in the Right-hand, is the solemn Resolution and Obligation to defend and maintain the Authority of the Beast, against all that do oppose it. And truly, the event of things doth notably answer the prediction. For we see by plain experience, That the Papists (such is their zeal to the Catholick Cause) do out-strip us by many degrees. The Jesui…es are never idle, they compass Sea and Land, they …urn themselves into all forms, and are still animating of Princes and People against the Protestant Cause: Yea, they have so wrought, that almost no man among them seemeth to spare either Labour, Wealth, Counsel, or Life it self, to uphold the Name and Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome. God grant, that one day they do not rise up in Judgment against us, for we do not come near them in the least degree, in promoting the Kingdom of Christ, or in setting up the Gospel as the Regent-Law among the Nations.
But the Papists will not hear that they are enemies, or that they go against the Lord and his Word: They hold, That the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ; and that he hath all his Authority by delegation from him. These are specious shews; But in deed and in truth, they are real enemies against Christ: For, the Scriptures and the words of the Gospel, they can do nothing, but meerly as the Pope and the Church of Rome do give life, vigour and authority to them, and as they do interpret them, which always they do to their own advantage. There is no truth more clearly delivered in Scripture, then the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ; and yet the Pope saith on the contrary, That there is a Purgatory after this life; and that the souls there detained, are freed by Masses, Indulgences, Pardons, and such like means. God and his Word say, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serve. The Pope on the contrary saith, Thou shalt worship Saints, Images, Crosses, Reliques, and the like. God and Christ have commanded all men, to search the Scriptures, and to try the Spirits, of what nature they be: Now the Pope on the contrary commandeth, that men should forbear the doing of this, and that they should depend upon him alone. God and Christ say, Marriage is honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled: The Pope on the contrary, forbiddeth Marriage to the Ministry. By these, and sundry suchlike instances, it is apparent, That the Name and Soveraignty of the Beast, is every way contrary to the Name and Soveraignty of the Lamb. For what the Lamb doth command, the Beast doth countermand for the most part. From hence it is clear then (say the Papists what they will) when they leave Christ, to follow the Laws of the Pope, in sense and substance they make him their Christ, their Spiritual King, Head and Governour, and so in effect are no true Christians. Now on the contrary, seeing the Lord Christ is given as a Leader and Commander to his people, they who refuse the Laws of the Pope▪ to yield subjection to Christ, in the times of the greatest persecution, are every where mentioned in the Revelation, to have the Name of the Father written in their Forehead, Chap. 14. ver. 15. To be the remnant of the seed of the woman, that keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ, Chap. 12. ver. 17. The Papists then in receiving the Doctrines and Decrees of the Bishop of Rome, under that formality as they do believe him Universal Head of the Church, are positively, directly and immediately Antichristian.
This Truth being laid down, a stream of excellent Uses do naturally flow from it.
First, We may here contemplate and behold the truth and infinite Wisdome of God, speaking in the Scriptures. It is now above 1500 years since, that Iohn wrote the Revelation, in which he spake of the Beast, his Name, Mark, Image, and the Number of his Name. Now if we go to experience, What have all ages for this thousand years last past, but verified and fulfilled the truth of that which he spake of long before? He that shall diligently reade the present Treatise, will finde it to be true as we have said.
Secondly, here is matter for our prayers and tears, yea for our bowels to yern over those great Countries, Kingdomes and Commonweals, which do as yet own the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome. They do continue in a great sin against the Kingly Office of Christ; their profession is no other, but Apostacy from the true Head of the Church; and unless they repent, they will one day feel the great Plagues contained in the words of the Prophecy.
Thirdly, here is cause for the Protestant Churches to be thankful to the Lord: For did they rightly understand it, he hath delivered them from a bondage and slavery, which far surpasseth the bondage of Egypt or Babylon. For in the present case, if men under this Government refuse to Worship the Beast, and to receive his Mark; the penalty is, that they shall have no liberty to buy nor sell; they shall be killed with the Sword; they shall have their blood spilt; they shall be subjected to sundry kindes of death: On the contrary, if they do worship the Beast, and receive his Mark, the Lord Christ doth threaten on the other side, that they shall be tormented day and night, and the smoke of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever, Rev. Chap. 14. ver. 7, 8, 9, 10. The day of the deliverance of the Churches from Romish Tyranny, was a day of deliverance from a Tyranny over their Souls, over their Consciences, over their Bodies, over their Estates. But all Treatises are full of Uses of this kinde. We will proceed …o that which is Antichristian by Analogie and Reduction; for this is more immediate to our purpose.