The Name Mark and Number of the Beast, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Concerning the Possibility of the Discovery, and how that there are certain Demonstrative Principles to bring the Truth to light.
THere are now living in these times many who think that there is no medling with this Prophecie, especially in the matter of the Beast, and the Number of his Name. But I would entreat all such, seriously to ponder in their own hearts, Whether by this Opinion of theirs, they do not secretly accuse the Lord Christ, either for want of Truth, or want of Wisdom. For what man of Truth will call that a Revelation, which is no Revelation at all? And what man of Wisdom will say, Blessed is he that readeth, and keepeth the words of the Prophecie, when there is no possibility to reade it so, as to understand? And particularly, Shall the Lord Jesus give serious warning to his Church and People? shall he shew them so long before-hand the great sin of the world, which shall consist in the worship of the Beast, and in receiving of his Mark; and when all comes to all, shall it be presumption to shew what is the meaning of Christ in these things? To what end were they Revealed, if there be no use of the Revelation at all? and there is no use, if it be so difficult that it cannot possibly be understood. It was a special part of Love in Christ, to send and signifie to his Servants, things that must come shortly to pass. But what part of Love is it, to signifie it in that manner, that they cannot possibly understand what he meaneth?
You will say, It was revealed to some Select ones. I grant that some of the Servants of Christ have a peculiar Gift to understand the Typical Expressions in this Prophecie (as every Member in the Church hath his peculiar Gift dispensed, to the edification of the whole Body) and therefore they are bound to lay out their Talent this way, for the common good. But what shall we say of them that account it curiosity in any whosoever, to meddle with these studies; and are absolutely for the concealing of these things from the People?
But if it be alledged, That Experience sheweth how they have been deceived, who have bestowed their pains in this kind of study:
I Answer; The same Experience plainly sheweth, That they who have come with a sincere mind to finde out the Truth, to study the whole Body of the Prophecie, to compare Time with Time, Vision with Vision, and the Prophecies with the Stories, have had a good return of their Labours. I may say, without prejudice to those that went before, That Bullinger in his time, Brightman in his time, Grasserus in his time, Mede in his time; each of these have made their several and respective Additions to the clearing of the Prophecie. If we endeavour to carry on the Work where they left it, at least with the same Industry and Fidelity, we may (by the blessing of God) be the instruments of bringing those Mysteries to light that were not discerned in former Ages. And for my part, I do firmly believe, That God will not cease to raise up such, in the times following, as shall clear the things that have layen dark in the Prophecies, and do yet remain hid to us. But for the present, because many think that the Name of the Beast, and the Number of the Name are unsearchable Mysteries; let me lay down some Reasons to prove the Possibility and the Evidence of the Discovery.
First, The Name of the Beast, and the Number of his Name, are the Essential Characters of a State or Government obvious to the view of men. It is said of the Writings of S. Paul, that there are many things in them hard to be understood, 2 Pet. 3. 16. There may be good Reason given for this, to wit, The sublimity, and the spiritualness of the matter: for a Natural man, that hath no Experience in his own heart, how can he judge of the meaning of the Apostle, when he speaketh of the Life of the Spirit, of the leading of the Spirit, of the Comfort of the Spirit, of the putting off of the Old man, and the putting on of the New? When a man hath no experience, how can he understand these things that are so largely spoken of in the Epistle to the Romans? Now it is not so with the Name of the Beast and his Mark; these are the Badges of a Government obvious to the Senses of all men. If there be any difficulty, it lieth only in the typical and figurative way of expression.
Secondly, The Name of the Beast, and the Number of the Name are the essential Characters of a State or Government which the Church hath had long experience of for many Ages. For the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ that shall be over Jews and Gentiles in the latter times, though there are many things spoken in the Scriptures concerning this Dominion, yet there are sundry passages hard to be determined, because the event hath not yet shewed the meaning of the Prophecie. Now there is nothing wanting, so far as it concerneth the event, to make known to the Church what is meant by the Name of the Beast, and the Number of the Name.
Thirdly, The Name of the Beast, and the Number of the Name, are such Characters, that the Church in Being hath the present Experience of. Many things are dark in the Old Prophets, because the Stories of those times are lost to us. The Jews could better understand the meaning of some Prophecies than we can. And I believe, the greatest Knot in Expounding the 70 weeks of Daniel, lieth principally in this, To shew precisely, and determinately, where that Number of Time doth begin. There is an excellent agreement between the Greek Historians about the respective times of the Kings of Persia: But the Knot lyeth in this, Rightly to determine who that Darius was in whose times the Temple was built, and the City repaired. This thing was better known to the ancient Jews than it is to us. But now for the Name of the Beast, the Mark, and the Number of the Name, there is not the like Reason of darkness in these, because they are in the present experience of men, and the Stories concerning these things are in recent memory.
Fourthly, The Name of the Beast, and the Number of his Name are again and again repeated in several parts of the Prophecie upon sundry occasions. And therefore though one text be dark and obscure, it may be made more clear by comparing it with parallel places. In the Description of the Vintage, we reade that blood came unto the horse bridles a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Rev. 14 20. Now, so far as I apprehend, it is hard to shew what is the Number of Furlongs, seeing no other text doth speak of the Number. But for the Name of the Beast, and the Number of his Name, these are spoken of in divers texts, and therefore we have greater helps to understand the meaning of them: And therefore if this text by it self be hard to be understood, yet it may be made easie, being compared with many other places.
Fifthly, The Name of the Beast, his Mark, Image, and the Number of his Name are so repeated, that their Repetition is in another place, and another manner; and this conduceth very much to the cleering of that which is obscure. The Four Monarchical Kingdoms are somthing darkly set forth under the Type of the Four Metals. To help this matter, the holy Ghost repeateth them again under the Similitude of Four Beasts, chap. 7. Even so, the two-horned Beast that came out of the Earth, which exercised all the power of the tenhorned Beast in his presence, is somthing obscurely delivered, chap. 13. Now, to remedy the Obscurity, the Holy Spirit delivereth the same matter in another manner, chap. 17. There is the same delineation for the substance of the matter; but there a Woman is said to ride a Scarlet-coloured Beast, full of the Names of Blasphemy. Therefore by the Name of the Woman, or the whorish Church, we may finde out the Name of the Beast: Seeing these are so many several forms of Expression of one and the same matter.
Sixthly, The Name of the Beast, and the Number of his Name, are directly opposed to the Name of the Lamb. It is well observed by Modern Expositors, That in the whole Body of the Prophecie there is a direct Antithesis and Contraposition betwen the Lamb and the Beast; the Kingdom of the Lamb and the Kingdom of the Beast; the followers of the Lamb, and the followers of the Beast: those that have the Name of the Father written in the forehead, and those that have the Mark of the Beast. Therefore, if we can understand what is meant by the Lamb, and those that have his Fathers Name written in their foreheads; we may by these be guided to the knowledge of the Beast, his Name, Mark, and those that have the Number of the Name.
Seventhly, It is expresly said in the Text, Let him that hath Understanding, count the Number of the Beast, &c. These words imply that the matter is not so unsearchable, but by diligent and narrow enquiry, he that hath wisdom may finde out what these things are, and what they signifie. We read of the Number of the 144000 that were sealed in their forehead, chap. 7. But there is no mention made of any such thing, that he that hath Wisdom should count the Number of the sealed ones. The Elect of God, that stand out for his truth in all the times of Antichrists Kingdom, are peculiarly known to himself who they are, and what they be: and therefore he doth not require of any man to finde out the meaning of this Number. But when he speaketh of the Beast, his Name, Number, and the Mark of his Name, the will of the Lord Jesus is, That every man is so concerned, that he should endeavour to find out the natural and genuine sense of these Typical Expressions. And whereas it is said, Let him that hath Wisdom, count the Number of the Beast; the meaning is this, That they that have a peculiar dexterity given them of God, to compare the Prophecies and the Stories together, should do their endeavor to bring the truth to light for the publick good. If any be of that judgement, That this is a Secret that is impenetrable, let him shew the meaning of that Phrase, chap. 17. vers. 9. There the same Expression is used, Here is the Minde that hath Wisdom: the seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth. Now all the world knew, or might know, that this is the City of Rome: but because the seven Hills are Parabolically set forth by seven Heads; there is some kinde of wisdom to be used to shew the meaning of the Expression. And so in the present case, when the Spirit speaketh of a Beast, his Name, Mark, and Number, all the wisdom here required, is, to render these things plainly and nakedly, which the Spirit doth decypher Mystically and Figuratively. Now then, to Collect all together into o…e Sum: 1. Seeing the Name of the Beast, and the Number, are the Characters of a Government obvious to the senses of men. 2. Seeing also that the Church hath had long Experience of these things. 3. Seeing the Churches Experience is in fresh and recent Memory. 4. Seeing that these Characters are again and again repeated in several places of the Prophecie. 5. Seeing they are repeated in a various and different manner. 6. Because there is an immediate contrariety between the Beast and the Lamb; the Name of the Beast, and the Name of the Lamb. 7. Because the Word it self saith, That it is the duty of him that hath wisdom to calculate the Number. All the forementioned Reasons do plainly shew, That these Matters do carry Demonstration in them; and that there is a possibility to finde out the Name of the Beast, and the Number thereof. And though many, both in these, and in former times, speak of such things, as the ancient Geographers did of the Unhabitableness of the Torrid Zone; yet as Experience hath shewed, that these Regions are well Inhabited; and though the Heat of the Sun be very great, yet there are many Helps for Habitation: So in like manner, though in the present case the Holy Spirit useth a dark and a figurative way of Expression, yet we should not despair of a true Discovery of these Mysteries. Rather, we should consider the many Helps which the Lord hath afforded us to finde out the certainty of his meaning, when he speaketh so seriously to the Churches.
There is a wide Difference to be made between that Knowledge which is built upon Opinion and Tradition, and that true Scientifical Knowledge founded upon the cleerness of Demonstration. This in the General all will confess; but when we come to Singulars, we are not so prompt to make the Distinction as we should. For it cometh to pass, that in some Subjects, which might be Demonstratively handled, many times we Converse but Probably, and Topically: And that which is more to be considered, in Demonstrative matter, we many times content our selves with a bare conjectural Knowledge, and go no further. So in the present case, touching the Beast, his Name, Mark, and Number, men do only take up with a Topical Knowledge: yet I am perswaded, if they would look to the Principles laid down in the whole Bodie of the Prophecie, they would finde that here is a certain Demonstration to be had, and that they need not go to literal Names, to numeral Letters, to Anagrammatisms, and to such-like uncertainties.
Thus I have passed through the two Prooemial Points: The First, Concerning the Profit and Use of the Discovery: The Second, Concerning the Possibility thereof; and that there are true Principles of Demonstration to Discover the meaning of the Spirit. Now I will come to the Body of the Treatise.