Saints No Smiters, Treatise · Section 6
§ 6. Quinto-Monarchians Hypotheses about the Civil Governments, being from the Fourth Monarchy, Rome and the Dragon, are shewed to be groundless.
10. IT is supposed, That the Civil Powers that be are of old Rome, or the Fourth Monarchy, or (as they speak) growing upon the old Root of wickednesse and bitternesse, or being a remnant of the old foundation, which is their expressions in the Banner displayd, [p. 1. There will be no rest till the fourth Kingdom, which divides it self into two iron legs, ten toes, and a little horn be wholly destroyed, in all the laws, constitutions, Governments, and reliques thereof. p. 29. The fifth Kingdom which is Christs, with its holy, just, and righteous Laws, and Officers must arise, with destruction to, and stand up in the place of the fourth Kingdom, and the Laws and Officers thereof] shew to be the Laws, Constitutions, Governments and orders of the Roman Empire; and they assert a Legislative Power, to make Laws to govern the Nations only in Christ, and his Laws and Officers only are to have place; and in the Book entituled The Standard set up, Printed 1657. p. 15. they say That the Scriptures (being given by Inspiration of God with his Holy Spirit) are the revealed will and Rule of this Legislator, to be constantly owned, and submitted unto in times of War and Peace, as a constant standing Rule for the inward and outward man (wherein are Laws, Statues, Precepts, and Judgments for all cases, conditions, and actions of Civil, Military, and Spiritual concerns, either in particular, or more general terms;) For so they were to the Common-wealth of Israel, the only type of the Lambs Government. But these suppositions in a great part are notoriously false. For the Government by King, Lords, and Commons, as it is constituted in England, is quite different from old Rome, whether under the Caesars or Popes, not derived from them, but from the Saxons of Normans, or some other of the ancient Rulers of this Island; nor are the Laws of England, by which it is governed in civil Affairs, the Laws of the Emperors, which are that which we call the Civil Law, consisting of the Edicts and constitution of Roman emperors; nor the Canon Law, consisting of Popes Decrees and Decretals: but the Common and Statute Laws of these Nations, which he that reads the Chronicles of England, the Writings of Sir Thomas Smith of the Common-wealth of England, Mr. Cambdens Britannia, Sir Edward Cookes Institutes, the Preface of Sir John Davis to his Irish Reports, the Book of Statutes, may easily perceive to have another original, and to be much different from them. If there were no more but the daily practice of the Courts of Justice, and the manner of choosing & making Judges and Officers to refute this Calumny, it were enough to shew the grosse falshood of this supposition. And yet, were the Laws and form of Government the same with old Rome, they were not therefore Antichristian, and we released from obedience to them: For, not only Christ and his Apostles required obedience to them, but also S. Paul both made use of them, and commended them, Acts 16. 37. and 22. 25. and 25. 10, 11, 16. which if they had been Antichristian, (as they give out clamorously, but ignorantly) and to be opposed with greatest hatred, doubtlesse they would not have done.
As for the other part of the supposition, though we grant, that our Lord Christ is the supreme Legislator, and wherein he hath determined any thing his Laws are to stand in force, above and against all constitutions and Laws of men, yet we find not that Christ did, or intended to make any particular Laws for thousands of things which pertain to Civil Government, no, nor for many things pertaining to Gods worship and Church-Government, which yet require a determination by some Laws or Rules for good order to be kept thereabout. When one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my Brother, that he divide the inheritance with me; he said unto him, man, who made me a Judge or divider over you? Luk. 12. 13, 14. Nor did the Apostles, or the Governors after them, or Christians, as such, intermeddle with making laws or judging civil Affairs, any farther than they were intrusted either by the Roman Governors, or according to Christs appointment, Matth. 18. 15, 16, 17. or the Apostles directions about composing differences between Christians. 1 Cor. 6. 1. &c. or the exercise of Ecclesiastical censure, or miraculous power did require. Though it is not to be denied that in aftertimes too much of this work was either commited by Christian Emperors, or assumed by the Rulers, and Governors of Christian Churches, especially by Popes of Rome to the great detriment of Christianity.
As for the holy Scriptures, though we acknowledge their sufficiency for a rule in matters of Faith and holy life, in order to the end wherefore they were inspired of God, to wit, the honouring and serving of God, and our own salvation: yet we do not find in them sufficient Laws in particular for the governing of all civill Commonwealths, but that Judges and Officers (notwithstanding what we find in the books of M…ses and the Prophets, and other holy writings) would be to seek how to pass sentence, and to administer Justice in thousands of cases that occur about Lands, Wills, Trades, and other Actions, which concern human affairs and society; yea, they that have perused the Talmuds, and writings of the Jewish Doctors, do find, that notwithstanding the body of Laws given by God himself, yet by reason of the varying of cases, many resolutions there are added by their Judges, or Lawyers, which they receive as Laws. And this was thought so necessary, that God erected a Senate among them, with strict injunction to the Jews to do according to the sentence, which they of that place (which the Lord shall choose) should shew them, and to observe to do according to all that they informed them, Deut. 17. 10. which was in effect all one as to impower them to make Laws for them. Sure notwithstanding the written Laws of Moses, Solomon had been at a stand how to give sentence in the case of the two Harlots, had not God given him an extraordinary Spirit of wisdom to do Judgment, 1 Kings 3. 28. Nor can the Mosaical or Jewish Laws fit the government of this Nation, unless there were the same distribution of Lands, the same State of People, and neighbour Nations, the same manner of Trade and living as they had. And it is to be considered, whether this asserting of the Laws of the Jews as a constant standing rule to us Gentiles, be not indeed the same error of Judaism, which was condemned by the Synod at Jerusalem, Acts 15. and the writings of the Apostles, and counted as an Heresy, which did evacuate the benefit of our Christian liberty, which Christ hath purchased, by losing of which we may forfeit our interest in Christ, and their Lawes be so far from being the only Lawes fit for the Government of Christs Kingdom, that they may in many things be most unfit, and contention for them to be imposed on gentile belivers more justly to be counted Antichristian, than the Civil Lawes of the Nations, which they so much oppose as Antiehristian, nor can those Lawes be fitted for the Kingdom of Christ, which they look for: For that Kingdom will be, when all Christs enemies shall be made his Footstool, Christ shall personally raign, as they conceive, on earth, it shall be a Kingdom, which shall have a s…at, s…nless, sorrowless, deathless, superiorless, having no humane Ruling Majesty, no Church censures, no superiority of persons; no fears; no wants; no desertions; no painful labour; no decay; no procreation of Children, as Dr. Homes reckons them in his Resurrection revealed, lib. 5. c. 4. And therefore this supposition, and the inference that is made thereupon, is false, and insufficient, and it would be not only a sin against God, but also a most extream degree of wickedness to destroy our Lawes, Records, Government upon this pretence, and all men are truly bound in conscience to defend them, and to oppose those as Antichristian, and Enemies to Christs Kingdom, who would disanul them. As for the Common-wealth of Israel, its being the only type of the Lambs Government, Gal. 6. 16. it is so in respect of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ, in which believers are an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, a Royal Preisthood to shew forth Gods praises, 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. and, if this reason be of validity to tie us to their Lawes, it will tie us to the Lawes about the Jewish Temple, Priesthood, Sacrifices, and the rest of the Ceremonial Lawes; which were to reduce us from Christ to Moses, and compleat Judaism. As then it was a pretious benefit, which the Gospel brought, that the Gentiles were not tied to those particular Lawes of Religious service, which were required of the Jews, that the Yoke was not put upon the Neck of the Disciples, which neither the Fathers, nor the Apostles were able to bear, Acts, 15. 10. but that many things even in Gods worship were to be determined by prudence of Rulers, according as might best fit the service of God, with respect to the condition of several people: so much more in Civil affairs, it was the great goodness of God, and a great advantage to the furthering of Christs Kingdom, among the Gentiles▪ that the Gospel did not impose on the Nations, either the Mosaical, or any other particular Lawes, or Civil Government: but left them to their own Lawes and Government in such things; and required Christians to submit to them, without which there is no likelihood, Christianity had been embraced as it was, nor Christians to have subsisted, and been multiplied among infidels, as they were. And therefore whereas the Quinto-Monarchians, have made such great stirs, as they have done, not only for a reformation in Ecclesiastical discipline, and worship, but also to bring the Government and Lawes Civil to the Jewish platform in the holy scriptures, (which is their Diana) they have therein followed their own fancy, not the holy scriptures, but to the great wrong of the Church of God, and injury to his name and truth, caused many to follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of; so that of them may be verified, which we read, Rom. 3. 14, 15, 10, 17. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known.
11. It is granted by them, that the powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God, so long as they kept their pure, Civil and unmixed estate, so saith Paul, the powers that be (i. e. the Civil powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecutor, and devourer of the creation, and Gods heritage) are ordained of God. In which passage they intimate, 1. that the Civil powers of old Rome, were a bloody persecutor and devourer of the creation, and Gods heritage. 2. That then they kept their pure Civil, and unmixed estate. 3. That so long, though they were the powers of the great Image, yet they might be taken for the Ordinance of God; according to St. Paul, Rom. 13. 1. 4. That therefore so long they were to be obeyed, and not resisted. For discovery of the fallacy, that is in these speeches, it is needful, that it should be inquired into, what they mean by the Civil powers of old Rome, keeping their pure Civil and unmixed estate. The opposite estate is thus expressed, When the power of Rome adulterated from it's pure Civil state, became a mixt Antichristian state, the Beast and a Whore: the power of Rome, was in the Apostle Pauls time, the power of the Emperors, whether Caius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, and the Senate, and Consuls of Rome, the Praetors, Kings, Presidents, such as Herod, Agrippa, Pilate, Felix, Festus, and others under them. The unmixed estate, seems to be their not taking upon them that, which after the Emperors, or Popes did, when they became Antichristian. Now sure what ever it were, that after the Civil powers of Rome assumed, or did, it is certain, that they were, as it is confessed, the powers of the great Image, bloody persecutors, and devourers of the creation, and Gods Heritage, and I may add, as wicked and impure in their lives, as they were afterwards, yea and as Monstrously Idolatrous, as afterwards. The Emperors then took to themselves the Title of Pontifex, Maximus, which was kept till the Christian Emperors time, and that Title imported their power and inspection about the Idolatrous rites of the Romans, whereby they took charge of the worship of Jupiter, and other Roman Deities, and were zealous for it so as to persecute them to death with extream cruelty, who would not offer incense to their Idols, nor swear by them; yea they did some of them urge Jews and other people to worship either themselves or their Statues as Gods, as Caligula, Domitian, and caused the abomination and desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, to stand in the holy place, of which our Saviour foretels, Matth. 24. 15. And though the Popish Idolatry in the worshiping of the Host, bowing down to Crucifixes, Images, praying to deceased Saints, creeping to Crosses, adoring of Reliques and other superstitions of the Romanists be horribly impious, and their cruelty in destroying them that will not adore their consecrated Host, be very satanical, and so their power and the exercise of it whereby they take on them to condemn as Hereticks them that will not worship their Idols, and whereby Princes at their beck do execute their sentences cruelly, be from Satan, or the Dragon in the use of it in these things, yet it is doubted whether the Popish Idolatry be greater, or so bad as the Heathenish Idolatry of the Romans in St. Paul's time. Yea Dr. John Burges in his Answer rejoined to the reply to Dr. Morton's defence of the Ceremonies, ch. 4. sect. 28. hath maintained against Mr. Parker, that the popish Idolatry is not as vile in it self as ever was any of Turks or Pagans. And it is plain, that in the Revelation the power of the Emperors, as they used it in persecution of Christians for not worshipping Idols, is ascribed to the Divel before the pretended mixt Antichristian state, as well as after. Revel. 2. 10. Behold the Divel shall cast some of you into prison, when he did it by the Pagan Emperors and their Officers. v. 13. I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satans throne is; and thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my Faith, even in those daies wherein Antipas was my faithfull Martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. On which saith Brightman, it is not obscure why it is called the throne of Satan. For the City where the heathen Emperors had their seat, who professedly warred against the Lamb, is called the throne of the Dragon, ch. 13. 2. so of the daughters and lower Cities those which come nearer to the mind of this Prince, because they yield a Palace more prepared for the Divel, are notified by the same name. And Revel. 12. 3. where it is said, Behold a great red Dragon having seven heads & ten horns, & seven Crowns upon his head, on its saith Mede, A wonder or representation of the Empire of Rome Heathen worshiping the Dragon; the large Annotations on the Bible.
A great red Dragon, the Heathen Roman Emperors succeeding one another, who did the Divel service, as in other things, so chiefly in persecuting the Church v. 9. ch. 2. 10. The like, if need were, might be shewed to be the opinion of Brightman, Diodat…, Pareus, Piscator and others. By which and many other passages in holy Scripture it may appear, that the heathen Emperors had that power, whereby they persecuted the Church of Christ from Satan, and were as great Idolaters as those under the Papacy, and were as serviceable to the Divel, and yet are granted to be the Ordinance of God, and though the Powers of the great Image even the Iron legs, yet were not to be resisted, but the saints, even every soul, the holy Apostles themselves not excepted, were to be subject to them under pain of damnation, Whence it follows, that there is no warrant for English pretended, or real Saints to smite the present Powers, to oppose, resist, overthrow the present Laws, Government and Governors, though it were yielded (which is not) that they were part of the fourth Monarchy, kept not their pure civil and unmixed State, were oppressors, shed the blood of the Saints, and what ever else the Quinto-Monarchians do object against them. Doubtless however Sir Walter Raleigh have aggravated the cruelties of King Henry the 8th of England, and perhaps others may represent in the most odious manner the government of other Princes, yet they exceed not Nero, Domitian and other of the Roman Heathen Emperors in cruelty to the Christian believers, nor in uncleanness, and unrighteousness, and yet St. Paul and St. Peter and our Lord Christ himself command subjection even to such. And therefore these things cannot release the Quinto-Monarchians from subjection, but their pleas for their smiting work are proved to be damnable and Antichristian.
12. It is supposed, when the power of Rome was adulterated from its pure civil State, and becomes a mixt Antichristian State, the Beast and a Whore, (which they conceive of the present civil powers of the Nations even the Protestant, and particularly those of England) then it is said of that beastly Antichristian power, that the Dragon or Satan gave him his Power, & his Seat and great Authority, and what then is this save the Ordinance of Hell? To examine this it is to be observed, 1. That they suppose it was the civil power of Rome which is meant, Revel. 13. 1. 2. by the beast, and that it is meant of the civil powers, since they became in name Christian. Which I will not gainsay, because of the words of the Angel Revel. 17. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdom as yet, but receive power as Kings one hour with the beast, though there are, or have been, that understand by it Heathen Emperors, afore they embraced Christianity, or an Emperor not yet extant, that I may omit other conjectures: and therefore this is not to be taken as so certain, that on it should be grounded so strange a work as the smiting of all the civil powers of Europe, which is deduced from it. 2. It is supposed, that then the civil Powers were adulterated from their pure civil and unmixed estate. By pure civil and unmixed estate they must mean (if I be not mistaken) that afore that time the Roman Emperors did not meddle with the matters of Religion or of the Church: (which is most notoriously false, for they took the title of Pontifex Maximus, ruled in the business of the worship of their Gods, did forbid Christian worship, and persecuted Christians to the death) And that they did afterwards, which is also false. For the Emperors Christian did reject that title, and demolished the temples of Idols, promoted the Christian worship, contended with the Bishops that did set up Images in the Churches, and if by the mixture be meant their assuming Ecclesiastical power, I suppose these Objectors will not charge them with this, it being to their great vexation, that the Bishops, especially the Bishops of Rome claimed, and usurped authority over Emperors and Kings (as he doth at this day) to excommunicate them, & if they reconciled not themselves to them to depose them, and many of the Emperors and Kings did contend against this usurpation in many sore Wars. If by mixture of State be meant the assisting of the Popes to destroy the opposers of the Papacy, I acknowledge it true, that there were too many that did so. But in this there was no mixture of civil & Ecclesiastical power, but rather a concurrence, the Ecclesiastical keeping to themselves the judgment of Heresies, and putting upon the secular power the execution of their sentence, whereby they did debase the civil power in making it subservient to them, but made no mixture of State. Which appeared in that some of the civil powers, that kept their civil government as before, yet did oppose this usurpation in Popes and Prelates in making them their Executioners to destroy those who were judged Hereticks by them, and therefore this act of theirs was the evil of those persons that did it, but not of the civil Government it self. 3. It is supposed that then the civil powers were the beast and a whore. Which no doubt alludes to that which we read Revel. 17. 1, 2, &c. of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, and v. 3. 7. the whore is resembled by a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, and v. 18. it is said, and the woman which thou sawest, is that great City, which reigneth over the Kings of the earth. Which few do deny to be meant of Rome, some of the learned Papists themselves granting it to be meant of Rome, though they would have it believed, that Rome is so called the Whore while it was heathen, not since it became Christian. Others there are, chiefly Those of the Protestant Churches, who do conceive by the Whore is meant Rome Papal, as conceiving the descriptions ofher and her practises, cannot be applied to Rome as it was Paganish, or Ethnick. Whether this, or the other, or any other opinion be right, it is not needful now to discuss: It is sufficient, that the Civil Powers of Rome, whether Ethnick, or Christian, or in a future estate cannot well be termed the Beast and a Whore too, sith the text makes them distinct, or, if they may, yet sure the Civil Powers are not the Whore, sith it is said. v. 2. The Kings of the earth have committed fornication with the Whore, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication; therefore, the Kings of the earth, and inhabiters of the earth, must not be confounded, with the Whore. And v. 16. It is said, And the ten Horns (who are ten Kings, which had received no Kingdom then. v. 12. And therefore not while Rome was Ethnick, but after it's being Christian) Which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire: Therefore the Kings (which are the Civil Powers) are not the same with the Whore, but, though at first beguiled by her shall at last hate, and consume her, when they shall be undeceived.
4. It is supposed, that then the Power of Rome, when adulterated from its pure Civil Estate became a mixt Antichristian state, or a beastly Antichristian Power. What is meant by Antichristian state, or Antichristian Power is not easy to resolve. It is true the Apostle John makes mention of many Antichrists that should come in the last time, among which his words intimate, that there should be a special Antichrist, that they had heard should come, 1 John 2. 18. And v. 22. He saith, He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son, And ch. 4. v. 3. He saith, And every Spirit, that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: And this is that Spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even already is it in the world. And in his second Epistle v. 7. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a, or the Deceiver, and an, or the Antichrist, which words seem to import, that those erroneous seducing teachers, whether gnosticks, or other, who were risen in that time, when these Epistles were written, were, it is likely, called Antichrists from their opposition to the true Doctrine concerning the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh-Nevertheless many of the ancients, in after ages, did often give hints of the expectation of Christians, commonly entertained, whether from St. Johns words, or some other tradition, that there would arise some more remarkable Antichrist, who should, whether by Power, or deceit, corrupt, or infest the Church of Christ, beyond what was done in his daies. And this hath been imagined by some of them, should be a Roman, the same with the man of sin, 2 Thes. 2. 3. That wicked, or lawless one, v. 8. the Beast, Revel. 13. 11. And the Whore of Babylon, Revel. 17. 5. which in many ages the great corruptions in the Popes of Rome, and their Courts, caused to be applied ever and anon, by some or other of the best and learnedst of their times, to the Popes and Papacy. And since the time of Luther, it hath been almost generally received by Protestant Writers of all sorts, that the Popes, and Papacy, especially since Pope Boniface the third, usurped the Title of Oecumenical Bishop, as proper to his See, and Gregory the seventh, the Power of deposing Emperors, and Boniface the eight, the welding of both swords, Civil and Ecclesiastical, are the Antichrist, Man of sin, Beast, and Whore of Babylon foretold, that he should come, by St. Paul, and St. John. And not a few very learned, and sober godly men, both of Bishops and Presbyters in England, Ireland, France, and other Nations have asserted it by Preaching and writing; and have made it one of their chief pleas, for their refusing communion with, and enmity against the late Bishops of Rome, and the Papal Church, although some of late have thought otherwise, and have endeavoured to apply those passages to some other, whether rightly, or not, I do not now determin. Whence it hath come to pass, that as the Papists, who still adhere to the Bishop of Rome, as Christs Vicar, and St. Peters Successor, swallow down all that comes from Rome, be it never so vain and erroneous: so on the other side those, who have been induced by the arguments inforced from the places of holy scripture alledged to conceive, that the Popes, or Papacy, or Roman Synagogue have been, and are the Antichrist, Man of sin, Babylon, the Whore therein mentioned, have been apt to abhor any thing, sometimes that which is otherwise right, which they conceive to come from Rome, or the Pope, being terrified with the threatnings, Revel. 14. 9. 10, 11. against those, who worship the Beast, and his Image, and recieve his mark in their forehead, or in their hand, and warned by the voice from Heaven, Revel. 18. 4. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Which having been found by experience, to be a very taking way, especially with the vulgar, and common sort of Schollars, who are little versed in antiquity, and know not the true state of the Roman Church in former ages, nor by what degrees, the corruptions thereof came to that height they are now attained to, it is now a very common course with them, who endeavour to render their opposites, their Doctrine, or practise odious, and so to uphold their faction, to fasten on them, by clamour or calumnies, or any other way they can, the name of Antichristian, Babylon, the mark of the Beast, and to perswade men, that what they dislike, is from Rome, as being sufficient without any other proof to make them abominable, and to be destroyed. Thus in our daies with us some have cried down prelacy, their Liturgy, Ceremonies, Ordination, National Church, it's Government, Ministry, Titles, and whatever belongs thereto as Antichristian; others have done the like to the Presbyterial, Classical, Parochial Churches, their Ministery, Directory, Government, Maintenence: others have done the same to the Congregational, and in General, Seekers and Quakers, have in a Clamorous way like Scolds bespattered all that's opposit to them, with this reproach of Antichristian, and at last these Fifth-Monarchy men have furiously battered Civil powers, & all that belongs to them, with the engine of this odious brand of Antichristian and Babylonish, whereby much irreconcileable hatred, enmity and opposition is raised among Christians, to the great dammage of Christian Protestant Churches, and states, and, without the great power and goodness of God, making way for some accommodation of these differences, likely so to weaken and wast us by intestine broiles, that we shall at last become a prey to the common adversary. For my part it was still opposed by me long since when Saltmarsh wrote, that I had proved Infant-Baptism Antichristian, I made him alter it, and when a meeting was for union between dissenters, I urged th…s as one thing necessary, that the term Antichristian should be forborn, and when Richard Hubberthorn entituled his book against my serious consideration of the Oath of the Kings Supremacy, Antichristianism reproved, in my Epistle to the Reader before my Supplement I not only shewed the falsehood of his calumny, but also endeavoured briefly to shew the evil of that course of defaming opposites, and their tenents by that title. I deny not but that there is sufficient cause given to Protestant Divines to charge the present Romanists with Antichristianism in the arrogant title given to the Pope of Universal Bishop, in the assertion of his supremacy over all Churches, his infallibility, in their worship of Saints, Angels, Images, in their doctrines of invocation of Saints, humane merits and satisfactions for sin: nor shall I deny but that there may be found some practises, or doctrines among others, which may in a qualified sense be termed Antichristian. But to make the Protestant Churches or their Government Antichristian in State, and to be separated from, and to be destroyed, when they hold the Faith of Christ aright, because of some corruptions in points of Doctrine, or Worship, or Discipline, which overthrow not the foundation of Christian Religion, is intollerable, much more to make civil powers, who reject the Roman Popes supremacy, and their doctrine and idolatrous worship to be Antichristian, from Rome, Babylon, from an imagined mixture, that is not, or perhaps justifiable, shews either phrensie, or a meer proud arrogant factious and quarrelsome humor in them, not to be born, the title of Antichrist being (as may appear by St. Johns words) to be applyed to seducing Teachers, not to civil powers though persecutors, as the Roman Emperors then were, yet by St. Paul termed the Ordinance of God.
5. It is supposed, That then, when the Power of Rome adulterated from its pure Civil state, became a mixt Antichristian state, the Beast & a Whore, a Beastly Antichristian Power, that the Dragon, or Satan, gave him his Power, and his Seat and great Authority. It is true that it is said, that St. John saw a Beast arise out of the Sea, having seven Heads and ten Horns, and upon his Horns ten Crowns, and upon his Heads the name of Blasphemy, and that the Beast which he saw was like unto a Leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a Bear, & his mouth as the mouth of a Lion: And the Dragon gave him his Power, and his Seat and great Authority. Which description being like that, whereby the Babylonian Persian, and Greek Monarchies are characterized, gives occasion to judge, that the Beast mentioned, Revel. 13. 1. 2. was to be some future Civil Empire like to them, and the having seven Heads and ten Horns, and upon his Horns ten Crowns, because of the descriptions, Daniel 7. 23, 24, 25. and Revel. 17. 3. 9. 12. Argnes, that it was to be the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms; nor is it to be denied, that Satan gave to this Beast his Power, that is his forces, and his Seat, that is, Rome, and the Dominions belonging to it, & great Authority, that is, Power to command, whereby the Idolatry termed Blasphemy, which the Christian Emperors had cast down, was revived and the persecution that for a time ceased, was renewed: But that this Power and Seat, and great Authority was not given before by the Dragon to the Civil Powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecuter, and devourer of the creation, and Gods Heritage; is to be denied. For by comparing, Revel. 13. 1, 2. with Rev. 12. 3, 4. 7. It may be rather gathered, that Satan had given the same Power, Seat, and great Authority to the Roman Emperors before, as he did to the Kings after, though it were exercised in another manner, and upon other pretences. The Power and Seat, and Authority given by the Dragon, is not to be meant of Civil Power to make Laws, and to execute them for the well-ordering of Common-wealths, and Civil states, but the Power, Force, or Authority, which was usurped by Nebuchadnezzar, when he set up a golden Image to be worshipped, and cast the three Jews into the fiery furnance, and this may be gathered from, v. 4, 5. 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 Warr with him? And there was given unto him a mouth, speaking great things and Blasphemies, and Power was given unto him, to continue, or to make War forty and two months. Whereby may be perceived, that the Power and Authority given by Satan, was to speak great things, and Blasphemies, and to make War with the Saints. And again of the two Horned Beast, v. 12. It is said, that he exerciseth all the Power foreign of the first Beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them that dwel therein, to worship the first Beast, whose deadly wound was healed; which cannot be understood of legal Power, such as we are required to be subject to, but such wicked and unrighteous Power, as is used in requiring adoration of Idols, and urging it either by meer force without any Law, or by devellish Acts, to entice men thereto. Which was in the Roman Heathen Emperors from Satan, who is said to cast the Christians into Prison, Revel. 2. 10. by stirring up the Pagan Emperors and their subordinate Rulers to do it, and yet their Civil Power, as is confessed, was the Ordinance of God.
6. It is supposed, that then when the Powers of the great Image, or old Rome, became a mixt Antichristian estate, and not before, they became the Ordinance of Hell, to which there is no Subjection due. But they do not tell us when this was, nor can tell. And is it not then blind fury, that hurries men to such frantick determinations as to date the relaxation of so plain a precept, as that Rom. 13. 1. is, from such a time, as they know not when it begins, and to infer thence a warrant for some supposing themselves Saints upon no better evidence, than their conceit of Gods Revelation of this by his Spirit from his word, to attempt the smiting of all the Powers of the great Image Civil and Ecclesiastical; whose derivation is from Rome (others not excepted nor freed) the Kingdoms of the Romish Iron Legs, or the Roman Kingdom divided into the Eastern and Western Monarchies (wherein the whole Dominion, Power and Monarchy of the Ottoman Family, or that of the Turkes is comprehended) and the Beasts, ten Horns or Antichrists Civil Powers (equivalent to the ten Toes) and also the little Horn, together with all powers whatsoever, that shall be found opposers of the Lords Kingdom, whether they be of the golden Babylonish, Silver Persian, Brasen Grecian, or Iron Roman, Dan. 2. and ch. 7. Revel. 13. Comprehending the whole Kingdom of Antichrist in the Civil and Ecclesiastical parts thereof made up of persons and things, though they grant that some of these were the Ordinance of God, to whom every soul was to be subject, and those only to cease to be, to whom the Dragon gives his Power, Revel. 13. 2. which who they are, and when this Power was given by the Dragon, they are not able to give any assurance of?
7. It is supposed, that the Civil Powers now, even in this Nation, are a mixt Antichristian state, and that their Power is from the Dragon, since this mixture, though not before. But with what colour can they make those powers Antichristian, who do maintain the faith of Christ? To have their Power from Rome, who have denied obedience to the Bishop of Rome? To be a mixt Antichristian state, who cause their subjects to abjure the Popes Supremacy? To have their power from the Dragon, who do by their Lawes & the Execution of them, pull down the worship of Idols, and punish with death Diabolical Arts? Quarrels perhaps are against the Kings Supremacy, over Ecclesiastical persons, and in Ecclesiastical causes, as if it made a mixt Antichristian state, so as that what is denied to the Pope, is given to the King: But this objection was so fully answered by Dr. John Rainold, in his conference with Hart the Jesuite in the Tower, ch. 10. that Hart himself was satisfied, that it was not so. Perhaps some others imagin, that in the making of Bishops there is an adulterating of the pure Civil power, and an Antichristian mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power; but this also is but a mistake, that which is meerly Ecclesiastical, therein being left to Ecclesiastiques to do. Yet, were it granted there were some mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power, that this should make the Civil powers Antichristian, is without all reason affirmed. Were the Fathers of the Family, or the first-born sons, both Rulers Oeconomical, and Priests to offer sacrifice, Melchizedec, a King and a Priest, David a King and a Prophet, therefore Antichristian? will they count all preachers who are masters, and parents, and husbands by reason of this conjunction of these different functions in their persons therefore Antichrian? Are not, or have not there been many of them, who perhaps have been of the fraternity of the Quinto-Monarchians themselves, who have had commands in the Army, and yet have been Preachers, yea taken upon them to be Elders in the Churches, and to have had ordination by laying on of hands, who yet have not been judged by reason of this mixture Antichristian? Are not then these men very partial, who condemn that in one, which they do not in another, conniving at, if not approving that in such as favour their party, which they do count, & inveigh against, as a most heinous crime, deserving extermination in them that side not with them? Much more abominable is it, that they should impute that power, by which peace is kept, justice is done, humane society is preserved, to the Dragon, and not see it to be from the Devil, that they stir up hatred in the world, and practise murthering of innocent men, yea of those who are by God made Rulers over them, whom they should obey, assist, and defend.
8. It is supposed, that the mixture of Civil powers by them imagined makes them, who otherwise had been the Ordinance of God, to be the Ordinance of Hell, and their power from the Dragon, though promoting Idolatry and persecuting Christianity by the Roman Ethnick Emperors, did not make void their being the Ordinance of God, nor the duty of Christians Subjection to them. As if the shedding of the blood of the Saints, and setting up Idols were not more from Satan, and more inconsistent with Civil powers than an usurpation of an Ecclesiastick office, or Uzziahs presumption to burn incense: God would not have David build him a Temple, because he had shed blood, not because he was, as it is likely, Author of fetching the Ark to him in a Cart; & he and all Israel attended the carrying of it, playing before the Lord on all manner of instruments. Sure this Doctrine smells rank of Pharisaism to break the Commandments of God for mens traditions, to disanul the duty of Subjects to their Civil Parents, because of some supposed inordinate mixture. Yea is not this the very venom of Antichristian Papal listing up of themselves above all that is called God, not only to excommunicate, and depose Emperors for simony (as the Popes termed it) because they gave Bishops investiture into their Bishopricks, or for Heresy, or favouring hereticks in not destroying them, but also to proclaim War against them, and attempt to kill them by reason of mixture, or not furthering, or opposing their Fifth-Monarchy? Lastly, these men, by allowing only this smiting work on the civil powers, since their imagined mixture, do evacuate all the rest of their arguments for justifying it, whether from the Stones smiting Dan. 2. or taking the Kingdom, Dan. 7. or such other, whether just or unjust, accusations, or exclamations against civil powers which they make the reason of their smiting without this, and though the scriptures, make not at all this to be any of the evils in them, or the reasons of Gods, or mans hostility against them. To conclude them, though much more might be said against this hellish Doctrine of smiting civil powers, it is sufficiently demonstrated, that the suppositions and inferences of Fifth-Monarchy-men, against the first argument are false and venemous, and the conclusion stands good, their smiting is damnable and Antichristan.