Certain Discourses, Part 2
The judgement of the Primate (wrot by him long agoe in answer to the request of a learned Friend) what is meant by the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, and other passages in the 17. and 18. of the Revelation.
IN the Revelation these four Particalars must be carefully distinguished. The woman (which is the great City Babylon.)
The first beast which ariseth out of the Sea, Apoc. 13. 1.
The second beast which ariseth out of the Earth, Apoc. 13. 11. and the false Prophet which ministreth to the second beast that goeth to destruction, Apoc. 16. 13. (19. 20.) by which are meant (as I conceive) Vrbs Romana, Imperium Romanum, Pontifex Romanus, and Clerus Romanus. The two beasts in Cap. 13. verse 11. are plainly distinguished, and that distinction must necessarily be observed in the seventeenth Chapter. Likewise for the great beast mentioned in the third and seventh verses of that Chapter is the same with the first beast of the thirteenth Chapter as appeareth by the like description of the seven heads and ten horns: the lesser beasts mentioned in the eighth and eleventh verses, (which is the last head of the former) can be no other but the second beast mentioned in the thirteenth Chapter, verse 22 who revived the Image of the former, i. e. of the Empire, and made all to admire and adore it.
Now the Question is how this latter which is Pontifex Romanus can be said to be the beast, that was, and is not, and yet is? My conceit of this is Singular, but such as it is, I will not conceal from you; The Pontifices among the ancient Rom. (as Dionysius Halicarnassaeus, noteth in his second Book of Roman Antiquities) were obnoxious to no other jurisdiction, neither were bound to render account of their doings to any, they were only at the command of the Pontifex maximus, whose authority was so great that the Emperours thought it inconvenient that this Supremacy should be committed to any other, therefore by assumeing it to themselves, and anexing it to their imperial Crown, they did by this means extinguish the Spiritual Magistracie, and in a sort extinguish the solemne Magistracy, which (under the 5. former heads) was distinguished from all other superiour Governments, and prosecuted with special regard and reverence. That as if now for example in our state, one should Prophesie of the Government of the Dukes of Lancaster under the like Type, he might say of them in this manner; The beast that was (for the Dukes of Lancaster in their time have been great) and is not (for by annexing of the Dutchey to the Crown, there is now no speech of any Duke) and yet i… (for the Dutchey still remaineth with the several offices appertaining thereunto, though the state of the Duke lieth as it were drowned in the person of the King) So in like manner, the Angel might speak of these Pontifices Roman…, the beast that was (for he was in former time of speciall account) And is not (Being now confounded, and, in a manner, swallowed up with the state of the Emperour) And yet is (for the Priest-hood remained still,) the Title and Dignity thereof resting in the Emperour. This Beast, this Pontifex Romanus shall hereafter appear in his Pontificalibus, and by his creatures (the false Prophet) induce the world to accept his Ponti…ical power for the highest upon earth, as before they did the Imperial, the image whereof is in this perfectly revived.
As for the second we are to consider that the seven heads of the first beast are expounded, Apoc. 17. 9. & 10. to be both the seven Mountains on which the woman, (i. e.) the great City, verse 18. was seated, and the seven Kings (or head Governours,) by which that City was ruled.
The Pope in regard of his Civil power over the woman (i. e.) his Regall Power over the City of Rome, orderly succeedeth the six heads that went before him, and so becometh the seventh, claiming that respect in higher headship then did his Predecessors.
But not content with that, for whereas the state of Pontifex maximus, which in Saint Iohns time after a sort was, and is not, as hath been shewed, by means of the Christian Emperors was clean extinguisht (the first of them bearing only the Title, but not exercising the Office, and Gratian the Emperour at last abolishing both the Title and the Office, as by Zosimus a heathen Historian we understand) the Pope raised it again out of the grave and took it to himself, and after he had gotten to be the seventh head, retained not the pontificality as an appendant of his regall Power (as did the Emperours before him) but advanced the head thereof far above any of the seven civil supreme governments, making himself by that means an eight head distinct from any of the former, which in respect of his civil Power was one of the seven; Neither was he content to extend the jurisdiction of his Pontificality, ad urbem & regiones suburbicarias onelyonly, or to bound it within the confines of Italy, but (which was never done by any Pontifex maximus, before him) by being Pontifex urbis; he challenged a Title of Summus Pontifex Orbis, and so became not onelyonly a head of the former beast, but also a severall beast by himself, receiving in his government the image of the former beasts, drawing all the world to worship the same, for (as Augustinus Steuchus writeth in his second Book against Laur. Valla) when the Pontificality was first set up in Rome, all Nations from East to West did worship the Pope, no otherwise then of old, the Caesars.