mighty power and authority, whereby he bore down all before him. For if any did mutiny against him, he was fure to fmart

for it.

And thus through his tyrannical

power he fubdued all nations under him, and made them ftoop, and fall down and worship him. But it followeth, that for all this, none of God's elect did worship him, or fubmit themselves to his religion and authority, but only thofe that dwell upon the earth; that is, earthly men; as Papifts, Athiefts, and reprobates, and all fuch whofe names are not written in the book ' of life.' Chrift is called the Lamb flain from the beginning of the world, because the faving power of his death was from the. beginning of all believers, although he was not actually exhibited until the fulness of time.

If ary man have an ear let him hear. If any lead into captivity, he fhall go into captivity: if any kill with a fword, he 'must be killed by a fword. Here is the patience and the faith of the faints,' Rev. ix. 10.

Here is thewed, that the things fpoken of this great beaft are very fecret and myf tical, and can be understood of none but thofe only whofe ears and eyes Ged openeth to hear and fee, and understand, that is, the very elect of God: as for all Papifts,

and worldlings, their ears and eyes are fealed and fhut up, they cannot understand them, but do ftill worship the beast, afcribing unto him divine power and honour.

In the tenth verfe the judgment and vengeance of God is denounced against the Roman monarchy, both former and latter; which as it hath long oppreffed the church with cruel bondage, and drawn thousands into perpetual captivity; fo itfelf alfo fhould be caft down, with all the adherents thereof, both in this life, and that which is to come. For as the Roman empire did tyrannize over the world, and led millions into fpiritual captivity and bondage: fo here it is avouched, that according to the juft law of quittance, it fhould be brought to the fame ftate. And as this beaft had murdered many by the fword, fo he himfelf must be murdered by the fword also; as the apostle faith, God is just, and therefore will recompence tribulation to them that trouble his church,'. 2 Thef. i. 6. Now all this feemeth unto me to be a clear prophecy of the fall and final deftruction. of the Roman empire, which indeed, confidering the pitch that it was at, may feem a thing ftrange and incredible: and therefore the Holy Ghoft ftirreth us up to attention in the ninth verfe, as to a thing of great importance and admiration: for if the

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Roman monarchy fall, the Papacy muft of neceflity fall with it. For the Roman empire is that beaft which beareth up the whore of Babylon, as appeareth in the feventeenth chapter of this prophecy, where we fhall (God willing) plainly and at large hear of the joint deftruction of them both together.

It is added, here is the patience and the • faith of the faints,' that is, here is required great patience of all God's children, to wait and tarry till the performance and ac. complishment of those things, and also faith and full affurance to believe that they fhall in God's appointed time come to pass. For few do believe these things and therefore wait not with patience for the accomplishment thereof.

And I beheld another beaft coming cut of the earth which had two horns like a lamb, but he fpake like the dragon,' Rev.

xiii. 11.

Having defcribed the first beaft, which is the Roman empire; now the Holy Ghostcometh to defcribe the fecond beaft, which is the Papacy, or the kingdom of the great antichrift: for although he be defcribed before in regard of his monarchy, that is, the civil jurifdiction which he exercised, as he was the feventh head of the beaft, and head of the empire; yet here he is defcrib

A

ed after another fort, that is, according to his ecclefiaftical authority: and therefore he is called another beast, or a beaft differing from the former; in that he exerciseth another power, befide the power of the heathen emperors of Rome, which is his fpiritual jurifdiction, in which refpect he is called the false prophet.

The second beaft rifeth out of the earth, as the former rofe out of the fea: then it appeareth, that antichrift is, by his breed, .a fon of the earth, obfcurely born, and by little and little creeping up out of his abject state, as did the Turk. It is here most truly faid, that the kingdom of antichrift arifeth out of the earth, and is the very breed of the earth; for affuredly it never came from heaven. It was firft hatched out of covetoufnefs, ambition, pride, murders, treafons, poifonings, forceries, en, chantments, and fuch like. For history do fhew, that from thefe roots the papacy grew to his exceeding height and altitude.

The fecond beaft hath two horns like the lamb;' whereby is meant his civil and ecclefiaftic power, or his kingdom and priefthood, which he falfely pretended to come from the Lamb: and therefore he giveth in his arms two keys, and hath two fwords carried before him. So Boniface the VIII. shewed himself one day in apparel as a Pope,

and the next day in armour of the emperor; and the two horns in the Pope's mitre are figns hereof. But the Holy Ghost here telleth us, that these two horns are not the horns of the Lamb, but only like the horns of the Lamb: for he received not his power from the Lamb Chrift, but from the devil, that is, the dragon with ten horns. Then thus it is, the papacy is the feventh head of the first beast, that is, the empire; and yet a beaft by itself, with two horns like the Lamb, in refpect of his joint power and authority, both ecclefiaftical and civil, in which respect he is called even the eighth: and one of the feven, Rev. xvii. 11.

Although this fecond beaft have two horns like the Lamb, yet he fpake like the dragon,' that is, all his words and works, practices and proceedings, laws and decrees are for the dragon, of whom he hath his power, and throne, and great authority. So that whatfoever he pretendeth in religion, and matters of God's worship, as though he would be like the Lamb; yet affuredly he is altogether for the dragon and the devil, he is affured unto them, as all experience doth manifeftly witnefs.

And he did all that the first beast could 'do before him: and he caufed the earth, • and them that dwell therein to worship