dered and followed the beaft; yea, when all admired the great and large dominion of the Roman empire, and faid within themfelves, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? Now the empire of Rome was never fo great and powerful, as when the Popes were heads thereof; I mean, when they executed the whole civil jurifdiction of the empire, befides their ecclefiaftical power, which now did both meet in one. For now the Papacy was aloft, and the Roman empire joined with it: fo that the eyes of the world were dazzled with the pomp and magnificence thereof, and they faid, What is like unto it? Or who is comparable to the Pope, the feventh head thereof? For then the blind world thought that the power of the Pope was not only above all things in this world. but alfo did reach even to heaven and hell. For they imagined that the Pope might carry to heaven whom he would, and whom he would he might caft down to hell: And therefore who could war with the beast? And thus we fee the reafon of their wonder and of their speech. All hiftories, and experience itself do fhew, that there was never any world fo wondered at, as the ufurped power and majefty of the Pope, after he came to be the head of the Roman monarchy. For then the world supposed that

he had the power even as God: and that he might depofe and fet up kings and emperors at his pleasure. Then it is clear, that under the dominion of the Popes, Rome hath been in her highest exaltation and glory: For the Papacy was the seventh head of the beaft, whereby the whore of Babylon was fupported in her most magni fical pomp and pride."

And there was given unto him a mouth 'that spake great things and blafphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

And he

opened his mouth unto blafphemy against "God, to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven,' Rev. xiii. 5, 6.

Here are fet down the proud and blafphemous fpeeches both of the old and new Roman empire, and of the old and new Roman emperors. For this beaft (as I faid before) comprehendeth all the Roman empire, both under the heathen emperors and the Popes. Touching the great things and blafphemies which the old perfecuting emperors have belched out against the God of heaven, it would require a volume to fet them down in particulars: I will therefore only mention two or three for examples fake: As firft, that of Caius Caligula, which would have his image fet up in temples to

be worshipped as God, and that the people fhould fwear by his name. Nero alfo did openly blafpheme the name of Chrift, and required divine honour to be given unto him. Domitian commanded that he fhould be called God and Lord. Many others required the like things: and fo all the world. wondered and worshipped this blafphemous beaft. Now as the fixth head, which was the old empire of Rome, was full of the names of blafphemy; fo the feventh head, which is the new empire under the dominion of the Popes, which he here chiefly fpeaketh of, did moft of all blafpheme. For the Pope did challenge to himself all power both in heaven and earth: he would be worshipped as God; he ufurped authority over the word of God; he did take upon him to forgive fins; he did most blafphemously encroach upon all the offices of Chrift, as King, Prieft, and Prophet; he hath commanded the angels; he hath erected blafphemous images, and caufed pictures to be made of the Godhead; he boafteth and cracketh great things of his papal power, of Peter's keys, of Peter's chair, of Peter's fucceffion, of his miracles, of his two fwords, and of his manifold prerogatives royal. One of the Popes poifoned his god; another caft his god into the fire; another would eat his peacock in des NUMB. II.

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fpite of God. Some of them counted the religion of Chrift a tale or fable; fome drank to the devil; fome faid they could do as much as God. It were infinite to fet down all their blafphemies: for it is faid of. the whore of Babylon that fhe was full of the names of blafphemy.' Let this fuffice for the understanding of this text, that as the old heathenifh emperors did blafpheme, fo the Popes, being heads of the empire, did moft of all blafpheme. And as it is here faid, they did not only blafpheme the name of God, but also did open their black and blafphemous mouths against his tabernacle; that is, his church, calling it a com pany of hereticks, fchifmaticks, apoftates, and fuch like; and alfo against them that 'dwell in heaven;' that is, the fpirits of juft and perfect men which are in heaven, as Luther, Calvin, Melanchon, and fuch like.

Moreover, it is to be noted, that this mouth was given unto this monstrous beast, thus to blafpheme and speak great things. But this is to be understood, that it was given in the wrath and juft judgment of God upon the world, to plague them withall, because they regarded not the know. ledge of the truth. But it is added, that this power of the beaft thus to work his actions was limited to forty-two months; fo

that although he rule and rage for a time, yet shall he not long continue.

And it was given unto him to make 'war with the faints, and to overcome 'them; and power was given unto him over every kindred, and tongue, and nation. Therefore all that dwell upon 'the earth fhall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the 'Lamb which was flain from the beginning of the world,' Rev. xiii. 7, 8.

Thefe two verfes do fet forth the great power which was given to this beaft, both in fighting against God's people, and alfo overcoming of them, and murdering of them by heaps. As we read of thousands murdered in the first ten perfecutions, and ten thoufands by the Popes, fince they came to exercise the civil

jurifdiction of the Rom authority and

empire, and that in all countries and kingdoms of Europe; as it is here faid, that power was given 'unto him over every kindred, and tongue, and nation. And it is added, that all that dwell upon the earth,' that is, all the fubjects of the Roman monarchy, fhall worship the beast, and make a god of him; as we read they have done. And the chief motive thereof was his blafphemous mouth, boafting and threatning great things if any did withstand him; and alfo his