The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation , in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bottomlesse Pit ; and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea ; and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast , having seven heads and ten hornes .

The Beast ( in a word ) is the state of Rome , sometime under the heathenish Emperours , sometime under the Pontificality : the Question is , whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome , under the Roman persecuting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much , or the state of Rome under the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome ?

I answer , undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld , the Whore . The Beast , that Beast : For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles , of one that should come in a mysterie , of one that should deale with fornication , and such courses .

Now heathenish Rome it overcame men by violence , and by force , and not by whorish insinuations , by drawing them on to Idolatry : It is said in the fifth verse , that upon her forehead was a name written , Mysterie , Babylon the great , Mother of Harlots : Babylon in a Mysterie , and this Mysterie is a great word too with them : the Mysterie of the Masse , in every thing there is a Mysterie , all their Ceremonies are Mysteries : This word Mysterie therefore in the fore-head of the Whore , sheweth what Beast it is , that is here meant .

It is observed by divers Writers , that in the Frontlet of the Popes Diadem , there is written this name , Mysterium , as in Iulius the seconds time ; but afterwards when they smelt that he was construed thereby , to be the very Whore , they rased out that , and put in Iulius secundus , &c.

And she sits upon many waters , She sits , marke , the Spirit of God will not suffer us to erre : what is the regiment of the Pope called , Sitting ? such a Pope sate so long , the Whore sits in the very phrase , and what is the seat called ? the See of Rome , the See of Antichrist : Divers other particular things there are to shew that he means Rome ; that is , the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome to bee the Beast here spoken of .

Especially considering the connexion of this Chapter with that following , where is set down the finall destruction of this Beast : now wee know that heathenish Rome ended long agoe ; therefore that Beast which is here meant must needs bee that which followes in the next Chapter , and therefore it must needs be Rome , as it is under the Bishop , the Pope of Rome .

It is said in the 13. Chapter , that this Beast made the former Beast to speake , did enliven and quicken the former Beast ; so indeed this Beast , Rome considered under the Pope , which succeeds that Beast , Rome as it was under the Roman Emperours , quickens the former Beast : for now all is as glorious as ever it was in heathenish Rome : For after that the Gothes and Vandals had possessed Rome , the Pope put some life into the Empire of Rome , and did himselfe become Emperour . For indeed the Emperour of Germany , though he be intituled King of Rome , yet that is but a meer titular thing , the Eagle is deplumed of her fea●…thers , of her authority ; it is only the title hee beares : And if any Emperour come to Rome , the Pope will make him sweare fealty , and hee must not long stay in Rome , he cannot endure that .

And it is well said in the Revelation , that this Beast is the Image of the former Beast , for the Pope is altogether like the Emperours , almost in every thing . For the Emperours were crowned : The Pope for failing hath three Crownes : The Emperours had their scarlet : this is a purple coloured Whore in scarlet ; They spake the Latine tongue , and forced all nations almost to speak Latine , as a monument of their slavery . So all in the Popish Church is in latine , their prayers in Latine , all in latine , even for the simple and sottish people to use . Ancient heathen Rome had their grave Senators ; the Pope hath his Cardinals . The heathen Emperours , as Domitian and others would be adored as Gods : So likewise is the Pope of Rome adored , and marke the slight ; hee hath a Crucifix upon his feet , and Kings must kisse that , & so with adoring of the Cross they adore his person , as they did Heliodorus , that heathen Emperour . Thus in every thing almost they agree with ancient Rome , and in many other things I might runne over their likenesse to the former Beast .

Now this Beast ( to describe him a little better , that we might know what these Kings did , when they gave up their Kingdomes and Thrones to the Beast . ) It is said in the 13. chapter , that the Dragon gave power to the Beast : the Dragon is the Devill ; and as he wrought effectually in the former Beast in heathen Rome , to make war with the Saints , so is this Beast , Pontificall Rome stirred up , and acted by the Devill , the Dragon to persecute the Church : So that this Beast hath the power , and the spirit of the Dragon , the Devill himselfe .

And that you may discerne that I doe them no wrong , consider how the Dragon , and this Beast ( which is moved , and lead , and acted by the spirit of the Dragon ) agree in their courses . I will name two or three to you .

The Dragons course is to make us distrust God ; you know how in Paradise hee taught our first Parents to distrust the word of God , Yee shall be as Gods , knowing good and evill . So the force of Popery is to dishonour , and to discredit Gods truth , to put out the peoples eyes , to lead them blind-fold , to make the Scripture a matter of errour and heresie , and bid the people take heed of it ; as if God meant to deceive them , to goe beyond them in giving them his Word ; as though it were not a word of salvation . As the Dragon himselfe said to Christ , If thou wilt fall downe and worship me , all these will I give thee : So the Pope takes upon him the Dragons power , these that will bee good sonnes of their Church , these and these preferments will he give them , when hee hath as much right to them as the Devill had to those .

The Devill fell from heaven at the preaching of the Word , at the preaching of the Gospell ; the Apostles when they returned from preaching , told our Saviour that they saw Sathan fall downe like lightning . So Antichrist fals by the preaching of the Gospel , by the breath of the Lords mouth , he is not able to stand before it no more then Dagon before the Arke ; the Word preached is as fire to consume him , so he is like the Dragon in that .

In disposition he is like the Dragon : The Devill is a Lyer and a Murtherer from the beginning , the father of lies ; so likewise the Pope is a Lyar , all Popery is nothing but lies ; therefore 2 Thess. 2. it is said , They are given over to beleeve lies , Popery is a grand lie , it is a lie in the primacie , ; for it came in by forgery and intrusion , it is a lie in Purgatory , which is a meere conceit ; it is a lie in their miracles , which they have devised to maintaine their false worship with ; It is a lie in their works of supererogation , that they can fulfill more then the Law requireth . So that all Popery consider it distinctly from our Religion ( because they have that which wee have , and some patches of their owne ) consider it by it selfe , it is a meer lie .

Besides that , they maintaine the doctrine of Equivocation , which is a lie , a justifier of lies , which is worst of all .

And to murther ; this present day and occasion tels us that murthers come from them , their Doctrine maintaines it , and they make orations in commendations of Traytors , as Sixtus Quintus did in praise of him , that killed Henry the third , King of France , and the bloody Massacre of France is pictured up in the Popes Court : As the Devill is a Lyar and a Murtherer , so is this Sonne of the Devill , who is led by the Spirit of the Dragon , in disposition they are alike .

In course of life they are alike . The Dragon is said to draw the third part of the stars of heaven downe to the earth ; that is , to draw men which were as the stars of heaven , to make them deny their Religion . So this Dragon , this Pope , the instrument and vassal of Sathan , hee drawes the third part of the stars from heaven , and hee drawes men from the love of the truth by preferment and honour , men that are learned , men that are otherwise of excellent parts , hee drawes them from heaven to earth ; that is , hee drawes them from the knowledge of the truth and goodnesse to earth , and lower then earth too if they do not repent , even to hell it selfe from whence hee came . Thus I might goe on to shew that this Beast is Rome under the Pontificality , and not Rome under the Heathen Emperours : likewise that this Beast is acted , lead , and guided by the spirit of the Dragon , by reason of the resemblance which it holds parallel with him in these and other things . So much for explication of this Beast .

But why is the state of Rome called the Beast ?

Daniel first knew the great Empires , the one of Babylon , called a Lyon , the Persian Monarchy , a Bear , the Grecian a Leopard ; but here in this Chapter is a strange Beast , that hath all the cruelty and fiercenesse of all those Monarchies : Called therefore a Beast for her fiercenesse and cruelty .

Gods Church they are sheepe and lambes , Christ himselfe the Lambe of God , the opposite Church of Antichrist , a Beast , acruel Beast . If you go to plants , Gods Church are lilies , the opposite kingdome are thornes . If you goe to Fowles , Gods Church are Doves , Turtles , mild and gentle , the opposite Church are Eagles and birds of prey .

But I say they are called Beasts , for their cruelty : The state of Rome under those heathenish Emperours was a Beast , and in those ten persecutions the Emperours are rightly called Beasts ; so likewise Rome Papall is a Beast . Our Religion , true Religion entertained makes of Beasts men , the true knowledge of Christ alters their natures , turnes Lyons into Lambes , as the Prophet saith , Isa. 11. But the Popish religion , it makes of men beasts , makes them worse then themselves : For these Gun powder-traytors , many of them as they were by birth Gentlemen , so their dispositions were gentle and mild , divers of them , not of the worst dispositions , only that bloody Religion made them worse then their nature was : So I say Papall Rome is a Beast , and popish religion makes men beasts .

Well , I will not inlarge my selfe in the uses of this point , because I shall speake of it afterward , if the time will give me leave , only this , have nothing to doe with this Beast , keep out of her pawes , keepe out of her clawes : A Lion , or a cruell Beast may seeme to bee calme for a while , but a Lyon will ( as we say ) shew a Lyons trick once a yeare . Meddle not therefore with this Beast , it is a Beast ; so much for that , what the Beast is , the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome .

For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will , and to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast .

Whose ? The Angell sets down in the verse before , the ten Horns , the ten Kings ; the ten western Kings , whether it be a certaine number for an uncertain , or whether it be a certain number , I wil not dispute of now , but take it so as it cannot be disputed against , a certain number for an uncertaine : A number of the Westerne Kings gave up their kingdomes for a while to the Beast , untill the Word of God should bee fulfilled .

But marke the phrase , God put it into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast . Wil God put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast ? why then the Pope of Rome need not pretend Constantines donation , that he 300. yeares after Christ gave unto them many territories about Rome : But they may depend upon a higher donation , God put it into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast : Here is a higher title then the donation of Constantine .

But we must know that this is not meant , as if God gave him a right , by putting into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast : but God seeing these ten Hornes , these ten Kings to be in a sinfull estate , who deserved to be left of him , and to bee given up to further illusion , and by with-drawing his grace to give them up to the occasions of sin , to this seducing Beast and Whore , he put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast .

But this must be a little cleared . Is God the Author of sinne ? God put it into their hearts , he did not only rule the events , but he put into their hearts , &c.

I answer : The phrases of the Scripture are well enough knowne in this kind . God gave them up to a reprobate sense , Rom. 1. 12. The falling of the people from Rehoboam , it is said , it was of the Lord ; And God bad Shemei rayle , divers such phrases there are in the Scripture : How must these bee understood ? thus . Not that God doth allow or command any thing that is evill , much lesse that hee doth infuse any evill into men , so that , when it is said he put these things into their hearts , here is neither an outward command , nor an inward infusion ; what is it then ? Here is a finding of them in an evill and sinfull estate , and God useth that evil and mischiefe , and wickednesse that he finds to his owne end , and purpose , He infuseth no malice or evil , but finding of it he useth it to his owne particular end and purpose , & makes way and vent for it upon particular occasions . These ten Kings , he infuseth no love of superstition into them , but finding them evill , and not as they should be Subjects of his kingdome , and misliking his sweet government , it was just with God to give them up to be slaves to the Beast , & by consequence to the Devill himselfe , that spake and wrought by the Beast : So I say God tooke away the impediments , and opened a way to their evill disposition : He used their evill disposition to this or that particular thing , even as a Workeman that finds an ill piece of timber , he makes not the timber ill , but when he finds it ill , hee useth it to his owne good purpose ; and as a man ( it is Luthers comparison ) as a man that moves a Horse that is lame , hee doth not put lamenesse into the Horse , but useth him to his owne purpose being lame ; so God finding these men evill in the generall , he directs this ill into particular courses , to worke it selfe this way , and not that , in this particular action , not in that : For God although he be not the Author of evill , yet he is the Orderer of it , and he determines and directs it , both to the object , and also to that end which he pleaseth .

In a word , consider sinne in three distinct times , before the commission , in it , and upon the performance : Before , God doth not command it , nor infuse it , but disallow and forbid it : In the sinne , he permits it to be done ; how ? by substracting of his grace , in not working , then by offering occasions that are good in themselves : And thirdly by tradition , by giving men up to Sathan ; as here the Beast is given up to Sathan , and the Kings were given up to the Beast : So that God gives men up by substraction of his grace , and by tradition , and then he doth uphold them in the committing of sinne , upholds the powers : And when it is done , applies them to this particular , and not to that particular : In the doing of it , hee limits it , he sets the bounds of it , both for the time of it , as also for the measure of it , as here in the Text : Thus long shall the ten Kings give up their Crownes to the Beast ; and thus farre shall they goe , untill the time come , that the Word of God shal be fulfilled : so hee limits sinne in the committing of it , both for the measure , and also for the time : The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the backe of the righteous .

Thus you see the meaning of the words , God will put into their hearts ; that is , by withdrawing of his grace , which they deserved by their sinfull courses ; and offering to them this Man of sinne , this Beast , which shall come with such efficacies of errour , so that his grace being with-drawne , and they given up to the Devill , to Sathan , and the Beast , they shall without doubt be deluded , and seduced , but with this limitation , untill the time come , that the Word of God shall be fulfilled ,

I might be large in this point , but it is not so sutable to the occasion , onely somewhat must be said for the unfolding of the Text : So much therefore for that .

God put into their hearts to fullfill his will , and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast .

They agree all unto it , and therefore it was not a thing done by force : Rome , and the heathen Emperours did compell men , did overcome men by force of Armes ; these agree , it was a voluntary , and a free act in them ; necessary it was in regard of Gods judgement , but it was free and voluntary in regard of themselves , for with one consent they gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast .

Thus having unfolded the meaning , wee come to observe some truths and conclusions that doe arise out of the words . I will not mention all , or the most that might bee observed , but only some speciall .

God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast .

Here first of all from this ariseth , Gods speciall providence in Ill , in the greatest evill that can be there is his speciall providence apparent ; God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast : Observe here many acts of his Providence , the with-drawing of his grace , the giving them up to Sathan , and to ill occasions , the presenting them with good occasions , which meeting with an ill disposition makes them worse ; for good occasions meeting with an ill disposition makes it worse , makes it rage the more ; as the stopping of a torrent makes it rage and swell the more ; as also the limitation of all this , untill his Word shall be fulfilled ; thus in this worke , Heaven and Earth and Hel meet in one action : Thus it was in that great action of the crucifying of our blessed Saviour , there is the action of God , in giving his Sonne to be a sweet Sacrifice , and the action of Iudas , and the Devill in him betraying of Christ , and the action of the Souldiers , in crucifying him . Saint Augustine in the unfolding of this point , of the Providence of God in Evill , observes how many may concur in one action , God without blame , man without excuse : God without blame , he finds men ill , and leaves men ( deserving to bee left ) hee takes away his grace , and as a Iudge gives men up to Sathan : Man without excuse , because man workes willingly , They with one consent gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast . That is the first .

The second is this , that the will of man may be swayed by divine governance , and yet notwithstanding work most willingly , and freely .

Here , God puts into their hearts to do this , and yet they willingly , and with one consent gave their Crownes to the Beast .

God first hath his Providence in ill , and then that providence is such , that it doth not rob man of his liberty , because God finding man in an ill course , he forceth him not to this or that particular ill , but directs him only : The hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord , as the Rivers of waters . A Man when hee findeth a River of water , hee doth not make the streame , but only makes way , that it may runne this or that way , as it pleaseth him ; so God , finding the hearts of Kings , or the hearts of any , as the Rivers of water , Hee opens vent , that they should run this , and not that way ; that they should be given to this , and not to that , here is the action of God , and yet the free liberty of man .