Ch, r3. Thesecond Beall Rev rinns: Learning (vain and carnal) was as great a Glory to Rome as Arms, and it's doubtful whether the Imperial Power, er the literate Oppolition and Scorn, did more hinder the reception of Chriftianity. But Cbrift and the Croft at last conquer'd both, and ufed both to promote theGofprl. Yet this might be laid to arife out of the Earth; for when it was ufed for enmity and ftrif against Christ, it was feo- liihnefs with God, and, as lames faith ch.3, was earthly, fenfual and devilish, caufing confufons and every evil work. 12. And he exercifeth all the power of the firft beast before him, and eau- feth the earth, and themwhich dwell therein, to worship the firft beast, whole deadly wound was healed. 12. If it he the Heathen Empire that is fpo- ken of; r. Then itfeemeth hkeft that the dead- ly wound was the shame and shaking of the Empire by the Deaths of "dares, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otha andPiteflim, every Emperor between .Auguftus and Vefßafan tour- deed by others or themselves ; and theSufpen- liion ofYffafan at firft, (or afterward the Shake that Htathenifinhad there by the Wildom and Honefty of the .,lntonines, and after of.Alexan- der Severuu and Philip) yet the first loon repai- red by Vefpafan, Titus and Dentition, and all the rest at Iast by Dioclefian (after Deciu, relimn, &c.) And the Learned Tribe did live inPower, and in their Senate, and all their City i iRue as the Epre mperor did h h s place , and eau_ fed the Roman City and Empire to worlhip their viflorious blasphemous Emperours, and with them to continue the common Idola- try. 13. And he doth great wonders, fo that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the fight of men, 13. This Roman Learning is ufed to over- come Truth and Christianity, and to make men believe that the Sun and Moon and Stars are Gods, and have Oracles where they (peak, and that it is they that conquer the Enemies of Rome, fo that their Power was in the Vi/on rcpref rated to me as if they brought down fire from Heaven. elation.. hi Power, &c. Ch. decé h ve Their the ignorant multitude, to aeé} Ima-- ges to their vtc4orious blalphetuous Heathen Emperors, who recover'd from the aforesaid Wound by the military Murders : Images, Al- tars and Sacrificesare to be made the means of worshipping them. 15. And he had power to give life unto the imageof the beaft, that the image ofthe beast Illould both fpeak, and caufe that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, Mould be killed. t s. They fo deceiv'd the Peopleas that the Oracles kem'd to them to (peak, and to tell them as from the Gods, that they must kill all thofe that would not worship the Image of the Emperor, and the Gods that he worfhip'd, and would not be ofhis Religion. 16. And he caufeth all, both fmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17. And that no man might buy or fell, fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 16, 17. It was the cuftom of the Romans in thole times to mark both Servants and many Souldiers, as notes ofrelation and appropriation, moftly on their Arms or Hands, by which the Perlon marled, as by a Badge, Livery or Co- lours, own'd his Mafter or Captain ; and allo to mark their Slavesand punifh'd perlons with a Brand ofDisgrace, in the Face or Hand. The mark ofServants or Souldiers was forme- time his Master's Efcotcheon, or chofen Badge, m and fometime his Name, and so etime the chief Letters of his Name, which leaving out the rest, stood for theName (as M. forMarcus, L. for Lucius, S. P. Q. R. for Senates Papal!: gut Romanisa; &c.) and it sometime fell out that thefe Letters were numeral (M D C L I V are with us). New thisText ferveth to Come to mean, that the flattering Literate Tribe in Rense (Orators, Senators, Poets, Priefls, .,lrufÿi. ces, &c.) who were the Second Beall, did by their Lams, Orations, Poems, Comedies, Oraetes and Deceit, caufe the People commonly to ome under Obligations thus to enflave them. elves to the Iflolatreus Emperors, to own them s petty Gods, and offer at their ,Altars and Facrifsces, and to worship the Idols allo which hey worlhip'd, and Co ro be the owners and ïtors in theirIdolatry; and in order hereto, o honour them by receiving their Bdliget, or heir Names,or thechiefLetters oftheir Names. tutiç fell out that the chiefLetters heremeant were 14. And deceived] them that dwell on the earth, by the means of thofe miracles, which he had power to do in the fight of the beats, fayipg to them that dwell on the earth, that t they fhould make an image to the beaft, which had the wound by a l'word, and did live.
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