C A P.13. f 1 1)elatton ofthe A.pocalyp%. 423 felf, as ifhe were fuperiour to God in Heaven, (for that is not the meaningof theApottle) but that he lifted up himfelf, as if he had more power then all the Gods upon earth, namely, then the higheft Magiftrate, who is called Auguftu.*, or one that is to be revefenced or adored; whence it feemeth that there is added by way of inter- preratior, or that Worfhiped. But why do I ft,y long in laying forth there things ? The matter is put out ofControverte afterwards in the 17. Chapter. The fe- venth head of the Beaft fucceedeth next unto the Heathen Empereurs, thefe make the /xt, as (hall be (hewed in the proper place. But Anti - chrift rs that fcventhhead, and therefore takes his original! ftraight- wayes from the time of aeathen .Emperours. But what do I hold, that all the Popes than followed Miltiades weredamned, as which do help tomake up this Beaft, that is, Antichrift ?Cod forbid that I thould judge fo ra(hly. This 7eaft r thefateofa Kingdome,as I hope it (hall be made molt clear afterwards, and therefore God could deliver certain particular men out of the common deftruelion, even as many as it pleafed him, though they were inftruments and helping caufes of this Eingdom. The impiety of Antichrift was not fo de- fperatelv wicked in the beginning, and the Childifh Antichrifir knew not in the dayes oftheir infancie, for what a peftilent King- dom they were making the way. We leave this therefore to the in- finite and un èarchable mercy of God, and yet we doubt not, but that we have found our the Originall of the Beaft at bù firft rfng up, which we fee not to have fallen into the fame time that the Dragon was call out upon the earth, Chapt. 12.9. For being to leave. his Throne inheaven, he took order to get himeelf a Vicar, that might faaour for him inhis abfence, and we (hail finde afterwards that he did not look ró his bufineffe negligently. There things being thus laid down, we fee how every thing will flow moOeafily from this beginning, all the parts of this Pro¡ hecie agreeing molt° fitly among` themfelves. The true Originall of the $éa, not being corfideredby the Interpreters, hath introubled the whole connexionof the times, made the expofitionof this Chapter uneven, ftraiiaed, and difagreeing with it felf and the reft of the Book, and hath quite taken away the right means to feareh out the event. . 25<ówfor the-Werds.The Sevageneffe ofAníichrijg is moll tommodi ouoy fignified by a Wilde Bear, as Tyrants are often compared in Scriptures to Wolves and 'Lyons, as being matchable with them in terri
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