CA P.14. A revelationof the poea ype. 81 is not turnedup and downwithout a Noife, and the Holy Ghofh gi- veth us in fome fort a tafte and token of the commotion that follow- ed after upon his Sermons, byexprefiîng it in this exceeding great contention,and vehemency ofwords. Ifany manfball adore the Bea. t. He dealeth earnettly,and cutteth to, the quicker The fum ofhis fpeech is contained in this hypotheti- call propofitions; Ifany manlhall adore the Beast, he,/rall purchafe to himrelfeverlaftingdeftrui}ion. The former part ofwhich is fet down in this verfe,the latter part is declared in the twoverfes following.As touching adoration, it is illuftrated firft by the double fubie& thereof, the Beaft, and his Image. Simpleand rude people adore the Rea.£t, as who are carried away with the prefent lwítre and glittering fhew of the things which they fee. But the learned and witty fort of men adore the Image, as who look further off, andwho do therefore Wor- fbip theprefent Beat becaufe ofthat venerable antiquity offucce ion, and that ancient Image, which was newly flourifhed over again in this that is prefent.Both thefe (hall be alike indanger of deffrue`tion unleffe they repent. Above, Chap. 13. 15. Theadoring of the Image was common to all,but feeing it is here diftinguiihed in tome refpeA from the adoring ofthe Beaft,this feemeth to be that different refped which we have made, that the learned fort worfhipped the one,the unlearned the other. After that themanner ofadoring is opened,which it is done two waies, by taking the markeither in their forehead, or in their hand: The common fort of men are figned.in the forehead,as who acknow- ledge their obedience by a bare profeffion; The Princes, Peeres, the whole rout of the Churchmen,and the ref}ofthat ftampe, are figned in theirhand,becaufe they are todefend the Bee to the uttermoft of their power. Why then is the order changed, and why is the firff place given to the marke in the forehead,whichwas fet in the fecond before,as the which belonged to men ofleffe eílimation,Chap. i 3.16. The reafon is, that the condemnationofthefe Champions that fight in the defence ofthe Beat}., might be thereby declared to be greater; as ifhe fhould fay, every one'hall be tormentedin fire and Brimstone, that /hall take the Bea/l.r marke, yea even in theforehead , much more 'hall he that/hall take it in hù hand. But why is there no mention of the number ofthe name ?Becaufe this mark is proper to the Clrecians, who fhouldadore theWeaft by their confent with the Latin Church ; Chap. 13.17. Now thisAngel was appointed for the Wefterne peo- ple,fpecially feeing Greece was before this time already overthrown with
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=