of the RE V EL A T I 0 N. ·"-AJ't Chap. 7· --~----------------~----------·-------------------~ CHAP. VII. The Expojition of CJ,ap. 1 3· i11 Jvbic/, u Jet forti, the State of the Falfe (lmrch r~nder Jntichrift. What hu Name, and the Number of bi5 '!{ame denotes to m. A jhort .account of the Time 1vhich Jome fix for ha Fan. THe Stote of the Church, and her Conflicts with Satan the lirfl four hun– dred Years, being thus defcribed chap.12. in the folli:>wing Chapters is fet forth the State of the Church from that Time, during the Times of Antichrifi; all which Time there was, and is, both his falfe Antichrifiian Church, and the True Church under him, running along together. Now the Defcription of Antichrifi (the Pope) and his Falfe Church, in his Rife, Power Greatnds, and extent of his Dominions, and of the Company that lbould cleav~ to him, is fet forth in the Vilions of the I 3th Chapter: which afterwards in the 17th Chapter, the Holy Ghofi himfelf interprets and makes a Comment on. And then the oppofite Company of the True Church, who have the Lamb for their Head, are defcribed in the 14th Chapter; and that in all thole feveral States and ~onditions, which during all that Time they lbould run under; and this from the lirfi Rife of Antichrift, until thefe very Times wherein we live ; with which (I take it) the Vifions of that 14th Chapter do end. Firfi,for Amichrifr and his Church in the 13th Chapter; and this fet forth un– to us under the Vifion of a Two-fold Beafi, which points at the Pope according to his double pretended Claim of Power and Headll1ip in the Church ; Which is, J. Temporal; which he claims over all Kings and Kingdoms, to Depofe and Excommunicate them and their Subjects at his pleafure. Unto which the Ten . Kings and Kingdoms of Europe (into which the Wefrern Empire was now by the Goths reduced) did tacitly, and with one content, fubmit themfelves, and gave their Power up, (as you may read it interpreted, chap. 17. from verf I 2, to I7.) And fo, the Pope, together with the Body of tbefe ten Kingdoms joining into one, whereof he becomes the Head, is that lirfi Beaft with ten Homs, defcribed in this I 31/J·Chapter, from verf I, to I I ; which New Beafr is a true Image of the former Roman Monarchy in the 12th Chapter; which being wounded and flain in the Emperor's being Depofed, is healed and refiored to Life again in this Beafi ; and fo, the Roman Monarchy comes frill to continue, though under another Head, namely, the Pope. · 2. Befides this Temporal Power which he receives from the Kings of thefe ten Kingdoms, ( who in that refpect do together with him make up one Beafi ) ; He and his Clergy do claim a Spiritual Power of Binding and Loofing, of par– doning Sins, and of curling Men to Hell, which is peculiar to Cbrifi alone. And in that refpefr, he, and the Body of his Falfe Clergy with him, do make up ano– ther Beafi, having two"Horns like a Lamb, as exercifing that Spiritual Power of Chrift; for which, they and he are properly called Antichrijl. And this Defcrip· tion you have of him from verf I I. to the end of this I 31/J Chapter: He being Head of two Bodies, Iicclefiafiical and Temporal, is d"cfcribed under two Beafls. Now this Spiritual Beafi (the Pope and his Clergy) is he, who by his lying DoCtrines, did perfwade the Ten Kings and their Subjects, to fubjefr themfelves in one Body under him as their Head ; and is f"id to make the l11tage of the fi'rft Beafl, namely, of that Dragon mentioned in the 12th Chapter, that is, of the former Heathcnifh Empire, and the 1\eligion thereof; which is therefore faid to live agai11, . For,
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