the first beast, whofe deadly wound was healed, Rev. xiii. 12.

Here is fhewed, that this fecond beaft was as mighty and strong as the first beast, and could do as much as he, even in his prefence. Whereby is noted the great power and authority of the Papacy, in performing as much in the fervice of the Dragon against God and his church, as ever the empire of the heathen, and thofe wicked emperors could do; yea, he did much more against Chrift and his religion than ever the perfecuting emperors could do, even then when they were at their highest pitch. And all this he did in his prefence, that is, in the fight and open view of the whole empire, or whole world.

And he caufed the earth, and them that dwell therein, that is, all Papifts, and worldlings, to worship the first beast,' that is, to receive the worship and religion of the old Roman tyranny, which fet up and maintained idolatry: fo then, although the power in the Papacy came under the name of Chrift, yet in truth it was the fame with the power of the perfecuting empire; for the heathen emperors condemned the true worship of God, and fet up falfe worship, even the worship of devils, which is idolatry, and fo do the Popes alfo. So then we fee that this fecond beast is all for the first beast,

that is, he levyeth all his power and authority to fet up the worship and religion of the old Roman tyrants; and to force all men by cruel laws and decrees to receive and embrace the fame. So this fecond beaft is nothing better than the first; nay, in truth, a great deal worse.

And he did great wonders, fo that he 'made fire to come down from heaven on the earth, in the fight of men, and de'ceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the figns which were permitted him to do in the fight of the beast, faying to them ⚫ that dwell on the earth, that they should 'make the image of the beaft which had the wound of a sword, and did live,' Rev. xiii. 13, 14.

These two verfes contain two fpecial things: the one is, the falfe and feigned miracles of antichrift; the other is the curfed effect thereof.

To the first, which is the wonders and miracles which antichrift fhould work, it is here faid, that he fhould make fire to

come down from heaven, as.Elias did:' the meaning whereof is not, that the Pope could indeed caufe fire to come down from heaven, as Elias did; but in the opinion of the blind world, they feemed to have as great power as Elias had: for, partly by counterfeit miracles, and partly by fome

ftrange things done by the power of Satan, the feduced world hath verily believed, that the Pope and his clergy had as great power to work miracles as ever Elias had.

Touching the fecond thing, which is the effect of these wonders: it is here faid, that the inhabitants of the earth, that is, Papists and worldlings were grofsly deceived and deluded by them even by those lying wonders, which were permitted him to do in the fight of the beast, that is, in the face and open view of the empire: according as the apostle foretold, that the coming of antichrift. fhould be by the effectual working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and, lying wonders, and in all deceivablenefs of unrighteoufnefs among them that perish,' &c. 2 Thef. ii. 9, 10. But concerning the Popish counterfeit figns and wonders, it is needlefs to write, being fo well known unto all men as they are, and fo common and notorious in history.

Saying to them that dwell on the earth, 'that they fhould make the image of the beaft, which had the wound of a fword, ' and did live,' Rev. xiii. 14.

Now antichrift, having gotten the world under him by his counterfeit miracles, doth lay his commandment on them, to make the image of the beaft. Now what is here meant by the image of the beaft, is fome

what hard to difcufs: fome think, that by the image of the beast, which had the wound of the fword, and did live, is meant the repairing and the reftoring of the decayed estate of the empire, by the Popes, to his full ftrength and virtue. We do read that the estate of the empire under Nero, Otho, Galba, and Vitellius, was weak and feeble, in comparison of that which was before under Auguftus, Tiberius, and Claudius. We do read also that the Goths and Vandals made horrible rents and diffipations in the Roman empire. We do further read, that the empire was divided and rent in pieces, fo that there was the emperor of the Eaft, and the emperor of the Weft; yea, at laft the empire of the West fell quite down; fo that for the fpace of 300 years and more, there was no emperor of the Weft, till the bishop of Rome, Leo III. made Charles the Great,the king of France, emperor. Then was the empire of the Weft again erected, and in time grew to as great a height under the dominion of the Popes as before; yea, far greater. Now, I fay, fome do take this reftoring of the decayed estate of the empire, by the Popes, to his former ftrength and power, to be the making of the image of the beast which. had the wound of a fword, and did live.' But for my own part, I cannot be of that

opinion; and my reafon is, that the restoring of the decayed eftate of the empire to his former condition was the fetting up of the beaft himself; for the empire is the beaft, and not the image of the beaft; for we must needs grant, that the beaft and the. image of the beaft are two different things. But the popes, in recovering the empire to his priftine eftate, fet up the beaft again: and therefore not the image of the beaft. Therefore the image of the beast cannot be understood of the restoration of the decayed eftate of the empire. Befides this, it is here faid, that the inhabitants of the earth had a great hand in the making this image. But the inhabitants of the earth báre fmall fway in the recovering and erection of the empire: (for therein the Popes were all in all, after it came into their hand.) Therefore. this cannot be understood of the empire, but of fome other things: let us then diligently fearch out what may be the true. meaning of this place. It muft needs be granted, that by the beaft which had the wound of a fword and did live, is meant the recovered estate of the empire, as before, verfe 12. And by the image thereof, I understand the form of government: for an image doth fignify a likenefs, a fimilitude, a figure or form of a thing. And as in all civil and ecclefiaftical regiments there Numb. II. Ꮓ .