Now a leopard is a fpeckled or fpoted creature. Now this beaft is faid to be like unto a leopard, in regard of the policy which he did exercise to gain the people to fight for him and his image; for he feemed to the people to be very religious and zealous in worship, but it was to images of wood and stone.

Yet this form of worship and command he gave to the people to worship the image, they were as white fpots of righteoufnefs. And his threatning of those that would not bow down to worship the image, thefe were his black spots; fo that he in this regard may be faid to be like a leopard, that is, fpotted black and white; black to the faints, but white to thofe that received the mark of the beaft in his right hand, or in his forehead; and in this regard he may be faid to be like a leopard.

Secondly, He is faid to have feet as it were the feet of a bear, that is, he acted as a bear doth with his feet. That is, to claw and break the bones of that in pieces which he hath power over; for the ftrength and mischief of a bear it lieth moft in his feet. So was it with the beaft, he by his command to worship the image which he fet up, did claw and break the bones of those faints that would not fall down and worship the image, by perfecution, imprisonment, and death itself, and in this regard he may be faid to have feet as it were the feet of a bear. Thirdly, It is faid, And his mouth was as the mouth of a lion; the meaning is this, he acted with his mouth as the mouth of a lion doth. That is, as the mouth of a lion doth roar with fuch an exceeding great and terrible noise, that the beafts of the forrefts exceedingly fear and tremble at the noife of the lion, that cometh out of his mouth; fo likewife the roaring noife that came out of this beaft's mouth made all the faints in Afia at that time to fear and tremble; for there was gone out of this beaft's mouth great blafphemy, as in verse 5. And a command went out of his mouth that they should worship the dragon, who power, feat, and authority unto this beast.

gave his

And in regard the dragon's power, feat, and authority was given and established upon this beast, there went a command out of this beaft's mouth, that all people fhould worship the beaft, as they did the dragon, as in verfe 4. of this chapter. So that the mouth of this beaft may be said to be like the mouth of a lion; for thefe his commands to worship devils, and blafphemies against the living God, proceeded out of the beaft's mouth, even as the floods of water did out of the dragon's mouth; and in this regard the beaft may be faid to have a mouth like the mouth of a lion.

Now it is to be observed, that this beaft had one of his heads as it were wounded unto death. Now it is to be minded, that it was but as it were, nor was thought unto death, but his head was not quite dead; if it had, he would have done no more mischief to the faints; but his deadly wound was healed, fo that the world did the more wonder after him, faying, Who is like unto the beaft? Who is able to make war with him?

Now I would have the feed of faith to mind who it was that did give this beast that deadly wound in his head, and yet was healed again. It was the faith and patience of the faints that did give him this deadly wound, in that they would

not

not worship the beaft, nor his image, but did fuffer perfecution unto the death joyfully. So that this beaft was fick with torment of foul, in that he could not bring them from the faith of Jefus, to worship devils, nor to fubmit to his will, fo that he was wounded almoft to death. So that he was weary of perfecuting the faints, his conscience being fo wounded he gave over perfecuting for a season, until his confcience was healed again.

And though it be faid, that he had a wound by a fword, and did live, it was no other fword but the fword of the fpirit, which was in the faints; even the faith of Jefus, which enabled them to fuffer with chearfulness the spoiling of their goods, and not loving their lives unto the death, rather than to worship the beast, or his image. And this was that deadly wound that the beast had in his head; and this was the first day, and one of the ten days tribulation the faints did undergo. For when men fuffer meerly for their faith of Jesus, or in innocency of mind in matter of worship, they do by their fufferings wound the perfecutors fouls more, than if they should turn again and fight with a sword of fteel. So that it was the faints patient fufferings that did give this beast as John speaketh of, that deadly wound in his head.

But after a season his deadly wound was healed. That is, after the plague of his heart was over, that he faw he fhould not die, he grew worse, much like Pharaoh, when Mofes had taken away the plague from him and his people, his heart was hardened, and made more cruel and worse. So was it with this beaft, when his confcience had the fear of the prefent death taken off him, so that he was healed as to that; then he grew worse than he was before. For now his mouth uttered blafphemy, and power was given unto him, to continue forty two months, as in verse 5.

These forty two months have relation to the ten perfecutions, which did last a matter of three hundred years. For the spirit and power of this beaft, did run through the loins of all them seven heads; they all being partakers of the dragon's power, feat and authority. For it runs through the loins of all wicked beasts, or wicked head magiftrates. For they have all the spirit of reason, even the fpirit of the dragon, though not in fuch a measure as the dragon hath. So that the power of this beaft fhould continue in himself, and in others forty two months; that was all the days of the ten perfecutions, which time was the fame, as the two prophets did prophefy, which is faid to be forty two months; which time was as long as the apoftles commiffion did laft, about three hundred years, as aforefaid, and as I have shewed in the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation.

B

CHA P. XXXVI.

UT in verfe 6. the beaft that was healed of his deadly wound, he opened his mouth in blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwelt in heaven.

So that you may fee now this beaft was healed of his wound, he was worse, and blafphemed more against the living God, and against his tabernacle; which tabernacle was the body of Chrift. And those that dwelt in heaven are the

faints,

faints, who worshiped by faith in the tabernacle of God, which is in heaven; therefore said to dwell in heaven; and in verfe 7. It is given him, that is the beaft aforefaid, to make war with the faints, and to overcome them, and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Now the beaft being recovered of that wound the faints did give him, he comes on afresh and makes war against them; not only in blafpheming against the living God, or living Jefus, whom the faints did worship and ferve, and would not worship, and ferve him. Therefore he makes war with the faints, and overcomes them. That is, caufeth all those he could light of, to deny their faith in Jefus, and worship as he would have them, or else thy must be put to death; fo that he did overcome many of the faints, and put them to death; for power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations. That is, he had power over all other people, but those that worshiped Jefus, to command them to worship him, and that worship he did fet up, and all people but the faints did obey; fome for fear, and fome for love, but all did obey to worship the beast, only those that had faith in Jefus; therefore they were overcome and killed by the beast. But the others, the kindreds, tongues, and nations, faved their lives, for the world wandered after the beaft, his power was fo great. So that all that dwell upon the earth fhall worship him, whofe names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, flain from the foundation of of the world, as in verse 8. The meaning is this, that the fpirit of reafon in this beast, and in all other beasts, or head magiftrates that are of the feed of the serpent, should have such power over the dark reafon of man, to worship him, and the image he doth fet up. And the whole world lying in ignorance and darkness, they are through ignorance ready and willing to worship any thing, that the fpirit of reason in the head migistrate shall command them.

And the ignorance and darkness of men, in point of worfhip, is fo numerous, that hardly any can be seen in the world but idolaters. So that it may be said, that all that dwell on the earth do worship the beaft, none excepted but thofe whofe mames are written in the book of life, which are but few in comparison. For the worshipers of the true God are but few in comparison of thofe that worfhip the devil. For the fpirit of reafon is the devil, and what image or form of worship is fet up by the spirit of reafon in the head magiftrate, having no commiffion from God, it is but of the devil's fetting up. And whoever doth bow down to worship in that manner and form, they do but worship the beast and his image, and fo worship devils.

And is not the whole world at this day, as well as at that time, as well those that profefs themselves Chriftians, as well as Heathens, Turks, and Pagans under that darkness of mind, as to worship falfe gods, idols, and devils? So that the whole world may be faid to worship the beaft and his image, though not all one kind of image; for every opinion of religion in the world hath one image or other to worship, inftead of God. And it muft needs be fo, because the world doth not know the true God in his form and nature, therefore they worship devils instead of God, though in divers forms and manner.

But I would have the feed of faith to mind, that when I fay all the world,

the

the elect feed are excepted. For the feed of faith are not counted the world, though they be in the world; as Chrift faid, I pray not for the world, but for them thou hast given me out of the world, and that thou wouldeft keep them from the evil of the world. So that the scriptures do never count the faints the world, though they be in the world; fo that the fcriptures may fay, that all the world wandered after the beaft, for all the world doth wander after one falfe worship or other, but those that have their names written in the book of life.

Now how fhall a man know that his name is written in the book of life, but in that he knoweth the true God, and how to worship the true God without any idolatry? Can he know things of this nature but by a commiffion from God? Surely no.

And here lieth the comfort that the feed of faith have in this life by a commiffion from God; by faith they know their names were written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world. That is, they are to look no father than the beginning of the world, that is, to the firft Adam; they being of his feed are not counted by the revelation of faith, to be the world; it is the feed of the ferpent that is called by the spirit the world, and not the feed of Adam. So that the feed of faith are thofe that died in the firft Adam, yet their names were written in his feed; and Chrift the fecond Adam, he being the quickening fpirit of that feed.

And as the feed of faith was dead in the first Adam, fo likewise the same feed is quickened again by the fecond Adam, and fo made alive again, and may be faid to be written in the book of life of the Lamb, flain from the foundation of the world. It is faid from the foundation of the world, with relation to righteous Abel being flain. So that whoever is of Adam's feed, is of Abel's feed; and whoever is of Abel's feed, he may be faid to have his name written in the book of life of the Lamb, flain from the foundation of the world; for the feed of faith doth go no further to find his name written in the book of life, than to righteous Abel. For whoever goeth further to find his eternal life, he will come fhort of it, and never find it.

I give this hint to the feed of faith, only to let them fee where the book of life is, and where they may find their names written, and not to go as rovers beyond the foundation of the world; but go to the firft Adam as Mofes fpeaketh of, and not as the imagination of the reafon doth. For whoever goeth beyond Adam to find his name written in the book of life, he will never find it. So much for the interpretation of the eighth verfe.

I

CHAP. XXXVII.

Shall pass by the two following verfes, there being nothing in them but what is commonly known; therefore in the next place I fhall come to verse 11. where it is faid, And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two borns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This beaft is faid to come out of the earth, because his power and dominion was most upon dry land; therefore faid to come up out of the earth, as the other

beaft

high nature, as the other beaft had, and as the dragon had, and walked in the fame steps, or worfe, than the other beaft did, and exercised the fame authority or worse than the dragon did; yet he had two horns like a lamb. That is, he did appear at his firft coming into his feat, more lamb-like than the other beast whofe deadly wound was healed, did. That is, he made a fhew at his firft appearance, as if he would have been more meek and merciful to the faints that worshiped Jefus, than the other beast was. So that the faints had fome little hopes that he would have let them exercife their worship, buy and fell, and trade, without taking the mark of the beast in their foreheads, or in their hands. And it is very like they had fome little space of time at his first coming in, to worship, buy and fell, and trade; for it is, not to be understood, that the faints were always perfecuted and put to death; if they had, they would have been all extirpated out of the world before three hundred years were expired; fo that there was fometimes more liberty than at others, as there hath been in all ages. So that the two horns of his power did seem to be like a lamb, as if they would do but little hurt; for no man doth fo much fear the horns of a lamb, as they do the horns of a bull; for the horns fignify power.

Now these two horns like a lamb, they did fignify quietnefs in religion, and peace in the civil ftate. So that this beaft appearing with two horns like a lamb, it gave great hopes to the faints that they fhould have liberty of confcience to worship Jefus, and peace in the natural or temporal state, to buy and fell, and trade freely one with the other; as thefe two powers did fignify the fpiritual power, and the temporal power, they being the two horns like a lamb. But this beaft he spake as a dragon. And in verfe 12. He exercifeth all the power of the first beast before him, and caufeth the earth, and them that dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whofe deadly wound was healed.

Now what the power of the firft beaft was, I have fhewed before. But in verse 13. And he doth great wonders, fo that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth, in the fight of men. Now thefe wonders that were done by this beast who had two horns like a lamb, they were but counterfit wonders, and no real thing; for the imagination of man may do feemingly great things to the fight of the dark mind of man; there may be wonderful strange things produced by the imagination of reason, when the mind is exercised upon a religious fcore, they may do feeming wonders and miracles, as they do by their imagination upon a natural account.

many

Did not the magicians and fouthfayers in Egypt, by their imagination do feeming miracles, as Mofes did? Did not they cause frogs feemingly to appear before Pharoah, as Mofes did, and many other things as Mofes did? But this ́ the reader may understand, that the frogs that Mofes brought upon Pharaoh, they were real fubftances alive; but the magicians frogs which they brought up in the fight of Pharaoh, they were but fhadows like frogs, without fubftance; but the mind of Pharaoh and his people being ignorant and dark, took the shadow for fubftance.

But if men's minds be not as dark as pitch, they may know that the Egyptians

miracles