mh_parser/vol_split/66 - Revelation/Chapter 13.xml

<div2 id="Rev.xiv" n="xiv" next="Rev.xv" prev="Rev.xiii" progress="97.88%" title="Chapter XIII">
<h2 id="Rev.xiv-p0.1">R E V E L A T I O N.</h2>
<h3 id="Rev.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Rev.xiv-p1">We have, in this chapter, a further discovery and
description of the church's enemies: not other enemies than are
mentioned before, but described after another manner, that the
methods of their enmity may more fully appear. They are represented
as two beasts; the first you have an account of (<scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.1-Rev.13.10" parsed="|Rev|13|1|13|10" passage="Re 13:1-10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>) the second, <scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.11-Rev.13.18" parsed="|Rev|13|11|13|18" passage="Re 13:11-18">ver. 11</scripRef>, &amp;c. By the first some
understand Rome pagan, and by the second Rome papal; but others
understand Rome papal to be represented by both these beasts, by
the first in its secular power, by the second in its
ecclesiastical.</p>
<scripCom id="Rev.xiv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13" parsed="|Rev|13|0|0|0" passage="Re 13" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Rev.xiv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.1-Rev.13.10" parsed="|Rev|13|1|13|10" passage="Re 13:1-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Rev.13.1-Rev.13.10">
<h4 id="Rev.xiv-p1.5">The First Beast. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Rev.xiv-p1.6">a.
d.</span> 95.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Rev.xiv-p2">1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw
a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,
and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of
blasphemy.   2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a
leopard, and his feet were as <i>the feet</i> of a bear, and his
mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat, and great authority.   3 And I saw one of his
heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed:
and all the world wondered after the beast.   4 And they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they
worshipped the beast, saying, Who <i>is</i> like unto the beast?
who is able to make war with him?   5 And there was given unto
him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was
given unto him to continue forty <i>and</i> two months.   6
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his
name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.   7
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations.   8 And all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life
of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.   9 If any
man have an ear, let him hear.   10 He that leadeth into
captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword
must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith
of the saints.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p3">We have here an account of the rise,
figure, and progress of the first beast; and observe, 1. From what
situation the apostle saw this monster. He seemed to himself to
stand upon <i>the sea-shore,</i> though it is probable he was still
in a rapture; but he took himself to be in <i>the island
Patmos,</i> but whether in the body or out of the body he could not
tell. 2. Whence this beast came—<i>out of the sea;</i> and yet, by
the description of it, it would seem more likely to be a
land-monster; but the more monstrous every thing about it was the
more proper an emblem it would be to set forth the mystery of
iniquity and tyranny. 3. What was the form and shape of this beast.
It was for the most part <i>like a leopard,</i> but its <i>feet
were like the feet of a bear and its mouth as the mouth of a
lion;</i> it had <i>seven heads, and ten horns, and upon its heads
the name of blasphemy:</i> the most horrid and hideous monster! In
some part of this description here seems to be an allusion to
Daniel's vision of the four beasts, which represented the four
monarchies, <scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.7.1-Dan.7.3" parsed="|Dan|7|1|7|3" passage="Da 7:1-3">Dan. vii. 1-3</scripRef>,
&amp;c. One of these beasts was like a lion, another like a bear,
and another like a leopard; this beast was a sort of composition of
those three, with the fierceness, strength, and swiftness, of them
all; the seven heads and the ten horns seem to design its several
powers; the ten crowns, its tributary princes; the word blasphemy
on its forehead proclaims its direct enmity and opposition to the
glory of God, by promoting idolatry. 4. The source and spring of
his authority—<i>the dragon; he gave him his power, and seat, and
great authority.</i> He was set up by the devil, and supported by
him to do his work and promote his interest; and the devil lent him
all the assistance he could. 5. A dangerous wound given him, and
yet unexpectedly healed, <scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.3" parsed="|Rev|13|3|0|0" passage="Re 13:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Some think that by this wounded head we are to
understand the abolishing of pagan idolatry; and by the healing of
the wound the introducing of the popish idolatry, the same in
substance with the former, only in a new dress, and which as
effectually answers the devil's design as that did. 6. The honour
and worship paid to this infernal monster: <i>All the world
wondered after the beast;</i> they all admired his power, and
policy, and success, and <i>they worshipped the dragon</i> that
<i>gave power to the beast,</i> and <i>they worshipped the
beast;</i> they paid honour and subjection to the devil and his
instruments, and thought there was no power able to withstand them:
so great were the darkness, degeneracy, and madness of the world!
7. How he exercised his infernal power and policy: He had <i>a
mouth, speaking great things, and blasphemies; he blasphemed God,
the name of God, the tabernacle of God, and all those that dwell in
heaven; and he made war with the saints, and overcame them,</i> and
gained a sort of universal empire in the world. His malice was
principally levelled at the God of heaven, and his heavenly
attendants—at God, in making images of him that is invisible, and
in worshipping them;—at the tabernacle of God, that is, say some,
at the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, in which God dwells
as in a tabernacle; this is dishonoured by their doctrine of
transubstantiation, which will not suffer his body to be a true
body, and will put it into the power of every priest to prepare a
body for Christ;—and <i>against those that dwell in heaven,</i>
the glorified saints, by putting them into the place of the pagan
demons, and praying to them, which they are so far from being
pleased with that they truly judge themselves wronged and
dishonoured by it. Thus the malice of the devil shows itself
against heaven and the blessed inhabitants of heaven. These are
above the reach of his power. All he can do is to blaspheme them;
but the saints on earth are more exposed to his cruelty, and he
sometimes is permitted to triumph over them and trample upon them.
8. The limitation of the devil's power and success, and that both
as to time and persons. He is limited in point of time; his reign
is <i>to continue forty-and-two months</i> (<scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.5" parsed="|Rev|13|5|0|0" passage="Re 13:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), suitable to the other
prophetical characters of the reign of antichrist. He is also
limited as to the persons and people that he shall entirely subject
his will and power; it will be only those <i>whose names are not
written in the Lamb's book of life.</i> Christ had a chosen
remnant, <i>redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by
his Spirit;</i> and though the devil and antichrist might overcome
their bodily strength, and take away their natural life, they could
never conquer their souls, nor prevail with them to forsake their
Saviour and revolt to his enemies. 9. Here is a demand of attention
to what is here discovered of the great sufferings and troubles of
the church, and an assurance given that when God has accomplished
his work on mount Zion, his refining work, then he will turn his
hand against the enemies of his people, and those who have killed
with the sword shall themselves fall by the sword (<scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.10" parsed="|Rev|13|10|0|0" passage="Re 13:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), and those who led the
people of God into captivity shall themselves be made captives.
Here now is that which will be proper exercise for <i>the patience
and faith of the saints</i>—patience under the prospect of such
great sufferings, and faith in the prospect of so glorious a
deliverance.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Rev.xiv-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.11-Rev.13.18" parsed="|Rev|13|11|13|18" passage="Re 13:11-18" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Rev.13.11-Rev.13.18">
<h4 id="Rev.xiv-p3.6">The Second Beast. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Rev.xiv-p3.7">a.
d.</span> 95.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Rev.xiv-p4">11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of
the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a
dragon.   12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first
beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell
therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
  13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come
down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,   14 And
deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by <i>the means of</i> those
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying
to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to
the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.   15
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the
image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as
would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads:   17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name.   18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and
his number <i>is</i> Six hundred threescore <i>and</i> six.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p5">Those who think the first beast signifies
Rome pagan by this second beast would understand Rome papal, which
promotes idolatry and tyranny, but in a more soft and lamb-like
manner: those that understand the first beast of the secular power
of the papacy take the second to intend its spiritual and
ecclesiastical powers, which act under the disguise of religion and
charity to the souls of men. Here observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p6">I. The form and shape of this second beast:
<i>He had two horns like a lamb,</i> but a mouth that <i>spoke like
the dragon.</i> All agree that this must be some great impostor,
who, under a pretence of religion, shall deceive the souls of men.
The papists would have it to be Apollonius Tyranæus; but Dr. More
has rejected that opinion, and fixes it upon the ecclesiastical
powers of the papacy. The pope shows the horns of a lamb, pretends
to be the vicar of Christ upon earth, and so to be vested with his
power and authority; but his speech betrays him, for he gives forth
those false doctrines and cruel decrees which show him to belong to
the dragon, and not to the Lamb.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p7">II. The power which he exercises: <i>All
the power of the former beast</i> (<scripRef id="Rev.xiv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.12" parsed="|Rev|13|12|0|0" passage="Re 13:12">v.
12</scripRef>); he promotes the same interest, pursues the same
design in substance, which is, to draw men off from worshipping the
true God to worshipping those who by nature are no gods, and
subject the souls and consciences of men to the will and authority
of men, in opposition to the will of God. This design is promoted
by the popery as well as by paganism, and by the crafty arts of
popery as well as by the secular arm, both serving the interests of
the devil, though in a different manner.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p8">III. The methods by which this second beast
carried on his interests and designs; they are of three sorts:—1.
Lying wonders, pretended miracles, by which they should be
deceived, and prevailed with to worship the former beast in this
new image or shape that was now made for him; they would pretend to
bring down fire from heaven, as Elias did, and God sometimes
permits his enemies, as he did the magicians of Egypt, to do things
that seem very wonderful, and by which unwary persons may be
deluded. It is well known that the papal kingdom has been long
supported by pretended miracles. 2. Excommunications, anathemas,
severe censures, by which they pretend to cut men off from Christ,
and cast them into the power of the devil, but do indeed deliver
them over to the secular power, that they may be put to death; and
thus, notwithstanding their vile hypocrisy, they are justly charged
with killing those whom they cannot corrupt. 3. By
disfranchisement, allowing none to enjoy natural, civil, or
municipal rights, who will not worship that papal beast, that is,
the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying
and selling the rights of nature, as well as for places of profit
and trust, that they have <i>the mark of the beast in their
forehead</i> and <i>in their right hand,</i> and that they have
<i>the name of the beast</i> and <i>the number of his name.</i> It
is probable that <i>the mark, the name,</i> and <i>the number of
the beast,</i> may all signify the same thing—that they make an
open profession of their subjection and obedience to the papacy,
which is receiving the mark in their forehead, and that they oblige
themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to
promote the papal authority, which is receiving the mark in their
right hands. We are told that pope Martin V. in his bull, added to
the council of Constance, prohibits Roman catholics from suffering
any heretics to dwell in their countries, or to make any bargains,
use any trades, or bear any civil offices, which is a very clear
interpretation of this prophecy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Rev.xiv-p9">IV. We have here <i>the number of the
beast,</i> given in such a manner as shows the infinite wisdom of
God, and will sufficiently exercise all the wisdom and accuracy of
men: <i>The number</i> is <i>the number of a man,</i> computed
after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. Whether this be
the number of the errors and heresies that are contained in popery,
or rather, as others, the number of the years from its rise to its
fall, is not certain, much less what that period is which is
described by these prophetic numbers. The most admired dissertation
on this intricate subject is that of Dr. Potter, where the curious
may find sufficient entertainment. It seems to me to be one of
those seasons which God has reserved in his own power; only this we
know, God has written <i>Mene Tekel</i> upon all his enemies; he
has numbered their days, and they shall be finished, but his own
kingdom shall endure for ever.</p>
</div></div2>