An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…

And the more thankful ought we to be, that he hath delivered us from the Image of the Beast, as well as from the beast it self; A Catholic Church that beareth sway over so many hundred Churches, and overwhelms them all: Such Laws they shall make as shall bind all Nations, and whether they give consent or no, they must subscribe to them in point of government. Were we sensible how odious this Beast were in the sight of the holy Ghost, and of the Apostle John, it would affect us with strong thankfulness, and hearty enlargedness to God, that hath delivered us from so great a beast, and from any image and picture of it, unto which all the world is subject, unless in some few places.

And the more thankfull ought we to be, that he hath delivered us from the Image of the Beast, as well as from the beast it selfe; A Catholick Church that beareth sway over so many hundred Churches, and overwhelms them all: Such Lawes they shall make as shall binde all Nations, and whether they give consent or no, they must subscribe to them in point of government. Were we sensible how odious this Beast were in the sight of the holy Ghost, and of the Apostle John, it would affect us with strong thankfulnesse, and hearty enlargednesse to God, that hath delivered us from so great a beast, and from any image and picture of it, unto which all the world is subject, unlesse in some few places.

Thirdly,¹ It may teach all Church Officers not to affect any Lordly pomp and state: For Officers of a Church to take upon them any great State, or to see a Church composed in any such form, you see in the eyes of the holy Ghost it is a Beast. There is nothing more disproportionable to us, then for us to affect Supremacy, for us to wear the horns that might push Kings; to throw down any, or to desire Magistrates to execute what we shall think fit, verily it is not compatible to the simplicity of the Church of Christ. Neither may they give their power to us, nor may we take it from them: That when an Excommunication pass in the Church, then to leave it to the Magistrate, that so a man being excommunicated, is left, Ipso facto, to civill censure, upon the Churches censure, this will cause the Magistrates to submit their power to the Church unavoidably; that if a Church censure, the Magistrates must proceed against them: Now it is good to have these two States so joined together, that the simplicity of the church may be maintained and upheld, and strengthened by the civill State according to God, but not by any simplicity further then according to the word. Beware of all secular power, and Lordly power, of such vast inspection of one church over another: Take heed of any such usurpation, it will amount to some monstrous Beast: Leave every church Independent, not Independent from brotherly counsel; God forbid that we should refuse that; but when it comes to