A34679:157
An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…
An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent servant of the Lord, Mr. John Cotton ... ; taken from his mouth in short-writing, and some part of it corrected by himself soon after the preaching thereof ; and all of it since viewed over by a friend to him ... wherein some mistakes were amended, but nothing of the sense altered.
London: printed for Tim. Smart, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION. › Part
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The second Reason is taken from the just judgement of God upon such kind of heads,1 that do affect such ambition; the Lord will show them this favour, he will cross them as he did Balaam; but if their hearts be bent to go on in their mischievous course, he gives them leave to fulfil their own lusts to their own perdition; And thus he did Balaam, he gave him leave not only to bless the people, but to draw them aside from God; for he could not have taken a more ready course to have cast them out of Gods favour, then to draw them to offer Sacrifice to Baal, for that was one of the worst dunghill gods. It is out of Gods righteous judgement, when a man will not be reclaimed, when the Lord wounds, and crushes him, and brings him to the last gasp, if he have a lickerish affection still; now it is an usual thing with God to pay men to their own perdition: And therefore in Rev. 17. 11. It is said, the beast that was and is not, shall ⟨p. 44⟩go into perdition, that's the head of this Beast; that is the next news you hear of this second beast here in the Text, and therefore it is called both the beast, and the head of the beast, where the first beast is presented in the form of a great whore, who is to be brought to the last gasp; A whore she was, but he presents her to John as a great beast; Now he gives him leave to rise again to his own perdition, and of many thousands more. Thus you see the truth of the point.
The second Reason is taken from the just judgement of God upon such kinde of heads,1 that doe affect such ambition; the Lord will shew them this favour, he will crosse them as he did Balaam; but if their hearts be bent to go on in their mischevous course, he gives them leave to fulfill their own lusts to their own perdition; And thus he did Balaam, he gave him leave not onely to blesse the people, but to draw them aside from God; for he could not have taken a more ready course to have cast them out of Gods favour, then to draw them to offer Sacrafice to Baal, for that was one of the worst dunghill gods. It is out of Gods righteous judgement, when a man will not be reclaimed, when the Lord wounds, and crushes him, and brings him to the last gaspe, if he have a licourish affection still; now it is an usuall thing with God to pay men to their own perdition: And therefore in