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

the Lord ⟨p. 75⟩is above all; when they are above the reach of men, they are not above him; he sits in heaven, and laughs them to scorn. Those that have been most insolent in blaspheming, all Turkish or Popish blasphemies, the Lord will muzzle them: In the mean time it it our part to sanctify his name that gives this vast liberty, that for so long they shall speak great things, and no longer.

the Lord ⟨p. 75⟩is above all; when they are above the reach of men, they are not above him; he sits in heaven, and laughs them to scorn. Those that have been most insolent in blaspheming, all Turkish or Popish blasphemies, the Lord will muzzle them: In the mean time it it our part to sanctifie his name that gives this vast liberty, that for so long they shall speak great things, and no longer.

Fourthly,¹ it may teach us that there is a proneness in our natures, to abuse all the providences of God, whether of special mercies, or special judgements; and it warns us to beware of the same, in the enjoyment of any mercy, or in feeling of any stroke of God upon us: Here was this Beast, so wounded in one of his heads, as it seemed to be deadly; he was again healed: The Lord visits this Church with a deadly blow, by acts of his justice; and he also visits it with great deliverances, and acts of his merciful providence, and when he hath done, see his great admiration, and adoration, would you not think this should melt the heart of a Beast? but the Ox knows his owner, saith the Lord, and the Ass his masters crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider, Isa. 13. Though this deadly wound be healed, to the admiration of the world, yet consider what little use he makes of it; when he gives him power to do what he will, what doth he? He opens his mouth to speak great things, and blasphemies, and he makes war with all the Saints of Heaven: he doth much abuse his glory. He was knocked on the head, because he would affect such vast Authority to be Pontifex Maximus; the Lord cracked his Crown, breaks the head of this enemy, and wounds the hairy scalp of such as go on in wickedness: He heals him again, and gives him great power; but what doth he with it? He abuseth it against God, and against the Church of God, and speaks great things, even blasphemies: So there is a nature in us that will abuse every mercy of God, to the corrupting of our hearts, and every judgment of God, and every deliverance from that judgement; one would not think what woeful distempers there are in our natures. If a body be stuffed with choler, it will turn the whole body to feed the humour: So it is with us, we turn all the providences