A34679:24
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 latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end: I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth, &c. He is described by his variety from the former beast: For his Original, he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea, but from the Earth: And for his resemblance, he hath two horns like a Lamb, ⟨p. 4⟩and he spake like a Dragon. 2. He is described by his power, as in the twelfth verse, but I will not now speak further of him.
The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end: I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth, &c. He is described by his variety from the former beast: For his Original, he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea, but from the Earth: And for his resemblance, he hath two horns like a Lamb, ⟨p. 4⟩and he spake lik a Dragon. 2. He is described by his power, as in the twelfth verse, but I will not now speak further of him.
Now for the meaning of the words; It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto; He that hath cares to hear, let him hear: If any man have an ear to understand, any apprehension of spiritual mysteries, any capacity of matters of Religion, let him hear what manner of beast the Devil stirred up, and set against the Church, to make war against the Saint•, as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spiritual understanding, and who will listen duly to a diligent observation of this description, the matter whereof is weighty, and challengeth all our intentions; and the more, because it is very rare to meet with that which will satisfy a diligent Reader in the Exposition hereof; But yet so much light God casts almost into the head of every man that takes this Book in hand, especially in his name and fear (according to his promise, Cap. 1. vers. 3) that he adds some light more than hath been before brought to his hand. Here you see are two Beasts, what is the former? Many take it to be the Roman Empire, some take it to be the Roman Pagan, some the Roman Christian Empire, but I fear neither of them are right: It is not the Roman Pagan Empire, that is, take the Empire as it was before the conversion of Rome from Pagan to Christian, in the days of Tiberius, and other persecuting Emperors, till Constantine: This Beast was not the Roman Pagan Empire, I will give you a double reason from the Text, the first is this.