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

4. They differ (and are apparently distinguished in the exercise of their power, for he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast in his presence: And it is said also in the 12th. vers. He causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast: and he causeth them to make an image of the first beast, and he had power to give life to the image of the beast, &c. So that the description seems to be different; The second beast gives all his power to the first, and yet honours himself too.

4. They differ (and are apparantly distinguished in the exercise of their power, for he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast in his presence: And it is said also in the 12th. vers. He causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast: and he causeth them to make an image of the first beast, and he had power to gve life to the image of the beast, &c. So that the description seems to be different; The second beast gives all his power to the first, and yet honours himselfe too.

But that which most of all prevails with me, and which wholly captivates my Judgment to lean another way, is this, That whereas they say the first beast was the Pope, as Dominus in Temporalibus, as Lord in Temporals; and the second beast is the Pope, as he is Dominus in Spiritualibus. It is evident that the Pope did not invest himself with temporal authority at ⟨p. 7⟩the first: But at first claimed spiritual and universal Episcopacy, over-sight over all the Churches; he was first supreme head of the Church in his spiritual Jurisdiction, and did not claim dominion in Temporals till after his wound was healed, and then he took power to depose the Emperor of the East, and translated his Empire from Greece to France, this was his Dominion in earthly Monarchies which he took in the latter place: And therefore I would rather say, that the second beast is the Pope in both respects, as Lord and Sovereign, high Priest in Spirituals, and the high Priest also over the Kings of the world in Temporals: He had two horns like a Lamb, as the successor of Peter, and as if he had nothing but from Christ, but he spake like a Dragon; When he had once power by his Lamb-like horns, he then spake like a Dragon: Therefore to speak that which I conceive to be the truth, I do look at this first beast as indeed of like condition with the Pope, and very nearly joined to him. The Pope is one of the heads and rulers of this Beast, but yet distinguished from the beast it self, and is not the same with the beast.