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

3. As he is described thus by his Original, and by his resemblance, so he is described by his great power, and his power exerciseth it self in divers acts. First, He exerciseth all the power of the first beast. Now the first beast being the Roman Catholic Church, he exerciseth all the power of the Roman Catholic Church, that look what the Roman Catholic Church can do, the Pope can do with them, or without them: He can call Councils, and make their Canons authentical; He can make Laws to bind Conscience, he can make Laws to bind whole Churches, as well as the Aecumenicall power of the whole Council: He can forbid any other doctrine, or worship, or government, but what himself establisheth: He can add to the Scriptures the Apocrypha, and he hath infallible power to judge Controversies: He can bind and loose ⟨p. 244⟩Conscience; he can depose Kings, and dispose of their Kingdoms, and he can absolve Subjects from the oath of Fidelity: He hath power to pardon sin, and to sell out pardons to them that buy them. All that the first beast can do, he will do, and more; but yet he doth it (as the Text says) in the sight of the first beast; that is, in the face and countenance of the first b•ast; He is so modest, that he will not take all that honour to the head, but the whole body, and derives all that honour expressly to himself.

3. As he is described thus by his Originall, and by his resemblance, so he is described by his great power, and his power exerciseth it selfe in divers acts. First, He exerciseth all the power of the first beast. Now the first beast being the Roman Catholique Church, he exerciseth all the power of the Roman Catholique Church, that look what the Roman Catholick Church can do, the Pope can do with them, or without them: He can call Councels, and make their Canons authenticall; He can make Lawes to bind Conscience, he can make Lawes to bind whole Churches, as well as the Aecumenicall power of the whole Councell: He can forbid any other doctrine, or worship, or government, but what himselfe establisheth: He can adde to the Scriptures the Ap•crypha, and he hath infallible power to judge Controversies: Hee can binde and loose ⟨p. 244⟩Conscience; he can depose Kings, and dispose of their Kingdoms, and he can absolve Subjects from the oath of Fidelity: He hath power to pardon sinne, and to sell out pardons to them that buy them. All that the first beast can do, he will do, and more; but yet he doth it (as the Text sayes) in the sight of the first beast; that is, in the face and countenance of the first bast; He is so modest, that he will not take all that honour to the head, but the whole body, and derives all that honour expresly to himself.