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

Fourthly,¹ it may teach us (in the fear of God) to have an eye to our brethren in our native Country, to consider those defects that those which reformed religion before us did leave in the recovery of the Country out of the jaws of Antichrist; (you see what the Lord requires of us, that we should have nothing to do with the number of the Beast) Though they cut off the head of the Beast, from being of any sovereign power to them, yet they took too much liberty for form of worship, and for the number of the Popes name, and of Government by Canon Laws, yea the whole Church discipline by the Popish Canon Law, only with this distinction, that whereas the Pope enjoyed it before, now the King he claims headship over the Church aswell as the civil State, and he deriveth the Church-power to the chief Bishops, and they work upon it more and more; and though it be true, both Henry the eighth, and much more Edward the sixth, and Queen Elizabeth, all these did set so many Councillors, so many Divines, and so many common and civil Lawyers to cull out of the Popes Decretals such Canons as were most fit for Government, and most of such as cut off Popish supremacy, yet they could never agree of it, and so they admit them as the Popes Canons only; yet so that whereas reference of Ecclesiastical matters was to the Pope, now it is to the King as supreme head and Governor, but the Popes Canons are the government of the Church. Now what was the reason? There was an unsafe principle in their hearts, that they thought it lawful to take the Laws of the Roman Church, and that any King might have power to make Laws to govern the Church, as well as the Pope had. It is true, he hath power to make Laws as well as the Pope had, and better; but the truth is, ⟨p. 261⟩neither the Pope, nor King hath power to make Laws to rule the Church, but it must be by the Laws of Christ.

Fourthly,¹ it may teach us (in the fear of God) to have an eye to our brethren in our native Country, to consider those defects that those which reformed religion before us did leave in the recovery of the Country out of the jaws of Antichrist; (you see what the Lord requires of us, that we should have nothing to do with the number of the Beast) Though they cut off the head of the Beast, from being of any soveraign power to them, yet they took too much liberty for forme of worship, and for the number of the Popes name, and of Government by Canon Laws, yea the whole Church discipline by the Popish Canon Law, onely with this destinction, that whereas the Pope enjoyed it before, now the King he claims headship over the Church aswel as the civil State, and he deriveth the Church-power to the chief Bishops, and they worke upon it more and more; and though it be true, both Henery the eighth, and much more Edward the sixth, and Queen Elizabeth, all these did set so many Councellors, so many Divines, and so many common and civil Lawyers to cull out of the Popes Decretals such Canons as were most fit for Government, and most of such as cut off Popish supremacy, yet they could never agree of it, and so they admit them as the Popes Canons only; yet so that whereas reference of Ecclesiastical matters was to the Pope, now it is to the King as supream head and Governour, but the Popes Canons are the government of the Church. Now what was the reason? There was an unsafe principle in their hearts, that they thought it lawfull to take the Laws of the Roman Church, and that any King might have power to make Laws to govern the Church, as well as the Pope had. It is true, he hath power to make Lawes as well as the Pope had, and better; but the truth is,