Secondly, The Roman Beast also (that WAS) is described by his Present State, 1. Negatively, And is NOT. ⟨p. 8⟩2. Affirmatively, And yet IS(i). Herein lieth another Mystery; And here is the Mind, that hath Wisdom: to know in what Respect the Roman Beast is NOT, and yet IS. I will not be positive, nor dare I presume to make a determinate Judgment, and to give a Resolution herein; but I humbly offer my Opinion, and submit it to the Mind, that hath Wisdom, and let him, that hath understanding in this Mystery, judge what I say. It is said HE is NOT, with Respect to those five Kings, or Kinds of Kingly Government, viz. Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemvirs,2 and Tribunes, which were fallen, that is, past and gone before St. John's time. For this BEAST, which rose out of the Sea of the Troubles and Confusions in Rome, and in the Roman Empire, and out of the Earth of the Apostasies(k) which the Apostle foretold should be in the latter Days, and which the Angel was now Revealing unto John (l)viz. Papal Rome, Is NOT yet Come, Rev. 17.10. that is, HE was not in Being, when St. John write this Book. And yet HE IS, that is to say ONE IS,5 to wit the Emperor, who IS the sixth King, then in Being in St. John's time, and sometime after, Rev. 17.10. And there are seven Kings, Five are fallen, And ONE IS, And the Other is not yet come, viz. to be the Seventh head of the Roman Empire, and the Supreme Governor of the Roman Monarchy. The Roman-Papal BEAST is NOT, that is to say, HE is not God's Ordinance of Magistracy, nor a lawful Power ordained of God, but he IS an Usurper of the Roman Kingdom; And an Instrument of the great Dragon,6 that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, Rev. 12.3.9. viz. The Roman Pagan Emperor, And also the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil, •ad Satan, Rev. 20.2. viz. He that beguiled Eve, through his Subtlety, 2 Cor. 2.11.3. gave the BEAST his Power, and his Throne and his Supreme Authority. So that Beast (the Pope of Rome) hath the Roman-Power, but not Jure Divino, HE IS NOT, by God's Approbation. And yet HE IS the Supreme Roman-Governor. Yea HE IS of the Seven, ⟨p. 9⟩to wit, the seventh King or kind of Kingly Government, as is before said. And HE even he is the Eighth. Rev. 17.11.(m).
Secondly, The Roman Beast also (that WAS) is described by his Present State, 1. Negatively, And is NOT. ⟨p. 8⟩2. Affirmatively, And yet IS(i). Herein lyeth another Mystery; And here is the Mind, that hath Wisdom: to know in what Respect the Roman Beast is NOT, and yet IS. I will not be positive, nor dare I presume to make a determinate Judgment, and to give a Resolution herein; but I humbly offer my Opinion, and submit it to the Mind, that hath Wisdom, and let him, that hath understanding in this Mystery, judge what I say. It is said HE is NOT, with Respect to those five Kings, or Kinds of Kingly Government, viz. Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemvirs,2 and Tribunes, which were fallen, that is, past and gone before St. John's time. For this BEAST, which rose out of the Sea of the Troubles and Confusions in Rome, and in the Roman Empire, and out of the Earth of the Apostacies(k) which the Apostle foretold should be in the latter Days, and which the Angel was now Revealing unto John (l)viz. Papal Rome, Is NOT yet Come, Rev. 17.10. that is, HE was not in Being, when St. John write this Book. And yet HE IS, that is to say ONE IS,5 to wit the Emperour, who IS the sixth King, then in Being in St. John's time, and sometime after, Rev. 17.10. And there are seven Kings, Five are fallen, And ONE IS, And the Other is not yet come, viz. to be the Seventh head of the Roman Empire, and the Supreme Governour of the Roman Monarchy. The Roman-Papal BEAST is NOT, that is to say, HE is not God's Ordinance of Magistracy, nor a lawful Power ordained of God, but he IS an Usurper of the Roman Kingdom; And an Instrument of the great Dragon,6 that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, Rev. 12.3.9. viz. The Roman Pagan Emperour, And also the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil, •ad Satan,
- (i)Rev. 17.8, 9.
- 2Ancients. Irenaeus, l. 5. adversus Haeres. c. 28. Tertul. de Resur. car. c. 25. Ander. Caesar. Episc. cap. 36. in Apoc. 13. v. 1. Bede in Apoc. 13. v. 1.Ancients. Irenaeus, l. 5. adversus Haeres. c. 28. Tertul. de Resur. car. c. 25. Ander. Caesar. Episc. cap. 36. in Apoc. 13. v. 1. Beda in Apoc. 13. v. 1.
- (k)1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. and 2 Thes. 2.3, 4, 5.
- (l)Rev. 13.1. and ver. 11. and Rev. 17.3.7, 8.
- 5Modern. Joan. Viguer. Instit. Theol. c. 21. Sect. 3. v. 4. Nich. Sander. l. 8. de visib. Eccl. Monarch. c. 1. in Libro octavo. Nich. Zegar in Apoc. 13.
- 6Papists. Benedict. Pererius, l. 14. in Dan. R. Bellarminus l. 3. de R. P. c. 2.8. Francis. Rib. in Apoc. 13. Sect. 1. Hiomne Bestiam Apoc. 13.1. ipsissimum esse Antichristum inter•retantur.
- (m)Bestia sc. Papa Rom. Is octavus est, Et de septem illis est, Quia nimirum Papa sc. Antichristus (Cornu illud parvulum Dan. 7.20.) oriturus erat de medio Cornuum quartae bestiae, quae Imperium adumbrabat Romanum, &c. J.W. lib. de ultimo Romae Exitio. p. 6.
