corrupted clergy is farther feen in perfuading and inducing mankind (ver. 14.) to make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a fword and did live; that is an image and reprefentative of the Roman empire, which was wounded by the fword of the barbarous nations, and revived in the revival of a new emperor of the west. He had alfo power (ver. 15.) to give life and activity unto the image of the beaft. It fhould not be a dumb and lifelefs idol, but should speak and deliver oracles, as the statues of the heathen gods were feigned to do, and fhould caufe to be killed as many as would not vorship and obey it. Some by this image of the beaft (9) understand "the rife of the new empire "of Charlemain, which was an image of the "old Roman empire, and is now become the empire of Germany:" but this is the beaft himself, who had the wound by a fword and did live, and not the image of the beaft; the rise of this new empire was the healing of his deadly wound, by which he lived again. Others more probably (1) conceive, that this image of the beaft is "the office of inquifition, which σε was introduced among the blind vulgar, as a popular scheme, and warmly recommended " by (9) Limborch. Theol. Chrift. Lib. 7. Cap. 11. Sect. 16. Lord Napier in locum. Whifton's by the Dominican and Franciscan monks, at "firft without any voice of command, or power "of execution; till courts were erected inde 66 pendent of bishops; and judges, officers, "familiars, prifons, and tormenters were ap pointed, who should put to exquisite punish"ments, and deliver over to a cruel death all "that would not fubmit with an implicit obe"dience:" but the office of inquifition is eftablished only in fome particular popish countries, and this belongs and extends to all in general. As many as would not worship the image of the beaft, the image of the beast should caufe to be killed: but there are many papists who do not receive and own the authority of the inquifition, and yet the inquifition doth not attempt to destroy and exftirpate all such papists. What appears most probable is, that this image and representative of the beaft is the Pope. He is properly the idol of the church. He represents in himself the whole power of the beaft, and is the head of all authority temporal as well as fpiritual. He is nothing more than a private perfon, without power and without authority, till the two-horned beaft or the corrupted clergy by choosing him pope give life unto him, and enable fion: 6. Critical notes on fome Paffages (2) Bon enable him to speak and utter his decrees, and to perfecute even to death as many as refufe to fubmit to him and to worship him. As foon as he is chofen pope, he is clothed with the pontifical robes, and crowned and placed upon the altar, and the cardinals come and kiss his feet, which ceremony is called adoration. They first elect, and then they worship him; as in the (2) medals of Martin V, where two are reprefented crowning the pope, and two kneeling before him, with this infcription Quem creant adorant, Whom they create they adore. He is the principle of unity to the ten kingdoms of the beast, and caufeth, as far as he is able, all who will not acknowlege his fupremacy, to be put to death. In fhort he is the most perfect likeness and resemblance of the ancient Roman emperors, is as great a tyrant in the Christian world as they were in the Heathen world, prefides in the fame city, ufurps the fame powers, affects the fame titles, and requires the fame univerfal homage and adoration. So that the prophecy defcends more and more into particulars, from the Roman ftate or ten kingdoms in general, to the Roman Church or clergy in particular, and still more particularly to the perfon of the pope, (2) Bonanni Numifmat. Pontific. Romanor. Daubuz. p.582. (3) Vide Grot. in locum. Cleric. in Levit. XIX. 28. et fupra pope, the head of the ftate as well as of the church, the king of kings as well as bishop of bishops. And he will .. Other offices the falfe prophet performs to the beast in subjecting all forts of people to his obedience, by impofing certain terms of communion, and excommunicating all who dare in the leaft article to diffent from them. (ver. 16, 17.) He caufeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, of whatsoever rank and condition they be, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: not permit any man to buy or fell, or partake of the common intercourfes of life, who hath not the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. We must understand, that it was (3) cuftomary among the ancients, for fervants to receive the mark of their mafter, and foldiers of their general, and those who were devoted to any particular deity of the particular deity to whom they were devoted. Thefe marks were ufually impreffed on their right hand or ontheir foreheads; and confifted of fome hieroglyphic character, or of the name expreffed in vulgar letters, or of the name disguised in numerical letters according to the fancy of the impofer. fupra omnes Spencerum de Legibus Hebræorum Ritualibus. VOL. III. R Lib. 2. Cap. 2c. Se&. 1, 3, 4. (4) Ut pofer. It is in allufion to this ancient practice and custom, that the symbol and profeffion of faith in the church of Rome, as fubferving to fuperftition, idolatry and tyranny, is called the mark or character of the beast; which character is said to be received in their forehead, when they make open and public declaration of their faith, and in their right hand, when they live and act in conformity to it. If any diffent from the stated and authorized forms, they are condemned and excommunicated as heretics; and in confequence of that they are no longer fuffered to buy or fell; they are interdicted from traffic and commerce, and all the benefits of civil fociety. So Roger Hoveden (4) relates of William the conqueror, that he was so dutiful to the pope, that he would not permit any C one in his power to buy or fell any thing, whom he found difobedient to the apoftolic fee.' So the canon of the council of Lateran under Pope Alexapud Medum. p. 509. apud Vitring. p. 624. et apud Daubuz. p. 598. (4) Ut neminem in fua potellate aliquid emere aut vendere permiferit, quem apoftolicæ fedi deprehenderit inobedientem. Ex Ufferio de fuccefs. Ecclef. Cap. 7. Sect. 7. apud Vitring. p. 624. & apud Daubuz. p. (6) Ne ubi cogniti fuerint illius hærefeos fectatores, receptaculum iis quifquam in terra fua præbere, aut præfidium impertiri præfumat; fed nec in venditione aut emptione aliqua cum iis communio habeatur, ut folatio faltem humanitatis amiffo, ab errore viæ fuæ refipifcere cogantur. Ex Ufferio de fuccefs. Ecclef |
