One thing more ; the beast is expressed before in chap. xiii. to be led by the devil. So that howsoever the devil, who by St Paul is called the god of this world, and the pope the subordinate vicar to the devil, and so by consequence he is the devil, for the devil, the dragon rules him. Howso- ever, I say there be the devil, the god of this world, and the pope in this world, the vicar of that dragon ; yet there is but one monarch, one that rules all, both devil and pope, and all the wicked limbs of both to his own ends. It was God that put it into the hearts of these kings to give up their kingdoms to the beast. It is he alone that is absolute, that gives up the liberty of the chain, both to men and devils : thus far they shall go, and no further. It is a good saying of the schools. That there is no ill so ill, as there is good that is good : there is not any ill so strong as God is good, but every ill must come under the government of God. The devil himself, nor the vile heart of man, cannot go out of his rule, yet may run out of his commandments. But then it runs into his justice. He may go against the revealed will of God, but then he runs into his secret will. There is no ill ill in that degree that God is good ; but every ill is in somewhat, and from somewhat, and for somewhat, that is good, as it is over-ruled by God. The crucifying of Christ, which was the worst action that ever was, yet it tended to the greatest good, viz., the salvation of man- kind. So this giving to the beast of these ten thrones by these ten kings, it was a sin and a punishment of their sin ; but it was for a good end, as we shall see afterward, if the time will give leave.
This should teach us absolute dependence and subjection to this great God. They need fear no creatures that fear God. They need fear no devil, nor Turk, nor pope, nor all the limbs of them ; for God is the abso- lute monarch of the world. He can do what he will ; and if God be on our side, who can be against us ? It is said he is a wise politician that can make his own ends out of his enemies' designs. The great governor of heaven and earth can do so. He can put a hook into the nostrils of the leviathans of this world, and can draw them and rule them as he pleaseth. They may do many things, but it shall be all to accomphsh his ends and purposes. They shall do his will. God put it into the hearts of these kings to fulfil his will ; he put it into their hearts to agree to give up their kingdoms to the beast, and so they did submit themselves to anti- christ for a great while.
In the next place, it is expressed how this came : ' They gave their king-
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doms to the beast.' We are to see how far faulty these kings were, and how far faulty the pope, the beast, was, to whom they gave their kingdoms. For it may be objected that these men they did but obey God, for he put it into their hearts ; and for the pope, they offered their kingdoms to him, and who would not receive offered gold ? But here is a deal of devilish deceit. For, first, God gave them over to themselves, and they gave them- selves and their kingdoms to the beast. What then was sinful in them ? This, to give their kingdoms to the beast.
This, they betrayed their kingdoms. Here is a wrong to God, a wrong to themselves, and a wrong to their subjects. A wrong to God, whose vicegerents they were. Did he give them their kingdoms to give them to his enemy, to give them to the beast, and by consequence to the devil ? Doth God raise up men to rule that they should enthral themselves and their kingdoms to the beast, to give them to God's enemies ? No ; kings reign by him. The pope saith. By me. Is their constitution of men ? No, kings reign by God ; they derive their authority from him : ' It is he that hath power over kings,' Dan. ii. 21. They reign not if he will, and they may rule if he will, by his will permitting, else no man can reign. ' By me kings reign.' If, then, they reign by him, it is a treason against God to betray the kingdoms that he hath given them into the hands of his enemies. It is a wrong to Christ. Whereas they should kiss the Son by kisses of subjection ; as princes use to do in the eastern countries, to fall down and kiss their sovereigns' toes, they do in this the clean contrary.
Here is a wrong to themselves. They betray their own authority ; that when God hath made them kings to rule they will be slaves ; and it is a great sin for a man not to maintain his standing, as it is well observed by his Majesty, who, if ever prince did, doth vindicate himself, and challenge his regal authority : and it shall continue, and make him live even to the world's end (g). It is the greatest sin for a man to betray himself. Every man is to maintain that place and standing that God hath set him in. These ten horns they wronged themselves and their place ; God made them kings over their people, and they become slaves to an antichristian priest.