Revelation 13:16 Revelation 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. In these words we are to observe four particulars. First,  the maker of this edict or law. He causeth; that is, the beast that hath ten horns, crowned; and two horns like a Lamb; He is the beast of the eighth head, and is of the seven. \ See the exposition; See KNOLLYS: Revelation 17:8 [ff] See KNOLLYS: Revelation 17:9 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 17:10 See KNOLLYS: Revelation 17:11 that is to say, the Roman papal dominion, and especially, the universal head of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Rome, so declared by the Emperor Phocas, and so acknowledged, to be, by the professed subjection of all the Papists. Secondly,  the matter of the edict or law, that the beast doth impose, and compel obedience unto. He causeth all men to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; And also, that they have the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Thirdly,  the persons on whom he imposeth this his edict or law. He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. Fourthly,  the penalty to be inflicted upon him that will not submit to that law of the beast And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. And in the last verse of this chapter, \ we are exhorted to count the number of the beast. And first,  we are told, that it is the number of a man, namely, of the man of sin, \ The son of perdition, who goeth into Perdition. \ The eighth king or kind of government; that is, the Roman papal dominion. Secondly,  we are there told, that his number is six hundred threescore and six. Thirdly,  that he, that would count this number of the beast, must be endued with wisdom and understanding. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast. The true exposition of these three verses doth consist in the right interpretation of those three things expressed in the seventeenth verse, which are the mark, the name of the beast, and the number of his name. For these three things have a mutual relation to the beast, and to his image, and to their worshippers; and also one to another. Compare Revelation 13:15-17 with Revelation 14:9-11 and seriously consider the exposition of both those scriptures, and the Lord give understanding. By the name of the beast, we are to understand, that by which he is commonly known; that is, his sovereign power and supremacy in all matters, and over all persons, both political and ecclesiastical, as Lord and head of the Catholic Church on earth; and the only potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. For he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, \ Shewing himself that he is God. And herein the Pope of Rome is Antichrist, and his poli-ecclesiastic dominion is anti-Christian. For God hath set our Lord Jesus Christ far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named. \ By the mark received in the right hand and in the forehead, we are to understand the profession of the faith of a Roman Catholic, by and through which he doth acknowledge his subjection, and allegiance to the universal headship of the Pope of Rome. This definition of the mark received in the right hand and in the forehead agreeth, first,  omni, to every subject in the beast’ s kingdom; for he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to receive a mark. \ Though all are not Cardinals, all are not archbishops, all are not Lord Bishops, yet all are Catholics, all agree in this, to profess the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome. This is not a maxime communis. Secondly,  the mark agreeth Soli, only to such as are subjects of the beast’ s kingdom, and to none else. Here is not a maxime propria. Thirdly,  the mark agreeth semper, at all times, \ of the beast’ s dominion from the beginning to the end of his kingdom. The name of universal headship is that which giveth foundation to the mark or profession, a priori. And the mark or profession is that which declareth the name, or universal headship a posteriori; and therefore it is called caragma tou onomatov autou, the mark of his name. \ And receive the mark of his name. The punishments there threatened shew how great a sin it is against Christ openly to profess subjection to the universal headship of the Pope. It was always dangerous to worship the beast or his image, or receive his mark; but now it will be damnable. \ It is the peculiar and incommunicable pre-eminence of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be the only head of the Church of God. \ Therefore what man so ever doth ascribe the universal headship of the church to any but our Lord Jesus Christ, doth (as much as in him lies) dethrone Christ, and put him from his kingly and sovereign dignity, authority and kingdom. the number of the beast we are to understand the year six hundred threescore and six. \ Some expositors have thought this number to be the finishing or ending time of the beast’ s kingdom; but they were mistaken; for it was foretold John to be the beginning of time of the beast’ s universal headship. Now the wisdom given to understand this time and number of the beast, is to make a just account of the time from the beginning of the Roman Kingdom unto the six hundred sixty sixth year thereof; when the Emperor Phocas, by his edict, declared the Bishop of Rome to be the universal head of the church; which was Boniface the third. The sum of all is this, first, if you consider the papacy as a state or government, persecuting and afflicting the people of God under their dominion, both Jews and gentiles, so it is called the beast. Secondly, if you consider the universal headship (where in the form and essence of that kingdom and dominion doth consist) that is, the name of the beast. Thirdly, if you consider, that universal headship as a representative of that sovereign majesty that was lost in Rome Imperial, and now repaired in Rome Papal, that is the image of the beast. Fourthly, if you consider the public profession of subjection unto the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome, that is the mark of the beast. Fifthly, if you consider the time when this universal headship began visibly and notoriously to appear, to be declared, owned and worshipped, that is the number of the beast. All these are distinct apocalyptical considerations, touching the beast.