and the seventh Trumpet doth not end with the eleventh Chapter for if it did a close would have been put unto it at the end of that Chapter to distinguish it from the Prophecies that follow but there being no period put unto it there as there is to the former Trumpets where they end it is an Argument sufficient that it doth not end there but is to be extended farther even to the twelfth Chapter and to all the Chapters following inclusively until a Period be put unto it which is no where to be found so that the seventh Trumpet hath no end at all nor any close put unto it as the fifth and sixth Trumpets have Rev. 9. 12. Rev. 11. 14. and seeing the seventh Trumpet doth belong unto the Book with seven seals the Prophecy of the twelfth Chapter and of all the rest that follow doth belong unto that other Book also 10. If the little Book had the following Prophecies written in it from the eighth verse of this Chapter to the end of the Revelation what 's the reason that the Angel doth acquaint John with them afterward A man would think that after he had taken the Book and eaten it up he should have known what the Prophecies had been which were contained in it without any further help or any further Revelation but we find that in the next Chapter after this the Angel doth acquaint John with the Prophecies of that Chapter and tells him what they be from point to point and therefore the little Book though eaten up by him did not acquaint him with them before nor tell him what they were Ob. But why was John commanded to eat the little Book if it had no Prophecy written in it Ans. 1. To acquaint him with the sweetness and the bitterness of the Prophecies which follow for by eating of the Book which was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his belly he thereby knew that the Prophecies which follow should be be sweet in the beginning but bitter afterward 2. To signifie unto him that he had not made an end of Prophecying and in particular that the Prophecy of the sixth Trumpet was not fully ended there was a little more behind not yet revealed to him which he was to add to the former part thereof and therefore it is said thou must Prophecy again not begin a new Prophecy ab ovo from the first Original but Prophecy again that is of the other part behind belonging to the sixth Trumpet which was not spoken of before but what that other part was was not written in the little Book but reported to him by word of mouth and it belongs all of it to the sixth Trumpet and the little Book it self to boot From hence it follows 1. That the whole Prophetical part of the Apocalypse doth not consist of two main Prophecies both of them beginning their race at the same Epoch◠or terminus à quo of time and concluding together likewise at the same goal or terminus ad quem The first of these as Mr. Mede would have it is prophetia sigillorum reaching from the fourth Chapter unto almost the end of the tenth The second is prophetia libri beginning at the eighth verse of the tenth Chapter and reaching to the end of the Book But herein Mr. Mede is exceedingly out for there is but one Prophetical Book of the Apocalypse as hath been proved in this Question and this Book is Prophetia sigillorum the Prophecy of the seals reaching from the fourth Chapter or rather from the sixth Chapter to the end of the Revelation 2. That the Prophecies of the Revelation shall come to pass in order as they came forth out of the sealed Book seal after seal Trumpet after Trumpet Vial after Vial and so of all the rest in order as they were presented unto Iohn in Vision of which more in the next Question 2 Quest. Whether the Prophecies of the Revelation shall come to pass in order as they were revealed to John Ans. 1. Things revealed at once and not at several distant times come to pass in order as they be revealed as for instance The Prophecy of the four Monarchies Dan. 7. was revealed to Daniel all at once and it did and shall come to pass in order as it was revealed so the Prophecy of the Ram and Hee-Goat Dan. 8. was revealed to him all at once and it came to pass in order as it was revealed and so give instance where you will it never failes But now the Prophecies of the Revelation were revealed to Iohn all at once and not at several distant times as was proved at large Disp. 1. q. 2. therefore they shall come to pass in order as they were revealed It is otherwise where things are revealed at several distant times here no such order is observed as for instance The Prophecy of the fourth beast Dan. 7. was revealed to him above a year before the Prophecy of the Ram and Hee-Goat mentioned Dan. 8. but yet the Prophecy of the Ram and Hee-Goat came to pass before it In like manner had the Prophecies of the Revelation been revealed to Iohn at several distant times as some of Daniels Prophecies were we could not conclude from thence that they shall come to pass in order as they were revealed but in regard they were revealed to him all at once or at one continued time without ceasing or intermission of his ecstasie we may and must conclude from thence that they shall come to pass in order as they were revealed and presented unto Iohn in Vision 2. The Prophecies of the Revelation were written all of them in one Book and not in two and that was the Book sealed with seven seals c. 5. But as for the little Book c. 10. it had not any Prophecy written in it as was proved at large in the former Question Now had the Prophecies of the Revelation been written in two Books and not in one it might be possible that the Prophecies of these two Books might begin their race at the same Epoch◠or terminus à quo of time and conclude together likewise at the same goal or terminus ad quem but in regard they were all of them written in one Book and not in two here is no colour at all for such a groundless imagination 3. Histories write of things in order as they come to pass as if a man were to write a Chronicle of the Kings of England he would not put King Henry the eighth and his Reign before King Henry the seventh but set down the Kings in order as they Reigned And no other is the case here the prophetical part of the Revelations is a History of things to come as a Chronicle is a History of things past and therefore it sets down things in order as a Chronicle doth 4. It is acknowledged by Mr. Mede and others of his mind that all the Prophecies in the Revelation except that of the Palm-bearers Rev. 7. 9. from
mind Read what is written at thy leasure and consider of it but read it in order and without prejudice for that will cloud thine Eyes and thou wilt not see the truth if thou read the Book with prejudice weigh one thing with another as well the series and order of the Prophecies as the words and exposition of them and the Lord who is the Author of the Prophecy and revealed it to John reveal the truth unto thee Farewell Richard Hayter A Paraphrase with Questions on the Revelation of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Divine from the sixth Chapter to the eighteenth CHAP. VI. The Prophecy of the first Seal 1. AND when Jesus Christ had opened the first Seal I heard the first living Creature say unto me Come and see what shall come to pass hereafter not shortly as the things thou hast seen already shall but a great while hence and that not in Europe but in Asia 2. And I saw that there should come a man riding on a white Horse which is a sign of conquest and that he should be a King and should have first a Bow and afterwards a Crown and should go forth Conquering and to Conquer but some things should be left unconquered by him The Prophecie of the second Seal 3. And when he had opened the second Seal I heard the second living Creature say unto me Come and see what shall come to pass hereafter not shortly as the things in the Epistles to the seven Churches shall but a great while hence and that not in Europe but in Asia 4. And I saw that there should come another man after the Prophecy of the first Seal is ended riding on a red Horse which is a sign of blood and that he should take peace from off the earth or the place where he lived and should cause that men should kill one another by intestine Wars and that he should have a great Sword to commit a great and mighty slaughter and slay many men therewith The Prophecy of the third Seal 5. And when he had opened the third Seal I heard the third living Creature say unto me Come and see what shall come to pass hereafter not long before the day of Judgment doth begin and that not in Europe or the Isles afar off but in Asia 6. Then I looked and saw that there should come a third man after the Prophecy of the second Seal is ended riding on a Black Horse with a pair of balances in his hand which are a sign of Civil Justice And I heard a voice among the four living Creatures say that in the time of this rider men should not live by rapine as in the time of War but should pay for what they took if any one would have a measure of Wheat he should pay a penny for it and if any one would have a measure of Barley he should pay a penny for it and if any man would have any Oyl or Wine he should pay good money for it and wrong no man therein The Prophecy of the fourth Seal 7. And when he had opened the fourth Seal I heard the forth living Creature say unto me Come and see what shall come to pass hereafter not in Europe but in Asia a little before the day of judgment shall begin 8. And I saw that there should come a fourth man after the Prophecy of the third Seal is ended riding on a pale Horse which is a sign of Death and that should be this riders name because so many people should be killed and destroyed by him that death it self should go along with him where ever he went and the compass they should fetch should be the fourth part of Asia to slay men with Sword and with Famine and with Pestilence and with the Wild ravenous beasts that should be therein The Prophecy of the fifth Seal 9. And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw the Souls of them which had been slain for the word of God and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ a long time before this Prophecy should begin 10. That they should now cry to God for vengeance of their blood and it should be a loud and earnest cry which they should make as if they did expostulate with God and say How long Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on the bloody inhabiters of the earth why dost thou delay the time so long 11. And hereupon I saw that some addition should be made unto their present happiness and as for the revenging of their blood it was said unto them that it should be deferred a little longer until their fellow Servants and their Brethren which should profess the same Faith which they did should be slain as they were and this is to be done in the time of this Seal before the sixth Prophecy shall begin and when this slaughter of their fellow Servants and their Brethren should be over then God will revenge their blood all together The Prophecy of the sixth Seal 12. And when he had opened the sixth Seal I saw that there should be a great shaking and concussion in the Heavens and that the Sun it self should become as black as Sack-cloth made of Goats hair and the Moon as red as blood 13. And divers Meteors should fall from Heaven to the earth in clusters like as unripe Figs of a latter spring fall off from the Tree in heaps when the Tree is shaken of a mighty wind 14. And black gloomy clouds should cover the face of all the Sky and the Heaven should depart from mens eyes and sight like a scroll of Parchment when it is folded up and rolled together and a Star should not be seen in all the Sky no more than a letter is discernable in a roll of Parchment when it is folded up and rolled together and by the many earthquakes which should happen every mountain in the earth should be removed out of his place and every Island in the Sea 15. And men of all sorts should be astonished at the sight of these things the Kings and Great men of the earth the Soldiers and their chief Commanders the rich men and the poor men the bond-men and the free men should be astonished all together as well the one as the other and should seek a place to hide themselves some in Dens and Caves that be below the earth and some in Rocks that be upon the Hills and Mountains 16. And such a fear should come upon them all that they would cry unto the Mountains to fall upon them and to the Rocks to cover them from the presence of that angry God which sits upon the throne and from the face of Jesus Christ represented by the Holy Lamb. 17. For they shall now perceive and know that the great day of his revenging wrath is come and who is able to stand before it Disputation I. 1. Quest. Whether John received and wrote the Revelation in the
written after the Seven Churches of Asia were converted to the Christian Faith But we cannot find that these Seven Churches were converted to the Faith in the dayes of Claudius but 't is more likely that Ephesus was converted in the dayes of Nero and that because as Doctor Hammond observes pag. 648. the first time that Paul disputed at Ephesus was about Ann. Ch. 51. and it was three years after that before Ephesus was converted and that was Anno Ch. 54. which was the First year of Nero's Reign See Bishop Vshers Annal. pag. 668. 670. 671. from whom we may learn that Ephesus was not converted until the Reign of Nero. 10. Suppose it were true that these Churches were converted in the dayes of Claudius yet they could not be converted any long time before his Death and that because he Reigned but thirteen years and nine moneths in all and either all or the greatest part of that time was spent in converting other Churches as you may read Act. 15 16 17 and 18. Chapters so that they could not be converted any long time before his death yea in his time it was that Paul and Timothy were forbidden to Preach in Asia Act. 16. 6. But now the Gospel had been Preached unto them a long time before this Book was written and they were not new converts but old ones and of long standing in the Christian Faith when this Book was written to them as these Texts of Scripture sufficiently declare Rev. 2. 2 3 4 5. 9. 13 19. 21. 11. If this Book had been written in the ninth year of Claudius Paul would not have gone to Ephesus to Preach the Gospel there at the latter end of his Reign for Paul did not Preach the Gospel where it had been Preached before by others as he himself confesseth Rom. 15. 20 21. 2 Cor. 10. 13 14 15 16. Now we find that Paul went to Preach the Gospel at Ephesus before it was converted Act. 18. 19. and this was at the latter end of Claudius's Reign for his going thither was as Dr. Hammond in his Preface before the Epistle to the Ephesians saith about the one and fiftieth year of Christ and that was at the latter end of Claudius's Reign and therefore this Book was not written then but at some time or other afterward 12. Why was this Book revealed unto John and not rather unto Paul for Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles and John of the circumcision Gal. 2. 9. and Paul had the honour to convert the Gentiles to the Christian Faith not John as you may read in the Acts of the Apostles c. 18. 19. and 20. and therefore it is likely that if this Prophecy had been revealed in the days of Paul that it should have been revealed unto him and that Paul should have been the pen-man of it and not John which we know is otherwise and therefore the true cause why this Prophecy was revealed unto John and not to Paul was because Paul was dead and the other Apostles were dead when this Prophecy was revealed and onely John was then alive whom it could be revealed unto 13. This Book was one of the last Books of Scripture that was written if not the last of all as the words Rev. 22. 18. do imply but if this Book were written in the ninth year of Claudius the Epistle to the Ephesians and all other of Pauls Epistles had been written after this yea the Gospel of St. Luke the Acts of the Apostles and all other Books of the new Testament except the Gospel by St. Mathew had been written after this and this Book should not have been one of the last much less the last of all but one of the first Books of the new Testament that was written Ob. What Irenaeus affirms concerning John 's Vision at the end of Domitian is not of all but particularly of that Vision of the number of the Beast c. 13. 18. Thus will Eusebius 's words be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If the name of Antichrist ought to be Proclaimed openly now it would have been declared by him that saw the Revelation for it was not seen any long time ago Where 't is clear that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was seen may belong to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the Beast as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declared did And that it not only may but must be so understood appears by the Latine of Irenaeus which only is extant which reads it thus Antichristi nomen per ipsum utique editum fuisset qui Apocalypsin viderat neque enim ante multum temporis visum est sed pene sub nostro seculo â—d finem Domitiani imperii The name of Antichrist would have been published by him who saw the Apocalypse for it was not seen any long time since but almost under our age at the end of Domitians Empire Where the word visum in the Neuter seen not visa in the Feminine belongs apparently to the name not to the Apocalypse Ans. 1. John saw the Prophecies of the Revelation all together at one time and not at several distant times as shall be proved in the next question and therefore for any man to think that he had the vision of the name of the Beast by it self alone at the end of Domitians Reign and of the rest of the Apocalypse at some other time before is but a meer fancy at the best 2. Irenaeus counted the name of the Beast noâ— worthy to be divulged at large by the Holy Ghost and therefore it is far from his meaning that it was seen by itself alone from the rest of the Apocalypse 3. Irenaeus doth not say nomen viderat that John saw the name of the Beast but Apocalypsin viderat that he saw the Apocalypse and this was seen not any long time ago but almost in our time at the end of Domitians Reign 4. Eusebius brings the Testimony of Irenaeus to prove that John was banished into Patmos at the end of Domitians Reign and therefore he understands Irenaeus as we do and his opinion is that the Apocalypse was seen by John in the Reign of Domitian and not the name of the Beast by itself alone 5. It is a very unlikely thing that John should be banished into Patmos in the Reign of Claudius and see some part of the Revelation there in his time and the name of the Beast elsewhere by itself alone at the end of Domitians Reign which was above fourty years afterwards without the least intimation of any such thing 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eusebius is not the Nominative case to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was seen as the objection would have it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Nominative case unto it which I prove thus That which John saw is the Nominative case to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was seen but Eusebius saith that John saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Revelation therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Claudius Lastly what Chronologers they be which have placed Johns banishment into Patmos in that ninth year of Claudius they do not tell us neither can I tell who they be for all that I have seen do place it in Domitians Reign and they are these Bucholcerus Helvicus Alstedius Calvicius and Funcius a Papist beside our English Writers Isaacson Fox and Hanmer Ob. About Claudius's time it was that the unbelieving Jews began and continued to oppose and persecute the Christian Jews and thereupon the Gnosticks compliances and making as if they were Jews to avoid persecution are so oft taken notice of by St. Paul Gal. 6. 12. and elsewhere And by all the Epistles both of him and the rest of the Apostles written from about that time of Claudius the Gnosticks are every where touched on as the pests that were creeping into the Churches against which they endeavoured to fortifie the believers and assure them that those persecutions of the Iews should be shortly ended by their destruction that night of sadness far spent and the day of deliverance and refreshment at hand Rom. 13. 12. Rom. 16. 20. and that then the Gnosticks which were so sollicitous to save their lives should lose them i.e. should perish with them Acordingly to the very same purpose is most of the Vision here that concerned the seven Churches c. 2. 2. 4. 9. 14. 20. and c. 3. 9 10. c. and much of the following Prophecy to assure them that God would take revenge on those impenitent and impure professors and rescue the constant Christians And that makes it very reasonable to believe that this Vision was received about the same time also Ans. Did not the unbelieving Jews persecute the Christians before Claudius's time was not the persecutions Act. 8. 1. Act. 9. 23. before Claudius's time and was not Steven stoned to death before Claudius's time yea did not the unbelieving Iews persecute the Christian in Christs time Ioh. 9. 22. and did not many of the Rulers believe in him but because of the Pharisees did not confess him lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue Ioh. 12. 12. Why do they not say that this Book was written then 2. Did not Christ foretel the destruction of the Iews in his time Mat. 24. 2. c. Luk. 21. 24. and did not he say unto them When ye see these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth near Luk. 21. 28. And if the Revelation were written to comfort the Christians against the Iews and assure them that those persecutions of the Iews should be shortly ended by their destruction as they say it was Why do they not think that it was written then 3. Doth not Paul take notice of the Gnosticks in the Epistle to the Ephesians c. 5. 3 4 5 6. as well as in the Epistle to the Galatians c. 6. 12. and were not both these Epistles and many others his where the Gnosticks are taken notice of written after the days of Claudius and why may not the Revelation be written after his days too 4. Did not the Iews persecute Christians in Domitians time and were there not Gnosticks at that time too Menander Basilides and others and why do they not think that this Book was written then In a word the persecution of the Jews and the complying of the Gnosticks to save themselves from persecution is no good Argument to shew the time when the Revelation was revealed to Iohn but Iohn being in the Isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ is a characteristical note of the time of its revealing Now there were no imperial edicts against the Christians as Christians in the time of Claudius as appears by Gallio's words Act. 18. 14 15. and by Pauls appeal to Caesar Act. 25. 11. and by Act. 28. 31. but in Domitians time there were edicts made against them and 't is the more likely that Iohn was banished then and the scope of the Revelation is not to acquaint the Churches with the destruction of the Jews or Gnosticks but to acquaint them rather with the things that are and the things that shall be hereafter to the end of the World Rev. 1. 19. Rev. 20. 11 12. Ob. The eight Kings or Emperors c. 17. 10. cannot otherwise be made intelligible but by beginning the account from Claudius so that he and Nero Galba Otho Vitellius shall be the five that were fallen and then Vespasian in whose time I suppose these Visions were committed to writing by St. Iohn being the sixth shall be the one is and Titus the seventh that is not yet come and when he comes shall stay but a little while reigning but two years and two months and then the Beast that was and is not and is the eighth and is of the seven and goes to destruction will fall out to be Domittan to whom and to whom onely of all the Emperors nay of all men in any story all those distinctive characters will appertain as that he exercised the office of the Emperor and was called Emperor at Rome when Vespasian was gone into Judaea and after his return became a private man again delivered up the Empire to him and so was and is not and then was the eighth reckoning from Claudius as the first and the Son of one of the seven viz. of Vespasian and should be a bloody persecutor and accordingly punished and so go to destruction Ans. It is past my understanding to find a reason why we should begin the account of the eight Kings or Emperors c. 17. 10. from Claudius and end it in Domitian and so leave out all the Emperors that were before Claudius and all them that went behind Domitian for the ten first persecutions did not begin in Claudius but in Nero neither did they end in Domitian but in Dioclesian Maximian Galerius and Licinius neither did any remarkable thing happen in the days of Claudius and end in the days of Domitian so as to force us to begin the account in the one and end it in the other 2. It cannot be made intelligible how the Angel could say to Iohn at the Revelation of these Visions Five are fallen meaning thereby Claudius Nero Galba Otho and Vitellius if so be these Visions were revealed to John in the Reign of Claudius for these five were not fallen then but Nero Galba Otho and Vitellius did succeed him in the Throne and were not fallen while he lived 3. It is past my intelligence to make it good that these Visions were received by John in the time of Claudius and not committed to writing till the time of Vespasian who began his Reign fifteen years after Claudius's decease for John did write his Visions presently as soon as he received them as appears Rev. 10. 4. and was commanded so to do Rev. 1. 19. Rev. 22. 10. 4. It is past my capacity to conceive that all the Prophecies
c. 7. The seat of the Holy War was Iudaea yet the Soldiers that Warred there against the Turks and Saracens were Europeans and such is the case here the main seat of the Prophecies is Asia yet the Countries near adjoyning may feel the smart of them as Europe felt the smart of the Holy War which was waged in Iudaea 8. The Prophecy of the final Judgment doth concern all the World yet the place where it shall be managed and to which they shall be brought to Judgment is Iudaea So the Prophecies of the Revelation may some of them concern Europe as well as Asia yet the Scene in which they shall be acted is rather Asia than Europe 4. Quest. Whether the Prophecies of the Revelation be of a long continuance or a short Ans. If all the Prophecies of the Revelation be of a short continuance God hath left his Church without a Prophecy to the end of the World for there is no Prophecy which doth reach so far except Daniel or the Revelation but they say the Prophecies of Daniel ended with the destruction of Ierusalem and if the Revelation ends then too or a little after where have we a Prophecy to the end of the World 2. We have a Prophecy in the fifth seal which begins with How long Lord Holy and true Rev. 6. 10. therefore 't is a long time before that Prophecy of the fifth seal is to begin and consequently it is a long time before the Prophecies of the four first Seals shall have an end 3. We have in the twentieth chapter a Prophecy of a thousand years long now a thousand years are not of a short but of a long continuance 4. There is but a little space it may be less than a year between the thousand years and the last Judgment Rev. 20. 3. and there is also set down what shall come to pass in that little space to wit the insurrection and destruction of Gog. and Magog Rev. 20. 7 8 9 10. therefore the Revelation is a Prophecy reaching to the last Judgment 5. We have in that twentieth chapter a Prophecy of the last Judgment it self and a large description of it from the eleventh verse to the end of the chapter therefore the Revelation is a Prophecy reaching not only to the last Judgment but takes the last Judgment in to boot 6. We may go a little further and say that in the one and twentieth and two and twentieth chapters we have a Prophecy of the new Ierusalem the eternal City of the blessed and of the Lake of fire burning with Brimstone the everlasting habitation of the damned therefore the Revelation reacheth not only to the last Judgment inclusively but goes beyond it and speaks in general of what shall come to pass afterward Lastly If the Prophecies of the Revelation were of short continuance what is the reason that Christ is not come to Judgment all this while is it not because the Prophecies of the Revelation which goe before it are not yet fulfilled for if they were Christ would come to Judgment presently and not defer his coming a moment longer and if Christ should come to Judgment to morrow the Prophecies of the Revelation which go before it would be fulfilled before to morrow and if Christ should defer his coming until another year or until another age be over it is because the Prophecies of the Revelation which go before his coming will not be fulfilled before I will not take upon me to determine when the day of Judgment shall begin but my opinion is 't is farther off than many men suppose it may be six thousand years from the Creation of the World shall be expired first and the seventh thousand shall be the day of Judgment and he that lives two hundred or three hundred years hence and finds that Christ is not then come to Judgment let him know the reason is because the Prophecies of the Revelation which go before that day are not then fulfilled and that Christ will defer his coming till they be And as when he suffered on the Cross he remained alive upon the Cross till all things were fulfilled and then gave up the Ghost Ioh. 19. 28. 30. so Christ will not come to Judgment but abide in Heaven where he is until the Prophecies of the Revelation be fulfilled which go before that day and as soon as that is done then Christ will come to Judgment and not defer it any longer as we may read Act. 3. 21. And if it shall be asked of me what Prophecies of the Revelation be yet behind and unfulfilled I answer there is the destruction of Gog and Magog Rev. 20. 8 9. there is the thousand years in the same chapter there is the destruction of the Beast and false Prophet Rev. 19 20 21. there is the destruction of Babylon Rev. 17 and 18. and for ought we yet know all the Prophecies in the Revelation from the first Seal to the end of the Book are yet to be expected Ob. But what then is the meaning of the words Rev. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that must shortly come to pass do not these words imply that all the Prophecies of the Revelation were shortly to begin and speedily to have an end Ans. The words Rev. 1. 1. are not to be extended to all the Prophecies in the Book but to the things spoken of in the Epistles to the seven Churches and no farther and the meaning of them is that the things spoken of in the Epistles to the seven Churches were shortly to begin and speedily to have an end but the Prophecies which follow afterward in the Book sealed with seven Seals were not to begin so soon nor speedily to have an end 2. There is a manifest opposition between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which must shortly be done Rev. 1. 1. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which must be done hereafter Rev. 4. 1. now the latter of these that is the things which must be done hereafter mentioned c. 4. 1. is the preface to the Prophecies contained in the following chapters therefore the first of these the things which must shortly be done mentioned c. 1. 1. is the preface to the things spoken of before in the Epistles to the seven Churches contained in the three first chapters and to end where they do end And I find that some are of the mind that the Vision of the seven Churches was written first and sent unto the Churches by it self before any of the rest was written or revealed unto John and if that were true it were then out of question that the words c. 1. 1. are a preface to the three first chapters and not unto the whole Book But 3. Suppose the words c. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which must shortly be done are to be extended to the whole Book as a Preface thereunto upon that supposition I say the meaning of them is not that all the Prophecies of
Mark of the Beast Rev. 16. 2. and upon his Throne and Kingdom vers 10. and upon Babylon vers 19. and they never leave her till they bring her and the Beast to a final end Rev. 17. and 18. and 19. 20. The second Part. Answ. And thus I have gone over the first part of his Synchronisms and as I believe have given fit Answers to them all what is true I have confessed to be true and what is otherwise I have given Reasons for my denial and dislike of it I proceed now with the like Candor and Ingenuity to speak unto the rest of the Synchronisms which follow but before I begin I must premise a few things in answer to his Prologue 1. That the little Book had not any Prophecy written in it as hath been proved in the former Question 2. That upon this account the Revelation or the prophetical part thereof may not fitly be divided into two main Prophecies as he would have it whereof the first is Prophetia sigillorum the prophecy of the Seals reaching from the fourth Chapter or rather from the sixth Chapter to almost the end of the tenth the second as he would have it is Prophetia libri the prophecy of the little Book beginning at the eighth Verse of the tenth Chapter and reaching to the end of the Revelation I say that this may not fitly be done because there is but one prophecy of the Revelation and that is Prophetia sigillorum the prophecy of the Seals which begins at the sixth Chapter and reacheth to the end of the Revelation for as for the little Book it had not any prophecy written in it and Mr. Mede should have proved that the little Book had all the prophecies in the Revelation from the eighth Verse of the tenth Chapter to the end of the Book written in it and not have supposed it so to be 3. That because there is but one Book of prophecy and not two therefore the prophecies of the eleventh Chapter and so onwards which are subsequent to the little Book shall not begin their race at the same Epochâ— that the Seals do and so run along with them ad eandem metam to the same Goal for this were to make two Books of prophecy when there is but one 4. Suppose it to be true as he saith that the Revelation doth consist of too main prophecies and the first of them to be Prophetia sigillorum the prophecy of the Seals reaching from the fourth Chapter to almost the end of the tenth the other to be Prophetia libri the prophecy of the little Book beginning at the eighth Verse of the tenth Chapter and reaching to the end of the Revelation Yet it no way follows that these two prophecies must contemporate or begin their race at the same Epochâ— of time and conclude together at the same Goal for the latter may begin where the other left for all that 5. Suppose the Book of the Revelation might fitly be divided into two Tomes and the second Tome to begin at the eighth Verse of the tenth Chapter at these Words And the voyce which I heard from Heaven spake unto me again yet by that voyce is not meant the voyce mentioned Chap. 4. vers 1. but the voyce mentioned Chap. 10. vers 4. and by the Words Thou must prophecy again is not meant that he must begin a new prophecy ab ovo from the first Original but rather that he must begin where he left before As if a man were commanded to write a History of the Kings of Israel in two Volumes the first Volume beginning with the Reign of Saul and ending with the Reign of David the other Volume beginning with the Reign of Solomon and ending with the Reign of Zedekiah doth not this last Volume begin where the other left And no other is the case here Suppose the prophecies of the Revelation to consist of two Tomes the one reaching from the fourth or sixth Chapter to the eighth Verse of the tenth Chapter the other from thence to the end of the Book this last tome doth not contemporate with the former but succeeds it and begins to Prophecy where the other left 6. We read not that the voice ch 10. v. 8. was as the sound of a Trumpet and therefore not likely to relate to the voice ch 4. v. 1. but rather to the voice ch 10. v. 4. for that voice ch 4. v. 1. is said to be as the sound of a Trumpet but this not But to what purpose he would have the Reader take notice of this I cannot tell Is this an Index that the Prophecy of the little Book as he calls it doth contemporate with the Prophecy of the Seals No more than the voice ch 4. v. 1. is an Index that the Prophecy of the Seals doth contemporate with the Vision of the seven Churches for both these as well that Rev. 1. 10. as that Rev. 4. 1. had a voice as of a Trumpet before them yet they do not contemporate each with other Lastly you may be sure that it is not so as he saith that the second Prophecy or the Prophecy of the little Book doth begin at the eighth verse of the tenth Chapter and reach from thence to the end of the Revelation because Ch. 11. you have the Period of the sixth Trumpet and the beginning of the seventh from the fourteenth verse to the end of the Chapter both which belong not unto the little Book but to the Prophecy of the Seals as you may see if you look into his scheme And thus much by way of answer to his Preface I come now to the Synchronisms themselves The first Synchronism which is the principal one is of the seventh Seal so far as the six first Trumpets reach with the ten horned and two horned Beasts and the rest contemporisers Ans. To which I answer first in general that the beginning of the Beast doth not contemporate with the beginning of the seventh Seal as he would have it nor the end of the Beast contemporate with the exit of the sixth Trumpet therefore here is no Synchronising 2. I answer to each branch of the Argument in particular and 1. I say that the beginning of the Beast doth not contemporate with the beginning of the seventh Seal but is the off-spring of the seventh Trumpet and comes forth into the World after the seventh Trumpet is begun Rev. 11. 15. Rev. 13. 1. 2. One opposite may be before another witness David and Goliah who were deadly opposites one unto another yet Goliah was the elder and David was the younger and did outlive Goliah so though these Sealed Virgins be opposite to the Beast Reigning yet the Virgins are the elder Company and are Sealed by the Angel before the Beast has a being in the World Opposition implies a partial contemporation not a total 3. In what respect are the Sealed Virgins opposite to the Beast but in respect of Religion and warlike persecution
but reacheth onward to the end of the Book and whereas the other Trumpets have a close added to them this Trumpet hath no close at all and therefore hath no end at all before the Book be ended You will say the four first Trumpets have no close to them Answ. They had other Trumpets to succeed them but this Trumpet is the last of all and hath no Trumpet to succeed it Again the two first Woe Trumpets had a close set unto them Rev. 9. 12. Rev. 11. 14. But this Trumpet is the third Woe Trumpet and therefore should in all likely-hood have a close set unto it as the other have if there were any to be set 2. This Prophecy doth not belong to the little Book but to the Book sealed with seven Seals for that Book had something written in it but the little Book had nothing written in it now there is no part of that Book to which this Prophecy can belong but to the seventh Trumpet only 3. The Prophecy of the seven Vials doth belong unto the seventh Trumpet therefore that which comes between the beginning of the seventh Trumpet and the seven Vials doth belong to the seventh Trumpet also Now that the seven Vials do belong to the seventh Trumpet may appear from hence that as the seventh Seal doth contain seven Trumpets so the seventh Trumpet by the like proportion doth contain seven Vials and Mr. Mede in his Remains pag. 10. doth implicitly confess this Argument to be good in case there be but one Book of Prophecy and this I have already proved in a select question on the tenth Chapter concerning this subject 4. The mystery of God doth belong unto the seventh Trumpet as the Angel plainly saith Rev. 10. 7. but the parturition of the Woman is the mystery of God there spoken of Rom. 11. 25. Ob. In the former Chapter v. 15. 17 18. there is mention of the Kingdom of Christ and of the time of the dead that they should be judged and shall this Prophecy succeed that Ans. No it shall not succeed it but begin it The conversion of the Jews is the inchoation of the Kingdom there spoken of as appears v. 10. and the time of the dead in which they shall â—e judged or avenged shall follow thereupon as appears v. 12. but more particularly ch 14. 7. 13. 15 16. ch 15. 1. ch 16. throughout ch 18. 6. 20. 24. ch 19. 2. 20 21. all which belong unto the seventh Trumpet and is the execution of what was spoken of in general in the former Chapter in which the seventh Trumpet is set down in gross but in this and the Chapters following at retail To which may be added that the seventh Trumpet is a Woe Trumpet and there be no Woes belonging to that Trumpet in the former Chapter but only in the general therefore the particulars are in the Chapters following 2. Quest. Whether this Prophecy doth contemporate with the Prophecy of the two witnesses or succeed it Ans. 1. The seventh Trumpet doth succeed the sixth but this Prophecy belongs to the seventh Trumpet and that of the two witnesses to the sixth 2. That which gave occasion or an opportunity to the building of the Temple and the prophecying of the witnesses and removed the impediment thereof was the slaughter of the third part of men which were dwelling at Euphrates and that which gives occasion or an opportunity to the parturition of the Woman and removeth the impediment thereof is the fall of the tenth part of the City and the judgment on the Beast Rev. 11. 13. and as the slaughter of the third part of Men which were dwelling at Euphrates goes before the prophecying oâ— the witnesses as being the occasion of it by removing the impediments and affording an opportunity thereunto so the fall of the City and the judgment on the Beast goes before the Travail of the Woman as being the occasion of it by removing the impediments which were or might be a hindrance to it and affording an opportunity thereupon whereby it might be brought to pass 3. The Church in building is before the Church builded but during the prophecying of the witnesses the Church is in building and when the Woman has brought forth her child the Church is then built 4. Persecution and freedom from it cannot contemporate each with other but in the time of this Prophecy the Church is under persecution and during the prophecying of the witnesses the Church is free therefrom until the 1260 days be ended and then the Beast doth war against the witnesses but not before and though the outer Court be given to the Gentiles during the prophecying of the witnesses yet the inner court where the Church is they dare not meddle with 5. Good success and bad success cannot contemporate each with other but in the former Prophecy the enemy hath some success against the Church for three days and a half as appears v. 9. 11. but in the time of this Prophecy the Dragon hath no success at all 6. The beginning of this Prophecy doth not contemporate with the beginning of the former nor the end of this Prophecy with the end of the former therefore the middle which is the 1260 days in each Prophecy do not contemporate each with other First I say the beginning of this Prophecy doth not contemporate with the beginning of the former for in the beginning of this Prophecy the Church is under the opposition and persecution of the Dragon but in the beginning of the former while the Temple is in building the Church is free Again in the end of the former Prophecy the Church is worsted by the enemy for three days and a half but in the end of this Prophecy the Dragon has the worst of it and the Church the better 7. Other differences there be which shew they do not Synchronise as first the Church in this Prophecy flies away in that she stands to it and flies not Again in this Prophecy the Church is in the Wilderness in that she is without in an open place And thirdly in this Prophecy the Church is invisible and none but the Dragon knew where she was but in the other Prophecy the Church is visible and the Beast knew where she was all which do shew that they do not Synchronise Object The days of the two Witnesses and the days of the Womans being in the Wilderness are equal in duration for they be 1260 days a piece therefore they Synchronise and contemporate each with other Ans. The month of January and the month of March are equal in duration for they be one and thirty days a piece yet they succeed one the other and the month of February comes between and no other is the case here the 1260 days of the Prophesying of the Witnesses and the 1260 days of the Womans being in the Wilderness are equal in duration yet the last of these succeeds the former as the month of March doth the month of
theirs 6. From the mystical interpretation of the Vials many absurdities will follow As 1. It makes the Propâ—ecy but a common Prophecy and to speak of things ordiâ—ary and accustomed when as the literal sense makes it a Prophecy extraordinary and to speak of things not usual nor accustomed such as never were but in the Land of Aegypt and they that were in Aegypt though the same for kind were not so grievous as these Vials are like to be 2. It makes the Scripture a nose of Wax which a man may turn which way he will one may turn it one way and another may turn it another way and there be well nigh as many interpretations of the mystical sense as there be writers on the Revelation 3. It subjects the Scripture to our vain lusts and humours and gives every one liberty to interpret it as his humour leads him 4. It makes the Scripture mean not what it speaks but what men would have it mean 5. It makes men interpret the Revelation of themselves or of their own party and of the times wherein they live and the good things they think are spoken of themselves and the evil things of their enemies 6. It turns the Scripture into nonsense what sense is it to say that by the earth in the first Vial is meant the lowest of the People as if an Ulcer could not fall upon the highest as well as upon the lowest What sense is it to say every living soul died in the Sea that is in the extent and compass of the Papal power and Jurisdiction when as there be five Vials to fall upon some men afterward What sense is it to say that the darkness in the fifth Vial is meant of spiritual darkness as if they were not spiritually dark before that or any other of the Vials did begin What sense is it to understand by the Kings of the East in the sixth Vial the Kings of the West and by the River Euphrates which is a River in the East to understand the Popes revenues in the West and by the drying up of that River to understand the draining away the Popes revenues in the West these and many more absurdities do follow from the mystical interpretation of the Vials Ob. If we take the Earth Sea Rivers and Fountains of waters c. in a literal sense how should a Vial of wrath poured out on these be any 〈◊〉 more prejudicial without a miracle to Gods enemies then his Friends who partake of the benefit of these in common with the other Ans. 1. Did not Moses sprinkle the ashes of a Furnace towards Heaven and it became dust upon the Earth and after that a boyl breaking forth with blanes upon man and Beast Exod. 9. 10. and was not this more prejudicial to Gods enemies then his Friends Again did not Moses smite the waters in the River and they became blood Exod 7. 20 21. and was not this more prejudical to the Aegyptians then to the Israelites So thirdly did not Moses stretch forth his hand toward Heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the Land of Aegypt three days Exod. 10. 22 23. and was not this more prejudicial to Gods enemies then his Friends And Lastly did not Moses stretch forth his hand toward Heaven and the Lord rained hail upon the Land of Aegypt Exod. 9. 23. and was not this more prejudicial to the Aegyptians then the Israelites And if God could do all this and much more in Aegypt in a literal sense why can he not do the like in other Countries without prejudice to his own People 2. Whereas 't is said without a miracle we say that God in every one of these Vials works a miracle as he did in Aegypt and we further say that God hath promised to do the like again in other Countries According to the days of thy comming out of the Land of Aegypt will I shew unto him marvellous things the Nations shall see and be confounded c. Micah 7. 15 16. 3. Whereas 't is said that they partake of the benefit of these in common with the other it is nothing so at this time for the Saints do not live in the Beasts Dominions at this time or in that part of them where the Vials fâ—l for they were either slain or fled out of his Dominions before any of the Vials did begin Rev. 12. 6. 14. Rev. 13. 7. Rev. 16. 6. Rev. 18. 4. Ob. Did ever Rivers and Fountains of waters literally shed the blood of Saints or did God ever in way of revenge give them blood to drink Ans. Did men never read the Book of Exodus Did ever the Rivers and Fountains of Aegypt literally shed the blood of the Israelites Yet God turned them to blood as a Plague on the Aegyptians Exod. 7. 17 18 19 20 21. and no other is the meaning here The third Angel poured out his Vial on the Rivers and Fountains of Waters and they became blood v. 4. and wherefore is this done but in way of revenge upon the men that they might not have the benefit of the waters as heretofore they had and that because they that is the men which drank of those waters shed the blood of the Saints and the Prophets and thou hast given them that is the men blood to drink Ob. The Book of Exodus is a History but the Revelation is a Prophecy and therefore may not be compared each with other Ans. A Prophecy may be compared with a History in respect of the matter though not in respect of the time for the matter of a Prophecy may be the matter of a History when it is fulfilled like as the matter of a History was the matter of a Prophecy before it was fulfilled the difference many times is not in respect of matter but in respect of time A Prophecy is the relating of a thing to come and a History is the relating of a thing past but the thing related may be materially the same in both 2. The Book of Exodus is both a History and a Prophecy for the words in Exodus 7. 20 21. are a History of turning the waters into blood but the words v. 17 18. are a Prophecy of it before hand So again the words in Exodus 9 10 11. are a History of the Boyl which fell upon the Aegyptians but the words v. 8 9. are a Prophecy of the Boyl before it came to pass So thirdly the wâ—rds in Exodus 10. 22. are a History of the darkness that was 〈◊〉 Aegypt but the words v. 21. are a Prophecy thereof and therefore the comparison in all the three places with the Vials of the Revelation is very fit and suitable each to other Ob. How can a Vial be poured on the Sun and not on the Saints which live under it or how can the Sun torment men with fervent heat and the Saints not be tormented by it Ans. 1. The fire which flew the men which-cast the
a short time as hath been proved already ch 6. Disp. 2. q. 5. CHAP. XII The Prophecy of the Woman and the great Red Dragon representing the conversion of the Jews and the opposition and persecution of the Devil 1. AND I saw a great wonder in the Starry Heaven prefiguring what should be done upon the earth and the wonder which I saw was a woman representing the Nation of the Iews cloathed with the Sun in token of her future Glory and the Moon beneath her Feet in token she should change no more and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head which are the twelve Tribes of Israel 2. And their conversion shall be like the pains of a woman in Travel which hath hard labour and strong pains and throws before she be delivered even so they of this Nation that be converted first shall have hard labour and Travel to convert the rest 3. And I saw another wonder in the Starry Heaven and it was a great Red Dragon representing the Devil and his mighty Agents upon earth which shall oppose the Church of Israel in her Travel and hinder their conversion what they can and they be seven Heathen Kings which shall have Crowns upon their Heads and ten Heathen Kingdoms which shall have no Kings of their own in them at this time 4. And he shall be in a great rage to hear of the conversion of this Church and Nation and in this rage of his shall with his tail in which as some say his main strength doth lye seek to overthrow the frame of nature and had rather Heaven and Earth should have an end than the conversion of that Church be brought to pass Or else his tail may represent the vulgar people that be in his Kingdoms as his seven heads do represent his Kings and by the help of this vulgar people he shall turn aside some part of that Nation from minding their conversion at the present and draw their hearts away from Heavenly things to earthly or else do some other hurt unto them and he himself shall stand before the Church of Israel now ready to be converted to the Faith of Christ threatning to devour them and their Children so soon as they become Christians 5. Yet for all this they shall be converted to the Christian Faith and the Child that shall be born of them is Jesus Christ who is then said to be born spiritually whenas a Church or Nation is brought to believe in him and after their conversion he shall subdue all Nations that War against them with the Sword but he himself shall sit in Heaven at Gods right hand and on his Throne 6. And when they be converted a great part of that Nation shall flee into the Wilderness especially they that be instrumental to convert the rest where they shall have a place prepared for them by the Lord their God as their forefathers had when they came forth of Egypt that they may be nourished and preserved there three years and a half from the fury of the Devil and his Agents 7. But before that this is done there shall be a great battel in the Church Michael and his Angels shall fight against the Devil in behalf of the Church of Israel that they may be converted to the Christian Faith and the Devil shall fight against Michael and his Angels against the others Angels that they may remain in unbelief 8. But Michael and his Angels shall prevail and the Devil and his Angels shall be overthrown and there shall be no place for them any more in the Church of Israel 9. And the great Red Dragon that old malicious Serpent otherwise called the Devil and Satan who deceived our first Parents at the first and the whole race of mankind ever since shall be cast forth of the Jewish Nation and all his evil Angels cast forth with him 10. And there shall be great joy in the Church of Israel and loud acclamation and Thanksgiving saying Now is salvation come to the Church of Israel from the Lord our God he is the Author of it and to him be it ascribed for evermore And the might and Kingdom of our God shall now be seen and made known unto the World and the power of his Christ for the accuser of that Church and Nation is cast forth who before their conversion accused them of their unbelief before our God day and night but from henceforth shall accuse them of that crime no more 11. But they shall overcome him by the merits of his blood who died for them and by their Faith which they have in him and the open profession of the same and they shall not love their lives more than they love their Christ but expose them unto death rather than remain in unbelief and deny their Faith in him and for this it is that Satan shall be cast forth of that Nation 12. Rejoyce ye Church of Israel because Satan is cast forth of your Nation and from ruling any more therein but wo be to the unbelieving Gentiles after this is done for the Devil will be among you altogether and have great wrath as knowing he hath but a short time to stay among you 13. And when Satan shall perceive that he is cast forth of the Jewish Nation he shall set himself to persecute that Church and Nation especially those members of them which were converted first and shall be instrumental to beget the rest to the Faith of Christ. 14. But power and opportunity shall be given to those members of that Church to fly into the Wilderness to the place prepared for them where they shall be nourished and preserved three years and a half from the power of the Devil and his Angels 15. And when the Devil shall perceive that they are fled into the Wilderness he shall send a flood of Water after them to drown them in the Wilderness or drive them out from thence 16. But God shall cause the dry and thirsty earth to open her mouth and swallow up the flood of Water which the Devil shall send after them and the Water thereupon shall do them no hurt 17. At which the Devil shall be very wroth and thereupon shall leave the Wilderness where they be and make War with the remnant of that Church and Nation which shall not flee into the Wilderness as the other shall but keep the commandments of the Lord their God and profess the faith of Jesus Christ in their known and open dwellings 18. And to accomplish this design of his he shall stand upon the sea shore representing the heathen people and Nations of the World out of whom he shall raise a beastly Tyrant to make War against that part of the Church of Israel which shall flee into the Wilderness as hereafter followeth Disputation VIII 1. Quest. Whether this Prophecy doth belong to the seventh Trumpet and be a part thereof Ans. 1. The seventh Trumpet doth not end with the former Chapter