with the remnent of hir seed 2 While she abode ther wher two Beasts occurred one rising from the Sea with seven Chap. 13. heads and ten horns and on his horns ten Crowns with the name of Blasphemy on his heads A secund coming out of the Earth who had two horns like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon he did great wonders making fire descend from Heaven and deceived them that dwel on Earth bidding them make an Image to the other Beast which was wounded and did liv and caused such as would not worship it to be slain He also made al receiv a mark in their right hands or foreheads that none might buy or sel sav he that had the mark name or number of his name which is 666. During thes Beasts joint reign the Churches state on mount Chap. 14. Sion and Gods imparting his Wil to the World touching the everlasting Gospel Babylons future fal punishment of the Beasts folowers and gathering the Harvest and Vintage are declared Gods Judgments on the Beast are poured out in seven Chap. 15. golden Phials of his last plagues by seven Angels coming out of the Temple in Heaven clothed with pure white linnen and their brests girded with gold girdles The first poured his on the Earth Chap. 16. and a noisom sore fel on the Beasts worshipers The secund poured his on the Sea which becam as blood of a dead Man The third his on Rivers and Fountains which turnd to blood The fourth his on the Sun which scorched Men with fire that they blasphemed Gods name The fift his on the Beasts seat whos Kingdom was darkned that Men gnawed their toungs for torment The sixt his on Euphrates which was dried up that the way of the Eastern Kings might be prepared The seventh his into the Air whence folowed Voices Lightnings Thunders and such a mighty Earthquake as the like was never seen by Men and huge hail 〈◊〉 every stone weighing a Talent and Men blasphemed God 〈◊〉 of this plague Ther cam three unclean Spirits of Devils lik â—â—ogs from the mouths of the Dragon Beast and fals Prophet which by lying miracles gathered the Kings to battel of that great day of God Almighty at Armageddon Next the judgment and mystery of Babylons great Whore sitting on a scarlet Beast with seven Chap. 17. heads and ten horns is shewed to John that the seven heads are seven hils and ten horns ten Kings After it Babylons destruction Chap. 18. is declared and great lamentation of several sorts made for it as may ther be read 3 As she cam out of the wildernes Chap. 19. great gratulations are given to God for perdition of Babylon and preparation for the Lords marriage with his wife then the Armies of Heaven on whit Horses under conduct of Christ caled the Word of God who had on his vesture and thigh a name writen King of Kings and Lord of Lords made war with the Beast fals Prophet and Kings wherto an Angel invited al Fowls to eat the flesh of the slain but the Beast and fals Prophet were taken and cast alife into a lake burning with fire and brimstone 4. During hir reign with Christ after she cam out Chap. 20. of the wildernes one thousand yeers when Satan being loosed a little space shal deceiv the Nations Gog and Magog to gather them to battel but fire cam from God and devoured them Lastly A new Heaven and Earth caled the holy City new Jerusalem Ch. 21. Ch. 22 coming down from God prepared as a Bride for hir Husband is pourtraied at large Thes Analyses in a prosal method or maner are plainer better At end of his Annotations and briefer for the vulgar sort then such as are set in Sections and Subsections but Dr. Deodat hath a very ample one on the Apocalyps in substance the same with the 2 former or very litle varying which he that lists may survey Now to my main task The Author of Apocalyps is John the Divine Christs best Introduction beloved Disciple Son to Zebedee a Fisher Man and Brother of James the greater whom Herod the King â—lu with the Sword who wrot the fourth Gospel and three general Epistles but not John a Presbyter in thos dais as Eusebius and Dionysius Alex deem nor any other of that name as al Antients agree for he only was exiled to Patmos A. C. 97 wher thos Rev. 1. 9 10. Rev. 1. vers 1 2 11. Visions were presented on the Lords day to which he gav that appellation mis-named by many the Sabbath without any Scriptural warrant nor did any of the Fathers so stile it The Authority also is every way divine being indited by Christ Jesus Authority as God gav it him and sent to John by an Angel that he should communicat it to the Churches who wrot it in a Book and sent it to the seven Churches of minor Asia So John imparted it to the Churches an Angel to John Christ to the Angel and God to Christ Jesus what can be a more divine Origin or Pedigree Specialy being an inspired Prophecy For Moses the Man of God and his peculiar Favorit had the honor to Pen the first Book of the old Testament and John Christs chief favorit the last of the new Testament so the one commands old Israelits not to ad or take from Gods Word Deut. 4. 2. and the other threatens al which shal ad to the Words of his Prophecy that God wil inflict the plagues writen therin but Rev. 22. 18 19. if any shal detract God wil take away his part from the Book of Life and holy City The Excellence of it apppeers many wais for the stile is Excellence most statly and sublime the matter ful of Majesty and Mystery the expressions pathetical and pithy som mystical in dark Visions to exercise the Judgments of the wisest som more facil or familar to succour the infirmities of the weakest Much more might be added ingeneral but I hasten to Mr. Medes Clavis and Comment whom Dr. Twiss highly admires saying he hath sundry rare notions stiled Specimina or Essais wherin he excels specialy in rendring the Revelations right sens which is most Tropical or Figurativ As in the mystery Rev. 12 of the battle in Heaven and casting Satan to Earth he shews that Stats and Kingdoms in the politic World are resembled in Scripture sutable to the Natural wherin Heaven and Earth denot the Nobility and Commonalty For Heaven consists of Sun Moon and Stars of greater or lesser magnitud as in a Realm is a King Queen Nobles and other officers of divers degrees but on Earth is much more variety of Creatures as Trees Herbs Flowers Fishes Beasts Serpents so among People of any Community no less difference of Trades and Professions He destinguisheth the whol Prophecy into the Book closed Division with seven Seals comprising an History from the Gospels first preaching to the Worlds
comfort specialy the two Witnesses History ch 11. and description of the seven Phials ch 16. which two being of neerest concernment shal be most accuratly agitated For the first explicats the entrance of the third Prophetic part from the litle Book comprising al three Periods as an abridgment of the whol Revelation It consists of two Parts 1. What is reveled to John by word of mouth how things shal obvene as in the first Period at erecting the Church in the secund under the Antichristian Vicar by two Synchronisms of the Gentils calcitrating the holy City forty two months and the Witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred sixty dais 2. What is realy represented to him by a sudden change in Vision at beginning of the third Period Thes are the terms of our undertaken task In the first Period under the Dragons reign the Son of God Exposition causeth his Temple or Church to be built the place of Sacrifices be measured and charily protects his Servants in thes A reed like a rod was given me and the Angel said arise Rev 11. v. 〈◊〉 measure Gods Temple and Altar and them that worship therin Sith then the building and gathering Christs Church is commended by measuring the Jews Temple the form therof must be considered to attain the tru meaning of the Text. It stood 2 Chr 3. 1 3 4. 〈◊〉 King 6. 16. on Mount Moriah the length sixty Cubits bredth twenty height one hundred twenty It was divided into two parts 1. The lower westly twenty Cubits long and twenty broad cald Sanctum Sanctorum Holy of Holiest into which the high Priest alone entred only once a yeer 2. The forepart eastly fourty Cubits long and twenty broad stiled Sanctum the Holy Place wherto only Priests entred termed here Gods Temple Before it were two Courts 1. The inner cald the Priests wher the Altar for burnt Offerings stood twenty Cubits square and ten high which is here cald Thysiasterium 2. The outer or great Court compassed with a whit Marble wal in circuit four furlongs or half a mile which none but purified Israelits might enter excluding al unclean Jews and Gentils About this Herod walled in a large place for the unclean together â—zek 40. Zâ—ch 2. 1. 〈◊〉 with Heathens By this Temple the Angel represents the Churches condition for by measuring is meant building and propagating by the Altar the tru Professors persecution to be slaughtered as sacrificed Sheep but measured or bounds set beyond which Tyrans cannot go til vengence overtake them By thos that worship therin Kings and Priests are meant who are a Royal Priesthood in the inner Court Next folows the Churches State in the secund station of V. 2. Popery from A. 395. til A. 1655. into Synchronisms 1. Of the Gentils treading the holy City under foot fourty two months wherby Gods extern worship is implied consisting in Ceremonies which he rejects Here we must reflâ—ctâ—on the Heathen Nations invasion for from Constantins conversion til Theodosius died the Church triumphed over the Gentils and demolished the Dragons Idolatrous Temples but immediatly the Barbarians broke in wherby the holy City was trod on Antichrist had occasion to shew himself For in stead of Idols Saturn Jupiter Mars Saints Images were gradualy introduced 2. Of the two Witnesses prophecy in Sack-cloth one thousand two hundred sixty dais by whom is meant faithful Teachers and Rulers of the Church which number of two is smal yet sufficient to testify truth Deut. 17. 6 10 15 Mat. 18 16. John 8. 17. The Angels Words to my two Witnesses imply that he Vers 3. 4 5. 6. is the Son of God They were clad in sack-cloth but the Whore in Purple and Scarlet deckd with Gold Pearl and pretious Stones Thes were two Oliv Trees and two Candlesticks Zâ—â—ha 4 14. as Zerobabel and Jesua are described If any Man wil hurt them fire proceds from their mouth to devour their Enimies who must thus be killed as at Elias request fire from Heaven 2. King 1 10. 12. consumed two of Ahaziahs Captains with their fifty Men ech Thes have prower to shut Heaven that it rain not during their Prophecy as Elias also had and power to turn Waters into Blood and to smite the Earth with al plagues as Moses and Aaron had wherby God declares what Mercies he shewed his Servants of old which he wil extend to Beleevers in the new Testament and wil giv them faithful Teachers like Jesua and Zerobabel to inlighten them as Candlesticks with pure Doctrin and assist them as Oliv-trees with powerful consolation beside zelous Eliahs and Elisha's who shal oppose the Whore Jezabel Baals Priests and other persecutors but at last a Moses and Aaron to bring them out of al affliction When they hav finished their testimony the Beast which ascends Vers 7. Rev 17. 8. 11. from the bottomless Pit viz. which rose from the Sea with ten horns wherof the Angel saith the Beast which thou sawest was and is not and shal ascend from the bottomless Pit shal make War against them overcom and kil them This Beast that was and is not but is the eighth and one of the seven is the Heathen Empire wher the Dragon reigned or was openly worshiped but is not being no more adored in public yet ascends again out of the Pit by the ten honrd Beasts means or kingdoms erected in the Empire when a new holier form of Idolatry is established and the Dragon with the Beast disguisedly afresh worshiped This is the eighth Head but one of the seven for the Rider the Woman-whore in the divided Empire governs the civil State so the ten hornd Beast or seventh Head and Ecclesiastic Popish Regiment make one as it were the eighth but becaus the Woman sits as one Rider therfore the two last forms Ecclesiastic and Politic are reckoned or reputed one as the Angel saith the eighth is of the seven Hence 't is cleer the Beast rising out of the Pit is the spiritual Papal Government using the Temporal Sword of terren Princes which Woman-Beast shal kil the Witnesses or depriv them of Ecclesiastic preferments and Politic emploiments cald a civil death by persecuting Evangelical Professors which is his own case at the Popes instigation Their dead Bodies shalâ—ly in the Streets of the great City spiritualy Vers 8. caled Sodom and Egypt wher our Lord was crucified The City is Rome the place of persecution as the Angel saith Rev. 17. v. 18 the Woman is that great City which reigns over the Kings of the Earth caled Babylon by which name Viega Bellarmin and other Jesuits own Rome but by the City and Streets the whol Popish Empire is designed as 't is elswher compared to a ten hornd Beast and to a Sea with Rivers and Fountains Rome-City and Papacy is spiritualy or mysticaly stiled Sodom by reason of their Paederestia or unnatural sin not only committed but commended in a privileged pamphlet penned and published
pressed St. Austin Chrysostom with others against Erastus giving general Councils glorious titles when they served his turn or els slighted them and Cartwright cals such citing of Fathers a raking of ditches 11. They allege against Bishops preeminence over Ministers that both are caled by one name and therfore one Function when 't is answered That community of title takes not away â—â—stinction of Offices sith even Princes are stiled Deacons Apostles and Priests yet far disparat in power this wil not content Yet Erastus proved That the name Elder is ever appropriat to Ecclesiastics not to Laics Beza borowed that distinction for his defens how the name of Bishops and Elders are common but their Offices not al one nor is it a good consequent every Bishop is a Presbyter Ergo every Elder is so for al names of Ecclesiastic Officers Deacons Apostles Prophets Prelats Pastors Presbyters are sometime used generaly or promiscuously 12. They aspers our State for suffering Bishops to retain som parts of the Canon Law crying out 't is Popish and Develish yet if ought sit their humors they secretly stole it out of the Decretals as in their draught of Disciplin more then seven parts of eight are borowed from it Hence Viret finding how Princes by cashiring the Canon Law assumed Ecclesiastic power to themselfs condemns their rashnes or rigidnes who depraved the same Thus by this Jury of Criminations it appeers how palpably partial al mortal Men are in their own behalfs yea their factious folowers wil hardly beleev half and justify the other moity as proceding of piety Next shal be shewed how they wrest the Fathers to their own sens Ignatius wils That nothing be doon in the Church without 〈◊〉 the Bishops consent who as Prince of Priests hath power over al Can ought be plainer Yet Cartwright counterfets That by Priests he means ruling Elders Lay ones he never know by Prince the Moderator chosen to propone matters at one meeting only and by power over al his authority over the Elders in the same Parish when no such precincts were yet bounded just after their new cut Justin Martyr stiles every Bishop Prelat as preposited over Priests and People Cartwright consters it That he was Prelat of the People not over Presbyters or at most a Moderator to propos matters only Yet if he was superior over Ministers how fondly is it inferred to be lawful becaus he was so for even in thos dawning daâ—â— som things deviated from the Gospels purity as the name Prelat common to al Elders was appropriat to one Thus like Wind-millers they make every wind serv their turns Ireâ—â—â—â— saith the Apostles appointed Bishops in thos Churches which they planted Beza clean contrary to his mind and meaning interprets it of Pastors Doctors and ruling Elders not constituted by their authority but chosen by the Parishes For when any Officer was elected the Apostle present consecrated him to the Lord by laying on hands in the name of the Presbytery Jerom testifies That from St. Marc to his time a Bishop was placed in higher degree abov Presbyters as a Captain in an Army Cartwright seeks strange shifts to shadow it 1. That the Presbyters did it without Marcs order 2. That the words from Marcs time are exclusiv as if that superiority began after his time which is flatly fals for he cals Marc Bishop of Alexandria and his successors superior in degree oâ— dignity 3. That in saying it was so at Alexandria he implies it was not so elswher Is not his a goodly gloss 4. He cries ouâ— against the pravity of thos primitiv times which is a more ingenuous agnition but a silly shelter or Sanctuary for no wit of Man can evade or exclude it Jerom saith farther It was ordered by Decrce of the whol World That to suppreâ—â— Schisms one should be chosen by the Priests abov the rest Beza boldly givs him the ly which the testy old Man if he theâ— lived would retort in his throat that it was not so Many Antients Irenâ—us Cyprian Tertullian Jerom Ambros Austin cal Bishops the Apostles Successors And Ecclesiastic Writers draw long Catalogs of their names in several Sees which thos Father 's urged against upstart Heretics in their dais but when Papists press such succession at Rome and elswher we deny not the truth of it but answer that personal succession is very effectual if Doctrinal concur and thos Fathers in urging the first had a special ey to the last becaus such Heretics oppugned som points of Apostolic Doctrin Yet Cartwright and his Cru contend that by Bishops are meant Parochial Pastors stiled the Apostles Doctrinal successors and al Episcopal Catalogs are of Parish Priests Yea Sadeil excluding al personal succession grants Doctrinal to Laics if they hold the Apostles precepts and walk in their paths O dainty When swarms of Authors are cited that Timothy was Diocesan of Ephesus Cartwright givs the ly to al becaus St. Paul saith he was Evangelist So was S. Marc yet a Bishop When for Antiquity of Archbishops Clemens Anacletus Anicetus Epiphanius Ambros c. are urged together with St. Austins rule That wher a name is so old and origin not extant it should seem Apostolic Cartwright cals the citing of antient Authors a raking of Hel and saith thos times were not pure Virgin-like branding Clemens Anacletus and Anicetus as conterfet cranks haply som forgeries were vented in their names and slights Epiphanius that he wrote according to his time but rejects Ambroses Book de dignitate Sacerdotum as foisted When for the Office of Archdeacon Damasus Sixtus Sozomen and Socrates are quoted Cartwright answers That Damasus spake in the Dragons voice the best ground bears thistles and thos times were corrupt Thus they either wiredraw the Fathers words to their own fancy or deny their authority which are easy evasions When Ignatius terms a Bishop Prince of Priests and Cyril and Tertullian high-Priest Cartwright cursedly censures that such Proctors presum to put our Saviour out of his Office yet they are only stiled his Substituts on Earth when al confes it to be the joint judgment of the Catholic Church and Councils that Bishops are the best remedies to repel Schisms and Heresies Beza and Cartwright cry they are al deceived for ther were great controversies and contentions stil under their regiment 'T is tru for Christ foretold it wil be so stil til the end When a cloud of primitiv witnesses is produced for the lawful use of Holy dais Cartwright complains That Truth is measured by the crooked yard of time and appeals from authority to Scripture wherof he wil be sole Judg and Interpreter When the whol stream of Fathers and Councils is urged to prov the Churches power in al indifferent things not prescribed by Gods Word he carps how he is pestered with human authorities instead of the Prophets and Apostles shaking them off as St. Paul did the Viper with one blast that the things asserted are now questioned
worship the Doner Dragon Ergo the Courts measuring the womans Childing the Dragons waiting and his Duel with Michael synchronize even at the very Epoche of St. Johns repeated Prophecy 9 The pouring out of seven Phials by seven Angels synchronize Rev. 15. 2 3. with the Beasts downfal and Babylons destruction for which the Victors sing Moses triumphant hymn Thus far of the nine chief Synchronicisms Now the Apocalyps contains three parts 1 The Vision of seven golden Candlesticks or Asian Churches which takes up the three first chapters 2 The Prophecy of seven Seals and Trumpets from Chap. 4. to 10. vers 8. 3 The Prophecy of the litle open Book Rev. 16. 10 19 or body of Prophetic Visions which John being bid eat up from Chap. 10. vers 8. to the end of al. That this is a repetition of the Prophecy appeers by the Angels words to John Thou must Prophecy again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many People Nations Toungs and Rev. 10. v. 11. Kings which are plainly distinguishd from the rest of Prophecies He hath other synchronicisms of Seals Trumpets and Phials too tedious and invious or obscure beatus qui intelligit Howbeit som confused collections shal be exhibited to be better sifted or scanned 1 The seventh Seal touching the first six Trumpets is the Rev. 8. same with the two Beasts which concur with the company of one hundred forty four thousand Virgins being opposit to the Rev. 7. Beasts reigning this initiats with the sixth Trumpet or beginning of the seventh for sith the witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred threescore dais ends with the sixth Trumpet or as the seventh begins the Beasts forty two moneths must needs expire then also and by consequent the Beasts tyranny is confined in the compas of the first six Trumpets For the Vision of witnesses being the first repeated Prophecy the most wise Spirit runs through as a Weaver doth his warp with Rev. 11. his woof the whol body of repeated Prophecies to connect them aptly with the Seals The Beasts overthrow Cities fal Note slaughter of Men by an Earthquake are not meant of the Beasts utter destruction but end of his authority and reigning forty two moneths which the Beasts and two witnesses synchronicisms being granted must determin together For the Beast shal remain a short space but so unlike former as scars to be reputed the same which soon after under the seventh Trumpet shal be absolutly abolished 2 The seven Phials of wrath being so many degrees of the Rev 16. 10. Beasts fal or fate synchronize with the inchoation of his destruction but his Kingdom fel so fast the sixth Trumpet yet sounding which put a period to his power of forty two months over the Saints that he cannot be quit ruined til the fifth Phial be poured out when his seat shal be shaken and kingdom Rev. 10. 6. darkned Ergo fiv Phials were poured out yer the sixth Trumpet ceased for the seventh Phial of consummation concurs with the seventh Trumpets initiation which also sounds the termination 3 The thousand yeers of the Dragons binding and shutting up in the Rev. 20. the bottomless pit with a seal set theron that he should no more deceiv the Nations concurs with the seventh consummation Trumpet and Beasts confusion for the use was to seal up a place or prison sure as Darius did the Lions Den with a ring and the Jews Christs Sepulcher by sealing the stone Som suppose his casting down to Earth and shutting up is the same but 't is not so For his ejecting from Heaven hindred not his doing harm on Earth but being clos prisoner in chains he cannot Rev. 12. wander to doo hurt nor doo the things related agree sith during the first six Seals and under the six first Trumpets of the seventh he was free or loos Ergo his shutting up for one thousand yeers fals under the seventh Trumpet For he was not bound at the battle nor while the woman staid in the wilderness nor during the ten hornd Beasts reign sith his Scholar the fals Prophet seduced People with signs and wonders al that Rev 9. 11. time Yea the Locusts King caled the Angel of the bottomless pit is the very Dragon or Satan then not sealed when the sixth Angel poured out his Phial and seventh ready to pour his For three unclean Spirits like Frogs cam out of the Dragons Rev. 16. 13 14. Beasts and fals Prophets mouths which wrought wonders and went to the Kings of the World Ergo the thousand yeers of his being bound belong to the seventh Trumpet So the war when Satan after a thousand yeers is loosed a little space differs from that when the Beast and fals Prophet are cast alife into the burning Rev. 20. 10. Brimstone Lake For the first war is waged by him that sat on a whit Hors caled Gods Word who smot the Nations with a sharp Sword and was folowed by Armies in Heaven on Whit Horse◠But in the last at Armageddon God sent fire from Heaven to devour them and Satan is cast into that Lake wher the Beast and fals Prophet are before For he is first clapt close in prison a thousand yeers and then loosed but now condemned to be incessantly tormented for ever Sith then the war with the Beast and fals Prophet differs from this last either 't is to be waged during thos thousand yeers which cannot be sith Satan was then bound or before as it must needs be Ergo thos yeers commence at or after the Beasts casting into a firy Lake or rather together at one time 4 The thousand yeers of Christs Imperial reign at coming Rev. 20. 4. wherof the triumphant Elders sang gratulatory Hymns to God being immediatly at conquest of the Beast and Babylon which contemporize with the seventh trumpet For this Kingdom is given to the Saints as a reward of their faith and constancy becaus they did not worship the Beast nor his Image nor receiv his mark This is that Kingdom caled Christs who Rev. 11. 15. shal reign for ever which the Angels foretold that the mystery of God should be finished at sound of the seventh Trumpet as the Rev. 10 6 7. Prophets declared Then neither the Beasts forty two months nor the witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred threescore dais nor a period of a time times and half no nor time it self shal any more remain 5 The new Jerusalem the Lambs Bride and seventh consummation Rev. 21. 2. Trumpet or time of the Beasts and Babylons confusion synchronize for new Jerusalem is the Lambs Bride or beloved City which immediatly at the thousand yeers end is compassed by the last troop Gog and Magog of Satan then loosed for a little space Ergo it was extant before at sound of the seventh trumpet At pouring out the seventh Phial when the Beast is destroied ther cam a loud voice from the Rev 16 〈◊〉 17.
be for a time times and half or 1260. yeers and from the Temples abominable desolation to that time 1290. 2. That the Son of God lifted his hand to Heaven and swore by him who created Heaven Earth Sea and al things in them that time shal be no longer or ther shal be no delay nor any time intervene But at the seventh Angels voice or sound of his Trumpet the Rev. â— 18. mystery of God shal be finished as he declared to his Prophâ—ts Thes things saith the Son of God whos eys flame as fire and his feet like fine Brass Thes things saith he that is boly and tru that Rev. 3. 14. hath the key of David c. Thes things saith Amen the faithful tru Witnes and beginning of the Creation of God Who then wil not beleev him Sith then according to Gods decree Anthichrist shal rage or reign but three times and half or 1260. yeers which terminat at end of A. 1655. Let us look up and Luk. 21. 28. lift our heads on high for our redemption draweth nigh Ob. Som Objections occur such meer mysteries may not be pried into specialy of things yet to com for divers deep Divines and solid Scholars hav been lost in this labyrinth Ergo it should remain as a book sealed til the event or accomplisHment be reveled as Christ to his Disciples curious question of Israels kingdoms restauration answered 't is not for you to know the Acts 1. 6 7. times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power much less for us Sol. The Apocalyps is ful of dark deep mysteries which wil â—y hid til the event detect them by applying Histories to see or search the effects therein meant or mentioned yet it folows not that we must lay it aside and not inquire what is already accomplished or shortly to be expected specialy touching the time when the Churches Enimies shal be destroyed and it restored to rest for Daniel observed by Books what the Lord told Jeremy Dan. 9. â— Rev. 1. 3. that he would accomplish seventy yeeres in Jerusalems desolation and John saith Blessed is he that reads and they which hear the words of this Prophecy to keep the things writ therin for the time is at hand 'T is a book of memorable Acts which foretels what shal betide Gods Church and the Empire under which it subsists being writen to be read and such stiled blessed as read it for many things are already fulfilled and by comparing thos past with the Apocalyps we may the better descry what to look for yer long but he that forbears to read or is not versed in Roman Histories nor knows how to distinguish Revolutions or Changes but confounds Apocalyptic numbers making many Epoches wheras they synchronize containing only Relativs and correlativs or carelesly slights the numbers as an arcane mistery to such it remains a Book unopened ful of obscurities Is qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni Men must dig Diamonds out of Rocks and never be daunted or deterred with difficulty many learned hav mistook for thes causes 1 Most primitiv Interpreters apply things to their times which had no relation and som modernists folow their steps as wild Gees doo their leaders misleading others out of the way Secondly a right method is not used for in the Apocalyps al things are orderly set as they shal befal the synchronisms folowing one another and revolutions exactly distinguished as Histories doo in describing human actions and affaires but too many Expositors pervert this cours thinking to set things as succeding one another which being Relata belong to the same time Who place before Babylons fal what shal be after not knowing wher they stick nor how to wind out Thirdly they confound the Civil and Ecclesiastic State oft applying Monastic matters or Antichrists actions to Monarchic and contrarily Yet that the Revelation shall remain a Book sealed or shut up repugns the very Text for the seven Epistles were never sealed the Lamb opened the sealed Book the other was a little open one and Rev. 10. 2. 8. Rev. 22. 10. at end an Angel saith to John Seal not the Prophecies for the time is at hand Now tho Daniel was bid to close his Prophecy yet was it Dan. 12 4. 9. but til the time of the end for it was unsealed after by Johns Revelation Christ spak of times and seasons occasioned that John 2. 4 8 9. 't is not for men to know what God conceals as he said to his Mother my hour is not yet com yet soon supplied the Wine out of Water Here we tak time in general which is determined on Antichrists blasphemies and tyrannies in what yeer it shal begin or end which God hath reveled as is shewed not month day or hour which the Father keeps in his own power So tho no infallible certainty in al circumstances can be had yet many most pregnant conjects are prefined Ob. The chief O jection is that al Divines and Statesmen set the period of the fourth Monarchy and Papacy at Christs secund coming either to reign a thousand yeers as Chiliasts cry or to judg al flâ—sh which Master Mede makes one day or time but there is no certainty of confining the Catastrophe to A. 1655. Ergo 't is presumption for you so to doo Sol. The Apocalyps mentions no such matter but clean contrary Rev. 19. 1. to 20. for upon Romes destruction great joy was heard in heaven and the Son of God who at opening the first Seal went forth to Conquer on a whit Hors appeers again on the same whom the Armies followed on whit Horses clad in clean whit linnen Thes are Martyrs who having whit Robes given them Rev 7 14. cam out of great tribulation and washed their robes being caled chosen and faithful Against them the Beast and Kings of the Rev. 17. 14. Earth made war the issu wherof was that the Beast and fals Prophet Empire and Popedom or rather popish Clergy and Pope shal be cast alife into a Lake of fire burning with briâ—stone Rev 20. 1 2 3. but the Dragon had Quarter who is only shut or sealed up in the Ibid. v. 11. to 15. bottomless pit for a thousand yeers that he should deceiv the Nations no more nor excite them against the Church In the interim Gods faithful Children hav rest but the last judgment is described afterward hereto agrees Daniel's Image representing Dan. 2. 34 35. the four Monarchies til the stone smot it on his feet which was not when the fourth began for feet and toes were not then til the end thereof and broke it in peeces but the stone becam a great Mountain or Kingdom when al four Monarchies are grinded to dust which shal break in peeces al the rest Daniel in this Monarchic Vision beheld til the Dan 7. per totum Thrones were cast down and the Antient of dais sat not for
1 31. Resurrection when al power in Heaven and Earth was given him being set abov al Principalities yet the full accomplishment is not til last day when Death Hel and Satan shal be made his footstool Al this cannot be verified of the interstitial Millenium for yer that inchoats many things must terminat which cannot be subjected nor his chief Enimies subdued sith Death shal stil hav dominion Satan only bound in the bottomless pit not cast into the burning lake and Hel not utterly trod under foot Ob. Jeremy saith They shal say no more the Arc of the Lords Jer. 3. 16 17. Covenant nor shal it com to mind or memory then they shal cal Jerusalem the Lords Throne and al Nations shal gather to it nor shal they walk after their hearts imaginations Ergo al past things shal be forgot and Israel return to Jerusalem which shal be a Throne of Glory and al Nations joyn to them al which can be fulfilled at no time sav in thos thousand yeers Sol. The old things to be forgot are lawish Ceremonies not Gospel Ordinances the Arc and Temple were by Christs first coming removed the walking of Juda and Israel together with the Nations conjoyned imports the caling of Jews and Gentiles to the tru Church Heavenly Jerusalem For so saith Isaiah It shal com to pass in the last dais that the Lords Isai 2. 2 3. hous shal be established in the Mountain top and al Nations shal flow to it for out of Sion shal go a Law and the Lords word from Jerusalem The last dais were the Apostles times who from Sion and Jerusalem blew the Gospel Trumpet to al people as Jeremy speaks I wil giv you Pastors according to my Jer. 3 15. heart Christ and his Apostles which shal feed you with knowledg and understanding The walking after Gods heart implies no freedom from sin but a state of grace wherin God givs new hearts and writes his Law therin their main ground that Jerusalem new built shal be a Throne of Glory being before Jer. 〈 ◊〉 〈◊〉 but his footstool is a groundless crotchet for Sion Jerusalem and the Arc are caled in the old Testament not only Gods footstool but his Throne and in the new Testament not only his Throne but footstool Thus like other Sects they sens the Scripture literaly or tropicaly as they list Ob. Daniel saith In the dais of thes Kings God shal set up a 〈◊〉 2. 44. kingdom never to be dâ—stroyed but shal stand for ever Ergo Christ shal hav an everlasting kingdom and Jerusalem enjoy endless joy on Earth Sol. What a pretious inference is this so Preachers quote Texts and people turn their Bibles but may go beyond Seas to seek their glosses Daniels everlasting kingdom is meerly spiritual and celical as the Angel said to Mary The Lord shal Luk 1. 32 33. giv him his Father Davids Throne and he shal reign over Jacob for ever This kingdom for the matter is everlasting being the Glory which the Saints shal enjoy for ever with Christ in Heaven but for the maner of administration he shal resign it to the Father when the work of Redemption is perfected but no Millenar Earthly kingdom as they dream Ob. Saint John saith He was clothed with a vesture dipt iâ— Rev. 19. 13 14 15. blood Ergo Christ shal slay his Enimies and embru his vestments in blood that none shal be left to trouble the Church during that Millenar reign Sol. So they say but the next words speak contrary for his Armies in Heaven not on Earth folowed on whit Horses clothed in fine whit linnen not bloody yea his war-weapon is a sharp sword out of his mouth not in his hand who shal rule the Nations with a rod of Iron and tread the winepress of Gods wrath In a word thes bloody battles are not ascribed to Christ literaly as appears by a parallel place Who is this that coms from Isai 63. 1. c. Edom with died garments from Bozra meaning Christ by reason of the slain Edomits when in property of speech he had no body or bloody raiment being seven hundred yeers before his byrth Ob. 'T is said the City had no need of Sun or Moon and the Rev 21. 23. 24. Kings of the Earth bring their glory to it Ergo Jerusalem ther meant shal shine in great temporal glory and terren Princes be subdued to it at Christs coming to reign a thousand yeers Sol. Indeed Heavenly Jerusalem is ther meant and al such places or passages are Allegorical to shew the Churches condition on Earth and Saints state in Heaven which is elswher expressed by Metaphors of gold pretious Stones Fountains Fruits c. but to interpret them literaly of any City on Earth is like the Athenien Dotard who deemed every ship that cam into the Harbour to be his own Ob. Zechary saith hee that is feeble among them at that day Zech. 12. 8 9. shal be as David and Davids hous as God I will seek to destroy al Nations that shal com against Jerusalem Ergo the Saints who are to reign with Christ shal excel in glory and he wil destroy al Jerusalems Enimies Sol. Excellent inferences Ergo Potlid The Prophet plainly speaks of gifts poured on al Saints of the new Testament by the spirit of supplication which makes the least of them like David yea greater then John Baptist as Christ declares but Mat. 11. v. 11. what is this to earthly Jerusalem or Chiliasts Mathematical Kingdom Surely ther is no soundnes in it nor semblance for it in al Gods book Other places are heaped up which like Bay leafs cast into fire make much crackling in Pulpits and Pamphlets but if al the former be shadows the rest wil vanish into vapor Ob. The word Day in Prophetic phrase or Hebrew Idiom signifies som space of time not simply twelv or twenty four hours as the day of tentation in the Wildernes is fourty yeers long the Day of Babylonish captivity seventy Giv us this Day our daily Bread purports our term of life and 't is somtimes used for Eternity this day shâ—lt thou be with me in Paradise Ergo the Day of Judgment is to be taken in the same sens Sol. The antecedent is granted and consequent shal not be denied for none can tel how long that Judgment shal last specialy sith time shal be no more as the Angel swore Yet Mr. Mede makes it a continued act with the reign of just one thousand yeers For as Rabbi Elias confines the Worlds continuance to 6000. yeers so he puts the Millenium of Messiahs glorious reign to be a periodical consummation of al things when shal be a Sabbath of Eternal rest Why then doo common Chiliasts assign one thousand to that reign either before at or after the Judgment day Let them render a reason of the one and the other wil soon be resolved why Day implies a larger space more or
Martyr actualy and arbitrarily who gladly gav his life to preach or publish him for the tru promised Messiah 21. John his best beloved Apostle Evangelist Analogical Martyr who suffred cruel torments and was exiled being ready to lay down his life 22. Innocents of Bethleem Juda who in deed not desire were slain by Herod the great in Christs stead tho not for his sake Thes are al the fixd Fests but his Resurrection is sanctified weekly in lieu of the seventh day Sabbath and yeerly too at Easter his Ascention 40. dais after Which are al except the holy Ghosts decent at Pentecost and Trinity seven dais after consecrat to the three Persons in Deity The last with som Appendices are Movables and three of them Easter Pentecost or Whitsunday Trinity celebrat on the Lords day Al the rest which relish of superstition invention and exaltation of the Cross the blessed Virgins pretended sinless Conception and supposed Assumption al Souls in Purgatory beside Tho. Becket a Pseudo Martyr and many mo of like bran we utterly reject renounce or repudiat What harm then in al this sith it tends soly to sanctity Yes say Malignants becaus Papists ordained prescribed and pro phaned them Indeed they abused not appointed them being instituted before by the primitiv Church as is plentifully proved but such as they superstitiously superadded are abrogated and abandoned Yet what if Papist ordeined al shal we receiv or retain none If they go on their heels shal we walk on our heads If they profes one God in three Persons shal we beleev three Gods in one Person Let pious institutions be embraced but al impious abuses or Ordinances exiled and extermined In sum I prescribe no Fests to be sanctified nor find fault Sumâ—ary with their suppression but only assert the lawful Religious use of them freely agnizing that the state or such as sit at stern hav lawful human power to annul or abrogat them and to restore or reestablish them with other Adiaphoral Ordinaces except Articles of Faith wherin we must obey God and not Man so far am I from taxing or traducing our Superiors actions that I doo and wil obey them in al indifferent things either Religious or Civil which doo not trench on a good conscience Yet if they wil be pleased to redintegrat the public Liturgy and principal Festivals which stand ratified by several Acts of Parlement unrepealed they shal make glad millions of good hearts in this Common-wealth which greatly griev at this interruption rather then abolition or suppression of them On whos behalfs sith 't is no Mony-matter nor can any way prejudice the State this poor Distich may humbly be presented Gratum Opus Angligenis si restituatur ut olim Publica forma Precum Festaque sacra foret If Common-Praier Book could as of old be had And sacred Fests English hearts would be glad Let incomparable Bishop Andrews words concerning the In a Sermon on John 8. 50. chief Soveraign Queen of Festivals close up the Catastrophe Ther is no day so properly Christs as that of his Birth which by comparing it with others wil appeer For the Passion day is not so truly or peculiarly his becaus two Theefs suffred with him at the same time place and maner nor Resurrection day sith many mo rose then too and went into the holy City appeering unto many nor Ascention day for that Enoch and Elias ascended bodily long before him much less the Circumcision day which was common to al the Jews Male-Children but the Birth day of a pure Virgin by power of the holy Ghost is soly his without Felow none ever so born none born such God and Man in one Person Therfore as no Fest els 't is attended as Christ he-self was with an Apostolic retinu of twelv Holy days Thus this sweet singer of England or golden mouthd Chrysostom descants The final result rests on two questions 1. Positiv whether Upâ—â—or it be lawful for Gods Church and al obedient Members to set apart or sanctify one day of 365. in a yeer for the memory of our Saviours manifestation in the flesh as the Jews did the Altars dedication and our State the deliverance of that Devilish Powder-plot which no sober Christian can deny 2. Comparativ whether it be superstition thankfully to celebrat one day annaly with public worship in remembrance of Mans redemption or rather wilfully to scorn slander prophane and contemn it If thes two be laid in the scales of unbiassed impartial judgment the pious veneration wil far preponderat the impious irrision in al good Mens eys Shal we set apart or sanctify divers dais of Thanksgiving and Humiliation for Temporal benefits of Victories or other occasions and cannot be content to afford to allow one for the greatest Spiritual blessing of our eternal Redemption from the power of sin and slavery of Satan began by his blessed birth and finishd by his bitter death and burial with other consequent glorious works of Exaltation viz. his Resurrection Ascention and continual intercession at his Fathers right hand in Heaven God shield us from such guilt wherto thes two Heroics may be aptly applied Absit tale nefas pudet haec opprobâ—â—a nobis Aut dici potuisse aut non potuisse refelli Far be such crime 't is shame should be imputed Thes scandals to us or could not be refuted For shâ—me then let Pulpits ring no more of such rediculous reasons prealleged not worth a Fig which if a young Sophister should urge in Schools he were worthy to be hissed out as being unwoâ—thy to be answered Dr. Hammond a deep Divine from whos learned lucubrations I hav pickd som precited materials as he and al writers borow from others in his Resolution to certain modern Quaeres wherof this concerning Christmas and other Fests is the last answers sixten addle interrogatories of his Antagonist in this point which he that lists may peruse but to requite his pains proposeth three pithy Quaeres at end of that Treatise wherto three mo shal be superadded 1. Whether the Church Catholic or any particular specialy 〈◊〉 nâ—â—rest the Apostles age hath sufficient power to make one or mo daiâ— sacrâ—d and let apart fâ—om servil works to Gods service in memory of som eminent mercy conferred on his People to be yeerly celebrated with tru piety which shal bind al dutiful Children to obey and observ them 2. Whether the annal Fest of Christs Birth being both lawful 2 Qâ—aere and laudable in the right religious use weeding out al abuses ordained by the Catholic Church may justly be abolished or abandoned by any Church or State much less privat Persons without regard to the universal sith it hath so long continued sans comptrole or contradiction by any 3. Whether it be a good ground in Conscience or Common 3 Qâ—â—â— e. reason to cancel or cashire so pious a constitution under a fucatious color of causless superstition becaus som pedissequent dais hav bin rudely