14.8 Chap. 16.19 whereby they run quite contrary to the intent of the Texts and subvert the sence of at least two whole Chapters I need not I suppose proceed further upon this Subject to prove that this last Book of Holy Writ wherein mention is sometimes made of the the whole World Chap. 16.14 c. was not intended to the seven Churches of Asia only I therefore desist from further enlargement upon the first three Chapters whose Prophesies had respect chiefly to the seven Churches of Asia and were long since fulfilled and come to the fourth Chapter CHAP. IV. THis Chapter holds forth an Historical Description of the Primitive Church chiefly in the Apostle's Times That Church as here described was a transient adumbration or figure of the Gospel-Church revived and returned after the 1260 years of the last grand Apostacy out of the Wilderness For we find in this Chapter a Throne and a Sea of Glass like unto Crystal before it vers 6. That Throne and Sea of Glass was the Primitive Church And we find her returned-Antitype the Church in future set forth by a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Chap. 15.2 That is the Primitive Saints and Professors were a knowing and discerning People and so shall their Antitype the Gospel Church convinced and returned be much more for ever For the Primitive Church soon in about 400 years passed away and fled into the Wilderness into secret subterfuges of obscure latency for 1260 years Chap. 12.6 14. But the Gospel returned Church by her prefigured shall not pass away Isa 65.17 Chap. 66.22 Pet. 8.13 Rev. 21.1 to the end Ch. 22.5 That Throne in this fourth Chapter was the Superintendents of the Primitive Church whereon God sat supream And the Sea of Glass before it was that Church So by the Sea of Glass in the 15th Chapter is meant the Church in future times and those Victors born up by it and standing upon it shall be under God the Supervisors over it CHAP. V. THe Prophetick Visions in this Chapter that are most obvious to my Observation are two The first is The Book sealed with seven Seals in the hand of him that sat upon the Throne Vers 1. The second is a Lamb as it had been slain the Lion of the Tribe of Judah that prevailed to open the Book and to loose the Seals thereof and took the Book and of the right hand of him that 〈◊〉 upon the Throne vers 5.6 7. We must here inquire in the first place what this Book was or is Secondly How it 〈…〉 could open them nor reade it 〈◊〉 look thereon vers 3. 4. Thirdly How long it was so to be Fourthly What the causes of its being sealed were and are And first What is this Book I answer It must be the whole Scripture or else which is little less an abstract of it If an abstract then it must be this last Book of holy Writ for that 's the abridgment of all the Scripture and explains of diâ—â—ciâ—ates the whole if that be sealed it â—enders thereby the rest much more dark For if any part of the Body the Head especially be wounded all the Body must needs sympathize therewith and partake thereof So if any part of abstract of Holy Writ this part especially He sealed it cannot be but that the whole Scripture must be theirby greatly obscured and very much sealed and that undeniably denotes that most dangerous and 't is most like general mistake in Men Sects and Saints that calls for all possible and speedy care to remove it For all Saints Sects and Professors do not in the least dream that I observe of any such thing as a Book or any abridgment of Holy Writ being sealed especially in such manner aforesaid The opening therefore of the Seals thereof must be the greatest most needful Mercy that hath come to Men in Many Ages Many Expositors say This sealed Book is the Book of things concerning the Church till Christ's second coming But the things of this Book concern not the Church only but all Nations and not only until the time of Christ's second coming but in all after-times Rev. 11.15 Chap. 12.5 They therefore might perhaps have said better That it is the Book of the Presages of Events that should respect the Church and all Nations for above fifteen hundred ninety 〈…〉 beginning about the Year 70 when 〈…〉 began to Reign And of things that should concern the Church and Nations after those 1597 years aforesaid Pool saith It is the Book of the Old and New Testament especially as it concerns the Mysterious of Christ What Mysteries of Christ he means he does not distinctly declare threfore I pass by this account of this Book But That we may more certainly know what Book this is and how long it was to continue sealed we must search what God declared to the Prophets concerning the Antitype Mystery of God and the Mystery of Iniquity then opposite thereunto is the time of the last grand Apostacy and their Prophetick Figures and Fore runners in the Primitive Times For this is the Book of what God declered to his Servants the Prophets concerning the two first and those two last Rev. 6. to Chap. 8.7 Chap. 10.6 7. And first This Book began to be sealed in the Primitive Times about the Year 70 when Flavius Vespasian began to Reign the Jews to be rejected and Jerusalem to be destroyed It continued sealed from that time to 407 when the Primitive Church fled into the Wilderness and the Orthodox but Apostate Empire departed or began to pass away Then the Papal grand Apostacy succeeded and the Book became doubly Sealed This Book therefore beginning to be sealed in the Year 70 contains the Presages of the state of the Primitive Church and of the Bloody proceedings of her proper Antichrist or Mystery of Iniquity from that time to 407 when she 〈◊〉 as aforesaid Then the Antitype Mystery of his Iniquity or Papal grand Apostacy invaded the Christian World for 1060 Years before any effectual means of its discontinuance was made manifest And this last grand Mystery of Iniquity with its effects and the time of its continuance and the deplored state of the Wilderness-Church under it is also much more the Matter of this sealed Book which God declared to his Servants the Prophets But How does it plainly appear That the Mystery of God and the Mystery of Iniquity in the time of the Primitive Defection and in the time of the Papal Apostacy with what one did and the other suffered is that in this sealed Book which God declared to his Servants the Prophets I answer though more fully afterwards That we must mind what the chief Matter in the Mystery of Iniquity was and what its Prefigurations were For the Mystery of God was passive under them whiles they were in Power and therefore in that time did not or not much appear The chief Matter or Substance prefigured was the Secular Power of the
Papacy it was shadowed forth by its first Figures and its immediate fore runner And first There were many first figures of the Matter of this sealed Book I shall here briefly instance but in one which is that of the four Beasts in Daniel the 7th By which four by what they did and by the state of the Church under them God did declare to Daniel the Prophet his Servant what the Matter of this sealed Book should be in the Primitive Times and in the time of the Papal grand Apostacy And Secondly God declared to his Servant John the Evangelical Prophet by four Beasts also by their bloody Practices in the Primitive Times and the Churches Persecutions by them what the matter of this sealed Book should be in the time of the Papal grand Apostacy Rev. 6. to the end of the Chapter And Thirdly God declared to his Servant John by the express signatures of those four Beasts in Daniel set upon the secular beast Papal and by the unparallel'd evil practices of that Beast what the Matter of this sealed Book was to be under the Papacy for 1260 Years Rev. 13.2 3 4 5. to the 9th verse Those four Beasts in Daniel succeeded each worse and less Noble than his Predecessor Those four Beasts in Rev. 6. succeeded also one worse than another And Those four Signatures upon the secular Beast Papal were the Marks of the four Beasts in Daniel that succeeded each worse than other which also undeniably denotes that Papal Beast to be the fifth Monarch and the Papacy to be the fifth Monarchy I might give many other Instances but this in this place is sufficient and clearly demonstrates That this sealed Book in its Antitype or Substance prefigured is the Book of what God hath declared to his Servants the Prophets concerning the finishing of the Mystery of God and the suppressing and final subverting of the Mystery of Iniquity and shews how both must be effected But that this Book is so and what the time of its continuing sealed is is confirmed by Christ upon his Oath By the Living God Chap. 10. For. When the first six Angels had sounded their six Trumpets for 1260 Years which time runs parallel with the Witnesses Sackcloth Prophesie Chap. 11.3 then we find the Angel of the Covenant who took this Book sealed out of his right Hand that sate upon the Throne Chap. 5.7 having it open in his Hand Chap. 10.2 And then he having declared before the meaning of the Prophecies of the seven seals in the Primitive Times by showing what their performance should be and having shown their fulfilling also in the time of the Papacy till about the end of the sixth Trumpet Swore by him that liveth for evermore that â—henâ— should be no longer 〈◊〉 But in the days of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the Mystery of God should be finised as he hath declare to his Servants the Prophets Chap. 10.6 7. And immediately thereupon we find this Book open in John's hand Ver. 8.9 10. But what time was that which should be no longer I answer it was the same 1260 Years aforesaid of this Book bring sealed after the Primitive Times to 〈◊〉 The time of the last grand Apostacy prevailing of the Mystery of Iniquity being masked of the Mystery of God his Church being tradden under foot by the Gentiles and not finished not effectually reformed not returned out of the Wilderness not revived as evidently appears from the Texts aforesaid from chap. 11.2 from chap. 12.6 14. from chap. 11. â—â— 11. from Ezek. 37.2 3. For we find the seventh Seal opened in chap. 7.1 The Prophecies under that Seal are held forth to the 7th verse of that Chapter and their performances extend to the Year 407 when the Church fled for 1260 Years and the Empire fell began to fall for ever But we find no mention at all of this Book being opened when that seventh Seal was opened nor until 1260 Years after when the first six Trumpets had founded the first six Vials were poured forth and when the Witnesses had finished the 1260 years of their Sackcloth Prophecy as we have proved sufficiently before in the Texts aforesaid There shall be no longer time There 's the first part of Christ's Oath by the living God But in the days of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the Mystery of God shall be finished There 's the second part of Christ's Oath by the Living God The first part terminates the time of this Book being sealed or until it should begin to be opened For we find it open in Christ's Hand immediately before he made this Oath and open in John's hand immediately after he had made it This first part of Christ's Oath terminates also the progress of the Apostacy of Antichrist or until there should be some thing materially tending to its discontinuance which might be as will after appear about the year 1666 or soon after The second part of Christ's Oath states the beginning of the Antitype-Mystery of God to be finished or till something should effectually tend to the finishing of it which might appear at the same time aforesaid or soon after Thus Christ himself upon his Oath by the Living God fully confirms the Terminus ad quem of the Mystery of Inquity or the time when it should begin to fall And likewise the Terminus a qus of the Mystery of God or the time when it should begin to be finished and therefore he must of necessity confirm also by the same Oath the duration of this Book being sealed and state the time when it should begin to be opened For it were absurd to think and a thing impossible that the Mystery of Iniquity can begin to fall and the Mystery of God begin to be finished till this Book the only means under God to those ends shall begin to be opened For All the powers of the Sword and policies of Church and States the wisest Counsels and most careful circumspection of Men and Saints without that means to those ends signifie nothing Therefore the time of all the three of the first beginning to fall of the second to be finished and of the beginning of this Book to be opened is fully confirmed notwithstanding the insedulity of sleepy Inadvertists that mind nothing by the Testimony of Christ upon his Oath by the Living God But If this Book be the Book of what God declared to his Servants the Prophets concerning the Mystery of God prefigured and the means to the finishing of it what then is meant by that by the Prophets foretold Mystery of God How or where shall we find it or know what it is I answer This last Book of holy Writ holds forth that also and further declares the time when it should begin to be finished For we find after 666 Chapter 13. the last Verse and in the first Verse of the 14th these words Then I looked and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion
it seems rather to serve to make Schisms to create Divisions to multiply Sects to frame Factions and to form false Opinions Mistakes and evil Manners for Saints Sects and Professors do all this and think they have good ground for it from the Scriptures because they are sealed and they see no better but when their Seals shall be opened all those dreadful evils shall soon vanish as Darkness when the Light appears Good works of Men made perfect are the supreme ends for which the whole Scripture was given by Inspiration of God in order to his Glory and the good of Men. The same account is given by our Blessed Saviour himself So let your Light shine before Men that they seeing your good Works may Glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.16 And is this all may Formalists and Hypocrites say and Saints are apt to say almost as much then we know already the supreme end for which the whole Scripture was given by Inspiration of God we know that we must make our good Works shine before Men that they may glorifie God And how have their good Works even of Saints shone before Men all the time of the Witnesses Sackcloth-Prophecy for 1260 Years How do they shine at present And what Glory have they brought to God or Temporal Good to Men I answer They have shone and do shine as the Sun when it was black is Sackcloth of Hair Rev. 6.12 There was sincerity in the good Works of Saints all that time and still is but Men could scarce see them or it they were so dark and did not shine to bring any great Glory to God or Temporal good to Men because they were and are so disguised like the Prophet in contrary Habits and so corrupt and mixt with evil Manners But when this Book shall be opened they shall shine and Men shall see them and glorifie God Then the whole Scripture shall be much more effectually profitable to teach to convince to correct and to instruct in Righteousness and Men and Saints be made more perfect unto all good Works and that 's the supreme end of the whole Scripture in order to God's Glory And what shall the good Works of Saints made perfect be I answer They shall be the practice of Right in a four-fold Conformity grounded upon true Faith What that Practice is or rather shall be I have shewn at large in my former Treatise and it will further appear in this And have not some Saints Sects or Professors attained to this supreme end of the whole Scripture or square practice of Right in the time when this Book was universally sealed with seven Seals I answer The Book was sealed in the Primitive Times and sealed or rather doubly sealed in the time of the Papal Apostacy whose principal time of continuance was to be 1260 Years and that 's the time of the Witnesses Sackcloth-Prophecy Rev. 11.2 3. Chap. 12.6.14 Chap. 13.5 Wherefore as the Prophets had leave of Elisha to seek for the Body of Elijah give me leave to search first those 1260 Years the principal time of the Papal Apostacy to see if possibly any foot-steps of this practice of square Right the supreme end in order to God's Glory of the whole Scripture may be found in all that time or under that Dispensation and if we find none there we shall search for it in the Primitive Times and then proceed to shew further what it is or what those good Works which are the supreme end of the whole Scripture and in respect to which principally it is sealed are or rather shall be And first We find the state of the Papacy under the first six Trumpets and first six Vials standing and under the seventh Trumpet and seventh Vial falling We must therefore see if we can find this supreme end of the whole Scripture held forth under the first six Trumpets and first six Vials and under the Witnesses Sackcloth Prophecy for they all run parallel in 1260 Years Under the first second and third Trumpet and Vial we find no mention at all of it nor under the fourth Trumpet and fourth Vial but that Men repented not to give glory to God Chap. 16.9 Not but that some true Repentance was wrought in Saints all that time but it was so small weak undiscernable and insignificant that God was not much if at all glorified thereby Therefore to such Repentance though some truth be in the performers of it God gives not the name of Repentance but saith expresly They repented not c. And who were they that repented not to give Glory to God They to whom the Witnesses were sent to prophesie for 1260 Years repented not in all that time to give Glory to God who were they to whom the Witnesses were sent They were the Saints and Church fallen from Faith and Manners 2 Thess 2.3 that is to those first and chiefly For the Prophet was sent directly to Apostate Israel fallen from Faith and Manners 1 Kings 13.1 That Prophet sent to Bethel and the other who dwelt there prefigured the two Sackcloth-Witnesses sent to the Gospel-Church and Saints fallen as aforesaid to prophesie 1260 Years but it was without much success For they repented not all that time to give Glory to God God sent the Prophet not to the dead Bones of Gog but to the dead and dry Bones in the open Valley which represented the state of the whole House of Israel and prefigured the whole House of Gospel Israel who for 1260 Years repented not to give Glory to God Ezek. 39.15 Chap. 37.11 For it were a Master-piece of incredible absurdity to say That dead and dry Bones without Flesh or Sinews or Skin to cover them repented vigorously and glorified God by their good Works Go not saith our Blessed Saviour into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not But go rather to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Mat. 10.5 6 7. He sent his twelve Apostles not to the Gentiles but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel And I am not sent saith he but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Chap. 15.24 So the Gospel-Witnesses were sent of God principally and in the first place to the lost Sheep of Gospel Israel the Gospel-Church and her Saints to prophesie in Sackcloth for 1260 Years For She and they fallen from Faith and Manners as aforesaid were the prefigured lost Sheep all that time That is they were and are not yet free from those dreadful Perils in the lamentable state to see to of lost Sheep subject to all sorts of Calamities Conspiracies and contrivances to subvert their Temporal and Spiritual well-beings and which is worse they bring themselves into such great Tribulations by their rebellious disobedience in not repenting to give glory to God not greatly minding to learn to know what that meaneth For all other sick sleepy barren trivial but somewhat true Repentance whereby they are
who satisfied with these Answers before he died did it no doubt to promote the Truth and make it appear Mr. Caryl therefore whom I knew and from whose hand I had this Paper must stand instead here of my other unknown Opponent I shall not detein my Reader with a long Answer to his Objections but only make my Answers be a brief Introduction to a general Refutation of the most dangerous Errors and Mistakes in all Sects Saints and sorts of Professors that would actuate them into inevitable at least temporal Perdition if God in great mercy by removing them prevent it not My Opponent's Preface follows Reader farewell Thy true Friend T. H. THE PROGRESS OPPONENT IN several places of the Book which Mr. Thomas Harby is writing of the Exposition of several parts of the Revelation he affirms that what is treated of in the 19th and 18th Chapters respects only Rome-Pagan and Imperial and not Rome Papal and Antichristian Now in answer thereunto I shall offer a few particulars to consideration which I suppose will make it appear that what is treated of in the 17th and 18th Chapters hath respect to and is intended only by the Holy Ghost of Rome Papal and Antichristian and not of Rome Pagan and Imperial DEFENDENT Thus my unknown Opponent in the first place misrepresents the intent of my treatise by giving a false Title to it For my Book bears no such Title as an Exposition of several parts of the Revelation but is entituled What is Truth And my design in it is to shew what Truth is in Doctrine and Manners and to remove those manifold dangerous misstakes in all Sects and Church-Societies that until they be removed irresistibly withstand the true Peace conviction and reconcilement of all Sects and Nations nor Fathers Modern Writers and by Reason perhaps fully confirming the Truth of my Assertions from those Texts in the 17th and 18th Chapters But to my Opponent's chief Change in his Preface answer That he ought not to impute to me the gross Errors of his own inadvertency far I affirm not in my Book as he affirms I do that what is treated of in the 17th and 18th Chapters respects only Rome-Pagan and Imperial but I expresly apply some of those 〈◊〉 to Heathen Rome 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 to Rome partly Heathen partly Heterodox and partly Christian and Orthodox but Apostate in practice chiefly under her eighth Head as the Râ—â—der may 〈◊〉 in the 44th and several other Pagâ—â— thereof But Secondly My Opponent himself in his eleventh Objection spoils his whole Preface aforesaid and overthrows the validity of all his Objections by affirming expresly what I assert his words are these Now the Roman Monarchy as it was Rome Pagan was ascended and had continued long before the time wherein â—ohn saw this Vision end five of the seven Heads of that Monarchy were fall'n Object 11. DEFENDENT And what 〈◊〉 evidence my Opponent give against himself and for the Truth and for me than this his own express Confession Aâ—tam est The Controversy is perfectly and fully ended by my Opponent's fâ—â—e acknowledgment For he in the very front of what he writes his Preface aforesaid undertakes and that 's his whole Design in all those Objections to make it appear that what is treated of in the 17th and 18th Chapter is intended by the Holy Ghost of Rome Papal only And yet he contradicting himself in this eleventh Objection saith expresly That five of the seven Heads of the Roman Monarchy as it was Rome Pagan were fallen Of which seven Heads we find no mention at all in any part of the whole Scripture but only in the 12th and 17th Chapters Therefore the Texts in the 17th and 18th Chapters hold forth contrary to what my Opponent affirms and in all his Objections undertakes to maintain the Roman Monarchy under its seven Heads as also my Opponent himself grosly forgetting himself fully grants in his said eleventh Objection And having granted that hath granted all and yeelded up the entire state of the whole Matter I should make by right no further reply at all to any of my Opponent's Objections For Pugna suum sinem cum jacet hostis habet All my work with my Opponent is done for me by him For the Objections being fully answered from his own Confession and from Scripture exactly concurring therewith and with my Assertion put a final period to all further dispute But because that Person of great Worth that gave me this Paper enjoin'd me to make Replies to each Objection for some of them seem far more substantial and deserve an Answer and because the prosecuting of them to a full refutation may be a great blessing to all Ages and Nations I shall make some answer to each And therefore Thirdly We find in his tenth Objection a second contradiction more absurd than the former The seventh Head says he was Papal Rome His words are these Now Papal Rome was the seventh Head and he is the eighth and to prove it falsly quotes Rev. 17.11 Here my Opponent will needs shew himself to be some self-contradicting Euripus of contrary Winds and Tides for he in his Preface pretends to make it appear That what is treated of in the 17th and 18th Chapters hath respect to and is intended only by the Holy Ghost of Papal Rome then he in his eleventh Objection contradicts all that and saith Now the Roman Monarchy as it was Rome Pagan was ascended and had continued long and five of the seven Heads of that Monarchy were fallen where he makes those seven Heads all Papal in his Preface all Pagan And then He in his tenth Objection contradicts all in his Preface and all his own gain-sayings of it in his eleventh Objection and saith Now the seventh Head was Papal Rome Papists may well grow proud and persist impenitent to the Death when they see Protestants of Note no better armed to oppose them But such self-contradicting Absurdities as these are common with those that list to be contentious I therefore less blame my Opponent and come to see what further stuff he offers to the Reader Papal Rome says he was the seventh Head and he is the eighth Rev. 17.11 Where note First That my Opponent falsifies the Scriptures The seventh Head says he is the eighth and quotes the Text above-said for it This is Scripture of my Opponent's own making for there is not one word in that Text to any such purpose to wit That he the seventh Head is the eighth But the Texts say expresly That the Beast that was and is not vers 11. and shall ascend and go into Perdition vers 8. even he is the eighth in which words not one word is found as my Opponent asserts and pretends to find that the seventh Head is the eighth Thus my Opponent casts Blasphemy upon the Sacred Scripture makes it hold forth shameful Absurdities and contradict it self Nor is this my Opponent's by him immediately contradicted and yet owned Opinion
10.6 It is done saith the Text expresly Chap. 16.17 And thus my Opponent's first Objection and in that all the rest falls to dust with one stroke from the very words of the Text besides those upon Oath by the Living God in the 10th Chapter expresly gainsaying it Nor is my Opponent herein faulty alone but all Writers and Teachers consentient with him must be like him at a loss in mistaking the Matter of sundry Texts ahd Chapters not knowing where it begins nor where it ends nor what they hold forthe Nor are such mistakes peculiar to him or them alone but incident as an Epidemick Disease almost to all Writers For the most able and Orthodox I can except very few are not free from many mistakes that work setled habits of Error against Truth and Reason My Progress theresom till such false Foundations be first removed may give great offence to such and satisfie few For so many misapprehensions work as it were an universal incapability and where the Subject is uncapable the Agent cannot operate I am driven therefore here by urgent constraint and unavoidably as the Reader may plainly perceive to a brief Digress that I may remove those mistakes that obstruct them in reading and my success in writing for otherwise they must needs read both the Scriptures and those Books that best unfold them with little profit if they are not first well informed where the Matter in the Texts and Chapters begins where it ends and what they hold forth These Remora's therefore must be first removed Such an Intendment provided it be effectual do all future Ages call for and the present claims to refel Errors to reform Manners to heal the Churche's almost deadly wounds made wide besides no few failings of her own by the perverse ignorance of sundry subdivisions and to procure the Peace Conversion and Reviction of all Sects and Nations Something hath often been pretended but not effectually and in earnest intended to these ends I shall therefore with humble submission to the Judgments of Men more able endeavour as a duty indispensable to God and to his Church to shew briefly what sundry Texts and Chapters not only in the Scriptures counted plain but in the Prophets and in this compendium of Prophesies the Apocalyps hold forth and where the Matter in them begins and where it ends I promised to explain more fully some Texts handled in my first Treatise and it falls in most fit here to perform my Promise Nor let any grudg at this brief Digress for it may perhaps prove not only useful but needful for all that read the Scriptures both the Prophetical and those called plain and for all that shall hereafter Preach or Write upon either Howbeit such as before they read it had rather omit it may pass it by though with mach less profit to themselves and proceed where I return to prosecute my Answers to these Objections THE DIGRESS MAN made last was the most perfect Creature God made on Earth So this last Book of Holy Writ the Apocalyps is sacrae caput culmen Scripturae the consummate perfection of all the Scripture and an Abstract of it 'T is true it 's most despised by Ideots and Hypocrites and that 's the praise of it But as all the Tribes of Israel had Jerusalem and the Temple as their Metropolis and Center so all the Scriptures concenter in this last Book and are perfected and explained by it Would any know what God hath declared to his Servants the Prophets Here he may find it and find the supream end and intent of it in order to God's Glory and the ineffable good of Men Rev. 10.7 Is or hath any Book of Sacred Scripture been sealed with seven Seals Here we may find the truth of it asserted and how its Seals were and may be opened Chap. 5th 6th to Chap. 10.2 8 9 10. The Church till this Work be well begun must needs wander in the Wilderness and find no way forth For this Book being sealed was the cause of her Ingress and it being opened must be the only means under God of her Egress or coming out of it The Serpent brought Sin and Death upon all Men by beguiling Eve That Cause and those Effects are since grown into an excess of greatness but we find in this last Book an undefiled Company that shall be without guile and without fault before the Throne of God and how that State may be attained Chap. 14.4 5. Without Guile That is Men shall not as they do and have done deceive and be deceived and Sin and Death shall not have dominion as now and heretofore they had That those deceits of the Serpent whereby he beguiles as he did from the beginning the whole World to bring it with speed to Perdition may by being made manifest miss of their end and his aim is the Subject principally intended in this Digress It 's the Opinion of some Professors that what is contained in this last Book of Holy Writ concerns Asia only without further extent because it 's written to the seven Churches of Asia and Babylon therein mentioned was and Euphrates therein also exprest is in Asia I Answer Sodom and Egypt are also therein mentioned and Sodom is not in being and Egypt is in Africa But Sodom and Egypt in Chap. 11.8 are spiritually so called saith that Text expresly That is they are such in substance as Sodom and Egypt were in a figure Babylon now in being is not that City formerly so called but another built in another place but the first of that name is not now nor was that we find in being when John wrote This City therefore so called in these Texts is also not that literal City but is expresly called Mystical Chap. 17.5 And so Euphrates on which this Spiritual City likewise stands and is supported by it is to be understood Spiritually also that is Euphrates was to prototype Babylon or the first forerunner of her Antitypes the many Waters of that literal River which denoted in the last City and last but one of that metaphorical name Rome literal and Rome Papal both called Babylon Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues Ch. 17.1 15. Ch. 11.9 We find in Chap. 17.5 Mystery Babylon the Great c. There revolted Rome Imperial ruling ten Nations is intended and her River her Euphrates is held forth in the same Chapter vers 15. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God Chap. 16.19 There Papal Rome containing ten Nations is intended Chap. 13.1 and her River her Euphrates is held forth in Chap. 9.14 Chap. 11.9 Chap. 16.12 So then not that literal City in Asia called Babylon but two spiritual Cities so called Rome Imperial and Papal Rome are intended in these Texts Here almost all Protestant Writers mistake and their mistake brings a multitude more with it for they take that City called Babylon in the 17th and 18th Chapters to be one and the same City with this in Chap.
square Righteousness which shall render and denominate these future 144000 to be that Mystery of God finished and the First-fruits redeemed from the Earth chap. 14.3 4. We shall therefore search the Apostles Times to see if we can find there the principal end of the Scripture and that Righteousness aforesaid for they might have some glimmerings of it though they did not perhaps attain to the true and clear knowledg of it And First But we look for new Heavens and a new Earth according to his Promise wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 If Peter knew what those new Heavens and that new Earth were and what that Righteousness in them was to be why did he not preach both to the Primitive Churches why did he look for them and it to come in future according to his Promise if that Promise of God was at that time or had been before performed Therefore this Righteousness of Gospel-Promise was not rightly understood but much sealed and hid from the Primitive Saints and Apostles themselves Secondly Christ taught his Disciples and teacheth us to pray saying Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven But the Will of God so done on Earth is the Practice of that future quadrate Righteousness of Gospel-Promise which only or principally is according to the Will of God and well-pleasing to him for all other Righteousness cannot but be faulty before the Throne of God Rev. 14.5 Not but that there will be Sins in Saints then but Sins in subjection or slain Sins as the Ark and Dagon with his Head and Hands cut off were in one Temple Thy Will be done in Earth c. This is a prophetick Prayer which hath not been answered that I find in any Ages nor shall be until the Seals of this Book be opened for until then the Will of God cannot be done in Earth as it is in Heaven because Man's Direction so to do it though not with like degrees of Perfection can be found by no other means Christ therefore had not no doubt taught his Disciples and us to pray saying Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven if it was then actually so done on Earth by any but himself only at that present time or otherwise than by a prophetick Adumbration or Figure The supreme end therefore of the whole Scripture in order to God's Glory or that Righteousness which shall denominate the Mystery of God finished and be the Means of Mens principal Concerns and Safeties was much sealed or did not clearly appear to the Apostles themselves And therefore John wept much Rev. 5.4 And why did John weep much Because he had much cause to weep the Book was sealed in respect to its supreme end and that was cause sufficient to him of much weeping Nothing can be more lamentable than the sealing of that Book nor more blessed and full of joy than that opened For the sealing of it opens the Flood-gates of all Evils Miseries and Mischiefs Hoc solum omnigeni fons origo mali It is the cause of an Inundation of all Evils to Princes and to their People They complain of Plots and dreadful Designs to subvert their Estates Lives and Religion it self as if the World were again and so it is indeed filled with Violence Therefore they labour hard and so they do well to prevent every Man his own utter Ruine But it is not much unlike the Egyptians striving against the Stream of the involving Waters to very little purpose Hydra's adverse Heads spring up faster than they can be cut off Why then do they not seek to open the Seals of this Book and their Work is done The Wolf the Lamb and the Lion agreed well enough in one Ark and shall agree this Book being opened to better purpose Isa 65.25 Saul among the Prophets prophesied with them So Papists Protestants Sects and Turks if that Work be once done will agree to say and do the same things Enmity and Hostility shall cease and the destroying Angel shall stay his hand as he did when he was seen in Arannah's Threshing-Floor 2 Sam. 24.17 25. Therefore Lastly The whole Creation saith the Apostle groaneth and travaileth in pain and not only they but our selves also which have the First fruits c. Rom. 8.22 23. And what moved even the Apostles themselves and with them the whole Creation so to groan and travail in pain It was saith the Text for the manifestation of the Sons of God vers 19. And what is that I answer It is or rather shall be the Name of God written in their Fore-heads Rev. 14.1 For what more manifests a thing than the Forehead and what so much manifests the Sons of God as the Name of God written in their Foreheads And what is that Name It 's that Power of Godliness or that Practice of Right which shall be the supreme end of the whole Scripture in order to God's Glory and in respect to which principally it hath been long sealed All that work not at least to that end aforesaid are like Clocks that go not or go wrong Wherefore seeing that promised Righteousness in Practice which shall be the Will of God done on Earth though not with equal degrees of perfection as it is in Heaven shall be in order to God's Glory the supreme end of the whole Scripture and the most effectual means to Men of their entire Safeties and highest Concerns we shall with some diligence examine what those Works or that Practice of Right aforesaid in respect to which principally the Book is sealed are And first we must distinguish Evil Works are either visibly evil or But seeming good Good Works are subordinate or Supreme And firstly Works visibly evil are the Works of the Flesh Gal. 5.19 Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strofe Seditions Heresies Envyings Murthers Drunkenness Revellings and such like Such like are those Multitudes of Oaths which make the Land mourn and the Cause of them Atheism Witchcraft is mentioned among these Works of the Flesh which are manifest but I never read or heard of any Witch that durst or did swear or say God damn me This Age is grown hardy in unheard-of Wickedness Envy Hatred Variance are in the same List Schism therefore must be of the same Radix Sloth and Inadvertency are the Root and Foundation of all manifest evil Works and of those that are most mysterious The Doers of those more manifest evil Works are High-way-Hearers or the High-way ground Inadvertists Atheists that give no growth to the Seed of Grace But Secondly Works but seeming good are much more deceitful and difficult to be discerned from subordinate good Works They soon grow and soon cease from growing Hearing Reading Praying ineffectual Alms and pieces or half Performances of Right are seeming good Works And subordinate good Works are the same only these persevere when the other desist The stony and thorny Grounds are lively delineations of the Doers of seeming good Works The Apostle said to the foolish Galatians Ye ran well who hindred you chap. 5.7 So the Doers of seeming good Works seem to run well or rather better at first than they that perform subordinate good Works but before they run far they are hindred and having no depth of knowledg cannot persist in pressing forward or if their Knowledg be competent much Business and worldly Cares choak their good Works and makes them be but dead Works Therefore subordinate good Works seem to fall short at first of those that are but seeming good they are not so splendid nor promise so much when they are first held forth but they persevere when the other perish 〈…〉 * Assemb Annot. * Symp. Crit. * Assemb Annot.