so small a scantling as that of three years and a half be agreeable to the Description of the Person who here avows himself to have received this Revelation from God and to give it to his Servants I mean that of his being Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Revel 1. v. 8 v. 17. of his being the first and the last he that liveth and was dead and behold he liveth Amen and hath the Keys of Hell and of Death VVhy this asserting his own Duration and Power if all were but to give them the Prediction of so short a time Or whether to suppose this 2. Would be agreeable to what he bids St. John write viz. the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter Is it likely that so great a part of this book as from the seventh to the twentieth Chapter which yet is the only professed book of prophesie given in the whole time of the Gospel should run out in the History of three years and a half Or farther whether 3. T were agreeable to the answer those under the Altar receive chap. 6. 11. upon their expostulating after the ten persecutions for I take them to cease there How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth viz. that they should rest yet for a little season little agreeable to the Divine Goodness which always expresses the sufferings of his people in the gentlest terms that so their Faith might fail under them see 2 Cor. 4. 17. until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled should relate only to three years and a half For if so then Antichrist must have then immediately succeeded i. e. about the year 314 when Constantine reostored Peace to the Church and freed her from Persecution and have had his period 1375 years ago Again let it be yet consider'd whether 4. It be agreeable to an Empire in its succession and such the Beast which is likewise Antichrist is in its rise continuance and fall to reckon but three years and a half Whether such a Duration bear any proportion to the other Heads of the Beast VVhether 5. It be agreeable to the work the Whore that sitteth upon many Waters Revel 17. 1. which is one of Antichrists Denominations was to do viz. To deceive all Nations with her Sorceries ch 18. 23. To make so many Kings commit Fornication with her v. 9. And make War with the Saints and to overcome them and to have Power over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations ch 13. 7. VVhether 6. It be agreeable to the degrees by which Antichrist was to arrive at his highest pitch The Image he was to make to the Beast whic had the wound by the sword and did live The power he had to give life to the Image of the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed c. ch 13 14 15 16 17. and causing all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand and in their foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his Name Could such power be arrived at in so short a compass of time Or whether lastly 7. It be agreeable to the several parts of his fall exprest whether by the seven last plagues or Vials of Gods wrath or by the Angels putting in his Sickle first for the Harvest ch 14. 15. and then for the Vintage v. 17 18 19. by the one to begin by the other to finish the fall of Babylon if all were but for three years and a continuance Most certainly a longer time must be allotted for Babylon which is one of Antichrists names to fill up her Iniquity if in her were to be found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were to be slain upon the Earth ch 18 19. which is added there as the reason of her ruine as she i. e. either Pagan or Antichristian Rome was to bear the guilt of all the innocent blood that had been shed from the time of the first planting of Christianity agreeable to the sentence that in a like case was long before given on Jerusalem Matth. 23. 35. that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar So then 't is scarce to be doubted but that this continuance of Antichrist was to be for as many years as there are Prophetick days in a time times and half a time in forty two months or one thousand two hundred and sixty days And now having thus in what was necessary to be observ'd concerning the rise and growth of Antichrist taken notice as of the several periods the Holy Ghost hath set for either and the different use we are in this matter to make of the several Epocha's of the taking of Rome viz. in 410 and 455 and the division of the Empire into ten Kingdoms upon the last and thereto added the Testimony of other Writers with some Reasons why a time times and half or the dividing of a time forty two months or one thousand two hundred and sixty days which are all the same cannot be taken for natural but Prophetick days i. e. for intire years I might fairly take leave of this point in which I have been forced to be long but I hope not tedious But considering of how great moment 't is that every thing should be clear and coherent in such a weighty matter as this is which hath been discoursing I must farther ask the favour of the Reader that I may reflect a little on what Daniel in his Prophesy affords us towards the farther Illustration hereof and the Place that chiefly serves to this purpose is that of his 12th Chapter vers 10 11. Which may be applicable Either For the fixing the time of the Revelation of Antichrist i. e. His coming to his full growth or Maturity or For the settling the Duration of his Reign As to the first of these viz. The fixing the time for the Revelation of Antichrist 't is to be considered from whence the Calculation is to be taken and where to end As to the time from whence it was to begin the Angel tells us 't was from the time that the daily Sacrifice should be taken away and the Abomination that maketh desolate set up And when was that We have the Historical Relation of it Maccab. 1. 54. Now the fifteenth day of the Month Casleu in the hundred forty fifth Year they set up the Abomination of Desolation
viz. Because it was to extend it self to the flight of the Woman into the Wilderness which is Contemporary with the Reign of Antichrist This however it dropped from my running Pen I presume to give as I then set it down and as it will appear to be the great Hinge on which all turns in the Explication of the Apocalyptical Writings and what I have pursued in the following Discourse I reasoned also with the same Person viz. Monsieur Desgallesnierres formerly Minister of Mans in France now of one of the French Churches in Westminster on some other Heads in which I found my self so much to differ from that Excellent Person his worthy Countryman Monsieur Jurieu I mean particularly as to the sense of the first Vial which he makes to consist in the Corruptions that then broke forth in the Romish Church whereas I am apt to think it ought rather to be applied to the Plague that was sent as the Punishment of such Corruptions in the Irruptions of the Saracens As also in the fourth sixth and seventh Vial I cannot but differ from that great Man as may be seen in the following discourse that I fall in with him in the second and third is but agreeable to my Notion on the first in which if the Saracens infested the men that had the mark of the Beast in their own Country the men that had the mark of the Breast are in judgment permitted to attempt the revenging the Injury in the Country or Territories of the Saracens under the second and third Vial. And if in the same time I farther offer the great Plague that the Waldenses and Albigenses at that time were to those who had the mark of the Beast I hope 't will be no darkning of knowledge to leave it to the choice of the Reader which he thinks fittest to pitch on That I have consulted with other Authors such as the Fathers Histories Councils and other Writers that was but necessary for the informing my self of the State of the Romish Church the Romish Greek and Mahometan Empires with the Histories of the several Princes and Countries in any of these in order to the knowledge of those great Events and Circumstances of all sorts that might conduce to the Explaining these Important Truths But that I have not every where mention'd my Authorities was at present to ease my self and the Reader as not knowing but that a discourse of this nature if it should happen to find acceptance in the World might draw farther enlargements from me hereafter in which it would be requisite to be more exact as to the Quotations There are I confess some other Discourses on this Subject which I cannot say I have not seen though it was long after I had in effect finished this Treatise and as I before said I was unwilling to peruse any thing that might Prejudice or be a Bar to my own free Thoughts and it is but late that they came into my Hands and that upon the occasion of some Notions communicated by me to the Learned and my worthy Friend Monsieur Allix who thereupon spoke to me of Dr. Cressener's and Mr. Beverly's Books both of them very ingenious Men but utterly differing in their notions from what I here present As also he hath given me very high Expectations of what the profoundly learned Bishop of St. Asaph hath or is preparing on these Subjects but found me still under that Stiffness that believing what I have here written to be of a Piece I was unwilling so much to be acquainted with what that Excellent Prelate hath to make the World happy with when he shall please to make it publick Only having as I before said received Mr. Beverly's Book I could not but be very much pleased to find him though upon different Grounds from what I go on fix in a manner the same Period for the Ruin of Antichrist he fixing it in 1697 without saying what part of the Year it is in which he fixes it whereas my Computation makes it to be either in the later end of 1696 or the middle of 1697 for I place it in 1697 and a half after the substraction of the odd Days in the different Computations or if the fraction of Hours be taken out about the end of 1696 no great difference of Calculation though the Foundation on which we go be altogether different And I cannot but adhere to my own his notion of the Months spoken of in the Prophesie being Jewish Months seeming to be a little precarious and the number he sets of 475 not being so proper to the time of the ten Kings or Horns rising up as 455 or thereabout on which I pitch For though on the supposition he goes it may well enough point to the Cessation of the Empire it will not so well agree to the rise of the Beast and the ten Horns with it But I will not too much controvert the matter with that Zealous Person I cannot but rejoice to see his Assurance that the Event will Correspond with his Calculation nor can I be dissatisfied that it falls in with mine I shall not need to say much more by way of Preface only I wish his particular Applications to any private Prince may not be as far from the Mark as Mr. Mede's was of Gustavus Adolphus But it may be for I would lessen no Man's Labours on this Argument what is severally and in so different a manner performed by us may be but like several Arrows shot by several Hands at the same Mark if we all or any of us hit may that which ought to be the Mark of all our Studies Crown all viz. The Glory of him who is the God of Prophesie and who if he commanded St. John in one place to Seal those things which the seven Thunders uttered and write them not as being obscure and mysterious and to be kept as such when first revealed Rev. 10. 4. Hath likewise commanded in another not to seal the Sayings of the Prophesie of this Book for THE TIME IS AT HAND Revel 22. 10. Amen Amen Introduction WHEN I first entred on this Work I had it in my thoughts to have replied both to Preface and Book but through a very great and long Indisposition in Health I was not able to make that speed I intended in the Design and was greatly pleased to find my self prevented in several parts of it by the Learned Pens of those who had so successfully ingaged therein Nor did I question what hath since happen'd but that a very little time would produce a full answer to every thing that was material in the whole Collection though should there not have been a Syllable more offered in the Controversie than what the Author had given me occasion to speak to from the Preface I am apt to think there would be little reason to boast his Monuments of Antiquity the Gibeonitish Craft of old Sacks upon their Asses of old and rent Wine-bottles of
p. 71. De l'Histoire generale des Eglises Vaudoises c. the Title of the Chapter is Eschantillon de la Doctrine des Vaudois expliquant leur Sentiment touchant l'Antichrist 't was in the year 1120 that what is there quoted was first Publish'd the Learned Mede mentions the MS. under this title Qual Cosa sia l'Antichrist en datte del An Mille cent vigint unâ cum Symbolo tali sicut fumus praecedit ignem sic gloriam Christi tentatio Antichristi And then goes on to give a brief Extract of it in these words viz. In this Book the Faithful are admonish't that that great Antichrist was already come that 't was in vain now to expect him any longer that by the Permission of God He was grown up to full maturity That the present State of Ecclesiastical Affairs consisted in the Government of false Prophets and Ministers of Lyes together with the People subjected to it's Error That those who are armed with both Powers and are furnisht with all other Helps to found Error and propagate it abroad under the specious Title of the Spouse of Christ and the vizard of Christian Worship and Holiness with their fraudulent Errors and damnable Doctrines oppose the way of Salvation by Christ revealed to the World derogate from Christ's Merits and the Grace and Office of a Mediator ascribing to themselves to Creatures and the Works of Men what things are due only to God and Christ worshipping Saints of both Sexes as if they were Deities and giving Divine Veneration to Relicks and Images Adoring the Eucharist for God and Christ Jesus himself In a word under the title of Christianity they do in reality practice Idolatry Lastly they rage with Hatred and Persecutions against those who love God and are the true Members of Christ That this State of Men not one single man is Antichrist The Whore of Babylon the 4th Beast of Daniel namely in his last state as 't is said that Man of Sin and Son of Perdition who is extolled above every God so that He sits in the Temple of God i. e. in the Church shewing Himself as if he were God Who is now come in all manner of Deceivableness and lyes in them that perish Wherefore that they ought as God commanded both inwardly and outwardly to depart from this Mystery of Iniquity and to exhort all to whom the great and good God hath revealed the same Truth to do the same that they do that they would joyn themselves to the Holy City Jerusalem to the Truth of Christ and his little Spouse To which purpose they now make known to the world what manner of Society theirs is and what causes they have of departing This is the sum of that Writing which by the Providence of God the Remainders of the Waldenses who Inhabit the Alps have preserved to our times from whom Joannes Paulus Perrin having received the Ancient Manuscript of it hath publisht it in Print in his History of the Waldenses and Albigenses by him written in French See his first Book Chapter the 7th and Third part which treats of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Waldenses The whole MS. for its Curiosity is such that for the Satisfaction of them who understand any thing of the stile in which 't is written or are willing to take it in the French Translation I shall not scruple to insert it here at large in the same manner as I find it in the foremention'd L'Histoire generale des Eglises Vaudoises ou des Eglises des Vallees de Piemont par Jean Leger Pasteur Moderateur des Eglises des Vallees Ce livre est datté de l'an 1120. Voicy le titre qu'ily met devant le traité de l'Anti-Christ En ayma lo fum vay derant lo fuoc la battailla derant la victoria en ayma la tentation de l'Ante-Christ derant la gloria C'est à dire comme le fumée va devant le feu le combat devant la victoire ainsi la tentation de l'Anti-Christ va devant la glorie Et puis il suit de la sorte Que c'est que l'Anti-Christ Ante-Christ ès falsetà de damnation aeterna cuberta de specie de la Verità e de la Justitia de Christ e de la soa Sposa contrapausà à meseime la via de Verità de Justitia de Fè d'Esperanza de Carità e à la vita moral e à la verità ministerial de la Gleisa menistrà per li fals Apostols e defendua opiniosament de l'un e de l'autre bras ô Anti-Christ ès engan rescondù de la verità de salù de cosas substantials e ministerials ô ès fraudulenta contrarietà de Christ de la soa Sposa e à un chascun mambre fidel Non une personne particuliere Et enaymi non ès alcuna special persona ordena en alcun gra o uffici o menestier e aizò regardant universalment Ma meseima la falsetà pausà contra la verità quilli se cuebre e se orna de belleza e de pietà de fora de la Gleisa de Christ enaima de Christ enaima de Nom de Officies de Scripturas e de Sacramèns e de motas autras cosas La Iniquità d'aquesta maniera com li seo Ministre majors e menors cum li seguènt ley de maluàs cor e cec Ses Noms aital congregation ensemp presa ès appellà Anti-Christi o Babylonia o quarta Bestia o Meretrix o home de peccà Filli de perdition Et dè ses Ministres Li seos Ministres son appellà fals Prophetas Maistres mesongers Ministres de tenebras Sperit d'error meretrix Apocalyptica maire de fornication niolas senza aigua arbres auctomnals morts arancàs per doas vez undas del crudel mar errans Balaamitiens e Gissiptiens Pourquoy dit Anti-Christ Sa Livre El ès dit Anti-Christ emperço ca cubert o ornà sot specie de Christ e de la Gleisa e de li seo fidel membre contraria à la salù faita per Christ e aministrà veramènt en la Gleisa de Christ e participà de li fidel per Fè per Esperança e per Charità en liqual modo el contraria per sapientia del mond per falsas Religions e per enfeinta bontà per podesta spiritual per tyrannità secular per riguessas honors de degnetâs per delicanças e per deleit del mond e contraria per aquesti modi Quant manifesté Per aizò sia manifest à un chascun que per neun l'Ante-Christ non po esser compli ni venir sinon quant aquestas cosas nommàs foron conjointas ensemp per far parfect hypocrita e falsetà zò ès cum li Savi del mond Religios Pharisios Ministres Doctors la potestà secular cum lo poble del mond foron ensemp conjoint Adonca
the Explication or rather Illustration of the respective Points I think that is a liberty of Prophesying let me so express it no good or wise Man will Condemn as being but agreeable to that variety of Sense in which all allow the Scripture to abound Besides were it only for the resreshing the Reader that a Variety is sometimes given it is certainly what at least might be excused that his Curiosity and Pleasure are but hereby served And as for the Author of Nubes Testium whose Preface chiefly occasioned these Reflections I hope he will not look upon it as an improper Answer to his whole Book to shew how those Corruptions we blame in the Romish Church came in how the Romish Church it self grew to that heighth at which it is or hath been in any time of the Reign of Antichrist for what will it avail to urge Authorities of Fathers Men subject to Errors as our selves for those Corruptions were they in their testimony all with him if it be proved that those points he brings them to confirm are part of those Corruptions for which she is so highly to be Condemned I would do all the Right imaginable to Antiquity but there 's a great difference between what bears the title of such and what really is true Antiquity The Fathers themselves have they not been corrupted by the crafty Forgeries of temporizing Hypocrites Or if they had not been corrupted is it not enough to abate their Credit that in what the Author brings them against us they either differ from themselves in other parts of their Writings or what is much more they differ from the Holy Scripture The Holy Scripture I say which must be allowed to be the Judge in this Case Nor will it serve their Turn what they usually answer us with here that by giving thus much to Scripture and making every one Judge of the Sense of it we put all upon the Issue of a private Spirit For we make no private Person any more a Judge here than they do we suppose to be able to reach the sense of Scripture all means must be used for the attaining it only this we are sure whether this or the other Person hit it or no yet it is the true sense of Scripture ought to prevail beyond the Authority of Councils Fathers or any other Doctors whatever And whatever the Person be who is so happy as to shew most Reason for the Sense he gives of it this is He whose Opinion ought to obtain 'T is true indeed with respect to any private Person at the first View the names of Councils and Fathers and the like seem to carry with them a notion of what is more publick in Opposition to a private Spirit but all this is but Fallacy and no way the Inference that ought to be made from that which is urged in this matter viz. That no Prophesy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation Pet. 2. 1. 20. For that is not the meaning of that Place that one Person is more private than two than a whole Council than all ancient Writers whatever but that he and they too are Private and their Interpretation is such if it agree not with the Analogy of Scripture and the sense of the Holy Spirit himself 'T is this Sense taking it without respect to any Persons makes it not to be private and so the antithesis there lies for the Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man But Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost It is not the Will of Man the Decrees of Councils the Sentiments of Fathers the pretended Infallibility of any Chair all this is but the Will of Man if they concur not with what the Holy-Ghost hath spoken And as for what I differ from others in who have given up themselves to the same sort of Studies I hope it will not be imputed so much to an affected Singularity as to the force of Truth I having industriously avoided to consult the Hypotheses or Explications of others whilst this was Writing that so I might not be drawn to lean to any humane Authority and served my self only with such general Notions as were before imprinted on my Mind without any particular applying my self to such who might have been apt to lead me The Reverend Mr. Mede's Writings I confess I had long since been acquainted with and Napeir's ingenious and methodical Treatise I had many Years ago perused and was extreamly quickned by them to a desire of being better acquainted with these excellent Mysteries Brightman I had not so great a Reverence for and therefore in a manner wholly declined spending any of my Thoughts or Time on him and as for any thing that is more Modern I studiously declined it as not being willing to tincture the Glass through which I hoped to take the Prospect of so fair a Country Only Monsieur Jurieu's Books I could not well avoid the perusing they being in the hands of an Ingenious and Learned Protestant French Minister who then did me the favour of spending some time with me at my House and would be often speaking of him to him I had communicated some of my Thoughts on these matters and had the opportunity of discoursing over some of the Arguments of Monsienr Jurieu's Chapters particularly that of his seventh Chapter Tom. 1. Concerning the number of the Beast in which I could no way agree with that worthy Person as I could neither with Potter or any other I have met with on that Argument upon which occasion I wrote these following Reflections in the Margin of the Book he put into my Hands which I shall give in the same Words I then wrote them Vereor ne toto hoc capite nimis incertis conjecturis abduci se passus sit Doctissimus vir nec ergo aliquid istis reponens inquirendum relinquo an non potius ad Hildebrandum sive Gregorium VII Tota res referri possit in quo compleri videntur quaecunque de homine peccati vel filio Perditionis praedixerit Paulus ad Thessal 2. 2. 3. c. Et ne dubitemus quin ille designetur Spiritus Sanctus quasi digito indicat Apocal. 13. 10. Qui ducit in Captivitatem in captivitatem ducetur qui occidit gladio occidetur gladio hic est patientia fides Sanctorum Quod sic quoque praefatur v. 9. Si quis habeat aurem audiat quorsum autem ista Nisi magnum quid esset quod indigitaret at quid illiud magnum nisi Captivitas illius qui duxit Captivitatem Quis autem ille qui duxerat Captivitatem nisi Romanus Imperator qui ipse captâ Româ quod contigit Anno Christi 410 Imperante tunc in occidente Honorio in captivitatem duci intelligatur Cepit tum Romam Alaricus Rex Gothorum post quod tempus sic imminui coepit Romanum Imperium ut nihil ejus nis nomen plane umbra permanserit a
the same Soveraign Power which before was in the Emperors though under another 〈◊〉 name the deadly wound i. e. the blow given by the Goths Vandals and Hunns to the Roman Empire was healed not but that there is another sense in which this may be understood of which afterwards And to shew how 't was He gain'd this it follows v. 13. And He doth great wonders so that He maketh fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men which what can that relate to but to that foremention'd Excommunication thundred out against the Emperor called Fire from Heaven because 't was from the Church or under the pretence of that Spiritual Power therein lodged called Heaven in this Book this Fire proceeded and on the Emperor called Earth because of that Earthly or Secular Power committed to him it came down And having advanced so far which as I likewise have before remarkt falls in with the Year 666. it follows v. 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth i. e. the Inhabitants of the Roman Empire by the means of those Miracles which He had power to do in the sight of the Beast saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by a Sword and did live i. e. having thus prevail'd against the Beast the Roman Empire He sets up a Power like it in Himself making the People who were thus deceived by the means of those Miracles which He had power to do in the sight of the Beast those Excommunications and other Methods I mean by which He had so much lessen'd his Soverainty to assist in setting up his Image in that shew or rather real representation of Soverain Power He had transferred to Himself Whereupon 't is added v. 15. that He had power to give life unto the Beast Breath saith the Margin of the English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Original a Spirit or Spiritual Being unto the Image of the Beast For 't is by Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Censures the Beast thus recover'd exercises his Jurisdiction that the Image of the Beast should both speak as He doth with a Witness in these Anathema's Thunderbolts of Excommunications as they are called or Fire from Heaven and cause that as many as would not Worship the Image of the Beast should be killed which de facto happen'd in the Persecutions rais'd on those who could not submit to the Novelties introduced And He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their Right hand or in their Foreheads and that no man might buy or sell save He that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name None to hope for any Preferment in the Church no nor yet for any Temporal Advantage to be so much as permitted the benefit of common Traffick and Commerce that did not by receiving his mark either in hand or forehead by his having the name of the Beast profess himself entirely to be his For that is done by receiving name from any other or the Number of his name i. e. after such a time at least that the Beast should have attain'd such a Number wholly resign to His Will which Number is set down in the next Verse and a Note prefixt to shew that 't will concern us to know when He arriv'd at this usurpt Power which the Holy Ghost had been describing And that as I before observed must be by looking back to the taking of Rome Anno 410 and from thence reckoning to 1076 the very point when as it hath been said Fire came down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men i. e. Gregory the 7th who presided in the Church or Heaven thundred out his Excommunication on the Earth or the Emperor and that in the most publick and solemn manner i. e. in the sight of men I could not well say less than I have on these Points and being by the discourse brought again to mention this great Epocha in the Reign of Antichrist I cannot but take notice that as the Holy Ghost here so manifestly directs us to it so other Writers and among them Baronius however in the dark as to this light that is here given us in it are not sparing to talk of the Power and Prevalency of Antichrist about this time The place in Baronius is Anno 1106 Quod vero pertinet ad Antichristum fuit quidem Opinio non vulgarium Virorum eum hoc fore saeculo revelandum inter alios Norberti viri temporis hujus fama Celeberrimi à quo id se audivisse testatur S. Bernardus Epistolâ ad Gausredum Carnotensem Episcopum The Report was so strong that Paschalis stopt his Journey upon it saith Baronius ibid. Paschalis Papa rogatus à Conventu Moguntino in Galliam Cisalpinam properare itineri se committens ob sparsam famam de proximo Antichristi Adventu Florentiae substitit And before Anno Christi nongentisimo Indictione tertia novum inchoatur saeculum quod sui Asperitate ac boni sterilitate ferreum malique exundantis deformitate plumbeum atque inopia Scriptorum appellari consuevit Obscurum And again 1001. Anno Christi millesimo primo quo novum saeculum inchoatum est c. 'T was the Opinion of some that Antichristus adveniret non longo post tempore Universale Judicium succederet and He saith the many Prodigies which happen'd the year before seemed to foretel it and then which I rather take notice of adds Sed ad ista credenda de Adventu Antichristi Fine mundi satis esse videbantur Romanae Ecclesiae tot saepe iterata a naufragia necnon Corruptio morum quam magnam valde in hoc tempore fuisse in hominibus praesertim Ecclesiasticis Glaber ea videns deplorat Insuper quod ferreum hoc Saeculum ob malorum excrescentiam Auctore Ditmaro diceretur revera esset quod videlicet ut ait Glaber deficeret Religiositas Pontificum marcesceret districtio regularis Abbatum simulque Monasterialis Disciplinae vigor tepesceret ac per illorum Exempla caetera plebs Mandatorum Dei praevaricatrix existeret And if not to depart from the Explication that is before given of those words in Rev. 13. 13. But only farther to illustrate the matter in hand we may understand the coming down of Fire from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men in the sense our Lord speaks Luke 12. 49. of his coming to send fire on the Earth never was any Age in which it was so much kindled no time wherein what by the intemperate Heats between the Popes themselves as well as between them and the Emperors the World was in a greater Flame And if those of the Romish Church will give others leave to speak after them in this cause can there be any more memorable testimony than what we find to this purpose
Reign what he now hath it is as He is Jesus who was Crucified that He is made both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. And 't is the same thing for Him nay it may be more effectual to sit as King in his Throne in Heaven and from thence influence his Subjects by encouraging strengthning comforting and giving Success to what they undertake as if in Person He were to appear at Jerusalem and there begin his Kingdom to march at the Head of his Armies and so go on Conquering and to Conquer No his personal Reign in the Sense those who are so much for it would have it to be would be rather to lessen his Kingdom to confine the Glory of it to his Presence as Man i. e. Where he should chuse to reside on Earth for every where He could not be if He were so to Reign no we know when He was here Place and Time He was subject to which whilst He sits in Heaven at the Right-hand of his Father can be no more restrained than that Power and Majesty to which he is there admitted But I may not digress What manner of Kingdom soever it shall be that it shall be introduced with the Confusion of Antichrist that it shall bring Freedom and Deliverance to his People that it shall be ushered in with binding Satan for 1000 Years is no doubt Revel 20. 1 2 c. Happy Age of the Church when she shall be so set free from the heavy Yoak of Babylon as never to be in danger to come under it again For so likewise the Apostle assures us 2 Thess 2. 8. He shall consume him by the Spirit of his Mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming But then are there no other degrees of the fall of Babylon Is there nothing more particular whereon in the long tract of time Antichrist is to Reign and before he comes so near his Fall the true Believer may exercise his Faith and see that what is promised to be at last thus fully accomplished hath its Beginning in the mean time at least some certain Prognosticks of His final Ruin in its due Season Yes for that Reason it hath pleased Him who was found worthy to open the Book with seven Seals to give us a double Account hereof one more general the other more particular in the 14th and 16th Chapters of the Revelation And for the better satisfaction of the Author of Nubes Testium and all others who are under the same Cloud with him I shall not think it tedious to say something on both and then leave it to Them and all Mankind to judge where the charge of Novelty lies and how great their danger is on whom the Scandal rests The more general Account of this is what we read Revel 14. Where having provided for the security of true Believers by the Mark of his Father's Name written in their Foreheads vers 1. Thereby directing us to the pure Profession of the Faith maintained by them amidst the Corruptions embraced by those who worshipped the Beast and his Image and had received his Mark in their Forehead or their Hand vers 9. Exprest by their not being defiled with Women for they are Virgins by their following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth by their having no guile in their Mouth and being without Fault before the Throne of God vers 4 5. He proceeds vers 6. to shew what it was by which he would advance his Kingdom and that was the Everlasting Gospel to be Preached unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People the effect whereof on Antichrist should be to declare his certain Ruin in these Words Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because She made all Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath or poison of her Fornication vers 8. This as the general Fate that should attend her which with respect to the several Advances towards it is farther described vers 9 10 11. By that constant Succession of God's Judgments on those who should worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in their Forehead or their Hand for the smoak of their Torment was to ascend for Ever and Ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Age after another and they to have no rest Day nor Night never to be in any fixed state of Ease and Prosperity till the Divine Judgment the Hour whereof is said to be come ver 7. Shall be fully executed on them in their final Ruin And that again exprest in the two great Parts of it when He who sat on the white Cloud all things clear and serene about Him like unto the Son of Man having on his Head a golden Crown and in his Hand a sharp sickle shall first thrust in his Sickle to reap the Harvest and then to gather the Clusters of the Vine of the Earth The more particular is what we read Revel 16. And that too ushered in with the great Care God in his Providence hath for those who should have resisted the Corruptions of Antichrist who though they stand on the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire to signifie the sharp Tryals and Persecutions of the true Church yet 't was so as to be assured of Victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name ch 15. 2. They had it all the time of their Sufferings as they were born up against these Corruptions should have it at last as they were to triumph over those their Enemies which had thus beset them which being presented to St. John in his Vision he is farther made to hear a great Voice out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your ways and pour out the Vials of the Wrath of God upon the Earth chap. 16. 1. Which are what are now to be spoken to in their order Only before that can be done with that clearness such a Discourse as this should carry with it 't will be necessary we premise some previous Remarks CHAP. VIII Some Remarks necessary to be premised for the clearing up what will afterwards be said of the several Vials 1. THat as to the time of pouring out the Vials it cannot be till Antichrist should be so far advanced as to have made an Image to the Beast that had the wound by the Sword and did live Revel 13 14. And to have imposed his Mark though his name and number of his name were not then compleated for 't is on those who had received the Mark of his Name and worshipped his Image that the first Vial was to be poured out Rev. 16. 2. 2. That it is not necessary the Trumpets and Vials it being their several Objects and the distinct Capacities of those on whom they were to take place in which they chiefly differ should be all of them restrained to distinct times Some of the Trumpets undoubtedly had sounded before any of the Vials were to be poured
Passion and Interest and avoid the Censure and Prejudices which have usually attended those who have hitherto though with ever so great Care and Industry Fidelity and Piety ingaged in the same undertaking and as he wholly depends upon Thee O Blessed Father Son and Holy-Ghost O most mysterious and adorable Vnity in Trinity Trinity in Vnity whose Nature and Ways are unsearchahle Let him accordingly meet with that success which may make it appear that that blessed Spirit who was promised to guide the Disciples into all Truth and shew them things to come John 16 13. first inspired thy unworthy Servant and moved him to so holy a Work in the discharge whereof to thee O Father Son and Holy Ghost be Praise Glory and Honour to thy distressed Church the use and benefit of what Thou shalt instruct me to deliver and to thy poor Servant Comfort and sure confiderce of thy Assistance and Direction through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Amen What here follows is the Copy of a Dedication written to the King on the occasion of what is now Published it being written on the same Page with the Prayer above 't is thought fit to add it here without altering it in any thing from what it is in the Manuscript To the K. Octob. 9. 1686. SIRE THE final Ruin of Antichrist is at hand it will not be many Tears before this will he fully compleated it will begin in a very short time the Pope is the great Antichrist the power of the Papacy his Antichristian Kingdom I do not say how this shall be accomplished whether by Noise Confusion and Violence or by the Spirit of the Lord working in the Hearts of Kings and Princes to take away the Power they have so long given to the Beast or by a general Conversion of the Heathen World and coming in of the Jews all conspiring towards the overthrow of Superstition and Idolatry and making Way for the true Kingdom of Christ on Earth in that universal Piety and Holiness which shall prevail throughout the World only that this shall be and that the time is at hand is what I think I can by God's Assistance demonstrate I most dutifully premonish and in the Name of Christ beseech your Majesty not to be found in the RVINS OF ANTICHRIST or to share in his Plagues Your most Dutiful W. Sire As you value either a Temporal or Eternal an Earthly or Heavenly Crown despise not the Warning Let not the Drolls of the Ignorant or Prophane rob you of the Price put in your hand to get Wisdom Prov. 17. 16. FINIS This refers to Page 151. l. 7. And in the Preface to page 15. l. 4. LEst there should be any Mistake about the Period fixt for the Fall of Antichrist which in the Preface p. 15. l. 4. is said to be in the latter end of 1696 or the middle of 1697 whereas p. 151 there is but one of those numbers mentioned viz. 1696 and the other supposed in the different Calculation it is thought fit here for the clearing of both to add the Calculations from whence those Numbers arise which are thus 1260 Days or Years are assigned for the Reign of Antichrist which beginning at 455 after Christ the time upon so many accounts fixed for it as is at large there discoursed gives us 1715 and the odd Days Hours and Minutes in 1260 for that is the number from whence the abatement must be made it being only of that Period the Holy-Ghost so often speaks under the different Measures give us in the whole 18 years and 125 days 9 hours i. e. five days to be taken from every year will in in 1260 years give us 17 years and an half and 5 hours taken like manner out of the said 1260 will make 262 days 12 hours and then for the 49 minutes to be also thus taken out those in 1260 years amount to 42 days and 21 hours For 49 minutes multiplied by 1260 give for the whole number of Minutes 61740 which divided by 60 for hours give 1029 hours and that again by 24 for days gives 42 days 21 hours Now out of 1715 take 18 years and 125 days and 9 hours and that will throw it back to the latter end of 1696 i. e. 125 days and 9 hours in that year which generally speaking I say to be about the later end of that year Not that for the Reasons there mentioned and those p. 146. I would presume so to fix this in a Point as not to allow a great Latitude for the completion of such Predictions which number is to be taken the event must shew and when that comes that will regulate all our Chronology but that it lies within the compass of the numbers there offered I cannot have the least Scruple God Almighty clear up the Minds and Eyes of Men to wait for behold and adore his wonderful Works for I cannot but add it again BEHOLD I COME AS A THIEF The Translation of the Manuscript p. 49. c. is as here follows THIS Book is dated in the Year 1120 and the Title that is prefixed to the Treatise of Antichrist is this As the Smoak goes before the Fire as the Battle before the Victory so the Temptation of Antichrist goes before Glory and then the Book it self follows thus Who Antichrist is Antichrist is the falshood of Eternal Damnation covered with the appearance of Truth and of the Righteousness of Christ and his Spouse Opposed in like manner to the way of Truth of Justice of Faith of Hope of Charity and to a moral Life and the ministerial truth of the Church 't is menaged by false Apostles and most obstinately maintained on all hands Or else Antichrist is a Cheat which hides the Truth of Salvation both in Substantial and Ministerial Matters or else is a fraudulent opposing of Christ and his Spouse and every faithful Member And so it is not any particular Person set in any Degree Office or Ministry i. e. commonly so considered but it is the same falshood opposed to Truth which is covered with and makes shew of Beauty and Piety out of the Church of Christ as in certain Names Offices Scriptures Sacraments and in many other things which sort of Iniquity with its Ministers great and small and all those who with a wicked and blind Heart follow them His names such a Congregation taken together is called Antichrist or Babylon or the fourth Beast or Where or the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition His Ministers are called False Prophets Lyars Ministers of Darkness the Spirit of Error the Where in the Revelation the Mother of Fornication Clouds without Water Autumnal Trees dead and twice pulled up by the Root Waters of the cruel Sea Wandring Stars Balaamites and Egyptians Why called Antichrist He is called Antichrist because being covered and decked with the Livery of Christ and of his Church and of his faithful Members he acts contrary to the Salvation wrought by Christ and truly administred