and Power But yet further They that stand for such a Beginning of the Roman Empire at Iulius Caesar I desire they would Answer this Question In the Tables of the Consuls it is manifest That there is the space of 17 years from the Conquest of Iudea to the Empire of Iulius Caesar. Now concerning this Number of years it must be either reckoned as a Chasme in the Prophetical Chronologie or else it must be applied to some one of the Four Metal-Kingdoms But it cannot be reckoned as a Chasme in the Prophetical Chronologie For it is clear from the Scriptures That these Four Monarchical States must continue one after another in a lineal succession and when their times are in flux and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Therefore this portion of time from the Conquest of Iudea to the Monarchy of Caesar must necessarily be reckoned as appertaining to one of the Four Kingdoms If so it must either appertain to the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal or to the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal For none will be so absurd as to apply it either to Babel or Persia which were destroyed long before Now they that apply this term of time to the Graecian Kingdom how can they make their Position good seeing that People were brought under the Power of the Romans But if you apply this to the time of the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal you give up the Cause to wit That the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in the time of their â—…ree-state Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will Reply The Four Persâ—…uting States of the world are compacted together into one Image but the Romans in the time of their Free-State did not Persecute the Church Ergo. Sol. By the like Reason you may argue That Cyrus did not begin the Persian Kingdom nor Alexander the Graecian because neither of these Monarchs did actually afflict the Church But if you shall say Though they raised no actual Persecution in their own persons yet they did first bring the Church within the verge of that Dominion which in its times did notably afflict her I may say the same of the Romans For if it may be supposed That they did not afflict the Church in the times of their Free-state yet then she came first within the verge of that Dominion where were the â—…orest Persecutions that ever were In the Book of the Revelation there is again and again mention made of the Sufferings of the Church under Roman Tyranny And when she was to bring forth her Man-Child that should Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron when she cried in pains to be Delivered a great red Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns did lie in wait to Devour her Child chap. 12. All do agree That this noteth the Sufferings of the Church under Roman Tyranny There must then be some particular instant of time when the Church first came under that Tyranny and there we must set the date of the Tribulation Secondly Whereas it is Affirmed That the Romans did not Afflict the Church in the times of their Free-state this I do plainly Deny For let us hear what is spoken by Iosephus for he I presume in this matter is able to give us the best information Thus saith he Hircanus and Aristobulus through their Dissentions and civil Broyles were the cause of that Servitude that fell upon the Iews For we have lost our Liberty and have been subdued by the Romans Antiq. lib. 14. ch 8. And further he addeth That which is to be lamented the Romans in a little time have drawn from us more than 10000 talents and the Royalty which before was an Honour reserved to the High Priests hath been bestowed upon men of obscurity Antiq. l. 14. c. 8. But if we go to Particulars it is a thing famously known to all Posteritâ—… how Crassus did rob the Temple at Ierusalem And when all this is done shall we say That the Jews suffered nothing from the Romans during the times of their Free-state If we look to the times of Nehemiah we may well conceive that these were some of the best times of the Jewish Church Yet mark what is expressed in the Confession of the Leviâ—…es Behold we are Servants this day and for the Land that thou gavest unto our Fathers to eate the Fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are Servants in it and it yieldeth much encrease unto the Kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins Also they have Dominion over our Bodies and over our Cattel at their pleasure and we are in great distress chap. 9. vers 36 37. Here was then no publick Persecution for Religion only their Vassalage under the Persian Kings is here noted And may not all things be rightly applied to the Romans when they came to have supreme Dominion in the Land of Promise Were not the Bodies Lives Goods Cattel of the Jews and all that they had at the Roman devotion Nay further if we will compare the times that went before with those that come after we shall find before the Romans came into Iudea that the Jews had indifferently well asserted their Liberty against the Tyranny of the Seleucian Kings as may appear in the Stories of the Macchabees that rose up for the defence of their Country But from that time as the Roman Legions entred Ierusalem and a Conquest was made over the Churches Continent the Jews did totally and finally lose that Liberty to the destruction of their City and Temple And that which is to be noted The Christian Church also hath been under Roman Tyranny more or less to this very day as may appear by the Book of the Revelation and the Stories of the Church Now then if we put all together we may conclude That all things neeful to the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began to be applicable to the Roman State at the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom and at the subduing the Territories of the Church And therefore we do here fix the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT IV. Where the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be that is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom But the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be in the time of their Free-state when the Churches Continent came first within the Verge of their Dominion Therefore within the time of their Free-state when the Churches Continent came under the Verge of that Dominion is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom The Major is plain for we cannot but think that the Story of the Gospel doth rightly expound the true beginning of the Fourth Kingdom And for the Minor That the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be in the time of their Free-state we have these Instances that follow The Evangelist being to write the
we account it but a curiosity to finde out the meaning of Christ in these things in which also the precious Souls of many thousands are so deeply hazarded and that for ever to their eternal perdition if they repent not Our Saviour fore-seeing the great Calamities that should befal the Church and People of the Iews at the Destruction of Ierusalem had great tenderness of heart toward them At the instant of his Suffering he said Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children For the dayes are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the barren that do not bear and the Papps that never gave suck Luk. 23. 28 29 30. Even so at this present day though the friends and followers of the Church of Rome are the greatest Enemies that we have yet nevertheless had we the heart of Christ and did we see the greatness of their sin and the grievousness of the wrath to come we would have tender Affections towards them we would mourn over them with many tears But how shall we do this if we our selves do not understand what this sin is and what judgment the Lord will bring upon them for these things Therefore it is no idle Speculation to meditate on this subject which concerneth the sin of the world and the great judgment of God because of the sin Fourthly If we consider the special Cause of the Martyrdom and the Sufferings of the Saints it was specially for these things And therefore in the beginning of the Beasts Kingdom and Edict was made That all who would not worship the Image should be put to death chap. 13. vers 15. The Victory of the Saints also that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire was of them that had overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name chap. 15. v. 2 3. At the beginning of the thousand years also those Souls saâ—…e upon Thrones and judgment was given to them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God that had not worshiped the Beast nor received his Mark. We may conclude then That these were the special Causes of the Martyrs Sufferings in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom and were the eminent object of their Victory and Crown in the end of the Kingdom Now shall we think the knowledge of these things to be a nice Speculation I think that there is nothing more seriously to be thought of and I believe also that it is the minde of Christ that we should so judge of the matter Fifthly If we consider the object of the Vials upon what kind of persons they are poured out They are poured out upon a People that are distinguished by such Badges and Cognizances as these That had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 1 2 10 13. Now then if we would know what the Vials are and wherein the justice of God doth appear in his pouring forth of them in these times for these are the times of the Vials it would be a Point very necessary and material to the opening of this Doctrine to shew what is meant by the Image of the Beast and the Mark of his Name for the Vials full of the wrath of God have their several and respective operations upon these kind of men Therefore it is no matter of light curiosity to discover what these things are and what kind of persons are deciphered and set forth under these Characters Sixthly Considering the Promises that are made to the Church That after the time of the Beasts Kingdom then the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. v. 3. That wherein the Nations have been deceived in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom is in the matter of worshipping the Beast in adoring his Image and in receiving his Mark as may appear chap. 13. v. 13 14. chap. 20. v. 3. Further whereas it is said that the two-horned Beast did deceive them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles he had power to do Here we must not think that this deceiving of the Nations was only at that instant but he hath deceived them and doth deceive them and will deceive them in all the times of his Kingdom And it is particularly said of the Kings of the Earth to wit The deluded Kings that they shall agree to give their Kingdoms to the Beast till the words of God shall be fulfilled When those times are once fulfilled the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more For though he and the Beast are two yet in this business they are but one The Dragon deceiveth the Nations by the Beast the Beast is the Dragons Vice-gerent in deceiving the Nations When the Beast is destroyed the Dragon also shall be bound up that he shall deceive the Nations no more If we descend to particulars and enquire wherein the Nations have been deceived the whole Scope of the Prophecie doth direct us to the worship of the Beast and to the receiving of his Mark. It is no frivolous study then to dive into the Sense and to search into the Meaning of these things seeing they are the subject-matter of such an universal Delusion And who can tell when these things shall come to be more clearly known to the Consciences of them which have been formerly seduced When they shall come also more perfectly and fully to know what the Spirit meaneth by the Name of the Beast his Mark and Image and how they have greatly sinned against Christ in yielding to these things Who can tell what a mean this may be of their undeceiving We may probably suppose that the States and Governments of this world may more easily be brought off from their subjection to the Beast when we shall define the true natural meaning of the Spirit and lay the definition before the Conscience In the great Controversies betwixt the See of Rome and other States it is remarkable what the Champions of that Church do usually propound they speak much of the stability of that Seat grounded upon the Promise Tues Petrus c. And in very deed if we look to experience how many Kingdoms how many Churches in the East and in the West have totally perished and have come to nothing when that Church and See hath continued in the greatest Glory and that for many Ages Now this being laid as a Foundation is not here great reason alledged to the Conscience that the States of Christendom should yet continue their Obedience to the Catholick Apostolick Romane See as they call it None can deny but That Authority hath been wonderously and miraculosly preserved in all times and in all changes of time And for mine own part I do openly confess That to me it is a great wonder to see a State oâ—… Government to continue so many Ages and yet to abide one and the same still But when I read the Scriptures I find that the
THE CONSCIENTIOUS READER Whosoever he be that hath a Minde given to him to calculate the Times and to search into the sense of the most admired Book of the Revelation BEfore I come to the Body of the Treatise it shall not be impertinent to remove a few prejudices in the beginning and that I may the better be understood briefly to shew the whole Patern of the Work When the Spirit doth speak of the Name of the Beast and the Number thereof he doth insinuate that every vulgar understanding is not fit for such a Computation For saith he Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast c. Now I do not assume to my self such a peculiarity of wisdome above other men for none hath greater cause to have the consideration of his own unworthiness to be set before him But because I have had a long time a great inclination to the study of the Prophecies to compare them with the stories of the Church and finding the Lords blessing upon mine endeavors I am the more willing to communicate that to others which I have found to befor my private satisfaction I may speak it with modesty that I have spared no pains to compare the whole Body of the Prophecy Period with Period Time with Time Vision with Vision I have perused many Commentaries both of the Modern and Ancient Times and used all means convenient for the discovery of Truth And therefore though in this kinde of Learning I will not take it upon me to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet I may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though I have not this wisedome I do profess my self to be the lover and admirer of them that have it Now whereas it may be some prejudice that in this Treatise mention is made of a Fifth Monarchy and the Reign of Christ upon the Earth I must needs acknowledge the truth of the Doctrine rightly stated but not as the Opinion of the Chiliasts which doth ordinarily congregate with it many Heterogeneal Falsities and Unsavoury Errors For though there may be cause to maintain the Reign of Christ upon the Earth yet it is not necessary to maintain his Visible and Personal Reign And though there may be cause to defend the Resurrection of the Martyrs slain in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom yet it is not necessary to defend their historical literal and corporal Resurrection at the beginning of the thousand years And though with Mr. Brightman and Mr. Forbes we hold the New Ierusalem to be the glorious state of the Church upon Earth yet we are far from the riot of their Opinions who hold that men shall live without Ordinances without Sin and Misery in those times But if it be further alledged That they that are for this way the very best of them have many absurdities I answer That Piscator Alstedius Mede and some others have but generally spoken of the thing and have not descended to particulars And as they have had great reason to depart from other interpreters so have they used great moderation in managing the Point leaving many things for the discovery of future times On the other side for the 1000 years I would gladly know of them that differ Where they will seat this period of time If they will say That it is the state of the Church in Heaven then let them shew what is the Battel of Gog and Magog and how the Camp of the Saints and the Beloved City may be besieged in Heaven But if they take it for the Reign of Christ upon the Earth then they must necessarily come to admit one member in this disjunctive They must say Either this period of time is already past or else it is to come If it be already past VVhere hath the Church enjoyed these years of her Felicity and of her rest from Persecutions upon Earth Adde moreover to all this That the Reign of Christ for 1000 years is immediately opposed to the times of the Reign of the Beast and the Resurrection of the Martyrs to their death that hath been in all Antichristian times Those Souls are onely represented in the figure to live again that were beheaded for the Word of God and for the testimony of Iesus that had not Worshipped the Beast nor received his Mark c. If therefore we will rightly understand the meaning of these things here is no Visible or Personal Reign as some do imagine But when the Gospel of Christ is set up as the Regent-Law among the Nations then the Lord Christ doth take the Kingdome and doth begin to Reign And this the Lords Name be praised is begun already by the Preaching of the Eternal Gospel by Luther and others Rev. 14. 6 7. For now whole Nations Kingdomes and Common-wealths have set up the Faith of Christ as the Religion of the State when it was persecuted and trodden down before by the Authority of the Bishop of Rome and by all States and Governments that did own and submit to him as Head of the Church And for the Martyrs I conceive That here is no liâ—…eral and corporeal Resurrection of their Bodies onely Iohn in the Vision and in the Figure saw the Souls of them that were Beheaded for the Testimony of Jesus And the times of the Antichristian Tyranny being ended he saw their deliverance and emersion from under this kinde of death These things I thought good more largely to note to take off the prejudice of the Millenarian Opinion Meer necessity doth compel me to maintain that which I conceive to be a truth of God And if the matter were rightly stated I believe here will be nothing found that will cross the Analogie of the Christian Faith the Authority of the Magistrate and the support of the Publick Ministery but rather it will establish all these things But to come a little more near to the main scope of the present Discourse Seeing I take 666 to be the Number of years to the setting up of the Name of Universal Headship in this perhaps they may be offended that are against all Calculation of Prophetical Numbers But for such a way in general we have good ground from the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament If any have gone too far in other Points to determine to a particular year before the Prophecy hath been fulfilled and so have been mistaken in the present case there cannot be the same suspicion of Falshood VVhen we say That 666 is the Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast in which respect it is called the Number of the Name in this we are on the surer side because the truth of the thing is already verified and made good in the experience of the Church And whereas all the Reformed Churches and our late Assembly of Divines in their Confession of Faith Chap. 25. Sect. 6. do place the formality of Antichristianism in this as the
Kings and reigned in the same row with Antiochus Magnus and Antiochus Theos Yet we cannot say that he came to reign with them for when he began they had no Being at all This is true in all successions when he that cometh after beginneth to Reign then they that go before cease to be But it is otherwise spoken of the little Horn he came up among them to wit among the Ten Horns he broke three of them in pieces and for the residue they had their Existence and Being together at one and the same time You will say That this is but a similitude and similitudes are not to be pressed in every particular I Answer That Types and Similitudes used by the Holy Ghost ought to be pressed so far as he intendeth If therefore by ten Horns he did intend a lineal succession of Kings why did he not keep the same method which he used to do in the description of such Successions In the former verses he speaketh of the rising of Four Beasts out of the Sea the first like a Lyon the second like a Bear the third like a Leopard the fourth was diverse from the former All these are said to come up out of the Sea one after another by which it is clear That there are so many successions of Monarchy But when he cometh to describe the Ten Horns there is nothing to prove such a subalternation or succession of one Horn after another but rather the contrary The Ten Horns are Ten Kings that shall arise and after them a little Horn shall arise and so all shall exist together But when the Babylonian-Lyon rose up out of the Sea and after that the Persian-Bear and Graecian-Pard it is no where said That these Beasts did arise up inter se invicem and that they had an existence at one and the same time For this were to confound that order succession and subalternation of the Four Monarchies which the holy Spirit intendeth But Dr Willet doth make this Reply The Beast in the Revelation is called a Beast with seven Heads which signifie so many forms of Government in a lineal Succession So the Beast may be called a Beast with ten Horns to wit so many Kings succeeding one another Answer If he could shew as good Reason wherefore the ten Horns are ten Kings in a lineal succession as the seven Heads of the Beast are so many successive forms of Roman Government we would yield up the Cause For it is expresly said There are Seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come chap. 17. vers 10. Now there is not the least iota word or apex in Dan. 7. to prove such a succession but rather the contrary To me therefore it is very strange That the holy Spirit should depart from his usual method in Typical and Periodical Prophecies that he should speak of ten Kings lineally succeeding and yet leave no Character or Mark in the text to know the succession I may say It is not ordinary with him so to do Now take the ten Horns for the ten Kings of the Roman Empire it is clear That these had Existence with the Papacie or little Horn. The Angel thus speaketh concerning the ten Horns These have no Kingdom as yet but receive a Kingdom one hour with the Beast vers 12. Both Scriptures plainly shew That the ten Kings are of one and the same time though in order of succession the little Horn came up after the ten Querie 4. If the ten Horns be ten Kings and the little Horn be the tenth why is it said That only three of the former were plucked up by the roots This implyeth That there was no eradication of the residue of Horns but they had some being with the little Horn. You will say That only three were plucked up by the roots because the little Horn did actually subdue and humble three as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Well be it so still the Question is which three of the former ten were they that the little Horn did eradicate Dr Willet and other Interpreters of his way take it for a granted truth That he did pluck up Three Kings that Reigned immediately before But now do they prove this from the text The words are without any restriction or limitation He shall subdue three Kings vers 24. Before whom three of the first Horns were plucked up by the roots ver 8. Therefore to my understanding when the Scripture saith That the little Horn came up among the Ten and did subdue Three only this is to me an Argument That the residue of Horns were not brought in subjection but had an existence as Kings in the times of the little Horn. Secondly It is said of the little Horn that he shall be diverse from the first and shall subdue three Kings If you take the Three Kings for Three lineally Reigning how could the taking away of such a Number of Kings make the little Horn more powerful than the former In the corrupted State of the Ten Tribes we read somtimes That he that came after did take away the life of the Prince that went before yet this was never judged as a cause of greater power and strength to come to the Kingdom by such Usurpation 2 King 9. 3. Hos. 1. 4. On the contrary If you take the Ten Horns for Ten States or Realms into which the Fourth Monarchy became divided here will be a clear Reason why the little Horn became unlike to any of the former because he brought Three Kingdoms under his Dominion We read that Alexander's Dominion was plucked up by the roots and this was the cause of the greatness of the King of the South and the King of the North Dan. 11. 4 5 6. So in the present case the eradication of Three States or Dynasties before the little Horn is the cause of the greatness of his Dominion Thirdly Let us come to particulars what Three Kings were they whom Antiochus did subdue They say Ptolomaeus Philopater the King of Egypt Seleucus the Brother of Antiochus and Demetrius But it is mentioned Dâ—…n 11. 21. that he shall come peaceably into the Province Now what peaceable coming is this when he shall begin with the extirpation of Three Kings Again how can Ptolomaeus Philopater be one of the Ten Kings of the Seleucian line No Historian did ever reckon Ptolomaeus Philopater among the Seleucians And for his over-running of Syria this doth no more make him one of that Succession than Tamerlains over-running the Turkish Empire doth make him one of the Ottoman line Now on the contrary let us take the little Horn in that sense as the text naturally requireth all these difficulties will be avoided The Beast with Ten Horns is the Roman as divided into Ten lesser Kingdoms The little Horn is the Papacie Now to give elbow-room to this in Italy Three of the Ten Kings lately raised out of the Ruines of the Empire were all
by the Persians and Daniel mourned for it full three weeks together the Angel to comfort him telleth him plainly Dan. 10. 20. I will return to fight with the Prince of Persia and then the King of Graecia shall come in The meaning of which words is this That the power of the Empire of the Persians should be overthrown by the Graecians and then he cometh to particulars to speak of the expedition of Xerxes into Greece how that the Fourth King of the Persians should raise up great multitudes of People against the Graecians These are the words of the text for speaking of Darius the Mede he saith In the first year of Darius the Mede I stood up to strengthen him chap. 11. vers 1. And then he addeth I will shew thee the truth behold there shall stand up three Kings in Persia to wit Cyrus Cambyses Darius And the Fourth meaning Xerxes shall be richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Graecia vers 2 3. If we will go to the true Reason wherefore the Graecians were so couragious at the Straits of Thermopylae and wherefore they did prevail against the Persians the true cause doth lie in these words I will fight against the Prince of Persia and then the Kingdom of Graecia shall come in It was the secret and invisible hand of the Lord that was the cause of the declining of the Power of the Persians in the East and the rising of the Graecian in the West It is true That the He-goat passed from West to East upon the face of the whole Earth and yet it is as true That the Ram of Persia did push to the three several Coasts Westward Northward and Southward chap. 8. vers 4. By these words it is plain If the Victories of the Graecians did pass from West to East then è converso it is as true That the Victories of the Persians did pass from East to West Let us hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah to put all out of question for speaking of Cyrus thus he saith I have called a ravenous Bird out of the East the man of my Counsel from a far Country chap. 46. 11. From hence it is plain When God will Conquerors shall come out of the East And in Allusion to this Story those Kings that shall deliver the Mystical Israel out of the Captivity of Western Babylon are called the Kings of the East in a Figure Rev. 16. 12. It is not in the Climate in the Hemisphere in the temper of the Heavens in the better exercise of Military Discipline in the experience of old Souldiers in the success of fortunate Generals or any other inferiour cause but in the immediate Dispensation of God Therefore to adde the words of the Psalmist as an Epiphonema Lift not up your Horn on high speak not with a stiff neck for promotion cometh not from the East not from the West but God is judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal. 75. 5 6 7. I have staid the longer upon this digression because I set that States-men Souldiers and others of deepest wisdom look to these subtilties Hereupon they trust in an Arm of Flesh oppose the Gospel perfecute the Saints bear themselves more high over those that are made subject to them Make no Conscience of Honesty Truth or Religion when they have the Law in their own hands They should as well look to the invisible and spiritual causes of the Changes of Empire to the Providence of God to the Revelations in the Word to the Angels fighting against the Kingdoms of this world to the power of the Saints Prayers that are offered upon the golden Altar There is nothing more divine nothing more spiritual and nothing more apt to carry up the Soul into an high contemplation of the manifold wisdom power truth and Fidelity of God then to behold in the Prophecie of Daniel and in the Book of the Revelation as in a Map the several Empires of the world where the Church should be seated their times their changes and their causes of the change and this many hundred years before these Empires come to be set up They that read the VVord together with the Stories of the times may see the Fidelity of God and may by this come to know him by the Name Iehovah But so much by the way touching the sudden growth of the Graecian Empire from VVest to East Now we come to the Romans and in the times of their Dominion they must also have the strength of Iron to subdue the whole Earth and break it in pieces And though great Nations and mighty Princes should rise against him as Pyrrhus Hannibal Perseus Iugurtha Sertorius Methridates Tigranes c. yet in their times the Romans must be too hard for them all and break them all in pieces And therefore when Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Cicero and others boast of the Roman Greatness it may be said to them as somtimes it was to Cyrus I have girded thee with strength though thou knowest not me Isa. 45. 1 2. This was the true though the invisible cause why the Romans grew so Great and their Dominion reached to the ends of the Earth But now it is high time to return from whence we have made a digression to shew when the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Some think it was when that Nation was the most prevailing Nation upon the Earth But this cannot be For in the times of Antiochus the Great but more specially in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes they were the more prevailing People yet they did not begin in those times as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image You will say then VVhere shall we set the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom I Answer In this case we must distinguish between the Latitude of the Roman Dominion more absolutely considered and the Latitude of the Dominion in and about the Borders of the Church If you speak of the Latitude of Dominion in a more absolute consideration then the Roman began as the more prevailing Dominion when it became more mighty than any other Empire of the world But if you speak in a more strict sense it began then to be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image when it did begin to take in the greatest Amplitude and largeness of Rule in and about the Confines of the Church And this is to our purpose Object 3. Others perhaps may Alledge That we cannot begin the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Iewish Church came under the Dominion of that People For say they it is foretoll in the Prophecie of Jacob The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come Gen. 49. 10. Sol. I Answer We must so expound the meaning of one that it may not dash against the main sense of another Scripture Now it is the manifest scope of other Scriptures to shew That the Four
came to pass in that year when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome in the 179 Olympiad in the third Month on a Fasting-day he saith That Pompey entred Ierusalem with the Roman Legions Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 8. And for their subjection to the Romans he addeth That Syria and Iudea and all places from the Borders of Egypt to Euphrates were committed to the tuition of Scaurus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 5. And here I finde That all Historians and Chronologers do agree in the aforementioned year Now for the Number of time That there are 666 years from this beginning to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas this is clear also in all our ordinary Books of Chronology Dr Willet who doth differ from our Judgement about the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom he in his Synops. Papism Quaest. de Antichr part 2. saith That the Scepter was taken from Iudah at that year when Cicero was Consul at Rome which he affirmeth to be 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the setting up of the Headship of the Bishop of Rome And in general he doth approve the truth of our Interpretation as Bale the Historian did before him And whereas it may be Alledged That Calvisius the most accurate Chronologer doth Number somthing more than 60 years to the Birth of the Lord To solve this Difficulty let us say as he doth That Cicero and Antonius did enter their Office about the 20 of October when all was full of troubles at Rome And in the fourth of Iuly following which was the 17 day of the Month Tamuz the Romans entered Ierusalem and Pompey went into the Temple To this if we adde those Acts of his of breaking down the Wall of Ierusalem of making Iudea Tributary to the Romans and delivering all into the Power of Scaurus the Questor till further Order should be taken by the Senate These things must necessarily be done in the latter end of the year when Câ—…cero and Antonius were Consuls or rather in the beginning of the next year which according to Calvisius his account is the year of the world 3889. To which if you adde 666 years the Number of the Name of the Universal Headship of the Beast this will make the year of the world 4554. And this will bring us to that fatal year of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And so this present year will be From The Creation of the World the 4555 Year From The Birth of the Lord the 606 Year From The Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom the 666 Year For the Number of years there is yet one main Objection Some will have the periods of time in Daniel's Image to be a meer Scholastical speculation Sol. We will go to the Scriptures and to the Stories of the Church to decide the Question For the Scriptures Let us first consider the words of Daniel's Thanksgiving upon the Revelation of the Mystery of the Four Metal-Kingdoms Blessed be the Name of God for ever for Wisdom and Might are his he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Dan. 2. 20 21. The scope of the Vision is concerning the Four Metal-Kingdoms and so many changes of time answerable to those Four Mutations of Empire But if we look more narrowly to the text the words in the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are times and revolutions of time For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as tempus statutum determinatum an appointed and determinate time For the Lord having shewed Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel and the substance of the Dream That it concerned a Fourfold change of Empire and a Fourfold change of time upon the Earth Upon this Reason the Prophet breaketh forth into the praise of the Wisdom and the Power of God in a sutable manner to the present occasion And in very deed if we look upon the translation of the Empire from the Babylonians to the Persians from the Persians to the Graecians from the Graecians to the Romans Here is a notable Example of the Wisdom and the Power of God And that which is more considerable The Lord speaketh of the times of the sovereign Dominion of these People many years before they come to have the Dominion upon the Earth For this cause the Prophet breaketh forth into the praises of the wisdom of God in his disposing the changes of times and the changes of Empire and for the communication of this deep secret to him and the other three Children and by their means to the information of the Church And when all this is done shall we say That the Four changes of time in the Image of the Metal-Kingdoms are but a curious speculation Further it is added vers 44. In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed This is spoken of the rising of the Kingdom of Christ in the time of one of the Four Metal-Kingdoms The Four periods of time then are not a bare Speculation but a plain Scripture-truth For it is the plot of the Spirit to shew That down from Nebuchadnezzar there should be Four Changes of Empire and Four notable Revolutions of time and when these Changes should be in their course and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Now whereas Bodin in his Method of History chap. 7. taketh a great deal of pains in the Confutation of this Let us Consider what he Alledgeth First There be many things he confuteth which we do not allow For as we have formerly said The Babylonian Empire did not begin at Ninus but at Nebuchadnezzar Secondly He taketh it as Granted That only the Amplitude of Dominion maketh a Monarchical Kingdom And hereupon Reasons Why should not the Kingdoms of the Parthians Saracens Turks Tartars go under the account of Monarchical Kingdoms Here he is to consider That not only the greatness of Dominion but the greatness of Dominion over the Churches Continent is necessary to the Being of Daniel's Metal-Kingdoms And therefore look what Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar did begin it did orderly descend to the Persians Graecians and Romans and not to the Parthians as experience sheweth Therefore a Beast in Daniel or the Revelation doth not signifie a State or Government in the General Notion but a State or Government that is Idolatrous and doth persecute the Church Neither doth it signifie an Idolatrous Government in the Latitude but such an Idolatrous Government in and about the Borders of the Church If this distinction were well observed They that are Enemies to Magistracie would not have such harbour in the Revelation as they think they have Thirdly He disputeth against those who stand for a German-Roman Empire And with him we do agree That this is but a Fable For the Empire of the last Edition is the whole Body of
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit
But saving the great worth and Learning of such an Author here is the very formality of Antichristianism for which which men shall be liable to very great Judgements unless they do repent And though they do distinguish betwixt Two kinds of Heads that Head which is Supreme and that which is Ministerial it is too too well known if we go to Practice That the Bishop of Rome hath not assumed a Ministerial Headship to himself nay indeed and in truth he hath made the Headship of Christ nothing at all Ninthly The Mark in the Forehead and in the right Hand ought to be so expounded that therein must appear the principal Cause of the sufferings of the Martyrs For after that the Beast was destroyed Iohn saw in the Vision the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Word God and for the Testimony of Jesus that had not worshipped the Beast nor received his Mark Chap. 20. 3 4. The special Cause of the sufferings of the Martyrs must be for the refusal of these things If we transfer this to Experience we shall find That great Multitudes of Men and Women have been put to death in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom because they would not yield Obedience to the Laws Ceremonies Traditions and Superstitious Observations imposed upon them by the Authority of the Bishop of Rome as Universal Head of the Church They were slain because they held the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ because they took the Lord Christ alone for the true Head of the Church and would live only in subjection to his Laws Now then to gather up all the aforementioned particulars into one sum it is clear That the Profession of a Roman Catholick in the visibility thereof is the Mark of the Beast in the Forehead and in the right Hand and all Circumstances do wonderfully agree But let us now come to give some special instance for this out of the Old Testament And here if we go to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes we shall finde a cleer instance of the Character or Mark of the Beast in the times of the Graecian Antichrist For there is mention made of one Iason when he had bought the High Priesthood for Money and did assign 150 Talents more if he might have license to set up a place for Exercise and for the training up of Youth in the Fashions of the Heathen and to write them of Hierusalem by the Name of Antiochians Which when the King had granted and he had gotten the Rule into his hand it is expressly said of this Iason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our English hath it He forthwith brought his own Nation to the Greekish Fashion Iunius and Montanus and the Lexicographer Scapula have it Ad Graecum Ritum But I think the words may better be translated He carried over his own Country-men to the Greek Character 2 Macc. 4. 9 10. For the more close and perfect Application of this Truth we will note these four Particulars 1. What is the Hellenick or Graecian Character 2. Who are the Persons that do receive it 3. The Time when 4. The Power and Authority which did compel them to receive it For the first A Character is nothing else but a Note of Distinction by and through which one sort of People are distinguished from another as the Ephraimites were distinguished from the Gileadites by the Word Shiboleth so one Nation is distinguished from another by their Language Attire and other Customes But in this case we have not to do with the Marks of civil distinction and therefore when it is said That Iason carried over his own Country-men to the Hellenick Character this is meant of such a way of worship as was the publick Profession among the profane Graecians in matters of Religion In respect whereof that publick Profession was determinatus modus vivendi as the School-men speak containing that manner and way of living according to the Law of the Antiochians The like may be said That the Mark of the Beast in the Revelation is that whereby they of the Romish Religion are distinguished from others for they have a peculiar manner of living according to the Laws of that Church under the Pope the Head There is then an exact Agreement betwixt the Hellenick and the Romish Character and in both Nations Men are distinguished by this as by the Badge of their Profession Secondly For the Persons who were they that Iason carried over to receive the Mark of the Beast in the Graecian Tyranny It is plainly said That he carried over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Country-men of the Stock and Lineage of Abraham And these things were foretold by Daniel the Prophet many yeers before That in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes many of his own Country-men should forsake the Holy Covenant Dan. 11. 31 32. and as he foretold it came to pass indeed as appeareth in the Book of the Macchabees and in the Stories of Iosephus and others Now if we apyly this to the Beast in the Revelation there is a more general Defection and Apostacie of the whole Christian world He causeth all to receive a Mark in their forehead and in their right hand Thirdly For the time When was it that Iason carryed over his own Country-men to the Hellenick Character to the publike Profession of Religion used by the Grecians in the Seleâ—…cian State It was in the times of Antiochus the Grecian Antichrist If therefore we read in the Book of the Revelation That the Beast did cause all to receive a Mark in their forehead and in their right hand this was no other but that which was done before in the times of Antiochus the Grecian Antichrist who is set forth as a Type and a Figure of that great Antichrist who should come in the last times Fourthly For the power by and through which Iason should carry over his own Country-men to the Hellenick Character or to that way of Profession It was then when he had gotten the Rule into his hands Some sins do increase by Propagation as Original sin some by Ensample as many evil Customs amongst us But here is mention made of the increase and prevailing of a sin by Imperial Edict by the Countenance Power and Authority of them that have the Soveraignty in their hands The like may be said of the Beast in the Revelation all did receive the Mark in their forehead and in their right hand and if you look to the reason it was a sin of Monarchy or Imperial power The Beast as a Potentate did cause all to receive a Mark in their forehead and in their right hand By the Hellenick Character used in the times of the Grecian Tyranny we may know what is the Mark of the Beast so often mentioned in the Revelation and by the one we may finde out the meaning of the other I have stay'd the longer on this Point because it is the principal matter in the Text and the right
Doctrine and in the whole Spiritual Government Therefore there ought to be a temper kept for this disease hath always reigned in Princes to desire to bend Religion according to their own pleasure and lust and for their own profits in the mean time So far he In which words two Points are observable First the lawful exercise of the Power of the Supreme Magistrate as it doth keep its due limits in Causes Ecclesiastical Secondly the redundancy and the excess of the Power when it doth tread under foot the Laws of the Church That which these learned men did speak concerning the Supremacy of the Kings of England in Causes Ecclesiastical and the danger of the excess of the Civil Power hath been too truly verified by some in our days not onely to the total ruine of themselves but also to the destruction of that Soveraignty it self which they did so immeasurably exalt And whereas Calvin in the place aforementioned hath these words Et hodie quam multi sunt in Papatu qui regibus accumulant quicquid possunt juris potestatis And at this day saith he how many are there in the Papacy that heap upon Kings whatsoever Right or Power they can possible So that there may not be any Dispute of Religion but this Power shall be in one King to Decree according to his own pleasure whatsoever he list and that should remain fixed without Controversie So far he But we for our parts may not onely say Quam multi in Papatu How many in the Papacy but how many in the Profession of the Protestant Religion have accumulated this great Power upon Princes that they might do what they list in the Church of God and in the determination of matters of Faith In Daniel and the Revelation these things are set down as the true causes of the destruction of Kingdomes That is a most Divine expression of Daniel and the three Children Chap. 2. ver 20 21. Wisdome and might are his and he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings And for the cause of these Changes it is more particularly expressed Chap. 7. v. 11. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the Horn spake I beheld even till the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning fire All solid Interpreters do understand some State or Government to be typed by the Little Horn. Now the destruction of such a State or Government doth arise immediately from hence because of great words which the Horn did speak against the most High Therefore the exorbitancy of the Power against Religion Christ and his Saints is oftentimes the cause of the eversion of States and Kingdomes But that we may more fully understand how far the Power may go and whither it must not go let us consider the examples of the Kings of Iudah And here it is clear That Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah did great things about the affairs of the Church and had a very large testimony for their zeal in the Worship of God yet I am sure none can say that their Power was so transcendent as to abrogate any thing that was appointed or immediately commanded by God in his Word For when Uzziah the King would offer Incense that appertained not to him but to the Sons of Aaron he was imitten with leprosie and compelled to dwell alone as one that should have no commerce nor society with men So Belshazzar the King when he made a Feast to a thousand of his Lords we reade That in the time of the Feast the fingers of a mans hand did appear and write upon the wall the destruction of the King and the Kingdome And the cause of this Judgement is expounded by Daniel himself in these words Chap. 5. ver 25. Thou hast lifted up thy self against the Lord of Heaven and they have brought the vessels of his House before thee and thou and thy Lords thy Wives and thy Concubines have drunk wine in them Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar both by strong convictions and demonstrations were brought to understand That the God of Israel was the onely true God and that they had their Dominion from him Now when they were not contented with this which the Lord had given them but would insult over the Giver and drink wine in the Bowls of the Temple which they had taken with sacrilegious hands this was the cause of the ruine of the King and Kingdome at last There is a remarkable passage of Herodotus in his second Book where he maketh mention of a Statue that was set up to Sennacherib in one of the Temples of Egypt with this Inscription and Title upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever looks upon me let him learn to be pious This Testimony as it hath the greatest probability of truth so doth it singularly well agree with the Story of the Scripture We reade that 185000 were slain in one night in the Camp of the Assyrians by an Angel sent from Heaven Sennacherib himself was killed by his own two sons and that great Empire did decline and lose its vigour by degrees Now if we look into the cause of all this we shall finde That the insolency of that King against God and his Church was that which broke him all to pieces This was done in the sight of all Asia that the world might know that the insolency of the greatest Powers of the Earth against God will prove the certain cause of their destruction But we will conclude this matter with that Exhortation of the Psalmist for so he speaketh to all Princes and Potentates who do intrench upon the Prerogative of Christ Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way Psa. 2. ver 10 11 12. Now why doth he exhort the Kings and Judges of the Earth to be wise rather then other men They are Gods Vicegerents and there is none greater in Power then they and through the greatness of their place none are more apt to bend Religion according to their own pleasures and lusts then they are Because this is more immediately against the Kingdome of Christ and cometh nearest to Antichristian pride the Psalmist doth advise them to take heed what they do to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling If not he tells them plainly their insolency against Christ and his Church will be a certain cause of their destruction This is made manifest from the beginning of the Psalm The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lâ—…rd and against his anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us ver 2. Now he doth direct his speech to such as these and tells them plainly That the Lord Christ will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them
It is expresly said That his coming is after the power of Satan for as God did work by the Apostles to bring men to Salvation so shall the Devil put forth all his power in Antichrist and his followers to seduce the world to destruction Oecumenius hath a very proper expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devil shall do all in the middest of him or by him as the mean or instrument The friends and followers of the Church of Rome do strongly plead the glory of Miracles as a note of their Church and so they do truly fulfil the Scripture for it is expresly said that the coming of Antichrist is with all power and signs and lying wonders and that he doth seduce the world with all deceivableness of unrighteousness And we see by experience where he hath wanted the Scripture and the colour of Divine Revelation there he hath usually confirmed his Doctrines by lying wonders that is by such wonders as the Lord doth permit him to work to establish lies and errors in the Consciences of men The Stories of the Church are full of examples of this kinde and innumerable instances may be given And although many of our Writers do take all those things in a manner for lies which are written in the Legend for it is the punishment of a liar that he shall not be believed when he speaks true yet for all this I do incline to their opinion who do distinguish the several pieces contained in that Rhapsodie Some things there mentioned were meerly invented and others there are which we may probably judge to be real operations of Satan to deceive the world The words of the Scripture come to this Emphasis and height of expression For this cause God shall give men strong delusions to believe lies Therefore the Devil must have very great power in the times of Antichrist to deceive the world how else should the Scriptures be fulfilled But passing by the multitude of examples that might be given for their sakes who in these times do slight the Scriptures and hang upon Revelations we will come to a pregnant instance in the Tenth Century This for the most part is called by Writers The dark age Bellarmine and Baronius themselves do mourn over it for the want of learning But for my part I do believe it was not so much defective in these things as it did abound in Revelations Visions Dreams and such-like by and through which Satan had a very great power in the Consciences of people In that Century in the times of the Saxon Monarchs in the year 977 well near 700 years ago there was as Speed doth relate in his Chronicle a very hot contention about the Marriage of Ministers Dunstan and the Monks stood strongly on the one part that Ministers should put away their wives and the Ministers strongly pleaded on the other side that Marriage was the Ordinance of God Concerning this matter a Councel was held at Winchester where after long dispute and much against the Monks it was greatly suspected that side had gone down had they not referred themselves to the Rood or Crucifix placed upon the wâ—…ll of the Church where the Councel sate To this great Oracle S. Dunstan desired them devoutly to pray and to give diligent ear for an answer who in as great bounty as they in devotion gave them this advice God forbid it should be so said he you judged well once and to change that again is not good This saith our Historian was Authority sufficient to suppress the Priests who now with their wives went down the wind And indeed saith he to blame they were to suspect this their Iudge who never was heard to give wrong sentence before Speed Chron. pag. 355. Saving the great worth and learning of the Historian I believe That this was not the first false judgement given by this Judge and I believe it will not be the last as afterwards shall be declared Spondanus in his Epitome of the Annals of Baronius in the year 975 doth differ somewhat from this relation These are his words Quâ de re cum à Sancto Dunstano Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo Synodus Wintoniae congregata esset deprecante ipso rege ac plerisque Episcopis ut iidem Clerici restituerentur mirandum illud contigit ut Imago Crucâ—…fixi in edito Ecclesiae affixa audientibus cunctis dixerit Non fiet non fiet judicastis bene mutaretis non bene Quod omnes Clericos eorumque fautores confusos reddidit lingues It appeareth by this passage That King Edward surnamed the Martyr and many Bishops with him did intercede very much that the Ministers might have their wives restored unto them and when all were in a suspence what answer should be made this wonder happened that the Crucifix determined the contrary and so the Priests were confounded and made speechless After these things were done the Ministers were not yet satisfied therefore the matter was brought again to Councel and a great Assembly congregated at Cleve in Wilishire whither repaired the Prelates and most of the Estates of the Land besides Gentlemen and of the Commons an innumerable sort This Synod being set and the Controversie propounded a hot and a sharp Disputation insued and was maintained for a while with many bitter invectives But whether through the weakness of the foundation or the overpress of weight or both the Joysts of the upper-Loft wherein the Councel was held suddenly brake and down fell the floor with all the people thereon whereof many were hurt and some slain out-right Onely Archbishop Dunstan then President and Mouth for the Monks remained unhurt For the Post whereon his Chair was set stood and not without miracle wholly untouched And hereupon the Historian concludeth in these words Thus by this fall fell the Cause of the Secular Priests and the Peoples affections were drawn to the Monks and the liberty of the Ministers to accompany their wives was now taken away Spondanus saith that this Councel was held at Calne but there is no great difference Calne the Market-town and Cleve a small Village are so near together In that Councel saith he Mirandum illud accidit cunctis adversariis vel extinctis vel contritis solus Dunstanus qui Synodo praesidebat illaesus evaserit That is All of the adverse party who were for the Marriage of Ministers being either killed out-right or sorely brused onely Dunstan the President of the Synod remained without hurt This is a true relation of the fact and most Historians do agree Now let us come to inquire by what power and by what efficacy these things were done And for my part I think it was very just with God to forsake the Christian world and to deliver them uâ—…to strong delusions to believe lies because they had forsaken his truth and because the Ministers were so base as to suffer their Cause to be tryed by the Rood or Crucifix it was very just that they should further
to be Members of his Church The building upon men then is that which doth bring any people in the nearest resemblance to Antichristianisme and the more they do this the more or less are they Antichristian And this I conceive to be one chief reason in Scripture why the falls of the most eminent Saints are left upon record Because others should not dote too much upon them Moses did anger the Lord at the Waters of Meribah and Massah he died before he entred into the Land of Canaan and the Angel of the Lord did bury him in obscurity No man knew of his Sepulchre because the Children of Israel should not go a-whoring after it Deut. 34. 6. And in the New Testament among all the Apostles the faults of none are left so upon publick record as those of Peter And what is the reason of all this Doubtless the Lord did foresee what Idolatry the Church of Rome would commit in owning his Universal Headship over the Church as that the Power of the Keyes was given into his hand alone For these causes I believe the great falls of Peter are left upon record that the Papists should not say I am of Peter I am of the Bishop of Rome the Head of the Church by succession from Peter Cyprian and some of the Churches of Africa fell into another extreme They thought if a man had denied the truth in time of persecution he should never be received into the Ministery again but should stand in the Body of the People as one of them onely I cannot but in the general approve the strictness of the Discipline especially against the faults and corruptions of Ministers who should be Lights and Examples to others But that they should be so strictly dealt with all never to be received no not upon terms of the greatest Repentance Humiliation and godly Sorrow I may say in this case That Cyprian and the rest of the African Fathers were too Canonical And it was well for S. Peter that he was no Minister in Africa when he denied his Master in the High-Priests Hall Surely by the rigour of such Principles they would never have received him into Office again But the Lord Christ had a better end in the permission of his fall Simon saith he Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail Luke 22. 31. Here then the reason is clearly shewed why Satan did prevail so against Peter why he was upheld meerly by the Prayer of Christ the reason is this When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren God in great wisdome doth suffer the most eminent Ministers to fall greatly to pluck down their pride that they may be more humble and that their bowels of affection and tenderness may be greater towards the lost Sons of men and that they should preach the Grace of God more tenderly and more feelingly to the winning and saving of miserable Souls These were the causes of the fall of Peter and one special reason is also here to be remembred God did permit him to fall so foully to prevent that sin of Antichristianity as I may so speak which should be so general in the last times Now the sin of Antichristianity is to make men the Lords of our Faith to build upon Peter or the Pope the pretended Successor of Peter in matters of Faith and Salvation Fourthly they do symbolize with the Great Antichrist who use a lawful Authority Antichrist-like to serve their own pride ambition and external glory The Apostle saith I would have written unto the Churches but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence suffered us not 3 Joh. ver 9. Here then seeing he did love to have the pre-eminence we may probably conceive That it was in the lawful Government of the Church there was an affectation of precedency even in those dayes And in what times may not the like spirit of pride be in some men when they are put into place of Rule We reade also in the Directions of Paul concerning the choice of a Bishop that he must not be a Novice lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6. It is clear from these words as also from the whole Epistle that there must be a Government in the Church of God and whosoever S. Paul's Bishop is he must have the principal stroke in the Government For these words are immediately added If a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care for the Church of God The Church of God is Christs house and the Bishops Elders and Ministers of the Church have their Office by delegation from him and not from any other Authority Now such a lawful power as this is men may sinfully abuse and pervert to the setting up of their own greatness and therefore the Apostle doth give this caveat Not a Novice lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil By a Novice he doth not intend a man yong in years for Timothy himself was but yong but he meaneth a beginner in the School of Christ a Novice in manners such a one he would not have set over the House of God lest being swollen up with pride he fall into the same sin and the same condemnation as the Devil did being sometimes an Angel of light From this instance then it is clear That a lawful Power may be used in an Antichristian manner Such beginnings of pride the Apostle probably might see in those dayes and these might occasion him to say The Mystery of Iniquity doth already work Now whereas some do impute it to this or that Government that it would be as Tyrannical and Antichristian as any that went before Let them not deceive themselves The Government may be Christs yet if any do use it to serve their own Pride Tyranny or Lordliness the fault is their own It lies in the corruption of the Person but not in the nature of the Office The superiority of Parents over their Children of Husbands over their Wives of Magistrates over the People are all by Divine Institution yet the persons may so demean themselves that they may tyrannize and if we may so speak it may Antichristianize That is a remarkable passage which the Lord hath concerning Stewards in a lawful power If that evil servant shall say My Lord deferreth his coming and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and shall eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and will cut him in sunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites Mat. 24. 48 49. By a Servant or Steward we may understand Magistrate Minister or any other whom the Lord hath intrusted with a lawful Power in Church or Common-wealth Now if they use this Power illegally and tyrannically if Ministers cast those out of the Church who should be kept in
the other side I conceive That it is too high to call Hen. 8. or any other Supreme Magistrate an Head much more a good Head of the Church the eminency transcendency and sublimity of that Prerogative belonging to Christ alone Our Princes have used such a Title and in the sense of the Statute in a moderate way the people have ascribed it to them to wit a Spiritual Power Authority and Jurisdiction that ever have belonged to Kings and Princes which David Solomon the Kings of Iudah and Christian Emperours have ever exercised in their respective Dominions This no doubt hath been the sense of well-meaning men and so Mr. Bedel doth expound it in the forementioned place and pag. 56. But for my part being inlightned and better informed I pray God such Titles be no more used and let that passage Next under thee and thy Christ in all Causes Ecclesiastical in these His Majesties Dominions Supreme Head and Governour Let the exuberancy of such a Title pass among the iniquity of our holy things Our godly Friends have been offended at it our Enemies have insulted Experience hath shewed much danger in the use of it and the present Treatise I doubt not will shew what an evil thing it is to take away the Prerogative of Christ and to make other Heads of the Church in his room Of all men living the Erastians have greatest cause to look to this For let Princes be once told That there is no Church-Government in the Word of God and that they themselves are the sole Fountains of Church-Power By this means it will be effected That the Name and Power of Christ over his own Church will be plucked down and the Name and Headship of Princes will be onely set up In matters of this nature if you give an Inch men will take an Ell. Rather for acts past we should often think upon that expression of the Prophet I will pour upon the House of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look to him whom they have pierced Zach. 12. 10. Christ is not onely pierced in a literal sense when his body is run thorow with a Spear but he is pierced also when his Name and Headship is taken away from him and given to another So far as a whole Nation have been mediately or immediately directly or indirectly implicated and involved in such a sin so far I believe they ought to mourn If this be not done God perhaps may rebuke us when our Armies go forth against those that Worship the Beast and uphold his Name and Headship in enmity to the Government of Christ. Though not in the favour of the enemy yet we may be chastised for our own faults and the Lord may be provoked to appear against us When the Lamb went forth on his white Horse against the Beast and his Armies the Armies that followed were upon white Horses cloathed in fine linen white and clean Rev. 19. 14. Further also by the process of this Discourse information may be given to certain in these Times who being led by the meer shew and colour of some passages in the Prophesies do think it a part of their duty to level Magistracy abolish Laws and to turn all things up-side down in Church and Common-wealth Of such I may say That they mingle the precious Truths of God with Fables of their own commenting In the Metamorphosis of Ovid we reade of the Beginning of the World of the Chaos of the Giants heaping of Pelion upon Ossa of Deucalions Flood of the Four Ages of the Golden the Silver the Brazen and the Iron Age. These things are not all Fictions because they have some ground of truth in the Scripture neither are they all truths because they are mingled with Fictions of the invention of man Of the same kinde are some Authors who are for the Fifth Monarchy they think that the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ will be the Dissolution of all Earthly Kingdomes But by the purport and whole drift of the present Discourse they may understand That the Kingdome of Christ is not contrary to Governments Powers and Authorities purely as such but onely to Governments as Idolatrous as Tyrannical as contrary to the Laws of Christ and of his Church In the Prophecy of Daniel the Empire of Babel is resembled to a Lyon of Persia to a Bear of Greece to a Leopard of Rome to a Beast of divers shapes All these Monarchies erected and set up on the ruines of the Davidical Kingdome are parallell'd to so many Beasts Buâ—… to what Beast shall we resemble in its right constitution the Davidical Kingdome it self In the Book of the Revelation the Angel doth expresly say That there were eight Kings and yet the Beast had but seven Heads Chap. 17. How can this be I have fully proved That the Dynasty Race and Succession of the Christian Caesars do make the seventh Roman King but no Head of the Beast Therefore the Mediatoriâ—…n Kingdom of Christ is not contrary to Governments as such neither is nor ever shall be built upon the ruines of Governments as Governments but upon the ruines of Governments onely as Tyrannical and opposite to the Laws of the Gospel There is no such cause then why solid and judicious men in these dayes should set aside this kinde of Learning which is so much for the Credit Authority of the Christian Magistrate And for the Government of the Church in some Points if I am not mistaken there is in this Prophecy as strong if not stronger proof then in any other Book of the New Testament As for Example Though Bishops are put down the Service-Book taken away the Ordination of Ministers brought neerer the Rule all this being done men are not pleased What is the cause of the Difference The difficulty lies in the Church-state Robinson and others of that way do plead That we have no Example for a National Church in the New Testament and the bringing in of whole Nations by the power of the Magistrate this is the principal Rock of Offence I confess it is true that we have no Example of a National Church in the Apostles time For how could all Nations come in at that particular instant when the greater part of them did still remain in their Idolatries and the Emperors themselves were the greatest Enemies of the Church Now if we apply our selves to the Book of the Revelation we shall plainly see how the Spirit doth foretel That after the Preaching of the Gospel the Church should fall under grievous Persecutions in all the times of the Pagan Caesars when that time is ended the Empire it self shall become Christian. What else should be the meaning of that expression Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. 10. This doth note no other but the setting up of the Gospel in the Throne in the times of