the Chaos preceded the first appearance of Light which made the Day as the Darkness of the Apostasy according to the Course and Order of Nature which proceeds from Privation to Form preceeds the Morning-Star and bright Day of Christ's Kingdom whereupon the Months of the Gentiles are mentioned before the Days of the Witnesses because the Gentile Apostasy must be in Nature and Time before the Witnesses could prophesie against it although they both commence from the same Day or Year Now a Day is taken in this Prophecy for a Coelestial Solar Year consisting of Three hundred and sixty days in round Numbers according to the Custom of Scripture and according to the degrees of a Circle and of the Sun's passage through the Ecliptick by which the Year is made as appears from Three (a) 360 360 360 180 1260 Times or Years and a half being made equal to Twelve hundred and sixty days and therefore in proportion by a montb must be meant not a month in Civil Accounts which are Arbitrary according to the divers Customs and Reckonings of Cities and Nations but a Caelestial Natural Month depending upon the Moon by whose Motion from one Conjunction with the Sun to another the Month is made According to which Motion a Month consists of something above Twenty Nine days and a Lunar Year of 354 days not reckoning the Odd Hours and Fractions neither in this nor the Solar Accounts which is six Days above Twenty Nine Days to each Month of the Year by which reckoning (a) 354 354 354 177 1239 Forty Two months of years at 354 each year amount to 1239 years and at (b) 29 42 58 116 1218 Twenty-Nine Days each Month to 1218 years But because in the 1260 Days there are five Days taken from each Solar Year which indeed consists of 365 Days therefore also in the Lunar Years of the Forty Two Months there must be Five days taken from each that they may bear proportion to the Solar Years which are indeed only properly and naturally Years the Lunar Year being no otherwise a Year than as it is determined by the Annual Course of the Sun and being altogether uncertain and arbitrary but as it is adjusted unto and brought into accord with its Motion According to which Substraction each Lunar Year will amount to 349 Days and the whole Forty Two Months of Years to (c) 349 349 349 174 ½ 1221 ½ about 1222 Years (d) 1218 3 ½ 1221 ½ exceeding the Total of the Months at Twenty Nine Days each by about Four Days which because Fractions are neglected in these Accounts we are to reckon full 1222 Years (e) 1222 38 1260 Thirty Eight Years less than the Twelve hundred and sixty Days of Years of the Witnesses according to the proportion betwixt the Motion of the Sun and Moon the latter of which exceeding the former by about (a) 11 Days 3 ½ Years of Years 38 Eleven Days in a year or a Thirty Third part the Encrease in Twelve hundred and sixty years or Three years and a half of years amounts to Thirty Eight years or twice Nineteen years that is two Cycles (b) Bevereg Instit Chronol lib. 2.4 6 7 of the Moon or Golden Number which being grounded upon the Period of Meton a Famous Athenian Astronomer who flourished Four hundred and thirty years before Christ was first brought into the Kalendar by the First General Council of Nice A. D. 325. to settle the Paschal or Easter Feast about which so great Contentions had been in the Church which Rule and Decree is Religiously observed as Dr. Beveridge speaks in the Church of England And thus having settled the True Notion of a Month and the Extent of it we are next to find out where the Beginning of these Forty Two Months and of the Twelve hundred and sixty Days which are parallel to them is to be fixed the Holy Spirit having not been pleased to give the precise Epocha or Beginning of them but having left it to be searched out by the Industry of those who consider Times and Seasons We are to take Notice then that (c) See Mr. Mede's Apostasy Gentilism consisting in the Practice of Pagan and Idolatrous Customs was come to a great heighth about A. D. 400. and that there is great Reason to fix upon A. D. 437. for the precise Year from whence the Lord of Times and Seasons thought good to date the Beginning of its Times or Reign may be made more than probable from these following Considerations 1. Because it is the precise Year in which the Churches Purity ended it being the Year which compleats the last Half Time of the Churches Purity weighed in the Two Scales of the Ballance which appeared under the Third Seal as hath been shewn on Chap. 6.5 2. Because it is the very Year from which the Time Times and Half Time are to be reckoned as hath been already proved on Chap. 10. vers 7. numb 13. Which being made equal to 1260 days Chap. 12.6 14. the beginning of the Date of the one must be the beginning of the Date of the other and consequently of the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles which run parallel to the 1260 days of the Witnesses and of the Woman in the Wilderness Of which the Reformation beginning A. D. 1517. just at the Entrance of Half Time is an illustrious Proof as hath been observed on Chap. 10. 3. Because it is the middle Point betwixt the two remarkable Half Hours made up into One Hour at the Ten Kings receiving power with the Beast Concerning which see what hath been largely discoursed on Chap. 8. 4. If the beginning of the Gentiles Months and of the 1260 Days of the Witnesses be fixed at 437. there will be found to be a wonderful Congruity according to the strictest Mathematical Proportion betwixt the Days of the Witnesses the Gentiles Months and the Months of the Beast who as is evident from Rev. 17.10 11 12. receiv'd not his power until he came to be the Eighth King which was not until the End of A. D. 475. or the beginning of A.D. 476. upon the Fall of the Western Emperour Now if the Gentiles Months begin (a) 437 1222 1659 38 1697 A. D. 437. then they must end they amounting in the whole as hath been shewn to 1222. Years at A. D. 1659 sooner by Thirty Eight Years then the 1260 Days End which is the Exact Astronomical Proportion betwixt Solar and Lunar Time as hath been before observed and if the Beasts Months begin at (b) 476 1222 1697 476. then they will end at 1697. together with the Days of the Witnesses and will carry on the Times of the Apostasy from (c) 1659 38 1697 the End of the Gentiles Months to the End of all Antichristian Time by the same Astronomical Proportion consisting of Two Cycles of the Moon or Golden Numbers For it is to be observed that the Church was Paganized before the
greatest moment for which the Angel was most concerned and being to be accomplished in the last place were more immediately to be referred to in the Answer which was to be returned The Question proposed then is How long it was to be to the End of all those things which he had seen of which the Particulars mentioned were to be fulfilled in the last place And the Words are to be rendred thus according to the Hebrew Text How long the Vision the Daily c. and not concerning the Daily the Question being How long the Vision as well as how long the Daily and the Transgression of Desolation Obs 3. This Question must in all propriety of Speech be meant concerning a Period of Time to be deduced from the beginning of the Events foretold to the End of them the Answer to the Question being That the Vision should be unto 2300 Days viz. from the Time when the Effect of the Vision should first take place according to which sense a (b) Jachiad in Daniel per L' Empereur Jew has thus acutely paraphrased this Verse Then the Angel answered That the Streights in which they were were to last from the very time of the Vision to the Evening or Night of the Morning or Day of the two thousand three hundred years Obs 4. It is expresly contrary to the very Words of the Text to date these days from the ceasing of the daily Sacrifice the Question being not How long shall it be from the polluting of the Sanctuary to the cleansing of it but How long shall the Vision be That is the whole Vision he had before seen concerning the Medo-Persian and Grecian Empire as well as the taking away of the daily Sacrifice Obs 5. The Subject-Matter of the Vision is 1. Concerning the Medo Persian Empire Ver. 20. 2. Concerning the Greek Empire their first King Alexander and the Division of that Empire into Four Kingdoms upon his Death Ver. 21 22. 3. Concerning a Little Horn or King who was to rise out of One of those Four Kingdoms in the latter time or at the latter End of their Kingdom Ver. 9 23. which I take to be at least principally and in its chief mystical sense the Little Horn or Antichristian King mentioned Dan. 7.8 which came up from amongst the Ten horns of the Fourth Beast which is the Roman Empire and is said here at the 9th Verse to come up out of the Four Notable Horns towards the Four Winds of heaven that is out of the Western part of the World or of the Vniversal Monarchy of the Grecians where the Roman Power was seated and where it first appeared in Macedon to encroach upon the Grecian and the (a) Mr. Mede page 654 749. Fourth Kingdom brought the Third into its Subjection by conquering Greece the Western and Head Province of that Empire Out of this Western Horn or Kingdom the Roman Power with its Little Horn amongst its ten horns came forth which alone is here mentioned because that by it the Exploits specified in the following Verses were chiefly to be performed many of which can also agree to no other and none of them to any so properly as to the Antichristian King who is certainly called a Little Horn in the 7th Chapter and has Characters given him there parallel to those in this Chapter as in speaking great things Ver. 8. in having a look more stout and fierce than his Fellows Ver. 20. in prevailing against the Saints and the holy people and in being broken without hands by the Ancient of Days Ver. 21 22. Obs 6. Although some passages of the Vision from Verse 9 to Verse 12. may be understood of Antiochus the Type of Antichrist yet all of it and especially the Exposition of it from Verse 23 to 25. cannot be possibly meant concerning him who understood not dark Sentences nor was a King of any great Policy or Craft as this little horn is described Verses 23 24 25. but is expresly noted by (a) Liv. lib. 41. Foy-Vaillant de Seleucid Imper. pag. 161-163 Historians to have behaved himself so strangely and so unequally that it was much doubted amongst the wisest whether he were a Fool or a mad man And the Characters given in those Verses of the little horn are so utterly inconsistent with the Story of Antiochus and are so agreeable to the Antichristian King that even Dr. Moor is at last forced to confess That this Passage was put in by the Spirit of Prophecy with a more peculiar respect to Antichrist himself in whom they are more eminently fulfilled than to Antiochus his Type Obs 7. A Day being taken in other parts of Prophecy for a Prophetical Day or a Day of Years there is no Reason why it should be understood otherwise in this place it being called here Evening-Morning upon another account as we have observed at the beginning of this Annotation and not to shew as Dr. Moor thinks that Prophetical Days are not here meant but Natural Days which will amount but to six Years three Months and twenty Days a very small space of Time and which can be brought to comport only with the six Years Prophanations of Antiochus which is but a part of the Vision and cannot be here referred to as appears from Observation 4th and the following ones Obs 8. The Vision begins with the Medo-Persian Empire as plainly appears from the Explication of it Verse 20. And if the Vision begins there then the Line of Time must begin there too because it is the measure of it according to Obs 2 and 3. Obs 9. The Vision ends at the cleansing of the Sanctuary as appears from Verse 14. Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed viz. at the End of 2300 days which were to last to that time Which cannot be meant concerning the particular cleansing of it by Maccabeus from the Prophanations of Antiochus because this could not be called the Last End of the Indignation of God the Temple having been afterwards polluted and blasphemed by the Successors (a) 1 Maccab. 6 62.7 33-50 and Chap. 9. of Antiochus and trodden under foot and entirely destroyed by the Romans Obs 10. This Line of Time is not yet at an end because the daily Sacrifice of the Jews is not yet restored nor their Desolations determined but they are still in a despicable condition their Sanstuary and City being trodden under foot by the Turks who at present have it in their possession Obs 11. The beginning of the Medo-Persian Empire is to be dated by the Joynt Consent of History and of the latest and best Chronologers from the taking of Babylon by Cyrus from whence the Scripture reckons the first year of Cyrus meaning thereby the first year of his Reign over the Babylonion Empire which was the last of the Seventy Years Captivity of the Jews and the first of their Return into their Countrey upon the Edict of Cyrus Now from a due consideration of what hath been said we
I know observe and approve Psalm 1.6 thy good works and thy labour 2 in the work of the Gospel in converting instructing and governing those whom thou art set over 1 Thes 5.12 1 Tim. 5.17 and thy patience and perseverance in it and under sufferings for it and how thou canst not endure or 3 bear with them which are evil in Life or Doctrine but castest them when they prove incorrigible out of the Church and thou hast tryed 4 them by the Gospel Gal. 1.8 1 John 4.1 by their Works Matth. 7.20 and by the Gift of discerning Spirits 1 Cor. 12.10 which say they are Apostles sent and commissioned to preach the Gospel and are not and hast found them liars or False Apostles Acts 20.29 30. and 15.1 24. 1 Cor. 15.12 2 Cor. 11.13 Gal. 1.6 1 and 2 Epist to Timothy 1 John 4.1 2 Labour also may here signifie a zealous and unwearied profession of the Gospel amidst the greatest Discouragements as the Word is taken 1 Cor. 15.58 3 These Words refer to the zealous Execution of Discipline for which the Church was at first very remarkable as appears from 1 Cor. 5. 1 Tim. 1.20 Tit. 3.10 2. John 10. 4 It appears from Scripture that there were many False Apostles foretold by our Saviour Matth. 24.11 and by the Apostle Paul in his Admonition to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.29 30. Who generally seem to have insinuated themselves into the good Opinion of the People by specious pretences of being Brethren and by creeping into their Houses and Assemblies unawares and privily and by communicating with them in their Feasts of Charity as appears from 2 Cor. 11.26 Gal. 2.4 1 Tim. 3.6 Jude 4.12 and from this place where they are said to pretend to be Apostles when they were not For the Hereticks seem to have acted more closely and subtily while the Apostles were living than afterwards which made i◠〈◊〉 task to try and detect them which yet the Apostolical Church did with great Zeal and Care by examining their pretences by the Doctrine they had received of Christ and by Gifts of discerning False Spirits as Clemens Romanus attests in his Epistle to the Corinthians And this place seems to determine this Succession of the Church to the Times of the Apostles the Pretence of being Apostles or Messengers sent and commissioned by God to preach New Doctrines being peculiar to that Age and made use of by Simon Magus and his Followers particularly by Cerinthus against whom John wrote his Gospel who pretended to New Revelations And it being not peculiar to Ephesus alone but to most other Churches we may reasonably conclude that by Ephesus is not understood that Church alone but the Church-State of the Apostolical Age which began on the Day of Pentecost next following the Ascension of our Saviour in the Thirty Third Year of our Lord about the Twenty Fourth Day of May as Bishop Pearson has stated the Aera of the Apostolical Church in his first Lecture on the Acts. From this place we may learn That strict care ought to be taken in trying and examining those who are to be sent to teach others and that the Canon of Scripture was setled by this Apostolical Church she having duly tried and rejected all other Pretenders to Apostolical Doctrines and that the first State of the Church was purely Apostolical 3 And yet thou hast born 5 Afflictions although thou canst not bear 5 with them which are evil and hast still patience 6 and for my Names sake i. e. for me and upon the Account of my Gospel hast laboured 6 in it and hast not fainted under it nor under thy sufferings for it Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 5 Such kind of Allusions are frequent in Scripture as Rom. 1.24 25 26 28. 6 This being a Repetition of what was said in the foregoing Verse seems to intimate that their Labour and Sufferings were Great and very Remarkable a Repetition sometimes denoting so much in Scripture 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat of 7 complaint against thee because thou hast left or 8 remitted and abated something of thy first 9 or former fervent and intense Love of me my Gospel and Kingdom 7 So the Phrase is taken Matth. 5.23 8 So this word is rendred by Grotius and Doctor Hammond and I think rightly And as Grotius thinks that Love and Desire may by way of Allusion be signified by the Word Ephesus so may also the Greek Word here made use of intimate some Remission or Coolness of their First Love by the same Figure which the Prophet Micah makes use of Chap. 1. 13 14. and which Grotius thinks the Apostle uses Rom. 1.17 28 29. where also in the 29th Verse there is a manifest Allusion to the Name Judah which signifies Praise Gen. 29.35 9 The First Love which the Prophet Jerem. 2.2 calls the Kindness of Youth and the Love of Espousals is usually very fervent but is wont soon to cool and abate in the best of Men. And accordingly the Church at first when as Hierom speaks the Blood of our Lord was warm and the Faith of the New Converts was Fervent was very Zealous in all its Duties and Offices as appears from the Acts of the Apostles particularly from Chap. 2 41-47 and Chap. 4 31-37 where we have a perfect Pattern of the First Love of the Apostolical Church in the Church of Jerusalem especially in their having all things common and calling nothing their own And yet in a very short space as soon as the Number of the Disciples and with them the Church-Revenue was multiplied there arose a murmuring of the Graecians against the Hebrews even in the Infant-Church as we read Acts 6. occasioned by the Pride of the Hebrews as Bishop Pearson has shewn in his Third Lecture on the Acts wherein as also in the Behaviour of Ananias and Saphira there are early Tokens and Types given of a Declension in the Church which proceeded so far as to this matter even in those First Times of the Gospel that Paul tells the Philippians Chap. 2. 21. of his Epistle to them supposed to be written about A. D. 59 or 62. that all Men sought their own and not the things of Jesus Christ For not only Demas forsook Paul out of Love to this present World but Mark grew weary of the Labour of the Gospel and went not with Paul and Barnabas to the work Acts 15.38 and Peter himself for fear of the Jews was guilty of Dissimulation Gal. 2.11 12. And the Galatians had generally departed from the True Notions they had received of Christian Liberty and a Working Faith Gal. 5.1 6 7. and were grown very remiss in their Acts of Charity Gal. 6.9 And the Churches mentioned in Scripture are frequently reprehended for great Enormites so that it is no wonder that the Churches in After-Ages proved guilty of them the Love of many waxing cold betimes as our Saviour foretold Matth. 24.12 and Paul complained 2 Tim. 1.15
the Mystical signification of what is delivered in the Law of Moses with relation to the Sanctuary God's Worship and his Priests particularly Exodus 28 29 30 Chapters Leviticus 10 8-11 and Chapters 21 and 22. Ezekiel 42 13 14.44 8-31 much of Ezekiel from Chapter 40 to the end Matth. 18 15-20 19 17.20 24-29 23 6-12 and Grotius on those places John 15 27.17 â—0-23 Acts 1 13-26 2 37-47 3 1.4 31-37 5 1-14 41 42.6 1-8 8 2.9 39.12 5.13 2 3 15.14.22 23 27. Chapter 15.16 2 4 5 25.20 7 11 27-36 Romans from Chapter 12 to the End of the Epistle First Epistle to the Corinthians from the First Chapter to the 15th and Chapter 16. most part of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians Galatians 2 and 6. Ephesians 2 19-22 Chapters 4th 5th and 6th the Epistle to the Philipppians the greatest part of the Epistles to the Colossians Tbessalonians Timothy and Titus Hebrews 5 12-14 and Chapters 6.1 2.12 14-29 and Chapter 13 the generality of the Epistle of James 1 Peter 2d Chapter to the End of the Epistle 2 Peter 1 3-21 and Chapter 2d and 3d most of the Epistles of John and Christ's Letters to the Seven Churches Which places diligently compared with what is prophesied of Christ's Kingdom in the Prophets and the Three last Chapters of the Revelations will furnish a Man with an exact Idea of the Church as it was designed by Christ with respect to Faith Discipline and Manners Scripture which treat of Matters relating to Church-Affairs and then to compare the State of the Churches now in being with what God requires in a pure Church and I am confident they will abate much of a too fond Dotage upon any particular Constitution or Church-State that is now in the World Of which Opinion also are the Honest and the Judicious of all Parties when some happy Conjunctures force them upon cool thoughts and peaceable Considerations which yet do not meet with their desired Success but in God's own Times and Seasons Which is remarkably evident in the Reformation of the Church of England which although begun by very good and great Men and carried on often very vigorously and successfully yet hath not been able to arrive to those Degrees of Perfection which even the first Reformers who planted it and watered it with their Blood (a) Reformatio Legum Ecclesiastic designed and (b) Preface to the Comminat Fox's Book of Martyrs edit ult Vol 3. page 67 105 107 120 121 137 362 374 385 400 403 411 412 427 442 537. Bishop Burnet's History of the Reformation edit secunda Tome 1. Praefat. pag. 147 148 189 262 300 303 315 364. in the Collect. pag. 160 178 182. Praefat. ad Vol. secund and page 44 59 67 71 72 73 75 79 80 95 96 101 104. ad 110 112 141 145 152 153 154 155 156 182 189 190 191 196. ad 202 218 219 304 339 376 377 387 390 394 395 396 397 398 399 406 407 420. Camdeni Elizab. ed. Amstelod pag. 26 in Praefat. 391 392. Sir Simon D' Ewes's Journal pag. 156-158 161 166 167 177 184 257 302 303 329 357-360 557 639. Bishop Stillingfleet's Preface to his Vnreasonableness of Separation the Discourses written lately about the Ecclesiastical Commission and the Convocation a Paper entituled Grievances of the Church of England supposed to be written by Archbishop Sancroft Letters of the English Reformers in the Library of Switzerland and Bishop Burnet's excellent Discourse of the Pastoral Care wished for But what through the inconstant Humour of a Vain and a Cruel Prince under whom it begun the Avarice and Dissentions of the Chief Ministers of rhe Court of King Edward the Sixth the short Reign of that Prince the contrary turn of Affairs in Q. Maries Days and the invincible prejudices of that great Princess Q. Elizabeth under whom it was settled who was against Alterations in the Church the glorious Work did not receive the last and finishing Hand of its Master-Builders but has ever since been hindered and retarded by several strange Occurrences but chiefly by the contrary struglings of two Parties ever since the Differences at Frankford whereby through mutual Animosities and immoderate Opposition the chief Obstacle to all Noble and Peaceable Designs things have sometimes rather gone back than forwards So that there is little hope of going on unto Perfection until the Times of Restitution begin to appear and God shall be pleased to dispose the Minds of Men by his over-ruling Providence to so necessary and so glorious an Undertaking 8 And the Voice which I heard from Heaven verse 4. spake unto me again and said go and take the little Book which is open in the hand of the Angel which standeth or stood upon the Sea and upon the Earth 9 And I went unto the Angel and said unto him Give me the little Book And he said unto me Take it and eat 14 it up i. e. commit it to Memory and keep it secret as yet Dan. 7 28.12 4 9. Ezek. 2 8.3 1-10 and it shall make thy Belly bitter because what is contained in it must be delayed for a longer time Dan. 8.26 27.10 14-16 but it shall be in thy mouth when thou prophesiest again Verse 11. sweet as honey as containing the sweet and glad tidings of Christ's Kingdom Psalm 19 10.119 103. Jerem. 15.16 Ezek. 3.3 14 To eat signifies to meditate and digest Divine Truths as appears from our Saviour's Discourse John 6. and withal to keep them close and secret as Mary did Luke 2.19 51 the Belly denoting in Scripture the most secret Thoughts and Cogitations of a Man By which is signified that Christ's Kingdom which had appeared but for a short time only so long as to be just seen open and whilst the Book could be taken into his hand and mouth should soon have a stop put to it and thereby create much Sorrow to all the true Servants of God but that it should again appear signified by being again in his mouth after it had been in his Belly in its Glory to the Joy and Comfort of them 10 And I took the little Book out of the Angels hand and eat it up and it was in my mouth sweet as honey and as soon as I had eaten it my belly was bitter i. e. I was really affected after the manner the Angel had foretold 11 And he i. e. the Angel said unto me Thou must 15 prophesie again i. e. foretel the coming of Christ's Kingdom Chap. 11.3 before of or against many 16 People and Nations and Tongues and Kings i. e. before the People and Rulers of the Kingdom of Antichrist 15 To prophesie as is shewn on Chap. 11.3 is to foretel the coming of Christ's Kingdom which it is said here John should do because he was to deliver more Prophecies concerning it and because it was to be actually performed by the Witnesses represented by John as the people of Israel of Old were by the Prophets who were
may make some advance to the setling of the beginning of the Gentiles Months For if these 2300 years are a Line of Time reaching from the first year of Cyrus to the cleansing of the Sanctuary Then if we gain the true Epoch of Cyrus's First Year we may by consequence find out the Period of these Years and the beginning and end of the 1260 years of the Witnesses and of the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles And here because the Reasonings of Chronologers are very dubious and their Epochs very different and of an uncertain Foundation as (a) Epitom Baron pag. 11. Spondanus with just reason complains I shall only desire this one equitable Postulatum to be granted me viz. that the Scripture Accounts of Time as they are given us in the Hebrew (a) Hanc supputationem recentiores Chronologi qui post Scaligerum Floruere uno ferme consensu complexi sunt Anton. Pagi Appar Chronol Pag. 1 2. Text may be received as Authentick when they are supported by reason evidence from profane History and the consent of the latest Chronogers amongst whom I shall pitch upon Spanhemius (b) Chronol Introduct ad Eccles Histor. as one of the latest and the most accurate in his accounts consulting others as there shall be occasion Now if we guide our selves by this Postulatum we shall perhaps find this following Scripture Calendar to be most exact   Years A. M. From the Creation to the Flood 1656. 2083. From thence to Abraham's coming out of Chaldea Spanhem à pag. 135 ad 140. 427. 2513. To the Israelites coming out of Aegypt Spanhem pag. 142. 430. 2993. To the beginning of the building of the Temple in the fourth of Solomon 1 King 6.1 Spanhem à pag. 143-145 480. 3029. To Solomon's death and the revolt of the Ten Tribes immediately upon it in the first year of Rehoboam 1 King 6 1.11 42. Spanhem 149. 36. 3459. ante Chr. 528. From the First Year of Rehoboam to the First of Cyrus's Reign over Babylon which was the End of the 70 Years Captivity 430. This Number is gathered by adding the 390 Years of Ezekiel's bearing the sin of Israel to the Forty Years of his bearing Judah's sin Ezek. 4.4 5 6. In which Chapter the Prophet shews 1. That Jerusalem would be besieged and the Temple and City burnt according to what Jeremiah had prophesied the Truth of which the People beginning to call in question there having passed now Five Years since their Captivity without any appearance or likelihood of it the Prophet is commanded Verse 3. to lay siege to Jerusalem in a Type to be a sign to them of the real siege approaching 2. The Prophet is also commanded Verse 9. to lie 390 Days appointed by God himself to signifie Years Verse 6. upon his left side to bear as in a Type the Years of the Punishment of the House of Israel or the Ten Tribes And then is expresly commanded to lie again Verse 6. on his right side to bear the Years of the Punishment of the House of Judah Forty Days after he had accomplished the Three Hundred and Ninety thereby plainly shewing the Forty to be different from the Three Hundred and Ninety and not included in them as Interpreters generally make them with plain Violence to the express Words of the Text. 3. It is evident from the 13th Verse that the penitential and course Dyet prescribed to the Prophet during the streightness of the Siege a freer Dyet perhaps being permitted him the remaining Forty Days after it is not only a Type of the Famine and Misery they were to suffer but also of the defiled and polluted Bread they were to eat among the Gentiles during their Captivity which is there evidently referred to and not only the Siege of Jerusalem 4. By the mention of the House of Israel and Judah separately and distinctly from each other and by God's assigning a distinct Term of Years to each is plainly intimated that they are represented in this Vision as in a divided state 5. The Years therefore of their Iniquity Verse 5. which the Prophet was to bear must be the Years of their Iniquity whilst they continued in a divided state which can be no other then the Years from their first Division and Idolatry under Jeroboam until the End of the Captivity some of them were then under particularly referred to Verse 13. So that the Prophet does here in a Vision shew them in Prophetical Days for Years how long their Captivity should last and that it should not be ended untill Four Hundred and Thirty Years were compleated from the time of their Division and Idolatry which was the Iniquity for which they were carried Captive and for which he was to bear their punishment in a Vision shewing the time from their Defection to the End of the Captivity Concerning which Prophetical and Symbolical Line of Time it is also further to be noted 1. That the greater Number of Years of Punishment are allotted to the Ten Tribes because they were First in the sin and deepest in the Guilt Whereas the Two Tribes because they walked (a) 2 Chronicl 11 17.12 1. Three Years after the Division in the ways of David and Solomon and were less guilty then the other have their punishment assigned them after the other and that of a less continuance And the Prophet when he bears their Guilt is commanded to lie on his right side to shew the greater Esteem God had of them whereas he was bid to lie on his left when he bore the Iniquity of Israel which being the less worthy side of the Body thereby is denoted the less value God had for them 2. It may be observed that this Number Four Hundred and Thirty is made up of Two Numbers 1. Of Forty which is the time that the Children of Israel were to bear the punishment of the Apostasy of their Fathers Forty Days each Day for a Year Numb 14.33 34. And 2. (a) 390 7 2730 Of 390 a Number which if multiplied by Seven makes up 2730 Days for Years the exact Sum (b) 390 40 2300 2730 of the 390 and 40 Days in Ezekiel and of the 2300 Evenings-Mornings in Daniel whereby is signified by the multiplying the first Term of their punishment by the Number Seven that the Jews should lie under a State of punishment for their Iniquities for 2730 Years a multiplication of punishment by seven times being the proportion of punishment settled by God with respect to his people Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. and that after the fulfilling of that Term of Years allotted to their bearing of their Iniquity God would restore them to their Land and remember his Covenant according to what God hath promised Levit. 26 40-46 Whereby the Extent of the 2300 days of Daniel to the End and to the last End of the indignation Verse 19. and to the cleansing of the Sanctuary is wonderfully exemplified And now from hence we have
gained a Line of Time of 430 Years from Solomon's Death to the end of the LXX Years Captivity which is the first of Cyrus which is made out also by Dr. Beverley from a distinct Enumeration of the Reigns of the Kings of Israel and Judah and the fourteen Years assigned to the Visions of Ezekiel's Temple and does not much differ from the Calculations of the latest Chronologers who make this time to amount to 437 or 439 years at furthest although they confess after all their Pains that this Line of Time is very uncertain and obscure for Reasons collected by (a) Introduct Chronol ad Hist Eccles pag. 150-159 Spanhemius And therefore amidst so much doubt and difficulty where can we find a surer rest then in Scripture whose accounts of time will after all be found the most exact and that when Profane History and Chronology is most in the Dark if we take in Prophetical Time as well as Historical And now having settled the beginning of Cyrus's Reign or the Epoch of the Medo-Persian Monarchy we have obtained the beginning of the 2300 years and withal a Line of Time from it to the Cleansing or Justifying of the Sanctuary i. e. of the Christian Church Typified thereby from all Idolatry and Antichristianism when the Holy Place which is now shut will appear open in Heaven Rev. 11.19 Which Account stands thus A. M. 5759 A.D. vulg 1772. From the beginning of the Medo Persian Empire by Cyrus to the cleansing of the Sanctuary Dan. 8.13 14. 2300 Which will end in the 5759th year from the Creation and the 1772 year after Christ according to the common Account From which if you take Daniel's 75 years you come to the end of the 42 Months and the 1260 days and so by a regressive order to the Epoch or beginning of them at A.D. 437 as hath been already shewn on Paragr 5. pag. 210. All which is deduced by particular Accounts and after a most accurate manner by Dr. Beverley in his several Treatises called Scripture Lines of Time and stand as they are proved by him in this Order  Years 1. From Cyrus to Daniel's 70 weeks 75 2. Daniel's Weeks 490 3. The time between the Weeks and the 42 Months 400 4. The 1260 days or 42 Months 1260 5. The 30 and 45 Years of Daniel 75 Which amounts to years 2300 3 And I will give Power i. e. Commission and Ability of Testimony and Prophecy unto my two 13 Witnesses raised and sent on purpose to testify to the Truth and to denounce Judgments against the Apostasy and they shall Prophesie i. e. declare and Preach 14 against it and foretel Judgments a thousand 15 two hundred and threescore days of years cloathed in Sackcloath 16 i. e. in a Despicable Afflicted and Mournful condition 13 To Witness signifies to give Testimony to the Truth against Errors and Corruptions as the word is used Is 55.4 John 18.37 Acts 26.16 and also to pronounce God's Judgments against sinners as the word signifies Malach. 3.5 And the Witnesses are Two because Two Witnesses at least were required under the Law for confirmation Deut. 17.6.19 15. and to shew that a small number but a sufficient one should be made use of to confirm the Truth But chiefly in Correspondence to the Types in the Old Testament where these Witnesses are generally Two and accordingly God here raises up Two Witnesses to Witness and denounce Judgments against the Idolatry of the Christian Church as Moses and Aaron did against the Idolatry of Pharaoh Egypt Balaam and Moab as Elijah and Elisha did against Baal Ahab Jezebel and Ahaziah and as Zerobabel and Joshua were Witnesses in Babylon during the Captivity 14 So the Word Prophesie signifies frequently in the New Testament Although the Proper import of it here seems to be the Foretelling of the Encrease and Ruin of Antichrist and of the Coming of Christ's Kingdom to destroy him which being the Future Events of this Vision the Prophesying or Foretelling here mentioned must relate unto them particularly to the Kingdom of Christ the Chief Subject of all the Prophecies of the Old Testament which being not to begin to come into Event until the Expiration of the 1260 Days it is until then under Prophecy as a Future State And the Witnesses prophesie of it not only in their Discourses and Writings but by the mournful State they are in which is also of it self a signification that Christ's Kingdom is under a Delay a Sealing or a Prophecy which are words of like import 15 These Days begin with the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles and reach to the End of Antichristian Times running parallel along with them God taking care that as soon as Gentilism came into the Church there should be Witnesses raised up to testifie against it and to instruct the people in the contrary Truth by their Preaching and their Sufferings See num 12. 16 This was the Habit of Prophets when they denounced Judgments particularly of Elias one of the Witnesses under the Old Testament 2 Kings 1.8 Zech. 13.3 4. Matth. 3.4 And thus Mattathias and his Sons put on Sackcloth when the Gentiles prophaned the Sanctuary under Antiochus 1 Maccab. 2.14 4 These two Witnesses are or are signified by what in the Anti-type is represented by the two Olive 17 Trees Zach. 4 and the two Candlesticks 18 o◠〈…〉 Rev. 1.20 19 standing before or Ministring unto the 〈…〉 the Earth Zach. 4.14 17 The Types in this Verse are plainly taken from Zech. 4. And the Witnesses are called Olive-Trees upon these Accounts 1. Because they are to be anointed ones Zech. 4.14 or Kings and Priests in Christ's Kingdom 2. Because as the Olive Branches Zech. 4.12 they empty the Golden Oyl out of themselves into the Candlesticks or Churches That is impart to them the Fruit of those Gifts and Graces which they had received from the Spirit of God and were as fully replenished with as an Olive Tree is with Oyl Whereupon Christians are said to be anointed by God and the Holy Spirit and the Effects of it are called The Vnction in Scripture 2 Cor. 1.21 1 John 2.20 27. 3. Because the Witnesses were to perform the same Offices in the Christian and against the Antichristian Church as Joshua and Zerubbabel did for the Jewish and against Babylon the Type of Antichrist who is called a Mountain Zech. 10.4 And according to the Type in Zechariah the Witnesses are two anointed or chosen Servants of God replenished with his Spirit Verse 6. who are to level the Mountain of Antichristianism Verse 7. and to finish establish and build up the pure Church Verse 9. and that out of small things Verse 10. that is small beginnings and a Sackcloth or contemptible and afflicted condition 18 From hence it plainly appears that the Two Witnesses are Two Churches which are signified by Candlesticks in this Prophecy Chap. 1.20 as Grotius hath most appositely remarked on the place And amongst the Candlesticks or Church
our Saviour's Continuance in the Grave which is said by the Evangelist Matthew Chap. 12.40 to be Three Days although he lay in the Grave only one whole and entire Day of them For he was not enterred until after Three a Clock in the Afternoon of the Day in which he was crucified Matth. 27.57 and rose again in the Evening of the Lord's Day according to the Reckoning of the Jews who begin their Natural Day at Evening or to make use of those Heathenish Names of Days which we unnecessarily retain that I may be the better understood on Saturday-Night just before the Morning of the Lord's Day he being already Risen as the Evangelists testifie Matth. 28.1 John 20.1 before Day whilst it was dark when the VVomen came to the Sepulchre on the first day of the Week So that according to our Reckoning only a part of Friday and that a small one to wit from Three in the Afternoon until Evening when the Sabbath-day began in the Account of the Jews Friday Night and all Saturday until towards Sunday-Morning are called (a) Dr. Hammond on Matth. 12.40 and the Expositors on the 5th Article of the Creed Three Days and Three Nights i. e. Three Natural Days in Scripture altho they consist only of the middle one entire and but of a part of the First and Last Day And from hence it is that a very Sagacious (b) Dr. Beverley's Vision of the Witnesses slain See Alcazer in Apocalyps pag. 439. Person thinks that the Three Days and a half in this place are to be reckoned after the same manner making them to be only proportionable parts of the 1260 Days and of the Times and a half of the Beast as the Three days of our Saviour's being in the Grave are only parts of the Three Natural days of his continuance under death which proportionable parts he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Season intimate and pregnant Time and Time within Time For as Christ's Death was towards the End of the First day so is the First Day of the death of the VVitnesses to be begun from about the End of the First Time or 360 Years reckoned from A. D. 437. where he begins the First Time as hath been shewn on Chap. 10. num 13. which he places at A.D. 787. when the VVitnesses were killed and were dead as to all open power and liberty of witnessing upon their being Excommunicated by the Second Council of Nice after a long War about Images called in correspondence to Prophecy Iconomachia And then this being the First of the Three days and a half in proportion to our Saviour's being in the Grave the whole Sabbath day he makes the two whole Times consisting of 720 Years to answer the two whole Days of the VVitnesses unburied State which will reach to A. D. 1507. within Ten Years of the Reformation begun A. D. 1517. when the half time to which the half day is parallel begun as hath been before shewn Upon which in proportion to our Saviour's Rising at the beginning of the third day some of the Witnesses began to rise and were called Protestants A. D. 1524. which Name he thinks although grounded only upon a particular Protestation made by some of the Princes of Germany against the Edict might be designed and brought about by an over-ruling Providence to signifie that they were VVitnesses against the Beast or Protesters just then risen and appearing to give Testimony by way of Protestation against the declining Antichristianism there being a mysterious and fatal signification in some Names and Appellations unforeseen by those that gave them who might perhaps ground them upon idle and insignificant Reasons which point out some Remarkable Events then unthought of And from hence he dates the Rising of the VVitnesses in the beginning of the Half time or Half day said yet to be after three days and a half as our Saviour is said Mark 8.31 in the very same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rise again after three days although it were but at the beginning of the third day and that very early as soon as so much of the Night was past as that it might be called the third day although he thinks it to be a partial and an imperfect one suitable to the dark Evening for so it was John 20.1 of the third day when our Saviour arose and to the imperfections of Half time During which there are to be continual Advances of the Reformation and Endeavours after a higher pitch of perfection which yet shall not be compleat nor shall there be an entire Resurrection of all the Witnesses until the End of the last half time which he determines at 1697. upon Reasons given before even as our Saviour who was seen before only by some few appeared not unto all his Disciples until Evening Joh. 20.19 Now this Hypothesis is so agreeable to the other parts of this Vision and so gracefully proportionable to the Type of our Lord's Death and Resurrection and so strongly supported by several Remarkable Passages of History as the VVar about Images the Decree of the second Council of Nice establishing them and the Reformation appealing just at the Half Time or Half Day that I cannot but give my Assent to it and that after much deliberation and tryal of the truth of it Only I cannot but also do so much Justice to the contrary Opinions of some Famous Men as to give the Reader a View of them and to place them in the best light I can 1. It is the Opinion of (a) Mede's Works pag. 483 760 766 850 924. Mr. Mede and of Bishop Vsher That the whole Body of Protestants should be oppressed and totally subverted for a short space and that towards the End of the 1260 days when they shall be finishing and compleating their Testimony Which Opinion is refuted by Dr. Moor in his Appendix to Daniel and seems to me to be highly improbable because it supposes that the Witnesses had never been slaughtered before nor lain dead in the Streets of the Apostate City which is utterly contrary to all History 2. Monsieur Jurieu and other Famous and Judicious Persons have thought that the Churches of Piedmont and of France are the Two Witnesses and have accordingly remarked several things relating to their Rising after three years and a half Concerning which Opinion these following things may be observed 1. That these Two Churches are of a very Ancient Original probably planted by Apostolical Men in the First Ages of Christianity the former being the Remains of that part of the Churches of the Diocess of Italy which were under the Bishop of Turin who are commonly called the Waldenses and the latter not called Albigenses until after the Council at Alby in Languedock A. D. 1178. being the Successors of the Ancient Churches of Gaul For which see Learned Mr. Allix's Accounts of those Two Churches 2. These two Churches have maintained from the beginning their Independency
amongst the Branches of the River Nile ready to devour the Israelites as the Dragon here stood before the Woman to devour her Child And here the Paucity and Obscurity of the Members of the pure Church upon the Growth and Increase of Antichristianism after the Empire became Christian is set forth by a Wilderness state or condition which is an obscure and retired but a safe (a) See Dr. Pocock on Hos 2.14 one to which Men betake themselves when they are threatned and pursued by Enemies as the Israelites in the persecution of Antiochus 1 Maccab. 2. 28 31. when the Gentiles had prophaned the Sanctuary fled into the Mountains and into the secret places of the Wilderness And yet as when the Israelites fled from Pharaoh into the Wilderness they soon murmured and apostatized from God so was the Church no sooner delivered from the persecutions of the Pagan Empire but the Antichristian and Paganizing Apostacy began to increase amidst which yet the pure Church was preserved although small in Number and in an obscure condition as the few true Israelites were amongst the Numerous Apostatizing ones in the Wilderness who were corrupted (b) Exod. 12.38 Numb 11.4 by the mixt Multitude of Idolaters who went up with them out of Aegypt as the Christian Church was by the Converted Pagans * This by a frequent Hebraism may signifie no more than that she shall be fed ot nourished as the Phrase is explained at the 14 verse But perhaps hereby may be meant the Two Witnesses from whom the Woman only differs as the Vniversal doth from all its Particulars or the Body from its Members taken collectively by whom the Church may be said to be preserved and maintained because of their Preaching the Word of God and distributing the hidden Manna as the Israelites were fed in the Wilderness with Manna and miraculous Food by the Hands of Moses and Aaron Two Old Testament Witnesses Numb 33.1 Psalm 77 20.78 52. 19 The Witnesses chap. 11.3 and the Woman have the same number of Days assigned them as being not really different one from the other only the Woman or Church in general is to be understood as the Mother and the Witnesses as the Seed and Children begotten as it were in the Womb of the Church in which they were Baptized and Regenerated And here it is fit to be observed 1. That a Day began first to be reckoned for a Year in the Wilderness Numb 14.34 whereby the like reckoning of a Day for a Year in this place is much enforced 2. That there were but just Forty Two Encampments of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness reckoned up in the 33d Chap. of Numbers whereby may be fitly typified the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles and the Twelve hundred and sixty days of the Woman which differ only as Solar and Lunar time do one from another as hath been shewn on the former Chapter sojourning together in the Wilderness as the Few true Israelites did with the Numerous Apostatizing ones in a latent obscure and almost invisible manner 3 From hence also may be illustrated the Epocha or beginning of the Twelve hundred and sixty days from A.D. 437. For as the (a) Exod. 12.40 Gal. 3.17 Israelites went out from Pharaoh into the Wilderness at the End of Four hundred and thirty years from the Promise and the Covenant renewed by Sacrifice so in correspondence to its Type may the Christian Church be well thought to have fled from the Dragon Antichristianizing the Church about the same time from Christ's coming to give the Promise of Salvation and to enact the New Covenant by the Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross 7 And there was War 20 i. e. enmity and opposition Eph. 6.12 in Heaven 21 and in the Christian Church and Empire Michael i. e. Christ Dan. 10.13 21.12 1. and his Angels i. e. the Christians in the Empire fought 22 against i. e. opposed and resisted the Dragon i e. the Devil and Paganism and the Dragon Fought to hinder the progress of Christianity and his 23 Angels i. e. the Pagans in the Empire 20 There has been always an Enmity betwixt the good and the bad in the Church the latter persecuting the former as Cain did Abel and Ishmael Isaac from whence the Apostle dates the Persecution of the Church the Woman with her Children and the Mother of us all Gal. 4 22-31 So that the Four hundred Years Affliction of Israel Gen. 15.13 may be very well dated from about that time 21 The Christian Church is vety appositely called by the Apostle Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above or the heavenly Jerusalem by which also may be signified the Archetypal Church or Kingdom in Heaven mentioned on Verse 1. in the Administration of which there is something like a VVar betwixt good and bad Angels who are represented as fighting in Scripture Dan. 10.13 20 21. But here seemeth also to be pointed out unto us the downfall of Paganism in the Empire which had its deadly Blow given it by Theodosius the Great as hath been before observed Whence it also follows that this War is Contemporary with the Times of Constantine and Theodosius 22 An Expression taken from Dan. 10.13 20. 23 Such were Licinius Julian Argobastes and Eugenius the Roman Senate and all other Opposers of Christianity in the Empire 8 And prevailed not i. e. they were conquered and subdued neither was their place found any more in Heaven i. e. Paganism was cast out of the Church and Empire and lost all its power and Authority in it as being adjudged by him that sitteth on the Throne to have no longer continuance in it See num 1. and 21. 9 And the great Dragon was cast out of Heaven by Divine Sentence and out of the Christian Church and Empire that old Serpen i. e. cunning and subtile who had been used to deceit ever since the time of our first Parents Gen. 3. called the Devil i. e. the slanderer and calumniator of God to Men and of Men to God and Satan i. e. the Adversary and Accuser of Christians Job 1.9 Zech. 3.1 2. which deceiveth the whole World into Idolatry and Wickedness 1 John 5.19 he was cast out of a state of rule and dominion and reputed Godship in the Pagan Empire into the * Earth i. e. into a mean condition in respect of his former state and to rule in the Hearts of Earthly minded Men and of the Apostatizing part of the Church and his Angels i. e. his Agents and Instruments were cast out with him i. e. Paganism was destroyed in the Empire now become Christian * The State and Condition of the Dragon under Antichristian Idolatry may be very well express'd by his being cast from Heaven to Earth because Polytheism or the VVorship of many Gods being extirpated at the Overthrow of Paganism he was no more worshipped as a God in the Empire and the Worship of Saints and Angels succeeded to it an Idolatry inferiour to
10 28-31 See Dr. Tho. Goodwin's Discourse of the Punishment of Sin in Hell Hell Torments is thought to consist Now this Wrath of God the Sting of his Punishments and the very Gall of them is here given to the Angels by One of the Four Living Creatures that is by the First of them as One generally signifies in this Prophecy whose Voice was as Thunder and who had the very Purity and Power of the Gospel and that in Golden Vials to signifie the Purity and Holiness of God's Judgments and that they were executed upon the Prayers of Saints of which Golden Vials and Incense are an Emblem Chap. 5. 8. 12 The Wicked with their sins are cast as Grapes of Sodom Deut. 32.32 33. into the Winepress of God's Wrath trod by Christ Chap. 19 15. as Redeemer and out of that VVine are these Vials filled Whereby is signified that the Just Vengeance and Recompence of God is executed upon them by Christ as the Demerit and Consequence of their sins for the Blood of his Servants they had shed and as the Vials of the Prayers of the Saints Chap. 5.8 are full of Odors by Vertue of Christ's Intercession so are these full of the VVrath of God upon the Intercession of Christ for his oppressed Saints 8 And the Temple was 13 filled with 14 Smoak from the Glory of God and from his Power i. e. there were setled Manifestatiâ—ns of God's powerful and Glorious Presence in a blessed State Ezek. 43 4-6 and 15 or but no man or no Creature was able to enter into the Temple i. e. God's Glorious Presence could not be enjoyed in its highest Manifestations Ezek. 48 35. Rev 21.3 23 24. till the Seven Plagues of the Seven Angels were fulfilled i. e. until the perfect Destruction of the Wicked whose Sins 16 hinder God's Presence Ezek. 43.9 13 The Constant (a) Exod. 43.34 35. Lev. 16.2 Numb 9 15-23 1 Kings 8 10-13 2 Chron. 7 1-4 Ezek. 43 1-9 Manifestations of God's Presence are signified in Scripture by a Cloud covering and filling the Tabernacle and Temple whereby God took as it were possession of them who is represented in Ezekiel as filling the House or Temple with his Glory when he came to dwell in the midst of his people for ever Ezek. 43.5 7 9. Whereby is signified that the New Jerusalem State was near its Settlement in the Blessed Milennium when God will dwell with Men and he and the Lamb shall be the Temple of the City Rev. 21.2 3 22 23. 14 Light (b) See on Chap. 3. num 36. and Bright Fire are the proper Emblems of God who is Love but when Smoak appears with it there is intimated some Darkness in the Dispensation referred to and Mixtures of VVrath and Displeasure as in this place because God's VVrath was not as yet executed the Glory of God represented by Light and Bright Clouds in the Old Testament filled the Temple with Smoak and not Light there being as yet a Contest betwixt the VVrath Jealousie and Justice of God and his Enemies to be destroyed whose Defilements represented by Smoak Chap. 9. 2. and Sins were the Cause that God's Anger smoaked against them for otherwise Fury is not in the Lord Isa 27.4 15 An Allusion to what is related concerning Moses Exod. 40.35 whereby is expressed the great Terror of this Time of Vengeance which no Created Beings not even the Angels themselves are able to bear this being the (a) Isa Chapters 24 25 26 27. Dan. 12.1 Matth. 24.21 29 30. Mark 13.19 Luke 21.23 24. Rev. 3 10.7 14.16 18. Time of such Trouble as never was called The Great Temptation The Great Tribulation and the Great Earthquake in Scripture which was to be shortned for the Elect's Sake and will be so very Terrible that they are pronounced Blessed by Daniel Chap. 12.12 who shall wait and come to the End of those Days when the Blessed Millennium shall begin Which perhaps may be prefigured by (b) Exod. 24 12-18 Mose's not being able to go up into the Mount until after six Days and his being called up into it by God on the seventh Day the (c) See the Notes on Chapt. 20.4 Type of the seventh Thousand Year or the Sabbatical Millennium And from hence it may be observed that although there shall be several Manifestations of God's Presence and Openings of the Temple after the End of the Beasts Months upon the Entrance of which the Temple was shut up and at the Expiring of which it must consequently be opened that yet nevertheless the highest State of it in which God and the Lamb are the Temple consisting in perfect Tranquillity and Serenity without any smoak of Anger from God's Glory shall not be enjoyed until the Vials are poured out which will not be if the Beast's Months end at 1697 until A. D. 1772. when the 75 Years which are added to the Times of Antichrist by Daniel Chap. 12. will be expired as hath been frequently observed 16 This was signified by the several gradual (a) Ezek. 8.4 6.9 3.10 4 15-19 11 23. Removals of the Glory of God and its departure from the Temple in Ezekiel and his not returning into it so as to fill it and inhabit in it for ever until he had consumed the wicked Idolaters and their Abominations in his Anger Ezek 39 11-29.43 1-9 CHAP. XVI The Text. AND I heard a great Voice or a powerful Command full of Authority and about a most important matter out of the Heavenly Temple of Christ's Kingdom the Original and Arche-type of his Kingdom upon Earth Chap. 15.1 8. saying to the seven Angels or Ministerial Instruments of God's Will who undertake nothing without a special Command Go your ways with all speed and swiftness and by Virtue of my Commission and pour out the very Dregs of the Vials of thr Wrath of God upon the 1 Earth Annotations on CHAP. XIV 1 This Chapter relating wholly to things Future is thereupon very obscure it being doubtful whether it is to be interpreted in a Mystical Sense as most Interpreters have done or in a Litteral one with reference to the Great Conflagration of the World plainly asserted by the Apostle (a) 2 Ep. 3. Peter and generally acknowledged as a great Truth In the former way of Interpreting Earth Sea Rivers and the other parts of the World on which the Vials are poured are to be understood only concerning the several Members of the Antichristian Kingdom signified by them but in the latter they are to be taken Litterally and the Vials are to be supposed as so many Gradual Preparations to the General Dissolution of the World by Fire To the clearing of which Question it may be observed 1. That these Vials are filled out of the Blood which came out of the Winepress of God's Wrath as appears from Chap. 14.19 20. compared with the first Verse of this Chapter Whence it will follow if that Observation be true That these Vials must