Erroris tamen convincuntur qui ista de Formoso negant conficta putant the barbarousness of it makes it unlikely yet the truth is it is no fable 119. Another of their Popish writers Platina by name tells us of Boniface the 7th that he robbed Peters Church and fled for a time to Constantinople who afterward by Symony and murthering two Popes made himself Pope Of whom Baronius says inter famosos latrones potentissimos grassatores atque patriae proditores Syllas Catilinas annumerandus He outstrip'd the most notorious robbers and traitors to their Countrey that ever were yea Catiline and Sylla and at last died like a Beast This is a truth confirm'd by two witnesses of their own Platina in the life of Boniface the 7th and Baron Annal. Tom. 10. ad Ann. 985. Num. 1. 120. Their own Platina in the Lives of the Popes writes how Sylvester the 2d ambitione diabolica dominandi Cupiditate impulsus largitione primò quidem Archiepiscopatum Rhemensem inde Ravenatem adeptus pontificatum postremò majore conatu adjuvante diabolo consecutus est hac tamen lege ut post mortem totus illius esset cujus fraudibus tantam dignitatem adeptus erat in plain English he gave himself both body and soul to the devil that he might obtain the Popedom And this is confirm'd by many others of their own Writers as Cardin. Benno de vita Gest Hildebrandi Stella de vit Pontif. Caranza Summ. Concil Aeneas Sylvius Comment de Concil Basil lib. 1. says plainly Sylvester Diabolicâ fraude Pontificatum ascendisse The Devil made him Pope 121. And William of Malmesbury lib. 2. de gestis Regum Angl. cap. 10. fol. 36. affirms the same thing of this Sylvester saying he is verily perswaded Sylvester was such a Villain 〈◊〉 Historians relate him to be otherwise why saith he did this Butcherly fellow at his death tear his own flesh as he did had he not been guilty of some notorious Impieties Neither was Benedict the 9th much better whom their own Platina calls teterrimum monstrum who lived like a Beast in his life time and after his death appear'd partly like an Ass and partly like a Bear Caput cauda erant asinina ut reliquum corpus sicut Ursus saith Fasciculus Temporum ad Ann. 1304. 122. Such a notorious wretch also was Boniface the 8th who entred like a Fox reigned like a Lion and died like a Dog as his own Predecessor Pope Caelestine foretold of him To omit the stories which their own Baronius and Benno hath recorded how many Popes have been Magicians and given themselves to the Devil sacrificing to Devils in forests and mountains If those were not men of sin sons of perdition and wickedness where can any such be found 123. But above all those wicked ones there be yet three unnamed which in their own Chronicles were monsters of men as 1st Hildebrand call'd commonly Gregory the 7th that firebrand of Hell that set both Church and State on fire who hired a Varlot to tumble great stones down from the Battlements of the Church to destroy the Emperor Henry the 4th as he was in his Prayers Who poison'd 6 Popes to wit Clement the 2d Damasus the 2d Leo the 9th Benedict the 10th Nicholas the 2d Alexander the 2d in the space of 13 Years by the help of his familiar Brazutus that he might come to the Popedom Who also being angry with his breaden god for not answering how the good Emperor might be destroyed who had escaped his bloody hands in St. Maries Church in mount Aventine by the death of the Villain whom he employed this Pope throws his Sacrament into the fire 124. This man of sin ordinarily carried about him a conjuring Book as Cardinal Benno in vita Gregor 7 at large relates those things This is he that confessed at his death that the devil set him on work to provoke God to wrath against the world Florentinus Vigern in Chronic. pag. 641. Matth. Paris in Guil. Conquest Anno 1086. The 2d is John the 23. that denied the life to come and the resurrection of the body saying that men perish like the beast This made him die like a beast insomuch as he for his scandalous life was called by those that knew him the incarnate Devil Concil Constant Sess 11. Act. 6. penult 125. But the 3d is John the 12. who made Deacons in a stable and a Boy of ten years old a Bishop the Lateran his Palace a plain Stews who being at Dice invocated Jupiter Venus and other Gentile Daemons yea and drank a Carouse in honour of the Devil who at last was slain by the Devil himself while he was committing adultery Luitprandus Hist Rerum per Europam Gestarum lib. 6. cap. 7 8 10. Yea Bellarmine himself doth confess those Popes to be thus tainted as Stories describe them but that we have raked usque ad Naufeam in this stinking Dunghill I might tell you what our own Dr. Heylin in his Geography of Italy relates the 2d Edition pag. 181 182. to which I refer you 126. The 9th Paragraph of the Induction is that threefold Epithet Idolatrous Ambitious and Cruel all which be as palpable Adjuncts of the Pope as any of the former As first that he is Idolatrous therefore he is called pater omnium fornicatorum abominationum terrae How doth he adore Images not only giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his Idols worshipping of his Breaden god and of his Crucifixes directing Prayer to it as to God or Christ himself As in their All Hail Oh Cross our only Hope increase Righteousness to the good and grant Pardon to the guilty is plainly manifest Thus is he as idolatrous as those in Jerem. 2.27 saying to a piece of wood thou art my Father and to a stone thou hast begotten me so Hab. 2.19 127. It appears also in his Lady's Psalter how he makes the Virgin Mary not only equal but sometimes superior to the Son of God as in those Mattens Shew thy self a Mother and by the right of Motherhood command the Redeemer how doth he call her the Queen of heaven the Mistris of Angels and such like stuff according to the Councel of Trent attributing to her Omnipotency both in heaven and earth Coster in Hymn Ave Maris stella and a Kingdom of mercy c. as Biel in Canon Missae lect 80. 128. As to his second Adjunct Ambitious enough hath been said of that before from Paragraph 89. to 97. and the 3d to wit Cruel is as palpable as any not only in his Murthering all that stands in his way to the Popedom as Hildebrand did ut suprà Paragr 123. and several others but also in Butchering so many innocent Lambs of Christ in all Ages and in all Nations where this Beast raged which would not bow the knee to his Baal witness the Massacres at Piedmont Germany Ireland England
call'd Prophets v. 10. because they not only taught People to worship God according to his Rule so the Church in the Wilderness all along nourish'd with the sincere Milk of the Word Rev. 12.6,14 but also foretold the fall of Antichrist out of the Word 398. 2ly Their Number two which is the lowest number for one is but the Root of numbers to shew the paucity of them that witness to the Truth under Antichrists Reign and that is intimated in Rev. 11.1,2,3 where the inner Court is only reserved for the Holy People that keepeth the Truth when the outward Court a large spacious place is given up to Antichrist for the Witnesses should be as few as the Priests and Levites that worshipped in the Inner Court in comparison of Antichristian Idolaters that worshipped in the Outward Luk. 12.32 Rev. 1.6 Priests to God 399. And yet they should not be so few as to be below a full Confirmation of the Truth for two witnesses are sufficient to confirm any truth Deut. 17.6 Mat. 18.16 2 Cor. 13.1 God orders it so by his over-ruling Providence that his truth shall not be starved no not in the worst of times by want of Witnesses or a sufficient Confirmation or this number two is an Allusion to those 3 famous Pairs the first to Moses and Aaron the Churches Prophets in Egypt and the Wilderness 2ly to Elijah and Elisha Prophets to Israel under the Idolatry of Baal when the Church was not visible and only 7000. left that was hid in Corners 3ly to Zerubbabel and Joshua Prophets in Babylon and in Rebuilding the Temple 400. That there is such an Allusion in this Number to those 3 famous Couples it is probable because in the following description the turning of waters into blood and smiting the earth with Plagues often v. 5. hath relation to the first of them Moses and Aaron and shutting up heaven and destroying Men by fire v. 5 6. to Elijah and Elisha and the Olive-trees and Candlesticks to Joshua and Zerubbabel v. 4. Zech. 4.3,11,14 The 3d thing in the description of their Condition 't was sad and mournfull Sackcloth is the covering that is worn in bad times Amos 8.9,10 2 Kin. 6.30 they mourn in Sackcloth while Antichrist triumphs in his Silken Copes and costly Garments and all because Idolatry hath spread it self so fast and so far and because of the troubles of the true Church 401. 4ly Their Actions which they perform'd with that power which the Lord gave them were eminent Exploits and that of two sorts one against Antichrist and the other for the Church 1st against Antichrist they have power to do very great things which carrying such a fair correspondency with the 4 first Vials in Rev. 16. hath made a late learned Critick take those exploits of the Witnesses to be the powring forth of the 4 first Vials as 1. Plagues on the Earth v. 6. ch 11. as in the first Vial Rev. 16.2 2ly Water into blood v. 6. as in the 2d Vial ch 16.3 and in the 3d Vial v. 4. and 3ly A tormenting of Men with fire as in the 4th Vial chap. 11.15 with chap. 16.8 402. Which Interpretation though very ingenious yet seems it to me a little doubtfull not only because 1st the Order of the Vials is inverted by it as the plagues on the earth the first of the Vials is the last in this description of the exploits of the Witnesses and tormenting by fire the first of those Exploits is the last of the 4. Vials But 2ly it seems somewhere too narrow in leaving out that eminent action of shutting Heaven up from rain which none of the 4 first Vials correspond with And 3ly somewhere too wide in making one of those exploits to comprehend two distinct Vials to wit the 2d and 3d. to say nothing of the time of fixing them 403. The service 2ly which they do for the Church is 1st a power of Prophecying whereby they both instructed the Church in the knowledge of the Truth and comforted her by predicting the ruine of Rome which notwithstanding all her rage against the Church could not yet deprive her of the help of those Witnesses for God gave them power to Prophesie all Antichrists Reign 2ly to supply the Church with Oil sufficiently that is with Grace enough for this hard time of Persecution that they might not be like the foolish Virgins whose lamps went out for want of Oil. 404. The two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks some reads The two Olive-trees with the two Candlesticks with for and justifying that Reading from that in 1 Sam. 14.18 where and is read with the Children of Israel because Candlesticks in Rev. 1. 20. is meant Churches and though the Churches were 7. then in Johns time yet Antichrist reduced them to two and yet those two should be supply'd with grace to hold out all the wills of God Acts 13.22 those two Sons of Oil the Witnesses are not branches but Trees to nourish their Graces in that evil day and to pour in Oil into their Lamps continually which was Aarons work Exod. 27.20 405. The fifth particular in the description of the Witnesses is their slaughter and death wherein consider 1st the time when 2ly the place where and 3ly the manner how 1. Of the time when the Holy Ghost tells us when they shall have finished their Testimony Rev. 11.7 when their prophecying-Prophecying-work is done for if God had given them power to Prophesie longer as v. 3. they should have continued in their Prophecying work longer Maugre the malice of all their enemies God permits them to be slain because their Prophecying-work was done thus their Lord and Master could not be slain till his hour was come John 8.20 and in that hour of darkness he was put to death Luk. 22.53 406. Mr. Mede reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they shall be about to finish their Testimony because the Greek Verb is not of the Praeter-perfect but of the Future Aorist Tense which is incertae significationis of an uncertain time making the time of this Slaughter to be when part of the Holy City or Christian World repent of their Idolatry casts off the yoke of Antichrist and reforms the Temple within themselves the Witnesses getting heart by all this begins to put off the Sackcloth and to lay aside their Mourning Prophecy which they have done ever since the Reformation then comes the Beast as it were ascending afresh into the Throne enraged with the success of their Mourning Prophecy he overcomes and kills them 407. Mr. Brightmans opinion was that the slaughter of the Witnesses were past and fulfilled in the Smalcaldian War in that great Overthrow of the Protestant Party by Charles the fift Anno 1547. and in condemning the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which he makes the Witnesses about that time in the Councel of Trent which is now above an hundred and twenty Years ago other later Writers apply this Slaughter to those ruined Churches
great Earthquake strikes off a 10th part from the great City Revel 11.13 which may well be one of those 10. Kingdoms though not likely Germany according to his Opinion for the Slaughter he fixes on Germany hath not been so attended as before c. 419. Another gives better Evidences that this Street is Britain 1. Because there be more for the purity of Discipline distinct from the World in it then in all other Kingdoms â—…d where there be most Witnesses there in 〈◊〉 likelihood must be the Slaying of them â—…y As Antiochus so Antichrist shall plant 〈◊〉 Tabernacle of his Palace between the Seas Dan. 11.45 and none of the 10. Kingdoms â—…ays so Inter maria between the Seas as Brittain does 420. And to make it more probable this late dispensation of slaying the Godly Magistracy and Ministry as to their Office might be further improved praesupposing two things 1st that the Magistracy and Ministry be the two Witnesses and 2ly that their slaughter is but a Civil slaughter but the first of those is doubtfull not only because the Witnesses are called Prophets which is a title rarely given to Magistrates neither is it their peculiar work to Prophecy as of those but also because we cannot find a Series of Magistracy all-along testifying against Antichrist in every Century as may be of the Ministry 421. As to the 2d concerning the civil Slaughter I shall speak to in the next place in the manner of it adding only here that the time of commencing that Act by which the Magistracy and Ministry were excluded to that great year of Expectation 1666. making up compleatly and exactly 3 Years and half and Nations all that time warring against those Slaughterers to hinder them from burying the slain Witnesses as Dutch French Dane c. made it more probable that this was the Place where and that was the Time when the Witnesses were to be slain but that those following Considerations doth at least counter-ballance that Probability and now Event makes it seem improbable 422. As 1st That great year of Expectation is now fully expired the Year 66. is gone and the Witnesses are not only in their Sackcloth still but lays slain in the street after that term without any Resurrection from that state or Ascension into a better Yea and Rome also after that Year says still I sit like a Queen and am no Widdow and doth see no sorrow No powring out of the Vial on the Seat of the Beast is heard of but that Year brings forth the Burning of London where the Mystery of Godliness hath long flourished and not the Burning of Rome that Mystery of Iniquity 423. 2ly Consider whether a limiting of their slaughter to England be not over narrow and private an Interpretation it being but a Shovel-full of Earth as the K. of Spain once called it in his Haughtiness a very small Island in respect of the whole World and we find Mr. Brightman blam'd for his overmuch restrictiveness of Interpretation in calling Lord Cecil Lord Cromwell and Bishop Cranmer those Angels in the Revelation Fullers Chur. Hist 17. Cent. b. 10. pag. 50. which seems he saith to be unsuitable with the large concernment of Scripture as if England half an Island were more considerable than all the World besides 424. And 3ly consider the Witnesses must be slain expresly by the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit Rev. 11.7 Now the Witnesses that have been accounted slain in England were not slain by the Beast but only by the Image of the Beast for so is Prelacy esteemed it was a Prelaticall not a Popish power that slew them 4ly It may also be doubted whether the Witnesses shall be slain by a Protestant Power as well as in a Protestant State because t is said Rev. 18.24 In Rome must be found the blood of those Prophets and of all private Christians that are slain for Religion what was said of Jerusalem a Prophet cannot perish out of it so nor can those two Prophets perish out of Rome they must be slain by a Popish not a Protestant Power and so long as any State professes the Protestant Religion they cannot be deem'd the Beast that slaughters the Witnesses 425. I confess one hath an excellent Notion to qualifie this saying there is a Generation of Men set forth as the Beasts last Champions Rev. 15.2 who yet shall not at least at the first so openly allow the Beasts name and character though they receive the number of his Name and are therefore reckoned his as truly as the other and as the Pharisees acknowledging again the foreign Power of Rome Joh. 19.15 slew Christ that faithfull Witness So the Prelates advancing the Popish interest by Superstition and Arminianism and by Canon Law and Discipline as Mr. Cotton shews in Rev. 13. p. 260. shall also slay Christ mystical in those Witnesles yet the Event of 66 confirms not this Notion 426. Then 5ly it may be also consider'd whether this civil slaying of the Witnesses in our Land be comprehensive enough to hold out the last Slaughter which may be more than a civil Slaughter And this brings me to the 3d thing to wit the manner how they must be slain there be two manner of ways how the Witnesses may be slain 1. Civil 2. Natural 1. There be grounds of Hope that it shall only be a civil Slaying for 1. they must be slain as Witnesses not as Men and when those Prophets of Christ are silenced and so put out of the way of witnessing then are they slain as Witnesses 427. A 2d ground of this Hope is this accomplisheth Antichrists end which is twofold 1st a rendring the Witnesses contemptible this is obtained by putting them out of their prophecying-Prophecying-work for thereby they lay as dead men in the street Rev. 11.8 like despised broken Idols in whom there is no pleasure and so is his 2d end too obtain'd by a civil Death to wit a freeing himself from their tormenting him Rev. 10.11 which they did as Prophets in their prophecying-Prophecying-work and not as Men. A 3d ground of this Hope is their Slaughter shall be like their Resurrection now as their resurrection is mystical and metaphorical and not real for no Resurrection properly so call'd can be before the Coming of Christ under the 7th Trumpet but this comes to pass while the 6th Trumpet is in being as Mr. Mede shews therefore their Slaughter then shall be civil 428. A 4th ground is taken from the Beasts policy who dare not martyr the Saints as formerly because he found that sanguis Martirum was semen Ecclesiae Therefore it may be like that Persecution of Julian who put none to death as Christians but used other means to oppose Christ not only by Fines and Ejections but also by Flatteries and Preferments and this is the more probable because it was the method and manner of promoting Heathenism just at its last extirpation in Julian so may it be of promoting Antichristianism
Indians and to the lowest Antipodes but above all testimonies the Scripture speaks expresly that the Faith of the Primitive Church of Rome was spoken of through all the world Rom. 1.8 and its sound was gone into all lands Rom. 10.18 And it was preached to every creature Mark 16.15,20 And every where Col. 1.6,23 otherwise it could not have brought forth fruit in all the World 151. Their 6th Objection they make is Antichrist when he comes must slay the two Witnesses and those two are Enoch and Elias say they which they prove from Mal. 4.5 Rev. 11.3 c. hence inferring that seeing Enoch and Elias are not yet come so nor Antichrist Answ 1st As the Jews dream'd of a Christ for themselves which God never promis'd so those Romanists expect such an Antichrist as the Scripture no where describes the like mistake is found in both 3ly Mal. 4. speaks not one word either of the coming of Enoch or of Antichrist 152. And 3ly that Elias spoke of Mal. 4. is not Elias proper or personal but mysterial or symbolical to wit John Baptist who was an Harbinger to Christ but not to Antichrist as both the Evangelist Mark ch 1.2,40 and the Angel Luke 1.17 yea and Christ himself interprets it Mat. 11.14 17.13 4ly in Rev. 11. There is no mention either of Enoch or of Elias but by way of Allusion 153. Whereas they urge Math. 17.11 that Elias must first come and restore all things It is answered 5ly that Christ saith not there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in futuro primo shall come as if they might expect his coming in some age after Christ But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praesente cometh Thus John Baptist was come and that in the spirit and power of Elias to restore all things that is to turn the hearts of Fathers to their Children c. Mal. 4.6 For none can restore all things absolutely but Christ Col. 1.20 But 6ly how like is this to a fond dream that those two great Favorites of God which were not to see death Heb. 11.5 were only preserv'd from the cruelty of their own Time and reserv'd I know not where to be slain by Antichrist 154. But the 7th and last Objection is Antichrist cannot come into the world before the Roman Empire which letteth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2.6,7 be removed for say they as Christ came into the world when the Roman Empire was at the height in her very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Antichrist must come at the Empires lowest ebb and when utterly ruin'd But still there is an Emperor say they though his Seat be in Germany hence they infer that Antichrist is not yet come Answ 1st This is a meer humane conjecture without any Scripture Light that the ruine of the Empire must precede the Rise of Antichrist for Antichrist was come into the world in the very Apostles time long before the desolation of the Roman Empire 155. And 2ly That of 2 Thess 2.6,7 hath not relation to Antichrists rising but to his Revealing he secretly rose in the Church long before he was openly revealed to be the man of Sin 3ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is remov'd by their own confession out of the midst of Rome where the German Emperor hath neither Pallace nor Dominion And 10 Kingdoms are risen up out of the ruines of the Rom. Empire besides the Germ. Empire 2ly It was high-water with Rome in Augustus days then Christ came and low ebb with it in Augustulus that fatal Name in whom the Western Caesar breath'd out his last CHAP. VII 156. THus prohibentibus remotis those objections like Amasa's slain body being taken out of the way I come now to Antichrists last Period where this digression began and to view him as Morient and as one giving up the Ghost This is held out in the two last clauses of the Induction the 11th and 12th the 11th is he must be consumed by the spirit of Christs mouth which holds forth 1st the manner and 2ly the means 1st the manner God doth not destroy this grand Enemy of his Church all at once but consumes him in his wrath by little and little as Psal 59.11,13 157. God will deal with Antichrist as with a notorious Malefactor who must not have that favour to be dispatch'd out of all pain at once either by strangling or decollation praestat semel mori quà m semper metuere aut diu sentire mortem Antichrist must die by Inches and his Soul must be driven out of his body by degrees that according to Nero's Speech he might not only die but a long time feel that he is a dying God writes Magor missabib upon this proud Pashur Jer. 20.3 and makes him a terror and burden to himself in a lingring Consumption before his utter Extirpation 158. This agrees with that sound Maxim Deus Natura non faciunt saltum and with that parable of the lost Groat wherein Christ tells of a Candle and a Besome The Besome doth not sweep away the dirt and defilement of an house at one brush but t is oft laid on and applied to all the parts of the Room till it at last sweeps all out of doors So when Christ comes to sweep this lump of defilement sc Antichrist out of the great House of the World with the Besome of destruction Isa 14.23 he 1. drives it out of the Middle Temple then out of the outward Court long defiled with it Rev. 11.2 and at last out of doors 159. And when Christ came to purge the Temple when that House of prayer was made a Den of Theeves we may not imagine that those buyers and sellers went out at the first lash he gave them with his Whip but 't is more then probable so many sturdy Fellows as were there employed in that Merchandize would play loth to depart as unwilling to lose so advantagious a Market John 2.15 Mat. 21.12 All this must have a Gradual accomplishment though undoubtedly some Beams of Divine Majesty shone forth in Christ herein And thus Christ will whip out of the Temple this grand Thief Antichrist by degrees when he comes into it Mal. 3.1,2 160. We read of two Jezabels in Scripture both mothers of Fornication 2 Kin. 9.33 Rev. 2.20,21 The old Testament Jezabel was suddenly destroy'd in the midst of her Painting and Delicacy that cursed Woman so called 2 Kin. 9.34 was suddenly thrown out of the window and troden down under foot But the New Testam Jezabel was cast upon her bed of Languishing that she might wear away in a lingring Sickness This double Doom is inflicted upon this Antichristian Jezabel that cursed Queen of Whoredoms 161. She is first cast into a bed of Languishing with the latter Jezabel that she may pine away in her Iniquity Lev. 26.39 God will consume her days in vanity and her years in trouble Psal 78.33 Shee must lie long sick of a lingring Consumption that her Ruine
all Hereticks must be compell'd by force was a fair foundation for and an Introduction to that force of Arms which Antichrist used afterwards against the Saints under the name of Hereticks in all his Dominions the other War is not only describ'd in the Parties against whom it is raised but also in the success of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints are the Party against whom and Victory is the Success of the Beasts War whereof no mention is made in the former if we compare Revel 12.17 with Revel 13.5.7 in all which 3 places this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Revel 13.5 holds out the Term of the War Revel 12.17 the War it self and Revel 13.7 names not only the Seed Saints but the Success too 389. Thus as we have a double account of the Beasts War so likewise of the Womans flight into the Wilderness as before therefore can we not so fully fix upon either of those two last Intimations unless we could find out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Article and point of time when those double computations began wherein I must confess my self to be at a loss and the more because I am at this day deprived of the help of my own Library may we but fully inform our selves of the exact Epochas and beginnings of all those Hints aforesaid it would bring not a little light to this intricate Question the full discovery of which I must refer to men of greater abilities and opportunities for Chronology 390. There is also a 6th Intimation to wit the treading under foot of the outer Court or holy City by the Gentiles for the time of 42. Months Revel 11.2 which is the very express Term of the Lease of the Beast as Revel 13.5 Mr. Mede makes this likewise to Contemporize with the Beast having one and the same beginning and ending not only because of the Equality of their times as before but also because of the Identity of their Expiration for when the great Earthquake hath destroyed the Imperial City and with it the Kingdom of the Beast Rev. 11.13 and the Kingdoms become the Lords v. 15. those very Gentiles that had trodden underfoot the holy City so long are then cast out at which they are enraged v. 18. 391. The outward Court and the holy City Mr. Mede makes to be Synonimus and mutually to expound themselves because the outward Court was the place of Worship for the People of the holy City as the Inner Court was for the Priests and Levites And those Gentiles that tread it down are not Pagans but Papagans which are Idolaters like unto the Gentiles who are also call'd Sodom and Egypt yea and the Synagogue of Satan â—… those shall possess the Holy City or Europe the allotted Seat of the Church they shall tread under foot the outward Face of the visible Church for 42. Months 392. Now could we but find out the beginning of this treading down of the Holy City this would guide us as by a Synchronism to the time of Antichrists fall but I shall not insist upon this neither not only because a late Learned Critick makes this casting out of the Outward Court to the Gentiles a Dispensation under the 6th Trumpet and in the last times of Antichrist as if he should recover all those Kingdoms again before his fall that have made a protestation against him hence are they call'd Protestants and not to contemporize with him from first to last but also because this hath such a fair Coincidency with the time of the Witnesses in Sackcloth which I purpose to speak more largely to in the next place CHAP. XIV 393. I Come now to the 7th and last Intimation for guiding of us into this intricate point about the fall of Antichrist to wit the Sackcloth Prophecy of the two Witnesses which to be Contemporary with the Dominion of the Beast none ever denied but that the Sixth Trumpet ends them both is granted of all so having one and the same term of time it necessary follows they must both begin together the Witnesses must begin their mourning Prophecy when Popery and Antichristianism begins unto both which the 7th Trumpet puts a final Period So that may we find out the Epocha of their Sackcloth Prophecy it will give great light to the time of Antichrists fall 394. This Prophecy of the two Witnesses may be truly call'd crux Interpretum it hath put so many Learned and Holy Men to a kind of torture in the Interpretation of it and we may say of this Scripture as Maldonate of another Scripture Locus facilior si nemo exposuisset It hath been so ruffled with variety of Interpretations that they have made it seem darker by their Various and Heterogenal Conjectures God hath left many places of Scripture dark to our understandings nè illas Scripturas semel lectas fastidiremus that we should not disdain the plainness of it Austin yet may we not make bawds of our own wit to beget our own sences on Scripture for that is to break the bones of the Lamb and to do Violence to the Law of God Zeph. 3.4 we should carry no sence to Scripture but only fetch one from it 395. That God had his Witnesses all along the Reign of Antichrist is manifest by Johns measuring out a Church for God under the Antichristian Persecution to wit the Church in the Wilderness as before Ruled by the Reed of Gods Word and fed by the two Prophets there Revel 12.6,14 that they to wit those two Prophets should feed her though not fully feast her in her Wilderness-state and those Witnesses should have the Temple given them in the Desert while Antichrist exercises his Idolatrous Worship in the Outward Court and Holy City wherein true Christian profession and Worship hath been before 396. Those witnesses which are in general terms call'd the holy People Dan. 12.7 and must be scattered and slain before all these things of Antichrist be fulfilled are largely described in the 11th of Rev. with many particular and distinct Characters An inspection into which may contribute some light in our enquiry after the Epocha or Beginning of this Sackcloth-prophecy which doth so exactly commensurate the times of the Beasts dominion their slaughter being the last bite of the Beast as Christs death slew death the Distick is Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset Aeternae vitae janua clausa foret So the death of Christs Witnesses brings death on the Beast that slew them 397. In this description observe 1. their Names 2. their Number 3. their Condition 4. their Actions 5. their Death or end and 6. their Resurrection 1st Their Names which are not proper but appellative being two 1. Witnesses 2. Prophets 1st they are call'd Witnesses as being in all Ages to witness against Antichrist and to testifie to the Truth but most eminently t is probable in the last Age when they come to be slain for their Testimony 2ly They are
just at its last and final extirpation 129. A 5. Ground is that expression in Dan. 12.7 he shall accomplish to scatter the power of the holy People It is call'd but a Scattering the Hebr. word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naphets dispergere The same word is used 1 Sam. 13.11 The People were scattered from me they were not slain as men but scattered as an Army so this word denotes it shall rather be a dissolving of their employment as Witnesses then a slaughtering them as men A 6. Ground is from their laying unburied if those 3 days and half be understood of Prophetical days for so many years as all generally take them then could it not be a Natural death for they could not lay unburied 3 Y. and half but a Civil one that they might be a Testimony above ground all that time 430. But the 7th ground of this Hope seems very pregnant to wit from the four living Wights and 24 Elders and a great multitude that are found sounding out Romes funeral and praising God solemnly and publickly at the burning of that great City under the 5. Vial Rev. 19.1,2,3,4 The voice was as the sound of many waters v. 6. all which could not well be if the slaughter were natural and universal as before how could those 4 living Wights and 24 Elders and so great a Multitude survive such a dispensation and as Dr. Goodw. observes those could not be a meer succession of new Converts but the same Persons outriding this last Storm to possess that glorious State of the Church after those 3 years and half ended which is described Rev. 19. from v. 1. to 10. 431. As there be grounds of hope that it may be a civil death only so their wants not grounds of fear that it may prove a natural or real slaughter as 1st It shall be the last bite of the Beast and therefore the more deadly Rome Antichristian may be to the Church what Carthage was to Rome Heathen plus negotii fuit cum semirutâ Carthagine quà m cum integrâ saith Florus in the third Punick War of dying Carthage and further quà m maximè mortiferi morientium bestiarum morsus esse solent the bitings of dying Beasts are most deadly for then they are most malignant and may it not be said of dying Rome the last bite of the Beast I am afraid will be more then an Analogical or Metaphorical death her malignity then expiring 432. A 2d ground is taken from the conformity of those Witnesses to Christ that faithfull Witness Rev. 3.14 in his sufferings that there is an allusion to Christ in this description of the Witnesses is plain enough both in his Preaching Death and Resurrection as he preach'd about 3. Y. and half then was put to death and about 3 days after rose again with an Earthquake and ascended into heaven in a Cloud thus there be many Parallels and Congruities betwixt them hence I infer If those Witnesses must be conformable to Christ then they must suffer more then a metaphorical death they must die a natural death as he did otherwise the Portraiture will not resemble the Pattern 433. A 3d ground of fear is taken from those 3. Expressions in Rev. 11.7 make war overcome and kill the Beast 1st makes war which must differ in malignity and success from all his foregoing wars whereof his whole Reign of 42 Months in a manner consists 2ly He overcomes getting all power into his hands to be Lord-paramount and Dominus fac-totum Then 3ly he kills were their suppression as Prophets only intended the word overcome would sufficiently import it yea and as Dr. G. excellently noteth there is but 2 Expressions in Rev. 13.7 which yet implies all those bloody Butcheries of the Beasts reign make war and overcome now here kill is added to hold out some further cruelty then a bare suppression as publick Persons upon those that this blood-thirsty Beast hath got into his clutches 434. A 4th is from the nature of affliction which usually is sorest at last as in the bondage of Egypt their bricks were doubled upon them at last according to that saying Duplicantur lateres venit Moses the last Persecution under Dioclesian was of all the ten first the sharpest Thus most Christians have their sorest Conflicts upon their dying bed yea and Christ himself under the deepest Desertions crying Eli Eli lama Sabachthani at his giving up the Ghost this renders it probable enough that the last brunt of Affliction before the Church's Moses come will be the sharpest 435. The 5. ground of fear is taken from the rage of the Beast at the success of their Prophecy Many Kindreds and Nations shall fall off from Antichrist through the influence of their Testimony so the Beast comes in this last War like a bear robbed of her whelps besides as D. G. notes Antichrist will be further chased with so many Vials poured out upon him so that when he gets Power into his hand he will come forth in that cursed rage and in that fierce cruelty of the brethren in Iniquity Gen. 49.7 This brings in the 6. ground then gets Rome a fresh draught of blood after some respite of years wherewith she is described to be drunk just at its destruction Rev. 17.6 436. In which description is an elegant Climax of admiration 1. A Woman drunk this is more shamefull than for a Man to be so 2ly No liquour would serve her to be drunk withall but blood And 3ly no blood but that of Saints This made John wonder with great admiration and the rather 4ly because he saw her Dead drunk with her last Cups of blood and now staggering and falling never to arise any more thus have we grounds of fear as well as of hope and whether it shall prove Event will best discover however it fall out whether the one or the other or mix'd of both it is best for us to prepare for the worst a mistake in hope is more dangerous than one in fear that makes us secure but this watchfull CHAP. XV. 437. THis leads me to the last particular to wit the resurrection of the Witnesses however or whenever they be slain this is certain that after 3. Y. and half they shall be raised again and the garments of Captivity their Sackcloth-covering shall be taken from them and fine linnen clean and white shall be given to them instead thereof the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Rev. 19.8 then shall the Ministers of the Lord stand up with Urim and Thummim as Ezr. 2.63 then shall the Yoke be destroyed because of the Anointing Esa 10.27 then shall those Prophets not only be raised up as Christ rose to die no more into their former Estate but into a more excellent dignity then the new Heavens c. then the Lambs feed after their manner Isa 5.17 eating clean provender c. Isa 30.24 438. Having thus run over the description of the Witnesses unto their Resurrection which
God answers with good words and comfortable v. 13. to wit v. 21. that his hamers shall 1 fray the Beasts horns 2. cast them down 3. cast them out as Gentiles 4. cast them away as a stone out of a sling 1 Sam. 25.29 God will give them scattering for scattering 1 Sam. 2.3,13 Luk. 1.51,52 1 Kin. 14.10 In the mean time our work is Waiting and Watching which is 1. Angelical Dan. 4.10,13 and 2. Evangelical Work Mat. 24.42 25.13 Mark 13. last No Watchman can tell us what time of Night it is Isa 21.12,13 onely that the Sun-set to our Antipodes or Antichrist is Sun-rise to us untill the Day dawn and the shadows flee away the Church saith I will get me up to the mountains of Myrrh and hills of Frankincense Can. 4.6 This holds out 1. our Repenting which is as bitter as myrrh Lam. 3.19 2. our Praying-work which comes up as Incense Ps 141.2 Oh that we may be found so doing til the sun of right arise with healing in his wings then shall we go forth from the bondage of Babylon and grow up as calves of the stall Mal. 4.2 FINIS THE TABLE CHap. 1. The Preamble Antichrist in his Resemblances and Realities signified by names and titles Proper and Appelative p. 1. to 6. many Antichrists but one The Antichrist p. 7. he is one contrary to Christ in his Humility in his Holiness and in his Truth pag. 8. Ch. 2. Shews 1. Negatively who is not the Antichrist not Simon Magus as Grotius nor a Jew of the Tribe of Dan as Bellarmin p. 9. to 14. nor Mahomet p. 15. to p. 21. Ch. 3. Shews 2. Positively who is the Antichrist t is the Pope p. 22. what is the Scripture-definition of Antichrist the 12. branches of that Definition p. 23. Ch. 4. Proves first that he is an Apostate from p. 31. to 37. 2 ly That he is Christs Enemy p. 28. 3 ly Stirr'd up by Satan p. 39. to 41. 4 ly That he hath a Monarchy in the Church p. 42. 5 ly In the great City p. 44. Ch. 5. Proves 6 ly That he exalts himself as God to 47. 7 ly Seducing with lying wonders to 54. 8 ly He hath a 3 fold brand to 59. 9 ly His 4 fold Adjuncts to 62. 10 ly That he is Revealed in 6 Periods Nascent Crescent Regnant Triumphant Cadent and Morient to p. 66. Ch. 6. Answers the Romanists objections 1 st That Antichrist must be a single Person 2 ly That he must Reign but 3. Years and half 3 ly That Christs Vicar cannot be Antichrist 4 ly That his Seat must be Rome Heathen to p. 70. 5 ly That the Gospel must be Preach'd in all the World before Antichrist Rise 6 ly That Antichrist must slay Enoch and Elias the 2 Witnesses to p. 75. Ch. 7. Holds out Antichrists Morient Period in the 11 th and 12 th Characters the 11 th is he must have a lingring Consumption 1 st The manner of it described to p. 80. Ch. 8. Holds out 2 ly The means of pulling down Antichrist which are two 1 st Persons who are Three 1. Powerful Preachers 2. Profound Writers and 3. Potent Pious Princes to p. 91. 2 ly Things which are 4. Spiritual practicing 2. Unanimous Praying 3. Publick Printing and 4. Powerful Preaching to 102. Ch. 9. Shews the 12 th Character that Antichrist must be destroyed by Christs Comming that this Comming of Christ cannot be meant the day of Judgment to p. 110. Antichrist shall be Destroyed as well as Consumed p. 111. Ch. 10. Enquires after the time of the fall of Antichrist Conjectures 1 st From Daniels Number 2. From Johns distinctly 3. From both joyntly to p. 119. from the 42. Months or from 666. to p. 125. various opinions about the term of Antichrist to p. 131. Ch. 11. Contains Mr. Foxes and Dr. Beards Opinions differing from all others about the term of Antichrist to p. 134. my own Opinion laid down 1. Negatively against Mr. Foxes and Dr. Beards Reasons why to p. 142. a 3 d Opinion that the number of 42. Months must not be taken definitly but indefinitly refuted to p. 145. Ch. 12. Refutes the whole Computation of the Learned Men aforesaid both from Daniel and Johns Number to 1666. The grand Salvo's for their Vindication as 1 st Uncertainty of Chronologies 2. Variety of Computations 3. The difficulty of computing the bondage of Egypt and the Captivity of Babylon to p. 154. 2 ly My positive Opinion paragr 348. how grounded to wit upon sundry Scripture Hints and Intimations to p. 157. Ch. 13. Holds out the 1 st Scripture-Hint from the rising of the 10. Kingdoms to p. 160. the 2 d. is the removal of the Roman Empire from the Seat of the Beast to p. 163. the 3 d. hint is from the healing of the deadly wound to p. 165. a Digression proving the 1 st Beast to relate to Antichrist to p. 168. when the wound was healed to p. 162. the 4 th hint is the Beasts War with the Saints to p. 172. the 5 th hint is the Womans dwelling in the Wilderness to p. 176. the 6 th hint is the treading under the Outer Court to p. 178. Ch. 14. Contains the 7 th Scripture-hint to wit the Sackcloth-Prophecy of the 2 Witnesses to p. 180. the Witnesses described by 1. Their Names 2. Number 3. Condition 4. Action 5. Death 6. Resurrection to p. 184. of the time when the place where and the manner how the Witnesses are to be Slaughter'd to p. 186. Reasons why this Slaughter is not yet over to p. 189. what the Street is to p. 129. the manner how Slain whether Civilly or Naturally the 1 st hoped the 2 d. feared to p. 200. Ch. 15. The Rising of the Witnesses is the Fall of the Beast Mr. Burroughs is Cautelous in his Conjectures to p. 202. an account of the several Computations paragr 443. the precise time is known to God only not to Man p. 204. a paralell betwixt Ish-bosheth and Antichrists Kingdom Antichrists last outburst is as Sheba's Rebellion p. 205. Satan tempts Christ to make him Pope or Antichrist p. 206. Refer the timing of Antichrist to God to p. 208. Ch. 16. Of the Witnesses not People but Pastors p. 210. their first appearing p. 225. Antichrists Conception Birth and Craddling p. 226. the Kingd of the Beast Whore Dragon Locusts and its Decay p. 227. Antichrists Infancy Childhood Youth Middle and Old Age p. 228. the soonest time of his fall Y. 1710. the 4 Leo's terminates him p. 233. the precise day referr'd to God p. 236.