Scripture does teach thereof but also signifies little Insight into the State of the opposite Kingdoms of Christ and the Devil in the World the conflict between which and the decree of God to put the Powers of the one under the Feet of the other are the main occasions of his making such Changes by which he pursues the fulfilling his decree as well as awakens in men a fear of him I have therefore given some brief Account of the Rise and State of those Kingdoms in the World driving on to that happy Issue of the great conflict between them whereby the great works of Providence for accomplishing the same may be contemplated with better Judgment than blindly to be censured as dismal works of darkness AN Enquiry into the Vision OF THE Slaying and Rising OF THE WITNESSES c. THe time of the Prophesying of the Witnesses being certain viz. 1260 Prophetick days which are so many years If we can find out the beginning of their Prophesying it will discover also the time of their finishing the same and of the Slaying and Rising of them thereon But I must first note a mistake in Expositors in making the 1260 days of their Prophesying and the Womans abode in the Wilderness to be Synchronal with the 42 Months of the continuance of the Ten-horned-beast and the Treading down of the Outer-Court whenas the Commencement of the former does precede the latter Those times being of equal extent does make it easy to fall into that mistake especially when they cannot much differ in the time of their commencing but that they differ therein is evident First From the continuance of the Ten-horned beast after the Witnesses finishing their prophesying For when they have finished the same the beast ascending out of the bottomless-pit which is the Ten-horned-beast makes war against them and overcomes them c. Also the same Beast is to continue till the abolishing of the Antichristian Powers by the battel of the great day of God Almighty at the seventh Trumpet and the seventh Vial when the Beast and the false Prophet are to be cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 19.20 Therefore the 42 Months being the same extent of time with the 1260 days and continuing after their Expiring must also Commence after them Secondly From the Persecution which the old Serpent being cast into the Earth Rev. 12. did raise against the Woman fled into the Wilderness before the Rise of the Ten-horned-beast For after his being so cast down he casts out water like a Flood after her to carry her away And after he hath so spent his wrath against her he proceeds to make war with the Remnant of her Seed by the Ten-horned-beast c. 13. Now the Womans abode in the Wilderness being 1260 days the same with the Prophesying of the Witnesses and there suffering this Persecution preceding to the Rise of the Ten-horned-beast its plain that the 42 Months of his continuance must commence after the 1260 days It appearing therefore that the 1260 days and 42 Months are not wholly Synchronal I proceed to the commencement of the first being the time of the Witnesses Prophesying and the Womans abode in the Wilderness Thither she fled from the Persecution of the Devil for her bringing forth the Man-child who was caught up unto Gods Throne and thereby the Devil cast out into the Earth So that her abode there does commence from the time of his being so cast down which befell him about the end of Theodosius Magnus his Reign when the Heathen worship became abolished by his shutting up the Heathen Temples and depriving the Priests of their Revenues Whereby the devil fell from his Heavenly Station of being worshipped as the God of this World as also from the Power which upheld that worship Which further appears from the commencement of the Trumpets which according to Mr. Mede and others was by the Incursion of the Barbarous Nations which immediately succeeded the said Theodosius his death For their sounding being the subject of the seventh seal the devils being cast down must immediately precede the same being that befell him by the Revolution in the Heathen Government which is the subject of the Sixth Seal His fall from Heaven appears therefore both from the abolishing of the Heathen Worship and the immediate succeeding of the Trumpets to be about the end of the said Theodosius his Reign which Mr. Mede makes to end in the year 395 and also makes the devils fall from Heaven by the said Revolution in the Sixth Seal to be then completed or fulfilled But the Persecution thereon which drives the Woman into the Wilderness having no notable Transaction whereto to fix its beginning and being not to be supposed so immediately to succeed the devils being cast out as not to have some small space of time for the raising it and the 1260 days of her abode in the Wilderness being a Computation by Centuries with an odd sixty it s most Congruous to make them Commence with the fifth Century which so soon succeeds the said Theodosius his death viz. begins five years after it and so the odd sixty years to succeed a Century And thus making the beginning of the fifth Century to be the Epocha of the 1260 days of the Womans abode in the Wilderness its clear when they must end viz. in the year 1660 and consequently the 1260 days of the Prophesying of the Witnesses which I think none doubt but that it s during the same time must do the same And as the thus fixing the Epocha of those years or Prophetick days appears so reasonable so the truth thereof will be much confirmed when we come to apply the same to History that is when we find that at the end of those days the slaying and rising of the Witnesses c. became fulfilled which we find not how otherwaies to make out so as to agree with the Vision That the time and times and half c. is synchronal or signifies the same time with the 1260 days appears from both being the measure of the Womans abode in the Wildernss cap. 12. But the 42 months of the Ten-horned beast cannot commence till the Empire became divided into ten Kingdoms by the barbarous Nations that over-ran it which was not till after the middle of the fifth Century Mr. Mede makes it to be soon after the taking Rome by Gensericus the Vandal which he says was A.D. 455. and that the year following or soon after the whole Empire became divided into Ten Kingdoms But the reviving of the Ten-horned-beast cannot well be reckoned till the expiring of the Western Empire in Augustulus A.D. 476. For the Emperors being the sixth Head under which the Beast received its deadly wound by a sword that ought to be expired before its reviving under a new Head Also the Man of Sin was not to be revealed till He that did let viz. the sixth Head or Roman Emperors was taken out of the way And tho' those Emperors
part of the City seems not accomplished But there 's reason to reckon the fulfilling thereof near both from the light of this Vision and also from our seeing that Power so declining and languishing that all politick bands and subtle workings of the deceiver for upholding and prolonging it prove like the loosed tacklings that cannot strengthen their Masts nor spread their Sails whereby the Nation as to the worldly politick state of it is in alike unhing'd and crazy tottering condition as in Esay 24.19,20 is described to precede the glorious state of Christ's Kingdom And the Conflict that does spring from this declension of worldly Power and the emerging of the Witnesses ascending in a Cloud is the cause of our present Troubles and Distractions Nor can we well hope for settlement and prosperity till the Judgment that sits hath ended this Conflict by so taking away the dominion or power of the Beast as to fulfil the Fall of the tenth part of the City and the great Voice that calls the Witnesses up to Heaven This will give new Life and Vigour to the Government By the Lord being exalted among us to fill us with Judgment and Righteousness and make wisdom and knowledge the stability of our Times and strength of Salvation It will be a laying the Foundation of that City whose Builder and Maker is God whereby we shall find Him carrying on that Spiritual Building till he hath raised us up to the glorious state of the New Jerusalem And it will be such a preludious commencing of Christ's Kingdom in the Nation as will occasion great Changes throughout Christendom and so be a preparative making way for the great Revolution at the seventh Trumpet which settles Him in his Kingdom on Earth and therein be a great transaction of the fifth Vial which fils the Kingdom of the Beast with darkness And indeed that Vial seems to commence from our late great Revolution and so the Exit of King James did conclude the fourth Vial poured on the Sun as we have before noted his Fathers Fate to be a signal Transaction of its beginning But then whereas the present Consederacy against France is the result of that Revolution which seems not well established till the Confederates have so succeeded against that Sun which hath shined with much scorching heat to the great annoyance of Christendom as to make him set in a Cloud when this befals him which seems very hopeful as well as desireable it may well be reckoned a Transaction belonging to the fourth Vial as being so connext with King James's Exit that the Fall of the one did involve the others Fall Since therefore so great Consequences are like to attend our late Revolution they are much in the dark who are so much concerned for our settling upon our old bottom or worldly state acquiescing in the Deliverance received as if it rendred us as happy as is to be desired or however to be expected like those who reject all speculations of Christ's Kingdom on Earth telling us that he came not to interest himself in or give disturbance to the Rights of Princes or Civil Governments his Kingdom being not of this world shewing themselves of like spirit with those who said We will not have this Man reign over us But tho' his Kingdom be from above as He himself was and not from beneath of this world or according to the course thereof yet it s in this world where He must reign till he hath put down all Authority and Power all Enemies under his feet and so make the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ c. And the Laws and Liberties which we so Joy in are owing to the advancement of his Kingdom on Earth But the world being unable so to consider them claims them as the Rights of Free-born People and which our Rulers are bound to observe by Original Contract with the People c. Whenas indeed what Change there is in the Government of the Christian world from the absolute dominion of Heathen Princes proceeds from the Victory gained over the powers of the world by the Man-child being caught up unto God's Throne to rule and the Dragon being cast out into the Earth Rev. 12. which caused the great Revolution in the Empire described in the sixth Seal And what Liberty or Freedom can any pretend to who are the Servants of Sin and Satan who having the Power of Death through fear of it makes them all their Liver-time subject to Bondage Which Bondage of Corruption all Mankind are subject to so far as Redemption through Christ Jesus hath not freed them from it And they being thus the Children of wrath under the Thraldom of the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience what Rights or Priviledges could they obtain Or what Assurance could they have of them when granted by absolute Heathen Rulers under the Prince of darkness Whose Power did set them above the need of making such Grants and could easily frustrate them when made So that the Grants and Concessions whereby the Princes of Christendom have obliged themselves to their Subjects and thereby enfranchised them from Heathen Thraldom are owing to the downfal of the Devils power by his being cast out of Heaven whereby they being unable to continue that absolute dominion were driven to comply with their Subjects by such Concessions And though his power hath been so restored by the Impostures of the false Prophet and other his subtle Arts to corrupt the Nations of Christendom as in some Countries almost to frustrate the benefit of that Victory over him yet in others it continues to be enjoyed and with that firmness in our Country as to make both former and latter Attempts to deprive us of it fatal to the Undertakers And the late Revolution seems not onely design'd to confirm to us that Benefit when there appeared so much danger of losing it but also much to enlarge the same by that advancemene of Christ's Kingdom which is signified by the Fall of the tenth part of the City But we seem insensible thereof and as little disposed to and prepared for so great a Blessing as Lot and his Family were to depart out of Sodom to escape destruction It 's too high a Blessing for the world to like tho' it be well pleased with than already received of being freed from Heathen Thraldom It can like such Blessings that free it from the evils and miseries that attend it s lapsed state lying in wickedness but is not pleased with such Blessings that tend to recover it out of that state by Reforming its Corruptions Which Indisposition to higher Blessings designed us makes the world so little sensible to whom to ascribe what we already enjoy and so to fail of rendring Him due Praise and Thanks for the same to whom all Judgment is committed that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father
the powers of darkness and they exercise no power but by Him as our Saviour tells Pilate Thou couldst have no power against me except it was given thee from above For though they yield no voluntary obedience by observing his Laws yet they are under his Government and Restraint in the exercise of that power wherewith they pursue their wicked Inclinations Whereby he makes them Instruments of fulfilling his will when they rebel against Him And the Heavenly station of power which the devil possest in the Heathen Empire of Rome described Rev. 12. by a great red Dragon in Heaven having seven Heads and ten Horns and seven Crowns on his Heads c. does shew his dominion to be by Authority and not by Usurpation as also does the reviving of his Kingdom in the Ten-horned-beast cap. 13. To whom he gave his Power and Seat and great Authority And though the dominion of the despotick Rulers under him is by this Author but his usurpt Empire yet by the Scripture it 's the Authority of God as appears by what is said of Cyrus Esa 45. and by Nebuchadnezzar being told by Daniel That God had given him a Kingdom Power Strength and Glory cap. 2.37 and by his being called God's Servant into whose hands he gave the Nations c. Jer. 27.6 So that though this Author will allow such Rulers to reign but by God's permission yet they are authorized thereunto by his concurrence to their advancement as will after more fully appear But it seems to this Author a Reflexion on the divine Justice and Goodness to make such destructive Rulers God's Authority but it will not appear so if we look on them as Ministers of his wrath whom he hath ordained for Judgment and established for Correction And therefore it 's strange that this Author should allow a destructive power to be of God's appointment for punishment and that therefore though it 's not irresistible upon the account of divine Authority yet it 's to be born with till God accomplish his pleasure on those he scourges with it p. 29. and yet that he should not allow such power to be God's Authority tho' so appointed by Him for the exercising that power given by him to that end on those who by following their own waies become meet to reap such fruit of their doings For whenas the Wickedness of the old World was so great as to make God repent that he made Man â—n the Earth and therefore to destroy that World and instead of Reformation the new World became immersed deeper in corruption God desisting from further striving by his Spirit with sinful Flesh as he had done with the old World Gen. 6.3 though He would not destroy it again as before by reason of the â—…ppy end he designed to put to the wicked and miserable state of it by his coming Who should make Reconciliation for Iniquity â—nd bring in everlasting Righteousness yet till then as the World â—as become more lyable to death which is the Wages of Sin â—…an the old World so it was subjected to him Who hath the â—…r of death committed to him thro' fear of which he makes men 〈◊〉 their life time subject to bondage under such destructive powers 〈◊〉 govern onely by serpentine wisdom or worldly policy for saâ—…fying their Ambition and other boundless Lusts Hence the â—…ur Beasts signifying the four great Monarchies Dan. 7. do arise â—…t of the Sea as also does the Ten-horned-beast Rev. 13. in â—…p 17.8 cap. 11.7 he ascends out of the Bottomless-pit 〈◊〉 also do the Locusts signifying the Saracen Empire come thence â—…p 9. Which Sea and Bottomless-pit denote the Spirit of domination in worldly Rulers acted by the Spirit of the world under the Prince thereof and the Abyss of insatiable Lusts they are sunk into whereby they overflow and overwhelm the world in Thraldom under the bondage of Corruption being upheld in such domination by those Floods of ungodly Men who are the power of Hell or of that Spirit which worketh in the Children of Disobedience and thereby become the Waters that make great and the deep that sets on high those Rulers in their despotick dominion Hence he under whom they thus rule is called Leviathan the piercing crooked Serpent and the Dragon that is in the Sea Esa 27.1 and the destroying his dominion is signified by There shall be no more Sea Rev. 21.1 Since therefore Man by Apostacy became subject to Apostate Angels those Principalities and Powers and Rulers of the darkness of this World c. who gave rise to the unnatural despotick dominion whereby to establish the Kingdom of darkness in the World it 's evident that worldly Rulers under those powers can have no Authority or Right to rule but what is founded on their Power that is their Right is their Power which they gain over lapsed Mankind which by falling from God's Rule over them or deserting their Obedience to Him become so deserted of him and given over to the Ministers of his wrath whose Power is not usurpt by God's permission which as shewed before does clash with his providence as Governour of the World but is given to them by Him for fulfilling his Righteous Will on those who by revolting from Him become meet to be subjected to such Rulers For how wicked soever are the inclinations of such Rulers yet they continue so under the rule of God's power when faln from his moral rule over them as not to be able to commit any evil without his concurrence by giving way or letting them loose thereunto whereby he is the Author of the deed done though not of the evil committed in the doing it As when wild Beasts let loose by their Keepers commit destruction though it be wholly their deed yet the Keeper by reason of his letting them loose is an Author thereof But God does further concur in the Advancing of worldly Rulers to dominion by aiding them with His Power and withdrawing if from them outed by them Whence he is said to gird and loose the Loyns of Princes when he does invest them with Power and devest them thereof Thus did He gird Cyrus though he had not known him and having invested him thus with Power by reason of which he is called Gods Anointed to subdue Nations c. He loosed the Loins of Kings before him Esa 45.5.1 And when he devested Nebuchadnezzar of his Power it 's said to him from Heaven Thy Kingdom is departed from thee and when he re-invested him with it Nebuchadnezzar saies not onely My reason returned to me but also For the glory of my Kingdom my Honour and Brightness returned to me and my Counsellors and Lords sought unto me and I was established in my Kingdom and excellent Majesty was added to me Dan. 4. And of God's investing Princes thus with Power and again devesting them thereof speaks Job cap. 12. ver 18 19. c. And whereas rightful legal Princes are agreed to be the Power of God