the Earth v. 11. and he had two horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon The second Beast hath two hoths In the fore-going vision the Holy Spirit represented the fourth Monarchy in its two Periods and its whole extent by only one Beast We have seen more-than once that this Monarchy hath two periods very near of the same duration The first is from the birth of Rome to the ruin of the Imperial dignity and the division of the Empire into ten Kingdoms The second from the destruction of the Imperial dignity to the entire ruin of the Roman Church 'T is this second period which the Prophet here represents under the image of a second Beast 'T is another Beast because it is another name another sort of Empire an Empire hidden under the name of the Church 'T is a matter that begins again all anew As the City of Rome in its birth was little insensible a small matter in a word during two or three ages so this new Roman Empire that was to be brought forth again was to commence also from weak beginnings and to be but a very little thing for some ages As this later period of the fourth Monarch was to last as long as the other and was to have a form wholly different from it it deserved to be called another beast This second Beast ascends out the Earth and not out of the Sea. 'T is the same Beast that is spoken of in the eleventh Chapter that it ascends out of the bottomless pit that is to say from Hell. The one hinders not the other The Papism comes from Hell but not by the same means as the first beast did These two Empires come not from the same place The first Empire springs from the people and their ambition The second Empire proceeds from the Clergy and their ambition It springs from the Earth as a plant that shoots out small and becomes great insensibly without effusion of blood and without spoil He had two horns like a Lamb. The Roman Church calls her self the Spouse of the Lamb usurps his power the name of Jesus Christ is always in her mouth and if she may be believed she doth but exercise the power of Jesus Christ that hath been lawfully conferred upon her Jesus Christ hath two powers in Heaven and in Earth All power is given me in Heaven and Earth saith he The Roman Church saith the same thing of her self She ascribes to her self the temporal power and the spiritual one He speaks as a Dragon For he utters blasphemies against God and terrible threatnings against his Children And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him v. 12. The Papism hath re-establisht all the authority of the ancient Emperours The Roman Church causes her self to be served by Kings She takes away their demeauss she disposes of their Crowns she draws tribute from them and exerciseth jurisdiction in all their States The first Beast that is to say the Roman Pagan Empire did no more in the countries that were subject to it And causeth the Earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast Raising up in her self the power of the ancient Empire she makes that ancient Empire be raised up again under a new name viz. that of the Roman Church be adored and served v. 13. And he doth great wonders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on Earth in the sight of men We shall have occasion to observe and prove several times hereafter as we have already done before that in the style of the Prophets Heaven when an Estate and an Empire is treated of always signifies the soveraign region of those dignities The Sun is the Soveraign the stars are the Grandees Here an Empire a State is treated of under the name of a Beast The Soveraign region of that State is the Heaven from that State falls fire that is to say thunders It can't be doubted but this is what the Roman Church it self calls thunders and thundring Bulls 'T is those decrees and those Papal Bulls which proceed from the Court of Rome These are no other than Past-board thunders and artificial fire-works However 't is known that they have set Kingdoms is a flame a hundred and a hundred times and have may times thought to set all Europe on Fire To this are added Signs that is to say prodigies of pride ambition madness policy carnal weapons and other means by which the Beast of Rome hath used to establish its dominion and subject Kings to its self This doth not exclude the false miracles which the Papism hath used to establish it self But as it is here consider'd much more as a Kingdom than as a Religion by these signs 't is much better to understand the wicked means it hath employed to establish its tyranny than the lying miracles which it used to establish its false mysteries And deceiveth them which dwell on the Earth by the means of those miracles That is to say v. 14. he induced them by all the ways of deceit and violence to do homage to him and submit themselves to his dominion Saying to them that dwell on the Earth that they should make an image to the beast v. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed This here is an admirable place The Roman Church is an Empire However it is but an image of an Empire an imaginary Empire founded only on the deceived imagination of men They need but say NOT to destroy this Empire The reality of an Empire consists in citadells in fortresses in armies The Roman Church hath none of all this For the little armies that the Pope might raise is not that which secures his Empire 'T is not therfore a true Empire The Convents of the Monks are his Citadels The Monks are his Souldiers and Armies The Priests are his Emissaries The Bishops and Arch-Bishops are his Lievtenanis But all these are but images Nevertheless this image of an Empire speaks acts makes decrees raises all Europe and causes all those to be killed that will not pay it the like homage which was render'd to the ancient Roman Empire And he causeth all v. 16. both small and great c. to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark or the name of the Beast The Forehead is the seat of profession Thence it came that ancient Christians signified their profession of Christianity by a sign of the Cross on the forehead The Hand is the instrument of action The inhabitants of the Earth can neither buy nor sell under the dominion of the Papism that is to say partake of its favours and its riches unless they have the Profession of a Papist
tear out the very heart of the sacred Scriptures in the Mysteries and Divine depths therein and leave it nothing but a bare superficies Let us give but two Examples of this Maxim of the Cabalists that God hath imprinted a seal of himself and of his Mysteries which reacheth to all matters The first is that of the Trinity of Persons in a unity of essence whereof we have a lively image in the World of Spirits by the essence intelligence and will which is found in every Spirit whether separate or united with matter and another lively image of it in the three dimensions of matter longitude latitude and profundity which are three distinct dimensions and yet make but one only and most simple extension The other instance is in the mystery of the Incarnation and the personal union of the Divine uncreated nature with the humane a mystery whereof we see a lively image in the Incarnation of those souls which God unites with matter These things deserve very well to be thought of Besides that the Holy Ghost hath sufficiently declared himself concerning these Mysteries He hath shown us one part that we may imagine the rest He saith that the light of the first day is the image of that Action whereby God causeth the light to shine in the darkness of our ignorance The Scripture calls our Lord the Sun of Righteousness by allusion to the Sun in the Heavens a second Adam with reference to the Creation of the first Adam the marriage of Adam and Eve an image of Christ and his Church Heaven is called Paradise by allusion to the Earthly Paradise In a word there are an hundred things in the work of Creation whereof no natural reason can be given there must be some therefore which are mysterious Why for instance did God create a Chaos before he put in order the several parts of the world why he rank't them all in six days time no more or less why he created not the Sun but on the fourth day why the Plants were created before the Sun and why the Fishes and Brids before the Beasts of the field 2. Principle the sensible World an image of the intelligible II. Our second Principle is this that the sensible World is the image of the Intelligible and this Intelligible World is not a World of Platonic Idea's 'T is in the Church where every thing is to be met with by analogy that is found in the sensible World. There is an Heaven there is an intelligible Sun which is God there are Spirits which are the intelligible Stars there is an Earth Plants Fruits and also wild Beasts enemies of this World. The Scripture leads us by the hand in these paths by the continual use of figures borrowed from the sensible World to signify those parts of the intelligible one From this principle we may conclude that the creation of the sensible World is the image and Type of the Creation of the intelligible World. And consequently that the Creation of the World is the Image of the different degrees by which God hath made his Church to pass through to bring it to perfection 3. Principle God divided the times into several periods III. Our third Principle is this that in every System composed of Events there are several Periods to be considered This is the Spirit of the Prophets God divided the times into seven Trumpets seven Seals and seven Viols Upon this Principle it cannot be doubted but the seven days of the Creation are as many Periods of this Intelligible World through which they are to pass to arrive a perfection 4. Principle the same images ought every where to signify the same mysteries IV. My fourth Principle is this that the H. Ghost ought constantly to fix the same Mysteries to the same Images in all the parts of the Creation For Example the Waters should every where be the same thing and signify the same Mystery which is a Principle that was not at all heeded by Placaeus In one place he makes the Waters to be Sin in another to be the Passions well ordered and gathered together in Christ In a third place 't is meant of the Heart sanctified and serving God 't is a fault that is most obvious and which alone is sufficient to prove that he had no System that they were only loose thoughts which shined separately but did not mutually illustrate each other The fifth Principle the mystery must not destroy the Letter V. I will add a fifth Principle that in this Mystery we should not as some do destroy the History There is nothing more dangerous if a man gives himself the liberty to deny matters of fact and to turn all into pure allegory there then remains nothing certain in the Scripture Libertins may then doubt of the whole and we shall no longer be able to distingnish those places where the relation must be taken according to the Letter from those where the Letter shall be false and where there is nothing but mystery We must suppose the Type to be in the matters of fact if the Events prove false the Type is null These Principles being laid down I thus form my System The Creation of the sensible World being an Image of the Creation of the intelligible World we must divide the time in which God hath formed the Church into seven Periods but those seven Periods are not precisely distinguisht each of them to contain a thousand years as hath been formerly supposed from those words of St. Peter a thousand years with the Lord are as one day There is some difficulty in the division of those Periods and after having well condered it I divide them thus 1. The first Period is from Adam to Abraham which is almost two thousand years 2. The second is from Abraham to Moses which is between four and five hundred years 3. The third Period is from Moses to Iesus Christ which it between fourteen and fifteen hundred years 4. The fourth is from Iesus Christ to the rise of Antichrist that is between four and five hundred years 5. The fifth is from the rise of Antichrist to his Completion that is between five and six hundred years 6. The sixth is from Antichrist compleat to his Destruction which is between seven and eight hundred years 7. The seventh and last is from the Ruin of Antichrist to the end of the World this will be about a thousand years The great inequality that there is between these several Periods as to their duration ought not to make any difficulty We must not reckon things according to the time but compute the time according to the things The time wherein nothing is done is reckon'd for nothing The Periods of the Church must be computed by the great changes which have therein happened Now 't is exactly in these six points that the Church hath changed its face From Adam untill Abraham there was no change in the face of the Church by
Abraham it began to assume a new form she had then Sacraments and the distinction of People began By Moses the Church took another form quite different from the Preceding By Christ she became incomparably more perfect By the rise and growth of Antichrist the Church was intirely changed By Antichrist's being at the Height the Corruption was also at the Highest and at length by the fall of Antichrist she must put on another face This being supposed that the seven Periods answer to the seven days we must observe in every of those Periods such Events and such things as answer to the several works of the Creation done on every day so that what was made on the first day may resemble that which happened in the first Period of the Church and that which was done on the second day be the image of what happened in the second Period and so of the following If we find a perfect correspondence between the Copies and the Original between the Types and the things which we pretend were represented by them we shal have reason to believe that 't is some what more than a sport of wit or the effect of Fancy and Imagination which is the next thing we are to consider CHAP. XXI The Explication of the Mysteries signified by the Chaos by the Creation of Light by the separation of the Waters and by the Creation of the Plants The first days of the Creation and the three first Periods of the Church I Intend not to stay long upon what is well known and hath been said already and therefore shall speak but little of the Chaos We see plainly that this confused Mass without form and void which was properly nothing but a vast Abyss covered with darkness was the image of that sad estate to which sin had reduced the World. It was without form spoiled and defaced by sin for it had nothing at all of beauty It way confused for every thing there was in disorder that which should have been above was below God was blasphemed instead of being worshipt and self-love had placed the Creature on the Throne of God. It was empty and void for nothing that was good could be found in the World. It was covered with darkness for a stupid ignorance might be observed to reign there This was the state of the World out of which the Church was to be drawn as a new World God was doubtless the Creator of unshapen Mass and I doubt not but we have an account of its Creation in the first Verse In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth 'T is not as is commonly thought an abridgment of what is more amply and by particulars related afterwards 'T is the Creation of the Chaos called Heaven and Earth because it possessed that place which the Heaven and the Earth now do possess and because it contained the matter of them This is plain enough by the second Verse and the Earth was without form and void c. 'T is the description exactly of that Earth which he was speaking of in the first Verse Why 't is not said expresly that God created the Chaos Nevertheless though God created the Chaos 't is but implicitly said so for Moses saith not that God made the Earth without form and void Which may import that though God do govern that which we call the wicked World and that enormous Mass is not formed without his Providence nevertheless he will not be acknowledged the Author of it because he is not the Author of Evil. God appoints no certain day to this Chaos which is the Image of the corrupted World. 1. Because this Chaos hath its reign and extention during the whole six days of the spiritual Creation VVhy the Chaos hath no assigned day for 't is the perpetual fund whence God draws all the parts of the intelligible World which is his Church as the Chaos was the fund from whence by little and little God drew all the parts of the Vniverse 2. God assigns it no particular day because 't is the Empire or darkness into which the Light and the day cannot enter He produced not the Chaos by a Fiat saying let there be a Chaos as he created the Light because the Word of God doth not make the wicked World by its efficacy this World produceth it self by its own corruption Lastly he gives it not his Approbation he says not and God saw that it was good he blesseth it not as he did the works of the six days because God seeth nothing good in the carnal World instead of blessing it it is under his curse VVaters in all the Type of the Creation signify People In the mean time the Spirit of God moved upon the waters Waters in the Language of the Prophets and of the Types do signify People This we have observed before and is too well know to need to be proved This we must remember that Waters signify People in all the Type of the Creation The Spirit of God moved on the waters of the Chaos to prepare that matter to bruise and reduce it into little parts and to introduce the dispositions to receive that form which he intended to give it God intending to draw his Church out of the World and from among the Nations hath presided over them by a wise providence What is signified by the Spirits moving on the Waters If he had intirely abandon'd the World to it self after the entrance of sin it had been impossible to draw thence the intelligible World. It would have fallen into a total deprivation of Light Equity and Goodness and into that Spirit which the Scripture calls a spirit of slumber past feeling and a reprobate sense But the Spirit of God hath presided over these Waters he hath preserved and kept up in the World some fragments and remainders of Light Conviction Conscience the knowledge of God the distinction of right and wrong and the apprehension of future rewards and punishments We may see every where this motion this action of the Spirit of God on the Waters that is the People of the World even to the approach of the fourth Period which is that of our Lord Iesus Christ God was then about to give a Form to the Church to this intelligible World which properly speaking it never yet had Then he caused in the World such things as would dispose to this great work he prepared his matter by the study of Philosophy which drew men from that stupidity that before rendred them uncapable of receiving the Light of Truth He dispersed the Iews who carried every where the knowledge of the true God and made an infinite number of Proselites He caused the Bible to be turned into the Greek Tongue which then spread and prevailed in the World and guided the Heathen insensibly to a dislike of their Idols and their Religion This is the Mystery of the Chaos The Mysteries of â—he first day of the Creation In
superior Waters which were the family of the Patriarchs were nothing in comparison with the rest of mankind And hereby we have the reason why in that great work of the Creation God would make so much account of so small a matter as the Clouds are in nature even to assign a perticular day for their creation 'T is because they were the Image of the families of the Patriarchs who were very inconsiderable for their number but yet were to make so great a figure in the History of the Church 6. The superior Waters were little or nothing as to their extension but had this advantage above the waters which were beneath that they were near Heaven so the families of the Patriarchs little in number had this advantage to be admitted to secret and special communion with God. He conversed with the Patriarchs as a man with his intimate friend 7. The Clouds are lifted up to so high a place by the rays of the Sun and the attraction of Heaven the families of the Patriarchs were advanc't to that glory of being distinguisht from all others by the mercy of God. 8. The Clouds are the fruitfull springs whence proceed the rain the fruitfullness and blessing of the Earth God would make the Patriarchs the springs of blessing to the Church In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Therefore the Iews did always in their prayers make mention of the Covenant made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob 9. God put the Firmament or Expansum between the upper and lower Waters 't is that large vacuity of Misery and sin which separates the World from the Church 10. From the Clouds 't is easy to fall into the lower Waters but the Waters which are beneath rise with difficulty to the Clouds The fall is easy from the Church to the world and sin but 't is difficult to pass from the world to the Church In the third day was made a perfect separation of the waters i. e. that work of the separation of the Waters was finisht and this is the reason why God blessed not the work of the second day We must not look for a Mystery in that or imagine that on that account the waters must needs signify sin God blessed not the work which he had not yet finisht We find no Benediction in the second day but to make amends we meet with two in the third for those words and God saw that it was good are repeated twice 't is because in that third day we find two works the compleating the separation of the waters is one and the Creation of Plants another and God said Let the waters that be under the Heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry Land appear 'T is an image of a perfect separation of People into one place i. e. into the World which is a great and vast abyss full of darkness and impurity into that I say let the Waters run there let the reprobate People gather together 2. And let the dry Land appear the holy People who till now had appeared mixt with the men of the World let them appear seperate from all other People 3. The World is represented by the Sea the Church by the Earth and dry Land so since that time in the stile of the Prophets and of Preachers the Sea hath always been an image of the World. The Ark of Noah which floated on the waters of the Deluge is the Emblem of the Church beaten by the waters of this world Jesus Christ sleeping in the Ship which was tost by a Tempest is the Image of the Church where Christ seems to be asleep while she is beaten and afflicted by the World. 4. The Sea is the habitation of Monsters the world is the residence of the wicked where we may see Monsters of covetousness of Ambition of Impurity and violence The greatest Animals upon Earth are not to be compared with those which live in the waters There are disorders to be found in the Church 't is true but they are nothing in comparison with those which are in the world 5. The face of the Waters is barren and produceth nothing whereas the superficies of the Earth is fruitfull The World doth inwardly nourish Monsters and in its outside produceth no solid good or true vertue 6. The Earth is the Synagogue of the ancient Church she is incompast with waters on all sides the People and Nations of the World. 7. She is continually afflicted by them and if we regard the violence of the waves one would think she should be overwhelmed 8. Nevertheless she stands her ground and remains victorious 9. The waters of the Sea have no setled foundation they are always in motion but the Earth is fixt the People of the world are unstable always changing The Church is a Land that hath its roots in the foundation of the world in God's eternal decrees 10. The Sea makes a frightfull object especially in a Tempest but the Earth presents our eyes with an agreeable diversity of Mountains and Hills of Trees and Flowers of Fruits and Blossoms The world is a deformed spectacle by reason of its disorders and uniformity of its faults But the Church shows us an agreeable diversity of gifts greater and less of vertues of good works of good Fruits for the Plants and Fruits are to the Earth that which vertues and good works are to the Church The Plants have their roots in the bowels of the Earth they appear on the outside of it they serve for ornament and use and need the kind influences of Heaven to make them grow All this agrees well to the vertues and good works of the Church God said Let the Earth bring forth Grass as if the Earth produced Plants by its own vertues 't is because he will have us act as if our vertues proceeded from our selves as if we were the Authors of 'em that he might thence take occasion to reward us for ' em But among the Plants of the Earth which are thus good usefull there are some hurtfull ones some poisons among the good Fruits of the Church there are some wicked works 12. Lastly the nearer any Land is to the Sun the better its Fruits the nearer any Church to God the Sun of Righteousness the better its works CHAP. XXII Explication of the Mysteries of the four last days of the Creation THe fourth day answers to the fourth Period of the Church 1. In this fourth day God created the Sun the Moon and the Stars 'T is easy to take notice therein of Christ the Sun of Righteousness of the Church who derives all her Light from the Sun and the of Teachers of the Christian Church which are as the Stars of the Intelligible World. This alone should open all mens eyes and make it evident that we ought to search after the Church throughout the whole work of Creation for this is the Key of the whole Mystery This fourth Period is from Iesus
In the sixth Period near the end whereof we now are God will compleat his Church by the ruin of Antichrist and bring the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth to its perfection This should be well remembred that the Church in the Type of the Creation appears under four Emblems 1. As the Earth buried and covered under waters 2. As a dry Land above the waters and bearing fruit 3. As a Moon inlightened by the Sun. 4. And lastly as the Woman And our Lord Jesus appears there under three Emblems 1. As the Light of the first day without or before the Sun. 2. As the Sun. 3. Under the Emblem of the Man. The Church in her first state before the Law was as the Earth under water she was obscure and as it were buried among the Nations In her second state under the Law she was as a discovered Land distinguisht and known and bearing fruit but yet she was but Earth i. e. not very considerable In her third state under the Gospel she appears as a Moon a rival of the Sun imitating his Light and therein she is more glorious than the Earth This is the Apostolical Church so glorious and full of knowledge In the fourth state she appears as the woman taken out of the side of Adam closely united with him being one Body and one Flesh 'T is in the last Period that she shall be more united to Christ than before In the fourth Period she is as the Moon and notwithstanding the nearest approaches of the Sun there remain vast distances between them But towards the end of the sixth Period and throughout the seventh her union unto Christ shall be immediate and intimate as that of a Wife with her Husband therefore the Church in this seventh Period is represented as a Spouse which was to be brought to the Lamb. On the other hand Jesus Christ appears under three Emblems In the fourth Period as a Sun which scatters the darkness of Idolatry Paganism and Ignorance that covered the face of the Earth This Sun is plac't in the fourth point just in the middle of the seven to let us know that he is the Center of the Church the Sun which gives light before and behind to the preceding Ages and to those which follow him Towards the end of the sixth Period and throughout the seventh he is A man to whom God gives dominion over the Fowls of the Air the Fish of the Sea and creeping things and four-footed Beasts i. e. That Christ in this last Period shall be Lord and King who shall rule over the Birds tame the boldest and most aspiring spirits who mount even unto the Heavens he shall humble them and keep 'em within the bounds of their duty over the Fish of the Sea to deliver'em from their corruption over Creeping things to destroy the influence of their poison over wild Beasts to tame their fierceness and render them meek as Lambs In the first day Jesus Christ was figured but by a dim Light because in the first Period of the Church he vouchsaf't her but a very imperfect knowledge of himself This methinks is the Mystery of the six days which way well serve as a favourable omen in reference to the seventh day The mystery of the seventh day of the Creation because every thing therein seems to accord well what then is wanting to the World after the works of the six daye to render it perfect Holiness and Rest and these are the two Things which God added on the seventh day Holiness for he Sanctified the seventh day and thereby the rest of the World. Rest for till then God had been at work and the World in Motion Now God gave the World that Rest which it wanted in that he himself rested on the seventh day All this is an admirable Emblem of our seventh Period for the sake whereof all this explication of the Type of the Worlds Creation hath been given During the six days God made the Church to pass through several changes he will bring it to perfection at the end of the sixth by the ruin of the Antichristian Kingdom and by the Conversion of all Nations What then is wanting to it Rest and Holiness Rest for hitherto she hath always been in toyl and Travel Holiness for she hath alway been imperfect We must therefore look for a seventh Period which shall be a Kingdom of Rest and Holiness wherein the Church shall no more be persecuted either by Fire and Sword or by Heresy and Idolatry wherein also there shall be a plentiful effusion of the H. Spirit to produce a great degree of Holiness and Sanctification among men This mystery shall be accomplisht upon Earth We must not say that the accomplishment of this Type will be found in Heaven where is Rest and Holiness and that therein is the mystery of the seventh day I say again that cannot be meant because this seventh Period must be of the same kind and order with the other six We even now observed that the Sun was created on the fourth day there are three days before and three after exactly in the middle of the seven to signify that Christ the Son of Righteousness is the Center of the intelligible World. If he be the Center of the seven Periods he must certainly have an equal reference to all the points of that Circumference Now what relation can he have to the seventh day if Eternity be meant by it In that Eternal abode Christ shall have no more the relation of a Center a Sun and a King. For St. Paul tells us that then God shall be all in all and Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom again to his Father Moreover 't is certain there ought to be a proportion between the seventh Period and the six fore-going ones Now there is none between Eternity and the duration of the Church upon Earth And lastly I am bold to say that the ancient Types were not establisht by God immediately to figure Heavenly Things but only the Graces and Favors of God in this World under the Kingdom of the Messiah You cannot show me any one of the ancient Types which hath an immediate relation to the glories of the Heavenly Paradise The marriage of Adam and Eve was the immediate Type of the Vnion between Christ and his Church in the Kingdom of his Grace It did only mediately typify their Vnion in the Kingdom of Glory By consequence this seventh day which all acknowledge to be Typical must have its immediate relation not to the Sabbath of the Church in Heaven but to its State of Rest upon Earth CHAP. XXIII A farther Confirmation of the future prosperity of the Church upon Earth The 21 and 22. Chap. of the Apocalypse interpreted that in those Chapters the Church is described as victorious upon Earth and not as Triumphant in Heaven WE may not pass from the Apocalyps without saying somewhat concerning the last Chapters If we needed another Head of Arguments to
prove our notion of the Reign of Christ for a thousand years and the Triumphant state of the Church upon Earth before its final glorious Triumph in Heaven we might be furnisht from these last Chapters For they are not as is commonly supposed a description of the Church in Heaven The Prophecy of the nine last Chapters of Ezekiel is the same with that of the last Chapt. of the Apocalypse They exactly answer to the nine last Chapters of the Prophecy of Ezekiel That Prophet in those nine last Chapters sets forth in a figurative manner the condition of the Church of Israel after its restoration their glorious Kingdom and the wonderful Peace they should injoy after their return which return or recalling was to be after the fall of Antichrist St. John gives an account what the Church shall be after with relation to that Fall after it shall have bin accomplisht so that both these Prophets describe the Church as to the same Period and the same condition This will easily appear if we briefly run over that which remains of the Apocalypse It cannot be questioned but that our Prophet concludes the 20th Chapter with a description of the last day of Judgement The war of Gog and Magog follows upon the reign of a thousand years to the revolt of Gog and Magog succeeds their defeat after their defeat there is nothing but the last day which shall come and surprize the World in the twinkling of an eye This is signified by those words V. 11. Chap. 20. Then I saw a great white Throne and him that sat on it from whose face the Earth and Heaven fled way and there was found no place for them White as well as Purple is a Royal colour and withal a Priestly for the Priests were clothed in white The Holy Priest's garments on the day of Expiation according to the tradition of the Iews were called Bigdei Lavan white garments In like manner he that sat upon the Throne is our King and Priest The Earth and the Heaven fled from his face for they shall be burnt that they may be renewed V. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God c. 'T is a description of the last Judgement to the end of the Chapter all this is plain The 21. v. 1. Chapter begins with these words And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away The first Vision of 21 Chapt. to the 9th V. respects that which follows the end of the world These words do evidently allude to what he had said just before and the Heaven and the Earth fled away As that was interpreted of what should happen at the last day of Judgement it is clear that these new Heavens and this new Earth must be understood in a literal and not a figurative sense for the new World after it hath been refined by fire And so the description we read of here even to the ninth Verse is that of eternal Rewards and Punishments 'T is true that which is spoken of the H. City v. 3 4. of the new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband of the Tabernacle of God with men of his dwelling with them and they with him and that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and that there shall be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain All this I say might very well be applied to the Church as victorious upon Earth but this description is determin'd by what precedes and by what follows to Eternal Glory by that which precedes which is the description of the last day of Judgement and by that which follows which is the description of everlasting Punishment but the fearful and unbelieving c. v. 8. shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death The 9th v. begins a new Vision The ninth Verse begins a new Vision and a more perticular description of the blessed Reign of Christ upon Earth In the same manner as the H. Spirit after he had in the 13th Chapter given an enigmatical and general description of the Antichristian Empire under the image of the two Beasts gives a more ample account of it in the 17th Chapt. So having in the 20th Chapt. described the reign of Christ though in few words he set forth that reign more at length afterwards that state of the delivered Church under the image of a great City called Ierusalem as after having set out the Antichristian Church under the image of a Beast and of an Empire he represents it under the Emblem of a great City called Babylon V. 9. And there came unto me one of the seven Angels which had the seven Viols full of the seven last plagues and talked with me saying come hither I will show thee the Bride the Lambs wife 'T is in all likelyhood the last of those seven Angels who had poured out the Viols and the same who show'd unto the Prophet the great City the mother of Fornications Cha. 17.1 Then came one of the seven Angels unto me which had the seven Viols and talked with me saying Come hither I will show thee the Judgement of the great Whore that sitteth on many Waters As it was this seventh and last Angel who had the Viols by whom the ruin of Antichrist was effected it doth most properly belong to him to show Babylon faln and Ierusalem rebuilt V. 10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain and showed me that great City the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God. This is somewhat like what the Devil did unto Jesus Christ when he carried him up into an high Mountain and shows him all the Kingdoms of the world what the Devil makes appear by illusion St. Iohn sees by vision That he was carried or seemed to be carried up into an high Mountain makes it plain that the Ierusalem he was to be made see from thence was here upon Earth and not the Triumphant Church in Heaven though it be called the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God. She shall be descended from Heaven because she shall abound in Graces which come from thence she is called the great City and 't is the first time she is so called 'T is a detestable name which in all the preceding Prophecy is given only to Spiritual Babylon But 't is on this account that then the Church shall possess the multitude of the Nations as Antichristianism doth at present V. 11. Having the Glory of God and her Light wus like unto a stone most precious even like a Iasper stone clear as Cristal V. 12. And had a Wall great and high and had twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the children of Israel V. 13.
believe nevertheless that you will find that Truth better cleared and made more manifest than hitherto it hath been This Controversie about Antichrist hath languisht for an hundred years it hath been unhappily abandon'd on a politick account and in obedience to Popish Princes 'T is a wicked Complaisance for which we are punisht and which hath cost us very dear for if we had perpetually exposed this Great and important Truth before the Eyes of the Protestants that the Papacy is Antichristianism they would not have fallen into that degeneracy and apostacy which we see at present How could they have resolved within themselves to submit to Antichrist and return to his Party But 't is so long since they heard it so called that they have forgot it They thought it was only a transport of zeal in the first Reformers from which we were now come off There was something in that neglect and forgetfullness which seems to discover the finger of God He would that this horrible catastrophe should happen and to that end permitted that this important Truth should be neglected and those controversies only which were but accessory should be minded and that this should be pass't over that the Papacy is the Antichristian Empire they who for want of giving heed to that Truth are fallen ought now to think of it and tremble to consider that they have voluntarily plung'd themselves again into that Babylon out of which God had so wonderfully delivered them In my opinion this is so fundamental a Truth that without it a man cannot be a true Christian to confound the Kingdom of J. Christ with that of Antichrist is an unsufferable Fault in some Ages for certain God hath permitted that Ignorance but we are not now in those times we must now declare for one party and stand our ground There is no Communion between Christ and Belial between the Prince of light and that Destroyer who is truly an Angel of Darkness that Controversy was so much stifled and laid asleep that our Adversaries believed it dead and thought that we had renounc't that Principle and the ground of all our Reformation for I cannot believe the Reformation to have been on a good foundation but on this account Some Protestants the reproach and shame not only of the Reformation but of the Christian name have contributed to efface these Ideas from the minds of men by turning to another sense what the H. Ghost saith of the Antichristian Empire making such Commentaries of the scripture as overthrow the design and meaning of it forging Histories at pleasure by that means to find the accomplishment of S. Iohn's Prophecies in the first ages of the Church At present therfore we must revive that Truth which we had almost suffered to dye This is the Time when we must indeavour to open the Eyes of the Princes and People of the Earth for behold now is the Time when they ought to eat the flesh of the Beast and burn it with fire strip naked the whore and tear off her ornaments and make a full end of Babylon Within a little while these great Things must come to pass 't is high time then to awaken men in order to it This is what I attempt in the first part of this work wherein I discover after another manner than hath been done hitherto the true Characters of that Antichristian Empire In which I must acknowledg my great obligations to my forementioned Author Joseph Mede for no man hath taken pains upon that subject with so much success as he You will see the admirable Type of Antichrist in the famous Antiochus carried farther than ever it hath been and the explication of the three years and half or 1260 days much clearer than ever hitherto it hath been made But I must here advertise that to comprehend the full force of my Arguments to prove the Papacy to be the Antichristian Empire to the reading of this work you must add that of my Lawful Prejudices against Popery for in that book you will find the proof of all the Characters of the Antichristian Empire inlarged I mean not only those Chapters wherein the explication of some passages in the Prophecies concerning Antichrist I apply them to the Pope and his Empire I speak principally of those Chapters where I describe the Corruption Covetousness Pride Idolatry Paganism the fabulous and lying Spirit of Popery all characters of Antichristianism as in this work is shown I desire all those who have any care of their salvation to Read those two pieces and I dare be confident that all those who have not a seared Conscience will be sensibly affected with what they shall there find and conceive a just Horror for that Religion which hath held the Truth under so long and cruel a Captivity That I may render my Lawfull Prejudices the more usefull to my design which is to make the Papacy appear to be the true Antichristianism I am resolved according to the advice that hath been given me to abridge it but instead of making a pure and simple abridgment I shall in contracting it change the Prejudices into so many Characters of Antichristianism and show that there is no one of those Prejudices but is a character of the Antichristian Empire If any thing retards this design it will be my desire to see whether Mr. Arnaud will make good the promise of F. Simon and reply to that Book So that when I Abridge that Book I may at the same time refute the Sophisms Mr. Arnaud is preparing This first part regards the Time past The second part contains the explication of Things Future or rather of those which we believe are yet to come there are many things therin which will certainly be surprizing to you as they were to me and if you read with any favourable opinion what I say upon the 11th 14th and 16th Chapters of the Apocalyps I cannot believe you will have much different Thoughts from mine I will not call them Conjectures let them be such to others I consent but as to me there is something more for I think I have discovered which are the two parts of the Fall of Babylon whereof one is called the Harvest the other the Vintage I believe that I have found the seven viols of the 16th Chap. to be already poured out which were supposed to be yet to come which to me is an argument that the Reign of Antichrist is near its end I know not whether others have discovered any thing of this before me I pretend not to have perused all the Modern Commentators on the Apocalyps on the Contrary I have read very few of them having experienc't that the diversity of Ideas that remain in the mind serve but to obscure the Truth and cause one to lose it Some I consulted before I made this second Ediction but I found nothing capable to make me alter my sentiments or that could furnish me with any new light Dr. Moore is
the H. Scripture uses such high words to describe the popish Idolatry and higher than those it makes use of to describe the Pagan Idolatry Pag. 183 Chap. XX. The deceiving Spirits which St. Paul speaks of are Evil Spirits The Doctrine of Daemons is that Doctrine that hath Daemons for its Objects and not that which hath Daemons for its Authors There is a perfect conformity between the Theology and the Religion of the Heathens about Daemons and that of the Papism about Saints and Angels mediatory Spirits Pag. 199 Chap. XXI What is the Character of those that were to establish Idolatry in the Christian Religion They are Priests and Monks Authors of the Laws of Celibacy and of Fasts How many fables and fictions have been invented by these men seared in their Consciences Pag. 215 Chap. XXII The Characters of Antichrist in the Papism confirm'd by the great type of Antichrist Antiochus Epiphanes That which is spoken literally of this Antiochus agrees mystically to the Pope and the Papism Pag. 228 Chap. XXIII A notable Prophecy of the Mahuzim that Antichrist was to worship The whole found admirably accomplisht in the Papism What is the literal sense of the Prophecy with respect to Antiochus An Explication of the beginning of the 12th Chap. of Daniel applied to Antiochus and the Papism Pag. 241 Chap. XXIV In which are gather'd together 35. Characters of Antichrist that perfectly agree to the Papism and cannot agree to any but it Pag. 255 Chap. XXV How Antichrist came to be mistaken being so well Characterised in the Prophecies A comparison of I. Christ and Antichrist in the accidental circumstances of their coming Pag. 263 The Table of Chapters of the Second Part. Chap. I. OF the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist A refutation of that dream that it must last but three years and a half Ten Arguments which demonstrate that that supposition is false and impossible Pag. 3 Chap. II. The last Argument against the Chimaera of three years and half taken from the time during which the Temple was prophan'd by Antiochus Four quite different times set down for that in Daniels Prophecies An Explication and a reconciling of those four times An application of these four times to the Kingdom of Antichrist and the ruin of that Kingdom Pag. 17 Chap. III. What the last times are It doth not signify the end of the World. There are many times with reference to the Church and with reference to the World. If Antichrist must reign 1260 years he is come Mahometanism is not Antichristianism Pag. 29 Chap. IV. Some Principles to discover when the Antichristian Empire began and when it must end Three Characters of that Empire Idolatry Pride and corruption That these three Characters began to appear in the fourth Age and did infinitely encrease in the fifth Pag. 38 Chap. V. That we must look for the point of the birth of Antichristianism in the fifth Age. It must end about the year 1710 or 1715. Pag. 48 Chap. VI. The circumstances of the fall of Antichrist re-establisht in their order An Explication of the fifteenth Chapter Principles for the right understanding the sixteenth Chapter Divers interpretations given of it and their visible faults Pag. 62 Chap. VII An Explication of the three first VIOLS and the three first PLAGVES Pag. 78 Chap. VIII The fourth plague the encrease of the heat of the Sun denoting the encrease of the Papal Authority which had almost utterly ruin'd the World and the Church The fifth plague is the desolation of ROME when the Pope retreated to Avignon and the diminution of the Papal Authority by the grand Schism of the West Pag. 87 Chap. IX The sixth Plague are the Turks who pass over the Bosphorus and invade the Greek and Latin Empires The three unclean spirits which come out from the mouth of the false Prophet are the Papal Laws armed with Excommunications Pag. 97 Chap. X. The seventh Plague is the preaching of Luther and other Reformers by which the Latin Church was divided into three parts Papists Lutherans and Reformed Pag. 216 Chap. XI The Explication of the 14th Chapter The vision of the harvest and the vintage the harvest of the Reformation made in the age last past the vintage is the Reformation which shall be made this present age Pag. 224 Chap. XII The Explication of that part of the 11th Chapter where the last persecution made by Antichrist is fore-told which is the present persecution in France The death of the two witnesses who shall not be buried by means of the succour brought by the enemies of France Pag. 236 Chap. XIII The resurrection of the two Witnesses The Reformation shall within a few years rise again in FRANCE after that it shall be establisht by Royal Authority FRANCE shall renounce Popery and that Kingdom shall be converted Pag. 251 Chap. XIV Observations upon the 17 18 19. Chapt. of the Revelation concerning the fall of Antichrists Kingdom A brief Methodizing of the events which the H. Ghost had displaced in the Visions Pag. 270 Chap. XV. The Reason why in this work we speak of some things so positively The linking together of our Principles suffers us not to doubt that we now are at the end of the reign of the Papacy Pag. 277 Chap. XVI Of the thousand years reign That in all the past time there is not a time to be found wherein Satan hath been bound Four heads of arguments to prove this reign The first is the fifth Monarchy so plainly promised to the Saints Pag. 285 Chap. XVII The second spring of Arguments to prove the thousand years reign is the reign promised to the Iews The promises made to them have not been fulfilled but must be The conversion of St. Paul is a Type of that of the whole Nation Pag. 294 Chap. XVIII The third Head of Arguments for the future Kingdom of Christ and the Church So many Prophecies which concern the compleat Victories of I. Christ the Holiness of the Church and its perfect prosperity which have never yet been accomplisht Pag. 312 Chap. XIX The fourth Head of Arguments for the reign of a thousand years are the Types Four Types of this Period the Principal is the seventh day of the Creation which is not an immediate Type of Eternal Rest but of the Peace of the Church on Earth Pag. 321 Chap. XX. The Type of the Creation hath not been well explained We must make a System of it Principles to establish that System the division of the duration of the Church into seven Periods answering to the seven days of the Creation Pag. 326 Chap. XXI The Explication of the Mysteries signified by the Chaos by the Creation of Light by the separation of the Waters and by the Creation of the Plants The first days of the Creation and the three first Periods of the Church Pag. 334 Chap. XXII Explication of the Mysteries of the four last days of the Creation Pag. 345 Chap. XXIII A farther Confirmation
of the future prosperity of the Church upon Earth The 21 and 22. Chap. of the Apocalypse interpreted that in those Chapters the Church is described as victorious upon Earth and not as Triumphant in Heaven Pag. 357 Chap. XXIV The Characters of the Kingdom of the Church Eight are certain and five doubtfull What shall happen after this Kingdom What is meant by Gog and Magog There shall probably be a lesser kind of Antichrist a little before the end of the World. Pag. 375 Chap. XXV An Answer to the reasons of the Anti-millinaries against the Reign of a thousand years Pag. 388 THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROPHECIES OR THE Approaching Deliverance of the CHURCH THE FIRST PART Of the Establishment of the Antichristian-Empire its Characters CHAP. I. Of the Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches That in all probability they are not Prophetical The Thoughts of Interpreters thereupon WHen I undertook this Work I had no Design to make a compleat Commentary on that which is Prophetical in the Revelations as did appear in the first Edition However when I observed that without designing it I had explained almost the whole Apocalypse I did believe that as for three or four chapters that remained to be explained I ought not to leave them behind tho they had no respect to the scope of this book which is to find out Antichrist learn when his Empire must end When one sees a system that is very perfect well attended with all the events foretold in this book this will give such a fair aspect of truth to all the parts of it as will be most easily perceived Moreover the publick may have observed that in the pourtraiture of Antichrist I have referred the Reader in many chapters as in the 13th the 17th to my Book of Prejudices Now us I have promised to epitomize the book of Prejudices I thought it would be more proper to bring out of that book into this present work all that respects the Prophecies their Explication on the subject of the description of Antichristianism than to refer a part of this to another Book So that in this second Edition there will be found an explication of all that is prophetical in the book of the Revelation We believe with the learned Joseph Mede that this book is divided into two parts The first is contained in the book sealed with seven seals which is to be seen in the beginning of the 5th Ch. And the second in the book which the Angel gave to St. John in the 10th Ch. The two little books move upon the same time the one the other reach even to the end of the World but they donot say the same thing have not the same object For the first little book that appeareth sealed with seven seals principally respects the affairs the adventures of the first Period of the fourth Monarchy viz. the temporal Roman Empire And the second book contains the destinies of the Church corrupted during the same ages the same duration of time this is what we call the Spiritual Roman Empire I say that the first book contains properly the destinies of the Empire not but that those of the Church are included in it too For that which God foretold should befall the Roman Empire was always with respect to the Church to its Persecutions the great Changes that befall it So that to speak properly the whole work respects the Church But the second little book which reaches from the 10th Chapter to the end respects the Church what was to befall it much more particularly yea more clearly The first thing that appears in the book of the Revelation is the seven Epistles to seven principal Churches of Asia Q. Whether the seven Epistles are Prophetical contained in the three first Chapters T is very much question'd whether these Epistles are Prophetical or not Some maintain that they are with a great deal of heat others deny it As for me I have nothing certain to say upon it So that I would not raise a prejudice against any person or any opinion by my own tho I am much more enclined to believe that there is nothing of prophecy in them but that all that is said in these Epistles refers to things that had happened in those seven Churches It is certain that the Revelation is nothing but an Epistle This is clear by its beginning end Now it was not usuall with the Apostles to direct their Epistles to the Universal Church in generall of all places all times as some would have St. John here to have done The Apostles were wont in their Epistles to rank in the first place what they had which was dogmatical Prophetical to write of afterward came that which respected what was moral This is the method of St. Paul. St. John on the contrary in this Epistle sets that which is moral therein before that which is Prophetical The reason is because he little design'd to stay upon that which is moral his principal aim was to relate the visions which God had given him Therefore he dispatcheth in the beginning that which was to make the least part of his Epistle which was less important that without diversion he might stick to that which he principally intended therein I see but one thing that seems mightily to favour the opinion of those that believe that the seven Epistles are Prophetical Why the H. Spirit wrote but to seven Churches 'T is the number of seven Why did the H. Spirit write to no more than seven Churches Were there not many more in Asia Were these the only ones in which there was any thing to be reproved or to whom the H. Spirit had something to say It seems therefore that the seven Churches are the Universal Church of all Ages divided into seven Periods But this reason doth not appear strong enough to me First because the number of seven is evidently consecrated in the Revelation The holy Spirit useth it in counting up all things the seven Spirits seven Lamps seven Angels c. Surely whatever we understand hereby 't is certain that the number of Spirits of Lamps of Angells is not reduced to the number of seven Not but that oftentimes the number of seven in the Revelation must be taken for a determinate number as in the seven Seals in the seven Trumpets the seven Vialls but that is when the division of time into Periods is treated of Now this is that which is doubtful that by these seven Churches are meant seven Periods And we shall also see hereafter that what is said to these seven Churches doth not at all agree with the events in what manner soever the times be divided So that this only thing that the H. Spirit maketh here seven Churches doth not prove that they are so many Period's of the duration of the Church 'T is probable that by these he means all
first Forbes would have this be that Period of the Church in which the Church began to reform her self in which the good separated from the evil i. e. the Church from the Albigenses to Luthers time Now I leave every wise man to judge if a small number of Albigenses Waldenses that separated from the Church of Rome that endured so short a time could deserve from the whole Christian Church so generally corrupted the fairest of all the praises that the H. Spirit gives to the seven Churches Thou sufferest that woman Jezabel that calleth her self a Prophetess to teach to seduce my servants to commit fornication This Jezabel I confess very much resembles the Antichristian Church But Why should the Albigenses be blamed for suffering the Roman Church How could they destroy it who were so weak Did they not cry out upon her as Babylon as much as they were able Sardis is the fifth Church to which the H. Spirit writes according to Forbes 't is the Reformed Church in which neither Jezabel nor Balaam nor the Pope nor Popery are any longer tolerated because she broke with the Roman Church But why would we have the Ages of our Reformation since Luther to be branded with so black fatal a Character Thou hast a name to live but art dead Be watchful strengthen the things which remain are ready to dy for I have not found thy works perfect before God. I think our Reformation deserved at least as much praise as that of the Albigenses The Zeal thereof was great the Doctrine pure Philadelphia is the sixth Church signifies according to Forbes the Church that shall carry the Reformation to its greatest height that shall have but a small number of members but they shall be very Zealous Laodicea is the last Church or the last Period The Holy Spirit terribly blames it Thou art neither hot nor cold Thou saist I am rich have need of nothing c. dost not know that thou art wretched miserable poor blind naked According to Forbes this is those Churches that making all their glory to consist in their having quitted Babylon do fall back make Religion to consist in nothing but duties purely external This last Period must be placed at the end of the World. Thus you have Forbes's system Let us proceed to that of Cocceius According to this later Author the Church of Ephesus is the Apostolical Church i. e. that wherin the Apostles preached The Explication of the mystery of the seven Churches according to Cocceius So that this Period must be extended to the death of St. John. The Nicolaitans spoken of in this first Epistle are Hereticks in general Nicolaos in Greek signifies the Conquerour of the People 'T is the Character of Hereticks to make themselves masters of the people by seducing them The Church of Smyrna signifies the Church suffering in all places especially that of the three first Ages The persecution of ten Days according to this must signify the ten Persecutions which the Church suffered during those three Ages under the Pagan Emperours This doth not fall out ill but I fear it was chance that made this hit for the rest doth not fall out in the same manner The holy Spirit saith Some of you shall be cast into Prison that ye may be tryed This is very feebly to express the great number of Martyrs and the cruel Sufferings to which the Church was exposed during these three first Ages of the Church 'T is much more probable that this signifies some light Persecution that was to befal Smyrna in which Persecution the Evil should not go beyond the imprisoning some perticular Persons The Epistle to the Church of Pergamus is the third according to Cocceius 't is the Church from Constantine's time to the birth of Antichrist Pergamus is the name of a famous fortress of Troy. Rome signifies strength or fortress 'T is in Rome that satan's seat is But why should the seat of satan be fixed in Rome converted by Constantine It had been much better to have fix'd it in Rome Pagan or to reserve it for Rome Antichristian that was to follow immediately after Antipas the martyr signifies saith he the Orthodox that maintain'd the consubstantiality of the Son. Antipas for Antipatros Antipatros for Isopatros equal to the Father I have nothing to say hereupon but it doth not please me every well The Church of Thyatira is the fourth signifies according to Cocceius the Church under the reign of Antichrist Jezabel that appears in this Epistle is the Antichristian Church They that suffer Jezabel the Prophetess are the elect mingled among the Antichristian Idolaters That sickness that God would send on Jezabel in casting her on her bed are those mortifications which Antichristianism was to receive by the several disasters that befel the Roman Church till the Reformation This falls out pretty well but 't is by meer chance for how can that magnificent Elogy be applied to this period of the Antichristian church I know thy works thy charity thy patience that thy last works are more than the first Never was the church so void of saints of good works as in this sad Period Sardis is the fifth Church the fifth Period according to Cocceius as well as according to Forbes 't is the Reformed Church But I say hereto as I said before on occasion of Forbes why should we say of our Reformation thou hast a name to live behold thou art dead strengthen the things which remain are ready to dy Philadelphia signifies brotherly Love this is the sixth Church which carries in its name the character of a Church yet to come wherein love and charity shall reign but among a very small number of people This church shall be persecuted Attempts will be made to shut the door against its conversions Yet after this the Kings of the Earth shall submit themselves to it This is in after ages So that we have nothing to say about it Laodicea signifies the Church that shall immediately precede the time wherein God shall pass that judgment spoken of in the 11th ch v. 18. i. e. when the reign of J. Christ shall come to be establisht on the Earth That is to say that immediately before the Kingdom of J. Christ comes on the Earth the Church must fall into that dreadful decay meant by these words Thou art neither hot nor cold thou art poor blind naked I do not well understand how all this hangs together The Church oâ— Philadelphia which is the sixth after it hath been persecuted shall remain victorious over all the Kings of the Earth which signifies that all the nations of the Earth shall be converted see here the reign of J. Christ on the Earth And yet after this comes a seventh Period wherein religion shall almost entirely perish before the Kingdom of J. Christ comes on
the Earth Besides all other inconveniencies this system hath this further viz. that besides these seven Periods an eighth must be added for the reign of the Church on the Earth This is a thing that was never heard of the times were never in any prophecy divided into eight The mystery of the seven Churches according to Dr. Hen. More Dr. Henry More is one of the last that hath spent his Labours on the Revelation He believes also that these seven Epistles are mystical prophetical see how he understands them The Church of Ephesus is the Period that ran out from J. Christ's time to the tenth year of Nero's Empire See here a Period short enough There is not usually so great an inequality between the Periods that divide the times in the Prophecies Moreover one may be assured that there is not so much as one word in this Epistle that may not as happily be applyed to the two following Ages as to the first so that this Application is purely Arbitrary and without any Ground The Church of Smyrna is the Period from the tenth year of Nero to the year 324. i. e. to the Reign of Constantine and the Council of Nice This falls in with Cocceius's Notion wherefore I cannot approve of it for the Reason above-mention'd Pergamus according to Dr. More signifies the Church from the year 324. to the year 1242. during which time the Empire of Antichrist was establisht taking in the time in which the Waldenses and Albigenses appear'd in the World and were extinguisht The Foundation of this Explication is the Seat of Satan I know where thou dwellest even where Satan's Seat is And the Martyr Antipas that signifies according to this Author Anti-Pope or contrary to the Pope This is a little glittering Light but I am much afraid 't is a Deceitful one For First Why should we comprehend in this Empire of Satan the Reigns of Constantine and Theodosius which were so happy for the Church 2dly Why should it be said to this Antichristian Period I know thy Good Works and that thou hast not Denyed my Name seeing there never were fewer that made profession of the Truth than in this Period If ever the Church may be accused of having renounced the Name of Jesus Christ 't is in the time of Antichristianism which is called an Apostacy so that this Article doth not hit well but that which follows doth much worse Thyatira according to this Author is the Church from the time that the Albigenses were destroyed to that time that entire Nations abandon'd the Communion of Rome 'T is it may be a time the most barren in Virtue and the most overwhelm'd with Superstition that ever was since Jesus Christ yet must this great Praise be attributed to it I know thy Works and thy Patience and thy Charity and that thy last Works are more than the first What is said to the Church of Ephesus which 't is pretended is the Apostolical Church is not so honourable nor so great Thou sufferest the Woman Iezabel that calls her self a Prophetess How can this be applied to those Ages that have run out since the Ruin of the Albigenses to the Reformation Jezabel that Roman Whore hath not only been suffer'd and tolerated she hath reigned with less Contradiction than in any Age. Sardis is the fifth Church which signifies the fifth Period according to Dr. More and this Period is that of the Reformation to the last Vial i.e. to the last Ruin of Antichrist 'T is to this Church that the Holy Spirit saith Thou hast a Name to live but behold thou art dead Can it be imagin'd that God should give such great Praises to the Church that was since the Ruin of the Albigenses till the Reformation and that the Holy Spirit should be made to speak with so much Disdain of the Reformed Church What comparison is there between the Church in its Reformation that corrupted Church wherein hardly any was to be found that preserv'd himself from the mighty Corruption of Error and Vice Philadelphia which is the sixth Church signifies a sixth Period wherein Antichrist shall be entirely ruin'd and the Infidel Nations be converted This is to divine and that which the Holy Spirit saith to the sixth Church doth not exactly import any such thing Lastly Laodicea of which the Holy Spirit speaks in such disadvantageous terms is the Church that must fall into decay after the Fall of Antichrist and the Conversion of the People And this Decay must bring the Church to the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on the Earth See here a new Period and of which there is not the least foot-step in all the Prophecies 'T is a Period that must run out from the Ruin of Antichrist and the Conversion of the People All the Prophecies foretell that the Reign of Jesus Christ shall come immediately after the Fall of Babylon and the Fulness of the Gentiles Yet here behold a Period that separates these two Events which ought to be joyned together Lastly this System is subject to the same inconveniencies as that of Cocceius There must be supposed an eighth Period for the reign of the thousand years which Dr. More acknowledges Now it must be confessed that this eighth Period is altogether unknown to the Prophets for we do not any where find that the time hath been divided into Eight parts Those that will attentively reflect on what we have just now said will confess if I am not much mistaken either that these Epistles to the seven Churches are not prophetical or that the Mystery hath not yet been discovered For nothing that hath been said about them hath this certain Character of Truth which is obvious to every one The Prophecies must be like Aenigma's which till they have been well explained seem unintelligible but when one hath hit right upon them they appear so clear that they cannot otherwise be understood CHAP. II. An Explication of the Vision of the four living Creatures of the twenty four Elders contained in the fourth Chapter SEeing there 's nothing propheticall in the three first chapters of the Revelation we may go on to the fourth Chapter One may say that this is the opening of this great divine Theater on which these admirable prophetical Visions will immediatly appear The entrance is like that of the Prophet Ezekiel God appears in the Temple which is in heaven sitting on a magnificent Throne Round about the throne there is a Rainbow this is the Symbol of Peace Before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass like to Chrystal This may signify the Purity of the Doctrine of the Gospel by which we are washed justified It is of Glass of Chrystal because of its firmness For the Gospel is an eternal Covenant that shall not be done away by a new covenant But that which is most considerable here is the four living Creatures the twenty four Elders that are round about
Pastors must lift up men from Earth to Heaven fly up towards divine things The Eagle sustains the rays of the Light looks stedfastly on the Sun the Pastors of the Church are called to sustain the sight of the most adorable mysteries These living creatures are called Seraphims i. e. Burning to express the greatness of their Zeal Kerab in the Chaldee signifies to labour the true original of the word Cherubims They are called Cherubims a word that in the Syriack the Chaldee signifies Labourers This name is given them for the same reason as the head of an Ox to represent that they ought to labour in manuring the field of the Lord incessantly They have four wings according to Ezekiel six according to Esay St. John to represent their Vigilance the Swiftness with which they must run to execute the commandments of God. According to Ezekiel when these living Creatures walk they turn not but every one walks to the place with his Face forward This is to signify that the ministers of the Gospel must be far removed from all obliquity that they must go straight in their ways One part of their Wings serves them to cover their Bodies i. e. their less comely parts as Interpreters Understand it 't is the Emblem of that modesty that must rule in all their words actions According to Ezekiel Cap. 1.13 the likenesse of the living Creatures was like burning coals of fire like the appearance of Lamps It went up and down among the living Creatures the fire was bright out of the fire went forth lightning 'T is a description of the Word of Preaching that sheds light abroad spreads knowledg in scattering darkness by the ministry of the Pastors Is not my word as fire Thy word is a Lamp to my feet Chr. 1.21 22. 'T is a fire that sends forth the light of faith communicates the heat of charity In Ezekiel When the living Creatures moved the Wheels also moved when the living Creatures Were lifted up from the Earth the Wheels also were lifted up When those went these went when those stood these stood These Wheels are the People the living Creatures i. e. the pastors are the Spirit of the People The People do not go or stand still or lift up themselves or fall down but by the inspiration of the Pastors In St. John the living Creatures are in the throne round about the throne i. e. immediately near the throne nearer than the Twenty four elders 'T is because the Pastors are the mediators between God the People They are nearest to God the People draw nigh to God by them These living Creatures are full of eyes within 'T is because they inwardly have the Spirit of Penetration Discerning not only like Solomon's Wise Man that hath his Eyes in his Head but they have Eyes in their Heart i. e. they have a clear-sighted mind full of the knowledg of man. They cease not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy c. 'T is the office of the Ministry to labour without intermission about the sanctification of God's name the establishing his glory When the living Creatures gave Glory honour praise to him that sate on the throne c. the Four and Twenty Elders cast themselves down before him This is the same thing that Ezekiel signified by these Wheels that went when the living Creatures went the people represented by the Twenty Four Elders follow the inspiration of the Pastors represented by the four living creatures When the living Creatures praise God the elders cast themselves down He that will follow these four living Creatures in the Revelation will see that every where they perform the office of Pastors Ministers of the commands of God. The Elders are the Christian people As for the Elders I don't know how it comes to pass that they have not been taken for the Faithful People from the very name of Elders Some would herein find the Pastors of the Church 'T is true the Gospel calls Pastors so But here it should be remembred that the Emblems are borrowed from the Law not from the Gospel 'T is agreed that in this vision the Prophet hath a respect to the distribution which the ancient Law made of its people Now we shall no where find that the Elders signify the Levites Priests On the contrary they are always distinguisht yea they are opposed to the Priests as well in the Old as in the New Testament The Priests the Elders of the people Every where the Elders signified the heads of the Tribes and Families that were consulted with in great affairs they were properly the Representatives of the people So that the Twenty Four Elders are the new people by allusion to ancient people There is twenty four of them because the ancient Israel had twelve Patriarchs twelve Tribes the new Israel hath twelve Apostles which are the twelve Patriarchs Heads of their Tribes The twelve Elders of the Jewish Church joined with the twelve Patriarchs of the new covenant make twenty four in all these twenty four are the whole Church Representative i. e. the whole body of the faithfull people These Elders sit round about the throne as Assessors because the Saints shall judg the World saith St. Paul They are cloathd in white Raiment That is the habit of a Priest And that signifies that the Priesthood is no longer confined to one only Tribe that the eleven tribes are re-entred into their ancient rights For naturally all the first-born of what tribe soever they were were Priests This is what the Holy Spirit means when he calls the faithful ones of the New Testament the first-born Priests a royal Priest-hood These Elders have on their heads crowns of Gold. 'T is because every one of the faithfull people is made not only a Priest but also a King. Wherfore they say in their sâ—ong To him that hath made us Kings Priests This description of the Church by four living Creatures twenty four Elders belongs principally to the Church reigning glorious on the Earth so as it will be described to us in the last Chapters of the Revelation For the only the Pastors the people shall perfectly have the qualities represented by these Aenigma's However 't is reasonable to place them here because the Pastors of all ages of the Church if they have not these qualities represented by the four living Creatures yet at least they are obliged to have them they have them in part tho they have them not in the degree of perfection CHAP. III. The Key of the Revelation This book is no other than a comment on what Daniel saith in the 7th Ch. of his Revelations touching the fourth Beast the fourth Monarchy BEhold the Theater open'd prepared we proceed to view the Visions that are as so many Entrings But I think it
pieces the whole Earth stamped the residue with the feet of it For it mortifyed all its neighbours whom it did not Subdue The 6th Ch. of the Revel belongs to this first part of the Prophecy of Daniel The 8th Ch. of the Revelation addeth to the Prophecy of Daniel for it shews the degrees wherby the Roman Empire was brought to its division into ten Kingdoms 8. It had ten horns I considered the horns behold there came up among them another little horn before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots behold in this horn were Eyes like the Eyes of a Man a mouth speaking great things 24. The Angel explaining this place saith The ten horns out of the Kingdom are ten Kings that shall arise another shall arise after them he shall be diverse from the first shall subdue three Kings 25. And he shall speak great words against the Most High shall wear out the saints of the Most High think to change Times laws they shall be given into his hand untill a time times the dividing of time See the division of the fourth Monarchy into ten others which was made after the year 450. We shall see afterwards which are these ten Kingdoms From the midst of these ten comes up a little horn a Monarch that appears as nothing a Priest that insensibly encreases his power over these ten Kings so far as to take away the third part of their Demains Jurisdiction Power This is what hath been exactly accomplisht in the Papacy which hath taken away from the Western Kings more than a third part of their Estate which is become Church Lands dependant on the Church more than a third of their jurisdiction by the Tribunals of Bishops Officials who drew almost all causes to them under the pretence that there was something mingled with them that respected the Church the Sacraments or the Conscience Lastly more than a third part of their Power by the Usurpations of the Popes who have made Kings their Vassals a hundred ways Besides this the Popes have particularly overthrown these three Kingdoms that of the Greeks in Italy that of the Lombards that of Germany which they have made dependant on the Roman Church This little horn speaks words of blasphemy against God exalts it self above all that is called God against the Kings of the Earth It destroys the saints of the most high That is to say it persecutes them even to blood It thinks to change the Times the Law it makes attempts against the divine laws it destroys Gods Commands dispenseth with them It commands the adoration of images Creatures which God forbids It permits crimes which God abominates against which he hath made severe laws This also is the true description of the Pope the Papacy To this horn is given a time times the dividing or the half of a time one year two years half a year three years half in all 360. prophetical days to a year that is to say 1260. years See the text on which the 11th 13th 17. Ch. of the Revel are a comment I beheld till the Thrones were cast down v. 9. the Ancient of days did sit whose garment was white as snow the hair of his head like the pure wool his throne was like the fiery flame his wheels as burning fire A fiery stream issued came forth from before him v. 10. thousand thousands ministred to him ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him the judgment was set the books were open'd I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake v. 11 I beheld even till the beast was slain his body destroyed given to the burning flame In the explication which the Angel gives Daniel we read But the judgment shall sit v. 26 they shall take away his dominion to consume to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdom do minion v. 27. the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom all dominions shall serve obey him The judgment here spoken of is not the last judgment God appears sitting on a magnificent throne not to judg the whole world but to judg the Empire of the Beast the fourth Monarchy in its Antichristian Period to deal forth the various punishments that befall this Monarchy for 7 or 8 hundred years to bring it to its end This Fire these Flames these Wheels burning like fire on which the throne moves represent the greatness of those punishments And behold the Text of the 9th Ch. in which St. John presents to our view the Saracens the Turks that make desolate the Roman Antichristan Empire of the 14th 15th 16th 18th 19th where God in divers visions represents the different steps of the ruin of the Roman Antichristian Empire As for what is said here of the Kingdom given to the Saints 't is the matter Text of the end of the 11th Ch. of the 20 21 22. throughout So it will appear in following the path which we are entred into that the whole Revelation is a commentary on ten or twelve verses of the 7th Ch. of Daniel CHAP. IV. The systems of the seven seals the seven Trumpets that denote the great events bring the world to its end IN the 4th Ch. the H. Spirit open'd the scene the 5th is a preludium for the vision of the seven seals which is contained in the 6. Ch. The first book is sealed with seven seals that is to say 't is very obscure Indeed it is so to that degree that never will any thing be said on this first part of the Revelation that goes beyond conjecture probability Wheras as for the second I hold that one may attain to the true sense of it certainly know that one hath found it See what in my judgment may best be said on the seven seals How far the seven seals teach The seven seals certainly reach to the end of the world but not in that manner as the greatest part of our Interpreters have imagin'd in dividing the duration of the World from J. Christ to its end into seven Periods almost equal The six First seals do not go beyond 300. years But the seventh seal is subdivided into seven Trumpets doth produce them Now these seven Trumpets bring the events even to the last judgment the first not beginning till after the 6th seal So that these seven seals are as six branches that shoot forth from the body of a Tree with a seventh great branch which it self becomes a great arm shoots forth seven other branches As for this it cannot be doubted by any that read the beginning of the 7th Ch. with any attention
Therfore the three Last Trumpets are preceded by an Angel that cries Wo Wo Wo they are the three last blows of the Fall of the Roman Empire After this Cry follows the fifth Trumpet Ch. 9. And the fifth Angel sounded v. 1. I saw a star fall from Heaven to the Earth to him was given the Key of the Bottomless pit And he open'd the Bottomless-pit v. 2. there arose a Smoke out of the Pit as the smoke of a great Furnace the Sum the Air were Darkned by reason of the Smoke of the Pit. v. 3. And there came out of the smoke Locusts on the Earth And the sequel of the history the Characters of this Prophecy perswade me that by the Locusts we must understand the Arabians and Saracens for after the fall of the Imperial dignity in Italy the greatest event that happen'd with reference to the fourth Monarchy and Religion is the Empire of the Arabians The imperial dignity falls in the fifth Age. In the sixth Age the Arabians are raised up to weary and torment the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms but above all for the punishment of the Empire of Constantinople the most remarkable part of the tâ—n We shall see that the words of the Prophecy agree very well with this discovery of those modern people The falling star in the fifth Trumpet is noâ— a grandee or a Prophet A star falls from heaven 'T is a presage of some great event By this star we must not understand a great Lord or a false Prophet as some have imagin'd For this star doth nothing appears no more in this fifth Trumpet 'T is very improperly that De Launay many others apply to this Star these words to him was given the Key of the Bottomless-pit as if a star could carry a Key use it and open a door The Prophecies are continued Metaphors and Allegories Now according to good Rhetorick Actions in Metaphors must be attributed to Subjects according to the nature of those subjects Here an Angel a star are spoken of 'T is the Angel that opens the Bottomless-pit and not the star 'T is the proper office of Angells in the Apocalyptical Visions to open and shut and bring in on the stage So in the 20th Ch. of the Revelation 't is an Angel that closes the Bottomless-pit on the Dragon This star therfore doth nothing else here but only presage a great insurrection against God that was to happen under the fifth Trumpet The bottomless-pit being open'd The Religion of Mahomet meant by the black smoak there comes out a Smoke black and thick like that of a Furnace and the Sun was darkned therby 'T is the unhappy Religion of Mahomet that fills the world with his thick darkness of Error there arose out of the smoke of the bottomless pit Locusts on the Earth And this unhappy and detestable doctrine formed an Empire and united the Arabians together under the detestable Mahomet By the Locusts the Saracens are meant One can't better represent the Arabians than by Locusts First because of their innumerable multitude So 't was the Author of the book of Judges called them many ages before St. John. And the Midianites the Amalekites all the Children of the East were in the valley as Locusts for number 2. 'T is from Arabia that these inundations of locusts come that often cover both Egypt and Ethiopia and the other neighbouring places round about 3. The prodigious swiftness of the Conquests of the Saracens is most admirably represented by Clouds of Locusts that fall on the fields in one night and almost in a moment 4. One can't better represent the hideous desolations which the Saracens made every where than by the hideous condition that the meadows and fields are in when the Locusts come on them It is commanded these Locusts â— 4. not to hurt the Grass of the Earth nor any green thing but only those men which have not the seal of God in their forheads This is to express that these Locusts are men that are sent against other men wheras true Locusts fasten on the green things And to them it was given not that they should kill men but torment them five months We must know always remember the foundation we have laid that the whole Revelation is a history of the Roman Empire that all the events refer to that Empire So that the sense is the Saracens by the permission of God should have a great power to torment harrass the Roman Empire divided into ten Kingdoms but not to destroy it Indeed the Saracens tormented both Greeks Latins most cruelly But both the Empire of Constantinople the other parts of the Roman Empire defended themselves against their assaults What the five mouths of the reign of the Locusts signify The duration of these Locusts is limited to five months these make 150 days But these days do not signify an 150 years a day for a year according to the prophetick style Joseph Mede that follows this hypothesis assigns 150 years to the time during which the Saracens particularly afflicted Italy from the year 830 to the year 980. But 't is not so We must observe that the reign of the Locusts is in the five months of the summer May June July August September that is their longest reign For oftentimes they last not so long because sometimes in the midst of summer a great wind carries them away or a long rain makes them burst So that the Prophet means that the Sarazens shall fulfill their reign in its greatest extent that God will not abate any thing of it in favour of the men that are the subjects of the Roman Empire The description of these Locusts is notable Their shape was like unto horses prepared to the battle 'T is to signify the wars fights wherby the Saracens were to establish their government On their heads were as it were crowns like gold All the Empires that at this day take up the East came from them that of the Turks that of the Persians that of the great Mogull that of the Tartars Their faces were as the faces of men they had hair as the hair of women their teeth were as the teeth of Lions the sound of their wings was as the sound of Chariots That is to say they are as great women with their hair dishevelled a hideous countenance wings on their shoulders I question not but the Prophet had respect to the description which the Poets make of the Harpyes Tristius haud illis monstrum Aeneid 3. nec saevior ulla Pestis ira Deûm Stygiis sese extulit undis Virginei volucrum vultus faedissima ventris Ingluvies Vncaeque manus pallida semper Orafame VVhence comes the name and fable of the Harpyes Where 't is very observable that the name of Harpyes comes from the Hebrew word Arbim or Arpim which
five things are co-temporary in the third Period Five things cotemporary in the Period of the reign of the thousand years I. The reign of the Saints for a 1000 Years Rev. 20.4 II. The Dragon that is bound whose power is broken Rev. 20.2 3. III. The New Jerusalem the description wherof we have Rev. 21. 22. Chapters IV. The company of Saints that are clothed in white garments who carry Palms in their hands singing this song Salvation to our God that sits upon the throne Rev. 7.10 Rev. 7.17 unto the Lamb and of whom it is said they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat the Lamb shall feed them shall lead them unto living fountains of waters For these are not the 144 thousand Sealed persons spoken of in the beginning â—f the 7th Chap. St. John saith expressely After this v. 9. i. e. after these 144 thousand sealed persons I beheld lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindreds people tongues stood before the throne before the Lamb c. This plainly shews that these are not the persons that were Sealed For they might easily be numbred because they were not above 144 thousand wheras these here spoken of are innumerable In truth these are the same that are spoken of in the 20th of the Revel who are there called the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Iesus for the word of God here they are called they which came out of great tribulation C. 7.14 have washed their robes made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They are therfore co-temporary with the reign of Christ for a 1000 Years as the 144 thousand that were sealed are co-temporary with the reign of Babylon for 1260 Days V. The fifth and last thing co-temporary is the duration of the seventh Trumpet And the seventh Angel sounded with a Trumpet there were great voices in heaven Rev. 11.15 saying the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord. For at the sound of the Last Trumpet the last blow must be given to the Babylonish Empire at the same time shall begin the reign of Iesus Christ to which is assign'd a Period of 1000 Years And the influence of this seventh and last Trumpet must reach even to the end of the World. Thus you have the Chronology of the twelve last Chapters of the Revelation We proceed to consider the History CHAP. X. A short System of the Events foretold in the Revelation concerning the Church as to the Historical part A short explanation of the 11th Chap. IN the 11th Ch. where the Destinies of the Church do begin the H. Ghost in the first place gives us an abridgment of these Destinies Events nothing is more methodical than that First to give a general Idea of those things that are afterwards more particularly to be explained So this Chapter from the 2d. v. to the end contains a short History of the 1260 Years of Antichrist's reign of the 1000 Years of Christ's reign as in the first verse he had described the first Period of 360 Years as we just now observed in the foregoing Chapter This reign of Antichrist is here described by this Paganism that was to tread under foot the Holy City for 42 Months v. 2. The afflictions of the Church its perpetuall subsistence in the midst of those afflictions during this reign of Antichrist are signified by the two Witnesses clothed in sack-cloth A great persecution that must befall the Church at the end of these 1260 Years of Antichrist's reign v. 3. is there also predicted The total suppression of the profession of the truth by that persecution is signified by the death of these two Witnesses v. 7. who must remain dead in the territories of Babylon the great for three prophetical days and a half i. e. three Years a half We shall see afterwards what that means where we must place this great event At the end of three years a half these two Witnesses i. e. the publique profession of the truth shall rise again and be gloriously reestablisht For the H. Ghost saith that the two Witnesses shall ascend again up into Heaven i. e. shall be exalted glorified upon the Earth In the same time the tenth part of the City shall fall v. 13. i. e. one of those ten Kings that gave their power to the Beast shall revolt from him And a little after the seventh Trumpet shall sound which will give the last blow to the Babylonish Empire v. 15. After which the Reign of the Saints shall commence which shall continue to the end of the World. This is the Epitome of the whole History of the Church the sense of the 11th Chapter After this general idea of the History of the Church Ch. 12. its explication the Prophet enters upon the particulars In the 12th Ch. God shews him the vision of the Woman that was with child deliver'd of a Son persecuted by the Red Dragon who fain would devour the Child of the Woman Afterwards there is a battle fought by Michael his Angells against the Dragon The Dragon is overcome and cast to the Earth but as much overcome as he was he ceaseth not to persecute the Woman She is forced to escape into the Wilderness where she is nourisht 1260 Days The Dragon not being able to reach her vomited out a flood after her but the Earth open'd swallow'd up the flood saved the Woman This Woman is the Apostolical Church this Child of which she is deliver'd is pure holy Christianity The Dragon is the Devil who by the authority of the Roman Empire would devour extinguish Christianity in its birth Michael his Angells are Jesus Christ his Ministers celestial as well as terrestrial The combat of the Red Dragon Michael is the combat of 300 Years that was between God the Devil during the ten persecutions of the Roman Heathen Emperours The Devil endeavouring on one hand to destroy the Christian Church by the cruelty of the Emperours God on the other hand defending it by his Martyrs Teachers The victory gotten over the Red Dragon is the casting down of Heathenism which falls to the Earth is cast from Heaven i. e. 't is tumbled down from the throne by Constantine his successors to the reign of Theodosius The great flood which the Red Dragon casts after the Woman when he was thrown down on the Earth is those inundations of Heresies that Arrianism that cover'd the Christian World immediatly after the fall of Heathenism under Constantine The Earth swallowed up this flood in favour of the Woman these Heresies were destroyed swallowed up as in a moment the Church remained deliver'd from them by a kind of
miracle But the Dragon doth not yield for all that but goes to make war with the remnant of the seed of the Woman v. 17. i. e. he endeavours to cause to be brought forth an Antichristian Empire for the ruin of the Church the thing which he will further explain in the following Chapter We have therfore in this the History of the Church to the end of the fourth Century or the beginning of the fifth For it is in the space of these 400 Years that the Apostolique Church did bring forth Christianity that Christianity was persecuted by the Emperours that J. Christ did miraculously preserve it that it remained victorious under Constantine that the Church was almost ruin'd by Arrianism that she saw her self happily deliver'd from it St. John spends but one Chapter about the first Period of the Church of 400 Years because the great events were design'd to be in the following Periods The 13th C. 13.1 2 3. c. Chapter according to the most exact rules of method begins where the 12th ended We have in the 13th Chapter the birth of the Babylonish Empire An Epitome of the History foretold in the 13th Ch. which is grafted on the Roman Empire this is the first Beast that ariseth out of the Sea having seven Heads ten Horns the seventh of these Heads is laden with ten Horns each of which is adorned with a Crown to signify that these were so many Kings These ten Kings are the continuation of the Roman Empire under the seventh Head which is that of Antichrist These ten Kings are subject to this seventh Head together with it compose one Empire A second Beast arises out of the Earth it is the same Empire the same Beast or rather 't is the seventh Head of the first Beast This Empire of Antichrist that was represented in the first vision as one of the Heads is represented in the second vision as a new Beast because it is the ancient Empire of Rome yet nevertheless 't is a New one 'T is the continuation of the Roman Empire having the same seat viz. the City of Rome extending it self very near over the very self-same Provinces It is a New Empire because it is in another form under another name is called the Empire of the Church an Ecclesiastical Empire These two Beasts therfore fill up but one the same Period in which the Head of the Emperors that was mortally wounded is healed again by Antichrist in which Period ways of worshipping and doctrines full of impiety blasphemy are advanced in the Church In which Period the Saints are overcome the Truth is buried in which all the inhabitants of the Earth worship the Beast submit themselves to the Babylonish Empire in which Antichrist whose name contains the Number 666. makes an image of the first Roman Empire causeth it to be worshipped lastly in which all liberty to buy sell live is taken away unless men will bear the Image of the Beast All this is the History of the 1260 Years that begin about the time that the 400 Years of the first Period do end This is according to the rules of History A short explication of the 14th Chap. The 14th Ch. begins also where the 13th ends It contains the Prophecy of the fall of that Babylonish Empire represented by the two Beasts of the 13th Chap. 'T is no longer a Beast with seven Heads ten Horns 't is no longer the Beast with two Horns 't is Spiritual Babylon But this Babylon is the very same thing as the first the second Beast She is fallen v. 8. she is fallen Babylon that great City because she hath made the nations drunk with the wine of her fornication The seven foregoing verses are a preparation for this great fall the following ones to the end of the Chapter are a description of the ruin of Babel The Man that sits on the white cloud v. 14. is Jesus Christ The sickle that is put in first among the corn to mow it down and afterwards into the vintage to cut down the grapes are the two degrees of Babylons fall which we shall afterwards explain This is the Analysis of the 14th Chap. The H. Ghost thought it not enough to have foretold the fall of the Babylonish Empire in general Chap. 15. he will also instruct us in the steps by which it must pass in falling And as this is a great affair the vision of the 15th Chapter is employed to prepare mens Spirits for it The seven Vialls of the wrath and vengeance of God that must overwhelm the Babylonish Empire are distributed to seven distinct Angels to pour them out at different times The 16. Chap. contains the pouring forth of these Vialls Chap. 16. which are the several punishments by which the Empire of the Beast is afflicted till it be entirely brought to nothing And these seven Vials contain all the time of the fall of the Babylonish Empire Of this we will treat in a particular Chapter by it self afterwards It is enough to know that this Chapter leads the afflicted Church to the very point of her deliverance And thus you have the whole History of the Church during the 1260 Years But because these things had been expressed in figurative terms Chap. 17. and prophetical symbols of Beasis Horns Harvest Vintage Vialls God will explain these things in terms less figurative more intelligible Therfore the 17th Ch. is spent in explaining the Visions of the two Beasis to give us to understand that the Beasis signify an Empire that the ten Horus are ten Kings that these ten Kings out of weakness and complaisance would give their power to the Beast and that at last they would ruin him take away that power they had formerly given him As in the 17th Ch. the H. Ghost declares the establishment the progress of the Babylonish Empire in a more clear and less figurative manner than he had done in the 13th Chap. in the like manner in the 18th Chap. he gives us the particulars of the ruin of this Babylon Chap. 18. more largely more clearly more largely I say more clearly than he had done in the 14th Chap. This hath no need of proof In the process of this discourse we shall explain the circumstances of this fall The 19th Chap. is as it were a recapitulation of all that respects the ruin of Babylon Chap. 19. Therin J. Christ appears riding on a White horse is called the faithful and true the Word of God. He assembles all his forces the Babylonish Empire assembles all its forces the fight begins the Beast and the false Prophet i.e. the Antichristian Empire and Antichrist that is the head are taken and utterly destroyed 'T is the same thing we met with before in the 14. Chap. at the end of the 16. at the end of the 17. and
Savoy and lastly that of France which at this day is driven on to extremity and is the most terrible of all that ever the Church endured The Empire of the Papism is a Sodom for corruption of manners As to corruption of manners one may be convinced that it cannot go further than it hath already gone in the Papism by reading what we have written in the sixth and ninth Prejudice In the sixth we have proved the corruption of the heads of the Papism by a short History of the abominable immoralities of the Popes And in the ninth we have given an account of an infinite number of witnesses in all Ages who do depose that all the most horrible and filthy things that can be imagined are to be met with in the carriage and manners of the Monks Priests and Laity in the Papism To perfect the description of the corruption of the Papism the eighth Prejudice may be added in which the filthy sordid simoniacal and sacrilegious covetousness of Rome and all its Agents are discover'd The Empire of the Papism is a Babylon for idolatry To be assured that Idolatry one of the principal Characters of the Antichristian Empire agrees to the Papism you may read the 33. Chap. of the last part where you will find a short description of the extravagant and abominable worship which the Church of Rome gives to the Holy Virgin and all the Saints in which worship we have plainly discovered an evident Character of reprobation and Antichristianism Lastly for the proof of the Paganism of that Church you may read the 12th of our prejudices We have there made a very exact Parallel between Popery and Paganism enough to convince any one that they both had the same spring and Author because they have the same objects distinguisht into the very same classes and very near the very same ceremonies To which may be added the History of the fables of the Papism more filthy and more numerous than those of Paganism You will find it in the sixteenth Prejudice Besides all this we have taken our second Prejudice from the perfect conformity that is between the Prophecies concerning the reign of Antichrist and the things we see in the settlement and the nature of the Kingdom of the Papism We have alledged all the Prophecies wherein 't is agreed that Antichrist and his Empire are both fore-told and described and we have justified it that all the strokes of these descriptions do agree to the Pope to his Seat to his Religion and to his Empire The Roman Religion is that falling away and that Apostacy of which St. Paul speaks in the second Chap. of the second Epist to the Thessalonians 'T is the first Text we have produced against it The Papism is an Apostacy That Religion is an Apostacy because there is in it Idolatry prophaning of holy things an introduction of new Gods and the abomination of Images set up in the Sanctuary It s head is the man of sin and the son of perdition because his throne is the throne of pride of covetousness of ambition of Simony There we find the Politiques of the World and of the spirit of darkness cheating deceit violence blood fornication sodomy brutishness magick and all manner of imaginable wickedness This head of the Papism sits in the Temple of God i. e. in the Christian Church where Jesus Christ dwelt who is the foundation He sits there as a God for he makes his feet be kiss'd by men yea even by the highest powers of the Earth He is called God the Lievtenant of God the Vicar of Jesus Christ and a Vice-God In the quality of a God and as one clothed with his power he changes the times and the Law. He dispenses with things against the Law of God Dan. 7. against the Canons of the Church against the Apostle against the Old and New Testament He lifts up himself above all that is called God for he exalts himself above all the Kings of the Earth that are the Gods of this lower World. He exalts himself also above the true God in making such laws as make void the Laws of God for instance in commanding to worship Images which God hath forbidden us to worship He exalts himself above the Saints which are his Demy-Gods For in the quality of a Judge and consequently of a Superiour he Canonises them he places them in the Heavens he causes them to be honoured with Temples and Altars or he refuseth it to them The Papism is a Mystery of Iniquity His Religion is a mystery of iniquity for all that is in it is unrighteous unjust wicked 'T is usurpations violences and Idolatries It ravishes away from men their just rights and from God that worship that belongs to him alone to appropriate it to a Tyrant or give it to subjects that do not deserve it 'T is a Mystery for it hath all the appearance of a Mystical Religion It hath ceremonies in abundance a pompous worship a mighty out-side but 't is a Mystery of iniquity This mystery was establisht by the efficacy of Santan with all power signs and lying wonders For one can't reckon up either the Diabolical illusions or the Cheats of the Priests or the lying Miracles by which this false worship and this false Religion was establisht in the World. The explication and application of that place of St. Paul to the Empire of the Papism have been already made so exactly that we shall not do it over again except only that Article in which the Apostle saith 2 Thess 2.6 7. Ye know what with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time c. He who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked one be revealed All the world did formerly believe and so it doth still that by him who Held and possessed or did let in St. Pauls time we must understand the Roman Empire And it hath been generally apprehended that the Apostle intended to say that the Antichristian Empire would not appear in the world before the Roman Empire was abolisht and destroyed Tho we should stick to this without any other explication our cause would be much better than that of the Church of Rome For to demonstrate that the Romish Antichrist is not yet come she is obliged to prove that the Roman Empire doth yet subsist Germany is not an Empire nor the Roman Empire doth yet subsist She finds it in the Empire of Germany But nothing is more vain than this nor more easy to be confuted The Government of Germany is neither an Empire nor a Roman Empire 'T is not an Empire There is nothing Despotical in it nor any thing that savours of an Emperour 'T is rather a Republique or an heap of many different Monarchical Aristocratical and Democratical States 'T is not the Roman Empire no more than the Kingdom of France or that of Spain For 't is one of the
was establisht with a terrible havock such as a hideous monster that should rise out of the sea and of an enormous greatness would cause making the waves to foam blowing the water with his nostrills and sending out terrible bellowings 'T is the emblem of the manner wherby the Roman Empire was establisht This Beast hath seven Heads The Spirit explains this of so many Kings and so many mountains The seven heads are seven Kings and seven Mountains See here the Character of Rome together with its Empire It sits on seven Heads that is to say on seven Mountains and it had seven Kings that is to say seven forms of Soveraign Governments We have already reckon'd them up in the foregoing Chapter 1. Kings 2. Consuls 3. Decemvires 4. Tribunes of the people 5. Perpetual Dictators 6. Emperours 7. Popes He hath ten Horns The Prophet doth not say how these Horns were distributed on the Heads But however it is certain The ten Horns are only on the seventh head that they were all on the seventh Head that is to say on the Head of the Popes For 't is under the Papal Dominion that the Roman Empire is divided among ten Horns that is to say among ten Kings Europe that obeyeth the Pope is divided into ten Principal Kingdoms 1. Germany 2. Hungary 3. Poland 4. Suedeland 5. France 6. Spain 7. Italy 8. England 9. Portugal 10. Scotland The other Kingdomes and States were dependencies on these From the first division of the Roman Empire that happened in the fifth Age the partition was made among ten Kings also as we shall observe afterwards Horns always signify power in the Scripture this is known So that these ten Horns must be powers But no signify that these Powers are Soveraign ones and not subordinate the Spirit gives them Diadems They are Soveraigns in name but in truth they are dependents on the seventh head which is the Pope and the Papism For the Papism subjects all Kings to the Pope On the heads there is a name of blasphemy This is not on one of the heads but on all of them And the name of blasphemy is that of the Queen of the universe which she vvould always bear since she attained to her greatness Terrarum Dea Gentiumque Roma 'T is the title of Rome eternal as Saint Ierome hath observed Ad Algas quaeft 11. The Roman Emperours made themselves be called your Divinity They built Temples to them they burnt incense to their Genius they sacrificed to them The seventh head hath also its names of blasphemy The Pope is called his Holiness Vice-God God on Earth Vicar of Jesus Christ Rome under his Dominion is called infallible Rome eternal Rome The Dragon give him his power 'T is the Devil which gives to the Roman Empire the false Religion the idolatries and heresies by which it makes war against God the ambition the cruelty and the covetousness by which it makes war against men And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death 1.3 and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast The Prophet doth not say what head was wounded but it can't be doubted but that it was the last save one For that which comes in the place of that which is wounded lasts to the end Therefore the head wounded to death must be the sixth and the resurrection of this head must make the seventh head or the seventh Government The sixth head is that of the Emperours 'T is wounded by the Goths and the Vandals The Roman Empire is destroyed But it rises again under another head and a new kind of government viz. that of the Popes De Donat Constant In the power of the Papacy is brought forth again if not the grandure of the ancient Empire yet at least a form of government that is not very much different from that by which all the nations once obeyed the Emperours 'T is the confession of Steuchus Bishop of Agobio All the World wondered after the beast The Earth being astonisht to see the Roman Empire establisht under the new name of the Roman Church follows this new Beast submits to this Church being ravisht with this dignity that appeared to list up Christianity to the height of grandeur it submitted to this Chimoera of the spiritual and temporal Principality of the Church of Rome And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies After this v. 5â— 't is only the seventh head that is treated of which is called the Beast simply because 't is the longest duration of the fourth Monarchy 'T is therefore this seventh head the Pope and the Papism that brings forth these great things Can there be any thing greater than that which the Roman Church saith of it self that she is the Spouse of Christ the Queen of all the Churches the infallible Judge of all controversies the Ark out of which there is no salvation the Divinity to which all nations must pay homage the common mother of all Christians the Soveraign of the Kings of the Earth that can depose them transfer their Crowns and give them to whom she thinks fit see the great things and these great things are blasphemies This is clear For to attribute that to her self which belongs only to God is to blaspheme And power was given to him to continue forty and two months 'T is still the seventh head that is treated of 'T is to it that the period of forty and two months of twelve hundred and sixty days that is to say of twelve hundred and sixty years is assigned 'T is clear that these forty two months do not respect the entire Beast that is to say the seven heads or the seven Governments for after the third verse 't is only the seventh head that is spoken of Moreover the seventh Monarchy in its whole extent hath lasted almost twice forty two prophetical months as we have before observed 'T is therefore the duration of the Antichristian Empire or of the second period of the fourth Monarchy that must be extended to 1260. years He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God. â— 6. 'T is to blaspheme God to attribute to it self his power as the Roman Church doth against his name that is to say against his glory The Papism ravishes away the glory from God to give it to the creatures Against his Tabernacle that is to say against his Temple and his Church in calling the true Children of God which are his house heretiques and schismaticks Against them that dwell in Heaven These are the Saints and Angels of whom the Papism makes idols and whom by consequence it greatly injureth And it was given to him to make war with the Saints v. 7. and to overcome them 'T is well enough known how the Papism hath employed Anathemaes thunders fire and sword to extinguish the truth and to destroy the faithful And I beheld another beast coming out of
visibly a Church engraffed and sitting upon an Empire 'T is the Roman Church engraffed on the Roman Empire But we shall touch again on this reflection in the following Chapter And the woman was arrayed in purple v. 4. and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls 'T is not the Beast only that is of a scarlet colour the woman also is clothed with purple The Church which is engraffed on the Empire hath taken the colour of the Empire The Pope the Cardinals the Ministers of the Court of Rome are distinguisht by the imperial purple and scarlet The gold the pearls and the stones encrease the magnificence Nothing is more proud than the pomp of the Roman Court. She holds a golden cup in her hand full of abominations Poculum Aureum Plenum Abominationum 'T is a wonderful accident that the four initial letters of these four words P.A. P.A. make the name of Papa in the Bible of the Latins and of the Roman Church Let him believe it that will that this was purely by chance but I can't believe it This Woman is a Prostitute an adulterous Woman a Church unfaithful to Jesus Christ her Spouse She is represented to us making the Kings of the Earth drunk with the Wine of her Fornications These are her Abominations her Superstitions her false Worship her Idols and her false Religion wherewith she makes people and Kings drunk by her unhappy perswasions The figure is borrowed from those debauched Women that give delicious liquors to their Gallants to enflame them The cup of gold into which all these abominations are poured out is the pretended infallibility This Doctrine contains all the superstitions and the errours of the Roman Church as a Cup. It retains and unites them together Without this all would run out as wine out of a vessel 'T is a Cup of gold for this pretended priviledge of infallibility would be the most precious thing in all the World to him that should have it This Cup of gold signifies also that pompous out-side of ceremonies and those so glittering externals which contain disguised abominations and idolatries The People drink the poison by favour of the Cup. They receive the idolatry by favour of the pomp and the fair out-side Vpon her fore head was a name written MYSTERY Babylon the great v. 5. the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth 'T is the description of the Roman Church She bears written on her fore-head MYSTERY for it is the mystery of iniquity as we have seen before All there is Mystery all there appears like Religion 't is the proper name of Religions but the truth is 't is a mystery of iniquity a Religion full of abominations 'T is a very remarkable thing that the Popes did sometimes bear this name MYSTERY written in the fore-part of their Miter A Venetian Author assures us of it and Ioseph Scaliger saith that he had seen them so marked 'T is the great Babylon We have seen why she is so called Babylon was once the Fountain of all Idolatries And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the Saints v. 6. 'T is no longer the Beast that sheds the blood of Martyrs 't is the Woman 'T is no longer the ancient Roman Empire 't is the false Church 't is the Roman Church that uses the paws of the Beast the Arms of the Empire and of Kings to persecute the Church As in the second Beast of the 13th Chapter the image of the Beast the Roman Church though she is but an image of an Empire gives order for the killing of the Saints The Beast that thou sawest was and is not v. 8. 'T is the Angel that speaks explaining the vision to Saint John. The Empire which thou hast seen represented by the beast is the Roman Pagan Empire that tends toward its end and of which two thirds are already past He must ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition That Empire must very speedily be brought to nothing But after it shall have been destroyed it shall arise again out of Hell under another form under the name and the form of a Church 'T is the head that was wounded to death and which was to revive But this second Empire that must raise up the first again and spring from its ashes shall finally perish whereas the Empire that shall be given to the Saints shall never perish And they that dwell on the Earth c. shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is And the Inhabitants of the Roman Empire shall comprehend nothing of this mystery They shall see that the Roman Empire shall be abolisht Rome shall cease to be the Mistress of the World by the fall of the Emperours and all on a sudden they shall again see Rome mounted up again to the same dignity The Beast was The Roman Empire hath been He is not the Empire hath ceased And yet is and yet they shall see this Empire return without knowing how This prodigy will make them dizzy and enchaunt them Here is the mind which hath wisdom The seven heads are seven mountains v. 9. on which the woman sitteth We have seen seven Heads on the Beast on which the Woman sate These seven Heads signify two things 1st Those seven Mountains on which the Roman Church is raised by reason of the seven Mountains of Rome which is its Metropolis 'T is a Character that makes her remarkable for she hath always been called Septicollis These seven heads are also seven Kings v. 10. five are fallen and one is and the other is not yet come These seven Heads signify also the seven Kings that is to say the seven sorts of Soveraign Governments under which this Empire hath passed and must pass along First Kings 2d Consuls 3d. Decemvires 4th Tribunes of the people 5th Perpetual Dictators These five are fallen these five Governments were passed in St. John's time The one is viz. the sixth that is the Government of the Emperours and the other is not yet come that is to say the seventh Head which is that of the Popes is not yet come And when he cometh he must continue a short space I formerly believed that these words might be applied to the Pope and to the Papism but I believe it no longer and to understand them we must read the following verse And the Beast that was v. 11. and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goeth into perdition 'T is it may be designedly that is to say to render the Prophecy more obscure that the H. Spirit hath inverted the words We must therfore resume the last words of the foregoing verse join them with these here and place them all thus And the eighth King is also of the Beast which was and is not He is of the seven and when he shall come he must continue for a short space and then goeth
into perdition See here an eighth King that belongs to the Roman Empire And this eighth King is of the seven he is of the number of the seven Governments It must necessarily be that this eighth King must come from hence that one of the seven is divided into two And 't is the Head of the Roman Emperours divided into two For the Roman Emperours are either Pagans or Christians The conversion of the Emperours made so great a change that the Christian Emperours deserved to be reckon'd for an eighth head However because they last but a short space and because in respect of their Temporal they were perfectly like the fore-going Emperours the Holy Spirit ranks them under the seventh head And when he cometh he must continue a short space That is to say when the second part of the Head of the Emperours shall become viz. the Christian Emperours it shall not continue long Indeed the Christian Emperours did not possess the Empire but from the conversion of Constantine to Valentinian the third about 130 or 135. years Besides the transposition of the words which I have supposed doth not make any difficulty here for if I made a commentary I could easily bring examples much more harsh in the writings only of the N. Testament And the ten Horns which thou sawest v. 12. are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast These are the ten Kings or the ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was rent when the Imperial power was destroyed in the West And the same time that the ten Kings were made the Beast that is to say the second Beast of the 13th Chapter the Beast with two Horns the Roman Church began to form its Empire This is one of the most remarkable places of the Prophecies to find the point of the birth of the Antichristian Empire Therfore it deserves a larger reflection which shall be found afterwards in its proper place v. 13. These have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast These ten Kings or these ten Kingdoms shall voluntarily submit themselves to the yoke of the Roman Church For she shall not obtain her dominion by the way of Conquest but by the way of illusion of seduction and perswasion She shall perswade the Kings of the Earth to give her their power In truth this did so happen The Princes doating on this Idol of St. Peter's Chair the Apostolical See raised this throne so high that it was like afterwards to have swallowed them up These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them v. 14. They shall lend their arms and their power to the Roman Church to smother the truth But the truth of Jesus Christ shall surmount them shall enlighten them and get such a victory over them as shall be happy for those that are overcome England Sweden Denmark and many other States have been already overcome in this manner And he saith unto me v. 15. the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues This Woman this corrupted Church shall have the multitude for her she shall ascribe great honour to her self from thence and make use of that as an argument that she is the true Spouse of Jesus Christ And the ten Horns which thou sawst upon the Beast these shall hate the whore v. 16. and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire c. We shall have occasion afterwards more than once to reflect on these words Therfore we shall say nothing of them at present The woman which thou sawest is that great City v. 1◠which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth The great City is not precisely the City of Rome 't is the Roman Church that hath its seat at Rome on the seven Mountains This is an important truth that the great City in the Revelation signifies not Rome precisely but Rome conjunctly with its Ecclesiastical Empire It should be proved but we must reserve the proofs for another place where it will be very material for us to fix this what the City signifies CHAP. XVII Babylon in the 17th and 18th Chapters of the Revelation is Rome Antichristian and Papal and not Rome Pagan THe 17th Chapter is one of those wherin the description of the Antichristian Empire is certainly contained We have applied it to the See of Rome with the same success as we have done the foregoing Prophecies But we have some considerations to add to prove that that City spoken of in that Chapter is Rome together with its Empire of Christian become Antichristian That Rome Christian and not Pagan is Spiritual Babylon the seat of Antichrist 'T is a place where the Papists find themselves reduced to mighty straits They have confessed that the 11th and 13th Chap. of the Revelation spoke concerning Antichrist But because in the 11th Chap. the seat of Antichrist is called the City where I. Christ was crucified they will not acknowledg it to be Rome And because in the 13th Chap. Rome is not named they will by no means have it to be found there But in this 17th Chap. they are forced to see Rome in the city on seven Mountains and in that great city that reigned over the kings of the Earth This brings them to the last extremity and we need but see what they say on this point to convince them that their Holy Roman See is the seat of the Antichristian Empire 1st They say that Rome in this 17th Chap. is Rome Pagan and not Rome Christian Bellarm. l. 3. de Pontif Rom. c. 13. The falsness of this supposition is evident First it is clear that the Beast which carries the woman The first Beast of the 13th Ch. and that of the 17th are the same is the same with that Beast that ariseth out of the Sea in the 13th Ch. This had seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy The Beast in the 17th Ch. is described after the same manner The Woman sate upon a scarlet-coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and ten Horns Secondly the Beast of the 13th Ch. ariseth out of the Sea. C. 13.1 C. 17.3 And I saw à Beast rise up out of the Sea. That of the 17th Ch. ascends out of the bottomless pit or the deep Chap. 17.8 The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit or the deep Now the deep and the sea in the visions are the same thing Thirdly Chap. 13.3 'T is said of the first Beast that all the World wonders after the Beast That all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him v. 8. whose names are not written in the book of Life 'T is said also of that in the
consider the Papism as a Religion that confesseth one only God that worships J. Christ God co-eternal with the Father the Redeemer of the World that believes the resurrection the life everlasting Hell and the last Judgment The eye confounds these fair and great objects with the additions of popery And this confused and indistinct view makes the additions to be esteem'd as nothing and appear very inconsiderable on the account of that Christianity that lies at the bottom That therefore we may know the Papism and what name we ought to give it we must consider it alone by it self and as separated from the Christian Religion Then it is certain it will deserve the name of an apostacy or a formal revolt from the faith For do but look only on that Troop of second Gods of Pilgrimages Indulgences Masses Saints Patrons Intercessors she Saints Images Reliques Idols the bread that is worshipp'd pray'd to and before which men prostrate themselves This is a true Paganism and a formal apostacy from the Christian faith My fourth and last Observation to justify that the terms of Apostacy from the faith which the Apostle makes use of here are not too high but agree very well to the Papism is Apostacy especially signifies Idolatry Neh. 9.26 that Apostacy though the word ordinarily signifies all sort of rebellion yet when Religion is spoken of it particularly signifies Idolatry So when the Levites confess the sins of their Nation and of their Fathers they say they were disobedient and they rebelled against thee The septuagint renders it they departed from thee and fell into apostacy by which without doubt is meant the Idolatry of the Israelites For that was the sin that did principally draw down the wrath of God upon them And the septuagint also says of Ahaz that plunged himself into the Idolatries of the Heathens that he apostatized from the Lord with a great apostacy 2 Chro. 28. not that he did absolutely abandon the God of his Fathers 2 Kings 16.15 for he kept the brazen Altar to enquire of the Lord therewith God gives such an Idea of the popish Idolatry as seems very extravagant If all the Idolatry of the Church be called apostacy and deserves that name it is certain the Idolatry of the Papism may well be called apostacy And hereupon 't is worth the while to enquire into the reason why God speaks in so high terms concerning the Idolatry of the Papism He calls that Church the great Whore that makes the Kings of the Earth drunk with the wine of her fornication He saith she holds in her hand a Cup full of abominations and all this because of her Idolatry This looks as if it were very extravagant when applied to the Idolatry of the Papism For after all its false worship doth not appear to be any great matter the Church of Rome invocates Saints but besides that they are the friends of God she invocates them only in relation to God because he hath honoured them with his gifts She believes that the good things which are asked of the Saints are not obtained of them but because those Saints themselves do obtain them of God by their intercessions She prostrates her self before Images but the worship she gives them is relative and goeth up to their original And lastly it doth not appear that this popish Idolatry doth come near the Idolatry of the Heathens to which nevertheless the Holy Spirit hath not given such frightful names Here then are two things to be enquired into First why God gives us so odious an Idea of this popish worship Secondly why he speaks of it in higher terms then he doth of the heathen Idolatries As to the first question I answer that we need but plainly lay open the invocation of Saints their mediation their intercession and the adoration of their Images The invocation of Saints and their intercession ruins the fundamental Article of the exaltation of J. Christ at the right hand of his Father to see that there is nothing more Antichristian that doth more subvert Christianity and one of its principal Articles viz. that of the exaltation of Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father This sitting at the right hand of his Father doth not meerly signify as is supposed an elevation to the glory and dignity of Soveraign Monarch of the Church It signifies also that perpetual assistance if I may use this term in that sense that perpetual action by which Jesus is always present with God his Father to speak to him in our behalf and to obtain of him all things that we stand in need of He assists at the right hand of God because that is the hand of glory and glory is for him The right hand also is the hand of good omen Therefore evil omens are called sinister ones i. e. very bad ones Now in this respect the assists at the right hand of God for us and therefore it is that sitting at the right hand is immediately joined with intercession Who is he that shall condemn It is God that justifies it is Christ that hath dyed or rather that is risen again who also sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us And elsewhere he is entred into the holy places with his blood newly shed and lives there that he may make intercession for us So that the honour of the exaltation of Jesus Christ consists in these two things First his royal dignity that exalts him above all the Church Second the glorious priviledge of continually assisting before the Father to be our Mediator These two great advantages belong to Jesus Christ in such a manner that they are incommunicable to every one besides This was what was typified by the high Priest who alone entred into the Holy of holies to present his incense there Whosoever therefore communicates these two advantages to the creature he destroys the article of the exaltation of Jesus Christ and consequently promotes an abominable doctrine The Papism destroys the two parts of the exaltation of J. Christ Now this is that which the Papism doth it destroys the exaltation of Jesus Christ by dividing it First of all it destroys his exaltation that is to say his royal dignity in giving him an Associate under the name of his Vicar who assumes as well as Jesus Christ the name of God Holy most Holy and Holiness For to make a Vicar for a King without his order and against his will is to give him a Rival Supposing therefore that this great office of Vicar of Iesus Christ be not according to God's intention it is certain that it is the highest of all encroachments on his right and authority and which deserves the odious names of apostacy and abomination Secondly It overthrows the mystery of his exaltation in giving Jesus Christ companions in his incommunicable priviledge of standing before the Throne of God The priviledge of assistikg before the Throne of
forced to it by the vertue of Reliques and merit of a Saint A blind man received his sight by putting a cloth to his eyes that had touched the Coffin of the Martyrs The people by their credulity make such sort of Miracles every day The Miracles were false ones St. Austin had a good share of this credulity But though it were true the Devil might do things much harder than this of restoring sight to a man that had not seen for some time Besides God that was willing that his decrees should be accomplish'd let loose the rains to the spirit of illusion We need but follow the History of the Church and the Legends of the Saints and there we shall find every where these dreams these visions these apparitions of Souls Saints speaking the Virgin Mary appearing to her devotoes the whole designed not to confirm the Doctrines of Christianity but the invocation of Saints the adoration of the Virgin the adoration of Images the Mass Purgatory and other parts of the Antichristian abomination And this fountain of seduction was open'd in part by deceiving spirits among men wicked superstitious wretches Priests and Monks in part by the wicked spirits that perpetually surround men to deceive and mock them The last Character of the Religion of Antichrist here express'd is the Doctrine of Devils or of Daemons giving up themselves to deceiving spirits and to Doctrines of Daemons The Doctrines of Devils or of Daemons what they are The common opinion is that by the Doctrines of Devils or of Daemons we are to understand those Doctrines of which the Devil is the Author and inventor and that bear upon them a Diabolical Character Joseph Mede hath made a new conjecture upon it and which I believe we owe to him He understands by Daemons not wicked spirits that are represented as dwelling in Hell but those spirits which the Heathens worshipt as Mediatours between God and men whom in truth in their Theology they called Daemons For then the word was not taken in an ill sense and Daemons were properly in the Heathen Religion secondary Gods subject to the great Gods. By the Doctrine of Daemons he understands a Doctrine of which Daemons are the object not the authors And according to him the sense is that men in the Antichristian Religion would renew the Divinity and the worship of these mediatory spirits called Daemons that Paganism shall be introduced into the Religion of Jesus Christ that therein shall be establisht a second order of Divinities besides the three adorable persons of the Trinity that dead men shall be invocated in this new Paganism in the same manner as was practised under the old that their Reliques shall be honour'd Statues shall be erected to them Images shall be consecrated for them which shall be worshipp'd that Temples shall be built for them and sacrifices be offer'd to their honour that apotheoses or canonizations shall be renew'd that Miracles shall be feign'd to be done by these Images and these Demy-Gods that Trees shall a new be set up with Trophies which are the Crosses before which men shall prostrate themselves that it shall be pretended that God comes to dwell here below in a piece of consecrated bread just as in the ancient Paganism it was pretended that the Gods by vertue of the consecration came to dwell in their Images Popery hath certainly Devils for its Authors Which interpretation soever we follow 't is certain that Antichristianism is found here It is composed of Doctrines that are truely Diabolical and that have Devils for their Authors 'T is a Doctrine of Devils that hath establisht that Tyrant in the Church who hath exercised so much fury there who pretends to be King of Kings and Lord of the Lords of the Earth who exalts himself above all that is called God who saith he can't be judged by any one but though he should lead men to Hell by troops he must be suffer'd to do it and be left to God to be judged 'T is a Doctrine that hath the Devil for its Author which sets up other objects of worship besides God that gives Iesus Christ companions and believers other Saviours It was no other than the Devil that could inspire Christians with the thoughts of adoring Images and bringing in afresh that Paganism that was once buried 'T was the Devil the father of lies that form'd that monster of Transsubstantiation that hath contrived that prophane sacrifice of the Mass and who of a Sacrament hath made a wretched Idol of it and so to keep to the common opinion the true Religion will not lose any thing by it By Doctrines of Daemons we must understand Doctrines that have Demi-Gods for their object However I confess I have resolved on Joseph Mede's sense It hath not been without weighing things and I did a long time believe that this interpretation was much more ingenious than solid But after I had well thought on it I judg'd the quite contrary and that for these reasons I. First This expression Doctrine of Daemons doth not more naturally signify that the Doctrine spoken of hath Daemons for its Authors than it doth that it hath them for its Object For it is certain that in all languages these sorts of propositions are aequivocal We say the love of God to signify the love of which God is the object more naturally than to signify that love of which he is the Author We say the knowledge of bodies to signify that knowledge of which bodies are the objects the knowledge of the stars to express Astrology a treatise of Angels to express a book not made by the Angels but treating of them The same aequivocal speech and the same usage is to be met with in the sacred books In the sixth Chapt. of the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle speaks of the Doctrine of Baptisms Heb. 6.2 i. e. of the Doctrine that hath Baptism for its object St. Luke saith that the Pro-consul Sergius was astonished at the Doctrine of the Lord Act. 13.12 i. e. the Doctrine treating of the Lord. Gal. 2.20 Acts 3.16 The faith of the Son of God and faith of his name is the faith not which hath Jesus Christ for its Author but its object And thus you see we have already gain'd one point viz. that Grammar can put in no obstacle to this Interpretation By the Doctrine of Daemons must be understood the Idolatry of Popery II. My second reason is because explain it how you will I am perswaded that by the Doctrine of Devils or of Daemons is meant the Idolatry which Antichrist was to re-establish in the Church For this is that which distinguishes that Religion from the Christian Religion and which renders it abominable It will be said that there are some things in the Papism which are not less abominable than its Idolatry that is the usurpation of Jesus Christs power by the Pope I confess it But besides that this
they are at a prodigious distance from it So the Prophet looking on these two resurrections the first and the last it is not strange that beholding them at so great distance he looked on them as joined together though they are a 1000 years distant from each other Moreover the H. Spirit from this first resurrection in which the Church must be deliver'd and which it may be is but a figurative resurrection would raise us up to the contemplation of the last and general resurrection because this first resurrection that must be before the 1000 years of the reign of Jesus Christ must be but an Embleme of the great deliverance of the Church when it shall be in one body translated from earth to heaven by the last resurrection 'T is usual with the Prophets to have holy sallies that from temporal things do transport them to spiritual and eternal ones Isaiah speaking of a sign that God would give to Ahaz and which he refused passes over many ages leaves there Ahaz and his sign Esai 7. and saith the Lord God shall give you a sign behold a Virgin shall bear a son The rest of the twelfth Chapter is not less profound but as it respects the duration of the persecution of Antiochus literally and mystically the time of the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist we shall reserve it for that Chap. where we must speak of the duration of his Kingdom CHAP. XXIV In which are gather'd together 35. Characters of Antichrist that perfectly agree to the Papism and cannot agree to any but it A short portraiture of Antichrifi and his fearures AFter sounding all the fountains whence the pourtaiture of Antichrist is drawn I believe it will not be unuseful to gather together here all the strokes that we may see them all with one view and that we may discern the perfect conformity that is between that Antichrist and the Papism 1. It must be an Empire Rev. 13.1 for it is called a beast now in the Prophetick style a beast always signifies an Empire when Kings are treated of The Papism is an Empire in all the forms of worldly Empires ancient and modern We have proved it with the greatest evidence in our prejudices 2. It must also be a Religion 2 Thes 2. for it is called a mystery and it must be a false Religion for it is called a mystery of Iniquity and an apostacy There is only the Papism in which an Empire and a Religion are found both together 1 Tim. 4.1 8. 'T is true Mahomet made an Empire and a Religion at the same time But in Mahometanism the Religion is not the Empire nor the Empire the Religion and the Priests are not Soveraign Lords under the pretext of Religion Mahometanism is divided into many Aempires and yet there is but one Religion a proof that the Religion and the Empire are not the same thing The Papism is the only Religion that boasts of a Prophet always living Rev. 19.20 3. Antichrist must have a Prophet i. e. a man that saith he is infallible and that pretends to pronounce Oracles as well as the ancient Prophets For with the beast is joined the false Prophet The beast was taken and together with him the false Prophet that wrought signs before him There is no Religion in the World but the Papism that pretends to have an infallible head always pronouncing Oracles when it is necessary always speaking and always living This is a very peculiar Character and which should make us well discern him 4. The corruption of the Religion of Antichrist must principally consist in Idolatry 1 Tim. 4. 2 Thes 2. Rev. 17. for it is called apostacy a Doctrine of Daemons spiritual whoredom The Papism is a Religion in which Idols are re-establisht under new names We have also clearly proved it The Idolatry of Antichrist must be an idolatry of Christians Rev. 17. 5. This Antichristian Idolatry must be an idolatry of Christians which must be exercised in the Church and not without by the Spouse of Jesus Christ and not by a stranger For this idolatry is called adultery and conjugal unfaithfulness The Papism with its Idolatry retains the foundation of the Church and preserves Christianity 6. The chief City of this Empire and of this Religion must be a City seated on seven Mountaïns Rev. 17.9.18 and the great City which in the time of Saint John ruled over the Kingdoms of the Earth that is to say Rome The Papism hath for the capital of its Empire and Religion new Rome built where the ancient one was 7. This Empire was to form it self not by force but by craft by seduction and by the consent of the Kings of the West Rev. 13.13 that were to give their power to the beast The power of the Papism and the Bishop of Rome come by illusion rather than by the violence that both Kings and people have suffer'd 8. This Antichristian Empire must be a continuation of the fourth Monarchy which is that of the Romans Dan. 2.7 Rev. 13. as hath been shewn by the vision of Daniel's Statue by that of the four beasts and by the beast of the 13th of the Revel The Papism is a true continuation of the Roman Empire having the very same seat and very hear the same Provinces 9. This Empire must be only an Image of an Empire an Image of the Roman Empire Rev. 13.14 15. Yet this Image must speak and must be worshipped in all the Earth The Papism hath no arms nor citadels that really make an Empire it hath nothing but superstition and foolish fondness for all its arms however it speaks it threatens it promiseth it teacheth it seduceth and by this means it reigns 10. The Empire of Antichrist must have ten horns Rev. 13. end 17. that is to say ten Kings vassals and subjects props and upholders of its throne The Papism hath always had under it ten principal Kings that have worshipt and maintain'd its power 11. Antichrist must speak great things in his own behalf Rev. 13.5 but against God for they must be blasphemies The Papism saith of it self and its capital great and mighty things saying that Rome is eternal that she is infallible that the Pope is Superiour to all the Kings of the Earth the Spouse of the Church the Vicar of J. Christ God upon Earth his Holiness and most holy Lord. And these arrogant pretensions are true blasphemies against God against J. Christ and against the true Church the Spouse of J. Christ 12. Antichrist must raise wars and cruel persecutions on the account of Religion Rev. 13.7 For 't is given to him to make war against the Saints and to overcome them The Papism hath bathed it self in humane and Christian blood for six or seven hundred years 13. The Empire of Antichrist must be an Empire raised up again Rev. 13.3 an head mortally wounded but healed again The Empire of
shew it to us 33. This Babylon must make all the Nations of the Earth drunk Rev. 18. to make them her slaves The Papism hath poured out on the people a spirit of dulness a drunkenness a charm which hath bewitch'd them to run after her 34. The colour of Antichrist shall be purple and scarlet Rev. 18. his magnificence must be extraordinary he must be adorned with gold precious stones and pearls The Court of Rome hath purple for its colour its chief Priest in the days of ceremonies is covered with gold and pearls its Cardinals are as Kings 35. The reign of Antichrist must endure 1260. years which shall be proved afterwards The Empire of the papism hath endured very near so long already CHAP. XXV How Antichrist came to be mistaken being so well Characterised in the Prophecies A comparirison of J. Christ and Antichrist in the accidental circumstances of their coming SEeing the Empire of the papism so expresly mark'd with the Characters of Antichristianism one can't sufficiently wonder than men have so generally mistaken him 'T is a scandal on the faithful and a prejudicable opinion that seems favourable to the papists Therefore we must say something of the reasons that have made Antichrist be mistaken when he did come God will not have the Prophecies understood that they may be accomplished The first and the fundamental reason is the profound will of God who will not have prophecies be understood to the end they may have their accomplishment with the more ease If the Jews had understood the prophecies touching the Messiah if they had apprehended that he must have been a man of griefs accustomed to weakness that he must have been led as a Lamb to the slaughter and offer up his soul as an oblation for sin and that he was not to be a temporal King at least in his first coming they would have been on their guard Moreover seeing J. Christ working of miracles teaching so holy a Doctrine leading so holy a life they would not have mistaken him though he had not been a King. They would not have crucified him and the Prophecies would not have been fulfilled This example of J. Christ mistaken by that whole Nation for which he came will be very useful to us First It will teach us J. Christ mistaken by the Jews instructs us how Antichrist might be might be mistaken by the Christians that we ought not to be scandalized in any manner at this because the whole Church during so many ages did mistake Antichrist nor grant that as a favourable opinion for the papism For the thing is not more strange than what happened to the Jews All the whole Nation except a small number knew not J. Christ All the whole Church except a few persons did not know that the papism was Antichristianism Secondly This example teaches us that as it was necessary for the accomplishment of the Prophecies touching J. Christ that he should not be known in like manner it was necessary that the Prophecies touching Antichrist should not be understood by the Church to the end they might be accomplisht If the Church had understood that Rome was to be the seat of Antichrist To the end that the Prophecies touching Antichrist might be accomplisht it was necessary that they should not be understood that the Bishop of Rome was to be the head of the Antichristian Empire that the invocation of Saints was to be a Christian Apostacy that the worship of Reliques and the adoration of Images was to be an abomination by which the Sanctuary should be defiled the Doctors of the Church would never have suffer'd the establishment of tyranny at Rome and idolatry in the Temples A comparison of the accidents of the coming of Christ and Antichrist Thirdly This event common to Jesus Christ and Antichrist not to be known by those in the midst of of whom they came gives occasion to make a reflection on the profound and mysterious dispensation of providence that would make this conformity between two subjects in other respects so different and opposite But as opposite as they are they agree in the manner of their coming and in the accidents of that coming which we will presently see by the comparison that we will forth with make Antichrist is a false Christ he is a false Image of him Now 't is of the essence of false Images to have something that imitates the things for which they would pass A parallel between what Jesus Christ is and what the Pope pretends to be or is First Jesus Christ is the Holy of Holies Antichrist calls himself his Holiness and most holy Lord. Secondly Jesus Christ is the true Bridegroom of the Church Antichrist assumes the name of the second Bridegroom Thirdly Jesus Christ is the Vicar and Lievtenant of the Father sent on the Earth to act in his name Our Antichrist also calls himself the Vicar of Jesus Christ Fourthly Jesus Christ is he who opens and no man shuts 't is he that distributes the indulgence of his Father and gives remission of sins Antichrist arrogates the same rights to himself Fifthly I. Christ was promised by the Prophets so Antichrist hath been fore-told 6ly Iesus Christ was described by such lively strokes that it was almost impossible not to know him for is there any thing more express than the 53th Ch. of Esai the 9th of Daniel Yet he was not known Antichrist though so exactly described as we have seen was not acknowledged by them that nourisht him in their bosom 7ly The coming of I. Christ was mark'd by a circumstance so notable that one could not but know it 'T is the destruction of the Iewish nation Shiloh was to come when the Law-giver and the Scepter were departed from Iudah Gen. 49. The coming of Antichrist was mark'd by the ruin of the temporal Roman Empire a circumstance so remarkable that all the World saw it 8ly I. Christ was expected at the time when he came The Iews perceived that the time of the fulfilling the Oracles did draw nigh they reckon'd up the 70 weeks and apprehended that the end of them could not be far off The Christians expected Antichrist at the time when he was revealed We learn it from St. Ierom who seeing the Empire run to ruin by the invasion of the Quades Goths Burgundians c. confesses the time of the coming of Antichrist could not be far off 9ly I. Christ not known by so many people was however acknowledg'd by some of the nation of the Iews Antichrist not known almost by the whole Church however hath been so by divers particular persons whose testimonies we have produced in the first part of our prejudices against popery That which is more admirable in this parallel is that I. Christ and Antichrist were not known almost for the very same reasons The figurative high expressions are the cause why Christ and Antichrist are not known The Prophecies
had been either taken away or prophaned To do this no less than 45 days were necessary and these are the 45 days added to 1290 that make the number 1335 days of which the Prophet saith Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days And 't is at the end of these 1335 days reckoning from the prophanation in the beginning of the year 148 that the dedication was made in the year 148. on the 25th day of the ninth month Therefore 't is the Prophet cries out Blessed is he c. because it was a great feast and great rejoycing in Israel See I say both the History and the Chronology and the duration of the cessation of the prophanation of the Temple and the interruption of the daily sacrifice made to agree with the Prophecy At present from the type we must in a few words make our conjectures touching that which must come to pass in the duration of the Antichristian Empire The prophanation of the Mosaical Sanctuary by Antiochus lasted three years and a half to the time that Judas Macchabaeus drove the Heathen out of Ierusalem and Paganism out of the Temple the cleansing of which he began To the end the truth may answer to the figure the Antichristian Empire must endure three years and a half consisting of 1260 days which are 1260 years during which the Sanctuary shall be prophaned by the Heathens i. e. the service of God shall be polluted by revived Paganism and the Temple of God possessed by a Tyrant At the end of 1260 day Judas Macchabaeus began the purification of the Temple and spent 30 days about it The cleansing of the Church must be begun the Idol must be cast out the Tyrant expelled after the 1260 years But as Judas Macchabaeus spent 30 days about purifying the Temple after he had taken away the Idol thence and had rescued it out of the hands of the Tyrant 't is propable that after the fall of the Papism of its tyranny and idolatry 30 years more will be spent in purifying the Church from all schisms heresies divisions and etrours Lastly as Judas Macchabaeus spent 45 other days to prepare all things for the consecration of the Temple in like manner after the Church shall have been cleansed from idolatry haeresy superstition schism and errours God will employ yet 45 years more to prepare all things for the consummation of the Church At the end of which time will be the dedication the solemn feast And 't is in my opinion in this last space of 45 years that God is to call the Gentiles and all the Nations of the Earth to the knowledge of himself this is that which the Apostle Saint Paul calls The fullness of the Gentiles For see as I believe the degrees by which the Church must arrive at it perfection 1. Babylon shall fall the Kingdom of Antichrist shall cease 2. The Church shall be reunited in the same opinion schisms and divisions shall be at an end 3. The Idolatrous and Infidel Nations especially the Turks who are at this day scandalized at the divisions manners and the false Doctrines of the Christians shall submit themselves at least the greatest part of them being prevailed upon by the purity of Doctrine and holiness of manners 4. Lastly The Jews overcome by so unanimous a consent and it may be by some glorious apparition of our Lord shall be converted and strongly labour to convert the rest of the Nations far distant and separated from us Then shall be the Dedication the consummation of the Church And blessed is he that shall wait and come to the 1335 days i. e. to seventy five years after the fall of the Popish Empire For he shall see the reign of J. Christ in all its Glory CHAP. III. What the Last time are It doth not signify the end of the World. There are many times with reference to the Church and with reference to the World. If Antichrist must reign 1260 years he is come Mahometanism is not Antichristianism THus much is enough to destroy that Chimaera of the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist for three natural years and a half 'T is necessary only to answer a difficulty that may be raised from hence that the reign of Antichrist is called the last times which seems to mean the end of the World. And without doubt this is that which gave occasion to the ancient Writers to suppose that the end of this Empire was not to be above forty five days before the day of judgement But to fall into this errour a man must be little used to the style of the Scripture One thousand two hundred and sixty years 't is said can't be called the last times the period is too long 'T is necessary the reign of Antichrist should be nearer the end of the World and the day of judgement than so But what will those Gentlemen say that make this objection St. John calls his time the last time 1 Ep. 2.18 what will they say of Saint John who speaking of Antichrist and precisely of that tradition according to which he was to come in the last times saith Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time 'T is above sixteen hundred years ago that Saint John said so and then from that time he counted the last times With much more reason may we reckon those ages that came not till four or five hundred years after for the last times The last day the last times are not the same thing John. 6.54 â— Neither must we imagine that the last times signify a short space We must well distinguish the last day from the last time When the Holy Spirit speaks of the last day he always means a short time He that eateth my flesh saith our Lord I will raise up again at the last day But the last time and especially the last times in the plural number always signifieth a long period See the proofs of both these things First that the last times signify not the end of the World. The last times doth not always signify the last day The last time in the singular number sometimes doth St. Peter saith that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time 1. Pet. 1.5 But it doth not always so signify as appears by that passage of St. John which we quoted a little before 't is the last time As for that in the plural number the last time and the last days we find they always signify a time far enough off from the end of the World. Saint Paul in the second verse of the Epistle to the Hebrews saith 1 Ephes 1.20 that God hath spoken to us in these last days by his Son. The Apostle Saint Peter saith that Jesus Christ was fore-ordained before the foundation of
they are at the height of impurity there must have been a number denoting the perfection assigned to them now no other could be found but that of three Besides these unclean spirits are of the number three because of the three springs or sources the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet as if every one must have one of his own And further 't is a wonderful providence of God that the body of the Canon Law which is the heap of the papal Laws is divided into three parts which appear'd in the World at three different times The Decree of Gratian is the first part Three parts of the Canon Law that answer to these three unclean spirits and it was compiled in the twelfth Century After this came the second part under the title of the Decretals of Gregory IX The third part is made up of the Bulls of Popes called Clementines publisht at the Council of Lions by Clement V. of others called Extravagants others called common and common extravagants These are the three parts of the Canon Law which are in truth three unclean spirits for there is nothing so monstrous and so contrary unto the spirit of Christianity The papas Laws have three unclean spirits pride covetousness unchastity Lastly these papal Laws are set forth by the number of three unclean spirits because there are in effect three spirits of impurity that do reign in them Pride Covetousness and Vnchastity Pride for first nothing is more proud then the design of the Popes in general to give Laws to the World to make Emperors to give a body of Laws which all shall use to call themselves infallible to pretend to pronounce Oracles to thunder out Bulls upon the heads of Kings and of all men Covetousness for in the papal Laws every thing tends to profit the Rules of the Roman Chancery and Penetenciary do make up a part of the Roman Laws and in them every thing is sold not the most abominable crimes excepted If we would examine the Laws of the Popedom they are all for gain and tend to the exercise of a most abominable simony They that will may consult the first part of our prejud against popery without reckoning up many other books where the same matter is treated Vnchastity hath its share for in these Laws such filthiness is to be found as cause horror the rules of the Penitenciary do enough prove this This same is found in the Decree of Gratian in Buchard the famous Canonist First part chap. 28. Apolog. for the Reform VVhy the Oracles of popery are compare to Froggs and in such like Authors I have given some specimen's in my Prejugd and in my Apology for Theodore Beza 'T is for this reason that the Oracles of the false Prophet are compared to Froggs the Oracles of God are Eagles that flye in pure air but the Oracles of popery and false Religion are creatures that love the dirt that descend into pits and live there They make a great noyse in times of darkness as Froggs do in the night but will immediately be silent as soon as the Sun of grace is risen that is when it shall dissipate all the shadows of false Religion These are the spirits of Devils working miracles For these papal decisions these orders of the Antichristian Kingdom that they may establish the adoration of idols the invocation of Creatures the idolatry of bread are supported by signs and a thousand lying miracles But 't will be objected these decisions do not work miracles whereas the Text here saith that these three unclean spirits work miracles A very slight difficulty For seeing the Holy Ghost represents these Laws of the Popedom as spirits i. e. as persons and as intelligent existing substances there must be actions ascribed to them Actiones sunt suppositorum say the Schools Thus Saint John ought necessarily to speak of miracles wrought in favour of the papal Laws and Papists as of miracles that are wrought by them They go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty The Bulls of Popes are as so many thundering messengers who are sent to Princes and who threaten order and command them to make Croisades to destroy pretended hereticks and to employ temporal weapons to execute the orders of the spiritual Authority and also command them to enjoyn the observation in all places of idolatrous worship wicked Canons and the proud government which the Popedom hath establisht by its decrees All this unites together and gathers the Kings of the Earth makes one body one army of persons joyn'd in a bond of a most real conspiracy who fight against God and seek to rob him of his honour and glory The day of battel is the whole duration of the Antichristian Kingdom Interpreters have entertain'd a false notion in imagining that by the day of battel is to be understood the very time in which Antichrist must be destroy'd For 't is the whole time of the Antichristian Idolatry and Tyranny though especially of the last period of Antichrist i. e. of Antichrist declining or approaching to his fall This time is called the day of God Almighty because at the end of this day or time God shall display his vengeance against these Kings who are leagued against him through means of the papal and Ecclesiastick Laws and decrees During three parts of that day and battel against God his Church is worsted but in the last part of the battel God shall overcome These Kings of the Earth are gather'd together in Armageddon The place Armageddon is the place from whence the thunderbolts of excommunications and curses do come forth i. e. the See of Rome and of the Pope or the Vatican whose thunderbolts have so often consumed whole Countries All the Kings who are subject to the Popedom are gather'd leagued and united in this place and by this place Seeing the Prophet had represented the papal Laws as spirits and persons he ought in the same manner to represent the Excommunication or Curse as a place which unites and gathers together the men who are contain'd in it Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame This is a Parenthesis which hath relation to the battel that the papal laws censures interdicts anathema's decisions and Papists do fight against the Truth and the Faith to admonish the faithfull that they be upon their guard against so many assaults and so many lying Oracles which deceive the minds and hearts of men Why God places these three unclean spirits of papery under the sixth viol First reason There remains only one difficulty and that is to know why the Holy Ghost places these papal spirits or Laws under the sixth viol but the reasons are evident enough This sixth viol begins its period in the year 1390. when the Turks began to
pass over the Archipel and the Bosphorus they went still forward untill the year 1526. when they ceased to gain ground upon the West Now 't was at this time that the body of the papal Laws styl'd the Canon Law was compleated the Clementines had been publisht by John XXII about the year 1320. he likewise publisht the Extravagants But the Common or the common Extravagants appeared not nor were compiled till the end of the fifteenth Century So that 't is properly in this sixth period of the viols that this work of darkness was wholly finisht Now 't is natural when something is to be brought upon a great Theatre that it may be shown to stay till it be finisht and therefore the Prophet ought not to speak sooner of these papal Laws Second reason The 15th Censury was an Age of Excommunications Besides there never had been any age or time wherein there were more Armageddons Anathema's and Excommunications then in this period The Popes at Rome and Avignon did excommunicate one another Within this period the Councils of Pisa Constance Basil Florence and the Lateran under Julius II. and Leo X. were held and it s was nothing but anathema's excommunications canons decisions censures either against Popes or pretended hereticks as the Wickliffites Bohemians Taborites and lastly against Luther c. Lastly these spirits are most fitly placed under the period of the sixth viol because then the Bulls Third Reason decisions decrees of the Church of Rome gathered the Kings of the Earth to battel against the Bohemians And Zisca having gain'd such signal victories that they might well be called the battels of the great day of God Almighty a Croisade was publisht against him and all those who stood for the Truth in Bohemia and the neighbouring Countries CHAP. X. The seventh plague is the preaching of Luther and other Reformers by which the Latin Church was divided into three parts Papists Lutherans and Reformed ANd thus behold we are come to the seventh and last viol V. 17. And the seventh Angel pour'd out his viol into the air and there came a great voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done It is done does not signify the final ruin of Antichrist This expression It is done hath deceived all the Interpreters who have confounded this moment or space of time with that of the seventh trumpet when it must be proclaim'd It is done the Kingdoms are brought under our Lord Jesus Christ The great Babylon is wholly destroyed c. They have believed that this expression It is done signified the total destruction of the Antichristian Kingdom at that very moment But certainly they are mistaken It is done is nothing else but It is done with the viols The viols comprehend and signify periods of some length this is the last this is the last period of the Antichristian Kingdom and which shall comprehend its total ruin We have remarkt already that every period contained in every viol took in a considerable space of time a hundred a hundred and forty a hundred and fifty years and more Therefore there is no reason not to allow some length of time to this seventh viol it ought to have as much as least as the others yea more because 't is the last and consequently it must have about two hundred years allowed to it And this is the period that comprehends the total ruin of Antichrist which ruin as we shall see anon is divided into two parts the harvest and the vintage the harvest hath been in the age last past the vintage must be at the end of this and the beginning of the next age This last viol begins exactly at the preaching of Luther and as an hour-glass must run untill the total destruction of popery And I hope none will doubt of this when we shall have made out how exactly all that follows in the Prophecy agrees with the times and things which have been seen since the Reformation This seventh viol is pour'd not upon the Earth or the Sea or the Sun or the Seat of the Beast as the others were but on the air which is the seat of the voyce of sounds and thunders and we shall presently give you the reasons V. 18. And there were voyces and thunders and lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great These voyces The seventh viol raiseth Preachers and voyces for the ruin of Antichrist these lightnings and these thunders are the voyces of Preachers who labour'd in Reforming the Church we shall afterward see that there are three ways of Reforming the Church the way of Inspiration the way of Authority the way of Preaching this last is signified by voyces and thunders And 't was this way that God used to reform the Church in the last age These voyces glittered like lightnings and passed with a prodigious swiftness from one end of the Antichristian Kingdom to the other All men saw them and would see them men studied Religion The very Grandees of the World persons who despise knowledge were concerned in these affairs Henry VIII wrote a book against Luther Charles the fifth made Laws about Religion now on the account of these lightnings i.e. the voyces of Preachers this seventh viol is said to be poured on the air for the air is the seat and vehicle of the voyce There was a great Earthquake In the Prophetick style this signifies a change of the face of the World the Earth plainly signifies here the frame and face of the Antichristian Kingdom We have already seen and shall afterward have occasion to see that Earthquakes in the figurative style of the Prophets always signify a change of the face of the World because Earthquakes do overturn not only Cities but Mountains Forrests hilly Countries and Vallies they set Mountains where Vallies stood and Vallies where Mountains stood in so much that the face of a whole Country is changed Now all know what a change the reformation made in the face of popery It took away from it at one clap several Kingdoms and a great number of Soveraign States And this Earthquake i. e. this change of affairs was so great that there had not been such since men were upon the Earth This may be truly spoken without any exaggeration For we must observe that this last period comprehending the harvest and the vintage the first and last destruction of Antichrist 't is undoubted that the face of the World was never so changed as it shall be changed after the total ruin of Antichrist the time of the first establishing of Christianity not excepted For at that time there were great numbers of men converted up and down among the Nations But at the time we speak of all the Nations and whole Nations shall submit themselves to the Faith. And thus this period shall make greater changes in the World then
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified V. 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and a half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put into graves V. 10. And they that dwell upon the Earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth V. 11. And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them V. 12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them V. 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to God. The Witnesses who prophecy cloathed in sackcloth are the faithful who preach under the Cross As to what concerns these two witnesses i.e. what is signified by them I have not changed my opinion since I wrote the book intitled Lawfull prejudices against popery Though as to all the rest the studious attention which I have used in reading these Prophecies hath given me quite different apprehensions I do therefore still believe that these two Witnesses who must prophesy 1260 days cloathed in sackcloth are the small number of the faithfull who during the reign of Antichristianism must keep themselves from its corruption and condemn its idolatries and tyranny God calls them witnesses because these are they who bore witness to the Truth which but for them would have been forgotten They prophesy cloathed in sackcloth i. e. they preach under the Cross For we must well observe that these two Phrases one used in our language the other in that of the Holy Ghost to prophesy cloathed in sackcloth and to preach under the Cross are absolutely of the same signification He makes them onely two in number to express that those faithfull who shall preserve themselves from the corruption of Idolatry shall be but a very small number And indeed experience hath too much verified this prediction Nevertheless he makes them two in number to signify that however small the number of true Christians is it shall notwithstanding be great enough to support the Truth and keep it from falling for in the mouth of two witnesses every word shall be establisht How these witnesses have power to change water into blood and shut up heaven v. 6. God ascribes to these two witnesses power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their prophesy and power over waters to turn them into blood and to smite the Earth with all plagues as often as they will. Joseph Mede gives a very ingenious reason of this which I believe is very solid viz. That the Holy Ghost borrows his Emblems from the histories of the Old Testament and alludes unto several Pairs of eminent witnesses which God raised up at several times as Aaron and Moses at the coming out of Egypt Joshua and Caleb at the conquering of the promised Land Elijah and Elisha at the time of the grand Schism of the ten tribes Zerubbabel and Jehoshua at the return from the captivity Among these witnesses Elijah and Elisha had power to shut Heaven to hinder rain for three years and to make fire come down from Heaven Moses and Aaron turn'd the waters of Egypt into blood Joshua and Caleb brought the people of Israel into the Land of Canaan and smote the ancient Inhabitants with a sore plague To this the Holy Ghost alludes But we must further add that God ascribes to these witnesses 1. The shutting of Heaven that rain no in the days of their prophecy to signify that during the 1260 years of their Prophecy and of the reign of Antichrist there should be a great drought of grace and a barreness of virtues and gifts in the Church 2. The turning of waters into blood and the smiting of the Earth with all plagues Because all the heavy judgements of God that during the course of these 1260 years came upon the Antichristian Church were sent on the account of these two witnesses and to punish oppression under which it held both the Truth and those who were willing to profess it Here is fore-told a last persecution that must happen before the end of Antichrists reign The seven verses which we even now have read concerning the persecution which these two witnesses must suffer and the consequent of that persecution contain a grand event which must come to pass before the last fall of the Antichristian Kingdom And 't is one of the principal circumstances of this fall First we must observe the circumstance of time and when they shall have finish their testimony Mark this testimony must last a thousand two hundred and sixty days My two witnesses shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days cloathed in sackcloth Now these thousand two hundred sixty days of the prophesying of the witnesses are the forty two moneths of the Antichristian reign for forty two moneths make exactly 1260 days All the World is agreed that these are the three years and a half of the reign of Antichrist and that Antichrist and these two witnesses are absolutely and exactly contempories 'T is therefore the very same as if the Holy Ghost had said And when the Beast or the man of sin shall have finisht his reign of 1260 years it shall make war against the two witnesses This is therefore a persecution of Antichrist against the faithfull and a persecution that must happen before the end of Antichrists reign These words when they shall have finisht must not be understood as if the Holy Ghost would say when the 1260 years shall be finisht For after the 1260 years are finisht there can be no persecution seeing the Beast shall have lost his power So that this persecution must begin and end within the 1260 years but yet at the end of them 't is the ordinary custome not only of Scripture but of all men to say that something comes to pass when this or that is finisht because it happens when that things is finishing and very near its end This is therefore the last persecution of Antichrist against the Church This persecution hath its Characters 1. It must continue a long time Characters of the last persecution for 't is compared to a war The Beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them 2. This war or persecution must end in a victory over the two witnesses and shall overcome them and kill them Mark that God does not reckon the death and martyrdom which the faithfull suffer for the Truth as a victory that the Devil gains over them on the
elevation of Elijah and of Jesus Christ who were lift up above the clouds And their enemies beheld them Popery shall not as yet be destroy'd in France when this shall happen The Priests the Clergy and Monks shall be spectators of this great work But the end of popery in France shall come quickly after For the same hour-there was a great Earthquake mark the same hour he saith not and after as he had said to express a space of time between the resurrection of the witnesses and their ascending up even to the Throne But he saith the same hour to signisy that assoon as the Reformation shall be establisht by a solemn Edict of the Prince as by a great voyce from heaven the total destruction of popery shall happen as we are about to shew And the same hour there was a great Earthquake I will not spend time upon the signification of this representation an Earthquake For 't is known by all who are versed in the Prophets See Isa 170 13. and 24.19 20. Jer. 4.24 and 49 20. that in the Prophetick style an Earthquake signifies a great commotion of Nations that must change the face of the World because Earthquakes do overturn Cities Mountains and wholly change the face of a Countrey make Valleys where there were Mountains and Hills where there were Valleys and Lakes which were dry Land before and deserts of Countries which were inhabited so that 't is certain that according to this Prophesy in a very few years the face of the Antichristian Kingdom shall be changed but not every where It shall be only in the tenth part of the City which shall fall by this Earthquake The City signifies the Roman Antichristian Empire and not Rome alone And the tenth part of the City fell This is a passage where Interpreters have been short sighted not excepting our Joseph Mede who often hath so quick a sight To understand this we must first know what the City is Joseph Mede is mistaken together with all the rest when he understands this to mean precisely the City of Rome 'T is a truth which must be held as certain being one of the keys of the Revelation that the City the great City signifies in this book not Rome alone but Rome in conjunction with its Empire The name of this great City is Babylon Now 't is clear that Babylon is the whole Babylonian Kingdom Come out of Babylon my people 'T is not from the City of Rome that the Holy Ghost invites his Elect to come out 't is from the Church of Rome from the Babylonian Empire This passage alone together with that in this eleventh Chapter v. 8 And their dead bodies shall lye in the street of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was cruicified are enough to prove that the Babylonian City is not Rome alone Our Lord was not crucified in Rome and if we should here take crucifying in a figurative sense for the crucifying of the Religion of Jesus Christ this hath been sacrificed at Rome no more than in other places of the Latin Church In the 14th Chapter the Holy Ghost describes the fall of this City of Babylon Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City and in the same vision he fore-tells the ruin of the Antichristian Empire under the Metaphors of an harvest and a vintage which proves that this City is nothing else but the intire Kingdom of Babylon In the 18th Chapter the Prophet makes a long description of the desolations of this City under the Metaphors of a City of Merchandise which had a great traffick and was fill'd with pleasures and delightfull things Now 't is certain that the shamefull simony the wicked pleasures of the Papacy have not reigned less in the Provinces of the Babylonian Kingdom than in the Capital City from whence 't is again evident that the City signifies the whole Antichristian State. Lastly the constant opposition between the Holy City and the great City proves that the City includes the whole Antichristian Church even as the Holy City signifies the whole Christian Church De Launay hath confessed this in the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation and in the 16th but no exception is to be made every where the City and the great City Babylon signifies the intire Kingdom of the Papacy And the reason of this is evident old Rome made her whole Empire to be one only City by means of that right of citizenship which she bestowed on all who were of some considerable quality though they dwelt in the Provinces The citizens of Rome dwelt in all Countries now where the citizens of a City dwell there is the City this made Rutilius say Dumque offers victis proprij consortia juris Vrbem fecisti quod prius Orbis erat Thus it goes exactly in the Church of Rome which hath re-establisht the Roman Empire All those who are members of this Church are citizens of her capital City The Church of Rome is but one City Persons of all Nations are admitted into her Senate or Colledge of Cardinals The Tribunal which is called the Rota is constituted of Councellors taken out of all the Provinces which pay subjection to Rome Every Forreigner may come to be a Cardinal and every Cardinal may come to be Pope Therefore there are properly no Forreigners in that State no Papist is a Forreigner to the Church of Rome and that which they call the holy See. That which hath deceived Interpreters v. 9 1â— is the 17th Chapter where the City is called the Woman which sitteth on seven Mountains and that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth This say they is the City of Rome and the Papists themselves do grant it and without doubt 't is Rome and we have above proved it but 't is Rome conjointly with her Empire Babylon signifies the whole Antichristian Empire and this Antichristian Empire is said to sit upon seven Mountains and to rule over the Kings of the Earth Rome must always be considered together with her Empire because this is true of its Capital City Nothing is more ordinary not to add that 't is constantly used than to denote a whole Kingdom by the ruling City Thus men always spoke of Rome Rome hath conquered the Nations Rome hath enlarged her Empire to the end of the World this signifies that the Roman Empire hath subdued all Nations and extended its bounds even to the utmost parts of the Earth The tenth part of the City is one of the ten Kingdoms that make up the Empire of the Papacy Chap. 17.12 13. This being supposed and proved that the City is the whole Babylonian and Antichristian Empire it must be remembred that this Empire of Antichrist is made up of ten Kingdoms and ten Kings who must give their power to the beast The ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings These have one mind and shall give their power unto the
the whole Babylonian Empire we must not imagine that all this great circuit of Countries shall be laid desolate The 19th Chapter is the last in which mention is made of the destruction of Antichrists Kingdom The ten first Verses of this Chapter must not be disjoyned from the fore-going Chapter for they are only the continuation of it The solemn rejoycings of the Elect after the ruin of Babylon and the consummation of the Christian Church here below upon Earth The eleven last Verses of the Chapter contain a wonderful vision wherein Jesus Christ appears sitting upon a white Horse having the titles of faithfull of true of the word of God of King of Kings of Lord of Lords He gathers his armies together to fight against the Beast and against the false Prophet An Angel stands in the Sun and calls to all the fowls of Heaven to come and eat the flesh of those men that must be slain in that great battel which was to be fought On the other side the Beast and the false Prophet gather their forces the battel is fought the Beast and Kings are overcome he is taken with his false Prophet both are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone together with all those who had worshipt the Image of the Beast And this is magnificent and the Figures are lofty But there is nothing new in this and in my judgement 't is nothing but a recapitulation of the fore-going visions concerning the ruin of Antichrists reign The vision of the eleventh Chapter is an Epitome of the visions that follow and this is properly an Epitome of the visions which went before therefore I do not judge it necessary to insist upon it Especially seeing nothing is found of that which we seek for namely the signs and marks by which it may be known when and at what time the reign of Antichrist must end 'T is in the 11 14 and above all in the 16th Chapter that we find the Characters of this end and of the time in which it must come to pass Therefore it was necessary only that we should insist upon those Chaters The slaughter and murthers in the 19th Chapter must nor be understood literally I will only make the observation upon this Chapter which I made upon the fore-going That we must not understand literally the expressions of war and destroying that are used here for example that Iesus Christ must tread the wine-press of the wrath of God that he must give to be eaten by the fowls the flesh of Kings of Captains of mighty men of Horses of free and bond c. These are Metaphors borrowed from war and must be understood surably to the nature of this spiritual war which Jesus Christ must make against Idolatry Superstition Heresies and Tyranny his quarrel is with these and not with men Besides the reasons alledged we have here a convincing one that the Instrument of so many victories and which must make such a slaughter Vers 15. is the sharp sword that comes out of the mouth of him who sitteth upon the white horse And the remnant was slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse and all the folws were filled with their flesh Now all know that this sharp sword that comes out of the mouth of Jesus Christ is the Word of God a spiritual sword which must act only spiritual slaughters and which does not destroy the lives of men but their manners and Idolatries So that I fear lest those are mistaken who hope to render to Babylon that which we have received form her and in the cup which she hath filled to fill to her double i. e. to give her blood for blood torment for torment This is not the spirit of the true Church I have now done with this subject and I think there remains but one thing to do that I may give a clear Idea of our prophecies and that is to Epitomize and rank according to the order of time the various events which relate to the ruin of Antichrists Kingdom which the Holy Ghost displaced and confounded to the end that the prophecies might not be clearer than God did intend they should be As for the seven plagues of the seven viols they are perfectly ranked according to their order and according to their times A commendious Methodizing of the events which must bring Antichrist's Kingdom to its ruin 1. The first plague of the first viol begins about the year of our Lord 900. it lasts almost 150. years and ends under the Popedom of Leo IX about the year 1050. 2. The second and third plagues which are the Croisades begin at the end of the eleventh age and end at the going out of the thirteenth in the year 1270. or 1292. For till then some of the Latins kept possession in Palestine so that they take up the space of about two hundred years 3. The fourth plague begins before the Croisades but if we please we may place its beginning where the foregoing ends This fourth plague is the encrease of the Papal yoke and this Period beginning at the year 1270 shall continue untill the year 1378 when the consequent of the fifth plague begins namely the weakning of the Papal reign by the schism Therefore this Period will contain 108 years 4 The fifth plague is the removing of the Popes to dwell at Avignon and the grand Schism of the West It begins in the year 1305 and lasts untill the year 1440. This Period being a little jointed within the former shall last 130 or 135. years 5. The sixth plague which is the passage of the Turks into Europe and the desolations which they made in the Popes Dominion and in the Latin Church beginning towards the end of the fourteenth Age about the year 1370. and lasting untill the siege of Vienna under Charles the fifth in 1529 this Period will be 150 years 6. The seventh plague beginning about the year 1520 and lasting untill the end of our Age and the beginning of the next must last about 190 years This last Period is longer then the rest because God intended to subdivide it into three other Periods 7. The first Period of this last viol is the harvest which lasted 30 or 40 years from the year 1520 until 1560 when all the Countreys which were to be Reformed had embraced the Reformation 8. The second period of this seventh viol is that season and state of rest and victory which the Papacy regain'd and this period lasts from 1560 or 1570 for since that time Popery hath received no considerable check but rather hath much prevailed it hath made war against the saints had hath overcome them 9. Towards the conclusion of this second period of the seventh viol a sore persecution must happen The Witnesses clothed in Sackcloth i.e. the faithful who are under the Cross shall be oppressed and remain dead in the street of the great City for three years and a half That is the profession
Maimbourg should publish one history upon another of the declining of the Empire Of the Croisades Of the Schism of the Greeks Of the great Schism of the West Of Lutheranism and Of Calvinism for this purpose to raise our attention unto these great events of the seven plagues which without this perhaps none would have thought of I earnestly beseech them I say seriously to consider this heap of circumstances and to tell me in their Consciences whether Chance can produce and agreement of above a hundred or two hundred points relating to the same subject None can ever make this reflection seriously but he must be convinced CHAP. XVI Of the thousand years reign That in all the past time there is not a time to be found wherin Satan hath been bound Four heads of arguments to prove this reign The first is the fifth Monarchy so plainly promised to the saints WE have done examining that which relates to the fall of the Antichristian Kingdom That we may keep our word that we gave in the Title of our second part we must now enquire what must happen to the Church after that great event This laid down in the 20 chapter of the Revelation in these terms v. 1. And I saw an Angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand v. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent which is the devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years v. 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season v. 4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Iesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years v. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection Behold the Text which is the subject to so many doubts and so many controversies Behold that which hath made the pretended Hereticks who are call'd Chiliasts and Millenaries I mean not those Chiliasts who have believed a thousand years reign of the Church during which time it must enjoy according to their opinion the carnal and sinful pleasures of the world these were filthy spirits which came out of the Dragons mouth A distinction between carnal and spiritual Millenaries But as for those who believe that after the ruin of Antichrist and before the end of the world God reserves to himself a period of a thousand years in which he must reign by himself and his people pour out upon them an abundance of his spirit bring al Nations to his knowledge govern them with a golden scepter and no longer with an iron one secure them from all evil and from all danger of corruption as for these I say the time is coming and that very shortly that men shall be ashamed that they have branded them with the names of Chiliasts of Millenaries and fifth Monarchymen I have former by observed that there is something that is surprizing and divine in the due understanding of Prophecies We wonder at the strange stupidity of the Jews who do not discern in their own Oracles our Jesus and their Messias We are Astonisht at the dismal blindness of the Papists who do not see the Beast and Antichrist in that which they call their Holy See and their Holy Church God hath had reasons why he hath given these men eyes that they should not see and a heart void of understanding Certainly here is the same thing There must be a blindness greater then can be imagined 'T is surprising that men have not seen in the Scripture the Reign of Jesus Christ on the earth in those who see not this Kingdom of Iesus Christ and the Church which must make the seventh Period of the world There is something supernaturall in this blindness I had this favour from God that I saw this Reign in the Scriptures ever since I was able to read and understand them without having read either any Commentaries upon the Revelation or writings of the Millenaries I hope to make out the truth of this Reign with such clearness that if shall be difficult to shake any doubt of it It is impossible to find in the time by-past room for the Period of a thousand years in which Satant must be bound First it is agreed on all hands that within the duration of the Church we must necessarily find a Period of a thousand years in which it may be said that Satan hath been bound i.e. hindred in his designs which are seduction and persecution This it too plain to be denyed But where shall we find this Period I am sorry to see so great so learned and so holy a person as Vsher Archbishop of Armagh to place this period of a thousand years within the time of Christs Incarnation and the eleventh Age. How can any one say that the Devil was bound during that space Is it with respect to seduction In the three first Ages did he not seduce men Were not the Pagans seduced Their Religion was it not the Ruling Religion There were Christians I grant but I am perswaded that they were not the fiftieth part of the whole Roman Empire In the succeeding Ages hath he not set on foot that grand seduction that is called the Beast the False Prophet the Kingdom of Antichrist Hath he not brought Idolatry into the Church the abomination into the sanctuary such tyranny pride and corruption of manners that there was never greater among the Pagans With respect to persecution hath he been bound how much blood hath shed how many Butcheries hath he acted how many Massacres what a great number of Martyrs Can it enter into any mans thoughts that this should be called the Period of Satans binding He was never so broken loose The falsity of their hypothesis who begin them at Constantin What do those gain who come three hundred years lower and hold that Santan began to be bound at the time of Constantin They must upon that principle place their ending at the year thirteen hundred and so include within their Period of the thousand years the rage of the Beast who hath fed upon the blood of the saints the seductions of the false Prophet who makes the Image of the Beast to be worshipped and the whole world to run after him who obligeth all men to bear his mark upon their foreheads who makes war against the Saints and overcometh them In one word they must take in into their Period of Santans binding that space of time in which
converted becomes an Apostle and the instrument of the conversion of the Gentiles the converted Iews shall compleat the conversion of the most remote Pagan Nations in the utmost corners of the World. This doubtless is that admirable return of the Iews and their advancement to the Soveraign dignity of the Church which Ezekiel represents in the 37. Chapter of his Prophecies under the Image of a Resurrection This also is that which St. Paul calls Life from the Dead Ezekiel saw a large Valley covered with dead Bones These dead Bones are the House of Israel saith the Holy Spirit They came together and sinews and flesh came upon them and the Spirit of the Lord entred into them The Prophet speaks farther in the following Chapters of the Victories this renewed Israel should obtain over Gog and Magog the Enemies of the Church After which in the nine last Chapters he makes a figurative description of this Kingdom of the Iews and of the Messiah and of the Church perfected upon Earth under the Emblem of a magnifick Temple whereof he describes the Parts the Apartments and several Buildings the Altar Priests Victims the Land of their possession and a new division of it This in my opinion is the mystery of the nine last Chapters of Ezekiel Chap. 45. which have appeared so unintelligible to most Interpreters I conclude this Chapter by saying that the Papism makes it hereby plain that it is the true Kingdom of Antichrist by their cruel persecution of the Iews That Mystery of iniquity comprehends nothing of the Mystery of Godliness and sees not that God hath reserved that Nation to manifest in them his greatest wonders and consequently that they ought not to be destroyed by flames as in Spain and in those Countries where the inquisition is in force CHAP. XVIII The third Head of Arguments for the future Kingdom of Christ and the Church So many Prophecies which concern the compleat Victories of Jesus Christ the Holiness of the Church and its perfect prosperity which have never yet been accomplisht MY third Head of Arguments to show that we are to expect a Kingdom of Christ upon Earth are the Prophecies not yet accomplisht and which cannot be fulfilled unless such a Kingdom do come This would be a large subject and yield matter for several books and those good ones too whereby the World might be informed of several things they know not But this Book is larger already then I would have had it I shall therefore content my self briefly to show and endeavour to perswade that there must be a Time which we have not yet seen for the fulfilling of several Prophecies which were delivered on purpose to describe the Kingdom of our Lord Iesus and give us the Characters of it The most ancient Oracles are not perfectly fulfilled The most ancient and most remarkable of all the sacred Oracles is that which God himself pronounc't to Adam The seed of he Woman shall bruise the Serpents head and â—hee shall bruise his heel 'T is agreed that the Head signifies Empire and Power So that Prophecy imports the victory of Christ and his Children over the Kingdom of the Devil and that they shall destroy it Now this is a promise not yet accomplisht in the History of the Church we have no age wherein it could be said that the Kingdom of Christ prevailed over that of Satan It is an observation we cannot mind too much that we must carefully distinguish here between Life and Kingdom or Reign Life signifies existence but Reign imports actual Domination and Rule Iesus Christ 't is true in every age hath had a party subsisting in the World and in that respect hath been victorious over all the attempts of Satan whose end was to destroy him and 't is some kind of victory over an Adversary to prevent him from attaining his end but this can never be called a full and compleat Victory It is necessary to that to be the predominant prevailing Party whereas that of Iesus Christ hath alway been opprest either by Paganism or by Mahometanism or by Antichristianism Such a time therefore is to be expected wherein the party of true Christianity shall prevail over and utterly extinguish the Empire and Kingdom of the Devil All the nations of the earth have not been blessed in Christ 49 Gen. The second Prophecy is that which was given to Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blest which signifies that the righteousness of Christ shall spread it self over all Nations to the same sense is that other Prophecy Shiloh shall come and to him shall the gathering of the People belong 'T is true almost all Nations have been invited to the knowledge of God many have been actually brought to it but many have not yet been called much less converted And among those Nations which have been converted the Bad hath so far exceeded the good that it cannot be truly said that the multitude of the People belong to Christ Nevertheless I am confident that shall come to pass and that the number of the Good shall one day as much exceed that of the wicked as now the number of the wicked doth that of the Good. But that these Oracles are not accomplisht we shall be fully convinc't if we proceed to those Prophets who were sent on purpose to Characterize the Kingdom of J. Christ Among whom the Prophet Isaiah shines as a Sun among the Stars It would be necessary to make a just Commentary on all his Book to make it plain that what he fore-told is not come to pass For most of his Prophecies have for their object this glorious and blessed state of the Church in its last Period But to be as short as may be I shall reduce all that he hath said of the Church under the Messiah to these two Articles 1. It s Righteousness and Holiness 2. It s Peace and Prosperity and shall make it evident that neither the one or the other have been fulfilled to that degree which they ought to be fulfilled according to those Prophecies For the Righteousness and Holiness of the Church Chap. 11.6 c. Prophecies of the future Holiness of the Church the Prophet Isaiah saith That the woolf shall feed with the Lamb the Leopard lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little child shall lead them The Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Ox And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea. Behold the most ravishing and fair description of it that can be seen It amounts to a return of the State of Innocence 'T
is plain the Prophet borrowed his Characters of it from that Happy state of the first Man wherein he was filled with the knowledge of God and his Righteousness And during which the brute Animals were innocent kind and gentle as himself 'T is also undeniable that this Prophecy respects the days of the Messiah But I would fain be told sincerely whether this oracle hath ever yet been accomplisht in what time in what place in what age or generation of the world It will doubtless be answered that it was in the Apostolical Church and in the time of the Apostles for only in that new-born Church could it be said that there was none to hurt or destroy that Wolves and Lions and Bears became Lambs The Prophecies which fortold the great holiness of the Church are not accomplisht Yet even in that new-born Church Wolves and Lions might be found But it cannot be of that Church which the Prophet there speaks because he speaks of a time when the knowledge of the Lord should fill the Earth which then it did not For this great Holiness this admirable union is represented to us only in the Church of Ierusalem Moreover we see not that this lasted for any considerable time There is a great deal of difference between the Church in the first Chapters of the Acts when Believers had but one heart and one soul and the Church we read of towards the end of the same Book where were false zealots who opposed St. Paul for having preached to the Gentiles Besides Isaiah speaks not of the Holiness of some particular persons but of a general Sanctification That a time shall come when Righteousness shall universally cover the societies of men as the waters cover the bottom of the Sea. I know well enough that the Prophets do oftentimes make use of the figure called Hyperbole But in truth the Hyperbole here would be forc't and carried too far and would not be intelligible if the Holy Spirit should so describe the Church of the first Ages where wee some Incestuous some Adulterers some Heretiques Schismaticks Apostates and all sorts of crimes We need but read the writings of St. Cyprian De Lapsis to be assured that in the good days of the Church there were already things very horrid and abominable Every one may think as he shall please but for my own part I expect from this prophecy such an age wherein Holiness shall as much exceed vice as vice now doth exceed and overtop vertue We read also in the same Prophet Chap. 32. v. 15 16. that the Spirit shall be poured from on high upon us and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field a forrest Judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and Righteousness remain in the fruitfull field The work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever An high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of Holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men Chap. 35.8 9. though fools shall not err therein No Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon Chap. 54.13 14. it shall not be found there All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the Peace of thy Children thou shalt be establisht in Righteousness Chap 59.21 22. This is the Covenant I will make with you saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth or out of the mouth of thy seed nor of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever And they shall call them Chap. 62.12 the Holy People the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called sought out a City not forsaken Chap. 31.33 Add to this the Prophecy of Ieremy This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest saith the Lord. These Prophecies speak four things 1. They paint out the State of the Church under the Messiah 2. They describe it by a more then ordinary Holiness that shall every where be poured out 3. By a persevering Holiness to which no return to vice or no apostacy shall succeed For 't is said the Spirit of God shall not depart from them or their seed or seeds seed 4. Lastly This is a Holiness whereof the Jewish Nation is to have the chiefest part For 't is to that People and concerning them that God speaks Now I demand whether any one can show me that age of the Church wherein such an Holiness which answers the Idea given us by these Prophecies can be found where we shall meet with a persevering Holiness If the Church for any time hath been pure that hath not continued from one Generation to another yea let such an Age be named wherein the Israelitish Nation did pertake of this Evangelical Holiness Hath not that People been always obstinate unbelieving Enemies to Christ without faith in respect of men as well as in reference to God we must than open our eyes and confess that there shall be a Kingdom of Holiness such a one as shall fill all Nations and not subject to those unhappy Revolutions that by corruption have changed the face of the Church from year to year Thus far Righteousness and Holiness Next we are to consider the Peace and Prosperity of the Church Glorious Prophecies of the peace of the Church whereof the Prophets speak more largely and in an higher strain because under the Images of Temporal Prosperity they set forth that Spiritual Prosperity which we have spoken of under the names of Holiness and Righteousness Concerning Peace Is 2.4 the Prophet Isaiah saith that they shall beat their swords into Plough-shares and their Spears into pruning-hooks that Nation shall not rise against Nation neither shall they learn war any more Concerning its future Prosperity he saith c. 41.18 19. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstop't the lame shall leap as the Hart and the tongue of the Dumb shall sing for joy I will open Rivers in high places and Fountains in the midst of Valleys I will make the wilderness a Pool of water and the dry Land springs of water I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar the Pine the Myrtle and the Olive-tree and I will set in the desert the Fir-tree the Pine and the Box-tree together c. 49.10 11. They shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat or Sun smite them for he
that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the springs of water shall he guide them I will make all my Mountains a way c. 55.12 13. and my high ways shall be exalted ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace The Mountains and the Hills shall break forth before you into singing and all the Trees of the Field shall clap their hands Instead of the Thorn shall come up the Firr-tree and instead of the Bryer shall come up the Myrtle-tree and it shall be to the Lord for a Name and for an everlasting Sign that shall not be cut off The Sun shall be no more thy Light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give Light unto thee Is 60.19 but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory The Sun shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self for the Lord shall be thine everlasting Light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended Is 54.9.10 This shall be as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee for the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee What is meant by all these prophecies All these and the like Expressions which we read in the Prophets do import 1. A profound Peace which shall never be interrupted by war. 2. Plenty and Abundance of all sorts of Goods 3. An Exemption from all Evils 4. Such a Prosperity where are Riches and Plenty and Joy. 5. A Felicity that is not to be interrupted by the return of Calamities This must be fixt that all these Prophecies respect the State of the Church under the Messiah for as to those who endeavour to turn them to another sense and apply them to the Temporal blessings of the Iews I cannot consider them as Christians but reckon them enemies to Christianity These promises have not been accomplisht We must therefore search for the accomplishment of these Prophecies in the History of the Church that no such thing can be found there the Antimillenaries themselves confess For they constantly tell us that these thousand years of Rest are altogether inconsistent with the orders of Divine Providence and the condition of the Church which is appointed to be always calamitous and afflicted upon Earth that Sorrow and Suffering Persecution and the Cross do inseparably belong to it that we must judge of what is to come by the History of what is past 'T is true in the three first Ages the Church was under the Cross of the Pagans in the fourth under that of the Arrians in the fifth she began to sink into superstition and hath remain'd overwhelm'd with it during the whole reign of Antichrist Where then shall we place those happy days the Prophets promise 'T is trifling to apply those promises of Peace and Tranquillity to certain little intervals of Quiet which from time to time the Church hath had in some places for it would be a very ill use of Rhetorick and a strange force put upon figures to represent so imperfect a calm by such terms as give us an Idea of the greatest and most perfect Prosperity imaginable Moreover the Prophets speaking of an endless Peace to which no affliction shall succeed it must be such a one as is like the waters of Noah which shall never return to cover the Earth it must be a peace so firm that though the Mountains be overthrown shall never be changed These Prophecies not accomplisht by the spiritual graces which the Church hath received We may not say that all this hath respect only to spiritual Graces the stability of God's Covenant and the Joy of the Faithfull I will not deny but the Holy Spirit may have some reference thereto but it is false that those spiritual favours in that weak degree wherein we see them at this day can comprehend the full signification of such great Expressions which clearly import a peace in reference to Earth as well as Heaven Add to this that though these Promises should not be applied but to Spiritual Blessings there must yet be a new Kingdom and a new Age for the fulfilling of them for we have never yet seen any wherein Spiritual Peace and invisible Graces have been so abundantly poured out to satisfy in any measure the greatness of such Expressions CHAP. XIX The fourth Head of Arguments for the reign of a thousand years are the Types Four Types of this Period the Principal is the seventh day of the Creation which is not an immediate Type of Eternal Rest but of the Peace of the Church on Earth I Come now to the fourth Head of Arguments viz. the Types They as well as the Prophecies are Pictures and representations of future Events They are not vain speculations of Divines and the Great wits that look upon them to be so approach very near to Impiety 'T is very certain that God hath been pleased to shadow forth his Mysteries in certain dispensations of his Providence Saint Paul teacheth us that Hagar the servant of Sarah Sinai a Mountain in Arabia were Types of the legal Institution As Sarah and Sion were also Types of the Covenant of Grace That Melchisedeck was a Type of our Lord Jesus Christ and in general that the Law had shadows of which the substance is to be found in Christ The Types therefore are no false or deceitfull Light whereby to judge in case they be rightly used Now I pretend that all the Types make for the Reign of Christ before the end of the World. We may find a great number of them The Captivity of Israel in Egypt was certainly a Type of that bondage under which the Church should groan The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt figured that of the Church from under the bondage of Antichrist during the Reign of Antichrist The Antichristian Empire is therefore called Egypt Now after the Israelites were come out of Egypt they entred into Canaan the Land flowing with Milk and Honey which did certainly prefigure the happy State of the Church after all her enemies should be subdued 'T is supposed that the Land of Canaan was the Image of that great and Eternall Dwelling to which the faithfull should be transported after the last judgement I deny it not But you must know 1. Type the Rest in the Land of Canaan that in the Old Testament the descriptions of the future Blessedness of the Church by Emblems Types Figures and metaphorical resemblances have not their immediate relation to Eternal Blessedness St. Paul hath told us that eye hath not seen it nor ear heard it nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive and consequently
't is not that which the H. Ghost would immediately describe because he would that we should be kept ignorant of it So that those Descriptions have an immediate relation to the flourishing State of the Church in the last Period and by analogy they may be transfer'd to the blessings of Paradise 2. Type the Rest after the Babylonish captivity The Captivity of Babylon was doubtless another Type of the Captivity of the Church under Antichrist and therefore the Papacy is called the City of Babylon and after that Captivity the People returned to their own Land and lived peaceably there So doubtless the Church being delivered from the bondage of Antichrist shall return to its rest here on Earth 3. Type the Rest after the persecution under Antiochus The Persecution of Antiochus was also a Type of the Persecution which the Church hath suffered under Antichrist Now after the three years and half of that Persecution the People of the Iews returned to the possession of their Temple and rose to a more flourishing condition than they had ever been in since their coming out of Babylon 4 Type the number seven which is so often mentioned I leave these and many other Types which may be found to insist on one which I find to be very evident and convincing 'T is that which may be found in the number of seven 'T will be granted that this is a mysterious and sacred number and that it signifies perfection 'T is on this account it is mentioned so often in the Apocalypse There are seven Churches seven Stars seven Candlesticks seven Spirits seven Lamps seven Eyes seven Horns of the Lamb seven Plagues seven Trumpets seven Thunders seven Viols So in the Books of Moses the seventh day is Holy and the seventh year was the year of Rest and the seven times seventh year was the great Jubilee The living Creatures entred into the Ark by sevens the first-born of every beast remained seven days with its Dam the male Children were to be seven days old before they were circumcised the Candlestick of the Tabernacle had seven Lamps a Woman after her uncleanness a Leper after he was cured of his leprosy were to be purified for seven days It would be too long to recite all the Examples of this nature which might be mentioned for the number seven is almost every where to be found For what reason is it so who sees not that this number signifies Completion and Perfection and of what can it signify the Perfection if not of the greatest work of God that for which all his other works were wrought that is the Church If then the 7th the be every where sacred why is not the seventh Period reckoning from the creation of the World also sacred and a Period of perfection It will be said the number seven is sacred because of the seventh day which was consecrated to the service of God but why hath God chosen the seventh day to be holy and a day of rest for man is it not plainly to signify that the seventh day or the seventh Period of the Church shall be a time of Holiness Tranquility and Peace The 7th day of the Creation a type of the seventh period of the Church The seventh day they farther tell us was consecrated to Rest and Holiness because God created the World in six days and rested on the seventh Behold now we are at the Spring Head and can rise no higher but here also we shall find an excellent Type of our seventh Period 'T is here I would ask with boldness Wherefore God created the World in six days and rested on the seventh Why did he not imploy five days eight ten or twelve in the work of Creation but precisely seven Certainly the infinite wisdom of God will not permit that he should do any thing without reason Here is this reason because he intended to hold the Church in an imperfect state for six Periods of Time labouring in that great work for which he made all others and causing it successively to pass through seven degrees We must not say that the Sabbath the seventh day on which God rested was the image of that great Rest into which the Church is to be brought after he shall have compleated it upon Earth for the seventh Period ought to bear proportion to the other six whereas Eternity hath none with Time much less with one day So that the seventh Period cannot be the Eternal Rest It must be a Time that bears proportion to the six preceding Periods As then after six days of labour God finisht his work by a day to which he affixt Holiness and Rest as its Characters there must likewise be for the Church after six days of sins and sufferings one last day that is to be distinguisht by those two Seals Peace and Holiness upon Earth Not but that the Sabbath is also a figure of the Eternal Rest but 't is because these thousand years of Peace and Holiness on Earth shall be the image of that perfect Peace and Holiness which the Church shall injoy in Heaven and so 't is a mediate Type of the Eternal Rest These thousand years I confess have no proportion with Eternity but it is not to be a Type in the duration of the Time but in respect of the state of Peace and Holiness Images of the Coelestial Peace So these thousand years may be Types of the Heavenly Glory but the seventh day could not be the immediate Type because of what was said before Because the seventh day of the Creation is a Period of the same nature with the six preceding and which by consequent ought to bear proportion to them It will be said that 'T is easy to make these suppositions hut difficult to prove them But I have a sure Method for the proof of this when the several parts of a System support one another even therein they are proved in an Hypothesis that is false there is alway some part inconsistent with it self Now I will make it evident that the seven days of the Creation do perfectly answer to the seven Periods of the Church that in every one of those days such works were wrought which were exact Emblems of the Events which have happened and of the things which were done in every Period of the Church answering to every day If I make it evident that in the six Periods of the duration of the Church which are past we have seen those things which were painted out by the six days of the Creation so that the first Period contains that which was figur'd by the work of the first day the second Period that of the second and so of the rest if I say I can do this methinks it will then be proved that what was done in the seventh day of the Creation is the image of that which shall be done in our seventh Period of the Church The parts of this System do admirably support one
Christ unto the birth of Antichrist i. e. till the middle of the fifth Century In this Period we have the Sun of Righteousness so Jesus Christ is called by the Prophets and Evangelists John c. 1. The Light which inlightens every man that comes into the world So by the Apostles The Father of Lights in whom is no shadow of change James 1. i. e. a Sun that hath no Tropicks The Parrallel of the Moon with the Church The Parrallel between Iesus Christ and the Sun is too manifest and easy to make to be long insisted on I will rather speak somewhat of the Moon which is an admirable Emblem of the Church 1. The Moon hath all her Light from the Sun The Church hath all her Beauty Holiness Vertue and Glory from I. Christ 2. The Moon retains some spots and those considerable ones in her borrowed Light the Church hath many great and plain defects in her vertues 3. The Moon hath no fixed Light she often changeth and is sometimes more and sometimes less inlightned The Church remains not long in one state she is always rising or falling she looseth some of her Light and then receiveth more she defiles herself and then is cleansed and hath Periods almost as regular as those of the Moon 4. The Moon besides her constant and periodical decrease suffers Ecclipses and sometimes total ones The Church besides her ordinary declensions is sometimes so Ecclipst as not to appear which is more or less according to the inundations of Herely or the corruption of manners 5. 'T is not the fault of the Sun but of the Moon it self that these Ecclipses happen she plungeth herself in the shadow of the Earth and so deprives herself of the Sun. The Ecclipses of the Church by the loss of Truth or vertue happen in like manner because she falls into sin and falshood which is shadow and darkness the product of Earth and Hell. Your sins have separated between God and you 6. When the Moon is Ecclipst she becomes black and puts on a frightfull Aspect when the Church suffers herself to lose the Light of the Sun her visage becomes deformed by her disorders and crimes Why doth not the Church appear but in this fourth Period since she was created from the beginning of the World so the Moon which was a figure of the Church should have been created on the first day I answer that the Church may also be found in the three preceding Periods but in the first and second day 't is a Land covered with waters The Church is mixt and confounded with the People of the World and even covered and hidden among 'em In the third she appears as a dry Land that is visible but as yet it is but Earth producing Plants and Fruits In our fourth Period she is advanc't from the quality of Earth to the dignity of the Stars she becomes a Moon a luminous body which may be seen afar off which spreads its rays throughout all the world Stars of six magnitudes images of the six orders of Teachers In the fourth day there were also Stars which are of six different magnitudes from the first to the sixth In our fourth Period we have several Teachers as shining Stars but they lessen by degrees The Apostles are the Stars of the first magnitude Apostolick Persons were Stars of the second magnitude their Disciples who lived in the second Century were Stars of the third the Doctors of the Church in the third Century were Stars of the fourth magnitude Those of the fourth Century were of the fifth magnitude Lastly in the fifth Century when the good days of the Church ended there were more Teachers more Stars in number but they were but of the sixth magnitude their Light began to be obscured by mixing with the darkness of Superstition and Heresy After them in the following Ages we see no Stars but under a Cloud the witnesses covered with sackcloth Christians concealed and hidden among the multitude of those who were sunk into error and Idolatry In this Period there is also another sort of Stars viz. Confessors and Martyrs who shined as Stars of the first magnitude and the common sort of the Faithful who are truly Stars though but of the sixth magnitude Lastly in the fourth Period we find Planets wandring Stars Apostates Iudas's and such as Hymenaeus and Philetus who concerning the Faith made shipwrack Mysteries of the 5th day We proceed to the fifth day of the Creation The fifth Period is that from the rise of Antichrist to his Completion from the fifth Century to the eleventh In the fifth day God said Let the waters bring forth Fishes abundantly or moving Creatures which have life and Fowl that may flie above the Earth in the open firmament of Heaven Behold two sorts of Creatures Birds and Fishes and they are to be Emblems of men who should rule in the fifth Period of the Church It may be the name of Bird may prove a good Omen to some one would think we should find something of good there because Birds are a kind of Coelestial Creatures but we must remember that in the two following Periods we shall meet with nothing that is good because they belong to Antichrist If there be any thing good in these two Periods 't is the remnant of the fourth for all is evil that belongs to their perticular Character So that by Birds we understand men of rash and daring spirits who would pierce beyond the Clouds attempting to reach unto God himself and have done violence to his Holy Mysteries by their bold Inquiries Such was Arrius who would dive into the mystery of the Eternal generation of the Son and was there stumbled Such was Macedonius who would fathom the Mysteries of the Procession of the Holy Spirit and not being able to effect it made him a Creature as Arius did the Son. Such was Eutyches who not being able to fathom the Mysteries of the union of the two natures in Christ did confound them Such was Nestorius who lost himself in searching into the manner of the Vnion of the humane Nature with the Divine Person and so establisht two Persons in Christ and I know not how many more such Birds there were men of bold and daring spirits who did great mischief to the Church We need but consult History to be informed 'T is true among those Birds there were some whose flight was happy enough The fourth and fifth Centuries produced some Eminent Doctors in comparison of the preceding The first Doctors of the Christian Church after the Apostles were but poor Divines they could flye but a little way There is more Divinity in one piece of St. Austin then in all the three first Centuries Origen excepted who was the Eagle of his Age. But those Birds who made some happy flights were yet guilty of great faults and often lost themselves by endeavouring to go too far The Fish of the fifth day are Antichrist
On the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates In the description of this City we have every thing that is rich and precious all signifies its great Holiness excellent Vertues and perfect Peace for they are the substantial Goods and real Treasures of the Church It had a great high Wall by that is meant Divine Protection which shows also that 't is the Church upon Earth which is spoken of for the Church in Heaven hath no need of walls being out of the reach of Enemies And had twelve Gates We have observed before that the number Twelve is frequently to be met with in this description and that it is a sacred number because of the twelve Patriarchs the twelve Tribes and the twelve Apostles the Gates are the entries into this City and so denote the recalling of the Iews according to their twelve Tribes from that great dispersion they are now under The recalling of the Jews foretold That these twelve Gates have a particular relation to the People of the Iews is plain by what follows That on the twelve Gates were written the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel For by those Tribes of Israel we may not understand the Church of the converted Gentiles they have a distinct place in what remains of the description of the new Ierusalem So the twelve Gates at the four Cardinal points of the World East North South West are to the same effect as what God had said in another place I will call my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the Earth I will say unto the North give up and to the South keep not back At every one of those twelve Gates are twelve Angels These are the twelve Apostles called Angels or Pastors who whether they shall be raised from the dead or no shall by their preaching and Doctrine guide the Iews to enter again into the Church and open the gate unto them For they are here described as Keepers of the Gates who both open and shut them V. 14. And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. The protection safety and the Wall of the Church depends on the foundations whereon she shall be built Those foundations are Articles of Faith and Christian Verities according to the Idea of St. Paul who saith there is but one Foundation which is Jesus Christ but on this foundation some build Hay and Stubble but others Gold and precious Stones â— Cor. 3. These precious Stones and this Gold signify Pure Doctrine as the Apostle doth sufficiently explain it These are the foundations of the Church which is built upon Truth The Prophet gives twelve for the number of these foundations because of the twelve Articles of Faith contained in the Creed on these foundations were written the names of the twelve Apostles because they were the persons who publisht the Gospel and maintained those Articles of faith by their preaching and by their blood The Holy Ghost in what follows describes these foundations and assigns a precious Stone to each of ' em V. 19. And the foundations of the Wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones the first foundation was Iasper the second Saphire the third a Chalcedony the fourth and Emerald V. 20. The fifth a Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Iacinth the twelfth an Amethist If we had leasure and time to spare we might compare the twelve Articles of the Christian Creed to those twelve Stones and see wherein every Article of Faith might symbolize with every Stone Supposing that the Holy Spirit had regard to the order in which the Church hath plac't the twelve Articles But I fear lest we should herein go beyond the intention of the Holy Ghost and deliver things rather curious than solid for the true design and scope of Figures and Mysteries is lost by stretching them too far I suppose the design of the Holy Spirit is only to show us in general how valuable and precious are the Christian Verities They who let go those Truths unto Hereticks and reckon the Secinian Heresies to be tolerable are far from esteeming them thus precious and do not sufficiently understand the worth and excellence of Truth I now return-to the description of the Heavenly Ierusalem i. e. of the Church in its last Period here on Earth V. 15. And he that talked with me had a golden Reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the Wall thereof V. 16. And the City lyeth foursquare and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with a Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal V. 17. And he measured the Wall thereof 144 cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel. V. 18. And the building of the Wall of it was of Iasper and the City was pure Gold like unto clear Glass What it is to measure in a prophetical sense To measure is to make account of to esteem to reckon among things that are considerable Wherefore in the eleventh Chapt. St. Iohn was ordered to measure only the Temple and the Altar and those who worshipped there Not to value or make account of any but true Believers But for the outer Court it was said unto him Measure it not I have left it unto the Gentiles As to the outward part of the Church make no account of it for the Paganism of Antichrist and Popery shall be there establisht and shall reign for the space of 42. Prophetic moneths i. e. 1260 years Here the H. Spirit measures the Holy Ierusalem throughout not only the Temple and the Altar but the Court that was before abandon'd to the New Pagans and not only the Court but the whole City to measure the City the Gates thereof and the wall thereof 'T is to signifie that in this last Christian Church of the last Period every thing therin shall be Great and Good worthy to be esteemed and measured and reckon'd as things of value and consideration Men do not measure waste and barren Heaths sands and rubbish 't is not worth the while but Palaces and fruitfull grounds vineyards and orchards and the buildings of a City This is the mystery of the measure But observe the difference between the Circumstances of the first measure in the 11th Chap. and those of this second here besides those we have already taken notice of 1. That the first measure reacheth only to the Court and the Altar that was the Christian Church for the 3 first ages as hath been said but here the measure extends to All and even to the City which denotes the Primitive Christian Church to be very inconsiderable compared with the Church of this last Period 2.
of the Gospell committed to their charge This Gospell is the Pearl of great Price which when one had found he went his way and sold all that he had to purchase it This is the Treasure of which S. Paul speaks when he saith we have this treasure in Earthen vessels The Apostles with Evangelical truth in their Breasts are the 12 foundations the 12 Gates and the walls of the City They are Every thing with this for Truth is every thing and without it they are nothing V. 22. And I saw no Temple therin for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple This must be understood as the words of another Prophet who speaking of the Church in this period saith Every man shall not teach his Neighbour for they shall be all taught of God which doth not import that the Ministry shall be abolisht but that the increase of Knowledg shall be so great that ordinary men might rather be Teachers than need to be taught doubtless there shall be Temples to the end of the world and places set a part for publick worship But it shall hardly be necessary to distinguish places for divine service because God shall be every where served in perfection The Lord and the Lamb shall be its Temple God shall dwell in them and they in God the union of holy souls with God shall be most intimate and reciprocal V. 23. And the City had no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light therof Here the sun and the Moon do signifie created lights which cause a succession of day and night and these Luminaries are Emblems of the manner wherin the light of Grace is now dispenst There is now a mixture of Light and Darkness of Day and Night in the same Church and in the same soul It shall no more be thus in the Church of the seventh Period The air of that Church shal be always full of Light. God shall abundantly impart knowledge to the Souls of the Saints in a more immediate manner without any created Luminary V. 24. And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it V. 25. And its Gates shall not at all be shut by day for there shall be no night there V. 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it V. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth or that worketh abomination and a lie but they who are written in the Lamb's book of Life Here is the perfect and compleat calling of the Gentiles who shall joyn themselves with the converted Iews to compose this glorious Church The Holy Ghost seems to intimate as if there should be none but the Elect and no Reprobates At least if there be any Hypocrites that their number shall be so small as not worthy to be counted Then he shewed me a pure River of water of life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. 'T is so well known that water in the Scripture stile signifies grace and the Divine Spirit that 't is needless to remark it Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters out of his belly shall flow living waters but he spake of the Spirit which they should receive who believed on him So that the River which proceeds out of the Throne of God is that vital Spring of Spirit and Grace which God will most plentifully dispense to this Church It is the same River which the Prophet Ezekiel saw coming out of the Temple Chap. 47. at first it was no higher then the anckels but by little and little the increase was such that you must be obliged to swim to pass over it 'T is the Emblem of that measure of Grace which is always progressive and in theses last and happy days shall flow as the Sea. V. 2. In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was there the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the Nations This is almost copied from Ezekiel so that we may see it describes the same thing Ezekiel said that on the bank of the River were very many trees on the one side and the other fruit trees whose leaves shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed it shall bring forth new fruit every moneth This farther denotes Grace which is our meat and drink to satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst which is the Manna in the Wilderness and Water out of the Rock The fruits of this tree shall be for the healing of the Nations Ezekiel saith the leaf thereof shall be for medicine v. 12. That Grace which shall be our food shall also supply the use of Physick Every one may see here a manifest allusion to the Earthly Paradise to its Rivers and to the Tree of Life that was there To denote that the Church in this her last Period shall be a true Paradise where plenty and abundance of all blessings may be met with 'T is of this reign and of this last Period of the Church that the last part of the eleventh Chapter is to be understood We have already seen how that Chapter is an Epitome of what shall befall the Church In the first part we have a short account of the happy state of the Church during the time of its purity In the second the reign of Antichrist is described and the last persecution which the Church shall suffer And in the Third we have the glorious state of the Church after she hath subdued her enemies This is the Prophecy V. 15. Chap. 11. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever V. 16. And the four and twenty Elders who sat before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God. V. 17. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great Power and hast reigned V. 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the Time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy name smal and Great and shouldst destroy them which destroy the Earth V. 19. And the Temple of God was open'd in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the ark of his Testament and there were lightnings and voices and thundrings and an Earthquake and great Hail We have observed that the seven Trumpets followed upon the seven seals and were
not contemporary with 'em the seven seals carry the Prophecy almost as far as the fall of Paganism unto Constantine the first Christian Emperor The seven Trumpets divide the rest of the Time between Constantine and his Christian Successors to the end of the World. And the seventh Trumpet that sounds here is the beginning of the last Period which comprehends the fall of the Empires of the World and particularly that of the Antichristian Kingdom or the Papacy The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices These are voices of Acclamation and joy That Thunders and Lightnings are joyned to those voices signifies the preaching of the Gospel And the four and twenty Elders who sat before God on their seats fell upon their faces and worshipped God saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty c. 'T is the Song and subject matter of thanksgiving wherewith the Holy People should praise God during the reign of a thousand years when God shall have subdued all their Enemies Observe here that the four and twenty Elders appear alone and begin the Song whereas in the first Vision the living Creatures begun the Song and the Elders followed ' em 'T is not to exclude the living Creatures and the Ministry in the last Period of the Church but to signify that then the People shall be so filled with the Divine Spirit that they shall not need to wait the inspiration and assistance of the Holy Ministry to ingage them to praise God and perform holy duties The Nations were angry and thy wrath in come i. e. the Nations of the Antichristian People have executed their malice and fury and thou hast avenged it by destroying their Empire And the Time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy name small and great This doth not signify the last judgement or the last Resurrection 'T is the first Resurrection the Deliverance of the Church her coming to the expected Kingdom This is set forth after the same manner in the 20th Chapter of the Apocalyps as hath been already seen The Time of the Dead to be judged he saith not the Living and the Dead or all the Dead but speaks of the Church which lay as dead during the reign of Antichrist and shall rise again when that Kingdom is destroyed The Dead shall be judged And how 't is God will reward the faithfull and the Church by giving them Peace and a Kingdom 'T is a judgement of Grace and of Beneficence He speaks not of eternal Rewards as appears by what follows and to destroy those who destroyed the Earth Which is not a proper term to signify eternal punishments wherein nothing is destroyed men continue under them for ever so that the ruin of the Antichristian Empire must be here meant V. 19. Chap. 11. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament The Ark is the sign of God's Covenant with the Iews so this Prophecy of the Ark in the Temple of God signifies the recalling of the Iews The Temple of God was open The Church shall be open to all Nations all People shall resort to it and among others we shall see that People who derive their Glory from the Ark of the Covenant CHAP. XXIV The Characters of the Kingdom of the Church Eight are certain and five doubtfull What shall happen after this Kingdom What is meant by Gog and Magog There shall probably be a lesser kind of Antichrist a little before the end of the World. HAving confirmed the Truth of this Reign of Christ upon Earth we ought now to consider the Nature and Characters of it they may be divided into two Classes some that are doubtful and others certain It is fit that we begin with the certain We are not to reckon among the Characters of this Reign either the fall of the Babylonish Empire or the conversion of the Iews or the conversion of the remaining Gentiles For these three things are to go before it They can never be brought about but with confusion and Tumult The Popish Empire cannot fall but it must cost blood and make a mighty noise The conversion of the Iews must needs be attended with great Commotions among the People and it may be violent contradictions 'T is likewise impossible to conceive that the Conversion of the Gentiles can be brought about without the utmost endeavours of the Devil to hinder it he will raise all his forces every where to hinder the last establishment of this Kingdom of Christ as he did in the first Ages of the Christian Church So that we cannot doubt but he will cause great opposition not only by words but it may be blows Now this cannot belong to the Kingdom of Christ whereof the principal Character is Soveraign Peace Insomuch that we thus conceive of it 1. The Papal Empire shall fall 2. After that some years will be necessary to abolish Sects and Parties and compose the differences among Christians 3. That after this many Heathen Nations and the Iews shall be converted for it cannot be thought that they should be converted while Christians are so much at variance among themselves and seeking the destruction of one another 4. After the Conversion of the Iews the remainder of the most remote Nations shall also be converted Now for all this there must be time for should we think that God will act in a more miraculous manner in this than in the establishment of the first Christian Church Wherefore as the Christian Church was near an hundred years in its first setling no less will be necessary perfectly to resettle it and then shall that blessed Kingdom come which we expect not but that there is some probability that God may begin to compute the thousand years from the fall of Antichrist even before the Conversion of the Iews and Gentiles and so the fall of the Antichristian Kingdom and the Conversion of the Nations may in some sort be comprehended within the Reign of Christ for a thousand years But when we speak here of the Kingdom of Christ we speak of it as in its perfection which will not be till after these things are come to pass An extraordinary effusion of the Spirit the first certain Character Chap. 2.28 29. The first certain Character of this reign of Christ is the plentifull effusion of the Spirit of God upon men The Prophecy of Ioel to this purpose is one of those which is but in part accomplisht hitherto I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophecy your old Men shall dream dreams and your young Men see visions also on the servants and the hand-maid in those days will I pour out my Spirit That lesser effusion of the Spirit which the first Christians experienc't is not enough to fill up the
in the preceding Chapters where I have shown that Empire and a Kingdom Peace and Prosperity are promised to the Church of Christ in such a manner as hath never hitherto been fulfilled Object VVhen Christ shal come the Church shall be most corrupt 4. After this they tell us that when God describes those Times which shall immediately precede the end of the World instead of representing them as a golden Age they are painted out as an Age of Iron and darkness Iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold false Prophets and false Christs shall arise they shall work signs and wonders to deceive if possible the very Elect. Math. 24. v. 12.24.37 The coming of the Son of man shall be as the days of Noah When the Son of man shall come Luke 18. c. 8. he shall not find faith upon Earth And 2 Ep. Thessal 2. chap. 't is said the Lord shall destroy the man of sin by the brightness of his coming But all this is grounded on a false supposition viz. that there shall be no other coming of Christ but for the last final Judgement which is not true the coming of Christ here spoken of is that to settle the Peace and Glory and Kingdom of his Church and we may be certain that this is meant in almost all the Passages where the coming of Christ is spoken of It is true that when Christ shall come to destroy the Antichristian Kingdom he shall not find true Faith upon Earth that is very little of it Experience confirms this for we are now in that very time Farther when Christ shall come the third and last time for the last Judgment it may well be that there shall be a great scarcity of faith piety in the World at that time for Gog and Magog shall be increas't there shall be a great seduction upon Earth and a great affliction upon the Church So that these Prophecies shall have their accomplishment whenever Christ comes They were fulfilled at his first coming when he came in the flesh for the Church was then exceedingly corrupted and so at his second coming when he shall come to destroy the Antichristian Kingdom For in our days there is a very great corruption and shall be at his third coming for at the end of the world there shall be an Insurrection against the Church and against the Son of God. 5. Object The day of Judgement would not then be unknown 5. It will farther follow say these Gentlemen that the Hour and the day of Iudgement would not then be unknown as our Lord J. Christ hath said it is For if just after the fall of the Antichristian Empire the reign of Christ for a thousand years must take place we likewise know that at the end of that Reign of a thousand years shall be the day of Judgment First you must know that our Lord J. Christ saith not that the day of the last Judgment shall be alway concealed he only saith that no man then knew it concerning that day saith he knoweth no man. That depends on the fixing the time of the 1260 years for the reign of Antichrist Now no man knew for certain at that time when the 1260 years should begin God did not permit that it should be well known till this last Age which is as also the last of the reign of Antichrist for 1260 years Moreover after having well fixt the Epocha of the birth of Antichrist that we may discover his end yet can we not thereby come to the exact knowledge of the day of Iudgement 1. Because we know not whether the thousand years of the reign of the Church must begin just at the end of the 1260 years of the reign of Antichrist We may say the contrary without saying any thing that is improbable that the thousand years are not to be computed but from the compleat establishment of the Kingdom of Christ 2. We cannot tell whether the Period of a thousand years is to be exactly so much neither more or less for the H. Ghost is not so critical and precise and often makes use of a round and certain number to signify one that is uncertain unless when he makes use of a broken number as three and half for then we cannot doubt but we are to reckon exactly so much So that these two things being always doubtfull we can never know the precise time of the Judgement day 6. Object The world would then last a long while 6. After this they say that if the Church must reign a thousand years on Earth the World is yet to last for a long time which is not likely it should because the Apostles even in their days spoke of the end of the world as a thing approaching and near at hand We are in the last times saith St. Paul. The coming of I. Christ is at hand saith St. James My littie children It is the last time saith St. John. They ought to confess that these passages make against them instead of being for them The Apostles called their Days the last times and the last hour and yet almost two thousand years have passed since Those Texts therefore must not be taken in too rigid a sense We have spent one Chapter on purpose in this Book to explain those Passages 7. Object The Scripture speaks but of one Resurrection 7. Lastly they tell us that according to the Scriptures at the coming of our Lord J. Christ All the Dead must be raised at once the Righteous and the Wicked which agrees not with the supposition of the Millenaries who would make one part of the Dead to rise at the beginning of the reign of a thousand years and the rest at the end of it But how can any one say that the Scripture saith that when it speaks the quite contrary that one part of the Dead must rise first which is the first Resurrection and that the Rest of the Dead are not to rise till the thousand years are fullfilled There are some passages 't is true wherein the Resurrection of the Good and Bad is spoken of as that which shall be at the same time and so it shall accordingly be for this first Resurrection will be but of a very few viz. of the Ancient Martyrs The remainder of the Faithful shall not be raised till the end of the World. Many Dead were risen with Christ when he rose and are certainly with him body and soul in Heaven Notwithstanding this the Scripture speaks of the Resurrection of all the Dead as a thing deferr'd and adjourn'd to the last Day because one little Exception destroys not a general Rule 'T is strange that these Gentlemen find so much difficulty in this first Resurrection Methinks they should remember the many Saints who were raised with Christ Why may not Christ raise some of the New Testament Saints at the coming of his Kingdom as well as raise some of the Ancient Patriarchs when he rose from the Grave However notwithstanding all that I have said on this subject of that first Resurrection I once again declare that I am not sollicitons to decide it Therefore I have and do again place it among those things which are doubtful I am informed that the learned and famous Prof. Mr. Witsius of Vtrecht hath thought fit to declare his mind on this subject in some publick Lectures I am told that he agrees with me concerning a great change which is to be in the Church before the end of the World with respect to Manners Union in Doctrine and the spreading of the Christian Faith as well among the Iews as among the Nations which as yet are Pagan He is also willing De X Tribubus Israelis c. 9. §. 1. cap 11. § 17 that the Iews should hope to return to their own Land and rebuild Ierusalem I would ask no more and am more rejoy't to meet with the concurrence of so great a man in that which is Essential than I can be troubled that he differs from me concerning that first Resurrection for I must acknowledge that I meet with very great difficulties about it But when I look upon it on that side and in that manner as I have represented it I find it to be very probable Nevertheless I am far from being fully perswaded of the Truth of it as I am concerning those Arâ—â—cles wherein we two agree These I think are all the Objections wherewith these Gentlemen oppose us For I regard not what they say when they tell us That this Reign of a thousand years is a Iewish vision a Fancy derived from the impure Fountain of their Traditions This is to declaim and not to prove 'T is not impossible but there may remain something that is good among the Traditions of the Iews at least St. Paul and St. Iude believed so The first learnt from their Tradition the names of the Magicians of Aegypt who opposed Moses and likewise those words of Moses I exceedingly quake and fear which we no where read in the Old Testament And St. Iude learnt from thence the combat of Michael the Arch-angel with the Devil for the body of Moses also the Prophecy of Enoch They urge likewise against us a multitude of ancient and modern Authors But I had rather give credit to Iustin Martyr and Papias who might have seen St. Iohn than to all those who have wrote since God hath his particular reasons why he will not that the Prophecies should be understood in every Age. FINIS
and his followers The other sort of Creatures are Fishes Creatures that make their abode in the waters that swim and descend into the Deep Creatures among whom there are some of a monstrous bigness Creatures that live upon filth and mud and are the lively image of the second sort of People to be seen in the fifth Period which is that of Antichrist rising and growing to perfection We there see the great Leviathan of the Abyss Antichrist himself the Monster of the great waters who devours all the other Fish and subjects them to his Government There we see all the followers of Antichrist Fishes of the second order All these Creatures i. e. all these men 1. Have their abode in the waters which denotes a Collection of much People they have the multitude on their side they reckon it their honour they glory in it 2. They descend into dark Abysses for whereas the Doctors of the fourth and fifth Century would be too knowing those of the following ages fell into a most stupid Ignorance They descend into the darkness of superstition and as for the most part Fishes adhere to the rocks or to the mud so those false Doctors addict themselves to Creatures and rise not towards Heaven where is the Creator In those times sprung up the adoration of Reliques the invocation of Saints the worship of Images and even the sublime wits who are the Birds of the fifth Period who flie so high by their lofty speculations as did Gregory of Nazianzen and Ambrose of Milan do sometimes fall from their elevation into the mire of a carnal and superstitious worship as Eagles after a flight into the highest regions of the Air fall down as it were in a moment to fix upon Carrion Lastly Fishes puddle and roll themselves in the mud and slime a good Emblem of that dreadful corruption into which the last ages of this fifth Period were plunged viz. the nineth and tenth we have already spoken of that corruption and you need but look back to what hath been said to perceive how justly we may compare the men of those Times to Fishes that live in mire and dirt Some will doubtless make an objection here on this account that God is said to be the Author of these Birds and Fishes Which there is no reason for in the thing represented by the Type because God is not to be lookt upon as the Author of the Heresies Idolatries and corruption of the Papacy I might reply that no Typical relations ought to hinder but that God may be said the Author of and give his blessing to those Creatures which were good in respect of their natural being he did not bless the Chaos 't is true but it was because that in its natural being it was neither fair nor good no more than in its typical relation But if any will that the mystery be carried farther it may be observed that God saith Let the waters bring forth every moving Creature c. 'T is the waters that immediately produce'em To the same effect as he said before Let the Earth bring forth Plants For this end that God would our works should be reckon'd as our own that we might receive the rewards of 'em So the waters i. e. the multitude of degenerate mankind are said to produce those corruptions and false Doctrines that they might suffer the punishments annexed to 'em and that it might not be imputed unto God. But it will be said that God blessed these works He saw that it was good Once more I may ask why should not God approve those Creatures which in their own natures were good and which were typically to represent such Events as the Providence of God would appoint for his own glory For doubtless the false Teachers who corrupted the Christian Religion in the fifth Century must come within the decree of God as such things whereby he would glorify himself Mysteries of the sixth day In the sixth day God made two works 1. Insects creeping things and four-footed Beasts 2. The Man and the Woman This sixth day answers to the sixth Period of the Church from the tenth Century to the Period of the Reign of Antichrist These four-footed Beasts Insects and Creeping things cannot be thought to signify any thing that is good under Creeping things are comprehended Serpents venemous and the most accursed Creatures among Insects are Caterpillers and a thousand other hurtfull Creatures among four-footed Beasts are Wolves Lions Tygers Leopards and Bears all cruel and bloody Creatures which live upon prey This is the true Character of the Men who lived in the sixth Period of the Church which is the second of the Antichristian Empire There we meet with Men like Bloodsuckers Caterpillers Worms devouring Insects that ravage and consume and destroy and gratify their Covetousness by a cursed Simony There we meet with Doctors like Serpents and Basilicks who poison by their very breath and spread the venom of their false Doctrines with piercing sharpened tongues I mean the Schoolmen who with subtile Arguments whetted and set in order as so many darts and spears diffuse Heresy Impurity Poison and Idolatry Moreover we there meet with wild Beasts bloody and cruel Men who delight in blood and slaughter and glut themselves therewith as so many Lions and Tygers We may there see multitudes ingaged in an Holy war against Infidels who went to the Holy Land to conquer it but carried with them the Lions Tooth for they rent and devoured every thing which came in their way Especially may we there take notice of those cruel Persecutors of the Church killing burning and committing outrage and massacres in all places This should be carefully observed that we meet with Birds and Fishes in the fifth day answering to the first Period of Antichrist or the fifth of the Church and some of those Creatures live upon the spoil but do not prey upon Man. We do not see that Birds and Fishes go out of their own Element to fall upon men and destroy them So in the fifth Period there were 't is true some Hereticks and a great corruption but there was not much persecution little blood spilt at that time upon the account of Religion That sort of rage began not to be much imployed but since the eleventh Century in the sixth Period Mysteries of the creation of the Man and Woman In the same day God created the Man and the Woman who are the Images of Christ and of the Church his Spouse The Parrallel between the first and second Adam and between the Woman and the Church hath been made so often and is so easy to make that I need not dwell upon it and therefore shall only take notice that the Type doth exactly correspond with the Mystery At the end of the sixth day God finisht his work he then gave the last stroke to it by the Creation of the Man and the Woman an Emblem of Christ and his Church and of their Union