agree with their rule then shall they agree one with another 3. Churches and Saints in them shall be like themselves As like Christ like one another so like themselves not subject to declinings and decays as now they are All shall be growing onwards towards perfection and none shall backslide Round things are easily turned this way or that way but what is of a four square Figure lies firm All will be firm and stable in the Church here set forth Saints will not be like Reuben unstable as Water or double-minded Men unstable in their ways but like David who said My heart is fixed O God my Heart is fixed It is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace Heb. 13.9 And at this time the Lord will perform this good thing in establishing the Hearts of all his People with Grace so that they shall not fall from their own stedfastness but he that is righteous shall be righteous still Rev. 22.11 Consid 4. A Sabbath will be observed in this time when the Jews shall be called both by them and the saved Nations Chap. 46.1 mention is made of Six Working-days and of the Sabbath-day not a Jewish but a Gospel Sabbath the First day of the Week which is conceived to be hinted Chap. 43.26 27. Seven days shall they purge the Altar and when these days are expired it shaâ—â— be that upon the eighth day and so forward the Priests shall make your Burnt-Offerings c. when the seven days are expired and so the Seventh which was the Jewish Sabbath ended then upon the Eighth day the First day of the Week which is the Christian Sabbath shall the Priests make your Burnt-Offerings And so forward that is upon every First day after the ending of the Jewish Sabbath Now the Sabbath mentioned Chap. 46.1 is this Eighth day so called in relation to the Seventh expired but the First day of the Week to be observed by the Jews when they shall be called This of the Sabbath may well be taken in a literal sense for we ought not to leave the literal and go to a mystical sense when there is no necessity for it What is spoken of the New Moon must be taken in a mystical sense because that was an observation purely shadowy and ceremonial but not so the Sabbath Let it be owned then as truth that a Sabbath shall in this glorious state of the Church be purely kept True in the New Jerusalem there will be a perpetual Sabbath but not so amongst the Tribes in the Land As Adam in Paradise had work to do and if he had continued in his innocency should have wrought the six days and have kept the Sabbath So shall the Saints do in the times of restitution for they will be restored to the doing of that which Adam should have done As they shall be restored to Priviledges so to the performance of Duties of which the exact keeping of a Sabbath is one And for the farther clearing of this so considerable a truth let Isa 58.13 c. be compared with this place of Ezekiel If thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord c. Where observe that several great and precious Promises are made to the Jews and the keeping of the Sabbath is the condition upon which the accomplishment of them doth depend And these Promises were not fulfilled at the Return of the Jews from Babylonish Captivity or at any time since but shall be fulfilled when the Jews shall be called Let the particulars be well weighed v. 8. Then shall thy Light break forth as the Morning and thine Health shall spring forth speedily What Light is this but that mentioned Isa 60.1 Arise and shine for thy Light is come and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The Jews have been long in Darkness but the Glory of the Lord shall at last be revealed and the Veil shall be taken from their hearts that they may see it And thy oighteousness shall go before thee that is The Lord thy righteousness This then respects the time when the Jews shall be called by this Name which hath not been yet for they at Christ's first coming went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit to the righteousness of God they would not then be called by this Name And farther 't is said The Glory of the Lord shall be their reward It shall be with them as with the Jews in the Wilderness when they had the Cloud and smoke by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night Which when Pharaoh pursued them was their reward v. 10. Then shall thy Light rise in obscurity and thy Darkness as the Noon-day The Jews are under Darkness within and without Darkness covers their Hearts and their State for they lie hid in obscurity and darkness and none knows where the Ten Tribes are but at last they shall be brought forth to the wonder of the World for it shall be said These where had they been Isa 49.21 v. 12. They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places and raise up the foundations of many Generations When they returned from Babylon they were the Foundations onely of one Generation of Seventy years that were raised up This promise then must look further v. 14. I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth Not onely of Canaan but of the Earth And lastly I will feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father Which intimates the calling and gathering of the Ten Tribes also When the Jews returned from Babylon they were fed onely with Judah's Inheritance For the Ten Tribes did not then return which may be proved from Hos 1.6 7. I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel but will utterly toke them away But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God Therefore when Judah was saved from Babylonish Captivity Israel was not saved But at last Judah and Israel shall be saved together v. 11. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint them one Head and then they shall be fed with the Heritage of Jacob. 'T was the whole Land of Canaan which was Jacob's Heritage which he divided amongst his twelve Sons And how exactly doth this agree with Ezekiel's Prophecy about the division of the Land amongst the twelve Tribes which shall be fed with the Heritage of Jacob their Father It s most evident then that these Promises are to have their accomplishment when the Jews shall be called But observe what must be done by them If thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight Therefore first a Sabbath will then be kept even a Christian Sabbath by the Jews And if a Sabbath was to be kept by Adam in Paradise if it was to be observed from the beginning and shall be by the Jews when called If the Church in the times
For the Kings of the Earth give up their power to him and so he is mighty by their power And lastly which makes the thing most clear as the King of fierce Countenance shall stand up against the Prince of Princes even Christ so this is plainly said concerning this second Beast Rev. 19.11 Christ hath this name upon his Vesture and his Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords The same with Prince of Princes And v. 19. I saw the Beast with the Kings and their Armies and they make War against him that sate on the white Horse And lo here we find that King of fierce Countenance standing up against the Prince of Princes viz. the second Beast making War against him that had a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords The vile Person Of him 't is said Dan. 11.21 He shall obtain the Kingdom by flatteries appearing as a Lamb meek and peaceable but having gotten the Kingdom shall do according to his own will v. 36. And shall exalt himself above every God And shall prosper till the Indignation be accomplished He shall enter into the glorious Land and then Michael shall stand up and at that time the Jews shall be delivered and this Beast this vile Person with his false Prophet shall be taken Now these things being considered we may judge it probable that this second Beast will have his Seat somewhere in the East In the next place I shall offer this to consideration whether what is added about the Number of the Beast may not be chiefly meant of this second Beast Some things may be observed which make it probable 1. This is added in the close of the description of this second Beast And seeing this comes up after the other is destroyed we may judge that what is spoken of the Number of his Name should belong to this Beast 2. 'T is said to be the Number of the Beast not of the Beasts which doth shew that it belongs to one and not to both 3. By the knowledge of the Number of his Name and Mark the Beast is known Let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast Why Because thus he may be known Now as for the first Beast if we had not other ways of knowing him than by the Number of his Name we should be much at a loss For what hath been discovered hitherto of this Mystery True Men have found out the Number 666 in some Names But what is this for the discovery of the Beast And hath it been a matter of so great wisdom to find out this Number in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in some other Names Surely there is much more in it seeing a Victory is to be gotten over it Rev. 15.2 Now for the first Beast there are evident Characters given of him by which he is known and whereby we may come to a certainty and say we know that we know him but yet the Number of the Beast remains a Mystery These Characters we have 2 Thess 2.3.4 The Man of Sin opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God and sitting in the Temple of God sheweth himself that he is God And 2 Tim. 4.1 2. In the latter times Men shall depart from the Faith giving heed to Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats And lastly in Rev. 17.7 I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and the Beast which carrieth her which hath seven Heads and ten Horns 'T is evident that Rome is here meant which was the great city reigning over the Kings of the Earth So the first Beast is known sufficiently by other Characters though we have not found out the Mystery of the Number of his Name Therefore it seems most probable that this respects the second Beast who as he shall be in a better form and do lying Wonders and more powerfully deceive so it would be more difficult to discern him but the Elect shall discern him for he shall not be able to deceive them but they shall look through his lying Wonders and shall have understanding to count the number of his Name 4. Observe those expressions Here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count Which implies that this is a very aenigmatical and obscure thing and 't will be an excellent piece of wisdom to find out the Number of his Name It implies also that this wisdom may be attained For to some it shall be given to count If none shall have it in vain 't is said Here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count This shews that such an understanding shall be given to some But where is this Wisdom now and who hath the Understanding to count What is there of satisfaction given by any for the discovery of this Mystery Wherefore it seems that this discovery is reserved for the time of the second Beast and God will then give an Understanding to some to know him and they shall have this Wisdom to discern the Number of his Name For a conclusion of what shall be said concerning this second Beast let these three Particulars be observed 1. This second Beast will be of very short continuance in comparison with the former for he will not much exceed fourty and five years For first under the fifth Vial the Seat of the Beast and consequently the first Beast will be destroyed Secondly under the sixth way will be made for the Kings of the East and the Jews shall be called and return to their own Land Thirdly from the time of the first calling of the Jews till the Battel of Armageddon where the second Beast shall be taken and after which the Jews shall have rest will be fourty and five years Which appears Dan. 12.11.12 From the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away shall be One thousand two hundred and ninety days and at the end of these days the Jews shall be called And then it follows Blessed is he that cometh to the one thousand three hundred and thirty five days Why blessed Because the Jews Enemies will then be all cut off and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High Now the latter Number is Fourty and five years more than the former and at the end of them this Beast will come to his end 2. This Beast will have his false Prophet workking Miracles before him The Beast and false Prophet are not one person but must be taken as two distinct persons and so are they still set forth There will be one in whom the Devil will be a Lying Spirit who shall preach up this Beast and cry up his Authority and shall work Miracles before him causing Fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men and by this means shall wonderfully deceive and draw many after the Beast As an Elias and true Prophet of Christ shall come so
Thess 5.2 is affirmed of Christ's second coming and when the Battel of Armageddon shall be then Christ shall come as a Thief Rev. 16.15 and lastly the passing away of the Old Heavens and Earth and consequently the creating of the New will be at the day of Judgment v. 7. The Heavens and Earth are reserved to fire against the day of Judgment and all do grant that Christ will come personally at the day of Judgment and when he comes all the dead Saints shall be raised and appear with him Now put all these things together The Old Heavens and Earth must perish new must be created Saints and Righteouss Men must after this dwell in the New Earth and at this time will be the day of Judgment Therefore there must be a Visible and personal presence and reign of Christ upon this New Earth then to be called Beulah and Christ will not marry it and be presently after a day divorced again but as the Saints shall dwell in it so Christ with them If any shall Object that the Judgment shall not be till after the one thousand years and the destruction of Gog and Magog for then 't is said Rev. 20.11 Christ shall sit upon a great White Throne and the dead small and great shall stand before him and why may not this be the day of Judgment spoken of by Peter For answer to this I shall say that if this of Peter and the 20. Rev. be well considered and compared together it will evidently appear that there will be a day of Judgment begun at the time of Antichrist's destruction and the final fall of Babylon and the perishing of the World which now is which is called by some the Morning of that great day and will be at the beginning of the one thousand years And a day also after the end of them called the Evening of that day And as for the Judgment the Scipture gives evident ground to state it thus even by considering it in a threefold step or degree of it 1. There is a particular judgment which passes upon all Souls at their separation from their Bodies Eccles 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the Soul shall return unto God that gave it The Souls of all men do at their Death return to God but in a different manner some fall into the hands of the living God and that is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of revenging justice and wrath others having before committed their Souls into the hands of God are carried by Angels to Heaven where an hand of mercy receives them 2. There will be a Farther work of Judgment at Christ's second coming even at the beginning of the thousand years which as it is spoken of by Peter so by Daniel 7.26 When the Son of Man comes in the Clouds of Heaven then the Judgment shall sit and we may consider what shall be done by that Judgment then sitting in relation to the Wicked The Dominion of the little Horn will be taken away and so Antichrist's Kingdom will be wholly destroyed for the Judgment shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it even to the end And then also it will be as Peter sayth a day of Perdition of ungodly Men even of those who shall then be found standing up against the Prince of Princes And Farther in relation to the godly it shall be a day to give reward to them and what reward this shall be we see Dan. 7.27 The greatness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High and all Dominions shall serve him they shall be judged to reign with Christ This we see also Mat. 25.15 and Luk. 19.17 What shall be said to those that improve their Talents and Pounds Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord so as to reign with him Be thou Ruler over five Cities be thou Ruler over ten Cities At this time the Saints shall be judged to have an Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ as it is distinct from the Kingdom of the Father of both which mention is made Ephes 5.5 3. The last step which Christ will take in the Judgment will be after the ending of the thousand years and this is that Judgment mentioned Rev. 20.11 Then the wicked shall be raised and brought to Judgment even such whose Names are not written in the Book of Life as there 't is said and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire At this time also there will be a Farther work of Judgment in Relation to the Godly For they shall be then judged to an inheritance in the Kingdom of the Father At the Judgment mentioned by Peter they shall have Judgment for an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and at that spoken of Rev. 20. Judgment for an inheritance in the Kingdom of the Father Mat. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he shall have come and so after the time of his coming in Glory he shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be called before him and he shall set the sheep on his Right hand and the Goats at his Left hand and now although it hath been Stated thus that at the beginning of the Thousand years he shall set the Sheep on his Right hand and after the End of them the Goats at his Left hand yet it seems more agreeable to the expressions there to conceive that both sorts shall be set in this posture together and shall thus stand before Christ the Judge and then the wicked shall be judged to go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into Life eternal in the Fathers Kingdom And thus as at Peters day of Judgment Being the Morning of it the Saints shall be the blessed of Christ and receive an Inheritance in his Kingdom and reign with him so at Johns day of Judgment or at the Evening of that day they shall be the blessed of the Father and be admitted to the enjoyment of their Inheritance in his Kingdom Hence 't is the King shall say to the Sheep on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom that is take your Inheritance in my Fathers Kingdom 2. 'T is most evident from Scripture that there will be a time in which the Jews shall be called and delivered from their spirituall Captivity which is upon them by their blindness and unbelief and the vail which is upon their Hearts shall be taken away They shall be delivered from their outward Captivity and also be in a state of freedom Rest and Power and in this estate must long continue even for many generations as hath been shewen in the former Treatise Now that there shall be a personal
Widow saith Babylon but thou shalt know Widowhood and loss of Children saith the Lord. I shall not see sorrow saith Babylon but what is the Word of the Lord concerning her How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment of sorrow give her Rev. 18.7 3. If these things be so much expected in Heaven how much more should they be expected on Earth If where there is no sin nor sorrow but perfect holiness and happiness then sure the Saints here in this present evil World have great reason to be much in the thoughts and expectation of these things As therefore 't is the duty of Saints to look for these things so let me give a few Directions for the right performance of this Duty 1. Expect the same things which Christ expects He expects till his Enemies be made his Footstool he expects the Fall of Babylon he expects to be revealed from Heaven and to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe And these things should the Saints on Earth look for even the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Thus we are sure our expectations shall not perish because they are Christ's also but the expectation of his Enemies shall perish and their hope shall be as the Spiders Web. 2. Expect because Christ expects he knows what he expects and hath sufficient ground for his hope and hath power to make good his own expectations Now when the Saints want some Stay and Support for their hope and their Hearts like Moses his Hands are heavy they should look to Christ's Hope and this will be to their hearts as Aaron and Hur were to Moses his hands they stayed them up and so they were steady till the going down of the Sun and till Amalech and his People were discomsited by Joshua with the edge of the Sword 3 Expect as Christ expects Hopes on Earth should bear the Image of Heavenly Hopes there 's no fear no taking thought in Heaven Hope deferred doth not make any heart sick there but there is joy of hope As Christ expects that his Enemies be made his Footstool so he laughs at their Imaginations and Contrivance against him and hath them all in derision Such should the Saints hope be here and so they shall be able to say of Babylon the Man of Sin and all that give up their power to him as Isaiah did of Sennacherib when he besieged Jerusalem Isa 32.22 The Virgin the Daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee The Power and threats of the Romish Beast with all that take part with him should not shake the hearts of the faithful Witnesses but they should shake their Heads at him and laugh him to scorn Surely there is little cause to fear those who shall very shortly be Christ's Footstool Christ expects also with Constancy and Perseverance there is perseverance in the hope of Heaven Christ expects till his Enemies be made his Footstool Christ's hope is like himself The same yesterday to day and till all be accomplished which he hopes for Nothing on Earth weakens the hope of Heaven no changes no scattering of the Power of the holy people no Death of the Witnesses make any the least alteration in the hope of Heaven Now such should the Saints hope be on Earth even the same in all changes they should hope when the Beast kills the Witnesses and those that dwell on the Earth rejoyce over their dead bodies as well as when the Witnesses have power to shut Heaven and to smite the Earth with all Plagues as often as they will they should hope not onely when a deadly Wound is given to the Beast but when that deadly Wound is healed and when Babylon triumphs and glorieth most then may Sion hope the more and rejoyce most of all in her hope For when Babylon saith I sit a Queen am no widow and shall not see sorrow then her plagues shall come in one day Rev. 18.8 That is a very short time after this her vain triumph For when having been under great Fears and these passing away she saith The bitterness of death is past and comes forth delicately like Agag then if the Sauls that should do it will not some Samuels will be found that shall hew that great Whore in pieces And secondly when her plagues come quick dispatch will be made with her even in a day as it were yea in one hour so great riches and glory will come to nought Thus we see what the expectations of Heaven are which do call for such hope on Earth as that which Peter exhorts 1. Pet. 1.3 Be sober and hope to the End For the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ And thus we see 't is the Saints duty to look for these things and how they should do it Q. But here it may be askt as the Disciples did of Christ When shall these things be Seeing we are to look for them we would gladly know when we may expect them at least when the time is near A. For answer to this it may be said as Elijah did to Elisha Thou hast asked a hard thing 'T is indeed a hard thing to tell when the time will be yet certain it is that the time is revealed in Scripture when the Jews shall be called when Babylon shall fall and the two Beasts shall be destroyed and why is it revealed but that first or last Men might come to the knowledge of it Daniel understood by Books the number of the years of the Jews Captivity in Babylon though it was but a very short time before the expiration viz. in that very year in which Babylon was taken Dan. 9.1 and why may we not hope it may be given to some beloved ones to understand by books the number of the years of the Churches desolations some little time at least before the accomplishment of them We may observe three numbers in Daniel and one in the Revelations which concern the times when these things shall be brought to pass The first is Dan. 8.14 How long shall be the Vision of the daily Sacrifice and 't is answered unto Two thousand and three hundred days that is years for so the rest of the numbers are interpreted and why should not these days be so taken also The other two are mentioned together Dan. 12.11 12. From the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up shall be One thousand two hundred and ninety days Blessed is he that cometh to the thousand two hundred and five and thirty days The fourth number is Rev. 11.2 3. Forty and two months and a thousand two hundred and sixty days being the same time Now it is upon good ground conceived that the 2300 days and 1335 will end together and that the 1290 days and the
whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen And then he concludes this and all other his Psalms with these words v. 20 The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Whence may be gathered that this Psalm contains the remainder of the last words of David and that this Psalm was the last of David's Psalms though it be not set last in the Book of Psalms For the clearing whereof two things may be considered 1. The Psalms are not all placed according to the time of their composure or the occasion of them for Psalm the Third is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom Now many made before this are set after it as Psa 34. A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech And Psa 51. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba Soe also Psa 57 and 63. So then this may be the last though not set last 2. The Psalm it self gives us ground to conclude that it was the last and made by David a little before his death For thus he begins it Give the King thy Judgments O God Which shews that Solomon was now made king for so he is here called And this Psalm was made when both Father and Son were Kings Give the King thy Judgments There David is called King and thy Righteousness to the King's Son There Solomon is called King And that Solomon was King David's own words do declare 1 Kin. 1.48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath given me one to sit upon my Throne mine Eyes also seeing it By this 't is evident that the plain literal sense may stand that this was the last of the Psalms of the sweet Psalmist of Israel who never sung more sweetly than now And to this these three things may be added 1. The matter of this Psalm contains that which was the sum and scope of David's Prayers even that Christ might reign gloriously and that in his days the Righteous might flourish This is all my desire and in this my Prayers will reach their end 2. David being carried in spirit to the Day of Christ's glorious reign and being set in the View of his blessed Kingdom and seeing him breaking Oppressors in pieces and perfecting that which concerns the Saints and at last delivering up the Kingdom to God the Father breaks out into this joyful Acclamation The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended They are fulfilled and fully accomplished they are all consummated So much is in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers of David and of all the Saints will at last have a full accomplishment and Faith may even as God doth call the things that are not as though they were So by a voice of Faith he might well say The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are fulfilled 3. When Christ shall take to himself his great Power and Reign and shall have put down all that is to be put down and shall present all the Saints faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy then Prayers will be ended As the Prayers of Saints so Christ's also who is David the Son of Jesse Hos 3.5 They shall serve the Lord and David their King There Christ is called David And Isa 11. A Rod shall come forth of the Stem of Jesse there he is the Son of Jesse So the Prayers of this David the Son of Jesse will be ended All that ever he prayed for will be accomplished yea all that he hath to pray for will be granted For then all the good things contained in God's Decrees shall be brought forth and whatever Christ hath purchased for shall be enjoyed by the Saints All Promises will be fulfilled to them and all the desires of their hearts given them And then as Faith will be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition so Prayers will end in everlasting Praises That the great things contained in this Prophecy in which we have been thus running to and fro may be the better understood and improved somewhat shall be added upon these following particulars 1. The Calling of the Jews 2. The Restitution of all things 3. The Description of the two Beasts Revelat. 13. 4. The Day of Judgment and the World 's perishing by Fire 5. Some Signs of the times when the Fall of Babylon is at hand 6. Some Advantages which the knowledge of these Truths will afford 7. The Conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions 1. The Calling of the Jews We may conceive that there will be a twofold Calling of the Jews A First Calling will be at the ending of the One thousand two hundred and ninety days Dan. 12.11 At that time the Jews Deliverance will begin and there will be then a calling and a gathering of them But at this time many will be called but not so many chosen This calling will be inward and effectual to some but to many but outward and in profession only For after this their calling they will have many Enemies causing great trouble to them Dan. 11.31 there is mention of an Enemy and 't is said Arms shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength And v. 45. He shall plant the Tabernacle of his Palace in the glorious holy Mountain Zach. 14.2 I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem and the City shall be taken Now as this will be a time of great tryal so many of the Jews shall fall away Dan. 11.30 This Enemy shall have indignation against the holy Covenant and have intelligence with them that forsake it v. 33. some he shall corrupt by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall some such as Peter and others such as Judas The second Calling will be at the end of one thousand three hundred and thirty five days which is forty and five years more than the former number 't is said blessed is he that cometh to these days At this time all Israel will be saved as from their persecuting Enemies so from sin and all will be called and chosen and faithful Rev. 19. Thy People shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 All shall be effectually called and their Children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 these shall be of the Church and like John Baptist shall be sanctified from the Womb. No Noah shall have a cursed Cham no Isaac a prophane Esau for this would be a grief of heart contrary to that promise there shall be no sorrow God shall put the Law in the mind and write it in the heart and they shall no more teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for all shall know him from the least even to the greatest of them They may need to be instructed farther in the knowledge of the Messias but no need to be taught which is the Messias no need to be taught as Andrew did Peter Joh. 1.41 We have found the Messias as the
the sixth Head of Roman Emperours was wounded by the Goths and Vandals who prevailed so much in Italy and took Rome But now that which did lett being taken out of the way the Man of Sin was revealed and by this means the Pope was advanced and he becoming Head and ruling this fourth Kingdom kept it alive and so the deadly Wound was healed The time of this Beast's continuance is Fourty and two Moneths which is the time of the Witnesses prophesying in Sack-cloth and of the Womans being in the Wilderness Now when this time shall be run out then He that leadeth into Captivity must go into Captivity he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword v. 10. This first Papal Beast then as sitting on seven Mountains and having ten Horns and Rome for his Seat shall be destroyed for then the ten Kings shall hate the Whore and eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire And his Seat shall be destroyed under the Fifth Vial. But the Fourth Kingdom will not be destroyed at this time though now it will have another Wound seemingly deadly given to it which will be healed as after is to be shewn by the second Beast But that which will be destroyed will be the Papal Head of this Beast as in his Seat at Rome at the end of the Fourty and two Months which will be expired long before the Battel of Armageddon which should be well observed by the Reader in relation to what follows concerning the second Beast A clear Proof of this we find Rev. 11.14 Where the Rise of the Witnesses and the Fall of the Tenth part of the City being fore-told which declare the Fourty and two Months to be ended It follows The second wo is past and behold the third wo cometh quickly So that after the fourty two Months shall be ended there must be time for the third wo which will be caused by the cruel persecution of the second Beast and that will end in his final overthrow and the destruction of that fourth Kingdom whereof he shall be the Head The second Beast cometh up out of the Earth and hath two Horns like a Lamb and spake as a Dragon ver 11. And his coming up is after the first Beast shall be killed with the Sword and therefore is not in Being during the fourty and two Months as they conceive who say that the same Antichrist in the fourty and two Months time is here represented under divers forms as having a twofold Original out of the Sea and Earth a double body a twofold shape and person being both a Secular and Ecclesiastical person a Tyrant and a false Prophet an Emperour and High Priest But against this it may be urged John calls him another Beast and why should not we judge so of him And he comes up after the other will be destroyed If he be the same he must be destroyed with him and in him at the end of the forty and two Months And if he should be destroyed with the other then there would be no Beast after the forty two Months but the Scripture gives clear Testimony that a Beast will be after this time and shall continue till he be taken at Armageddon which will be the ending of the third woe By this it appears that they are two distinct Beasts one succeeding another Yet must it be acknowledged that in some respects they may be accounted one as in respect of Power For the second Beast executeth all the Power of the first v. 12. And causeth all to worship the first Beast which will be as it were revived in this second For the deadly wound given to the fourth Kingdom by the ruine of Rome and of the first Beast there will be healed by the coming up of this second Beast So then though they will be two Beasts yet but one Antichrist or Man of sin and so are spoken of 2 Thess 24.8 And whereas 't is said the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is of the seven Rev. 17.11 why may we not conclude thus the former Beast is the seventh and this second is the eighth Usually they are thus made up One is that is the sixth order of Pagan Emperours the other is not yet come that is the seventh order of Christian Emperours and then the Pope is made the eighth But the former way seems more probable Thus then when the forty and two months Beast shall be destroyed Satan will immediately send forth another Beast that in him the Antichrist and Man of Sin may be revived and an Head may be raised for the fourth Kingdom and this will be Antichrist 1. In a better shape and form more fit to deceive withal for so great will be the Light of this Day that if Antichrist should appear in his old form he would be hated of all Satan will therefore bring him forth in a better form that he may have the more Followers He appears like a Lamb with a shew of meekness and innocency and in this the subtilty of the old Serpent will be seen who will as near as he can imitate the Work of God in raising the Witnesses who when risen will be more pure and spiritual so this Beast will be raised in a better shape and be transformed as the Witnesses of Christ and Ministers of Righteousness that he may more powerfully deceive 2. He will have as another shape so another Seat For First Rome the Seat of the first Beast will be destroyed under the Fifth Vial Revel 16.10 The fifth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Seat of the Beast and his Kingdom was full of darkness Not now wholly destroyed but full of darkness and is to continue till the pouring out of the seventh Vial. Secondly we may observe that as two Beasts so two Babylons as Seats of those two Beasts are mentioned in the Revelations The first Chap. 14.8 Where after the rising of the Witnesses and their standing with the Lamb on Mount Sion 't is said Another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen Which is meant of Rome and the destruction of the first Beast there and his Seat after which the second Beast comes up And hence it is that presently after the Fall of Babylon and the destruction of the first Beast there v. 9. A third Angel followed saying If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God This seems strange that when Babylon is fallen and the Beast in it come to his end another Angel should be sent to warn Men not to worship the Beast But by this 't is evident That when Rome the first Babylon falls another Beast will arise and as he will be a grand Impostor so there will be great need of this warning to beware of him The second Babylon is mentioned Revel 16.19 as in Being at the pouring out of the seventh Vial for then 't is said Great
high-way and the wayfaring-men that go in this way shall have an unerring Spirit to guide them in it for the wayfaring men though Fools shall not err therein Isa 54.11 12. They shall be a holy flock Ezek. 36. ult I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundations with saphires I will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones What doth this signifie but that there shall be a Church at last exceeding pure which shall be called the beauties of holiness Isa 60.2 The Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee The Light of the Glory of the Lord shall shine to the Saints and shall shine from them both for the glorious Works of God wrought for them and upon them and in the Works wrought by the Saints in which the Image and Glory of God shall be seen upon them Rev. 22.4 They shall see his face and his Name shall be in their foreheads Their Professions their Lives their Actings and Conversations shall be a discovery of God Vpon the bells of the horses shall be holiness to the Lord much more upon the foreheads of his people 3. In the time of the New Heavens and New Earth the Sons of God shall have Glorious Liberty And this brings me back again to Rom. 8.21 The Creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Now for this we may consider that there is Gracious Liberty and Glorious Liberty there is a Liberty wherewith Christ hath made the Saints free as Gal. 5.1 and a Liberty wherewith he will make them free as in this place which is also called the redemption of the body There is a redemption of the Soul from sin and of the Body from sufferings It hath been for the most part with the Saints as Christ said to Peter Another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not But in the time of Glorious Liberty it shall not be so Gracious Liberty is a Liberty from Evil and a Liberty in relation to that which is good Liberty from Evil is from the evil of sin and of punishment Liberty from the Evil of Sin is when a man is made free from the Reigning power of sin as in regard of the Outward committing so from the inward love of it Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became servants of righteousness There is a Liberty also from the Evil of Punishment Rom. 8. 1 There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus There is now correction to them and therein God dealeth with them as with sons but no condemnation to them they meet with crosses but have escaped the curse die they must but the sting of death is taken away As they look not for life from the Law so they need not fear death by the Law There is a liberty also in relation to that which is good Saints have liberty to go where they are sure to receive that good which they want they may go and that boldly to the Throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in a time of need They can go to Christ to receive of his fullness grace for grace Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above some gifts are good but not perfect others are good and perfect and able to make those perfect who have them Creatures are a good gift for every Creature of God is good but Christ is a good and perfect gift Knowledge is a good gift but the Spirit of wisdome and grace of love and fear of supplication and adoption is a perfect gift Earth is a good gift Heaven is a good and perfect gift Now what a precious liberty is this to have free access to him who gives liberally good and perfect gifts to those that ask them and upraideth not There is a liberty also to the doing of good though there is not free will and power in Nature to do that good which is acceptable to God yet there is by grace when any are made free from sin thereby those that are partakers of the Divine Nature and have the seed of God in them will be free ready and willing to do good I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my Heart Jam. 25. the Law is called the Law of liberty to men in the flesh 't is a Law of bondage to men in the Spirit 't is a Law of liberty The Law in the Head only may be but a Law of bondage so the Law in the Lips but the Law in the Heart which hath the Law of the Spirit with it is a Law of liberty I go bound in the Spirit said Paul 'T is gracious liberty to go bound in the Spirit both to the doing and suffering the will of God and to be constrained by the love of Christ to live to him Thus much of Gracious Liberty for some introduction to what is to be said of Glorious Liberty And as for Glorious Liberty that the spirits of just men have in Heaven going to God the judge of all to Jesus the Mediator to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born But the glorious liberty mentioned by Paul is that which the Saints shall have in the New Heavens and the New Earth For 't is that which the Creatures long for and look to have some benefit by and therefore is not meant of the State of Glory in Heaven Now that some discovery may be made of this let some few particulars be observed 1. To be free from War and the evils and mischief that attend it is a Glorious Liberty And this shall be the Saints happiness at last when all things shall be made New Isa 40.1 Comfort ye Comfort ye my people speak comfortably to Jerusalem tell her that her Warfare is accomplished In the times of restitution after the destruction of the Man of Sin and the calling of the Jews there shall be no learning of War any more Isa 2.4 but swords shall be beaten into plow-shares and spears into pruning-hooks Now there is War Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom And Saints are called to sight the good fight of faith But when the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken God will make all Wars to cease to the ends of the earth 2. Glorious Liberty will consist in being free from temptations Adam was at first free from sin but not from temptations There shall be at last a better Paradise for the Saints than that in which Adam was placed in which there shall be no Serpent to tempt Satan is now following the Saints with his temptations and he hath his Messengers to buffet them but in the time of Glorious Liberty he shall be bound and cast into Prison and never suffered to tempt one Saint any more for when he shall be loosed out of his Prison he shall deceive the Nations Gog and
Body grew downwards so it shall die upwards beginning at Vltima Thule Obj. Shall we think that the Holy Spirit making a discovery of Alexander's Kingdom and the four Kingdoms which were to stand up out of his would immediately pass from these over so vast a space of time and on a sudden come down to speak of what should be in the last times A. So it is and we are necessitated to conceive so For first 't is when the Transgressors are come to the full that is when their number is filled up and the number of their Iniquities is filled up also when they are accomplished Dan. 8.23 This little Horn will fill up the number of the Transgressors when he comes he will be the last Secondly He will be broken without hand v. 25. this last Transgressor will not be destroyed as the former they were broken with hands the Babylonish Transgressors by the hands of the Medes and Persians they by Graecian hands and the Graecian by Roman hands But the last Transgressors without hand that is such a hand as the others were destroyed by for the Lord himself shall destroy them and then the slain of the Lord shall be many 2. 'T is usual with the Prophets in their Prophecies to leap on a sudden from their times to the very last times of all delighting to be in view of them and to be speaking of them hereby comforting themselves amidst the calamities of their times and also laying up comforts in store for the Saints in all ages viz. by prophesying of these times of ruine to all their enemies and of the restitution of all things 't is usual with them having the Wings of the Dove to fly to these times that they may be at rest Thus Isa 1. The prophet complains of Sin and bewailes the Judgments which it brought upon the Jews and then on a sudden he is carried by the Spirit to the very last times v. 25.26 I will purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin not only purge but purely purge or according to pureness which is to be done when the Jews shall be called and I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning Surely they must be the last Judges of the World that shall be as the first and Counsellors at the end of the present World who shall be like those at the beginning and then Chap. 2.1 c. he goes on to declare these blessed times It shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established in the top of the Mountains c. See also Isa 11.30.18 to 26. Thus we see grounds to conclude that this little Horn must be the second Beast and Objections answered And one thing more is very worthy of our observation concerning him That is As he shall wax great so it shall be only towards the East and towards the South and towards the pleasant Land Nothing is said of his waxing great towards the West The Lord it appears by this will be gracious to this Western part of the World where the first Beast hath been so long tyrannizing and exercising so much Cruelty so that though he shall destroy Wonderfully and prosper and practise yet it shall not be in that part where the Witnesses prophesied in sackcloth 1260 days And now having spoken so much of this little Horn which was very necessary that we may better know what to Judge of the 2300 days when they began and when they will end let this come into consideration in the next place 1. That the 2300 dayes and the 1335 dayes will end together for first the 1335 days bring us to the end of the dayes of trouble and affliction to the Saints and to the end of those days at which Daniel shall stand up in his Lot Dan. 12.13 so 't is in Dan. 8.19 I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the Indignation that is when he that shall prosper and practice and destroy the mighty and the holy people shall come to his end and be broken without hand This will be at the end of the 2300 dayes and of the 1335. And doubtless this last end of the Indignation and the breaking of this little Horn that shall stand up against the Prince of Princes without hand shall be the pouring out of the last Vial Rev. 16.17 Then secondly At the end of 2300 dayes the Sanctuary shall be cleansed then all shall be cleansed then all shall be pure and clean as it ought to be in the Church and among the Saints Now compare with this Chap. 11.35 some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white but how long shall this trying time be to the time of the end because it is yet for an appointed time this is spoken concerning the Jews after their first Call Now when shall this time end When the 1335 dayes end of which it 's said Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to them because then the trying time will be over for at this time the Sanctuary shall be perfectly cleansed so there will be no more need of afflictions and sureffings to try to purge them to make them white 2. The 2300 are to be accounted to begin at the time when Daniel had his Vision This I gather from Dan. 8.13 14. How long shall be the Vision concerning the daily Sacrifice And he said unto 2300 dayes How long shall be the Vision that is how long from the beginning to the end of it how long from the first representation of these things in the Vision to the accomplishment of them how long from the time of the Prophecy to the time of the performance Now Daniel said v. 1. In the third year of Belshazzar a Vision appeared to me Belshazzar reigned but three years and in his third year but after Babylon was taken Daniel had this Vision For v. 2. He sayeth when I saw I was at Shushan in the Palace Now Shushan was in Persia thither he was carried after Babylon was taken so he had this Vision at the beginning of the Persian Monarchy and that we must take to be the Epocha of this Number And if any one can find out and give an exact account of years since the beginning of the Persian monarchy then I think I may undertake to tell when they will end And consequently when all the other Numbers mentioned will come to their end A late Author who hath laboured much to find out the true account fixes the period of this Number in A. D. 1701. but for my part I shall only declare what I am most inclined to believe which is that it will not be till about 1731. those that have Books and leasure may do well to try what by searching they can find out of the certain Number of years since the beginning of the Persian-monarchy which would be a
heed given to it And did not this tend to the taking away of the daily sacrifice and was it not an abomination making desolate 3. Touching Prohibition of Marriage It was endeavoured in the Council of Nice A. 326. to make a Decree That Bishops and Elders should refrain from their Wives But Paphnutius opposed himself to the whole Council urging that of the Apostle Marriage is honourable among all men and so far prevailed that a Decree of Liberty was brought forth But in An. 396. the second Council of Carthage was held saith Helvicus which made a Law against their Marriage and this was confirmed in the Council of Toledo in Spain with an Allowance to have Concubines A. 400. and likewise Siricius who was Bishop of Rome from A. 385 to 398. as saith Alfred in Chron. Paparum imposed single life upon the Clergy endeavouring to justifie it by abusing those words of Paul They that are in the flesh cannot please God Thus we see when forbidding to Marry came in viz. A. 396. 4. As for a Command to abstain from Meats which is the last thing mentioned by the Apostle Socrat. lib. 5. saith That about the year 396. Laws were made about Meats and other things were instituted which he called Jewish Rites which made Augustine complain That about this time Religion was so corrupted with Traditions and Humane Rites that the very condition of Jews under the Law was much more easie than that of Christians under the Gospel And Dionysius Bishop of Corinth did in an Epistle admonish another Bishop not to load Christians with heavy burthens Ceremonies and Traditions nor obtrude upon his Brethren single Life Thus we have seen somewhat that History doth afford touching the Apostasy foretold by the Apostle These things before mentioned and more may be seen in Wolfeus his Centenaries Now seeing the great things of the Apostasy foretold by the Apostle appear to have been commanded and practised in and about the year 396 therefore that year is most likely to be the Epocha of that Number 1290 dayes and that then the daily Sacrifice began to be taken away and if so then we may easily conclude about what time the Jews will be called Thus much of the Second and Third numbers And lastly touching the 1260 days I would have it considered 1. That the 1290 dayes and the 1260 dayes will end together for we may observe Rev. 16.10 12. that the fifth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Seat of the Beast and so destroys that and consequently the Beast as in that Seat then the sixth Angel pours out his Vial upon the River Euphrates that a way may be made for the Kings of the East These Kings of the East are the Jews and chiefly the ten Tribes Now we may well suppose a calling of the Jews before this it may be a considerable time They are called Kings at the time of the sixth Vial which supposes their calling before and getting into such power as to be called Kings as the Israelites when brought out of Egypt and gathered into a body then were a Kingdom of Priests And besides 't is said he shall save the Tents of Judah first therefore their calling is before the sixth Vial and so we may suppose it will be at the end of the 1260 dayes For my part I conceive that the Jews first Call at least the Call of those of the Tribe of Judah will be at the time of the Witnesses being raised Which seems hinted Ro. 11.15 If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the World what shall the receiving of them be but Life from the dead Life to the dead Witnesses a civil Life and Spiritual to them in a far more eminent degree than before and also a Spiritual Life to many of those that were dead in sins and then the fulness of the Gentiles wil begin to come in 2. The first appearence and Rise of the Man of Sin or first Beast is not to be reckoned for the head of this Number 1260 dayes It 's evident he did begin to appear about the time of the great Apostacy and the taking away the daily Sacrifice 'T is observable in the year before mentioned 196. There was a division of the Empire upon the death of Theodosius and division was the way to ruine and in few years after Alaricus took Rome and the Bishop of Rome begâ—â— to usurpe the power of the Keys as appeaâ—â— by a saying of Augustine The keys are delivered to the whole Church and not to one Peter and then a little after the Horns of the Beast appear 3. If we would pitch upon the right time for the beginning of the 1260 dayes let 's consider two places which give us two eminent marks of that time the first is Rev. 11.2 his having such power as that he thereby treads down the Holy City the other is Rev. 13.5 power was given him to continue Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make War 42 Moneths we may well conceive he might have his Being some time before his making War and before he was able to tread down the Holy City Now upon that supposition that the 1290 and 1260 days will end together and that the head of the former number being reckoned to be about 396 it doth Appear that the head of the latter must be 30 years lower 4. At the Rise of the Witnesses the 1260 dayes will end and then the Beast's time also will be run out But we must consider in what sense this is to be taken that is then the time of his Treading down of the Holy City and his making War so as to prevail therein will have an end for so 't is said That he shall tread down and make War so long Now when the Witnesses shall be raised they shall begin to grow into a City and considerable body For then 144000 are said to be upon Mount Sion They get out of the Wilderness and afflicted estate and begin to be a Mount Sion and to tread down that wicked City Babylon for the tenth part of it then will fall and soon after the other parts and Rome it self and at this time the Witnesses will be able to make War with the Beast and first shall slay 7000 Names of Men and then shall overcome and kill him For he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword when the tenth part of the City falls and the 7000 Names of men are slain then a deadly Wound not to be healed will be given to the first Beast True he may doe somewhat towards his defence but all in vain So that his warring time so as to conquer and prevail by it will then be ended and his 42 Monthes compleated at the rising of the Witnesses And thus Although I had declared some resolutions not to medle with the times farther than to give some signes of them yet being earnestly prest to it I have adventured to doe somewhat in this matter which