years are closely conjoyn'd forty years more to the end of the Captivity Dan. 9.20 or to Cyrus-Messiah in Type and to the Vision Preparatory to his Decree of Judahs Redemption from Babylon in the first year of Darius as a Type of the True Messiah and his Redemption given in the same Vision Posit 14 These three hundred ninety years and the forty making four hundred and thirty are numbred by the days of Ezekiels lying on his side a day for a year and they commence from the House of Judah and the House of Israel becoming two distinct Houses And are accounted by the Kings of Israel as they ought to be till Israels Captivity then by Judahs Kings and its Captivity And here by especial care of Providence the prophetical Cyphar of a day for a year is brought in for after Use Posit 15 After this very joynt of Time the Line ceases to be Historical and becoms purely Prophetical being altogether applyed to things to come when the Line was given on and This last part This very Joynt is partly Historical viz. to the year of Ezekiels Captivity c. 1.3 partly Prophetical viz. to the Vision of the New Jerusalem and from thence to the end of the Captivity and to the Vision of restoring Jerusalem by Cyrus and of the Great Messiah Jesus Christ Dan. 9.20 and in Prophetick Figure to the New Jerusalem it self The Line of Time as ceasing to be Historical and becoming Prophetical is divided as into two Psiot 16 equal or about equal halves For from the Creation to the end of the Captivity we find by Scripture Account three thousand four hundred fifty nine years and the Line of prophetical Time is twenty three hundred Prophetical Evens Morns or years to the Sabbath of the thousand years which with the thousand years of that Sabbatism and a subindication of a short space beyond may draw this last part to an Equality with Historical Time especially the latter end of this Joynt being partly Historical partly Prophetical and so communicates of it self to each From Cyrus King of Persia and the Persian Monarchy in him beginning is drawn the longest of Line 7 these parcel Lines reaching the two Pillars It is done It is done Dan. 8.14 Revel 16.17 c. 21.6 which bound whole Intersabbatical Time at its end This longest of Lines being purely Prophetical is given in the prophetical Cyphar of days for years and that It may be known to reach the new Heavens and the new Earth and their great Sabbatism Posit 17 It is given in Evens Morns according to the Character of the six days of the first Creation Gen. 1.5 c. reckoned by six Evens Morns till its Sabbath The Line is given at so great length as twenty three hundred years in prophetick Style 2300 Posit 18 Evens Morns That it being purely prophetical might be more definite certain and less subject to Ambiguity through a multiplicity of Joynts and oâ— the beginnings and endings of them In the infinite Wisdom of God and in his care over his own sacred Prophecy there are given Posit 19 four collateral Lines in express definite numbers that take up eighteen hundred twenty five of the twenty three hundred years so that there remain only Four hundred seventy five undetermin'd And they also may be determin'd by close Scripture researches together with undoubted Testimony of humane History to their just Scituations as shall be presently shown in each particular collateral Line By these Collateral Lines this general Line of Time becoms double and more assured and while Posit 20 the General and principal Line is so assured it adjusts the collateral Lines and shews how they may be regularly plac'd and accounted so as neither to exceed nor come short of the principal on the other side the Collateral distinguish the General that it may not be all of one Face and give no instructions for the differencing of Time and orderly distinction and distribution of it The first Collateral Line is that of the word going forth to restore and to build Jerusalem Col. Line 1. Dan. 9.25 first by Cyrus then by Darius call'd by Humane History Hystaspis then by Artaxerxes called also by humane History Longimanus in his seventh year when the weeks began And it was the space of seventy five years It must needs be that the principal Line and the first Collateral Line must begin together seeing Posit 21 they mutually necessarily suppose one another if one be the Principal and the other the first Collateral they must needs begin together The Prophecy of Daniel places the Vision of the 2300 Evens and Morns in the beginning of the Posit 22 Persian Monarchy which Monarchy began in Cyrus both which are most evident the first in the Ram expounded into the King of Persia Dan. 8.3.20 the second in the universal consent of History that Cyrus was the founder of the Persian Monarchy Dan. 8.3 with 20. If then the 2300 Evens Morns begin in the Persian Monarchy it must begin in Cyrus in whom the Persian Horn became higher than the Median as the Vision requires Whatever began with Cyrus must begin with the 2300 Evs. Morns which began with Cyrus Posit 23 And if there be no Collatteral Line given in Number yet the Principal Line applied to the Course of Events shall necessarily be as a Collatteral Line to it whose length shall be defin'd by the next Collatteral Number and other Collatteral Lines subjoyned till the very end of the 2300 Evs. Morns It is most certain The Word going forth must needs begin with Cyrus as it did 2 Cron. 36.22 Ezr. 1.5 Esa 44. ult Es 45.1 because All the Posit 24 Prophecies went before of him as of God's Shepherd that should say to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built c. and He was therefore renown'd with the Name of Messiah with which no other Pagan Prince was grac'd Yet the Word could not be perfectly so Gone forth by Cyrus as to be to go forth no further Because it was so notoriously stopp'd in its going forth in his dayes and for the Reigns of two Princes after Posit 25 So that the Prophecy could by no means be Answer'd but by a further going forth Ezr. 4. of which that by Cyrus was only a Foundation and in that regard only a fulfilling of all God's Pleasure viz. of giving an original Decree for after Decrees or going forth of the Word Posit 26 It also appears It did not go forth by Cyrus so as to go forth no further because Sacred History Records it to go forth so remarkedly in the second Year of Darias and that yet it did not perfectly Go forth by Darias Ezr. 6.1 because there was so August a further Going forth by Artaxerxes in his Seventh Year Posit 27 Then it was It completely went forth and the seventy Weeks began of which the Spirit of God is Witness by the large Recital of so full and illustrious a Decree and
POSITIONS Containing a Full Account of a Scripture-Line of Time in the whole and from Joynt to Joynt together with a Judgment according to Scripture Prophecy on the present Turkish Affairs I Here present in as much plainness and shortness as I could contrive it into this Scripture Line of Time upon these Great Considerations 1. There is not a Greater or more sensible Argument for the Being of God than his declaring the course of Times and their Events before-hand in so even and settled a Continuation nor more Enforcive of practical Piety then when we see Times are not hidden from the Almighty 2. There is no stronger Conviction of the whole Antichristian Imposture than that Table of Time Scripture hath given of his so long Domination and Tyranny and Ruine at last and especially when now so near 3. There cannot be a more seasonable kind of Instruction for the present Time in which we are so near so wonderful'd chanâ—â— of the World as within Ten years of the Proclamation of Christ's Kingdom nâ—â— in a Seditious or Rebellious way but the most Heavenly Orderly and Regular by Princes and Sovereigns themselves That therefore we may 1 Chron. 12.32 as the children of Issachar comming to make David King at Hebron judiciously and as knowing the Times and what Israel ought to do so prepare our selves for the Kingdom of the Root of David the Bright Morning-Star and may not as the Pharisees be charg'd with Hypocrisy for not discerning the Signs of the Times I present this short Table of Times to become as familiar to every one as the most known principles in these following Positions THere is a Line of Time drawn by Scripture from that Point It calls The Beginning Posit 1 Genes 1.1 to that Point It calls The End Dan. 12. ult and oft elsewhere This Line of Time is not drawn in one entire continued Line of 5000 or 6000 Posit 2 years at length and together but in several Parcel Lines and those of unequal length This Line is not drawn industriously or in a Formal show of such a Line But it is with Divine Posit 3 Art occasionally Extended and Applied to the things measur'd by its parcel Lines and so in Longer or Shorter of those Parcel Lines according to those occasions The Joynts of those Parcel Lines are such as lye most visibly close One to Another and have Posit 4 least need of Conjecture or Inference to Derive or Assure the Connexion of each Parcel Line with the Precedent or subsequent Parcel Lines The Beginning and End of this Line are Two Points that bound the Intermedious Space Posit 5 The first Point is that First and Perfect Sabbatism of the World at the First Inviolate Creaation Posit 6 which was its Stasis or the First State given it by God And It is inclusive of the space to that Grand Oracle The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head Within which Space the first Parents Fell and in them their Posterity But what Space that was Scripture hath thought fit to conceal as to any positive definition of it viz. when our First Parents Fell. The last Point is That Sabatism of the Creation Restor'd or made New sacred Scripture styles the Posit 7 Apocatastasis or the Restitution of All things in counter distinction to its Fore-nam'd State and the Fall from it and so it is the Point of Revolution And it is the Thousand Years after which is a short Interval of the Serpent loosed of Gog and Magog and the Laodicean state of the Church On which last Interval-Scripture hath thrown a veil of secrecy also giving us no Account what space of Time it is within this also lies the final Judgment Posit 8 The Line of Time that comes first to be enquired of is that which lyes between the Two Points of the first and the last Sabatism Posit 9 The Parcel Lines of this whole Line are neither conceal'd nor so dogmatically given but that they require Investigation Discussion Debate and Computation by way of Argument to settle and ascertain them Psit 10 By such Elaborate search into the Word of God They may be determin'd to be in Express or number'd Numbers Five Thousand seven Hundred and Fifty nine Years with some small Latitude of more or less in some very small difference Posit 11 Yet is this no Derogation from the Truth of our Saviour's Assertion or seeming Prohibition of enquiry into these Things Acts. 1.7 viz. It is not for you to know c. such an Enquiry as that Answer was given to being hasty and curious and not according to the Order of Divine Revelation in its own Time and Method or according to the Order of search into such Revelation already given by diligent Endeavour to compare Scripture with Scripture with earnest Prayer to be guided into the right Understanding thereof Posit 12 The Line of Scripture-Time is either Historical and applied to Things that were already past when that Line was subtended to them Or it is prophetical and applyed to Things that were to come to pass when that Line was drawn out for and applied to them or that are yet remaining to come to pass and to be fulfilled before the End Posit 13 That we may find out this whole Line we must lay together these Historical and Prophetical Parcel-Lines and by casting the Account How many of the Fore-recited number are past we may know how many remain to come and what year we are upon Line 1 There is evidently a Line of Sixteen hundred Fifty six years made up of Lineoles or little Lines of each Patriarhs Age before his Teknogony or Begetting Genes 6. and this Line reaches to the Self-same day of the Flood Line 2 There is a second Parcel Line evident as the Former of four Hundred twenty seven or eight Years by a second Roll of Patriarchs before their Begetting each succeeding Patriarch from the Line 3 Flood to the Terahs Death Genes 10. and Abrahams sojourning and the series of Promises beginning to him immediately at Terahs Death Line 4 From thence to the going out of Egypt there is a Line of four hundred thirty years eight hundred fifty eight years from the self same day of the Flood to the self same day of the going out of Egypt 1 King 6.1 1 Kings 11.47 From the going out of Egypt is carried on the same kind of express Line in four hundred eighty years to Solomons first beginning the Temple and reductively thirty six years from thence to Solomons Death Thus far the Line is purely Historical Line 5 In a Line partly Historical partly Prophetical runs a Course of three hundred ninety years to the very self same day of Ezekiels Vision of the New Jerusalem Ezek. 4.5.6 Ezek. 40.1 and from the self same day of the going out of Egypt to the self same day of that Vision Given nine hundred and six years Line 6 With these three hundred and ninety
though before hand as often it gives the Sum before hand Ezr. 7.1 Ez. 6.14 or together It affirms the Temple finish'd by the Commandment of the God of Israel as the supreme going forth of the Word and by the Commandment of Cyrus Darias and Artaxerxes Kings of Persia the Subordinate and Humane which was the perfect fulfilling of Dans Prophecy of the Commandment and the Word going forth And then is particularly recited Ataxerxes his Decree Posit 28 It appears further that by Artaxerxes in his Seventh Year the Word went forth because by the same Artaxerxes in his Twentieth Year Nehem. 2.7 when there went forth a Commission by Letters in some Resemblance of the Word going forth It is expresly directed on the building the Walls and Gates which in Dans Prophecy is a Note of the Seven first Weeks in their Course which assures the VVord was Gone forth and the Weeks began before that and therefore necessarily Gone forth at the last Word in the Seventh Year Posit 29 From the VVord then Going forth first by Cyrus to its going on still forth further by Darius and its Complete being Gone forth by Artaxerxes in his Seventh Year must be a Considerable space and by the Examination of the After parts of these principal and collatteral Lines together with other Symbolisms of Scripture on which great weight is oft hung It may be known to be Seventy Five Years and so by being lay'd to the Principal must be a Collatteral Line Line Coll. 2. From the VVord thus Completely Gone forth is drawn the second Supporting or Collatteral Line of Seventy prophetical Weeks till the solemn Promulgation of the Everlasting Covenant and the Sealing up Vision and Prophecy Dan. 9.24 viz. that great Prophecy of Chriâ—â—s Kingdom by Daniel Posit 30 This line of Time is divided into three Parts And is agreed to be 490 Years in the whole by All Expositors v. 25. Nehem. 1. c. 1. The Seventy VVeeks to which the Building of the wall is to be apply'd as its Character Which Seven immediately followed the Word gone forth as before Asserted for Restoring Jerusalem of which the Temple was the Principal part 2. Sixty Two VVeeks to which is to be apply'd Time of Trouble or in Straits viz. in the Jews low and Tributary State to other Princes among which Troubles by Daniel's Prophecy Antiochus his Tyranny was peculiarly remark'd These lasted till the Messiah publickly appear'd not a Prince but a publick Leader Guide and Prophet in his publick Ministry As the Hebrew Nagith imports 3. One Week of all highest Confirmations of the Everlasting Covenant in the First Half Week by Messiah Himself Mat. 4.17 at the end of which Half or in the midst of that Week Messiah was cut off sometime after the sixty two Weeks viz. three Years and a Half and by the Sacrifice of Himself and his Resurrection and Ascension after it caused typical Sacrifice and Oblation to cease a much different thing from taking away the Daily Sacrifice and so left the Confirmation of the same Covenant to his Apostles by the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which three Years and half of the last Half Week Run out and the Gospel not accepted by the Body of the Jews Acts 8.1 They were Rejected to Desolations till the End or near the Glorious Kingdom of Christ although these Desolations are not set out in the Revelation as not becomming the Apocalyptical Glory of Israelitism and of the New Jerusalem the Types all along of Christ's Kingdom first in its Purity then in its Glory throughout the Revelation Coll. Line 3. Immediately after the End of the last Half Week follows the Third Collatteral line of four hundred Years of the Time of the Book Sealed in Daniel's Prophecy and seen in the Hand of Him on the Throne Sealed with seven Seals in Revelation Rev. c. 5.1 â— 6. â— 7. â— 10. And when six of those Seals were open'd before the seventh open'd a second Sealing viz. of the 144000 enter'd to carry on the Sealing further immediately after the Apparance of the Christian Empire then a Third Sealing followed viz of the Thunders at the time of the Reformation that so Daniel's Sealing might reach the End Posit 31 The Connexion of this line with the former is thus made certain Daniel's last Half Week must immediately run on from the end of the Former Half Week in Confirmation of the Covenant when Sacrifice and Oblation was made to Cease by the Death Resurrection Ascension of Christ and sending down the Holy Spirit Because the Character of whole Week is Confirmation of the Covenant Accordingly the Apostles immediately proceeded to Confirm the Covenant as appears in the Sacred Posit 32 History of the Acts of the Acts of the Apostles Answerably hereunto as the period of the first half week and the beginning of the last half week Posit 33 the Lords day of the Resurrection and sending the holy spirit is fixed as the Apocalyptical Epoch when the first Seal is opened in the Apostles solemn promulgation of the Covenant of Salvation that was begun to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed by them that heard him Heb. 2.3 God also bearing them witness by Miracles c. With the first Seal all the rest are conjoyn'd and opened in an orderly succession and course of Posit 34 Time and make by things themselves applyed to the principal Line of 2300 Evens Morns a third Collateral Line though not given in express numbers Before the last half week of the last Line ended this following Line of the Seals running 400 Posit 35 years beyond the three years and half of the last half week is adopted and engrafted into the former Line of the weeks by uniting the last half week in the common symbol of these seven Seals so closely succeeding in a course of Time with the sealing Vision at Christs Death This Line must continue till the following Line of the 1260 Prophetical days or years joyn it Posit 36 at the beginning of the Trumpets This Line is by several notes of Time in the course of the Seals and by the notes of Time determining Posit 37 the beginning of the 1260 days Rev. 6.5.6 assur'd to be 404 from the Epoch of the Lords day of the Resurrection and Ascention And that remarkable symbol of the Ballances in the Hand of that so known Just Prince Alexander Severus in the third Seal determines the half time at his Death 202 years from the Resurrection to the vulgar Ann. Dom. 235 by the Agreement of undoubted Humane History Next follows as it does the solemn Oath in Daniel so the second sealing which entred with the first Trumpet into its force in the Revelation Time Times half a Time Collat. lin 4. concurrent with the six first Trumpets within the continent of which lye the 1260 days of the Woman the Church in the Wilderness the Witnesses in Sackcloth and slain three days