it Consider it every way and then give me an Answer is it Miracle or not And as it is thus concerning Creation so concerning Providence it is perfect Miracle for what is Miracle but an Effect rising from the immediate word of God now how does our Meat preserve our Life not by it self only but by every word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God as our Lord hath declared to us So How do our Cloaths warm us How does the whole Course of Nature maintain its Circulation We are as ignorant in all these things even as the Jews were when Christ either Heal'd the Sick or the Lame or open'd the Eyes of the Blind or cast out Devils or whatever were the great things he did and yet still the things were evident Matters of Fact Even so it is in the Dayly Evidences of the Divine Power and Greatness and Goodness in the Creation and Dayly Providence How excellently does David speak upon this Subject Psalm 104. He goes through this whole Oeconomy of Creation and Providence and therefore he begins thus Oh Lord my God thou art very Great Thou art Cloathed with Honour und Majesty who coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment and so on Now if we do really believe that the whole World stands by Immediate Divine Power and that every day the Motions of it come fresh out of the Hand of God and that beyond all Natural Causes or Connexion of Causes then we must acknowledg Miracles every day The Prophet Jeremy tells us Lament 3. 23. It is of the Lords mercies we are not Consumed and because his compassions fail not they are new every Morning We are ready to think the Light and the Life and the mercy of this Day are the same they were Yesterday but if we believe the Spirit of God by that Prophet they are not the same though of the same for Kind yet not the same by any necessary Continuation or Natural Connexion with those of Yesterday but new new every Morning Now if the mercy of this Morning be new why then it is certainly a Miracle because no Power of a Creature could have produced it or brought it forth but an Immediate Act of the Power of the goodness of God And he had not done it so yesterday that he must needs do it to day yet if he did not generally do it and that anew our Life must cease for ever Oh if our Hearts did but Live under this Sense of God how Humble and Dependent would it make us We are ready to think it is the Suns Duty to Rise to Day because it Rose Yesterday and we are too ready to Build upon it that our Life shall be to Day as it was Yesterday but if we could consider that it is indeed a New Life every Day yea every Moment and that whatever Channel it runs through yet that God alone is the Giver immediately from Himself and it is continually a New Gift If a Man were Dead and Raised again from the Dead then every one would look about them and make a great wonder but if we went up to the Fountain Head we should find the very same Power that Raises the Dead giving Life every Moment and if we could see but into that we should see Miracle in the one even as in the other for both are immediately from Infinite Power Both are New Only one is out of the Ordinary Course of Gods Disposal the other not so I would only argue this further on one place of Scripture and so pass on It is said Rom. 1. 20. The Invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly understood by the Things that are made Even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without Excuse The Apostle affirms The Eternal Power and Godhead are in themselves clearly to be seen round about us by the Works of Creation and Providence and so as to leave without Excuse Although therefore we see not thus clearly even the best of us and so many bruitish Atheistick Men not at all yet this cannot make the Apostle's Words of no Effect They continue Firm The Eternal Power and Godhead are so to be seen as to leave men without Excuse What now can Miracles do more They can only alarm or call us to closer Attendance They cannot more clearly inform inlighten or assure We may therefore justly say of Creation and Providence compar'd with Miracles as the Lord said of Moses and the Prophets compar'd with one rising from the Dead If they will not believe the one they will not be perswaded by the other If not by Creation and Providence no not by Miracles I would therefore consider what is said by the Men of Wit and Reason as they are ready to Esteem themselves They would suppose that Matter and Motion being either Eternal as some would have it or Created by God as others would at least seem to allow and then either by themselves or by a General Concourse of the Supreme Being they could together according to a sort of Mechanick Law do every thing But we see how soon not only the Works of Art but even of Nature Run out of Order or wear out themselves It is True if all things could have produced themselves there were an End of the Miracle of Creation Or if when made they could Govern themselves There were then indeed no Miracle of Providence but what turned Nature wholly out of its Course But to us instructed by the Word of God the whole Frame of Creation is like a well Tuned Instrument every String wound up to its due Tenor but in evèry single String and the whole Harmony the Divine Hand was immediately even wherein any Second Cause had the least Activity Every Wheel in this curious Machine was plac'd by his Finger And when all was put together and so Tun'd All had for ever notwithstanding lain still like an Instrument on which the Musicians Hand never came or was removed Or as a Clock or Watch whose Weights or Spring were never wound up or quite down or taken off And to this Frame and this Motion no Vicarious Hand but the Creator's alone can suffâ—ce He is every moment even a-new the Fountain of Life Being and Motion as the Apostle saith In him we live move and have our Being So that Creation and Providence are still Miracles The Sun and so all other of the Works of Creation in their proportion is prepared as a Bridegroom coming out â—f his Chamber and rejoyces as a strong man to run a Race But in all this the Sun declares the Glory of God alone Oh that therefore our souls could Bless the Lord while we have our Being and all that is within us praise his Holy Name that the meditation of Him and his Works could be sweet to us and that we could say we need not Miracles as further Evidences of his Creating Power or Preserving Goodness but for the Displays thereof to other
shall be your Judges as in a Conneel The Miraculous Efficacies were also of greater Disposition and freer Distribution Accordingly we may suppose The 144000 with the Fathers Name writ on their Foreheads who learn the New Song First and those who are In structed by Them in it shall very Universally yet according to his Wisdom and Will who is the Supreme Donor be Endued with Power from above as Ministers of State in the Kingdom of Christ and Receiving Gifts for it 3. These Miraculous Powers were Dispens'd in a Frequency in a Continued Dayliness in an universality we find our Lord on all occasions dispens'd these Largesses of Heavenly Bounty and Compassion He never denyed any He extended them to his very Enemies the High Priests Servant onely he was as it were Repuls'd in his Grace by the Vnbelief of some He could do no mighty Works because of their Vnbelief that is he declar'd himself so that he might leave a Testimony against that Sin and Warn all of it Else He went about doing good He Healed all manner of Sickness and diseases And so by the Apostles This Miraculous Power was carried throughout the several Circuits of their Ministry as the Apostle Paul Witnesses concerning his own round about from Jerusalem to Illyricum He Preached the Gospel with mighty Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Spirit Rom. 15. And without doubt in the same manner shall this Miraculous Power Compass Sea and Land in the Preaching the Everlasting Gospel to every Tongue Nation and Lauguage And till this be I would Require none to believe Miracles are Return'd and then indeed it will be undeniable 4. As there was thus a Power of Miracles given to the Commission'd Officers of Christ and to his Gifted Servants So there was a Faith of both doing Miracles and a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of those Miraculous Efficacies For as the Apostle speaks of All Faith 1 Cor. 13. 1. Viz. Miraculous or Wonder working Faith So that I could saith he remove Mountains c so there is a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of Miracles For Peter and John and Paul are said Acts 2. c. 14 To perceive a Faith to be Healed a Faith of Receiving And our Lord took notice of the Faith of the Centurion and others altho it is True In many Acts of Grace there was no Regard we can Find to the Faith of the Receiver but the mighty Power and Mercy of God Sallyed out upon Persons by the Faith of the Ministers of the Miraculous Power Having Mercy because he would have Mercy And it gives us an Emblem of the Grace and Power of Christ in Conversion and bringing home to himself sometimes as it seems in a way of Preparation sometimes wholly without but however it seems it is certain Divine Power and Grace Drawing near did Erect that Faith that is in the Wise Ordination necessary to Receive Christ Grace Pardon Justification Sanctification even as the Miraculous Power of Christ being abroad and Drawing Nigh Raised so generally a Faith in that Miraculous Power so general and the particular Dtawing Nigh of Christ excited it in the particular Persons on whom the Benefits were bestowed And thus in the Return of Miracles the Servants of Christ both in Ordinary and Extraordinary Commission'd to Work Miracles shall be Cloath'd with a Faith to that End that those who can by no means Believe now such a Power shall Return will by Feeling that very Power comming upon them and the Hand-writing of the Fathers Name by the Spirit on their Foreheads will be fully perswaded of his wondrous works being as near as his Name to Declare it and these effects flowing out from it upon others There will be a Rousing the Senseless sleepy World that knows not yet the Blessings near it to wait for the Graces to be bestowed by this Power Till these things are No Opinions or best Fram'd Discourses No Essays Beginnings or Scatterings of such a Power can perswade I know none would have it so that Miracles are Returned But when these are none will be able to perswade the contrary and in the mean time the Hopes Expectations and Prayers of Christians are hereby rais'd 5. There arose then and there will arise at the Return of Miracles such full Assurance such Plerophory of Persuasion concerning the Truth of Things that they can be no more doubted than the Assurances of the Light and of the Day and indeed as Cartes Argues Rational Intellectual Assurance surmounts all Sensible even so Spiritual Surmounts both Sensible and Intellectual and this both as to matter of Fact that indeed such things are wrought and that they are wrought by God by a Divine Power and that herein is the Finger of God 6. Herewith a mighty Stream and Torrent of Truth pass'd along and Fill'd the World with the Light and Glory of it in very wonderful manner then and shall much more do so at the Return of Miracles that the Isles shall wait for the Law of Christ his Name shall be great from the Rising of the Sun to the going down of the same The Knowledg of the Lord and of his Glory shall Cover the Earth as the VVaters do the Sea The Light of one Day shall be as the Light of Seven For so hath the mouth of the Lord spoken He hath spoken and he will do it He will VVork and none shall let it He the Lord will hasten it in his own Time No one of these things shall want it's Mate and tho it be wonderful in our Eyes yet shall it be so in his 7. There was a mighty Power of Converting Grace a change of the Hearts Tempers purpose manner of Life and Conversation of men as appears by the 3000 Converted at one Sermon of the Apostle Peters Acts 2. a Real and Sincere and Sound Conversion as the Spirit of God Implies to us saying the Lord Added to that Number then of his Church and to his Church Daily such as should be saved The Five first Chapters of the Acts plainly shew us what the State of Christianity and of the Churches of Christ was before the Apostasy made some Inroads upon it c. 6. How they walk'd in singleness of heart all Spiritual Joy and Gladness of Heart in the Fear of the Lord and had all things Common a Heavenly Spirit and Temper prevailed in them And so shall it be at the return of Miracles a Spirit of Holiness Heavenly Mindedness Love Charity Singleness of Heart and all Purity shall come back with them For these inward Powers of Grace and Divine Presence are the Life and Spirit to Miracles when the one returns so shall the other also and nothing will indeed so convince the World of a Divine Power and Presence as to find it self thus Chang'd and quite other than as now it Criminates and recriminates upon it self as it now perpetually complains of Accuses and Condemns it self 8. As in the Miracles of Christ and of the Apostles there
hereunto also may be reduced the many Policies and curious Designs of Men of Power and great Motion in the World that amuse ordinary Beholders but all these with the Artifices of men of lower Figure are no moâ—e than greater or lesser Puppet play moving things by Wires unseen and unobserv'd but God does indeed thâ—ngs truly great and New and puts thereby a New Song of Praise into the mouths of his Servants for they are indeed Signs and Wonders and mighty Acts. And they are indeed New because as I have said they are all Peices Parcels Portions of that New Creation the New Heaven and New Earth that New World the World to come the Restitution of All things whereof we speak as is further to be shewn But at the present I rest upon that which hath been already nam'd as the steaddy Representation of a Miracle in strict speaking to us it is the Lords Creating a New Thing in the Earth I only add that proportionably to the New Heaven and the New Earth â—od makes in the Souls of his what he calls A new Creation a new Heart and a New Spâ—rit Old things passing away all becomes New 3. The more proper and Adequate Character of Miracles is that they are Pâ—rtions and Parcels Pledges and assurances of the World to come and of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ of the New Heaven and of the New Earth of the New Creation of God whoever looks closely and Intentively into them shall find that because the Old Creation as under the Curse through Sin and Apostasy of the First Adam will not cannot serve the Ends of the Glory of God of the Creator and of Jesus Christ the Lord and Heir of All by whom and for whom they were all made and of his Body the Church the fulness of him that filleth All in All. Therefore a new Creation is to be brought in and it is to be brought in by a Dissolution of the Old a Total Dissolution of the Old Creation the World of the First Adam and a Restitution of all things and even an Exaltation into a far Higher and more excellent State than the first Now this is to be done by Immediate Power in both Parts of Mercy and Judgment else neither Could be done No Hand but that which put together this Frame can Dissolve it no Hand but that which holds it together can either let it go or stir up those Tumults and Combustions that shall bring it to its End which is a further Argument that Creation and dayly Sustentation are Miracle Effects of immediate Power for else some however unknown to us Disorders and Crâ—ss and Counter Motions of Second Causes had Defeated the Frst Creation or long since brought this Frame to Ruine if there had been none to Guide or Sustain them but themselves And hereby it is also Evident the low State in which the Creation is is Miracle or Immediate Power of Justice for else the Goodness of the Creator had undoubtedly kept it up to its first Being in all things Good and very Good Infinite Immediate Power hath let it down so low and no lower Again on the side of Mercy and Grace so far and so much as the Creation is gone down and fallen from it self through Divine Justice Retiring the Omnipotâ—nt Conserving Hand of Power that would have kept it up or suffering thosâ— Destructive Counter-Motions in the Parts of it or in the Principles of Motion Omnipotency alone can Repair and Fill uâ— those Gaps and Hollows in the Present State and effect a Restitution of All Things and Deliver the Creation now in Bondage from that Servitude under which it hath so long and yet Grones and much more That Almighty Hand alone can Raise it above what it was at First so that Miracle runs through all Now seeing such a Boâ—h Dissolution and Restitution and Exaltation of the Creation is Decreed by God It becomes him by whom are All Things and for whom are All Things and by whom and for whom this very Dissolution and Restitution is to give warning to make Credit and Assurance of These even of Both and therefore as I have already Argued and shall much further Argue in the Part of this Discourse allotted to it That Miracles are Powers of the World to come every way proper and peculiar to it 4. Miracles are therefore Conjoyned with some Eminent and Notable Appearance of the World to Come As at the bringing of the People of Israel out of Egypt and into the Land of Canaan the Promised Land and so when Christ was here in the World and the Apostles so Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom as if it had been immediately to appear and so much more when that Kingdom shall indeed appear For else Miracles would be as Seals to a Blanck This therefore Detects all False Miracles and Lying Wonders that they are not in pursuance of the Kingdom of Christ And this is most Evident as was said before by our Saviours Inference from the Truth of that mighty work of Casting out the Deaf and Dumb Devil and that is was done by the Finger of God that no doubt the Kingdom of God was come upon them as he shews Luke 11. For Miracles cannot be without the Kingdom of God in Eminent Appearance 5. Miracles must being Parts and Peices of the World to come give greatest Assurance of themselves to be the mighty works of God this Assurance must be given to the whole man to the Mind Understanding inward and outward Senses for this is Assurance to the whole Man The Understanding is oft under Error and mistake wherein it is not Serv'd and Ministred to by Sense Sense is oft deluded when the mind does not make a Judgment When both make a full Judgment This is as great Assurance as the Intellectual sensible Being of Man is capable of and therefore Resistance to such Light is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which is Blaspheming against full Conviction of Divine Power and Appearance Mat. 12. 31. Mark 3 18. Luke 12. 10. The Miracles therefore proper to the Kingdom of Christ are Armed at all Points by Infallible Proofs as that grand Miracle of the Resurrection of Christ was Acts 1. 3. And thus they ought to be from their Relation to the Kingdom of Christ which shall give all assurance of it self to the whole Man and for ever remove all possibility of doubt from Saints who shall see then Eye to Eye and from wicked Men who would not see but shall see in that day CHAP. IV. Of the Reasons or ends of Miracles as they are generally Assign'd by those who have Writ upon them I Come now to shew the Ends and great Uses and Purposes of God in Miracles what he intends towards the Children of men by them And I will Argue the thing Freely both on the one side and the other because I know the generality of Christians and of the Interpreters and Teachers of the Doctrine of
move us and reclaim us but you see what he says that Knew all Men and that knew what was in Man and needed not that any one should Testify to him of Man what he would do in such a Case he Assures us This would not perswade Now the very same thing by all proportion of Sense Reason Experience may be said concerning the Works of God the Providence of God the Word of God If Men are not perswaded by these neither would they be perswaded by Miracles werâ— they never so great and many this thereâ—ore Argues to me To move Men to Conversion and Repentance is not the proper and Adequate Reason of Miracles 2. I would further strengthen this by the observation of the Behaviour of those to whom Miracles were more immediately Directed and we may find how they stood up like Rock against the Force of them as we see in Pharoh Would any one think God should send upon him Ten Miraculous Plagues one after another to take him down and bring him into Subjection to God and that at last we should find him Driving into the Heart of the Sea after the People of God and then overwhelmed the sin God had so often warn'd him of and Plagued him for and yet thus it was I acknowledg God magnified his Power and got himself a great Name in his Destruction but we may see there was a further Relation to the World to come by the Recalling the Song of Moses at the Red Sea the place of his Perishing and Joyning it with the Song of the Lamb and by the paralel Course of the seven Vials destroying Spiritual Egypt as was before intimated Rev. 15. In the same manner the Miracles of Christ and of the Apostles were Directed first and immediately on the Jews of That time But how little they Avail'd to Conversion we know beyond Doubt I do not deny God Justified himself more abundantly thereby in their utter Destruction by the Romans about forty years after But the Interest the Kingdom of Christ prevail'd beyond that End of Conversion For It Faild But when that was first Proposed How Proper it was to make so glorious an appearance of that Kingdom that shall fully appear in its own time tho not then that not being the proper Time in a like but much greater and more Illustrious Efficacy of Miracles 3. The moving men home to God cannot be the adequate end of Miracles God hath been pleased to bring some Home suddenly without Miracle as Matthew the Publican Matt. 9. 9. and the Apostle prefers 1 Cor. 14. 23. Prophecy or Powerful Preaching the Gospel as above Miracles for the End of Conversion or a more Spiritual Inward Miraculous Power above a Miracle that seems more wonderful to sense viz. a Speaking with all manner of Tongues or â—anguages And indeed That great and mighty Work of Conversion whatever service it may receive from Miracles yet is much more to be acknowledged to the Spirit of God powr'd out and laying hold on those Ordain'd to Eternal Life than to Miracles which much assures This working upon the Hearts of Men to a sense of God is not the End of Miracles in a full direct Adequation to it 2. It is assigned as a much more Agreable and Commensurate end of Miracles that they are Given as a Testimony from Heaven of the truth of any Divine Revelation from Heaven of the will and mind of God Touching any Law or Rule of Faith worship and Life in order to Eternal Life especially when the Points of that Revelation are above over and super-added to the Law and Light which we Call of Nature or to any former Manifestation and Declaration of the Will of God that had been fixed and setled in the Church and among the People of God throughout their Generations such Miraculous Power is therefore given into the Hand of such Ministers of Divine Pleasure as he hath Chosen for it Thus a great Presence of Divine Power was with Moses the Servant of God in the fixing that whole Frame of the Ceremonial Law Thus the Tabernacle and Service of it was fill'd with the glorious coming down of God into it so Solomons Temple was as we may say Consecrated by God himself And thus Especially and much more That supreme Revelation of the Gospel for the Excellency of the Declaration it self for the Glory of the Lord by whom it began to be spoken for the sake of so great and Antient a Sanction as that of the Mosaick Law which it gave a Cessation to not so much by Abrogation as fulfiling it was so Seal'd in all these Regards God bare Witness to Christ and to the Apostles by Divers Signs Wonders Miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his Will In the assured Knowledg hereof Châ—ist said The Works which the Father hath given me to do bear Witness of me Believe me for the Works sake John 5. 36 c. 14. 11. The Apostle Peter signifies the Boldness in speaking the word of God arising from the signs and wonders that were done by the Name of the Holy Child Jesus Acts 4. 30. Paul and Barnabas spake the word of God boldly the Lord giving Testimony to that word of his Grace and granting Signs and Wonders to be done by their Hands Acts 14. 3. These moved men to Believe This beginning of Miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his Glory and his Disciples believed on him John 2. 11. Christ makes it the great Aggravation of the unbelief of the Jews that he did the Works among them that no man else ever did John 15. 24. Now from all these Scriptures Joyn'd with the Reason of the thing it self It is undeniable The Confirmation of the Truth of the Gospel was a principal end of Miracles and that hereby men might be made obedient by Word and Deed through mighty Signs and Wonders by the Power of the Spirit of God Rom. 15. 19. But all thiâ— notwithstanding which I most Fully and Humbly Acknâ—wledg I have yet many things to observe upon by which it may Appear This is not the Adequate end of Miracles Now that wherein It appears The confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel is not the chief end or Reason of Miracles is That Miracles need a Confirmation from the Doctrine Preached with which they go along and are Joyn'd as well as the Doctrine needs a Confirmation from Miracles Nay Doctrine may Prove it self by it self when Miracles cannot prove themselves without the Doctrine This appears from many Great Scriptures as Deuteronomy 13. 1. If there Arise among you a Prophet and He giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other Gods which Thou hast not Known and let us serve them Thou shalt not Hearken to the words of that Prophet c. For the Lord your God proveth you c. You shall therefore walk after the Lord your God
God took him Gen. 5. 22 23 24. This was an Eminent Peice of that World to come Enoch was translated without seeing Death As the Apostle saith Some shall not Dye but be Changed and Caught up There were two Miraculous Appearances of Judgment The Lapse and Curse upon the Creation and Death upon mankind that Came in upon the Disobedience of the First Adam the grand Proâ—unciation of Judgment upon the whole State of the World of that First Adam and this compar'd with the First Glory of the Creation on which it Brake in is most justly to be esteemed Miracle tho now not so The so universal and general Judgment upon the Old World by the Flood of which was spoken before and how closely it Relates to the VVorld to Come as also of the Peculiar Miracle of Grace towards Noah and such a Remnant of the Creation with him as should give a present Restitution of all things and how Representative was that also of the World to Come in which the Servants of Christ shall be Saved from the Deluge of the Vials and of that Fire of the last Vial Now it was very Agreeable even to that Beginning of the World That it should not be left wholly without a Testimony of that Kingdom signified in the Promise of the Womans Seed wherein there is given the History of that Seed propagating it self as the almost whole History of that Time tho it was so very far off at that Time from Coming and was to pass through so many several Changes of Representation ere it came into its Glory The Confusion of Languages and the Division of the Earth in the Time of Shem the great Melchisedec and Eber the Holy Patriarch through whose Loyns the Holy Seed Ran and whose Son Peleg in an especial manner bore the Character of that Division had this Remarkable Relation to the Kingdom of Christ That it carried the Face of a Miraculous Judiciary Driving asunder the Nations and made the great Distinctiâ—n of Mankind That Kingdom hath made all along in the World and shall make For hereby the Oracles of God were so long committed to that particular Seed of the Hebrews of whom Christ God over All Blessed for ever came And hereupon arose that Temporary and present Remedy or Divine Expedient of the Gift of Tongues shewing the Miraculous Power of Christs Kingdom making way for its enlargement in the World and Foretelling also that Reunion of Languages At Pentecost in his Kingdom Thus the Time of the second Patriarchal Roll of Generation is Illustrated with a Miracle separating the Hebrews from all the Nations of the Earth The Time of Abraham with his Call to the Going out of Egypt was Enlightned with the continual Appearances of God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob which were indeed of the Naâ—ure of Perfect Miracle besides what was Miraculous in the Birth of Isaac of Jacob and that Miracle of Judgment on Sodom before spoken of Thus we see No Time hitherto to the Going out of Egypt hath been a Dark Place in Regard of Miraculous Appearances of God to his Servants because of the Great Son of Abraham according to the Flesh in whose Right of Inheritance as the Prince of the World to come Abraham is call'd Heir of the Worlds Rom. 4. 13. The Time of the Going out of Egypt from the Multiplication of the Children of Israel there to the very settlement in Canaan was one Continued Train of Miracles Nor was the Time of the Judges or of the Kings of Judah Un-illustrated by various Irradiations of the mighty Power of God towards his People in Fore-Assurances of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which is much to be Remark'd Because the Law of God by his Servant Moses had Receiv'd the full settlement and Establishment by as high Testimonies from Heaven as serv'd not only the necessariness of its Sanction but the Glory and Grandieur of it And if only Prophets without any Power of Miracles had been Rais'd up in Addition to it There had been yet a Measure of Truth Shaken Down and Running Over For besides those Extraordinary Prophets there was the Standing Ministry as in Ordinary of the Priests Lips preserving Knowledg But that which is most Wonderful and Deserves particular Enquiry is That even in the Apostasy of the Ten Tribes besides the Communication of whatsoever great things God did in the Kingdom of Judah There were Those two Prophets Elijah and Elisha like two Witnesses after Moses and Aaron set out and Credential'd with a Mighty Power of Miracles to be as a Light shining in the Dark place of that Apostasy that was so great a Type of the Antichristian Apostasy and the Types of one are made by great Wisdom of the Divine Spirit Correspondent to the Types of the other even to so undoubted clearness and Certainty that I make no doubt to Assign it as one Reason Why there was such a Miraculous Presence there even that It with those witnesses at the Deliverance out of Egypt might be a Prophetical Plat-fotm of the Witnesses Appearing in the Twelve Hundred Sixty Days against the Antichristian Apostasy But besides that There was with Regard to Joseph of whom the Prophetick Benediction of Jacob and Moses spoke so great Things and who was so great a Type of Christ in his High Administration in Egypt and whose was as the Spirit of God Testifies the Birth-Right 1 Chron. 5. 2. There was a Type I say of the Kingdom of Christ necessarily to be Erected in his peculiar Posterity whereof he himself Foretold in Ephraim so that tho the Kingdom was Judah's and no one Good King of the House of Joseph over the Ten Tribes yet God being pleased to have some Representation of the Kingdom of Christ tho in so continued an Apostasy he was pleased also to Honour it with so peculiar a Prophetical Ministry and that so Illustrated with Miraculous Powers till he gave them a Bill of Divorce under the Name of those three Children of Whoredom Jezreel Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi Hosea 1. Yet because it was still a Type of the Kingdom of Christ There was an Eminent Type of the very Kingdom of Christ Elijah carried up to Heaven even above the Translation of Enoch in a Chariot of Fire without Dying Some years after the Captivity of the Ten Tribes when they were come under the very Perpendicular Influences of that Dreadful Lo Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi The Miraculous Power of God shone out with very Bright Rayes upon Hezekiah King of Judah a most Excellent Reforming Prince First in the Destruction of so great an Assyrian Army which threatn'd him with the Lot of the Ten Tribes and Immediately after with that Miraculous Sign in the Shadow that is as the Learned make manifest The Sun going so many Degrees back to assure his Life restor'd Then came on the Babylonish Captivity during the Time of which besides the Grandieur of the Spirit of Prophecy during that Time in Jeremiah Ezekiel and
not Ceas'd However suspended is That Scripture Acts 2. 17. For there the Apostle Peter is giving an account of the same Things as in this Text Heb. 2. 4 Those Divers Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Spirit so says the Apostle out of Joel And it shall come to pass in those days I will powre out my Spirit on All Flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall Prophecy c. before that Emphatical that Illustrious day of the Lord come Indeed the Apostle does say This is that was spoken of It began then God gave a very bright show of it then It looked out upon the World with a great Glory at that Time But an Eclipse came upon it it is yet notwithstanding due to that great and Notable Day of the Lord that Day which he calls by a word that signifies Illustrious Apparent Glorious and so as we Translate Notable Day How Notable and so Illustrious but by many Wonderful Magnifyings of Divine Power upon it in so Immediate a way So indeed none can deny that Miraculous Powers must needs introduce that Day of Judgment according to the general Notion or Doctrine of it But saith the Apostle further Before that Notable and Illustrious Day of the Lord Come Now to have spoken this only of that Thing that was seventeen Hundred years ago already or very near it and we don't know how many more it may be if we have not a True Judgment upon Time by the Scripture Line of Time and the Exposition of the Sure word of Prophecy concerning the nearness of that Day we don't know how much longer how many years more it may be to it and yet to call this pouring out of the Spirit before it that was so long ago as if it were but just before it seeing God speaks to us as to Creatures of Time is a very unexpected way of speaking in any and not easy to be Allowed to be the way of the Divine Spirits speaking considering how often Scripture speaks of Great Things just upon that day and not so long before it This indeed seems so unreasonable to very sagacious Interpreters that they cannot acquiesce to before that Day so long before it and therefore have found this way to salve it to understand this Notable Day of the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the day of the Vengeance of God upon the State of the Jews I do not deny but that is made every where a Type of the very Day of Judgment But that Day of Desolation however on many accounts very great is not yet great enough to Answer as a Reason of so great a Thing as before that Day only nor will it be adjusted to the things spoken of in the Prophet Joel nor to the great Things every where spoken of in Scripture as coming near that day It cannot therefore in just Reason be understood only of that Day of the Judgment of God upon that City and Temple nor indeed at all of it but as of a Type and Symbol of that Day and yet if be not so understood except another powring out of the Spirit be understood before that day as near we make a wide breach and Gap of Inconsequence in the Apostles Discourse and yet still the general Opinion even of Christians and their usual way of Discourse makes that Notable Day of the Lord no nearer than it was a Thousand and more years ago So far are we from what the Apostle Requires of hastning on to that Day of God Argum. 3. I Argue from the great Truths that are yet to be Preached in Declaration of and order to this Kingdom of Christ For Miracles are to give Testimony to Truth when God hath great Truth to Communicate to the World and that Universally to be given As the great Things of the Gospel had such a Glory of Miracles to Seal them even so the Truths that are given proper to that Time shall be Witnessed and Sealed with mighty Power of Miracles The great Masters of Discourse concerning Miracles are herein Agreeing that one great Reason of Miracles is to recommend some Manifestations of God that had not been before made at least so far known or so plainly known or so convincingly known I doubt not therefore every One will be ready to say hath not God made known all Truth already In these last days hath he not spoken all Truth by his Son and by his Apostles that heard him hath he not Seal'd up as we say the Canon of his Word the Treasury and Standard of Truth What Truths therefore can there be expected that will need or require the presence of Miracles to give Honour and Assurance to them Is not this very thing a sufficient Argument against any Further Expectation of Miracles that there are no such New Discoveries of Truth to which they can be proper I will therefore give three Instances of the Truth that at least in the further more Glorious Manifestation of especially after the Time of the Apostasy God will grace with Miracles I. The first great Truth that shall be in a wonderful manner Preached is The Freeness of the Grace of God in Christ the riches of Redemption in his Blood I do acknowledg This is Preached now so that there is a very high measure as I may say of yea yea yea and Amen concerning it among the Servants of Christ both as to Conversion and Calling according to his purpose and as to the Justification of Sinners Freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ But it must needs be confess'd also there is a great deal of Cloud and Darkness concerning it It is much Contested and Encountred on all Sides This was the New Song that was Sung Revel 5. saying to the Lamb Thou art Worthy to take the Book of the Kingdom and to open the Seals thereof For thou wast slain and hast Redeemed us by thy Blood out of every Tongue People Kindred and Nation And this Redeeming by the Blood of the Lamb that was slain was the most especial Truth that Miracles at first gave Testimony unto in the Apolical Times Now in the Deep Times of the Apostacy this New Song was lost alltogether and tho at the Reformation it was in some measure Recovered yet even as â—he Reformation hath sunk as almost all Considering Men allow so hath the high and Lofty Ayres of this Song been Lowerd So that at the Time of the Witnesses coming out of their Sackcloth and when the Servants of God who have all this Time bore a Seal of Concealment on their Foreheads shall appear with the Fathers Name on their Foreheads in open legible Characters made so plain that he that Runs may read them This Song therefore shall be as it were a New Song I lay great stress on this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a New Song It is not a New Song For it was Sung in the Days and Times of the Apostles but yet it hath
to that last making known which is therefore great Proof the Power of Miracles is not so ceas'd but that it shall Return Argum. 5. Another Argument I would give for the return of Miracles is that Prayer Acts 4. 29 30. Lord grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word and that Signs and Wonders may be done by the Name of thy Holy Child Jesus I desire to know what words of Limitation are to be found in this Prayer or where any place of Scripture can be found where the Servants of God are Discharg'd from expecting Miraclâ—s any more Where is it said Hitherto shall Miracles go and no further Where is it said they shall cease here or here They are ceased here are the Bounds I have given Leave They shall reach unto this Point but no further There was a Sealing up Scripture from the Day of Malachy the Prophet until John the Baptist his Times With him Scripture began again by the Evangelists There is a sealing up Scripture again by the Apostle John in the end of his Gospel c. 20. 39. c. 21. 25. These things are written that ye might Beleive and if All things were written the World could not contain them It seems order'd by Peculiar Disposes of Providence that the Books of Scripture should be clasp'd up with that End of the Revelation c. 22. 18 19. But there is no bound set to Miracles or Miraculous Power It is true it hath ceased but by no Act cutting off as I may say the Entail tho there is a suspension This Prayer therefore altho it hath had a long Interruption in its effect yet it hath no cessation put upon it but It shall prevail unto the Kingdom of Christ from the Promise of which Psal 2. it was taken The Hand of God we know is not shortned that it should work no more Miracles but the Apostasy fallen upon the Profession of Christianity hath brought forth this long Interval yet the Lords Hand shall be again stretched out and shall not be called back till he hath accomplished the thoughts of his Heart and whatever he hath spoken concerning the Glory and Kingdom of Christ and of that World to Come whereof saith the Apostle we speak when we speak of the various Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will there being so close a Connexion between the one and the other CHAP. VIII Of that Power of Miracles that always Accompanies the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and hath Rested upon the Witnesses and yet Rests upon them During the whole Time past and to the end of the Twelve Hundred and Sixty Days of the Woman in the Wilderness and the Witnesses in Sackcloath and the Forty two Months of the Antichristian Apostasy IT may seem that by giving such Accounts of the Cessation of Miracles and such Arguments for the Return of Miracles that it is the Intention of this Discourse to deny all Miraculous Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ now with his Gospel I shall therefore to clear that Part spend this Chapter in the Stating and Vindicating so weighty a point in these following Particulars shewing the Constancy of Spiritual Miracles 1. Those Mighty Miraculous Spiritual Powers of the Gospel never remove from it wherever the Gospel comes they come wherever the Gospel-Styl'd the Kingdom of God Removes being taken from any they Remove also And tho these are not accounted Miracles because they do not assure themselves to sense yet the Intrinsick Inward excellency of them is such that they are indeed the true Miraculous Nature if I may so speak both as they are Effects and Emanations of Immediate Power from Heaven and as they are so many essential Parts and peices of the World to come And First The Gospel is its own Miracle so rich a Manifestation of Truth that had been Hid from Ages and Generations and now manifested in these last Times But besides It is Truly Miraculous in its Effects 2. The Acceptance of Believers in Jesus Christ to Righteousness before and with God through Free Pardon and Justification by the Blood and Obedience of Jesus Christ. 3. The Renovation and change of the Whole man and of the Action and Conversation by the Spirit of Jesus Christ mortifying the corrupt Lusts Inordinate Affections and filling the Soul with every Grace to Newness of Life and Obedience 4. Dying or Sleeping in and by Jesus Christ when Saints Spirits call'd out of the Body go up to God and Christ 5. When any one is Assured in his own mind hath full Evidence when he Finds all he ever did is brought under Conviction and Confession as in the Woman of Samaria and that the Heart and Life are chang'd why should Miracles be narrowed so much to sense while thus there is surmounting Evidence to the whole man Now altho the Working and Actings hereof are Invisible and Indiscernible by Sense yet they are as Spiritual greatest Realities every way above the Power of Nature or its Comprehension Asserted in all Scripture to be the mighty Power of God and giving a Rich or abundant Entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord und Saviâ—ur Jesus Christ and therefore wanting only the Externe Appearance and Assurance but giving greatest Inward Assurance For they are Acknowledged and Comprehended by All Saints even this Heighth Depth Breadth and Length of which the Apostle speaks Ephes 3. 18. As if he hereby intended Mathematical Assurance They are Inwardly Seen Heard Tasted and Felt and they have the Odours the Flavours of the Kingdom of Christ causing the Triumphs of his Servants the certain Observation of all by standers who cannot but acknowledg their good Conversation the Holy Lives and Comfortable Dying of the Saints of Christ and many have been wrought upon hereby to Faith in Jesus Christ the acknowledged Principal End of Miracles But besides these which are always Inseparable from the Gospel There are those the Spirit of God hath told us are proper to the very Time of the Apostasy as a Counterpoison to it manifested in and by the Witnesses of that Time I would therefore open as I have before shewn Miracles are to be Divided into Miracles of Mercy and of Judgment How far Miracles continue even all the Time of the Antichristian Apostasy in each way or manner of Exercise But it is Heedfully to be Remembred They were not Represented and Counterparted with those open and sensible Miracles which are indeed the Miracles that more properly we are now in Discourse of such as force the Sense and call upon men Universally to say Here is the Finger of God For the Witnesses and their Miracles were under the Seal of the Living God as I have already Reason'd and so were not seen and acknowledged but by comparing Spiritual Things with Spiritual and therefore not by Natural Men even Men of Sense great Reasoners as they are Reputed without the help of the Divine Spirit 1. It was truly a Miracle to
shall receive it This is a Rule in all Cases not to measure Christ's Time God's Time by ours John 7th v. 6. 2. The Time of Miracles Returning may be very near and yet no Miracles till that very Time be wrought John the Baptist was the immediate Forerunner of Christ and yet it is expresly recorded to us John did no Miracle That was no Argument the Miracles of Christ and of the Apostles were at a distance No more is it that the Return of Miracles is far off Because we may at the present be without Ground or Encouragement that any should be wrought for us as yet 3. That Great Admonition of our Lord's concerning Miracles should be alway on our Thoughts Luke 4. 25. I say unto you there were many Widows in the Time of Elijah the Prophet but to none of them was Elijah sent but to her in Sarepta a City of Zidon And there were many Lepers in the days of Elisha the Prophet but unto none of them was he sent but unto Naman the Syrian This Christ spake as the Answer that the Great Physician gave when call'd upon Physician heal thy self Whatsoever thou hast done any where else do in thy own Countrey and City We may not think on any Account to oblige this Miraculous Power of Christ to us because he hath pleas'd to extend it to any other yea though it be of a Time of Miraâ—les 3. Even in a Time of Miracles Christ in doing great Things for his Servants will not be Limited to Miracles He expressed some Dislike when he says John 4. 48. Except you see Miracles you will not Believe To Thomas Desiring sensible Assurance He said with Insinuation of Reproof Because thou hast seen thou hast Believed blessed are they who have not seen and yet have Believed Christ as I have observed before drew many Souls to himself without any Miracle Epaphrodotus was not when sick and Nigh to Death Healed Miraculously by Paul from whose Body Aprons and Handkercheifs were carryed and had Healing Virtue in them and yet God had mercy on Epaphroditus and on Paul also in him and Healed him God does great and Wonderful things for his Servants and yet without Miracles This is our great Consolation he Works Miracles and saves He Works not Miracles and yet saves according to his own Will he does All. 4. When all ordinary Means Fail and the thing looks Desperate in Relation to all such Ordinary means when the Fig-tree does not blossom c. yet we may Trust in the Lord and Glory in the God of our Salvation even at such a Time our Feet should be Like Hinds Feet and walk on our high places In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen we may then come unto God Oh thou that hearest Prayers unto thee shall all Flesh come And tho we cannot Find by Sense we have the Petitions we have asked of him yet by Faith we may know it and he will give us outward Testimony of his hearing for rather than his Servants should not find him a God Hearing Prayers he will either put the working of Second Causes so together that such putting together shall be next to Miracle or rather than these Things should not be done for them he will step out of the way of his present Ordinary Government of the World and work a Miracle for them CHAP. X. Wherein a Representation of the Excellency of the State of Miracles in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles is given That we may thereby Judg of the Return of such a State of Miracles excelling even that in Vniversality and reaching the utmost effects THat I may now draw this Discourse of Miracles to its Conclusion I will Briefly draw up the State of the Miraculous Powers of the Holy Spirit that were so Visibly and Gloriously Acting in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that none may say Lo here and Lo there a Power of Miracles or this or that is the Time of them but that the Time of them may be known to be like the Lightning For as the Lightning Lightneth from the East and shineth to the West or as the very day and the Brightness of it is known from all the Deceptions and Mistakes of the Day when it is not so shall the True Time of the Return of Miracles be known by a Compare with the Standard and Exemplar of them in the Fore-nam'd Time For it was a Standard and Exemplar above all other Times All therefore must be measured by this altho indeed in some Things the Return of Miracles shall exceed as the fullness of Times or of All Times in the Second Coming of Christ exceeds the fulness of Time Singular only or of that First Coming of our Lord Jesus in the Flesh Yet then there was an Offer of the Kingdom to the Jews and it should have been Propagated to the Gentiles but the Kingdom being refus'd the Wonders could not be Finished nor Miracles consequently Consummate 1. The State of Miracles at the Time I am speaking of was Illustrious above any Time before or since it for the variety of Miracles various Signs and Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit as we find in 1 Cor. 12. To one The Gift of Healing to another of Knowledg to another of Tonues c. So one hath an Exhortation a Psalm a Prophecy yea Then was Raising of the Dead This was the First Fruits the beginning of what was spoken by the Prophet Joel Now by such a Variety of Miracles how great is the Confirmation One or Two might be Attributed to some unknown Cause but such a Consort and Harmony could be only Divine even the Atheist would be puzzled to Sacrifice to his Occult Causes decently for such a Variety God saw in the whole Creation where Miracles were fit to be Planted Then Behold and look Judg and Distinguish of the Return of Miracles hereby They shall Return in such a Variety as may Testify their Relation to that Original Exemplar-Variety in the First Appearance of Christ and his Apostles in them and that together they may make up that one however Interrupted in regard of Visible Miracles pouring out of the Spirit before the great and Illustrious Day of the Lord spoken of by the Prophet Joel as aforesaid 2. There were Commission'd Ministers of the Power of Miracles the Twelve Apsstles of our Lord Jesus and some that were as Gifted Brethren sharing in the Communication of these Miraculous Powers as we may perceive by the Seventy sent out by the same Power in some Regard as the Apostles and those Christians to whom the Apostle Writes among the Corinths 1 Cor. 12. To One To Another such Power was given c. For hereby the whole Power became of greater Notoriety of greater Authority as in a Sanhedrim as our Lord says to the Pharisees accusing him of Acting by Belzebub By whom do your Children Cast out Devils Therefore they
Beast is Affirm'd to be the Seventh Succession as Head and the Eighth as King The Sixth Succession is Litterally Affirm'd to be then in Being or now is that the Seventh King being the Christian Emperours was no Head It is Litterally Assur'd the Eighth King but Seventh Head call'd The Beast goes into Perdition and the Kingdom of Christ immediately Succeeds Now all these do so lead us in the True Line and Course of Time that we cannot be surer of the Course of the Seasons and Months that run along and fall out between Season and Season then we are of the Things which in Event or Matter of Fact and History run along all this Time from the Resurrection of our Lord and Answer the Symbols and Images of Prophecy Hereby then the Seals the Trumpets with the grand Events Compriz'd under Them are made most certain to Run along the Time of the Roman Empire from the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh at the Fullness of Time to his Appearance in the Fullness of Times or of All Time at the Kingdom of Christ Now if any one should say These Standards of Interpretation of Prophecy of Scripture are not sufficient to secure Interpretation according to them to be also according to the Mind and Sense of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy I should be Bold to say he either Contradicts what the Apostle hath said That Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation or he must suppose the Sense of the Apostle in these very words All Every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation are as or more Dark and more Hard to be Understood than the Darkest Prophecy of Scripture it self and Further That things may be made by Art or by Chance to fall into an Exact Harmony with the Word of Prophecy or that even a Serious well grounded Research of Scripture according to all the Commands and Encouragements of the Word of God and a keeping close to all the Rules of Scripture and Reason in such a Search may be all to no End or purpose we are never the Nearer to the Truth and Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy than if we had never search'd at all which how Opprobrious and how near to Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit It is so to say I leave to every serious Considerer to Judg. Now as to what I have my self done I cannot without Transcribing a Considerable Part of what I have already Written and made Publick shew How close I have kept to these Rules and Standards given by my self for Interpretation of Prophecy Nor will I presume to say any thing in the gross concerning it I will only first make my Humble Petition to any Person able to Weigh and to Consider and to Compare one part of Things with another that if I have been wanting in any one he would please by Free Entercourses to Remonstrate it to me and to allow Liberty of Debate upon it that so a due Care may be Taken to Vindicate Enlarge Strengthen or if necessity should so Require to Retract or Reform I will therefore here subjoyn but some of the grounds I have rested upon in the Interpretation of Prophecy according to a few Notes on these Standards as the Next Head of Discourse Proposed I First according to our General Scripture Account Fix Historical Time For the drawing then into one View the Types and Symbols of Prophecy from the Time the Spirit of Prophecy was pleas'd to Compose it into a Scheme and had prepar'd so to do I have consider'd the Archetypal Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City c. 40. to the End Representing the Kingdom of Christ in its Glory and the New Jerusalem also having the Glory of God Now when this was once given it becomes a Standard gives Types to the State of the Church of God from that Time among the Jews before Christ and in the Days of our Lord in the Flesh then of the Jewish and Gentile Christian Church in all the States of it either in the Dartings out of the Glory of it or the Stops Stays and Darknings of its Glory because as is Evident both by Scripture and Experience that Glory hath been and yet is under so long a Delay from the Time of that Vision given to this Day Now this I have all along observ'd from Prophetick Vision to Prophetick Vision through the Prophecy of Daniel and of the Revelation in those Express References to that as I justly call it Archetypal Vision from the very giving it to the End And I Account it as a Pole-star like the Star that Led the Wise men to Christ so this Vision shapes an Unerring Course to the Kingdom of Christ And because one Principal Point in that Vision of Ezekiel was the Throne Leading to the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem Ezek. 4. 3. 7. and Rev. 22. 3. And that there was to be as I have said so long a Delay Soon after the Vision of Ezekiel given There is a Vision given to Daniel c. 2 in Nebuchadnezzars Image and of Four Beasts c. 7. describing Four Monarchies as Four Thrones which should successively reach to the Kingdom and Throne of Christ And then as it is expresly said the Thrones were east down these Counter Thrones to the Throne of Christ and the Throne of the Son of Man Established alone Dan. 7. v. 9 This therefore I lay before me as another Archetypal Vision relating to the Powers of the Gentiles and the Enemies of the Kingdom of Christ And having to do with the Roman Monarchy the last of the Four from the Times of the New Testament I most particularly consider that and Finding that the Evangelist Luke gives an Early Notice of it as an Vniversal Monarchy in Augustus Caesar Commanding a Cense of the whole World as his own Dominion Luke 2. 1 Even before the Birth of our Lord I conclude this must be the Fourth of Daniels Monarchies For though some would have it the Macedonian as Divided after the Death of Alexander the Great I find That cannot be both because the God of Heaven would not have set up a Kingdom in the Days of those Kings as is expresly said Dan. 2. v 44. And also because The Kingdom of Christ Even yet is not that Universal Dominion it was Foretold it should be And Lastly Because I find so Admirable an Haâ—mony beâ—wen the Prophetick Figures in the Revelation and the plain Historical Accounts of that Monarchy and that the Spirit of God hath even to plain Litteralness or more than so Interpreted it to be Rome and its Empire I lay therefore before me this Roman Monarchy in the Pagan Empire in the Antichristian Empire viz. The Papacy which to give publick Notice it is a Throne Assumes so Solemnly and Notoriously Enthroniczation to it self and the European Kings given as Horns of Strength to it as also the Mahometan Saracens and Turks coming as two Woes upon it are adjusted in Time Now
not come to his End so soon but must do at last as is intimated concerning the Turkish King of the North Dan. 11. ult Now to keep France so within its own Figure is a Service so considerable to Providence according to Prophecy that it should make Princes and Nations Patient under the inconveniency of War to such an End And it may Answâ—r for a Confederacy of Protestants with Popish Powers so far as that it may be made use of by Providence to such an End as Restraining France Agreeably to Divine Determination And it may justly call us to the Observation of Providence in Ballancing Things so as this Last and former Years it has done so that while as with one hand God is pleased to keep the French Power at such a Height with the other he so Ballances that it should not exceed its Figure So we see it in all the Disposes of Things to this Day So in the Wonderful Preservation of the Kings Person when danger was so every way about and Death so near him Because he hath raised Him up as so peculiar an Instrument to that purpose to give a stop to the Exorbitant Power of France as also to be an Interposer against the Return of Papal Power on these Protestant Nations of England Scotland and Ireland 3. As it was said to Barak This Journey or Expedition shall not be for thy Honour because God would fell Sisera into the Hands of a Woman Judges 4 9 So the great Success of Finishing the War upon France in Conjunction with the Turks God hath reserv'd for the Stone cut oâ—t of the Mountains who is not in any Human Hand No Greater nor more Victorious Atchievements have been therefore Granted to the Confederate Armies nor any gradual Appearances of the Kingdom of Christ because the Glory is reserv'd to Christ so that all shall be done by him in an instant on the sudden at the very Time Appointed by God viz. in the year 97. so near Approaching These things shall be done The French Grandieur as it now stands in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ shall be ground to Powder The Witnesses both the Vaudois and the French Protestants at this Time under his Power and Tyranny shall see the Morning Star Dawning They shall be with Christ when he Breaks the Nations with a Rod of Iron They shall feel a Spirit of Life Entring into them and Causing them to stand on their Feet and they shall hear a Voice from Heaven saying Come up hither The Turkish Woe shall be clear Remov'd But then together with this The Confederate Princes as giving their Kingdom yet to the Beast or Papacy and even the Protestant Princes so Far as they enter into the Constitution of a Nebuchadnezzars Image the Papal Hierarchic Clay where ever it is Found with iâ—s 7000 Names shall all be Ground to Powder also 5. The Supreme Sovereign Event of Events shall then come to paâ—s The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ He shall Reign in his own Name take to himself his Great Power and send out his Everlasting Gospel as on the Wings of Angels and Blessed is he who is not offended at these Things but Loves and Waits for them But indeed if God should please any way to bring down the French Power or Cause it but so much as to Lye still and to Dissolve the League between him and the Turkish Potentacy sooner my Hopes and Expectations might be that God were sooner also working by such Beginnings to much greater Things for the Change of the World In the mean Time I cannot but Represent things as Prophecy Represents them and I presume no further And that I find not to be till 97. Another Prophetical Note The Lord hath been pleas'd much to imprint upon my Spirit is that Habac. 2. 13 14. where the Prophet beholds in Litteral Babylon the Mystical Babilon the Town Built â—ith Blood the Intoxicating Soreeress Enchanting the Nations to the Exposing their Nakedness and Shame through Inebriating them with the Golden Cup of Fornication she holds in her hand and makes the Kings of the Earth Drunk with that they may commit the Whoredoms of Idolatry with her and in the beholding of this and the Foresight of the End and Destruction of it The Prophet is made to see in Spirit by the mighty Influence of that upon him while That bore and carried him alought and moved him and not any Created VVill but the Holy Spirit alone He speaks the State and Posture of Things that shall Confine and Border upon the Ruin and Destruction of that Babylon and the Manifestation of the Glory of the Lord Immediately Consequent upon it And this State he declares shall be by the peculiar Ordination and Constitution of the Lord of Hosts of him who has the Government of the whole Host of Heaven and Earth so that nothing shall be able to move to the Contrary The People shall Labour as in the very Fire the pure perfect Fire and shall weary themselves for very Vanity pure and perfect Vanity For so is it ordain'd by God that thus he may prepare for that great change of the World The very Reason why he orders it so is Because the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth The Glory shall cover the Earth that the knowledg of the Glory of God may so cover it also even as the Waters the Sea that even as in the Sea there is nothing to be seen for Water even so in the Earth There shall be nothing to be seen for the Glory of the Lord it shall so take up the whole View througout all the Earth From hence therefore I Argue All kinds of Disappointment and Frustrations of All the Labour Undertakings Enterprizings that are in the World the Expectations from Princes Councels Governments From Trade and Commerce at Home and Abroad From Armies and Navies From Generals and Commanders of them and their whole Force and this not only in one part of the World but in the Nations and People taken together and in the Gross Such Labouring in the very Fire and wearying themselves for very vanity are no Argument against such a Glory of God being near and the Knowledg of such a Glory covering the Earth as the Waters do the Sea Such a Glorious Revolution and Change of the World being very nigh and at the doors so that they are rather an Argument for the nighness of it to us For God hath given us this as a Prognostick In the very same manner This Divine Prophet beholding that Great Vision of the Kingdom of Christ in its last Accomplishment when all his Enemies shall be under the Invasion with his Troops Intimates That even in the Labour and Service of Nature it self There shall be great Fâ—ustrations and Disappointments that the Fig Tree may not Blossom the Labour of the Olive may fail there may be no Fruit in the Vine
the Flock may be cut off from the Fold and the Heard from the Stall And yet saith he will I Rejoyce in the Lord and Glory in the God of our Salvation For tho I do Acknowledg the World is always so full of Disappointments in all these Kinds that what the Prophet speaks is most suitable to all Times All is full of Labour and Vanity as Solomon speaks Vanity of Vanities All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit All is made subject to Vanity and to Corruption yet as if God would wind up the whole Web of Vanity before the Time of the Salvation of the Restitution of All Things The Prophet thus speaks and goes on That the Lord will make his Feet like Hinds feet and set them upon the high places the Mountain of Spices and that then the Time of Songs shall indeed come in and of Singing to the Stringed Instruments Like David at the Kingdom of the True David the Root and Off spring of David together in comparison of which All songs are but Howling and Lamentation now Now if we were to Judg of Things by the present Aspect of Things and of what is in Prospect we may have Reason to hope That the Change of the World is near and I should Rejoice to be so happily Mistaken that it is indeed nearer than according to the Line of Time I can conclude it There is every where such Labouring in the very Fire and Wearying our selves for very Vanity In the last place to conclude the whole Argument from the sure Word of Prophecy I would in brief present the whole Table of Time The whole ground Plot of Prophecy is the State of Things from the First Creation and Sabbatism under the First Adam to the New Creation and Sabbatism of the Second Adam First Design'd but Remaining to be Accomplished even from the Foundation of the World even when God on the Seventh Day Rested from the Works which He had made according to Heb. 4 5 7. It began to Remain to be Accomplished This Sabbatism Comprehends the Highest and most excellent Temple State or a State of Enjoyment of God and also a Dominion Lordship Throne and Kingdom of the Second Adam and of his Seed over the Creation of God All things being put under the Feet of him and of his Seed in the Sabbatism which remains to the People of God God the Lord of Time hath made and given in his word an exact Line of Time from Sabbatism to Sabbatism of near or to the Evening or between the two Evenings of the Sixth and Last Milenary and allotted a Just Cubical Thousand years the perfection of Time to that Sabbatism it self or Kingdom of Christ This Line is at this Day to be Found in Scripture made up of Historical Time reaching as far as it was necessary to Reach to make up such a space of Time Till by Fair Commissures Prophetic Time came in and joyn'd it and made up the Rest even 5759 years to the great Sabbath To the two great Types of this Temple and Kingdom expiring viz. The Reigns of David and Solomon at Solomons Death This Line of Time is given plainly and Historically Emboss'd only with some Ornamental Resemblances of that Kingdom and Temple-State All which I have made out according to the very Letter of Scripture and Fortified our Hebrew Copy as truly the Word of God by great Evidence as I hope of Argument from Scripture and Scripture-Reason And those several Historical Lines to Solomons Death make 3029 years These I do not particularize because they do not so properly fall under the sure word of Prophecy but the sure word of Scripture-History From thence even at Solomons Death begins Prophetical Time however Historically Supported in many great Branches of it yet the Ministration and Representation of it is All Prophetical and Mystical All and Each of these are of great Consideration to him whoever he be that would understand Prophecy This general Plat-form being now laid according to and in my Line of Time I here present it in brief to View together THE Prophetical Scripture Line of Time As it is Given from the Death of Solomon to the Temple New Jerusalem and Throne of the great Solomon Son of David in purely Prophetical Numbers FRom Solomon's Death when the Types of the Kingdom of Christ in David his Father and himself Ceas'd to Ezekeil's Temple c. The first Time of Sollemn Bearing Iniquity or the Punishment of it in the delay of the Kingdom of Christ the Antitype giving Spring to all Prophetick Time Days of Years 390 Ezek. 4. 5. c. 40. c. In that Ezekiels Temple was but a Visional Temple the former 390 years are made according to the Standard of Seven given by God * Levitic 20. 18 c. seven times three Hundred ninty days of years of bearing Iniquity in the Delay of the Kingdom of Christ to Ezekiels Sanctuary Cleans'd or Expiated and Justified in that Kingdom Days of Years 2340 From Ezekiel's Vision of the Temple after Forty Days of years Bearing the Sin of Judah and stoping any so much as Appearance of a Temple-state to a Faint Appearance of that Vision in Cyrus his Decree for Building the Temple the first 40 of the 2340. Days of Years 0-40 Ezek. 4. 6. From the End of the 40 days of years at Cyrus his Decree to the Sanctuary Cleans'd Days of Years 2300 eves morns Dan. 8. 14. From the Decree of Cyrus the first going out of the word for the Restoring the Temple by the God of Israel and Cyrus King of Persia to the full going out of that word by Artaxerxes Longimanus the first Days of Years 75 Made out by Scripture Argument and Chronology 75 of the 2300 Eves Morns of years a Time of the Treading it under foot this Time therefore is Detach'd from the 2300. From the word fully gone Forth to the Time of Annointing the Sanctuary by the Powring out the Spirit on the Apostolick Church at the Ascension of Christ Represented in the midst of the Half week by the Vision Revel c. 4. c. 5. And so the other Half Week continues the Time of the Confirming of the Covenant a Time cut off from the 2300 of Treading the Sanctuary under Foot Days of Years 490 Dan. 9. 24. Of these 490 years or 70 Weeks seven of them were a Time of Building the Walls and Streets of Jerusalem according to all History Assuring the former 75 with these 49 years to reach ten years within the Reign of Darius Nothus and to be 124 years and therefore the First seven weeks are so cut off from the seventy Dan. 9. 25. Ezr. 6. 14. Fsther 1. 1. Neh. 12. 22. Weeks and so many Persian Princes expresly nam'd in sacred History From the end of the First forty nine years of the Weeks are Sixty two Weeks distinctly nam'd a Time of Vassalage Tributariness Straits and Difficulties under Heathen Princes especially Antiochus
ever but may shine as the Stars and as the Firmament Fix'd in that Firmament of Christianity by the light of which Holy Men are now wise to win Souls and to turn many to Righteousness from which Antichrist by Transgression Fell as a Star from Heaven upon Earth and went down to Open that bottomless Pit and fill'd the World with Darkness and Smoke and shall be cast into his own place at that day the Lake that Burns Rev. 9. 1. with Fire and Brimstone But the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father in the New Jerusalem with God and the Lamb and for Ever If these Things seem hard to be understood let us therefore grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory for Ever THE END An APPENDIX This Prediction I have added by way of Appendix eoncerning Greatest Revolutions in the so near Approaching Year 1698. Found in the Study of that eminent Learned Person Justus Lipsius who Dyed in the year 1606. Transcribed by Dr. Mayer into his Preface upon all the Prophets published 1653. and there to be seen by any who will inspect it Translated and Remark'd upon according to its Agreement with Scripture Prophecy and the Line of it's Time explain'd in several Discourses demonstrating the time times and half time sworn by Christ as the space of the Antichristian Apostasy shall end in the year 1697. And so these so Grand Events appear in a settlement and Consistency 1698. The Original PREDICTION POst Mille Expletos a Partu Virginis Annos Et post sexcentos Rursus ab Orbe Datos Nonagesimus Octavus Mirabilis Annus Ingrueâ— Issecum Gaudia Laeta Feret Corruet hoc Anno Turcarum Invisa Propago Roma Tuum in Libris Fabula Nomen Erit Omnia Tunc â—buâ—t Mundi fursum arque Deorsum Impâ—ria ut Populos Sceptra Novella Premant Utque suâ—m Cunctas Verbum Diffundat in Oras Christus imperitet Nomine Ubique Suo The Translation FRom Virgins Son a Thousand Years when told And after them six Hundred more are Roll'd Then Ninety Eight a year of VVonders Comes And Joyes on Joyes It heaps to Vastest Sums The Hated Stem of Turks that year shall Fall Oh Rome in Sacred Books Foretold men All Shall call thy Name That Lye Earths Empires Move Their upside down a Novel Empire prove The Universal Monarchy Then Christ To th' Everlasting Gospel giving Rist Shall through all Tongues and Kindreds it diffuse And for Imperial Style his own Name use I can Humbly Bless God I have never been subject to be lightly Impress'd upon by any Pretensions to Prophecy Revering only that sure word of Prophecy Scripture Prophecy to which I esteem the word Prophecy in proper speaking to be now only due as the word Scripture to Sacred Writ and the Word to the Word of God yet it is very certain there may be still and there is still vouchsafed by God such Expositions of the sure Word of Prophecy as that his Servants thereby have the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy or some Eminent Servants of God as A. B. Vsher had may have particular Foresights given them or God may providentially Dictate to the minds of whom he pleases the Foretelling of particular Events and their Times and each of these may in general speaking be call'd Prophecy or rather as I choose Prediction All this notwithstanding A Vain Credulity a weak Superstitiousness Fanatick Hears I have through his Grace Far Removed from me and I desire still to Renunciate to them Yet being as I may Account Providentially Directed to this Prediction which I can sollemnly Affirm had so little to do yet with my so constant Fixing on Ninety Seven that I had never Taken the least notice of it before the latter part of the last year Nor had I now minded it in the least but that I found it to Tread the path of Scripture Prophecy in so great and wonderful Events and according to the Line of Time given also by that Prophecy with which I have for several years last past Separated my self to Intermeddle and to make as publick â—â— I could as one Principal Point of Wisdom at this Season now the Day is so near Approaching I have found upon most Assured grounds This Prediction hath fallen upon the Just Time for those Events that commencing 1697 shall settledly appear 1698. Moreover I find This Prediction Formed in the very Phrase and Words which are so Applicable to the sacred Style that considering both the Substance and the Happiness of the very Expression in several Instances I cannot deny my self the Satisfaction and others the Benefit as I hope and desire of making some Remarks upon such an Effort of Providence in giving to whoever it was a Prediction so agreeable to Prophecy a Prediction in undeniable Fact many years before the present Time so consonous to what upon strongest Arguments from the Word of God with the Consent of Undeniable Universal History I have offered to General Knowledge and Observation To Excite to the Pondering of which Substantial Proof I have some Expectation such a Concurrent short Prediction because we are naturally Inclin'd to have some kind of Quicker Thoughts for such may not be unuseful This Prediction is affirm'd by Dr. Mayer to have been found in the Study of Justus Lipsius a Name so known to the World for All Learning and Sagacity of Enquiry into All Things and of the Roman as they will have it call'd Catholic Church I confess I can give no greater Proof It was found there than that Dr. Mayer hath left it so Affirm'd but if it was so It Argues There was some Observation Defer'd to it by him that he â—ave that Paper a place in his Study which Foretold Rome a the Catholick Church should become one of the most notorious Fables in the World and be exposed as one of the greatest Cheats upon it Altho he seem'd to adhere to it I say He seem'd for of so great a Wit I question it However bigotted he appear'd in Writing the Virgo Hallensis But that which is enough to me and will be I suppose to others in thiâ— Kind is That it hath undoubtedly been extant in Print above Forty years and so in the Hands of many persons and that any one may see it at any Time that Pleases Now it must needs be Dr. Mayer knew it a Prediction of â—oâ—e Age in his â—imâ— in Assigâ—ing it to Lipsius his Study who Died near Fifty years before and how long beâ—ore it came into Lipsiâ—s his Study it cannot be said Yet indeed Forty years in this matter is as much as an Hundred and Dr Mayers Preface in this Câ—â—e as much as Lipsius his Study For the whole stresâ— lieâ— here that such Events were Foretold so long before that there was no Train of Causes leading probably to that Ninety Eight more than any other year and that