Saracen Mahomatan Locusts Cap. 9.4 and so it is to be noted which I also adde that the blasts of the first four Trumpets being the milder miseries on the Empire were stayed Rev. 8.1 2. until much Incense was offered by Christ with the prayers of the Saints that they might be accepted where those four Trumpets took effect namely upon the Western part from the time the barbarous Nations came in there for the most part till he that letted as the Apostle speaks 2 Thes 2. should be taken away in the West as he was there first to make room for Antichrist to whom the Dragon by degrees gave his Seat and Power and great Authority And that the 14400 were to arise out of the Greek Church viz. which were sealed Cap. 7. Some of the said Authors grounds are farther namely That the Angel that would have the four Winds stayed till they were sealed is said to arise out of the East and the evil of the Woe-Trumpets was to fall upon the East chiefly and that if those sealed ones Cap. 7. be not of Christians in the East Church in the times of the Woe-Trnmpets there is nothing spoken of them in all the Book of Revelation remarkable which have been so long under such sad tribulation and their being said to come out of great tribulation doth more fitly seem to decypher out the Christians of the Greek Church than any others under those Trumpets To which I may adde as being of the same Judgment That they are farther described to have specially washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb whom they would not leave for Mahomatan impostures at the highest Price of Fears or Favours and seem to differ from what is set down of those 144000 Cap. 14. with the Lamb in Mount Sion having their Fathers Name in the Forehead which seems to be in the Western Church preserved in the darkness of Popery from spiritual ruine by Antichrist who are called there The Followers of the Lamb wheresoever he goeth keeping close to him and not turning into the Beasts by-ways and thickets though he pretended never so much to be the Lambs Deputy and Vicar-General on Earth and they are said to be Virgins which denotes their avoiding of Anttichrists Idolatry and have no guile in their mouths to pretend for Christ and follow Antichrist with other particulars observable Cap. 14. which seem to set them forth to be the sealed ones in Antichrists Dominion rather than in the East parts where Mahonetism prevails c. and therefore the four Augels stayed their four Winds while the former 144000 Cap. 7. were sealed which seems to signifie they were to be within the reach of their four first Trumpets that for the most part fell upon the Western Empire till that Seat of the former Beast was taken away and preparation should be made for the new Beast the Dragons next Substitute to whom he gave after his Seat and Power and great Authority Cap. 13. For by the first Trumpet Rev. 8. seems to have been weakened the Dominion of the Western Empire by the incursion of the barbarous Nations by the second the great City or Mountain sacked or burnt by the third the Emperour in the person of Agustulus the last of that Order there utterly taken away being plucked out of his Throne and in the fourth the light and glory of all that Kingdom formerly by taking away their antient Senate by means whereof Rome had so long shined so glorious with all her Lights in that Orb before was wholy extinct but in the fifth or first Wo-Trumpet Rev. 9. to vers 11. Gods Dispensation seemed very evident not in respect of Antichrist as the fore-mentioned Author conceived for all the particulars Chap. 9. to the 11th verse seem better to agree to the Sardcens than to him Vide Notes of the Bible on that chapter the Sober Guess c. with others But against the spiritual hurt falling on the one part of the Eastern Empire by the Incursion and Conquest made by the Saracens some of those before sealed chap. 7. were preserved as by means of the two Wings of an Eagle spoken of chap. 12. on that part where the Saracens setled and after on the other part which the Turks took away besides what the Saracens formerly had as likewise that Woman the Church had her other Eagles Wing in the West that Eagle denoting the Roman Empire after Constantine had built Constantinople in the East dividing the Empire into two parts in East and West and the Eagle with her two sade-Wings being the Ensign thereof upon which advantage the Woman the true Church fled into the Wilderness chap. 12. about the end of the second Trumpet or beginning of the third when probably Antichrist had his rise with his ten Kings or Crowned Horns soon after the beginning of the fourth Century from which time the said Woman the Church hath been fed by her true Pastors the two sackcloth-Prophets in her Wilderness-condition which she is shortly to come out of But on the other part that said Woman the Church brought into the East by the other Eagles wing of the Eastern Empire before into her Wilderness condition or rather miserable bondage and great tribulation being cast under the stroke of Mahometan Tyranny by the prevailing of the Saracens at the beginning of the fifth or first Wo Trumpet about the year of our Lord 600 or not long after who then I say began to bring her into her great tribulation in the East on one part wherein she so continued until the second Wo-Trumpet under the Turk about the year of the Lord 1300 by whow the other part of the Eastern Empire was subdued utterly and Mahometism likewise prevailed wholly over the formerly famous visible Greek-Church c. only the said 144000 of sealed ones have been and are still wonderfully preserved amongst them and even of late an 1629. or thereabouts an excellent Confession of Faith was sent from Constantinople by Cyril late Patriarch there well approved by judicious men amongst us as an evidence of the abiding still of such poor persecuted oppressed souls in those parts whose great tribulation spoken of chap 7. for about a thousand years now past and still are like to be under the Turk for his day and weck and month and year as Mr. Mede computes them or until his 396 years be expired Now when the Spirit of God as seems probable having set forth the Wrath and Judgment upon the very seat of the former Beast in the season of the six first Trumpets both East and West where in their order they fell the greatest part contemporating with Antichrists Tyranny both which shall be finished at the beginning of the seventh Trumpet whereby the same spirit of God seems to lead us by the hand as it were to the borders of Christs glorious Kingdom upon Earth approaching upon the beginning of the seventh Angels sounding chap. 11. 2d General Prophesie Rev. 10. He then
in the little book chap. 10. begins again with the affairs of the Church more especially having set forth Gods dispensations in respect of the Empire both while it was Draconized and after it had been Christianized Which little Book when John had eaten up he is told by the mighty Angel of the Covenant that he must prophesie again before Peoples and Nations and Tongues and Kings so that they might have advantage to know these Prophecies had they enquired as he had so prophesied for as it was otherwise of them so it was before them and as he had done it in one respect before namely of the Empire wherein the Church had her being so he should do it again in another respect namely of the Church who had her being there but chiefly under Antichrist in his time where there was another 144000 followers of the Lamb to arise chap. 14. Therefore after the Table of the Times in part of chap. 11. to ver 15. wherein we may see ver 1. a description of the state of the Primitive Times in ver 2. her state in Antichrists forty two months and ver 3. the true Churches state in regard of the most eminent part of it namely of the two Witnesses her Pastors their thousand two hundred and sixty days of years who should feed the Woman in her Wilderness condition and stand on Christs part against Antichrist powerfully and successfully till about the time of finishing their Testimony to ver 7. and then what should befal the Beast upon his last War against the finishing Witnesses upon their Resurrection and Ascention after the Beast had killed them to ver 17. where is the ending of the second Wo and thereupon comes in a short Abridgment of the seventh Trumpet containing the great Changes of the affairs of the World and of the Church namely evil to the wicked World but happy to the true Church and this excellent Abridgment seemed needful in regard of the great concernment of all sorts to understand this as of main use to the whole Book Again the foresaid Author faileth in not distinguishing between the first War the Beast makes against the Saints and Servants of Christ wherein he kills and prevails whereupon all the World wonder after the Beast and the second War against the Witnesses which is dismal and fatal to himself as Mr. Mede well observes and hence the said Author reckons the Witnesses slain above an hundred years ago and so passeth without taking notice of the last finishing Witnesses as then counting the Beasts forty two months expired reckoning the Vials in the seventh Trumpet before the second Wo be past or almost any thing of the Beasts ruine begun which work the Angels that have the Vials are to begin and finish as Mr. Mede and others judge upon considerable grounds c. But in chap. 12. is begun the story of the new Prophesie of the true Church in the Primitive times which is there represented by a Woman cloathed with the Sun and having the Moon under her feet and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars whereby was described her excellency of the Primitive Church of Christ which soon contesteed with the great red Dragon and his Angels till she by Faith and Prayer obtained the Man-child Constantine the reforming Emperor by whose means God cast down the great red Dragon from his heaven upon earth together with his Angels by which means the Woman had two wings of an Eagle given her to flee into the Wilderness for a time times and half a time but before her flight into that retired hidden condition the Serpent cast out his flood of abominable Heresies chiefly against the Persons of the Holy Trinity by Arrius Eutiches Macedonius and others to have carried her away thereby which took up probably almost an hundred years before her time times and half with Antichrists 42 months took place all which time from Constantine the forementioned Author reckons within the date of the Beast and consequently he ends it as much too soon as may farther appear and yet for the Earths opening her Mouth and swallowing up of the Dragons flood of Heresies what he objects against the usual opinion to wit That it was not the incursion of the Barbarous Nations because some of them favoured Arrianism the same might likewise be objected against what he says of the visible Professing Rulers to be the Earth then opposing those Eerrors in many Councils though they favoured Superstition and so might be accounted the Earth but to that might be answered amongst them were many in those times good and Orthodox men about the fourth Century and yet perhaps more fitly it might be applyed to the Bishops of Rome and their party that in those times to get to themselves preheminence did take upon them to end differences in Religion and became in a sort famours thereby getting honor and credit among men thereby and being to be the Beast out of the Earth acting for earthly ends the Earth might be said to help the Woman by withstanding errors against the Sacred Trinity yet promoting Superstition c. and so might swallow up the flood Rev. 13. Concerning the two Beasts in the thirteenth Chapter the said Author is very excellent full and clear above any I have seen if he had timed their rising rightly only he seems to confound the number of his Name ver 17. with the number of the Beast ver 18. whereas the first denotes evidently the remotest sort of Antichrists followers that only may be reckoned or numbred amongst his party which were to be in the last days as they are described by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. when others of the Beasts party come in the latter times which forbid Marriage and command to abstain from Meats c. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. But the number of the Beast ver 18. belongs to the Beast himself concerning the Exposition whereof he giveth a probable conjecture of his many errors as the Sober Guess and others produce many more which learned and industrious men have observed and particularly opposing the Beasts number to the 144000 or the measure of the Holy City and I conceive the considering it as numerus Terminans as Dan. 5. may be more considerable than many think as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in another consideration setting out what Countrey man Antichrist should be and what Language he should use in his Laws and Worship wherein I conceive the wonderful Divine Wisdome of God is much to be acknowledged in setting down Mystery Babylons name so to exercise the several gifts he hath given to several men several ways to have their apprehensions agreeable to truth and considerable in reference to this menifold monstrous Beast wherein they are to be found in one respect on other and so the largest comprehensive sence is like to prove the true sence and many of them to be acknowledged real in such a strange compounded Creature of many as he
is described Dan. 7. And in this Book chap. 14. is conceived by judicious men upon considerable grounds to be contemporary with the two Beasts setting out the opposite state of the true Church in the same time not successive as this Author takes it though the Beasts ruine is therein more fully described yet he hath many considerable things against and concerning Antichrist in this Chapter and likewise he is very excellent upon the seventeenth and eighteenth being a like subject to prove the Pope to be Antichrist But for the particular Vision concerning the Vials Rev. 15 16. which appears to be a larger explication of what was spoken of Antichrists downfal and ruine in the latter part of chap. 14. As the seventeenth was an explication of divers things concerning the Antichristian Church of Rome and the eighteenth a special Vision of the terrible suddain irresistable and cursed destruction and desolation of Rome about the sixth Vial after which probably will succeed the conversion of the Jews and the Armageddon Battel upon which he hath many profitable notes upon chap. 19. But for the beginning of the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the pouring out of the seven Vials and placing so many of the Vials after the time wherein the thousand years chap. 20. is begun and making the casting of Satan into the Lake after the Battel of Gog and Magog chap. 20. to be the seventh Vial I conceive to be much differing from the sense of the Scripture and for that the seven Vials are called the seven last Plagues which Phrase is the same in sence with the end of the days Dan. 12. both setting forth the period of wicked Monarcy when the Feet and Toes of the Image he saw before are wearing out toward the expiring of the Roman Monarchy and are both spoken of the Beasts ruine and poured out to accomplish it by degrees which the last Vial finisheth and reach no farther and in this sense learned men understand the Oath of the Angel of the Covenant chap. 10. That Time should be no longer viz. to that wicked Dominion for thenceforth was to begin a new World as after Noahs Flood wherein Christs glorious Reign on Earth should take place in an eminent manner for then the Scene of the World will be visibly changed the old being ended and the new begun wherein a King shall Rule in Righteousness whose Officers shall be Peace and his Exactors Righteousness as the Prophet foretold c. then will come in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that world to come Heb. 2.5 but the Vials are the last Plagues because they at last dispatch and rid Antichrist and all his supportors out of the Earth neither are any such Plagues suitable to or seasonable in the state of things in the said thousand years while that happy World remains and the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ which this Author applies to the time of Luther which he judges to be the beginning of the Vials I conceive unwarrantably when he thinks the Witnesses were slain chap. 11. not dinstinguishing of the former and last flaying as we observed Grounds of the Doctrine of Christs Kingdom on Earth throughout the whole Book of the Revelations ANd here I shall take occasion to hint what I have all along observed this Learned and Religious Author to have been defective in namely as one not owning the Doctrine of the Glorious Kingdome of Christ to come one Earth in the thousand years Rev. 20. That he passeth over many things in the Book of Revelation which evidently respect that time without observation as first in the Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia wherein those promises are set down again repeated c. 21 22. concerning the New Jerusalem many of which are evidently incompetible to any other state of affairs but of that time as to have power over the Nations chap. 2.26 to receive the Morning Star and to eat of that Tree whose Leaves shall be for the healing of the Nations to sit on a Throne of Christ distinct from his Fathers Throne chap. 3.21 and to have a Name written of the New Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven which are inconsistent with the state of the Church Triumphant in Heaven with divers others which the Primitive Christians were so well resolved of in the best times to belong to those that obtained a better Resurrection as the Spirit of God expresseth it Heb. 11.35 which Saint Paul seems to aim at the attaining to by the fellowship of Christs Sufferings Phil. 3.10 11. whence the Faithful are called the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 Yea observe farther they are called by our Saviour Such as are accounted worthy to attain that World and the Resurrection of the dead And to this purpose it is storied of the Primitive Christians such was their Faith in this particular that out of an holy ambition as it were to have a share amongst the raised Martyrs they were forward to suffer upon that account for the Name of Christ But in the next place likewise he passeth over what evidently refers to that state chap. 5.10 though he spake of what the representative Church are said there to obtain from Christ to be Kings and Priests spiritually unto God but he altogether passeth over what the Holy Ghost teacheth them there to praise God for for the time to come and which they greatly exult in and rejoyce in aforehand for the time to come as a duty belonging to all Saints in that happy priviledge upon Earth till then and say they We shall reign upon Earth which is joyned to the other as an other part of their joy and matter of praise foreseen by the eye of Faith as if they had said For so we all Ministers and People shall their reign not only as we did spiritually in our former condition in the world but as will be suitable to that world to come in Christ's Kingdom on Earth We shall reign with him there a thousand years as chap. 20. is farther explained and to make it clear it must not be taken for Celestial Eternal Glory the place is set down where that Reignishall be namely on Earth and for the time future noting that it was not their present spiritual Reign but they shall so reign there viz. on Earth What can be spoken more clearly yet by him all together over-look'd So usual it is for prejudice to blind the eyes even of otherwise judicious and good men though some mysteries of God are discovered in their seasons only to whom and when and so far only as he is pleased to reveal them as Mr. Mede recordeth of a Tradition that the Apocalyps should be little understood in Antichrists time till about the twelfth Century and suitable in some things afterwards in such times as God sees good c. Again he takes notice of another innumerable company cloathed in white besides the 144000 sealed ones chap. 7. which