I was for some time unresolved of a Subject to write upon but seeking to the Lord in Prayer God set the sence of the old Dragons and the Whore of Babylons long-continued Tyranny over the Saints much upon my soul and I judged it was now a time seasonable and a Work necessary afresh to take a view of this old World under Monarchical Tyranny in States and under mystical Babylons usurpations over the Church of Christ. In the time of the Jewish Church-state and for some time after the New-Testament-church-state was begun Daniels four parted terrible Image and his four monstrous Beasts had all their answerable times and terms that with Christs Incarnation Johns Serpent or Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns the Heathen Roman Empire was entered the stage of this World and acted like himself But as this Beast grew weak and fell in power the great Whore Mystery Babylon took her opportunity to get up and rides that Scarlet-coloured Beast to this day Since the Pope or Papacy hath ridden the Dragon or earthly Monarchy the Whore hath made great use of the Kings of the Earth to exercise her bloudy cruelty upon the Saints that have owned and sought those priviledges where-with the Lord Jesus Christ hath made them free What the Dragons and the Whores time and Tyranny hath been is not unknown to many Saints and light will break forth more and more to the perfect day Large and vast are those Volumes which have been written upon these four great Empires of the World and the Papacy of Rome but these for the greatest part have been written in strange Tongues and are in the studies of great Scholars to little Spiritual use When Nebuchadnezzar had taken Jerusalem and setled the Empire of Babylon in himself his desires were to know what after should come to passe in the latter daies His mind being thus busied he had a Vision of a great and terrible Image whose head was of Gold his brest and arms of Silver his belly and his thighes of Brasse his leggs of Iron his feet part of Iron and part of Clay a stone cut out without hands smote the Image upon his feet and brake them to peeces that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth This Vision was revealed from the Lord to Daniel and by Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar wherein is presented the future state of the world from that time to the Kingdom of Christ or Kingdom of the Stone and end of this old World From that time the world was to bee under the successive government of four Kingdoms of which Babylon was the first And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever The Lords revealing this dream and the interpretation of it to Nebuchadnezzar caused that Heathen King to give glory to God as God of gods and greatly honoured Daniel as honoured of the Lord to reveal the secret I may hence infer it s now a work becoming the Lords people to be inquiring after light in this Prophecie and be saying to the Lords Watch-men as those of Sier Watch-man what of the night watch-man what of the night that is how much of the time of these four Kingdoms are run out or what remains yet to be fulfilled of them when the fifth Kingdom is to begin and the watch-men may answer The morning cometh also the night that is the morning for Saints and the night for sinners It was a mercy that the Lord should have this Prophecie as a ground for faith and prayer to his people but God hath abundantly fore-told the suffering state of his Church under these four Kingdoms hath by his Prophets and Apostles which are now so plain that Saints doe run and â—ead them God Omniscient fore-seeing the need saints would have of support under so long â—â—me of sufferings gives a further discovery of these four Kingdoms to the Prophet Daniel in the first year of Belshazzer King of Babylon In this Vision these â—â—ur Kings or Kingdoms are represented â—nder four monstrous Beasts and these â—â—eat Beasts which are four are interâ—â—eted of four Kings which should arise â—â—t of the earth and for a support to the â—â—rds people the Angel also further adds â—â—at the Saints of the most High shall â—â—ke the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever The Babylonian Monarchy the Median and Persian Monarchy and the Grecian Monarchy are three of these four Kingdoms expresly sonamed by and to Daniel And the fourth Beast which was dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly can be no other than the Empire of Rome Time hath now interpreted who the fourth Beast is but Daniels fourth Beast and the Apostle Johns Dragon arâ— one and the same and generally understood to represent the Roman Monarchy Earth and Sea Corruption and Confusion was the original of these Kingdoms and I may as truly say Pride and Contention are the support of earthly Kings and Crowns For the sake of Saints I have gathered this Compendium of these four Kingdoms of Babylon Media and Persia Greece and Rome out of large anâ— vast Volumes to give light into Daniel Visions and Johns Revelations They that with serious thoughts shall read these few pages and run down the line of Monarchy in the several Beasts reigns do noâ— need Spiritual light to discover what implacable enmity hath at all times run the veins of Kings against King Jesuâ— and his Saints The Popes and Prelacy had the same original with earthly Monarchy and no less an enemy to the intrest of Christ and his Saints the Papacy is a Beast arising out of the earth as well as Monarchy yet hath Horns like a Lamb but speaks as a Dragon This Whore hath not only drunk but hath been drunken with the bloud of Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus as well as Monarchy and the time is now near that the Saints shall have commission from the Lord Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords not only to give Babylon bloud to drink but to reward her double according to her works in the Cup which she hath filled fill to her double I say this time is near in the whole and in part begun in England I say again and again this is my faith That the hour of Gods Judgements is come to turn the waters of his indignation upon his Churches enemies Beleevers have the Word Covenant and Oath of the erernal God for all this they have the ingagement of the faithful Almighty God that cannot Iye and why should we not expect it Surely the work is upon the wheel that turns fast and nothing but Voyces and Thunders and Earth-quakes nothing but shakings
A LITTLE VIEW OF THIS OLD VVORLD IN TVVO BOOKS I. A Map of Monarchy Wherein the state of the World is represented under Kings with their entrance Reign and Ends from King Saul to King Charls II. An Epitomy of Papacy VVherein is discovered the rise of Anti-christ with the Entrance Reign and Ends of the Popes of Rome for 740 years till the Pope was fully declared to be the Anti-christ A Work fitted for the Press Five years agone and now published by Tho. Palmer Pastor of a Church of Christ in Nottingham LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman and are to bee sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1659. To the Council of State of the Common-Wealth of England Honourable Worthies THe Lord God Almighty is the original of all Created beings and his glory is the great end he is carrying on both in Earth and Heaven Wisdome Grace and Power are the Essence of God and from himself he made and governs the whole Creation independently and none can say Why hast thou done thus There is some parity between a Saints Soul-state and the true Church-state Darkness and bondage precedes light and comfort sufferings goe before rest Abrahams true Seed are in AEgypt they pass the red Sea and wander in a houling Wilderness before they can possess the promised Land of Canaan and all these former dealings of God with his people in Covenant were written for examples and types for us upon whom the ends of the world are come Jehovab hath not usually made great promises to his people and inriched them with his Free Grace but he hath brought them to live upon him by faith for the performance of the word that went out of his mouth yet as God saw the state of future times he was pleased still to discover and fore-tell to his suffering Saints the enemies fall and the Churches advance and glory in this world The state both of the Jewish and Christian Church as to their sufferings union and glory were fully represented in Daniels Visions and Johns Revelations When Jesus Christ was in the Flesh hee was frequently Preaching and in Parables representing the Churches suffering and raised estate and after him the Apostles taught the same things The Prophets and Apostles spake not only of the Churches future sufferings under the Beasts false Prophet the Dragon and the Whore but God was pleased also to compute and measure the time of Saints sufferings to their promised Redemption In Christs fore-telling the events of time after his Resurrection hee gives not his Disciples the number of years but leaves with them several fore-going signs of their promised Redemption that both by computation of time and by signs the Saints might the better finde the time of the Beasts reigns and the appearing and Kingdome of Jesus Christ. Indeed Chronologies are imperfect and I judge the very year of the Beasts fall and Churches deliverance cannot be asserted by man yet I humbly conceive that both from computations and signs God hath begun his Churches deliverance in these Nations The Churches Restoration is as fully promised as her afflicted state fore-told and when the Dragon and the Whore have had their time of tyranny over the Saints why should we not certainly beleeve and look for promised rest If you please here to take a view of the Kings of the Earth and examine Antichrists plots and practices they have fulfilled the Word of God by the mouthes of his Prophets and answer them exactly as face answers face in a Glasse Great Senators I may be bold to say God hath honoured England above all the Nations of the earth and you above many Sons of men in making use of you to begin and prosess your resolutions for the establishment of Truth and Holiness in these Lands it was only the Lords free mercy that brought and hath continued the Gospel in England above any Country and Kingdom in Europe and may we not upon that ground beleeve that appearing and kingdom of the Son of Man promised shall here begin and from hence run from Nation to Nation till all the Vials of Gods Wrath be poured out upon the Churches enemies that great voyce out of the Temple in Heaven be fulfilled saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Truely the night is not yet past and the Lords work in your hands is attended with great difficulty yet you shall ever have a Pillar and a Cloud to guide and defend if you keep your eye upon them I think I may say God now calls you to an unwonted work the bringing in of the New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness which is the Kingdom of Saints in this World Carnal Counsellours and worldly Politicians know little of the Lords designs at this day and will doe as little in his work God is now staining worldly glory God is now fulfilling promises to his Son and his Saints and none but the Spiritual-wise understand the work before you I beseech you look much to God hearken after the teaching and light of the Spirit in the Churches of Christ and so act that you may render up your account with joy not with fear This is the end and all of my desires in this little peice I humbly present you with who shall rejoyce to bee found serviceable in his generation to promote the great design of Jesus Christ and shall abide Your Honours real and faithful Servant in my Lords Work Tho. Palmer From my Lodging upon London Bridge the 4th Mon. 1659. To all that beleeve and look for the Kingdom of Christ and glory of the New-Testamen-Church in this World Precious souls IT was the providence of my dear Father when he took me from more rough imployment in the Warrs of England to call me to preach the Gospel of Light in a dark corner which was not without success and comfort to my soul and refreshing to many at home and abroad but after a little time Satan raised so great opposition against some few painful Servants of the Lord who with my self joyned freely to preach the Gospel on week-days from Town to Town where we were invited by any of the Lords people that after the continuance of this course for about two years and some light especially in the order of the Gospel brake forth the Parish Ministers shut the doors of the Comman Meeting-places against us and by degrees put an end to those fruitful and blessed exercises My more publick Ministration of the Gospel being so prevented and my preaching in my Parish-relation by the same spirit of Antichrist made very ineffectual that young Converts were staggered about Church-order and many Christians drew back It was upon my heart to imploy my spare hours to prepare something for the Presse and preach in Print when I could not preach in other mens Pulpits
Joash At this time Hazael King of Syria destroyed all those wicked Princes from among the people and to pacifie him Joash King of Judah took all the holy things dedicated by Jehoshaphat Jehoram and Ahazia his father with all the gold found in the Treasury of the Temple and in the Kings house and sent them to Hazael and he carryed them to Damascus this was a just and dreadful misery that the Kings sin especially brought upon the Jewes But the Lords hand stayed not there For Joash himself was afflicted with great diseases and for the bloud of the sons of Jehoiada the Priest his own servants conspired against him and kill'd him in his bed And after they buried him but not in the Sepulchres of the Kings This I would leave to consideration That none can stand long when they leave the Lord and the Lord forsakes them but a shameful end shall follow a wicked life this King reigned 40. years about Ann. mun 3100. In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz King of Israel Amaziah son of Joash King of Judah was set up King at his first coming to the Crown he did some good things in hypocrisie as his father did but when he was settled in the Kingdom he put to death those servants that killed his father After this Amaziah raised an Army of three hundred thousand choise men to make War with the Edomites yet thinking himself too weak he hired also 100 thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel But by a Prophet the King was admonished not to joyn with that Army of Israel because God was not with those Idolatrous wicked people upon which Amaziah dismist them but in much discontent they returned and taking the time they fell upon many Cities of Judah as they went flew 3000. of them and took much spoil Amaziah prospered in this battel and smote 10000. men and 10000. men which they took prisoners they carryed to the top of a steep Rock and threw them down that they were broken in pieces Amongst the spoil of the Edomites Amaziah took their gods and set them up to be his gods and burnt Incense to them Good Lord what folly will not wise and great men commit when God leaves them Amaziah was exceedingly lift up in this Victory and now he thinks to revenge the wrong done to him by the Army of Israel and therefore he sent a Challenge to Joash King of Israel The King of Israel was unwilling to meet Amaziah and disswaded him from it But Amaziah would not be so satisfied therefore Joash King of Israel went to Bethshemesh in the land of Judah and gave battel to Amaziah In this battel Judah was worsted and Amaziah taken prisoner The King of Israel now having the field he marched his Army to Jerusalem brake down the Wall took all the gold silver and vessels in the Lords house with the Treasures of the Kings house He also took Hostages for subjection and so lest Amaziah in Jerusalem This was in the 14. year of Amaziahs reign but Amaziah after this sell from the Lord the people conspired against him in Jerusalem upon which he sled to Lachish yet they sent after him and flew him there when he had reigned 29 years about Anno mundi 3129. After the Death of Amaziah Judah was without a King 13. years which this appears In the 15 year of Amaziah the son of Joash King of Judah Jeroboam son of Joash King of Israel began to reign And in the 27. year of Jeroboam King of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah King of Judah to reign Now from the 15. of Amaziah to the 29. is 14. years to Jeroboams reign so that to the 27. of Jeroboam there must needs be an interval of 13. years to the Crowning of Amaziah about An. mun 3142. The People of Judah took Azariah son of Amaziah and made him King in his fathers stead At 16. years old Azariah was Crowned King of Judah in the 27. year of Jeroboam King of Israel Azariah or Uzziah did well in all the former part of his reign He was a man of War built divers Forts in Jerusalem and both built and took in several Cities he also did much in reformation of Religion and so long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper But when he was strong his heart was lifted up in him to his destruction For he transgressed against the Lord his God by going into the Temple and usurping the Priests Office to burn incense upon the Altar Azariah the Priest with 80. Priests of the Lord went in after the King and withstood him and said It pertaineth not to thee Uzziah to burn Incense to the Lord but to the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated for it Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed neither shall it be for thy Honour Then was the King wroth with the Priests and presently the Leprosie rose upon his forehead and the Priests discerning of it they thrust him out from thence and he himself also hasted to go out because the Lord had smitten him After the King dwelt in a house several from others and was a Leper until the day of his death and Jotham his son was over the Kings house judging the people of the landâ— Uzziah or Azariah reigned 52. years about An. mund 3194. In the second year of Pekah King of Israel Jotham began to reign over Judah Jotham did according to all that his father Uzziah did before him but yet the High places were not taken away and the people did corruptly In his time he built the high Gate of the house of the Lord and built Cities and Forts Jotham became mighty because he prepared his waies before the Lord his God he was 25. years old when he began to reign and reigned 16. years about An. 3200. In the 17. year of Pekah King of Isreal Ahaz the son of Uzziah King of Judah began to reign He was 20. years old when he began to reign but he did wickedly and walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and made his son to pass through the fire according to the abomination of the Heathen he made Moulten Images for Baalim and burnt Incense in the high places then Rezin King of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah King of Israel joyned their forces and came up and laid siege to Jerusalem at this time the King of Syria recovered the City Elah which was taken from his Kingdom by Azariah King of Judah and between Rezin and Pekah they almost destroyed the Kingdom of Judah for the Lord delivered them into their enemies hands The King of Syria smote the Army of Ahaz and carryed away a great multitude of them to Damascus And Pekah slew in Judah 120000. valiant men in one
exceed in sin those who had gone before him yet we must give credit to the sacred word But it is manifest the Lord brought dreadful judgements upon Israel in Ahabs reign and Ahab being seduced by false Prophets was slain at Ramoth-Gilead according to the word of the Lord by the Prophet Micaiah when he had reigned 22. years about An. 3053. Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel the 17. year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah He walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin But the judgement of God was upon him for he fell down from an upper Chamber in Samaria and was sick In which sicknesse he sent to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether he should recover of his sickness As the Messengers were going the Lord spake to Elijah the Prophet and bad him go meet the Messengers and say to them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Now therefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come down from that bed which thou art gone up to but shalt surely die So Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord when he had reigned two years about An. 3055. Ahaziah King of Israel had no son and so Joram or Jehoram the second son of Ahab reigned in his stead Jehoram did evil in the sight of the Lord yet not like his father and mother for he put away the images of Baal though he clave to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin In the 23. year of his reign and in the first year of Ahaziah King of Judah Joram perswaded Ahaziah his brother in law to go out to War with him against Hazael King of Syria at Ramoth-Gilead In that battel Joram was wounded and went to Jezreel to be healed But the measure of the sins of Ahabs house being now full the Lord called out Captain Jehu and makes him King of Israel to be his executioner upon Ahabs family The Souldiers had a grudge in their hearts against Joram and so soon comply'd with Jehu and Jehu as readily conspired against Joram his Master Yet Jehu consulted his confederates and presently gave charge when he was proclaimed King that none should go to tell the news at Court but Jehu himself drives on furiously to Jezreel to put Joram to death When Jehu came neer to Jezreel Joram went out to meet him but discovering treachery Joram turned and fled yet Jehu drew a bow with all his might and sent a speedy messenger of Death after him and the arrow went out at his heart Thus Joram died in the 12. year of his reign about An. 3067. In the first year of Ahaziah King of Judah Jehu came to be King of Israel and effectually fulfilled the word of the Lord in the destruction of Ahabs house But he kept Ahabs sin which also proved his ruine Jehu was mighty zealous to fulfil the word of the Lord in the total destruction of Ahabs family as it concurred with his own interest for the establishing the Crown in his Posterity But when Jehu had got the Crown he took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart but play'd the hypocrite and hug'd the sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to sin So though he was the Lords executioner yet the Lord charged that bloud upon him as a Murtherer In his sin he died when he had reigned 28. years about An. 3095. In the 23. year of Joash King of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel Here is a difference in sacred accounts to be considered Joash began his reign in the 7. year of Jehu Jehu reigned 28. years And Jehoahaz son to Jehu began not his reign till the 23. year of Joash By which it appears Jehoahaz the son of Jehu came not to the Crown for two years after his fathers death And when he was set up Jehoahaz followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin he departed not therefrom In his time the Lord delivered Israel into the hands of the Syrians so that of the great Armies that Israel had formerly raised now the King had only 50. horse-men 10. Chariots and 1000. foot For the King of Syria had destroyed them Now Jehoahaz sought to the Lord and the Lord raised them help pitying their woful oppression but yet Israel departed not from the sins of Jeroboam and kept the Grove in Samaria Jehoahaz reigned 17. years about An. 3114. Between Jehu and Jehoahaz there was an inter-reign for two years which were to be placed above but I have added those two years to the 17. of Jehoahaz In the 37. year of Joash King of Judah Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel Jehoahaz began to reign in the 23. year of Joash and reigned 17. year which makes 40. years yet it 's said Jehoash began his reign the 37. year of Joash By which it appears Jehoash was Crowned in the life of his father and so those years accounted to his reign Little is said of this King but this is recorded that he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam but walked therein and run out 16. years about An. 3130. In the 15. year of Amaziah King of Judah Jeroboam the son of Jehoash or Joash reigned in his stead here again is a different account as thus Joash began to reign in the 37. year of Joash King of Judah who reigned 40. years and Jeroboam began to reign in the 15. of Amaziah which are 18. years whereas Joash King of Israel reigned but 16. years here are two years difference which time Amaziah did reign with his father Joash Jeroboam departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin yet the Lord made him victorious for the delivery of Israel from very bitter afflictions and restored them to much liberty he reigned 41. years about An. 3171. In the 38. year of Azariah King of Judah Zachariah the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel here again is the like case as before Azariah King of Judah began to reign the 27. year of Jeroboam King of Israel Jeroboam reigned 41. years from 27. to 41. is 14. years of Azariah's reign and in the 38. year of Azariah Zechariah began his reign So that Israel was 24. years without a King 3195. Zechariah followed his fathers and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin and Shallum flew him before the people and reigned in his stead when