be Popes and most of their exalted Clergy-men rise out of the dung 2 He looks like a Lamb as the Pope calls himself Christs Vicar the Servant of the Servants of Christ and his retinue pretend humility and their power to be from and for Christ and hold their station successively from the Apostles as he doth his from Peter 3 He speaks like a Dragon The Pope and all they who derive their power from him though he and they look ever so like Saints yet the absoluteness of their Decrees Injunctions and Impositions enforcing and compelling the Consciences of all declare them to be the Dragon that is the persecutor of the Woman or Christs flock as the Dragon is Rev. 12. 4 He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast Vers 12. As the Pope hath a double sword a temporal and a spiritual and his inferior Clergy make use of a Civil Power to uphold their own cause as well as a spiritual Now whereas some conceive the first Beast here to be the whole body of the Roman Empire as the same is the fourth Monarchy whereof the Antichrist is but a part and the second Beast to be the Antichrist and his Kingdome alone it cannot so be partly for the Reasons before given and further because according to this the Beast should continue to make war against the Saints and to kill them above two and forty months for reckoning the time of the ten Persecutions and all the time since in which war hath been made upon the Saints and they killed it amounts to much more than two and forty months which yet is the limited time of this Beasts persecution Vers 5. And power was given unto him to continue two and forty months Yea then how comes it to pass that this first Beast differs from the Dragon who yet did represent the former Empire for whereas the Dragon as one well observes hath but seven Crowns and those seven upon his Head Chap. 12.3 this Beast hath ten Crowns and those upon his Horns vers 1. which difference according to this Principle should not bee for they should be one and the same Therefore the first Beast is the Empire only as under Antichrist and of that as I have said the Civil state onely as the second the Eccelesiastical Furthermore as concerning these two Beasts we are not to conceive as though they sprung up at a distance one a good while after the other for the continuance of the first Beast I have said already is to be but two and forty months and so much time is allowed to both the Beasts Chap. 11.12 the holy City shall they i e. both the Beasts tread underfoot two and forty months And indeed the treading the Holy City underfoot two and forty months can be no other act but the act of the Beast it agreeing so punctually to be the precise time of his Reign And of what Beast I answer That very Beast mentioned vers 7. which ariseth out of the bottomless Pit and towards the end of this time kills the Witnesses which Beast I have already shewed to be spoken of both the Beasts viz. the Civil and Ecclesiastical state whose rise therefore must be together the time of eithers Reign being two and forty months For indeed so soon as the Roman Empire which before was Pagan but now Christian began to be so corrupt as to be the first Beast i. e. of Christian an Antichristian state persecuting the true members of Christ instantly with this corrupted state did the second Beast arise that is the sword and power of the Civil Magistrate which before was used by none but himself came now to be in the hands or at the will and disposal of Ecclesiastical persons Church-men as they are called that these thereby might become fit instruments to set up and establish their own Idolatries and persecute the Saints And by this arose a second Beast exercising by permission all the Power of the first and is therefore said to exercise it before him vers 12. in his sight vers 14. i.e. by leave or permission of the first Beast for which cause the making war with the Saints vers 7. the compelling all Nations that dwell upon the earth to worship the Beast vers 8. is appropriated to the first Beast as though it were his act whereas indeed it is properly the second Beast doth this as is clear vers 15 16 17. but hee doth it by exercising the power of the first without which he could not do it and therefore the same thing is recorded in describing either Beast because in this business the second Beast is the first mover but the effecting of it is done by the power of the first And indeed the second Beast may well be called another Beast distinct from the first notwithstanding the power he exerciseth by the power of the first because the hands this power is now put into or is at the disposal of are such as not only are without right to this power but also never had until this day any such power intrusted in them or at their disposal Yet that these Beasts though two are indeed one and make up but one Antichrist is clear because both the Beasts rise together as before both are alike in nature actions and conditions for both are filthy Beasts and cruel Tyrants both Patrons of Idolatry both bloody Persecutors of the Saints both are helpful one to another the first Beast communicates of his power to the second Beast vers 12. the second Beast gives life to the image of the first Beast vers 15. yea vers 18. one and the same number is assigned to both the Beasts and the number of bâ—th the Beasts in conclusion of the Vision is but the number of the Beast i.e. of one Beast Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast Which also addes a beam of further light for the clearing of what I have said before that Beast when spoken of without distinction is to be understood of the Civil and Ecclesiastical state both So that in fine the result is They are two Beasts as a Political and an Ecclesiastical state and yet but one Beast as Antichrist What I have said of these two Beasts I may say the same of the Beast and the Woman Chap. 17. The Beast the Woman rides upon is the Civil state the Woman riding upon this Beast is the Ecclesiastical only with this difference the second Beast Chap. 13. who upon his first rise was a Beast aspiring to no higher degree and exercising the power of the first Beast i. e. of the Civil state by leave as it were through permission of the first Beast is now through a long standing risen from a Beast to a Woman as disdaining to be in so low a degree as a Beast any longer Yea such a Woman as like a notorious Strumpet knows how to make the Kings of the Earth yea the whole world follow her dance
City Rome as judgeth the worthy Author were not to be till the seventh Vial the order of the Holy Ghost in Chapters the 18 19. which relates the ruin of the City Rome before yet preparation is made to that battle would be manifestly broken 3 Because no interpretation can better-sute the words themselves for what may more properly be called Antichrists Soat then Rome the place where the Chair he sits in stands or what thing can befall the Beast which is more likely to fill his whole Kingdom with darkness yea make the Papals gnaw their tongues for pain than the destruction of Rome the Metropolis of that Kingdom 4 To these I may adde a fourth Argument urged by a learned Writer to our purpose Where the purpled Woman sits there is Antichrists Seat because she sits on the Beast that is Antichrist the purpled Woman sits at Rome because she sits on the seven Head of the Beast which are the seven Mountains of Rome Chap. 17.9 The seven Heads are seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth Rome therefore is yea must be the Seat of Antichrist Now as to the Objection That this City Rome comes under the seventh Vial where mention is made of Great Babylon coming into remembrance before God and that therefore it cannot be the Subject of this I shall to that say nothing here onely refer the Reader to our opening of that place for his answer Neither let any say as some object that this interpretation is literal contrary to the scope of the Vials which carry things in a mystery for it is easie to reply That did we by Seat understand the Seat or Chair it self that Antichrist fits in it would so be but whilst as here Seat is put for the place in which his Seat or Chair doth stand it is manifest enough that there is a figure and a mystery in the words 2. The EFFECTS 1 EFFECT The Kingdom of the Beast is full of Darkness And his Kingdom was full of Darkness By the fall of Rome the head City the whole Papal Kingdom shall suffer a great eclipse of its former esteem and glory for now shall the Kings of the Earth who have been formerly supports to this Kingdom and those Merchants of the Earth who have formerly traded with the Beast stand afar off as men afraid either to own or traffick with the Beast any longer for fear of her torment as is more fully set forth in the description of Romes ruin which we have at large Chap. 18. v. 9. to 20. 2 EFFECT Gnawing their tongues for pain And they gnawed their tongues for pain Noting the extremity of rage the Papals shall be in when they shall behold Rome the glory of their Kingdom made a ruinous heap and they no way able to revenge their own quarrel they shall act the parts of mad men who gnash their teeth bite their lips gnaw their tongues c. which also in suitable and emphatical expressions we have ch 18. v. 15 16 17 18 19. 3 EFFECT Blaspheming the God of Heaven because of their pains and sores Vers 11. And blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds The marked sons of the Beast shall now yet more evidently see that their pain viz. their inward torments and vexation of mind by which they are in a manner distracted and their sores viz. the ecclipse of their outward glory causing their friends and adherents to desert their cause and interest proceed only and alone from the hand of the God of Heaven who now is remembring their in quities and judging of them yet as before they shall now again harden themselves and blaspheme the God of Heaven to their own destruction instead of repenting of their deeds to give him glory Concerning the time when this Vial shall be poured forth my thoughts are these That the Jews delivery being to begin as in my first part hath been proved in or about the year 56 and that being the Effect of the sixth or following Vial it therefore necessarily follows that the Vials upon the Sun and the Seat of the Beast must be poured forth sometime in the interim betwixt this and the yeer of our Lord 1656. or thereabouts and therefore although for so much as concerns the particular time I shall wave it yet may I safely conclude thus much in the general that the time is at hand Now the Reasons why so little time is allowed to these two Vials when as every of the former hath taken up much more are as I conceive 1 Because God is slow in beginning to pour out his wrath upon sinners waiting their repentance but when wrath hath been poured out upon them and they by the same grow hardened then his proceedings are more quick Hence in the first Vial a long breathing time to consider their wayes is allowed to these enemies of God which they not regarding but being more hardned under it God in pouring out the second cuts the time much shorter yet because under that they are hardned also therefore in the third time is cut shorter yet and because after God had smitten them three times they still are hardned and persist to oppose the Lord Jesus instead of submitting to give him glory therefore in the fourth and fifth Vials time is brought to a little scantling God doing that in a few dayes which before took up many yeers 2 Because with the pouring forth of this Vial the suffering of the Gentile-Churches as I conceive draws to an end though after this the Jews in that interval of time betwixt the sixt and seventh Vials are to have a day of suffering Now the nearer the end comes the faster will Christ go the finishing of the work shall be cut short in righteousness And therefore observable it is concerning both these Vials that the Scripture hath set a mark upon each to shew that their continuance is not to be long The fourth Vial under which the Witnesses rise hath this to note the suddenness of it The same hour there was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell Chap. 11.13 it is done in an hour i.e. in a very short time and of the fifth Vial poured out upon the City Rome it is said Her plagues shall come upon her in one day Chap. 18.8 and in one hour is her judgement come vers 10. in one hour so great riches is come to nought vers 17. in one hour she is made desolate vers 19. The oft repetition of so short a time plainly teaching thus much That the work shall bee done in an instant ere the Papals themselves or it may bee the instruments God will imploy in doing it are aware Thus much as touching the fifth VIAL VIAL VI. 1 The SUBJECT of it The great River Euphrates AND the sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates Vers 12 Those who understand the drying up of Euphrates in a
the Lord two parts therein shall be cut off and dye but the third shall be left therein And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tryed they shall call on my Name and I will hear them I will say It is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God Isa 10.20 21 22. It shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel in truth The Remnant shall return even the Remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them shall return the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness Chap. 4.2.3.4 In that day shall the Branch of the lord be beautiful and glorious for them that are escaped of Israel And hee that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgement and by the Spirit of Burning Zepha 3.12 13. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. This is the day of purging out the Rebels Ezek. 20.38 And I will purge out from among you the Rebels and them that transgresse against mee Of judging between Cattel and Cattel Chap. 34.17 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I judge between Cattel and Caâ—tel between the Rams and the Hee Goats All which places as will be evident to him that shall but understandingly peruse them and compare them with other Scriptures speak of the last times when the Iews are to come in To this Remnant shall Christ at the great day of the battel of Armageddon which shall put an end to this day of trouble appear who shall from that day bee advanced to reign with him in his Kingdome But of this more hereafter Thus much as touching the sixth VIAL The Interval of time betwixt the pouring out of the Sixth and Seventh VIALS Verse 13. AND I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Vers 14. For they are the spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty These words to vers 17. do not properly belong either to the Sixth or Seventh Vials but contain an Interval of time betwixt both in which some remarkable things in order to the pouring forth the seventh and last Vial are to be transacted which are 1 The sending forth of Ambassadors or Agents from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet to the Kings of the Earth By Dragon We are to understand that Old Serpent the Devil and Satan yet principally as acting in the Roman Monarchy the seven Heads and ten Horus of the Dragon chap. 12.3 being the Armes of Rome for so the Holy Ghost interprets it chap. 12 9. And the Dragon was cast out that Old Serpent called the Devil and Satan chap. 20.2 And he laid hold on the Dragon that Old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan Now where the Holy Ghost hath given a manifest interpretation it is certainly curiosity to seek another As for the other two the Beast and the false Prophet the two Companions of the Dragon or Devil we shall the better discern these two Monsters if we consider how that Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without any distinction made as being but one Sometimes with distinction as though he were two as Beast and Beast Chap 13. Beast and Woman Chap. 17. Beast and false Prophet as here When Beast is spoken of without distinction it denotes the Political and Ecclesiastical State both of the Roman Empire as the same now is Antichristian As in Vial 2. Beast there used alone denotes both States as is clear because the Image of the Beast was of the first Beast Rev 13.14 compared with ver 3. The mark of the Beast was of the second Beast spoken of chap. 13. the first Beast having no mark and the two Beasts Chap. 13. which both are comprehended in the word Beast Vial 2. are as shall appear anon the Civil and the Ecclesiastical State of the Roman Empire as the same now is under Antichrist So in Vial 5. Rome is called the Seat of the Beast that is the Seat of the Political State for the Seat of the Roman Empire as the same was Pagan which State was Political onely is given to the first Beast Rev. 13.2 that is the Civil or Political State of Antichrist And also the Seat of the Ecclesiastical for it is upon the seven Mountains of Rome the Woman sits Rev. 17 9. i.e. the Ecclesiastical State So that Rome is the Seat both of the Political and Ecclesiastical State and therefore the Beast Vial 2. whose Seat is in Rome must be understood of both States Civil and Ecclesiastical both which make up but one Beast or Antichrist So Rev. 14.9 11. Chap. 15.2 Chap. 20.4 in all which places we have but one Beast spoken of but the same as having a Mark and an Image which for what I said but now must be interpreted of both States the Civil and Ecclesiastical The like we have Chap. 11.7 The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them i.e. against the two Witnesses Now this Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit is meant of both States not onely for this reason that both joyn in slaying the Witnesses but because Chap. 17.8 we have it so interpreted for John being shewn first either State distinct vers 3 4. 5 6. the one represented by a Beast the other by a Woman riding upon this Beast in vers 7 8. hath the mystery of both together shewed him and both together are the Beast ascending out of the bottomless Pit which Beast there spoken of in such various and seeming contrary phrases was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit can be understood of no other but Antichrist in all because it is said The dwellers on the Earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was is not and yet is noting thus much that the dwellers on Earth as yet saw not this Beast for indeed his rise was not yet John seeing the rise of this Beast Chap. 13.1.11 as a thing to be after his time Yet is he called the Beast that was because in respect of that Civil Power this Beast should exercise and
the Seat he should upon his rise sit in he should not differ from the Roman Empire that then was and had its beginning long before John wrote is not in respect of a power Ecclesiastical as well as Civil which Antichrist was to have so he was not the present Government when John wrote neither knowing nor allowing any such power for which cause though Antichrists Seat and Civil Power was in the Roman Empire as Pagan yet was not the Empire or Government then the Beast here spoken of or Antichrist Yet is in respect of will and desire and a secret aspiring which then was after such a thing or power which once obtained would Midwife this man of sin into the world 2 Thes 2.7 The mystery of iniquity doth already work 1 Joh. 2.18 Even now there are many Antichrists shall ascend out of the bottomless Pit because the rise of this Beast which must as I have said be one and the same in all the several expressions was to be afterwards when the Civil power that now was in the hands of Pagan Emperors should fall into the hands of the Beast and withall an Ecclesiastical power set up with it both going together hand in hand which should be a Government so abominable that it is said to ascend out of the bottomless Pit i.e. the rise of it should be as from Hell it self And therefore of this very Beast that was and is not it is said he is the eight vers 11. that is the eighth kind of Government which should be in the Roman Empire a clear Argument that not the Empire in general but the same as under Antichristian onely is the Beast that was and is not for all the several Governments are comprehended under the Empire in general but the Beast that was and is not is spoken of particularly as but one and that too the eight and last which can agree to none but Antichrist for five distinct kinds of Government had been before Johns time First Kings Secondly Consuls Thirdly Dictators Fourthly Decem-viri Fifthly Tribunes which all were fallen therefore saith he vers 10. five are fallen One that is the sixth then was which was a Government by Cesars who ruled the Empire in Johns time therefore one is another the seventh was yet to come that is by Christian Emperors therefore saith he the other is yet to come and of this seventh he saith when he commeth he must continue a short space for indeed this continued but a little while but the Empire growing corrupt the Beast that was and is not i.e. Antichrist creeps in who is called the eight And the Beast that was and is not even he is the eight vers 11. because he sets up a new form of Government distinct from all the former viz. an Ecclesiastical and Civil State mixt together which none of the former Governments had and may therefore well then be called the eight or another Government And yet he is of the seven and is of the seven i.e. besides the new Ecclesiastical Power erected by this Beast this Beast doth also exercise that Civil Power which the seven or the several Governments before him had or did exercise And for this reason the seven Heads of the Beast ver 9. are interpreted of the seven kinds of Government ver 10. Not to shew that by Beast is understood as is generally conceived the Empire at large including all the several Governments that were to be in it But to shew that the power of all the seven former Governments should center in this Beast whatsoever Civil power they had he should have it all who yet over and above should erect a new power which none of the former had in which sense he should be the eighth And of this Beast it is said he goeth into perdition either because destruction will be his end as chap. 19.20 or because under this Beast the Fourth Monarchy is to be utterly destroyed So that the Beast here ascending out of the bottomless pit which is the same Beast with that which kils the Witnesses Revel 11.1 is to be understood of the Political and Ecclesiastical State both of the Roman Empire as now it is though of the seven in respect of the Political State and yet the eight in respect of the Ecclesiastical added to the other yet but one and the same Beast for the same Beast is the eight and of the seven I therefore conclude that Beast when spoken of without distinction denotes Antichrists Civil and Ecclesiastical power both When Beast is spoken of with distinction as Beast and Beast Beast and Woman Beast and false Prophet We are then by one to understand the Roman Civil State onely by the other the Ecclesiastical This is manifest Rev. 13. where we have two Beasts spoken of the one arising out of the Sea ver 2. the other out of the Earth vers 11. By the first we are to understand the Civil State onely for vers 2. The Dragon gives to this first Beast his power Seat and great Authority i.e. the Devil who all the time the Roman Empire was Pagan did rule in it and was openly worshipped there seeing himself by Christian Emperors now come to the Imperial Dignity dethroned so as that he cannot under that form procure any more as he had done to be openly worshipped and to persecute the Saints he therefore resigns his Power Seat and great Authority i.e. Rome the Seat of the Empire and the Power and Authority of the former Emperors which was Civil onely to this first Beast for which reason the seven heads of the Antichristian Beast Chap. 17.9.10 are by the Holy Ghost interpreted first Of the seven Mountains of Rome the Seat of the Beast And secondly of the seven distinct kinds of Government namely the Power and Authority of the Beast because both these viz. the Seat and Civil power of the former Empire are given into the hands of this first Beast the principal limb of Antichrist so that by first Beast the Civil State onely is to be understood for the first Beast hath onely what the Dragon resigns and the Dragon could resign no more the power of the former Empire in which the Dragon ruled being Civil onely But so subtle is this Dragon the Devil that by resigning to the first Beast a second Beast doth arise vers 11. by which Beast the Devil obtains to be worshipped again though under a more specious form and devout way of Idolatry devised by the second Beast and so what the Devil was before forced to let go in one kind he now by policy gets again in another Now this second Beast is the Ecclesiastical State of the Roman Empire the Pope his Hierarchy and Clergy as appears 1 Because his rise is out of the Earth vers 11. that is his beginning is base mean and low as the Popes at first when the Beast first began to rise were poor Bishops who in time by the favour of Princes got up to
delivered of a Man-child who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth bee made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Sion travelled shee brought forth her children And then presently vers 16. wee have this battel 2 Upon the battel of Armageddon wee have a new Heaven and a new Earth as the consequent of it Rev. 21.1 I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away So this vers 22. For as the new Heavens and new Earth which I will make shall remain before me 3 Wee read of a Lake of fire after the battel of Armageddon Rev. 19.20 So here verse last Object But have we a coming here Answ Yea vers 15. For behold the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlewind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire Which coming that it must be Personal I shall shew anon out of Rev. 19. which speaks of the same coming as the battel there and here spoken of are one and the same The Prophet Daniel in his seventh Chapter doth excellently set this forth where having had the four Monarchies which Chap. 2. were represented to him in the form of a great Image and Antichrists Kingdom a part of the fourth or last Monarchy by the feet of that Image part of Iron and part of Clay now represented under another form of four Beasts and Antichristâ—s Kingdom by a little horn arising amongst the horns of the 4th Beast or Roman Monarchy he saith ver 11. That he beheld because of the great words the Horn spake i.e. because of the blasphemies of Antichrist the Beast that is the fourth Monarchy now governed by Antichrist the little Horn slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame agreeing punctually to what is recorded Rev. 19.19 20. of casting the Beast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone which comes in there as an effect of the battel of Armageddon And indeed that these two Texts must agree in time and be one and the same is clear to me because the main thing held forth in either is the final destruction of the Roman Monarchy and that as the same is under Antichrist Neither may it be doubted that by the little Horn the Kingdome of Antichrist should bee meant seeing what is here spoken of the little Horn agrees so exactly to what in the Revelâ—tion is spoken of Antichrist yea which makes the thing most evident the little Horn and the Beast or fourth Monarchy are vers 11. made one and the same Buâ— you will say Where have we a coming here Ans Look vers 13 14. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancien of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away and his Kingdome which shall not be destroyed Object But how appears this coming to be Personal Ans From the Text for observe first God as the Ancient of dayes by the manifestation of his presence and power with and amongst his people which I take it answers to the smoak wherewith the Temple is filled Rev. 15. last first begins to judge the little Horn or fourth Beast casting down his Thrones the work at this day in hand Now whilst the Ancient of dayes is amongst his people sitting and judging the Beast one comes to him like the Son of man with the clouds of Heaven to whom is given a Dominion Glory and Kingdome Observe first He comes not to receive a Kingdome in a spiritual way as God but as the Son of man Secondly He comes with the clouds of Heaven the very phrase used to set forth his personal coming Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Chap. 26.64 Hereafter shall yee see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him Thirdly He comes to the Ancient of dayes who according to his God-head is the Ancient of dayes that is the Father who now had set up his Throne on earth and as the Great Judge was in the midst of his people manifesting his Almighty power amongst them in judging the Beast and there receives his Kingdome where the Ancient of dayes had now set up his Throne was sitting and judging And this is a manifest Argument that although his coming is mentioned after the casting of the Beast into the burning flame yet that indeed the same must be before because he comes to the Ancient of dayes i.e. the Father whilst hee was sitting upon the Throne in the midst of his people and passing sentence against the Beast before the Beast is slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame which is the concluding act and the breaking up of the judgement after which the Ancient of dayes sits no longer Therefore I say his coming must of necessity be before the utter everthrow of the Beast or fourth Monarchy and within the time that the Father by his presence and power amongst his people is judging of the Beast And indeed if we do but compare this seventh of Daniel with the 110. Psal which is also a Prophecie of Christs Kingdome we shall find them most excellently answering one to another and the one helping to open the other In vers 1. the Father saith to the Son Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool What then Why the Father as the Ancient of dayes having judged Christs enemies and brought them well under we have streightway vers 2 Christs coming The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Sion And what doth Christ do at his coming Why as upon his appearing he finds the Beast Antichrist here called the Head over many Countries because this Whore sits upon many waters and the Kings of the earth with their Armies gathered together to oppose him so presently he in his fury falls upon them and destroyes them Vers 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The battel of Armageddon is called That great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 upon the founding of the seyenth Angel the time of wrath Rev. 11.18 Thy wrath is come here the day of wrath Vers 6. He shall judge among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies he shall wound the Head over many Countries agreeing to that of Daniel of slaying the Beast destroying his body casting it into the burning flame and that Rev. 19. where the battel of Armageddon is described of destroying Kings and Captains Vers 18. casting the
manner affirm all their suppositions in saying It is not for you to know the times and seasons as to say true Israel shall have a Kingdom restored I am to do it and that as you now conceive personally appearing onely it is not for you at present to know the time And this will more clearly appear if we carry these words to Act. 3.21 where we have that set forth by the word Restitution which here is called a Restoring Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began yet with this difference Act. 1. speaks of the Kingdom in reference to Israel onely who shall be chief in it Mich. 4.8 Thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem but Acts 3. in reference to the whole Creation which in the day the Kingdom shall be restored to Israel shall also have a Restitution which is expressed Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. Now in these words we have a coming clearly discovered he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the Heavens must receive Which that it is Personal and not Spiritual onely is clear because such as the receiving of Christ in the Heavens at the time when these things were spokrn was and hath been since such shall his coming at this day be but the receiving of Christ in the Heavens then and since cannot be understood in a spiritual way because in that sense he had said before Lo I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 but must be in respect of his Personal and Corporal presence therefore such shall his presence Verse 19. be with his people at this time viz Personal and Corporal Now that this time of the restitution of all things should be the Day of the General Judgement which hath been the common opinion I cannot incline to for these Reasons 1 Because I find not the General Judgement spoken of in the plural number as times daies as this is the times of refreshing vers 19. times of restitution vers 21. these daies vers 24. 2 Because this is such a time as all the Prophets have spoken of Which God hath spoken of by the mouth of all bis holy Prophets Now not all Nay hardly any have spoken expresly of the General Judgement but of the time of Christs Kingdom all have spoken as will appear to him that shall but take a view of the Prophets severally in doing which though we might begin with Enoch the seventh from Adam who according to Jude Vers 14. prophesied of Christs coming and Kingdom and after him Jacob in his blessing of Judah Gen. 49.9 10. and Balaam afterward though a wicked man yet a Prophet Numb 24.17 18 19. Yet I rather choose to begin after Samuels daies for there the Holy Ghost seems to point out our beginning Vers 24. yea and all the Prophets from Samuel have likewise foretold of these daies Now beginning from Samuel setting Jonah aside which is but a History not one but have spoken of these times as to give instance David did it Psal 62. The whole Psalm is a Prophecie of Christs Kingdom and not Solomons any otherwise than in the Type as is clear 1. From the continuance of this Kingdom vers 7. as long as the Moon indureth 2. The extent of it vers 8. From Sea to Sea from the Rivers to the ends of the Earth 3. The Subjects of it all Kings and all Nations vers 11. neither of which either did or could agree to Solomons Kingdom Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he i.e. Christ shall appear in his glory And that the fulfilling of this relates to the last times is evident Vers 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come when as verse 22. the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Isaiah likewise Chap. 2.2 3 4. It shall come to pass in the last dayes the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And he i.e. Christ shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people Chap. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom whose Throne and Kingdom was outward to order it and establish it with Judgement and Justice Chap. 32.1 2. Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgement Christ and his Saints reigning together And a man noting a corporal presence as well as spiritual at this day shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Chap. 35.4 Your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you The whole Chapter speaks of Christs Kingdom and the coming here agrees to that chap. 63.1 2. c. which I have proved to be Personal Jeremiah also who throughout chap. 30 31 32 33. treats of Christs Kingdom and that too in the last days when Ephraim Head of the Ten Tribes never gathered as yet since their Captivity shall come in Ezekiel Chap. 34 11. to the end Chap. 37. throughout So Daniel Chap. 2 44.45 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever This Kingdome must bee outward because it breaks in peeces the four Monarchies which were outward and takes the place of them and it is improper to say a meer Spiritual Kingdome can take place of an outward and why as the four former Monarchies had alwayes some visible Head the same should not be in this fifth I see no reason Chap. 7.27 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him i.e. Christ who in this Kingdome shall rule as Head and the Saints under him And this Kingdome must be outward for the Kingdome of the little Horn which was an outward Kingdome is the Kingdome here given to the Saints that Christ and his Saints rule in So Hosea Chap. 1.10 11. Chap. 3 4 5. both places agreeing punctually to that of Ezek. 37. which I have opened Joel Chap. 2.28 to the end Chap. 3. opened also before Amos Chap. 9.11 to the end Obadiah vers 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion and shall judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords Micha Chap. 4.6 7. In that day will I assemble her that halteth and
present but for their fulness they look to the time of the New Jerusalem which is yet to come So Ezek. 43.10 11. Those that are ashamed of their abominations shall have the form and fashion of Gods house shewed to them and chap 44.10 11. The Levites that went astray when Israel went astray are laid by in the special acts of Gods worship but v. 15 16. they that kept their charge when the rest went astray are imployed in the service of Gods Sanctuary and Table which things in a spiritual way God hath fulfilled and is daily fulfilling to his people under the present Administration though yet the general scope of this Propliecy as before looks to the time of the New Ierusalem By these few examples under each rule we may be able to judge of many others of a like nature which will in reading offer themselves to us 4 The Effects 1 Effect Terror Vers 18. And there were voyces and Thunders and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great The great voyce from the Throne upon the seventh Angel pouring his Vial forth fills the whole world with terror In the Air are heard most dreadful astonishing thundrings and lightnings fearful affrighting voyces through the sound of the Trumpet Mat. 24.31 1 Cor. 15.52 houlings screechings lamentings of Devils whose torments now begin the time being come The Earth is terribly moved and ready to be rent in peeces with a horrible shaking upon the appearing of the Lord as Mount Sinai shook and quaked greatly when the Lord descended upon it Exod. 19.16 17 18. hereby the whole world is filled with trembling now do the Tribes of the earth mourn mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of Heaven are shaken 2 Effect Ruin Wherein we have 1 A particular List of the things ruined which are 1 The Great City 2 The Cities of the Nations 3 Great Babylon Vers 19. And the Great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his wrath Setting aside the Dragon who was the principal stickler in encouraging and gathering together that Rout and Multitude who from all parts of the world come up to the battel of the great day of God Almighty whose punishment is passed over here but particular mention is made thereof Chapter 20. there seems to be three sorts of enemies who shall gather together at this day 1 The Popish Crew 2 Mahumetans 3 Some Kings of the Earth neither Papists nor Mahumetans The first stand under the Banner of the Beast The two last being one in this that neither pretends to stand up for Christ as doth the Beast who shall at this day by the subtlety Miracles and counterfeit holiness of the false Prophet be marvellously blinded being made to beleeve his cause to be quite contrary to what indeed it is but coming forth upon the account of some carnal respects or worldly interests yet mixed with malice which is natural to all that are of the Serpentine seed against the Saints are both comprehended under that of the Kings of the earth Rev. 19.19 I saw the Beast and the Kings of the earth Daniel Chap. 7. describes them otherwise though not much differing calling the first as here the Beast which I have shewed to be the Roman Monarchy as governed by Antichrist the little Horn the other the rest of the Beasts vers 12. noting other worldly powers who shall joyn hands at this day with Antichrist or the fourth Beast Now that Antichrist with other Kings of the earth as his adherents shall at this day make one Head to oppose the Saints is without question but yet perhaps it may be thought sufficient proof hath not from what hath been said appeared to evidence that the great Turk or the Mahumetan party shall joyn with the rest or should be comprehended under that of the Kings of the earth Now although no less can be thought when the Holy Ghost speaks in such general termes vers 14. The Kings of the earth and of the whole world then that the Turk who possesseth a great part of the world should be included yet that the sense of the words may be more clear I shall from other Scriptures prove that the great Turk shall have a hand yea a deep one too in this desperate ingagement Not much to insist upon because I would not bee prolix the gathering together of Gog and Magog spoken of in Ezek. 38.39 which divers worthy men and not without giving good reasons for it interpret the Pope and the Turk which gathering together that it is the same with that at this day the several circumstances of the place do evidence as will appear to him who shall compare the battel of Gog and Magog with this of Armageddon and not as some that spoken of Rev. 20.8 9. which mentions no battel as doth Ezekiel nor will that agree to the time of the Jews delivery which Ezekiel is clear in but rather should be a thousand years after neither can there the General Judgement immediately insuing thereupon be any allowance of time either to bury Gog's dead or for a glorious state of the Church here on earth both which Ezekiel speaks punctually unto yet well may those Rev. 20. being such of the seed of old Gog and Magog as shall survive the thousand years and shall at the end thereof upon the Devils letting loose act against the Saints as their Fore-fathers did retain the names of their Ancestors Gog and Magog still But to pass this I take it those places which are not a few in the Old Testament where mention is made of the rage of the Assyrian against Israel have a special reference to the thing I am now in proving for whereas the Turk doth at this day possess Chaldea Mesopotamia with such other Countries as did anciently belong to the Assyrian Monarchy so do I conceive what the Prophets oft hint at as touching the Assyrians invading Israel with his Armies to be rather Typical of what should be in the last dayes acted by his Successor the Turk than a plenary fulfilling of those Prophesies by any Invasions of the Assyrian in or about those times Isa 30.31 For through the voyce of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down Which Text although I deny not but it had a typical accomplishment in the dayes of Senacherib yet doth not that answer the scope of the Chapter which it is manifest looks to the last dayes and how the 30 31 32 33 verses agrees to what we have formerly spoken as touching Christs coming at the battel of Armageddon will be clear to him who shall but compare sundry places which upon that occasion I have opened before with this As
Life fed continually with nothing but poyson The second by that Tyrannical power of Antichristian Discipline which to satisfâ—â— the pride and accomplish the designs of an ambitious aspiring Hierarchy and Clergy is established in such a way that all both small and great must submit to â—t its Decrees and Impositions and in token of subjection â—eceive some mark in their right hand or in their foreheads which in case of refusal they are thereupon Exâ—ommunicates who must neither buy nor sell hereby â—rampling under foot the Kingly power of Christ snatching his Scepter of love and meekness out of his hands and instead thereof lifting up a rod of Iron Christ seeing this that through the rage and insolency of the Enemy the ancient bounds were broken down and Sion lay plowed as a field he makes it his first attempt being risen to recover his own again and because it was of greatest concernment being that Salvation depended upon to pluck off the veil from his Priestly Office and to confound that Doctrine which had set up an Idol-god for a Saviour and an Idol-worship instead of the worship of the true God Christ therefore as his first work shakes to peeces that rotten earthly Doctrine with the several Idolatries growing upon it which had justed him out of his Priestly Office openly hereupon proclaiming himself to be only High Priest and Mediator and salvation to be had in him alone and this is done by the first Vial which is poured out upon the Antichristian earth i.e. the groffer parts of Popery Yet because the Kingly Office of Christ was still invaded by an Antichristian Lording Discipline who under pretence of ruling for Christ and exercising his Kingly power did in all places make havock of the Saints persecuting them as evil doers Christ therefore makes it his next work to recover his abused Scepter into his own hands again which to do the second Vial is poured out upon the Sea namely the Antichristian Discipline Christ having now regained his own as a puissant and noble Conqueror who being first unjustly invaded contents not himself to recover his Rights but takes this opportunity to invade his enemies makes an invasion upon the Dominions of his enemies and because the Kings of the earth had lent their aid and assistance to the Feast by whose power and strength given up to the Beast the blood of his Saints had been spilt in every place therefore to avenge the blood of his Saints he begins the Quarrel with them and so the third Vial is poured out upon the Rivers and Fountains of Waters that is upon some particular States and Kingdomes and upon the Heads of these namely Kings and Statesmen And here with the pouring forth of this third Vial the Stone cut out of the Mountain spoken of Dan. 2. which breaks in peeces the Great Image begins to smite the design of Christ in the two first Vials being not so much to break the great Image as first to recover his own in order thereunto Here also the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. begins to sit and to cast down the Thrones of the fourth Beast Christ having now won the Out-shifts and Suburbs of his grand Enemy he next that the blow might come closer and fall yet heavier invades him in his principal street which for many Ages together was the strength and glory of the Beasts Kingdom this is the work of the fourth Vial which therefore is poured out upon the Sun that is the German Empire or House of Austria The Thrones of the Beast being cast down his Sun darkned and Christ going onward upon his march his heart filled with Vengeance for the sake of his people the remembrance of the blood of his Saints poured out like water in every place through the continual Instigations Commissions and authority of the Roman Beast comes now so fresh into his mind and the cry thereof is so loud in his ears that he can no longer forbear giving her in requital blood to drink who hath made it her delight to drink her self drunken with the blood of his Saints and Martyrs he therefore next with a swift and high hand bends his march to the Seat of the Beast the City Rome upon which the Fifth Vial is poured out Rome being destroyed and made a ruinous heap and the appointed time being now come in which Gods ancient people the Jews are to come up to their own Land which being at the present in the hands of the Great Turk who with all his power will oppose their claim and endeavour to keep them out of possession that therefore a door might be set open for them the Sixth Vial is poured out upon the great River Euphrates i.e. the power and multitude of the Turk Christ having hitherto been breaking his enemies by parts and nothing being wanting but the crowning victory to make him absolute King and Monarch of the world in order therefore unto the pouring forth of the Seventh and last Vial when Christ is to take possession of the Kingdome given to him by his Father and to bee exalted as the great and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords we have two things as principal First A General Rendezvouz of all the enemies of Christ into one Body fit to be cut off Secondly The Personal coming and appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to make dispatch of his enemies and to set up his own Kingdome Things being thus in a readiness we have the pouring forth of the Seventh and last Vial into the Air a universal subject which ushers in with it the subversion of all Christs enemies the Beast Antichrist being hereupon slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame The rest of the Beast i.e. all other worldly powers have their Dominion taken away and the Great Dragon the Devil is bound and cast into the bottomless Pit and there shut up for a thousand years And now are the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ who shall reign for ever and ever Amen A Table of the chief things contained in this TREATISE The First Part. THe Coherence of the words with the explication of the Text P. 1. to 4 Doct. It is an especial duty lying upon the Saints to attend unto and be active in the work or works of their Generation Page 4 Shewed 1 What Generation-work is and how the same is different from those common duties which lye upon Saints as Saints and the special duties of a Saints calling station relation or present condition p. 5 6 7 8 2 That Saints in their several Generations have ever had their peculiar works as is proved by a line drawn through the several generations from the beginning downwards unto our times p. 9 to 14 3 That it is a matter of great concernment for a Saint to attend to the work of his Generation as appears 1 God by his dispensations calls aloud for it p. 14 2 Generation
generation ib. 12 And lastly Take heed of conjunction with such who are not real-hearted to the cause of God and the work of the generation p. 89 The Table of the Second Part. The Introduction containing six general Propositions in order to the whole Proposition 1. THat we are there to begin the pouring forth of the Vials where Antichrist first began to go off the Stage p. 1 2 Prop. 2. That the Vials are all to be poured forth by such Angels only as come out of the Temple p. 2 Prop. 3. That Gods call to the Angels to pour out their Vials is to be looked for out of the Temple p. 3 Prop. 4. That the subjects of each Vial are things standing in ppsition to Christs Kingdome chiefly things pertaining to Antichrist p. 4 Prop. 5. That the effects of one Vial do oft-times run into another Vial p. 5 Prop. 6. That the Terms and Phrases relating to the Vials are to be understood not in a litteral but a metaphorical sense p. 6 VIAL 1. 1 The subject of it the Popish earth or the corrupt Doctrine of Antichrist p. 7 2 The effect An infectious stinking sore causing in others a loathing and withdrawing upon the Assertors of Popish principles p. 8 It began to be poured out about Luthers time ib. VIAL 2. 1. The subject of it the Sea 1. Not meant of Nations in general p. 9 2 Nor of the corrupt Doctrines of Antichrist concluded upon in the Council of Trent ib. 3 Nor of the Political State of the Roman Empire p. 10 But The Romish Discipline or the Hierarchy and Clergy of Rome upon whom this Vial was poured out in England Anno Dom. 1641. p. 10 11 12 Two Objections answered 1 Obj. The Hierarchy and Clergy of England but an inferior part of the Romish Hierarchy and Clergy answered ibid. 2 Obj England but one of the ten Horus answered ib. 2 The Effects 1 Effect The Antichristian Discipline appears cruel corrupt and becomes loathsom p. 13. 2 Effect All those that live and breath in this corrupted sea die a civil death ibid. Some remaining drops of this Vial yet to come p. 14 VIAL 3. 1. The Subject of it the Rivers and Fountains of waters 1. Not to be understood of the Romish Bishops and Doctors p. 14 2 Nor particularly of the Jesuits ib. But of Some particular States and Kingdoms subjected to the Beast with their heads and Rulers p. 15 16 2 The Effect Bloody Wars arise in those Nations by which their Heads and chief Rulers are cut off ib. 3 An Adjunct A justification of God in the execution of his wrath upon those Nations and their Heads 1 By the instruments used to do the work p. 17 2 By suffering Saints from some more remote place p. 18 A reason given why this Vial hath a double testimony of the righteousness of it which none of the other Vials have p. 19 A reason also given why only the Instruments Christ useth and suffering Saints give this testimony ib. Two reasons given why Saints that have suffered in Scotland do at present in Holland do not with their fellow Brethren joyn in this testimony p. 20 The particular Nations this Vial falls upon are England the Low-Countries and France and the reason why ibid. An Objection answered How it can be just with God to punish these Nations and their present Heads for what was done formerly seeing they cannot help what their Forefathers did yea are reformed and do disclaim it p. 21 This third Vial is the Vial we stand under it hath for the greatest part passed over England already is now passing upon Holland and will shortly upon France p. 22 23 VIAL 4. 1. The Subject of it the Sun 1. Not Christ 2 Nor the Scriptures p. 23 But the German Empire yet not the war past wrath suddenly to come p. 24 25 2. An Adjunct A power given to the Angels to scorch with fire interpreted of the Call the Angels of this Vial shall give to the Witnesses now lying dead in Germany to arise p. 26 27 28 3 The Effects 1. Rage and vexation upon the Popish party ibid. 2. Blaspheming God ib. VIAL 5. 1 The subject the seat of the Beast 1 Not Antichrists Kingdom in general p. 29 2. Not the Popes Supremacy ibid. 3. Not Episcopacy p. 30 But the City of Rome p. 30 31 Two Objections answered ibid. 2 The Effects 1. Effect An eclipse of the glory of the Papal Kingdom p. 32 2 Effect Rage and madness upon the Papals ib. 3. Effect Blaspheming God p. 33 3 The time when this Vial shall be poured forth about the year 1656 ib. Two Reasons given why the Fourth and Fifth Vials have so little time allowed them for pouring forth when the former have taken up much more p. ib. 34 VIAL 6. 1 The Subject The great River Euphrates first not litterally to be understood p. 35 2 Not meant of the riches and revenues of Antichrist ib. 3 Not of the streams of Popish corruption p. 36 But The Turkish Empire p. 37 Here is shewed why the Turkish Empire is called the Great River and why the Great River Euphrates 2 The effect a wasting the Turks power and multitude p. 38 3 The moving cause To prepare a way for the Jews both to their possession of their Land again and also their receiving of Christ p. 38 39 Here is shewed why the Jews are called Kings why Kings of the East That the Jews con version shall be before the pouring out of the seventh Vial proved p. 40 41 Three Objections answered Obj. 1. The words speak not of conversion but preparing a way thereto answered p. 42 Obj. 2. The Jews cannot be converted till after all the Vials because no man could enter into the Temple till all the Vials were poured forth answered ib. Obj 3. The 21 and 22 Chapters of the Revelation which follow upon the seventh Vial hold forth the Jews conversion answered p. 43 4 The Angel of this Vial. 1 Not the Jews themselves p 44 2 Not the Turk performing it 1. Either by civil broyles ibid. 2. Nor by a diversion of his forces to some other place making way thereby for the Jews to rise p. 45 3 Not Christ by any immediate hand from heaven ib. But The Gentile Churches Proved p. 45. to 52. where also is shewed the cause of this attempt made by the Gentile Saints upon the Turk and the manner how they shall carry it on Here also the Prophecies of the Stone Dan. 2. and of the four Carpenters Zach. 1. are opened in doing which both are shewed to be one both are applyed to the Gentile-Saints the Reason given why the Gentile-Saints are by Daniel called a Stone by Zacharie four Carpenters Quest Who among the Gentile-Saints shall undertake this enterprise Answ 1. The same Instruments that shall ruin Rome p. 52 53. Here is shewed who they are that in all likelihood shall ruin Rome 2 Four Characters taken out of the Prophets
and applyed to that people who shall have the principal hand in this great work p. 53 54 The Question propounded Whether the Jewes first stirring shall be upon a bare Civil account or not Resolved at large p. 54. to 62 The Interval betwixt the sixth and seventh VIALS Four remarkable things falling within this Interval 1 Agents and Ambassadors are sent forth from the Dragon Beast and false Prophet unto the Kings of the earth p. 63 Here 1 The terms are opened and it is shewed 1. Who meant by Dragon ibid. 2. What we are to understand by Beast and false Prophet Explained 1 Beast in the Revelation is sometimes spoken of without distinction as though he were but one When so Beast denotes Antichrists twofold power Civil and Ecclesiastical p. 64. to 68. Here is shewed what is meant by Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit Chap. 11.7 why called Chap. 17.8 the Beast that was is not yet is shall ascend out of the bottomless pit What meant by the seven Heads of the Beast In what sense this Beast is called the Eighth yet said to be of the Seven 2 Beast is sometimes spoken of with distinction as though he were two when so one part denotes Antichrists Civil power the other his Ecclesiastical p. 68 to 69. 1 In this sense we read of two Beasts Chap. 13. One Beast arising out of the Sea this shewed to be Antichrist in his pure Civil State why the seven Heads of the Beast are interpreted first of the seven Mountains of Rome and secondly of the seven distinct Governments in the Roman Empire Another Beast arising out of the Earth this shewed to be Antichrist in his Ecclesiastical State That the first Beast cannot be the whole body of the Roman Empire p. 69 These two Beasts did both rise together p. 72 And how ib. These Beasts though two are really one and make up but one Antichrist ib. 2 In this sense we also read of a Beast and a Woman Chap. 17. What meant by Beast and Woman Why the second Beast is here called a Woman In what sense the Woman is interpreted the Great City p. 72 3 In this sense we have in the Text a Beast and a false Prophet mentioned The false Prophets shewed to be the same with the second Beast p. 110 Why the second Beast in his third estate is called a false Prophet p. 73 74 2 The manner of the Dragon Beast and false Prophets sending forth their Agents namely by a general Convention of the Popish party Two things debated in this General Assembly from whence this result of sending forth Agents and Ambassadors all over the world doth arise p. 75 3 Their grand design in this Ambassy p. 76 4 The Agents imployed in this Ambassy why said to be three Why said to come out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet Five Characters given of them p. 77 78 The second thing within this Interval viz. The Personal coming of Christ 1 Proved to be within the Interval betwixt the sixth and and seventh Vials 1 Argument Christ shall Personally come at the battle of Armageddon grounded upon eight Prophecies which are opened p. 79 to 88 2 Argument Christs Personal coming shall be at the time of the Kingdoms restoring to Israel proved from sundry Scriptures Here is shewed that the time of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 cannot be the General Judgement p. 88 to 97 Two Arguments to prove the former Position urged from the words themselves p. 97 98 Two Arguments more laid down in the General tending to prove Christs Personal coming cannot be far off ib. This coming we speak of is shewed to be the same â—th that coming commonâ—â— called a coming to Judgeâ—ent p. 101 to 111. Where 〈◊〉 shewed that there are but â—o Personal comings â—ut not Martyrs onely but â—l the Saints shall come â—ith Christ at this day The â—ace Rev. 20.4 5. answeâ—d The difference of this â—inciple from the common â—ceived opinion is shewed 〈◊〉 be onely this that afâ—ms the General Judgeâ—ent to be instantly upon â—hrists coming this mainâ—ins that the thousand â—ars Revel 20. are to â—sue first and after that â—e General Judgement Here is discussed the â—ousand years concernâ—g which it is assertâ—â— 1 That the thousand â—ars six times repeated â—ap 20. are one and the â—ins thousand years in all p. 111 2 That the thousand years are a definite time p. 111 112 3 That they are yet to come and to take their beginning from the Battel of Armageddon p. 112 113 114 1 Proved by three Arguments 2 Answer is given to their Arguments who reckon them past and the grounds of them shewed to be mistakes p. 114 to 119 The whole time from Christs appearing to the end of the world may be called in a large sense a day of Judgement p. 119 Two special differences betwixt the Judgement passed in the time of the thousand years and that which shall be at the last day p. 119 to 122. Where the manner of Saints ruling and reigning and judging the world is opened Two Objections answered 1 Objection How can this be seeing the world is to be destroyed by fire at Christs coming Answered p. 122 to 124 2 Objection How can this agree to the state of glorified souls or how will it stand with Saints glory and spirituality answered p. 124 to 127 The whole concluded with three Rules laid down to judge of such Scriptures as speak of Christs Second coming p. 127 to 129 3 Christs Watel word to his people Five Reasons given of it why the duty of watchfulness is by Christ annexed to the Dictrine of his second coming p. 129 to 138. Inhandling these the steep of the ten Virgins spoken of Mat 25. is opened 4 Christs providential disposing of his enemies p. 139 to 142. Here is shewed what is meant by Armageddon VIAL 7. 1 The Angel pouring it forth Christ himself p 142 2 The Subject of it the Air nothing the pouring forth of this Vial to be universal upon 1 The whole Kingdom of the Dragon 2 The whole Kingdom of Antichrist 3 The Kingdom of the Great Turk 4 The Kingdoms of this world p. 142 143 144. Here is shewed why a change of speech is used in this Vial different from all the rest 3 The Adjunct A great voyce shewed 1 Whose voyce this is p. 144 2 The meaning of the voyce p. 145 3 Why said to come from the Throne p. 146 4 Why the Throne the voyce comes from is said to be in the Temple of Heaven p. 148 Here is shewed that the New Jerusalem spoken of Rev. 21. Chap. 22. cannot be meant of Heavenly glory but must be a glorious state of the Church on Earth proved by seven Arguments p. 148 to 152 No outward Ordinances to be in the New Jerusalem p. 152 to 157 An Objection answered where is shewed what is meant by the going up to Jerusalem Zach. 14. to keep the Feast of Tabernacles
this spirit shall be mediate or immediate p. 34 Ans Partly mediate partly immediate The mediate cause of this work shall be a loud Call given to the dead Witnesses from Saints out of another place p. 35 This noted in the voyce from Heaven Come up hither Two Reasons given why this voyce is mentioned after their standing upon their feet not before p ib. Who shall give them this Call p. 36 CHAP. II. VVHerein is farther set forth the state of the two Witnesses within their Prophesying time and the time of their being killed from Rev. 12. Divided into seven Sections SECT 1. Examining the common Opinion which makes application of the things foretold Chap. 12. to the first Period or the time of the Dragons Rule before yet the Beast arose which upon examination is found too light Here the general method of the 11 12 13 14 Chapters of the Revelations is laid down page 37 to 43 SECT 2. Confirming the truth of the former by proving that the time times and a half cannot signifie 1260 years but three yeers and a half only p. 43 to 45 SECT 3. An Objection answered viz. That the War made by the Dragon Chap. 12. is different from that made by the Beast Chap. 11.7 p. 45 Here inquiry is made into the War of Michael and the Dragon and it s proved to be the late German War p. 46 to 49 Object It may be the English War answered and the Reasons given of the contrary p. ib. Here also is shewed that a two-fold visible Dragon is spoken of in this 12. Chap. 1 The Old Dragon viz. the ancient Roman Empire 2 The New Dragon viz. the present German Empire p. ib. Two Reasons given why the Dragon who governs the whole Papal Kingdome doth at this day choose Germany as his seat p. 50 A Reason also given why the Holy Ghost Chap. 12. glides so quick over all the 1260 dayes descending presently to the latter end of them p. ib. What of the Prophesie of this 12 Chap. is yet to be fulfilled p. ib. SECT 4. Another Objection That our opinion necessarily supposeth the Woman to be come out of the Wilderness and yet afterwards to go in again answered p. 52 SECT 5 A third Objection That this opinion is repugnant to Daniels time times and a half answered p 53 to 55. Here Daniels time times and a half are opened at large and proved from the Texts themselves in Daniel Chap. 7.25 Chap. 12.7 to signifie only three years and a half SECT 6. What useful truths arise from this method and what a harmony of truth following it we have in the 11 and 12 Chapters p. 62 SECT 7. Making inquiry after that remnant of the Womans Seed that the Dragon within the time times and a half the term of the Witnesses lying dead makes War upon Quest 1. What people are meant by this Remnant Answer is given in opening two notable Characters of them lying in the words p. 63 Quest 2. What War that is which is or shall be raised against them Five things propounded in order to an Answer p. 64 65 Ans A two-fold War 1 A War raised against them by the invisible Dragon How that shall be and why such a War must be p. 66 2 A War raised against them by the visible Dragon How and why such a War shall be p. ib. Yet notwithstanding this two-fold War the remnant of the Womans Seed shall not suffer much p. 67 CHAP. III. VVHerein is shewed the state of the Witnesses about and in the time of their Rise from Rev. 14. opened Divided into six Sections SECT 1. The common Opinion which applies the Prophesie of the 144000 to the time of the Beasts reign disproved and the time stated where this Prophesie takes beginning p. 68 to 73 SECT 2. Proving two things 1 That the Head of this Prophesie is to be placed lower than the Head of the Vials p. 73 to 76 Here is shewed why the Head of the Vials is placed somewhat upwards in the Beasts Kingdome and the Head of this Chapter about the end of it 2 That this 144000 differ from the sealed 144000 Chap. 7. p. ib. The scaled company scaled before any of the Trumpets sounded ib. To say because the one are scaled in their foreheads the other bear the Fathers name in the forehead therefore they are one can be no Argument p. 78 Two Reasons given why these are set frth by the same number with the Scaled ones ib. No Mystery in the number it self ib. SECT 3. Proving This 144000 to be the Gentile Saints p. 79 to 83 SECT 4. Handling three things 1 The Cause of this glorious Rendezvouz p. 83 2 The manner of it p. 84 3 The state and condition they shall be in hereupon set forth in two things 1 They shall be owned by some eminent Head raised up by Christ p. ib. 2 They shall set forth with praises p. 85 Here is also shewed where the beginning of this blessed company will be p. 86 Occasionally also here is discoursed of Daniels stone and it is shewed 1 What time we are to pitch upon for the first Rise of that stone 2 What shall befal the stone suddenly after it begins to smite ib. 87 SECT 5. The Characters of this 144000. Eight choice Characters of this blessed company observed from the text p. 89 to 92 SECT 6. How the work shall go from the time of their standing up until the beginning of the thousand years What Prophesies those are in the Revelations that afford us light to this Question p. 92 For answer 1 More generally the work shall go on with a more swift and irresistible hand than ever formerly p. ib. 2 More particularly 1 The Everlasting Gospel is preached p. 93 Five things very observable concerning the preaching of the Gospel at this day p. 93 94 95 2 Romes ruin comes unavoidably upon her p. ib. 3 A serious warning to the Papals Why are they warned at this day p. ib. 96 Here the Angel standing in the Sun Rev. 19.17 18. is interpreted p. 139 140 4 A sweet word from Christ of Heavenly Consolation to his people the day of their Redemption being now come p. 97 5 Christs Personal coming this the thing noted v. 14. proved by four Reasons p. 98 99 100 The Resurrection of the dead intimated in those words Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord vers 13. p 99 Why the Resurrection of the dead is mentioned before Christs coming p. ib. Not Martyrs only but all Saints shall come with Christ p. 102 What the Harvest and Vintage signifie p. ib. Christ himself the Angel of the Vintage p. 103 A Conjecture as touching the two Angels that cry with a loud voyce to have the work of the Harvest and Vintage performed p 104 Why one of these two is said to come out of the Temple the other from the Altar p. ib. VVhy the Angel coming from the Altar is said to have power over
behalf of that cause which my heart is inwardly perswaded is Jesus Christs to whom I could not be faithful should I now be silent having this hope that that heart which once had in it such a flame of love to the cause of Christ and was so zealous of the work of God in the world and against the Beast as that thereby many were provoked cannot but yet have some sparks of this holy fire alive in it and that there is yet in your Highness an ear to hear what the Holy Spirit saith in the word if so be the sound be certain and distinct tho but a Child blow the Trumpet Or if not yet that herein I shall discharge a duty in my own apprehension incumbent upon me and every of Gods people so far as they have light namely to inform your Highness what Christ at this day expects from you according to which he will account with you and if what is written be truth it is you duty to hear it yea where is but an appearance of truth if you shall without diligent trial either neglect or reject it though the grounds upon which you may perhaps so do may serve to answer Conscience a while yet will they not answer the Lord another day who will account with you not as with others but according to that Talent of light you have had and is held forth unto you the professions you have made before many of his people and the opportunities you have And therefore my Lord as it is now no time for those who either love the Lord Jesus or your Highness to flatter you or speak their fears mincingly So let me here say what not long fince I told your Highness in a more private way That I do verily beleeve the thing is already manifest to the Lord and the day is not far off in which it shall be to your Highness also who are your most faithful Friends whether those that now hang up their Harps though they may be but as one Micaiah to 400 false Prophets or those that are singing their Songs of which latter sort I mean for the greater part of them I may for the truth of the thing I am sure without offence say in the Apostles phrase onely adding a word They who never yet loved you truly now zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them and serve their designs I would to God I could speak otherwise and that private cryes might have prevented this publick bearing witness which though I had no other motive yet ingenuity did I not consider that when it tends to hinder in the Lords work it is no longer a vertue but a vice to be mortified would have disswaded me from The love of the meanest Saint is precious to me the favor of your Highness much more but in these divided times offering many temptations of this nature I have often remembred the case as it stood betwixt Christ and Peter Matâ—h 16.21 22 23. who when Peter by his love and affection would have put him by his Fathers work Christ grew offended even at Peters love and did abandon it My Lord if ever the Mystery of Iniquity wrought spiritually it doth at this day And no wonder for a fear and dread of the Witnesses is fallen upon the Beast whose blow that he may escape he would now if that will do it enter into a high form of Saintship and indeed who looks for Antichrist take him either as he is the whole Body or as he is this oâ— that part in his last state in any other Garbe than the form of a gloribus â—aint though he may have read the Book of the Revelations yet is he still to learn the Mystery of the Beast there revealed Now is the man of sin struggling for his Kingdom which he will uphold as long as he can but though the Dragon Beast and False Prophet joyn heads and hands together yet shall they not bee able to keep it up long no not half so many years as some dream of Ages for God hath numbered Babylons Kingdom and in a manner finished it the Beast and the Whoreâ—s or the Beast and the False Prophet are already weighed in the Ballances and found wanting the Kingdom shall as most certainly so suddenly be divided broken and given to another And as a clear evâ—dence hereof we have the signs of the times grounded upon the woâ—d which Christ did refer the Generation of the Pharisees and Sadduces to when they would know of him a sign Matth. 16.3 O yee Hypocrites can yee not discern the signs of the times What signs of the times had they Answ Two evident signs founded upon Scripture 1. The departure of the Scepter from Judah in Herods then swaying it who was an Idumean 2. The expirations of Daniels seventy weeks the limited time of the Messiahs appearance By either of these they might have concluded that truth they opposed and received him for their Messiah whom they rejected but this they did not but must have farther signâ— yet for which cause Christ calls them Hypocrites a wicked and an adulterous Generation My Lord Let me here say The Lord in his Word hath left signs of this time I am now speaking of no less clear and demonstrative than were the signs of thaâ— and although I am of all the most unworthy to be acquainted with them or any thing of the mind of the Lord yet is it my perswasion that some of them are discovered in the following discourse and he that shall without prejudice read what in the close is written of the time and compare it with the things themselves specified throughout the Book may possibly be of my mind at least not censure me for thinking so And if now My Lord as persons willing to be blinded we shall shut our eyes to those signs of the times God hath left us in the word and ask for other signs to know his work by and when we are called to do it it is an evident token even from our Saviors own words of an Adulterous and Apostatizing generation I had almost said and if I had his words would have born me out of an hypocritical heart My Lord Let me not be made an offender for this plain dealing if I am so long as the Lord shall keep my feet in the way of my duty it shall not trouble me and I have hope that in this I have had his merciful guidance and have not as yet stepped out of that way For if in the day when Christ is going up to his Kingdom the stones would not hold their peace should not the Children cry Hosanna then surely it is a duty very incumbent upon the Saints at this day there being nothing more obvious than that Christ is well onwards upon his march to his Kingdom not to be silent but although they may be rebuked yea dealt worse by for so doing yet to follow their
the first Vial is the Popish Earth the effect an infectious sore accordingly the Witnesses are said to smite the Earth and that with plagues or infectious sores as often as they will 2 The subject of the second Vial is the Popish Sea i.e. the Romish Ecclesiastical or Church-State The effect of it a discovery of the same to be corrupt and mortal accordingly the witnesses have a power to shut Heaven that it rain not that is they shall make it appear that the Antichristian Heaven or Church-State so much boasted of as being the only Church is a dry barren Heaven affording no rain to give life or nourishment to those that live under it 3 The subject of the third Vial is the Rivers and fountains of waters the effect they become blood accordingly the witnesses have a power to turn waters into blood Now these acts performed by the witnesses immediately before their killing agreeing so fully to the three first Vials in their subjects and effects both undoubtedly we are not to look upon this admirable Harmony to be a thing falling by accident especially considering too that by these acts the witnesses are said to torment the Papals ver 10. which to do by Saints and Witnesses is the proper work of the Vials but rather to have its rise in the all-wise Counsel of God who hereby would give his to understand that the three first Vials are to be poured out before the fourth then the death of the Witnesses to be expected This Observation confirms me in two things 1 That in stating our selves in my discourse on the Vials to be at this persent time under the third Vial I was led to state the thing aright 2 That the judgement there made of the subjects and effects of the three first Vials is truth by reason of the answerableness of the Vials according to that interpretation to the acts of the witnesses immediately preceding the time of their slaughter 3 Reason Because the slaughter of the witnesses is to fall in the interval betwixt the War of the Lamb with the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.14 and the ruin of Rome This war of the Lamb is a Civil war a war made by a Civil sword because it is a war made with the Beasts civil Power namely his horns And secondly It is a Civil Power namely some of the ten Kings that are vanquished by this war He shall overcome them that is such of the ten horns or Kings as shall war against him the whole or all the ten horns being here put for a part and for this reason I conceive doth the Lamb at this day go under that Title King of Kings and Lord of Lords because in this war he shall vanquish and tread under foot Kings Lords c. Now this war must by all circumstances be a war within the Vials 1 Because Its the Angel of one of the Vials that shews it unto John ver 1. 2 Because Christ hath so many chosen ones accompanying him in this war which is an Argument that Christ had many in the world at this day who had got the victory over the Beast and could stand and face him in a warlike way which was not till the work of the Vials was begun 3 Because Its the immediate forerunner of Romes ruin the story of which therefore comes in in the next Chapter It being so this war can belong to no other but the Third Vial the subject of which I have shewed upon the Vials is some particular States and Kingdoms subjected to the Beast i.e. some of the ten horns whose Heads Rulers c fall by the pouring forth of that Vial. Nay it must be so because as I have said before this is the first thing revealed to John as touching the judgement of the Beast whose judgement in the explication of the Vials begins with the Third Vial. Now observe in the interval betwixt this war and Romes destruction we have the proud Whore brought in glorying Chap. 18.7 I sit as a Queen c. and what 's the cause hereof but onely the Victory obtained now in the concluding time of her Kingdom over the witnesses as we have already noted I therefore conclude the slaughter of the witnesses must fall in this interval If in this interval then must it be in the latter end of the Third Vial for upon the pouring out of the Fourth they rise yea the Fourth Vial being to fall upon Germany as in opening the Vials I have shewed and Germany being as shall appear the place in which the witnesses lie dead it cannot be thought that the death of the witnesses should or can come under the fourth Vial for how improper yea absurd would it be to say Christs witnesses by the power of the Beast lye dead in Germany even whilst Christ by his people is pouring out a Vial of wrath upon it It must therefore of necessity be seeing we are to place their killing betwivt the war of the Lamb with the Kings of the Earth and Romes ruin that we should place it towards the end of the third Vial. Obj. But it may be said That the Vials are all to come under the seventh Trumpet for upon the sounding of the seventh Trumpet it is said Thy wrath is come Rev. 11.18 and what wrath should this be but the Vials of wrath if so then must the killing of the Witnesses which appertains to the woe of the sixth Trumpet be past and over and that before any one of the Vials are poured forth Ans 1. For the matter of the Objection it cannot be that all the Vâ—als should come under the seventh Trumpet 1 Because Its expesly said of the seventh Trumpet that in the days when the seventh Angel should begin to sound time should be no longer Chap. 10.7 But if after his sounding all the Vials were to be poured forth which already in pouring forth have taken up above 100 years time even after his sounding should be a great while 2 Because It s also said in the same verse That when the seventh Angel should begin to sound the mystery of God should be finished but if all the Vialls which comprehend within them the whole mystery of judging the Beast conversion of the Jews c. were to be poured out afterwards then could not the time of the seventh Angels sounding be the finishing time of mysteries but rather the beginning time It cannot therefore be that the seventh Trumpet should comprehend within it all the Vials it is therefore better to say that the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh and last Vial only and indeed they very patly answer the one to the other for 1 Upon the seventh Trumpets sounding it s said The mystery of God is finished So upon the seventh Angels pouring out his Vial It is done What is that but the same with the other it is finished 2 Upon the seventh Angels sounding the Kingdome of this world are all subject to Christ Rev.
11.15 now the doing of this is the proper and peculiar work of the seventh Vial as our discourse on that Vial proveth 3 The seventh Angels sounding is the time of rewarding Saints not some onely but all of them small and great ver 18. this comes under none of the Vials but the seventh onely which comprehends within it the time of the New Jerusalem the time of rewarding the dead and living Saints 4 Upon the seventh Angels sounding there are lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an earthquake and great hail ver 19. This is peculiar to the seventh and last Vial and answers to the plague of it almost verbatim Revel 16.18 21. Therefore I say the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial and no other The matter of the Objection is therefore a mistake 2 For the ground of it which lyes in these words Thy wrath is come Ans This wrath is not to be understood of the wrath of all the Vials but onely of the last which because it shall be the greatest wrath hath an emphasis put upon it Thy wrath as if Christ had never been angry till now that is comparatively the former wrath was but a Flea-bite to this Hence which confirms our sense the day of the seventh Vial which is all one with the Battel of Armageddon is called the day of Christs wrath Psal 110.5 The fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God Revel 19.15 The day of vengeance Isa 63.4 Of indignation chap. 66.14 The great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 Mal. 4.5 all confirming this that this dreadful time of the Lambs wrath doth more properly relate to the last Vial onely than to all the Vials in general From all the three former Conclusions put together I make up this viz. That the day of the Witnesses killing must in all likelihood be already begun and not much more than begun For sith from our first Conclusion their rise must be concurrent with the end of Daniels 1290 days which beginning from Julians time expire A.D. 1656. as see Generation work part 1. p. 51 52 53 54. And sith from our second Conclusion their killing must be a little before Romes ruin which for what I have said under our first doth in a manner contemporise with the other And sith from our third Conclusion their killing must be under the Third Vial which is manifest from our discourse upon the Vials to be the Vial we stand under at present I therefore from the whole conclude That this black day is in all probability begun and the Witnesses do at this present time lye dead Hence it is a thing we must expect that yet a little while until this cloud is toward blowing over the work of Christ in the world wil go on but heavily for there is reason for it as I shall shew anon that within the day the Witnesses lye dead though their killing be a particular act an act restrained to one place onely yet that the work and cause of Christ in general should the greatest part of that day labour under a Cloud SECT VI. THe Beast killing the Witnesses the Text tells us is the Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit ver 7. of which Beast I have discoursed upon the Vials p. 97 98 99 100. where this Beast is proved to be the Roman Civil and Ecclesiastical State or the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry both laying heads together and joyning hands to kill the two Witnesses of Christ viz. The true Magistracy and Ministry And here it is observable that Antichrists Magistracy and Ministry though two yet are called but one Beast as also Rev. 13. last One number is assigned to both the Beasts whereas the Magistracy and Ministry of Christ take them in the time of their Prophecie when they are killed or when they rise they are still two and spoken of in the plural number What may be the reason hereof Ans Christs Magistracy and Ministry keep their powers distinct and therefore they are two Antichrists mix their powers and therefore they are one That Magistracy and Ministry therefore which weave and intermixe their powers making and using in a manner but one sword whereas they should do two are neither of them Christs but both the Limbs of Antichrist nor are they in the account of the Holy Ghost witnesses but beasts who calls them so Rev. 13. yea layes down this as the principal character of the two Beasts that notwithstanding they were two yet did the one exercise the others power for the second Beast exerciseth all the power of the first vers 12. Now though the power of a Beast is ordinarily stronger then the power of a rational witness yet by how much the rational creature is more honorable then the sensitive by so much are those in whom the witnessing power remains more honorable then those whose power is only the power of Beasts SECT VII AS touching the Nature of the Witnesses death we are not to conceive thereof as though the same were to be a corporal killing which no way agrees with this Prophecy for 1 Such as is their resurrection and ascension such their death but their resurrection and ascension is not corporal therefore not their death 2 This Killing must be such a Killing as that they may in the time of their being Killed lye dead as witnesses for otherwise we cannot distinguish their killing from their Prophecying if we suppose them in both to give testimony and bear witness for Christ against the Beast But a corporal killing of witnesses doth not make them cease to bear witness but rather to bear witness in a more eminent manner as hath been before observed It is not a corporal killing therefore which is here meant Quest What manner of Death then is it Answ A Death as I conceive partly Civil and partly Spiritual 1 Partly Civil which shall be a deprival of the witnesses in a very great measure if not totally of their Civil Liberties and the free exercise of their Religion The godly Magistracy shall be put out of office and so be in no capacity as Magistrates to bear witness the godly Ministry by penal Laws have their mouths stopped and not suffered as Ministers of Christ to bear witness This shall be their death as to the Civil part of it 2 This death shall be partly spiritual and herein as I conceive the blackness of the day shall principally lye and not in Bloodshedding for observe though the Beast hath a will to this latter viz. to kill the witnesses outright yet is he not permitted to do it vers 9. Now this spiritual death shall consist chiefly in this viz. That the witnesses shall all this three yeers and a half be so left of God as that they shall not have that courage that was in the people of God al the time of the witnesses Prophecie who then did not love their lives to the death but mantained the truth and opposed the Beast with their blood
is therefore represented by Michael i. e. Christ himself who acts him and the principal Head of the Beast on the other set on and acted by the Devil and therefore represented by the Dragon Now this can be applied to no other War so aptly as to the German War for where hath there ever been since the first rise of the Beast the like viz. of a War betwixt him and the Professors of the true Religion headed by the Beast himself of the one side and a religious godly Prince of the other 3 Because this War which precedes the killing of the Witnesses must be such a War as shall have great acclamations of Saints going along with it and great expectations founded upon it and that both as touching their deliverance from Antichristian bondage and also concerning the setting up of Christs Kingdom by it Therefore they cry vers 10. Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of Christ i.e. Now the day of our deliverance of Babylons downfal is come Now the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus shall bee exalted in the world O now is the power of Christ manifested indeed Such was the Swedish War in Germany It is not yet out of the memory of many of Gods people what high expectations were raised upon that War in all the Protestant Churches How did every eye almost then look for the downfal of Rome presently conceiving no other than that that most worthy Prince would be the ruine of the Antichristian Where What wonderful triumphs and rejoycings were there upon the reports of his Victories by all the godly party within our Gates And how heavy a load did the news of his being cut off lay upon the hearts of Gods people every where Though the Author cannot testifie these things of his own knowledge his age not serving him to remember things of this nature beyond the sadding news of his death yet from what he hath read of this good Prince and the reports he hath had from persons aged and faithful he supposeth he may assert the thing and doubts not but many this day alive will witness it 4 Because the effect and issue of this War in Heaven is the casting down of the Dragon from Heaven to Earth who yet by this and partly for rage to see himself cast down finds out a way to persecute the Woman anew Accordingly the issue of the Swedish War was this The proud German Emperor who before in his pride was lifted up to Heaven would stoop and buckle to none is now glad by means of this War to come down from his greatness to condescend and stoop to such terms as he can for himself make with the Swede by which agreement notwithstanding and partly for madness to see himself made to creep on the earth i.e. condescend to terms who thought ever to have sate in Heaven i. e. rule as absolute Lord over Christs heritage doing to them what he list he finds out a way to persecute the Woman drive her into the Wilderness for a time times and a half i.e. kill the Witnesses for three dayes and a half So that the Swedish War agrees exactly and fully to this War here mentioned as the forerunner of the killing of the Witnesses And because the Witnesses were by this War to be killed and every death hath some struglings and girdings that attend it answerable to that life and strength in the thing killed that therefore the Beast might feel what life and strength is in the Witnesses he himself is almost broken to peeces at first by this War i.e. by the very struglings and girdings of the Witnesses whilst he is going about to kil them Object But it may be said more likely our late War in England should be this War Answ I have sometimes thought that this War in Heaven might comprehend the whole War within the last 60 years of the Beast and so take in the Swedish War and our English War too And this I confess that in most things this War doth carry a likelihood as well to the English as the Swedish War And farther I find my self much inclining to make this War and the War betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth Chap. 17.14 which War as I conceive points at our English War and no other one and the same but this I must also say that I am more satisfied to look upon them as two Wars both within the 60 years and the one following the other And so this War to be the German War only and the other betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth to be the English War yet both to fall within the last 60 years and to be forerunners of the killing of the Witnesses And the Reasons why I conceive this War to be the German War only and not the English also are 1 Because the English War hath been betwixt Protestants only but this War is a War betwixt some eminent Protestant Head on the one side and some eminent and professed Popish Head on the other as hath been before observed 2 Because this War being made by the Dragon is not so fitly appliable to any one Nation under Heaven as the German Empire which is as I may say the very Picture of the Old Dragon for the Dragon is set forth as having seven heads ten horns v. 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns Accordingly the German Empire as upon another occasion hath been before observed consists of seven Electoral heads and ten horns i.e. so many Provinces The Prophecy therefore of this Chapter may without any forcing be applied in part to the Old Roman Empire and also in part to the present German Empire both of them bearing and giving the arms of the Dragon So that by the ruine of the old Roman Empire the Dragon only changed his Seat forsook Rome his old Seat leaving that to the Beast and betakes himself to Germany where the Beast for his willingness to surrender his old Seat to him provides him a new And indeed there may be these two Reasons given of it why the Dragon who governs the whole Papal Kingdom doth yet betake himself to Germany rather then any other place choosing that for his Seat 1 Because of all the Nations subjected to the Beast none was found so like his old Seat the Pagan Empire as the new erected German Empire 2 Because the Woman had in a manner for many ages together taken up her dwelling there bringing forth children and sending them abroad from thence into other parts therefore this old Persecutor of the Woman that he might the more trouble her peace placeth his Throne there What I have said is a good confirmation of our method before laid down that this Chapter brings us to the end of the Beasts Kingdom and is not to be limited within the first four hundred yeers after Christ for
foreheads vers 1. signifying as I shall shew anon a high pitch of union 2 Those that begin the work of the Vials their chief eminency lies in this that they were got clear of the more gross defilements and idolatries of Antichrist set forth under the expressions of the Beast his Image Mark the number of his name I saw them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his name But these have attained a higher pitch to renounce as well the more secret defilements by worldly selfish interests as the more gross pollutions of Antichrist which is the thing noted as I have else-where observed by their being redeemed from the earth vers 3. 3 Those that begin the work of the Vials were a party redeemed and picked from among the Idolatrous rabble of the Beasts worshippers But these are a party picked and redeemed from amongst men vers 4. that is from amongst the Reformers themselves Hence the Song these sing is a new Song that none else can learn vers 3. i.e. it is a Song that goes in a higher and more self-denying note than the Song that was sung when the Vials began to be poured forth and if we may say there is an alteration in the matter I conceive it lies in this the Song sung at this day shall be more purely Evangelical than that was the Song of the Vials is a mixed Song partly of Moses partly of the Lamb something was in that as well of Moses more dark administration as of the Lambs more clear But this shall be purely of the Lamb nothing of Moses no legality in this Song but all is of the Lamb. 4 That Character of these vers 4. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes doth as I have said before clearly intimate to me that this time is not the Lambs first setting forth he had been marching before viz. from the first day the Vials began to be poured forth yea fighting before for the fight between Michael and the Dragon chap. 12. and that betwixt the Lamb and the Kings of the Earth Chap. 17. do both precede this time by consequence therefore this must be below the Head of the Vials for the Lamb began not his march till the Vials began to be poured forth 5 John sees no Throne as yet when the Vials began to be poured out because Christ as then was but breaking in upon the world but now as we observed before John sees a Throne noting that at this day Christ hath gotten some footing in the world so much as in despight of them he can and doth erect a Throne And this consideration will save us an answer to that which seems to he as an Objection in the words against the thing we are speaking viz. That this one hundred sorty four thousand at their first Rendezvouz have no Temple but those who pour out the Vials had it seems therefore that they should be the lower and these the higher Answ Though true no particular mention is made of a Temple but these are onely said to stand upon Mount Sion yet have they that which is more namely a Throne and this those who began the work of the Vials had not nor indeed could they then because Christ erects himself a Throne by casting down the Thrones of the Beast but this work is done by the Vials and therefore there could not be a Throne before From the whole it is clear That the Head of the Vials is to be placed higher than the Head of this Prophecie 1 Hence we have done well to place the beginning of the Vials as we have done in our Discourse upon the Vials 2 Hence that opinion which makes this Prophecie to contemporise with the time of the Witnesses and the Beast is disproved and our former method confirmed Should any here ask me a reason why the Head of the Vials is placed somewhat upwards in the Beasts Kingdom and the head of this Chapter about the end of it I Answer Because the principal work of this Chapter to do which this 144000 are raised up is to smite Antichrist in his Civil Inonarchical power thereby to take his Kingdom from him and to bring the Kingdoms of this world under the Scepter of Christ but now before Christ comes to deal with the Beast in his Civil Power he deals with him upon another account namely of his encroachments upon Christs spiritual rights to recover them out of his hands as I have observed upon the Vials p. 260 261 262. Now because the Vials set forth the whole of Christs dealing with Antichrist in a way of wrath as well his dealing with him upon a Spiritual account as a Civil therefore is the head of the Vials seated more upwards in Antichrists Kingdom than the Head of this Chapter which is placed at the end of it This further confirmes me that in my Discourse upon the Vials I have been guided to place the beginning of the Vials aright and in its proper place Secondly Another thing following from our Discourse in the fore-going Section is That this 144000 which stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion are not the same with the sealed 144000 Chap. 7. which also farther appears 1 Reason Because the sealed one hundred forty four thousand are sealed by way of preservation against some evill approaching but this one hundred forty four thousand are gathered together to do some work for Christ 2 The sealed 144000. are sealed before any of the Trumpets sound but this one hundred forty four thousand are not congregated till about the time of the Witnesses rise which is not till the latter end of the sixth Trumpet Rev. 11.13 14 15. That the sealed One hundred forty four thousand are sealed before any of the Trumpets sound is clear 1 Because the very plagues that they are sealed for preservation against are no other but the plagues of the Trumpets The plagues themselves are mentioned Chap. 7.3 Hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Trees till we have sealed the Servants of our God in the fore head Three sorts of plagues here are 1 A plague upon the earth this is expresly the plague of the first Trumpet Chap. 8.7 The first Angel sounded and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood and they were cast upon the earth 2. A plague upon the Sea this is the plague of the second Trumpet v. 8. And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great Mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea and the third part of the Sea became blood vers 9. And the third part of the creatures that were in the Sea and had life dyed and the third part of ships were destroyed 3. A plague upon the Trees this is a part of the plague of the first Trumpet vers 7. The third part of Trees were burnt up and all green grass was burnt up Now the plagues being the very
time for Pope Innocent the first who was made Pope A.D. 402. saith Alstede 403. saith Helvicus did so take upon him as to excomunicate the Emperor Arcadius though Emperor not of Rome but Constantinople another place as saith Dan. Pareus in Medulla Hist Eccles universali Yea at the same time together with the Emperor he excommunicated the Eastern Churches also as faith Ross History of the world lib. 3. cap. 3. 4 Humane Traditions is another badge of Antichrist These began about this very time Ross in his Chronology at the end of his History of the World saith That betwixt the years 390. and 400. It was first Ordained that the Gospel should be heard standing also Canonical hours for prayer were first instituted Also that the third Council of Carthage which was held within this time viz. A.D. 398. saith Alsted ordained that the Eucharist should be received fasting My Author pitcheth upon no particular year but affirms all these things to have their first rise within this Decad. The same Author also presently after saith That about the year 400. began first the rights of Patronages in the Council of Mela. Joan. Wolfius in his Centenaries Cent. 4. upon the year 393. saith About this time began Traditions Monkish life c. Alstede saith That A.D. 398. the Order of Regular Priests was first instituted In Chronologia Ordinum inter Monachos This is also testified by Wolfius who treats more largely of the thing Cent. 4. 5 Abstinence from meats is another badge of Antichrist 1 Tim. 4.3 commanding to abstain from meats Socrates who wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the Church from Constantines time until the time of Theodosius junior discoursing in his fifth Book of the state the Church was in the year before or this very year 396. tells us of the great strise that was made by some at this time about Holy-dayes what divers sorts of Fasts were now instituted and kept and what Laws were laid upon men and men laid upon themselves about meats some refusing all living Creatures some feeding upon Fish only c. which things the aforesaid Author zealously disclames against calling them Jewish Rites and the Assertors of them favourers of Jewish Customes and proves these things to bee contrary to Scripture quoting many Texts out of Paul to that end THESIS XXIV The foregoing Characters although they do as well yea better take them in the general agree to the year 396. then any other year yet do they not all jump with that particular year the reason is because the coming forth of the Beast was by degrees not all at once for then the knowledge of the time of his rise would have been no Mystery It s necessary therefore that some other reason be given why I fixe on this year rather than any other within the Decad. THESIS XXV The most substantial reason that can be given hereof is The Head of the 1260 dayes must so be placed as that the 1260 may concur in their end with the 1290. Now the 1290 beginning from Julian A.D. 366 the 1260 which hath in it thirty years less to the end either may terminate at the same point must necessarily have its Head fixed thirty years lower viz. with the year 396 the year I have before stated THESIS XXVI Here I cannot but observe a very signal hand of Providence in fixing such a Standard as this is to give us light into this great Mystery where we are to begin the time of the Beast for the Beast coming forth by degrees it is a thing most difficult from bare Histories only to fixe upon any particular year within the number of many so as thence positively to conclude here and no where else are we topitch our Standard But now Julians act being a more particular thing and restrained to a particular time the very time of that may be found This found our Standard is fixed already it is now but coming thirty years lower and we have the rise of the Beast THESIS XXVII The thing I am speaking of affords us a notable confirmation of the truth of either beginning for they must be so placed as that both Numbers may end together by consequence therefore the heads of either Number must be set at thirty years distance from each other and in this distance too the head of the 1290 must be by so many years the higher and the head of the one thousand two hundred and sixty the lower or else they cannot end together Now is it not a thing very observable that two things so remarkable and made famous by so many Histories the one a thing so like the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation that no particular act recorded in any History former or latter doth more patly agree to Daniels words than this of Julian doth The other a thing so like the rise of the Beast that we cannot should we search Histories over and over find a time which in all things will afford us more proper Characters than this doth should fall out at thirty years distance each from other And also which is very observable in this distance too that that which looks most like the 1290 dayes the greater number by thirty years should be the highest and that which looks most like the 1260 the lowest Certainly this Harmony is not a thing accidental but so ordered by the All-wise Disposer of times and seasons who through all the actions of the sons of men carries on his own Designs and performs his own eternal Will If either of these beginnings be disallowed by any let it by them be considered where they will find Heads if not here to begin these two Numbers upon so as that the Harmony may not be broken but either made from such beginnings as they shall state to Terminate at the same point Now compute the years from either beginning as we have before stated them and the concluding time of each number will be A.D. 1656. THESIS XXVIII The neerness of the time to the fulfilling of these things is no more an impediment to our beleeving and looking for them at this day then it would be to the people of God at any other time supposing them to live as neer the time as we Nay what if I say Our faith may hence take encouragement the rather to beleeve these things and expect them seeing Gods ordinary way with his people in former ages hath been whensoever he hath had any special deliverance to work for them to conceal the time of it from his people till the work was ripe and now ready to bee put in execution To give instance in two only both famous Types of the Deliverance I am now treating of First Israels deliverance from Egypt Moses is sent of God to do the work before any of them dream of deliverance or once think that the four hundred and thirty years were so neer run out as indeed they were Secondly The deliverance from Babylon Holy Daniel although he