his his evill thoughts doe then begin to shew themselves in actions by his causing them viz. the Iewes to be beseiged as he passeth through their Country towards the King of the South For then it is that Sheba and Dedan and the Merchants of Tarshish shall say to Gog or this vile Person art thou come to take the Prey and the Spoile Ezek. 38. 13. So that now will begin to be fulfilled another part of Daniels Prophesie who saith in his 8. chapter 13 14. that the time that the dayly Sacrifice shall be taken away and the transgression of desolation to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be trodden under feet shall be two thousand three hundred dayes and then the Sanctuary shall be cleansed So that the taking away of the daily Sacrifice by reason of his beseiging Ierusalem shall be near three yeares or about a thousand dayes before the abomination that makes desolate be set up which cannot be till after the City is taken by the vile Person And from that time that the abomination is set up it shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety dayes before the end of the vile Persons Raign be and blessed is he that waitâ—th and cometh to the one thousand three hundred and five and thirty dayes Daniel 12. 11 12. But the last expedition shall not be as the first For the Ships of Chittim shall come against him c. verse 30. Who they are the Scripture is silent onely we find another prophesie of Balaam to this effect in the 24. Numbers 24. where it is said And Skips shall come from the Coast of Chittim and shall afflict Ashur and shall afflict Eber and he Ashur also shall perish for ever Now we shall give in something of our own thoughts concerning this verse and yet not our own but what is given in unto us which its likely will be sleighted by those that are prepossessed with former and antient Expositions on this Subject but we shall leave it to after time which will manifest whether we are in the truth or no the Ships of Chittim we doe apprehend to be the power or forces of the ten Hornes or Kings who had lately destroyed Rome and now are invited by the King of the South or Aegypt whom we doe apprehend to be one or those ten Kings a part of whose Forces hath been with the rest in destroying the Whore or Woman viz Rome to help him against the vile Person who he heares is preparing for a second invasion on him which they hearken unto in regard they have done their great work in destroying the Whore Rome and the vile person finding it by his Intelligences to be true He considers with himself that this must needs be a very great power that is coming against him that had destroyed so great and famous a City as Rome which makes him sorry that he must leave his Southern design and therefore now frets himself against the holy Covenant and returnes against the people of the Iews whom he will then beseige with his whole force and in the heighth of his power thinking to take it is he and his Army so terrified with that dreadfull sight of the Graves opening and the believing Saints being taken up to meet the Lord Jesus in the air at which time the Devill shall be cast into the earth and shall give his power unto the Beast that they shall fly and call to the Rocks to fall upon them c. Rev. 6. And during the time of that terror will the Church of the Iews viz. the one hundred fourty and four thousand fly out of Ierusalem into the wildernesse And now we come to declare what he id â—st the vâ—le Person or Beast will doe after the Saints are taken up that is he and his Army after a short space will recover their Spirits again and being impowred by the devill according to what Iohn saw in a vision that would be in his 13. Rev. 7. he takes Ierusalem and half the City is carried into captivity the other half remaining therein Zaâ—h 14. 2. And then will he set himself in the Temple of God and exalt himself above all that is called God 2 Thess. 2. 4. and Dan. 11. 36. Presently after this will another part of Daniels prophesies be fulfilled verse 31. And armes shall stand on his part c. for the forces of the ten Hornes or Kings who came to assist the King of the South by reason of Satans malioe increasing against the Woman or Church of the Iewes fled into the wildernesse are now perswaded by the Dragon and the vile Person to joyn with him in utterly rooting out this people of the Iewes out of that plentifull Country and to cause them the sooner to comply with him he will tell them how great his power is as that that great terror that fell upon all the Inhabitants of the world was not in any favour or assistance to the Iews whom he then beseiged but to him the God of this world the Devill having now communicated his power to him as the Apostle Iohn declares the Dragon will doe Rev. 13. 2. and his lies prevail with them according to the prophesie of the Apostle Paul 2 Thess. 2. 11. which he having effected he then is that Beast compleat with seven Heads and ten Hornes having them all under his power and command And now we apprehend will be the time when all the world will wonder after the Beast whose deadly wound by a Sword was healed and did live Rev. 13. 3 14. which deadly wound had relation to the time that Phull and Arbaces did divide the Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchy between them in the dayes of Sardanapulus the last of Nimrods posterity which Beast the Apostle Iohn saith in the 17. Rev. 8. Was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse Pit and shall goe into perdition and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is As if it had been a thing impossible that ever any Monarch should arise out of that place again And so they come and joyn with him who immediately after this conjunction persueth the Woman the Church of the Iews that is fled into the wildernesse and they staying behind to keep possession of Ierusalem by the perswasion of the false Prophet who arose among them set up the abomination that makes desolate as is prophesied of by Daniel in his 11. chapter 31. verse Which Prophesie could not be fulfilled in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes though that might be a type of this as the marginall Notes in the Geneva Translation seem to hold forth for they say the said Antiochus did then set up the Image of Iupiter Olimpius in the Temple of Ierusalem Now if that prophesie had then been fulfilled the Lord Jesus by two of his
A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE PROPHETICAL and EVANGELICAL EVENTS OF THE LAST TIMES VVherein that which principally is insisted on is the Prophetical Little Horn or Man of Sin and Evangelical Beast and his seven Heads and ten Hornes Shewing by the Scriptures what they be when their Rise what their Work how long their Continuance and their End and Ruine Much differing from former and common Interpretations hereupon Wherein also those Prophecies are briefly touched which concern the persecution of the Saints the falling away of the Churches the night of darknesse the Virgins going forth to meet the Bridegroom the Mystical Whore the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome to all the World and the gathering of the Jewes into their own Land Being a Portion of the paines in searching of the holy Scriptures by several of the Members of the Congregation of Orpington in Kent And now published for the comfort of all those that have an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ and walt look for and long after his coming Tit. 2. 11 12 13. By Capt. JOHN BROVVNE a Member of that CONGREGATION LONDON Printed by Gartrude Dawson Anno Dom. 1655 TO HIS HIGHNESSE OLIVER LORD PROTECTOR Of the Common-wealth of ENGLAND SCOTLAND IRELAND My LORD THE Actings of the Almighty in this last Age of the World are visible to the eyes of all Persons in generall in these Nations especially to those that Love and Obey him over whom Providence hath placed you as the chief Magistrate in whose hands you have been an eminent Instrument to bring to pass those things which he had determined so to be and foretold by his Prophets the Lord Jesus and his Apostles which having in some measure been discovered to some of His despised in this world they durst not hide their Talent in a Napkin but what was freely given in to them of knowledge understanding in things yet to be brought to passe they doe as freely communicate to all there being duties to be performed by all and especially by those who have power in their hands to make good use of it and their time in imploying of it so as that This Gospel of the Kingdome may be Preached in all the World and the Jews brought to their own Land that so the Coming and Kingdom of the Lord Iesus to raign on the Earth with his Saints may be hastened who knowes but that the time of deliverance to his People is nigh the Lord grant that there may be no cursed Murmurers or wicked Transgressors among us whereby that deliverance should yet be retarded a longer time as it was with Israel for such Transgressions who were deprived of the possession of the Land of Promise a long time and wandred in the Wildernesses fourty yeares My Lord the work is great that is to be done and it will be done in a short time if we put forth our Selves Conquest and Liberty to preach the Gospel of the Kingdome go together our eares have heard you have some design on the Western parts of the World where these glad Tidings were never as yet made known if Your Highness have any desire that the same should be there or in any other part of the World published you need not fear the Attempt At your spare time cast your Eye upon what this ushers to your view and if the Lord have appointed you for the great work that is yet to be done He will stirre up your heart to a speedy acting therein to whom our Prayers for your direction and blessing therein and protection over you that under your Government we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty shall not be wanting in whom we desire to be found My Lord Your Highnesses in all faithfull Obedience to your Commands not disagreeing to the Command of our God and our Lord Iesus Signed in the Name of several Believers in Christ and especially of many of the Congregation at Orpington JOHN BROWNE To all Christian Readers by Profession in general but especially to such who have made manifest their Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by yeilding Obedience to all his Commandements THis little Trratise comes forth to the publick view of all naked yet innotent and that to an encounter with Eminent Expositers both Antient and Modern on this Subject of the Beast like a stripling David with the great a Goliah of Gath one of the Sons of b Harephah well and compleatly armed when little David brings with him onely a c Staffe or Sling with a Scrip wherein he puts a few smooth stones which he had taken out of the Brook contemptible weapons in themselves for to incounter such a Gyant such may this seem to be which shall dare to oppose the volumes of the many famous Authors for so many Ages past who have so largely expressed themselves in their Writings on this Subject all of them in generall concluding that this Beast is risen long since yea many hundreds of yeares past but with much difference of Opinion as to the time as Mr. Tillinghast in his late Treatise of the Knowledge of the Times hath observed when as this doth clearly prove that he is not yet risen if they mean the little Horn or vile Person in Daniels Prophesie or the Beast with seven Heads and ten Hornes in Johns Visions nor shall not arise till the seventh Head King or Government be risen and fallen which is but yet arising the truth of this with the event of the Combate will evidently appear to such as desire after true Knowledge who are not prepossest with the Opinion of other Expositers like a Vessel that is first seasoned with unsavory Liquor which will hardly be câ—eansed and that not without some tang or relish of its first seasoning there being nothing but plain Scripture proofes weapons like a Staffe or Sling and a few Observations out of History like a few smooth stones out of the Brook for what we doe alledge as for our Opponents who are many how they build one upon another and adde strength to strength till they become a Gyant invincible and unanswerable in their own and others Opinions and armed with a staffe many Scriptures but how rightly applied weigh and consider but beyond that of a Sling a Spear whose shaft was like a weavers beam armed with an Iron head weighing six hundred shekels that is pretending many hundreds of yeares past for the originall of that which they affirm so that for poor contemptible ones to come with a new doctrine a new interpretation of these Prophesies and Visions may seem very adventurous possibly to some a rash and a distemper'd brain yea and be cried down as dangerous and not to be tollerated but we beg this favour of the Readers as to be spectators a while and if any will be Judges let them have patience also and suspend their Judgements for a time which will trie the truth of all things and they may possibly receive
according to what we have already declared from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Math. 24 14. Sixthly When the Gospel or glad tidings of the Kingdome is begun to be preached in the last Age of the world which is a sign of the near approach of that Kingdome then will follow the calling of the two Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin to Ierusalem See what the Lord declares by the Prophet Ieremy concerning this Thus saith the Lord behold I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents and have mercy on his dwelling Places And the City shall be builded upon her own heaps and the Pallace shall remain after the manner 〈◊〉 So that comparing the latter part of the verse with the former part it will plainly appear that by Iacobs Tents cannot be meant the whole twelve Tribes or the ten Tribes but the two Tribes onely not but that there may be some of every Tribe amongst the two Tribes as there was some did cleave to the house of David when it s said the ten Tribes fell away for these here that shall be brought back are said to be first brought back and then the City is built which bringing back of the ten Trâ—bes wâ—â—l not be compleated till aâ—ter the Saints are taken up when as before that time both Ierusalem and the Temple will be built and Sacrifices offered of which we shall have â—ccasion to inlarge upon hereafter Consider of â—nother Prophesie concerning this in the 12 Zachâ—râ— 6 7 In that day I will make the Governours of Judâ—h likâ— a haâ—th oâ— fiâ—e among the wâ—od and like a torch of 〈…〉 shall devour all the people round about on the 〈…〉 and on the left And Jerusalem shall be inhabited 〈…〉 own place even in Jerusalem The Lord also shall save the Tâ—nâ—s of Judah first Seventhly After the calling of the two Tribes for to build and inhabite Ierusalem the next remarkable thing that will in those dayes fall out to be is the rising or manifesting of the Beast and ten Hornes or Kings mentioned by the Apostle Iohn in his 17. Chapter of the Revelations In which these following particulers will be worthy of our consideration in the opening of them 1. Who the Beast is and secondly Who the ten Kings are 2. The place from whence they and he will arise 3. What they and he are to doe when risen viz. First before the Saints are taken up and secondly after they are taken up 4. His reign viz. how long time 5. His ruine and how farre they suffer in it For the first the Beast who he is He is that Beast that was shewn to the Apostle Iohn which he describes in his 17. Chapter of the Revelations and 3. verse having seven heads and ten hornes which compared with other Scriptures we shall find him to have several titles or denominations 〈◊〉 which he is discovered viz. he is called the little Horn Dan. 7 8. The vile Person Dan. 11. 21. The Man of Sin 2 Thes. 2. 3. In Iohns description befoâ—e quoted he hath seven Heads as well as ten Hornes Now that â—e may know who or â—hat these seven heads are if we coâ—sider well of the Angels interpretation to Iohn Chap. 17 10. and upon search of other Scriptures we shall find that they are seven Governments that should be Supream in the severall Ages of the world from the dayes of Noah after the Floud till the rise of the ten Hornes Five of which Heads or Governments had been before Iohn saw this Vision the sixth was then in being and is now towards its period and the seventh was not then come but is now arising The first Head or Government was the Assyrian and Babylonian Monarchy joyned under one head viz. Nimrod compare the Writings of Moses concerning this Person Government and Country with that of the Prophet Esay and consider how they prove our assertion Moses giving us some account of Noahs Posterity and speaking of that of his Son Ham saith Ham begat Cush and Cush begat Nimrod He began to be a mighty one in the Earth He was a mighty Hunter before the Lord Wherefore it is said even as Nimrod the mighty Hunter before the Lord And the beginning of his Kingdome was Babell and Eresh and Achad and Caâ—neh in the Land of Shinar Out of that Land went forth Ashur and builded Niniveh and the City Reho both and Calah Also the same Moses speaketh farther concerning Noahs Posterity And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech And it came to passe as they journeyed from the East that they found a Plain in the Land of Shinar and they dwelt there Now take what Esay writeth concerning this Bâ—hold the Land of the Caldeans this People was not till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the Wilderness They set up the Towers thereof thâ—y raised up the Pallaces thereof and he brought it to ruine So that Moses gives us to understand thus much that Nimrod was the first mighty One upon the earth whose â—â—â—gdome was Babell and Ashur went out from thence and built Niniveh which Ashur could be no other then this Nimrod for when he came or journeyed out of the East he came into the Land of Shinar and dwelt there which Land of Shinar must needs be Caldea Babell being built in it as we have now related out of Moses which the Prophet Esay calls Câ—ldea as you have his words also In brief thus much Nimrod an Assyrian by birth or habitation or both comes into Shinar or Caldea sets up his Kingdome builds Babell his chief Seat and other Cities afterwards goeth out thence into Assyria again and builds Niniveh and other Cities which is the ground of our stiling him by the title of the Assyâ—ian and Babylonian Monarch And he is the first after the Floud that the Scripture mentioneth but of his continuance or length of his raign it is silent Some Historians doe give some account thereof but with diversity of Opinions concerning it therefore leave the curious therein to search them The second Head is the Assyrian alone under another Family the Line of Nimrod being extinct in Sardanapulus as Sir Walter Rawleigh in his History of the World the first Impression the first part folio 482. doth at large relate whose first King that the Scripture mentioneth was Pull or Phull by whom and Tiglath Pilessar his Successor if not Son the two Tribes and half were first carried away captive See a proof for this out of the Scripture in the 1 Chron. 5. 26. And the God of Israel stirred up the Spirit of Pull King of Assyria and the Spirit of Tiglath-Pilnesar King of Assyria and he carried them away even the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half Tribe of Manassah and brought them unto Halath and Habor and Hara and to the River Gosâ—n unto this day By whom also the Syrians the great oppressors of Israel in several
head City of that Empire So that the decay of one of these Iron legs of the Image viz. the Roman Empire makes way for the other Iron leg upon which the whole Body is supported which is the seventh Head or King in Iohns Revelation chap 17. 10. And there are seven Kings and they are seven Kings saith the Geneva Translation five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space which compared with the 11. Daniel 20. and you shall find him there stiled a Raiser of Taxes Then shall stand up in his Estate a Raiser of Taxes in the Glory of the Kingdome but within few dayes he shall be destroyed neither in anger nor in battel Object In the 2. Daniel 33. verse the two Iron legs in the Vision are called but one Kingdome in the interpretation verse 40. Answ. That many times the Lord is pleased in the Visions of the Prophets to wrap up many things in one As for instance in the 8. Daniel in the Vision of the Rough Goat upon whose fall four Hornes or Kingdomes arise and out of them came forth a little Horn which waxed exceeding great c. verse 8 9 10 11 12. which compared with the interpretation thereof verse 22 23 24 25. it will evidently appear that this little Horn must be the same with the vile Person Man of Sin and Beast that Iohn speaks of in the 17. Revelations because his power is mighty but not by his own power he getting the Dominion by flattery Dan. 11. 21 And he shall stand up against the Prince of Princes which Antiochus never did as some say who imagine him to be this little Horn and be broken without hands which cannot have relation to his Person onely but to his Power also which Antiochus power was not though he himself were consumed by Wormes But this vile Person little Horn Man of Sin or Beast his Army is destroyed and himself taken alive and cast into a Lake of fire Revel. 19 19 20 21. Which if so then is not onely the fourth Kingdome left out in the 2. Dan. 40. but also that Raiser of Taxes Daniel 11. 20. Another instance in the 11. Daniel in that Vision he having spoken of the Persian and Grecian Dominion and the ruine of the last and rise of the four Kingdomes out of it there is declared what shall fall out between the two Dominions of the North and the South viz. the Seleucides and Ptolomeys but nothing at all of the fourth Beast or Kingdom and sixth Head or Kingdome in Iohns Revelation And then comes to mention the Successor of the King of the North whom he calls a Raiser of Taxes verse 20. where it is said Then shall stand up in his Estate a Raiser of Taxes in the glory of the Kingdome but within few dayes he shall be destroyed neither in anger or in Battell and verse the 21. And in his Estate shall stand up a vile Person c. One instance more in the 7. Daniel where the Prophet sees the Vision of four Monarchies typified by four Beasts and the fourth Beast to have ten Hornes verse 7. where is left out the Raiser of Taxes that is to arise before the ten Hornes as will plainly appear in the 17 chapter of Iohn's Revelations The seventh Head must arise before the Beast and the ten Hornes are to have power one hour with the Beast verse 12. So that these three instances doe make it evidently appear that the Lord in His Visions to his Prophet doth not at one time shew all things that should be or fall out but in some more in some lesse as we see here in these instances in the first is left out the fourth Kingdome or sixth Head and the Raiser of Taxes or seventh Head In the second is left out the fourth Kingdom or sixth Head onely And in the last is left out the Raiser of Taxes or seventh Head onely Now concerning this seventh Head in Iohns Revelations chapter 17. according to the Geneva Translation it is rendred thus Here is the mind that hath Wisdome the seven Heads are seven Mountaines whereon the Woman sitteth they are also seven Kings verse 10. Five are fallen and one is and another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space and verse 11. And the Beast that was and is not is even the eighth and is one of the seven and shall goe into destruction which compared with the 11. Daniel 20 21. we shall find that the Raiser of Taxes which by what we have already proved â—ust needs be this seventh Head doth arise the next before the vile Person Then shall stand up in his place in the Glory of the Kingdome c. yet he viz. the vile Person shall come to his end and none shall help him verse 45. Object But may we not question the Geneva Translation as to this particular seeing all our common Translations render it in another sense as thus And there are seven Kings not They are seven Kings Answ. We doe not onely find it in our English Bibles of the Geneva Translation and that of Tindals Translation but also the Italian and ancient French Bibles printed near one hundred yeares since at Lyâ—ns however the current of the Scriptures will clear it to be so as that Mountaines doe imply Persons and Powers or Persons in power look upon and consider well of that expression of the Prophet Ieremy in his 51. chapter 25. Behold I am against thee O destroying Mountain saith the Lord speaking of Babylon in the foregoing verse which destroyeth all the Earth and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee and roll the down from the Rocks and will make thee a burnt Mountain Also that of the Prophet Zachery in his 4. chapter 7. Who art thou O great Mountain speaking of the Persian Monarch before Zerubbabell thou shalt become a Plain And if that we should say that this seventh Head is now arising for we have already shewed that the sixth Head is so farre decayed that there is little of it now appeares in comparison of what it was I hope we should not be found to be in an error And we shall lay down some grounds for what we hope or in this thing should seem to maintain 1. First we are to observe that the rise of one Head was the ruine of that which was before it or the decay of the one made way for the rise of the other as we have already proved 2. That this seventh Head or Government according to Daniels Prophesie chap. 11. 20. is stiled a Raiser of Taxes that is a Government which is upheld by Taxes not a Government that hath a vast Treasure hoorded up as was in the Capitall at Rome nor that hath a great Revenue of Lands or Tribute as Kingly and Monarchicall Governments in these Ages have and in particular this Nation had when under such a Government but
it is a Government that is wholly supported and upheld by Taxes as this Nation wherein we live is and this Nation in respect of Government would not be able to subsist were it not for this supportation for now here is no Treasure to be found nor Revenue left to defray the ordinary Charges incident thereunto much lesse for the maintenance of an Army in the three quondam Kingdomes and a Navy near ten times as great as was ordinarily maintained under the Royall Government Object But was not Augustus Cesar this Person or Government which did subsist in this way for the Evangelist Luke in his 2. chapter 1. saith And it came to passe in those dayes that there came a Decree from Augustus Cesar that all the world should be taxed Answ. It could not be for these Reasons First that Government by Taxes must immediately precede the vile Person and that Government of Augustus was that which Iohn calls the sixth Head five are fallen one is which is this under which Iohn lived and was banished by into the Isle of Patmos and the other is not yet come which then was not and is that we now write of that of Taxes Secondly that Government of Augustus continued some hundred of yeares in its height and was many ages in declining this Government by Taxes shall continue a short space comparatively with the other So that we may safely conclude that this Government which is to be supported by Taxes cannot properly be said to have been in any Nation that was under any of the other six Heads or Governments if not in this Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland 3. Ground of our apprehending that the seventh Head is arising and that among us which is to be maintained by Taxes is the Liberty of Conscience or Freedome to exercise that knowledge which is communicated to any in spirituall things agreeable to the Word of God or not repugnant to it that is granted here whereby the Gospel of the Kingdome or Personall Raign of Christ on Earth may be freely preached among us and so shall passe into all the world afterwards the Sword making way for this Liberty which Freedome or Liberty is granted in no Nation especially upon that account as here In France there is some tolleration but of necessity those that they call Protestants there being a considerable powerful party and so not easily to be suppressed In the United Provinces the Liberty granted proves very advantaglous to them by drawing others that cannot have that liberty in their own Country thither who bring with them Estates but whether poor or rich they doe contribute little or much towards the charge of maintaining them in their civill Liberties But in England it is otherwise the Liberty that is granted and enjoyed is meerly upon the account that light is broke forth and since this Liberty hath been granted and upon this account all eyes that are not wilfully shut from beholding the same have seen that no Nation hath prospered or hath had the like successe that we have had against all our Enemies in so much that the neighbour Nations stand in admiration at it if not tremble to God onely be all the Glory as they have good cause if at any time they shall combine against us for the seventh Head must have as large Dominions as any if not as all the precedent had Now concerning the Lords work which he will doe under this seventh Head we shall find it to be twofold and that in a way of Mercy as he permitted a twofold work to be done under the sixth Head in a way of affliction or persecution The first of which under the sixth Head was the ten persecutions of the Saints which could not be the ten Hornes as some have imagined and the Whore of Rome to be the Beast in the first three hundred yeares after Christ who then suffered under the litterall Babylonish Whore in respect of Worship because they would not sacrifice to Idols whose judgement viz. the litterall Babylonish Whore in respect of Worship was shewn to Iohn in his 17. Revelations 1 2. And that by the rise of another Whore or whorish or false Worship in the 3. verse Iohn being carried by the Spirit into the wildernesse where he saw a Woman that sat upon a skarlet coloured Beast full of names of blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Hornes Whose rise of Worship viz. the spirituall Babylonish or Romish is and hath been the ruine of the first and her practise is by her Emissaries in respect of doctrine to cry down all litterall Sacrifices as killing of Beasts and Fowles c. onâ—ly a spirituall Sacrifice that they bring instead there of by offering up their Wafer God so called in the hands of their Priests by whom also that absurd doctrine and bloudy to those poor Saints in the Marian dayes that would not believe a lie of Transubstantiation was brought in In opposing of her spirituall whorish Worship how many Saints since her rise hath she made the Martyrs of Jesus being drunken with their bloud at which the Apostle Iohn wondred with great admiration verse 6. And this was the second work that should be brought to passe under the sixth Head in respect of affliction or persecution which power of hers in respect of Worship will continue in the time of the seventh Head for she is to sit upon the Beast with seven Heads and ten Hornes so that she is to have a being after the rise of the ten Hornes who arise not till the seventh Head hath raigned and she shall afterwards be destroyed by them in respect of place or Seat viz. Rome it self if not of worship also verse 16 17 18. Now the Lords work that is to be done under this seventh Head is as we said twofold First the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome Math. 24. 14. Secondly the calling home of the Iewes into their own Land viz. the two Tribes Iudah and Benjamiâ— to build the City of Ierusalem and the Temple Object Concerning the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome some it may be will say it hath been preached already in the dayes of the Apostles who went about into all parts of the world according to their Masters Commission in Math. 28. Goe ye into all the world preach the Gospel to every Creature c. and the Apostle Paul in the 10. Romans 18. saith Their sound went into all the Earth which say some is the Gospel spoken of in the 16. verse of that chapter but they have not all obeyed the Gospel Answ. To which we answer That the Gospel of the Kingdome could not possibly have been preached in all the earth in the Apostles time for if it had so been the end of it had been presently that is it would not have been any more preached 2. It could not have been so preached then because a large part of the now known world was not then known or discovered nor in
many hundred yeares after them and it may well be questioned whether it hath at all been preached yea hardly known or believed by any there in the English Plantations in America much lesse in the Plantations of other Nations in that now known part of the world who cannot endure to have the least light of spirituall things to break forth in their Dominions witnesse that damnable doctrine of theirs so highly cried up by the Popish Party that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion joyned with another of the same stamp that Images are Lay-mens books but chiefly their cruell tyrannizing over the Consciences of their people by setting up their Hell upon Earth their cruell Inquisition which so long as that is maintained in a Nation there is little hopes of this Gospel to be preached there And as concerning that Scripture of the Apostle Paul in his 10. chapter of his Epistle to the Church at Rome verse 18. if the coherence of the words be well weighed the Gospel there spoken of cannot be the Gospel of Christ which the Apostles had in Commission from him to preach But it was the Gospel or glad Tydings spoken of in the Writings of the Prophets viz. in Isaiah and Nahum for the Apostle in the 15. verse of that 10. chapter saith as it is written how beautifull are the feet c. Therefore we suppose we may conclude safely that this Gospel of the Kingdome or Raign of Christ upon Earth hath not been published or made known in all the world Object But why must it now be preached in these dayes in the time of the seventh Head or Government or what necessity is there for it Answ. First because it hath in some measure been proved if not fully that it hath not been preached in all the world as yet therefore it must be continued to be preached till it hath so been Secondly because the time of the seventh Heads power or Raign is but short therefore to be hastened in that time for there is little hopes of Peace or Liberty for the Saints in the time of the ten Hornes or Kings and the Beast Thirdly it cannot be published in any place but where there is Liberty and Peace as there is among us and it is hoped the Sword that is in the now Magistrates hand of this Nation will procure the same in other Nations that there it may be preached also Fourthly because the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ draweth nigh especially in relation to the taking up of the Saints for if it be so that the seventh Head be arising and shall continue but a short space then immediately upon his decay or setting the ten Hornes and the Beast will arise before whose power is at the height viz the Beasts the Saints will be taken up as we shall clear it more fully hereafter especially when we open the 12. chapter of the book of the Revelationâ— therefore the more reason to set upon this most necessary work of the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome least we be found retarders of our own happinesse And as concerning the calling of the Iâ—ws in thiâ— time oâ— Government we say that is that other work the Lord will now have brought to passe for as yet they are not so called nor permitted by the Turks who have the possession of their Country to make any habitation there nor to come thither but as Pilgrims or to bury the bones of their deceased Friends which they bring thither from all parts where they inhabit Secondly the Scriptures of the Prophets doe declare that Ierusalem must be built in its own place which now it is not if we may give any belief to Historians and Travellers so what the Prophet Ieremy foretels concerning this particular in his 30. chapter 18. whose words are these Thus saith the Lord behold I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents and have mercy on his dwelling places and the City shall be builded upon her own heap and the Pallace shall remain after the manner thereof Also consider of the Prophet Zachery's Prophesie as to this particular in his 12. chapter 6. In that day will I make the Governours of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood and like a Torch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the People round about on the right hand and on the left and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place even in Jerusalem And the other Prophets doe declare that the City must be beseiged and the daily Sacrisice taken away and great tribulation upon that people and all this before the Beast is at his height in regard of his power who doth immediately arise upon the fall of the seventh Head So that now having fully made manifest the Beast in respect of his seven Heads the next thing to be declared and opened is the ten Hornes or Kings viz. who they are concerning which the Scripture is silent onely that they are the ten toes of Nebuchadnessar's Image Daniel 2. as to their Persons and Dominion in respect of Countries where they shall particularly raign we find not and that as yet they are not risen for the Apostle Iohn in his 17. Revelations 12. saith They are ten Kings who have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power one hour with the Beast But thus much we may take notice of by the way that the ten Hornes and the Beast when they arise will make Nebuchadnezars Image compleat Daniel 2. 33. whose feet were part of Iron and part of Clay of whose Iron legs we have already given some account which in the interpretation he saith Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes part of Potters Clay and part of Iron the Kingdome shall be divided but there shall be in it of the strength of Iron for as much as thou sawest the Iron mixed with the mirie Clay and as the toes of the feet were part of Iron and part of Clay so the Kingdome shall be partly strong and partly broken And whereas thou sawest the Iron mixed with the mirie Clay they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men but they shall not cleave one to another even as Iron is not mixed with Clay And in the dayeâ— of those 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 peices and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever verse 41 42 43 44. So that as they are partly strong and partly weak they being but a mixt power that are united for the perfecting of some great design but will not long hold together for before the little Horn will three of the ten Hornes be pluckt away Daniel 7. â— which in the interpretation verse 24. its said he shall subdue three Kings it intimates that they will be divided and he shall have those that will oppose him yea and destroy
his royal Seats of which more hereafter Secondly concerning the place from whence the Beast and ten Kings are to arise it will evidently appear to be out of the Dominion that the seventh Head is to have though Daniel seemeth to say that they shall arise out of the sixth Head or fourth Beast in his 7. chapter 23 24 yet compared with other Scriptures it will plainly appear that they will arise out of the seventh Head see the 17. Revelations 11 12. and Daniel 11. 21. but they must arise out of that part of the Dominion that was under the sixth Head or Romane Monarchy in Iohns time for the Dominion of the seventh Head will be of a farre larger extent than ever the sixth was in Iohns dayes in regard of that large part of the world that was unknown and undiscovered in those dayes but now is and shall be brought under the power and government of the seventh Head And in particular the Beast that was and is not which is the Beast compleat with seven Heads and ten Hornes and which yet shall be he is the eight and is of the seven his rise will be in that part of the world that it was at the first viz. in Assyria and in that part thereof which was called Caldea whose chief City shall be Babylon as it was at the first for Iohn saith The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse Pit chap. 17. 8. Not that it was then so made manifest or known for Iohn saw not things as they then were apparent to the world but what should be in its time nor that it should be made manifest when the Beast did arise but what it should be afterwards So that his rise is out of that part of the world that should in its time be made manifest to be the bottomlesse Pit out of which Pit the Locusts shall arise that shall plague or sting the Inhabitants of the Earth which have not the Seal of God in their foreheads Revel. 9. 3 4. and in which place the Devill shall be chained up for a thousand yeares Revel. 20. 1 2 3. Now that the bottomlesse Pit shall be in Caldea see what the same Apostle Iohn heard as concerning Babylon what it should be viz The habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull Bird Revel. 18. 2. which compared with the 13. Isaiah 19 20. 21 22. and chap. 14. 22 23. you will find how they agree in their Prophesies and Visions concerning the desolation and destruction of that place I shall to conclude as concerning the bottomlesse Pit which shall be in Caldea and chiefly in Babylon relate a little at large what the Prophet Ieremy hath foretold concerning it whose words are these Therefore the wild Beasts of the Desert with the wild Beasts of the Islands shall dwell there and the Owles shall dwell therein and it shall be no more inhabited for ever neither shall it be dwelt in from Generation to Generation As God overthrew Sodome and Gomorha and the neighbor Cities thereof saith the Lord so shall no man abide there neither shall any son of man dwell therein The third thing to be considered of is what the ten Horns and Beast will doe before and after the taking up of the Saints First before the taking up of the Saints the ten Hornes will arise and hate the Whore and make her desolate c. Revel. 17. 16. and this Whore or Woman is that great City which raigneth over the Kings of the Earth verse 18. viz. in that time that Iohn saw the Vision and wrote this Book and God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree with one consent to give their Kingdome unto the Beast untill the words of God be fulfilled verse 17. So that they must first hate the Whore and destroy her before they give up their power unto the Beast Secondly As to the Beast what he will doe First Before the Saints are taken up we find much in the 21. chapter of Daniels Prophesie after his rise As that Armes shall be overthrown with a floud before him and shall be broken and also the Prince of the Covenant or chief of those who had joyned in a League to oppose him and after the League made with him he having obtained his power and dominion at the first by flatteries he shall work deceitfully for he shall come up and overcome with a small people in regard the Nations had no thoughts of a Warre a League being lately made before between them and he shall enter into the quiet and plentifull Province that is into the Land of Canaan whose barrennesse shall then be healed as severall of the Prophets have foretold Esay 32. 15. and in his 51. chapter 3. he faith For the Lord shall comfort Sion he will comfort all her wast places and he will make her Wildernesse like Eden and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord Ioy and gladnesse shall be found therein thanksgiving and the voyce of melody Also the 30. Ieremiah 17. and chap. 33. 6. to the 14. verse Ezekiel 38. 12. and Ioell 2. 19 22 23 24. and he shall doe that which his Fathers have not done nor his Fathers Fathers he shall divide among them the prey and the spoil and the substance a thing which his Fathers nor none of his Predecessors ever did for they took all from the people of the Iewes never divided any among them which he shall doe yea he shall forecast his devises against the strong holds even for a time verse 24. although at that time he doth doe much for them onely to put them into a secure condition In the 25. and 26. verses it is said he shall make warre with the King of the South the Aegyptdan Prince and he shall be betrayed to the vile Person by those that feed of the Portion of his meat but afterwards they shall be reconciled seemingly for they shall talk of deceit or speak lies at one Table verse 27. and both set their hearts to doe mischief but it shall not avail for yet the end shall be at the time appointed and verse 28. He shall return into his own Land with great substance or Riches and his heart shall be against the holy Covenant or people of the Iowes with whom he had before made a League and divided his spoll among them so shall he doe and return to his own Land that is his evill thoughts will then begin to work against them according to Ezâ—kiels Prophesie in his 38. chapter 10 11 13. for this Gog or Prince of Meshech and Tuball will evidently appear to be be this vile Person or Iohns Beast if we compare Ezok. 38. 18. to the 23. and 39. chapter 17 18 19 20 with the 19. Revel. 17 18. And at the time appointed he shall return and come toward the South at which return of
Assistance treat upon will be the opening of the 12 chapter of the Apostle Johns Visions and Revelations which as we shall not declare rash and sudden thoughts thereon so we desire it may not be suddenly expected from us but rather to wait a while for light is breaking forth daily and that which may be apprehended for a truth to day to morrow may easily be discerned to be a mistake It is with us as with Military Persons upon duty in the Field especially those that are upon the Guard who looking about them continually but chiefly upon break of the day discover variety of Objects as they apprehend as there are quot homines tot Sententioe so many men so many minds or opinions for one saith that such a black thing that is at a pretty distance is a Man another saith a Tree another a Horse another this or that when as possibly within a short time after the day dawning more and more they plainly perceive that they were all in an error though then when they gave their opinions they all might be confident that what they said it was it was and then as we apprehend no evill in them because they knew not the contrary though not possible that one Object upon the near approach or by day light could be the same thing that men of severall judgements said it was So it is with us in respect of what we have already written or shall for many before us in times of darknesse have given their interpretation on these Subjects In a contrary sense and saying that these Prophesies have all or the most part been fulfilled long since but we who are come near to the dawning of the day of the Lord Jesus doe clearly discern that thâ—se that went before us and writ on these Subjects were much mistaken and those that come after us will have a clearer and fuller discovery of these things then as yet we have which then we hope will appear evidently to the eyes of all those whose eyes of their understandings are enlightned by the Word and Spirit of God to be such Now to God onely wise and our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour who hath not left us comfortlesse but hath sent us His holy Spirit into our hearts to guide and direct us in the way of Truth be Glory Praise and Dominion for ever Amen FINIS a 1 Sam. 17. 4. b 1 Chro. 20. 8. c 1 Sam. 17. 4. Persecuton a 3. Judges 11 b 3 Judges 30 c 5 Judges 30 d 8 Judges 28 2. Falingaway of the Churches 3. The night of darkdnesse Rom. 11. 19 20 21 22. The Virgins go forth 2 Cor. 11. 2. 2. The Mysticall Whore of Babylon The preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome The gathering of the two Tribes to Jerusalem Jer. 30. 18 The rise of the Beast with the ten Kings The Beast who he is First Head Gen. 10. 8 10 11. Gen. 11. 1 2. Esay 23. 13 2d Head 2 Kiâ—gs 18 13 15 16. 2 Kings 19 8 v. 9. and 14. v. 15. v. 36. Sir W. Rawleâ—gh first part f. 476. Sir W. R. f. 482 483. 3d 〈◊〉 Sir W. R. â—irst part f. â—07 Sir W. R. First part f 541. and 551. Sir W. R. 4th Head third Book chap. 2. Sir W. R. 3. book 3. chap. 7. Pâ—ragraph 5th Head Vide Sit W. R. 4. book chap. 2. from the beginnlng of Alexanders Raign to his end Josephus 12. book first chapter Sir W. R. 5 book f 338. Sir W. R. 4. book f. 232. 6th Head The Romans Sir W. R. f. 665. Daniel 7. â—â—â—mstone â— 35. Generall History of Spain f. 132. Grimstone â— 280. Howe 's Chronicle f. 50. Grimstone f. 266. Grimstone f. 381. 7th Head Calling of the Jewes The ten Hornes Feet and Toes The place where Jer. 50. 39 40. What they will doe The time of his Raign how long after the Saints are taken up His Ruine
Objection Object If there be such a distinction between the Church of Christ and Virgins then may not we safely conclude that the one hundred fourty and four thousand mentioned in the 14. Revelations 4. who are there called Virgins to be the Virgins that attend the Spouse in the 45. Psalm 14. Answ. No for when the Spouse or the Kings Daughter is presented unto the Lamb she hath both Virgins and Companions attending on her whereas the one hundred fourty and four thousand are not sealed till after the Spouse of Christ that is the believing Saints are taken up consider well of that part of the vision that the Apostle John saw in the 7 chapter of his Revelations 2 3 and 4. verses where after he hath given some account of the opening of the sixth Seal in the precedent chapter from the 12 verse to the end in the first verse of his seventh chapter saith and after these things which went before in the sixth chapter not that all things mentioned in this book of the Revelations are to succeed in order as they are laid down but to question the things related in the opening of the seven Seales whether or no they shall succeed in order as we find them writtenwere to question whether it were day when the Sun shineth I saw four Angels c. And in the 2 verse I saw another Angel ascending from the East having the Seal of the living God and he cried with a loud voyâ—e to the four Angels to whom it was given to hurt the Earth and the Sea saying hurt not the Earth neither the Sea nor the Trees till we have sealed the Servants of God in their foreheads And I heard the number of them which were sâ—aled and there were sealed an hundred fourty and four thousand of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel Now this doth clearly prove that the hundred fourty and four thousand who are called Virgins cannot be said to be the Virgins that attend the Spouse the Lambs Wife seeing they are upon the Earth after the said Spouse is taken up And hereafter we shall with the Lords assistance prove that this a hundered fourty and four thousand is the Women that flyeth into the wildernesse mentioned in the 12. Rev. 6. Now as we have declared something what the Scripture doth hold forth to be the night of darknesse in which the Virgins do go forth to meâ—t the Bridegroom so in the next place we are to consider their actions what they do First they take their Lamps and go forth to meet the Bridegroome Their Lamps is the Word of God it s the Expression of the holy Spirit in the mouth of a man after Gods own heart the Kingly Prophet David in the 119 Psalm 105. Thy Wâ—rd saith he is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Secondly The wise took Oyle n their vessels with their Lamps So that there we have a distinguishing of them for although all of them take their Lamps yet five of them are said to be wise five of them to be foolish that which gives them this tittle is their taking or not taking Oyl with them For the foolish took their Lamps yet took no Oyl with them but the wise took Oyle in their vessels with their Lamps Their vessels which all of them had â—s their bodies For proof thereof take an expression of the Apostle Paul to the Church of Corinth speaking of the glorious Light of the Gospel of Christ But we saith he have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4. 7. Look also on that portion of Scripture written for our learning in 2 Tim. 2. 21. As also 9. Acts 15. By the Oyle is meant joy and gladnesse as for Ioy take notice of the Prophet Esaies expression from the Lord to his people To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes and the Oyl of jâ—y for mourning 61 Esai 3. And for Gladnesse see what the Spirit of God by the Prophet David speaking concerning Christ Thou lovest Righteousnesse saith he and hatest wickednâ—sse therefore God thy God hath annointed thee with the Oyle of gladnesse above thy fellows Thirdly They slumbered and slept not a naturall but a spirituall slumbring and sleeping which they fall into by reason of the Bridegroomes long tarrying for had they not so done they would have yeelded obedience to all the Commands of Christ and laid the foundation Principles compleat whereby they might have been admitted as the Spouse of Christ which now by reason of their sleeping condition they proceed no further than to repentance and Faith and thereby are deprived of that happinesse yet holding fast what they had they have this honour to be Virgins to attend the Bride the Lambs Wife And this sleeping condition seized not onely upon the Saints who had laid these beginning doctrines of Christ Repentance and Faith presently after the falling away of the Churches but also upon the Saints for many ages since and it would be much rejoicing to us if we could see the Saints by profession in this age freed from it that is that would rouze up their Spirits and no longer neglect the means afforded them whereby they may attain unto the hight of happines that is to be members of the Spouse the Bride the Lambs wife Oh the abundance of corruption that is in all our hearts by nature and which we are too much in love withall which appears evidently in that we are so unwilling to hazard the losse of honour friends means and reputation for the gaining of so great an happinesse and Honour as to be the Spouse of Christ Truly they that will not forsake all for Christ are not worthy of him 10. Mat. 37. 38. But the Saints in this age ought to consider what they do for they cannot deny but that they are awakened by the cry that is begun to be made Behold the Bridegroom cometh which is the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdome And if they do not proceed so far as to attain the happinesse of being the Lambs Wife through their own neglect and corruption yet they ought to be very carefull that they take and Trim their Lamps and Oyl in their Vessels Joy and Gladnesse in what they hâ—ve bâ—gun least they act the part of the foolish Virgins and so be shut out with a verily I say to you I know you not Again let us consider of some other things that were to fall out in this Time of darknesse beside the Virgins sleeping A the coming forth of the Mysticall Whore of Babylon which will be in the sixth Head or Monarch 17. Rev. 9 10. and will continue till the coming forth of the ten hornes which will not be till after the rise and fall of the seventh head verse 11 12. Concerning this Mysticall whore we are to consider these particulars First who
during his own and that out of Naturall and politique ends The first in that he was a cruell Tyrant whose will was a law and his Flatterers told him that all things were lawfull for the Kings of Persia upon which he married two of his Sisters against the Lawes of his Kingdome And for the second he had an intention to invade Aegypt and feared least the Iewes should prove such as his Provintiall Governours had written to him under the name of Artaxerxes of Ezra 4. 7. to the 23. that the Iewes and Inhabitants of Ierusalem were a rebellious people and thaâ— it was a common Opinion that the Iewes descended of those Nations because they issued thence under Moses when they conquered Iudea and that if their City were repaired and fortified they might give some disturbance to his intended Conquest of that Country as they had done in Hâ—zekiah's dayes to Sennacherib when he went to invade Aegypt Wherefore he commanded them to be hindred in that work of the building of the Temple and City Which hindrance continued till the second year of Darius King of Persia Ezra 4. 24. the Successor of Cambyses or as the Scripture calls him Artaxerxes how he came to the Kingdome read Sir Walt. Rawleigh 3. book 4 chapter 4. paragraph who in that yeer gave order for the building of the Temple of Ierusalem at his own charge Ezra 6 7 8 9 10 11 The Iewes being incouraged unto this by the Prophets Haggai and Zacheriah Ezra 5. 1. which work was finished in the sixth year of the Raign of Darius Ezra 6. 15. though not fulâ—y because in the fourteenth verse he saith they builded and finished it according to the Commandement of Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes Kings of Persia In the dayes of Artaxerxes the Successor if not Son of Darius in the seventh year of his Raign Ezra and his Company goe from Babylon to Ierusalem Ezra 7. 7 8 9. In the twentieth year Nehemiah obtaines leave to goe and build the walls of Ierusalem Nehem. 2. 1. who sets the King a time for his return verse 6. And in the two and thirtieth year he obtaines leave the second time to goe to Ierusalem again chap. 13. 6 Concerning what is spoken about Esther in the dayes of Ahashueresh who he was whether this King Artaxerxes or any other the Scripture is silent much might be said that he was or was not the same Person but it would be found a very difficult thing to make an agreement in severall Scriptures concerning the same Who were the succeeding Kings of Persia till the coming of Alexander the Macedonian the Scripture mentioneth not onely Daniel is shewd in a vision in the third year of Cyrus chap. 10. 1. what Kings there should be after him in Persia whose words are these And now I will shew thee the Truth Behold there shall stand up yet three Kings in Persia and the fourth shall be farre richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stirre up all against the Realm of Grecia Dan. 11. 2. Now if we may give credit to Historians concerning whom this last rich King was they say he was Darius the Son of Arsames who was subdued by Alexander the Grecian or Macedonian which brings us to the fifth Head or Monarchy The fifth Head was the Grecian revealed to Daniel in a Vision of a He Goat or Rough Goat chap. 8. 5 21. as the Meades and Persians was a Ram with two hornes Dan. 8 3. 20. What this Grecian did we must be beholding to Historians for our knowledge the Scriptures Canonicall not mentioning any the Apocripha but a little that which is may be found in the first book of the Maccabees chap. 1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 verses which as he did much in regard he came to be a third of Daniels Beasts or Monarchies therefore it is said he carried his Victories with wings who from a small Kingdome extended it to a very great distance Eastward and Southward and Northward but withall it was but of short continuance as all violent things and motions are but twelve yeares being poysoned by the conspiracy of his Servants who stood in fear of his cruelty Upon whose death his large Dominions was divided though not presently among four of his great Captaines according to Daniels Vision chap. 8. 8 and interpretation verse 22. Iosephus names five viz. Antigonus was Lord of Asia whose Dominion being lost there his Posterity injoyed Macedon Seleucus Nicator of Babylon and the bordering Nations Lysymachus had Hellespont Cassander had Macedon whose Dominion ended with him his Sons being slain not long after his death And Ptolemy the Son of Lagus had Aegypt All which took the Titles of Kings on them in a short time onely Cassander whose Successor did take the same also though with ill successe Seleucus Nicator was the first that took the Title of King of Babylon and the bordering Nations his Son Antiochus Soter succeeds him and raignes nineteen yeares after him his Son Antiochus Theos raignes fifteen yeares his Son Seleuchus Callinicus twenty yeares and left two Sons viz. Seleucus Ceraunus who raigned three yeares and Antiochus the Great thirty six yeares who left Seleucus Philopater who raigned twelve yeares saith Eusebius seven yeares saith Iosephus and Antiochus Epiphanes which was he that commanded Swines flesh to be offered on severall Alters in the Temple at Ierusalem which caused much affliction and misery to the Iewes being a Type of that which Daniel Prophesied in his eighth chapter but cannot be the same as is apprehended by some because the Lord Jesus would not have told his Disciples by way of Prophesie what had been past but rather he told them what should be hereafter Mathew 24. 15. What the Successors of Alexanders Captaines did who had divided his large Dominions among themselves History doth declare This may be noted concerning them which is Sir Walter Rawleigs observation of them f. 555. that the Successors of Ptolemey were the first that made a League with the Romans and the last that were subdued by them Which brings us to the sixth Head Government or Monarchy viz. the Romans whose chief City was Rome which was built in or about the year of the world 3280. and after the building of the Temple of Salomon 287. and before the birth of our Lord Christ 684. whose greatnesse began to appear out of its infancy in the time of Pyrrus King of Epirus Successor to Cassander in half the Kingdome of Macedon taken from Cassanders Children by him and Lysimachus King of Thracia he being a powerfull Prince viz. Pyrrhus and they viz. the Romans but few yeares before freed themselves from the Gaules who had taken all from them yea Rome it self the Capitoll excepted and drove him out of Italy in or about 487. yeares after Rome was built and about 107. yeares after they take the whole Kingdome of Macedon with Perseus the last King thereof and