he the brightness of Christs coming cannot be the precise day of Judgment for after it must follow the Calling of the Jews the destruction of Gog and Magog and some Halcyon-days of the Church here on Earth 230. There is a coming of Christ spoken of under the Sixt Vial Revel 16.15 behold I come which is added there as a Cordial to Christs Servants against those great preparations for the Battel at Armageddon Under the Sixt Vial is the overthrow of the Kings that assist the Pope through the manifestation of Christs powerful Presence therefore is it call'd the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 and Armageddons Battel is described Rev. 19.11 to the end 231. There is a plain Coming of Christ mentioned in that Rev. 19.12.13 to the Battle at Armageddon wherein he gives the flesh of Popish Kings and of Captains yea and of all kind of Papists small and great which seems to amount to this utter Extirpation v. 18. then shall all Papists bond and free be destroyed then shall the Beast and the false Prophet in his last War against Christ and his Church be taken v. 19.20 so this casting of them into the Lake is under the Sixt Vial and not as before at the day of Judgement 232. The marriage of the Lamb the 7th Vial brings in under the notion of the New-Jerusalem which begins to be described Rev. 20. in the Book-prophecy and Rev. 11.15 in the Seal-prophecy when all the Kingdoms of the World become the Lords under the 7th Trumpet Now because Christ will not be married but as a Conquerer therefore before this Maraiage he comes and manifests himself in this great Battle to destroy Antichrist's Person with all his proud Helpers Under this 6th Vial as before he destroys Antichrists Seat under the 5th Vial. 233. The 17th of Rev. is but an Interpretation who is this Beast and Whore spoken of that the Church might be able to discern this Antichrist The 18 Chap. is a solemn Funeral-song for Romes Ruine by the fift Vial or rather a Song Triumphant for the Expiration of Antichrist's Kingdom 234. It may strongly be presumed that Antichrists lease of his 42 Months will expire at the end of the fift Vial when the great Fox that hath so long spoild the veins of Christs Vineyard shall be unkennel'd For though he may raise some forces and make some Resistance under the 6th Vial as his Preparation to this battel at Armageddon yet shall he reign no more after his Seat be ruind 235. The Holy Ghost will not teach the Saints Triumphum canere ante Victoriam to triumph before a Victory Now were not the Kingdom of Christs grand Enemy to wit Antichrist as good as at an end at the Destruction of Rome by the fift Vial. This triumphant Song in chap. 18. had been praeposterous and unreasonable and should have been reserved till after the next Vial afterwards 336. There was indeed another triumphant Song to be sung after but it was more high and glorious than this to wit for the Marriage of the Lamb and observe how the bride adorns her self in fine linnen clean and white for this Marriage Rev. 19.8 Then begins the 1000 Years of the glorious State of the Church describ'd Rev. 20. which falls out afer the Beasts casting into the lake so that cannot be the day of Judgement 237. Add to this that after the Beast and the false Prophet be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 19.20 The Devil himself is still reserved Rev. 20.1,2,3 wherein a famous Climax or elegant Gradation is observable 1st the Angel with the great chain comes down from heaven 2. He lays hold on the Dragon or Devil 3. He binds him as it were hand and foot 4. And then casts him into the bottomless pit where he would not have been cast Luk. 8.31 5. He shuts him up there as if chaining only were not sufficient for restraining such a raging Devil yea 6. the door must be seald too with Authority from Heaven that the Peace of the Church might be secured 238. Yet after all this the Devil must be loosed again though it will be for a little season ver 3 7. for the day of Judgement presently follows ver 18. to gather together Gog and Magog against the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City v. 8 9. which some think is the Turkish Empire Satans last enemy against the Church for the Rising of the Turk is mentioned Rev. 9.3 c. but his Fall is no where clearly till in this Chap. this Adversary shall be chain'd up all the 1000 Y. if he be the Gog and Magog as his God and father the Devil is all that time 239. All those things being laid together and seriously ponder'd doth clearly evince that the casting of the Beast and the false Prophet into the lake of fire cannot be meant the precise day of Judgement for the Devil cannot be loosed any more after that day but when his last Agents Gog and Magog be destroyed he is cast in too where the Beast was cast 1000 Y. before Rev. 20.10 240. Besides a glorious Estate is promised to the Church in many Scriptures glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God Psal 87.3 Now this promise was never yet perform'd not in the times immediately after Christ for then the Church was neither visible nor glorious as Mr. Mede saith Diatribae p. 4. not under the persecuting Emperors of the Heathen for then though indeed it was visible having taken foot among the Gentiles yet was it not glorious at that time 241. Go to Constantines time wherein indeed the Sunshine of the Gospel seem'd to break out from behind a Cloud yet this lasted not but presently it was darkned again with a thick cloud of Arrianism and no sooner was the Arrian cloud blown over but again the very Visibility of the Church was overshadowed with a thicker cloud of Antichristianism that grand Apostacy foretold by the Holy Ghost 242. This cloud indeed after a long night of darkness hath begun to be dispell'd by those 3 Angels formention'd Waldus Wickliffe and Luther yet it shall not wholly be done away till this Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings as Mal. 4.2 both for calling in the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles then shall Sion be exalted above all Hills And this will be that brightness of Christs coming to abolish Antichrist 243. So then this glorious Estate of the Church never yet had its due accomplishment but shall be when the Lamb comes to marry his Bride and to give her a 1000 years of Tranquillity after the destruction of Antichrist This cannot be that blessed Estate of the Church Triumphant in heaven for 1st 'T is expresly said that the Saints shall reign on earth Rev. 5.10 not doth but shall to wit after the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the lake of fire 2ly There will be no need of binding up Satan when the Saints reign
in Heaven 3ly That Reign in Heaven is for more time than a 1000 years 't is for Eternity 244. And 4ly Satan must be let loose again as before which cannot be after the day of Judgement 5ly This marriage of the Lamb with the bride and so by consequence this glorious estate of the Church must be a state on Earth because it is said at that time the Tabernacle of God is with men and God will dwell with men Rev 21.3 Now were it a state in heaven then it should rather be said that men dwells with God then God with men 245. There must therefore be a Coming of Christ I say not personal before the Day of judgement to receive his Kingdom of the Father Dan. 7.13 Not the natural or essential Kingdom which he has as he is God for ever but a dispensatory Kingdom delegated to him as he is Mediator which when he hath put down all Power all the 4 Monarchs and all the 10 Kings of the last Monarchy the Beast and false Prophet yea Gog and Magog after the 1000 Years of the Churches peace and after his Judging the World he resigns up his Kingdom again 1 Cor. 15.24.25 246. Thus we see there is a coming of Christ which will be a Restitution of all things Acts 3.21 Whereas the coming of Christ at the Day of judgement shall be the Dissolution of all things and this coming of Christ may be cal'd Epiphany from the brightness of it for then the clouds of Antichristianism shall be dissolved and so shall it be not only bright to the Church but destructive to Antichrist who shall be Destroyed by the brightness of the coming of this Sun of Righteousness at his presence will the mountains of the Man of Sin melt away like Snow before the Sun Psal 114.7 247. This is the Brightness of Christs coming that brings in Antichrists utter extirpation 2 Thess 2.8 For at the sounding of the 7th Trumpet in the Seal-prophecy the Angel swears that time should be no longer to wit for Antichrist Rev. 10.6,7 then the mystery of God shall be finished and then Christ comes at the 7th Trumpet and takes to himself his great Power and reigns Rev. 11.15,17 Then all Kingdoms become the Lords though the Nations be angry at it 248. In the like manner at the pouring out of the 7th Vial in the Book-prophecy it is said It is done Rev. 16.17 that is all is finished concerning Antichrist not only his Seat and Kingdom is ended but the Beast and the false Prophet are taken in Person and all his Retainders are utterly destroy'd by Christ Rev. 19.20,21 And then begins the Kingdom of Christ. 249. Thus we have seen at large how Antichrist's doom is to be destroyed O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed Psal 137.8,9 This Beast must go into perdition Rev. 17.8 't is said Go not Run for it must be gradually done every Vial must bring a degree of Ruine on him as before Now those two last clauses of the Induction are subordinate but not contrary for Antichrist may be both consumed and destroyed ever since the Separation and Reformation he hath been wasting away 250. But when Christ shall come with a brighter Manifestation of himself of his Grace and of his Gospel to the World then men shall be clearly convinced that this is the great Whore that bewitches the Nations with her wine of Fornication and that she is a common Strumpet with the Kings of the earth Rev. 17.2 The Lord will then also mightily discover her to the Kings of the earth that have given up their Power to her and cause them to hate her and to burn her for a Witch Rev. 17.16 As the Beast hath killed with the Sword so he shall be killed with the Sword himself at last Rev. 13.10 after a long Consumption and Captivity as if one kind of death were to little for him 251. This Antichrist therefore is a Son of perdition passively as well as actively for he must go into perdition but whether by the battle of the Warriour and by Garments rolled in bloud at first some doubteth Osiand Epitome 7. Cent. Pa. 315. However it shall be by burning and fewel of fire Esa 9.5 God will kindle a fire in the hearts of those Kings and they shall make Rost-meat of the Whore at last she shall have bloud to drink for she is worthy sooner or later Rev. 16.6 cap. 18.6 And something hereof is mention'd in the 3d Vial Rev. 16.6 CHAP. X. 252. NOw come we to the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grand Enquiry concerning the time of the fall of Antichrist which hath puzl'd so many grave holy and learned Interpreters There is a strange Itch and a strong propension of desire to know this Oh that we may go to Christ privately as the Disciples did Mat. 24.3 and say to him tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of the Coming of Christ We are ready to say with Balaam Numb 24.23 who shall live when God doth this 253. Various Calculations and Computations of time about Antichrist's fall are extant at this day even by many good Men and great Lights in their Generation My present Work shall be to draw a compendious Scheme of the several Conjectures of those most illuminated Servants of Christ passing by others I conceive were less enlightned and then superadd my own Conceptions quales quales sunt though I may say with Luther Ego nullus sum in Propheticis I am neither a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet 254. There be two several ways of Computation especially according to the diversity of mens Apprehensions which they take to find out the time of Antichrists fall some grounds their Conjectures upon that Number given to Daniel who was the great Revealer of those Secrets in the Old Testament as John was in the New Dan. 12.11 That from the time of the daily Sacrifices taking away and the Abomination of desolation setting up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety Days or Years 255. To omit all forrain Writers which would make the work more tedious I shall only speak of our own Countrymen who according to their Light hath made inquiry into this great Mystery Some of those follow the Computation of Daniel as 1st Dr. Willet in his Comment on this Dan. 12.12 who relating Bullinger's Opinion That those 1290 Days have reference to the last destruction of Jerusalem because the Jewish War before the final destruction of their great City lasted so many Days 256. The Doctor answers Bullinger thus That those 1290 Days must not be reckoned from the beginning of the Jewish War but from the setting of the Abomination in the Temple by Antiochus which lasted 3 Years and an half and seeing the Number 1335. mentioned in the 12. ver differs from 1290. just 45 Days he conceives that hath relation to Judas Macabaeus his cleansing of the Temple 45 days before