be for a time times and half or 1260. yeers and from the Temples abominable desolation to that time 1290. 2. That the Son of God lifted his hand to Heaven and swore by him who created Heaven Earth Sea and al things in them that time shal be no longer or ther shal be no delay nor any time intervene But at the seventh Angels voice or sound of his Trumpet the Rev. â— 18. mystery of God shal be finished as he declared to his Prophâ—ts Thes things saith the Son of God whos eys flame as fire and his feet like fine Brass Thes things saith he that is boly and tru that Rev. 3. 14. hath the key of David c. Thes things saith Amen the faithful tru Witnes and beginning of the Creation of God Who then wil not beleev him Sith then according to Gods decree Anthichrist shal rage or reign but three times and half or 1260. yeers which terminat at end of A. 1655. Let us look up and Luk. 21. 28. lift our heads on high for our redemption draweth nigh Ob. Som Objections occur such meer mysteries may not be pried into specialy of things yet to com for divers deep Divines and solid Scholars hav been lost in this labyrinth Ergo it should remain as a book sealed til the event or accomplisHment be reveled as Christ to his Disciples curious question of Israels kingdoms restauration answered 't is not for you to know the Acts 1. 6 7. times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power much less for us Sol. The Apocalyps is ful of dark deep mysteries which wil â—y hid til the event detect them by applying Histories to see or search the effects therein meant or mentioned yet it folows not that we must lay it aside and not inquire what is already accomplished or shortly to be expected specialy touching the time when the Churches Enimies shal be destroyed and it restored to rest for Daniel observed by Books what the Lord told Jeremy Dan. 9. â— Rev. 1. 3. that he would accomplish seventy yeeres in Jerusalems desolation and John saith Blessed is he that reads and they which hear the words of this Prophecy to keep the things writ therin for the time is at hand 'T is a book of memorable Acts which foretels what shal betide Gods Church and the Empire under which it subsists being writen to be read and such stiled blessed as read it for many things are already fulfilled and by comparing thos past with the Apocalyps we may the better descry what to look for yer long but he that forbears to read or is not versed in Roman Histories nor knows how to distinguish Revolutions or Changes but confounds Apocalyptic numbers making many Epoches wheras they synchronize containing only Relativs and correlativs or carelesly slights the numbers as an arcane mistery to such it remains a Book unopened ful of obscurities Is qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni Men must dig Diamonds out of Rocks and never be daunted or deterred with difficulty many learned hav mistook for thes causes 1 Most primitiv Interpreters apply things to their times which had no relation and som modernists folow their steps as wild Gees doo their leaders misleading others out of the way Secondly a right method is not used for in the Apocalyps al things are orderly set as they shal befal the synchronisms folowing one another and revolutions exactly distinguished as Histories doo in describing human actions and affaires but too many Expositors pervert this cours thinking to set things as succeding one another which being Relata belong to the same time Who place before Babylons fal what shal be after not knowing wher they stick nor how to wind out Thirdly they confound the Civil and Ecclesiastic State oft applying Monastic matters or Antichrists actions to Monarchic and contrarily Yet that the Revelation shall remain a Book sealed or shut up repugns the very Text for the seven Epistles were never sealed the Lamb opened the sealed Book the other was a little open one and Rev. 10. 2. 8. Rev. 22. 10. at end an Angel saith to John Seal not the Prophecies for the time is at hand Now tho Daniel was bid to close his Prophecy yet was it Dan. 12 4. 9. but til the time of the end for it was unsealed after by Johns Revelation Christ spak of times and seasons occasioned that John 2. 4 8 9. 't is not for men to know what God conceals as he said to his Mother my hour is not yet com yet soon supplied the Wine out of Water Here we tak time in general which is determined on Antichrists blasphemies and tyrannies in what yeer it shal begin or end which God hath reveled as is shewed not month day or hour which the Father keeps in his own power So tho no infallible certainty in al circumstances can be had yet many most pregnant conjects are prefined Ob. The chief O jection is that al Divines and Statesmen set the period of the fourth Monarchy and Papacy at Christs secund coming either to reign a thousand yeers as Chiliasts cry or to judg al flâ—sh which Master Mede makes one day or time but there is no certainty of confining the Catastrophe to A. 1655. Ergo 't is presumption for you so to doo Sol. The Apocalyps mentions no such matter but clean contrary Rev. 19. 1. to 20. for upon Romes destruction great joy was heard in heaven and the Son of God who at opening the first Seal went forth to Conquer on a whit Hors appeers again on the same whom the Armies followed on whit Horses clad in clean whit linnen Thes are Martyrs who having whit Robes given them Rev 7 14. cam out of great tribulation and washed their robes being caled chosen and faithful Against them the Beast and Kings of the Rev. 17. 14. Earth made war the issu wherof was that the Beast and fals Prophet Empire and Popedom or rather popish Clergy and Pope shal be cast alife into a Lake of fire burning with briâ—stone Rev 20. 1 2 3. but the Dragon had Quarter who is only shut or sealed up in the Ibid. v. 11. to 15. bottomless pit for a thousand yeers that he should deceiv the Nations no more nor excite them against the Church In the interim Gods faithful Children hav rest but the last judgment is described afterward hereto agrees Daniel's Image representing Dan. 2. 34 35. the four Monarchies til the stone smot it on his feet which was not when the fourth began for feet and toes were not then til the end thereof and broke it in peeces but the stone becam a great Mountain or Kingdom when al four Monarchies are grinded to dust which shal break in peeces al the rest Daniel in this Monarchic Vision beheld til the Dan 7. per totum Thrones were cast down and the Antient of dais sat not for
worship the Doner Dragon Ergo the Courts measuring the womans Childing the Dragons waiting and his Duel with Michael synchronize even at the very Epoche of St. Johns repeated Prophecy 9 The pouring out of seven Phials by seven Angels synchronize Rev. 15. 2 3. with the Beasts downfal and Babylons destruction for which the Victors sing Moses triumphant hymn Thus far of the nine chief Synchronicisms Now the Apocalyps contains three parts 1 The Vision of seven golden Candlesticks or Asian Churches which takes up the three first chapters 2 The Prophecy of seven Seals and Trumpets from Chap. 4. to 10. vers 8. 3 The Prophecy of the litle open Book Rev. 16. 10 19 or body of Prophetic Visions which John being bid eat up from Chap. 10. vers 8. to the end of al. That this is a repetition of the Prophecy appeers by the Angels words to John Thou must Prophecy again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many People Nations Toungs and Rev. 10. v. 11. Kings which are plainly distinguishd from the rest of Prophecies He hath other synchronicisms of Seals Trumpets and Phials too tedious and invious or obscure beatus qui intelligit Howbeit som confused collections shal be exhibited to be better sifted or scanned 1 The seventh Seal touching the first six Trumpets is the Rev. 8. same with the two Beasts which concur with the company of one hundred forty four thousand Virgins being opposit to the Rev. 7. Beasts reigning this initiats with the sixth Trumpet or beginning of the seventh for sith the witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred threescore dais ends with the sixth Trumpet or as the seventh begins the Beasts forty two moneths must needs expire then also and by consequent the Beasts tyranny is confined in the compas of the first six Trumpets For the Vision of witnesses being the first repeated Prophecy the most wise Spirit runs through as a Weaver doth his warp with Rev. 11. his woof the whol body of repeated Prophecies to connect them aptly with the Seals The Beasts overthrow Cities fal Note slaughter of Men by an Earthquake are not meant of the Beasts utter destruction but end of his authority and reigning forty two moneths which the Beasts and two witnesses synchronicisms being granted must determin together For the Beast shal remain a short space but so unlike former as scars to be reputed the same which soon after under the seventh Trumpet shal be absolutly abolished 2 The seven Phials of wrath being so many degrees of the Rev 16. 10. Beasts fal or fate synchronize with the inchoation of his destruction but his Kingdom fel so fast the sixth Trumpet yet sounding which put a period to his power of forty two months over the Saints that he cannot be quit ruined til the fifth Phial be poured out when his seat shal be shaken and kingdom Rev. 10. 6. darkned Ergo fiv Phials were poured out yer the sixth Trumpet ceased for the seventh Phial of consummation concurs with the seventh Trumpets initiation which also sounds the termination 3 The thousand yeers of the Dragons binding and shutting up in the Rev. 20. the bottomless pit with a seal set theron that he should no more deceiv the Nations concurs with the seventh consummation Trumpet and Beasts confusion for the use was to seal up a place or prison sure as Darius did the Lions Den with a ring and the Jews Christs Sepulcher by sealing the stone Som suppose his casting down to Earth and shutting up is the same but 't is not so For his ejecting from Heaven hindred not his doing harm on Earth but being clos prisoner in chains he cannot Rev. 12. wander to doo hurt nor doo the things related agree sith during the first six Seals and under the six first Trumpets of the seventh he was free or loos Ergo his shutting up for one thousand yeers fals under the seventh Trumpet For he was not bound at the battle nor while the woman staid in the wilderness nor during the ten hornd Beasts reign sith his Scholar the fals Prophet seduced People with signs and wonders al that Rev 9. 11. time Yea the Locusts King caled the Angel of the bottomless pit is the very Dragon or Satan then not sealed when the sixth Angel poured out his Phial and seventh ready to pour his For three unclean Spirits like Frogs cam out of the Dragons Rev. 16. 13 14. Beasts and fals Prophets mouths which wrought wonders and went to the Kings of the World Ergo the thousand yeers of his being bound belong to the seventh Trumpet So the war when Satan after a thousand yeers is loosed a little space differs from that when the Beast and fals Prophet are cast alife into the burning Rev. 20. 10. Brimstone Lake For the first war is waged by him that sat on a whit Hors caled Gods Word who smot the Nations with a sharp Sword and was folowed by Armies in Heaven on Whit Horse◠But in the last at Armageddon God sent fire from Heaven to devour them and Satan is cast into that Lake wher the Beast and fals Prophet are before For he is first clapt close in prison a thousand yeers and then loosed but now condemned to be incessantly tormented for ever Sith then the war with the Beast and fals Prophet differs from this last either 't is to be waged during thos thousand yeers which cannot be sith Satan was then bound or before as it must needs be Ergo thos yeers commence at or after the Beasts casting into a firy Lake or rather together at one time 4 The thousand yeers of Christs Imperial reign at coming Rev. 20. 4. wherof the triumphant Elders sang gratulatory Hymns to God being immediatly at conquest of the Beast and Babylon which contemporize with the seventh trumpet For this Kingdom is given to the Saints as a reward of their faith and constancy becaus they did not worship the Beast nor his Image nor receiv his mark This is that Kingdom caled Christs who Rev. 11. 15. shal reign for ever which the Angels foretold that the mystery of God should be finished at sound of the seventh Trumpet as the Rev. 10 6 7. Prophets declared Then neither the Beasts forty two months nor the witnesses mourning one thousand two hundred threescore dais nor a period of a time times and half no nor time it self shal any more remain 5 The new Jerusalem the Lambs Bride and seventh consummation Rev. 21. 2. Trumpet or time of the Beasts and Babylons confusion synchronize for new Jerusalem is the Lambs Bride or beloved City which immediatly at the thousand yeers end is compassed by the last troop Gog and Magog of Satan then loosed for a little space Ergo it was extant before at sound of the seventh trumpet At pouring out the seventh Phial when the Beast is destroied ther cam a loud voice from the Rev 16 〈◊〉 17.
one Man speaks to another prohibiting Adam to eat of the Tree of knowledg and upon disobeying exiled him out of Eden from enjoying eternal Life wherto he was created had he not sinned Gen. 7. 7. Afterward he punished his Posterity for their Vices al sav egth Persons in whom his Kingdom consisted with a deluge Gen. 8. 18. of Waters but his first Kingdom by solen compact was with Gen. 17. 7 8. Abram in thes words I wil establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and them and wil giv thee and thy Seed al the Land of Canaan wherin thou art a Stranger for an everlasting possession In memorial herof he instituted Circumcision Exod. 19 5 〈◊〉 8 caled the old Covenant as the sign or Sacrament therof The same Covenant God renewed by Moses at Sinai they being newly becom a Nation which is expresly stiled tho the name of King and Kingdom not before used a Kingdom of Priests and holy People for they promised to doo as the Lord commanded which argues their peculiar consent compact or covenant but al the Earth is the Lords by power property and precedent So 't is a cleer case that by Gods Kingdom is meant a civil Common-wealth instituted by Subjects consents for regulating their behaviour both toward God their King in obeying his Laws toward one another in point of Justice and toward Forreners in peace or war This was properly a Kingdom when God was King of Israel which befel to no People els and the high Priest after Moses his sole Lieftenant or Viceroy whence 't is forecaled Regnum Sacerdotale a 1 Pet 2 9. Kingdom of Priests and by St. Peter Sacerdotium Regale a Roial Priesthood sith none but the high Priest might enter Sanctum Sanctorum only once a yeer to inquire Gods Wil 1 Sam. 8 7 c. of him Many mo places prov the same as when the Elders greiving at Samuels Sons corruption required a King to rule them Like al Nations God said they did not reject Samuel but himself that he should not reign over them Thus God was their King and Samuel only delivered what he dictated So saith 1 Saâ— 12. 12 Samuel when ye saw Naash King of Ammon com against you ye said to me a King shal reign over us when the Lord God was King After they had rejected God and broken the Covenant by that revolt or rebellion chusing another King the Prophets foretold his restitution that it shal be in Zion Davids Throne at Jerusalem on Earth See Isai 24. 23. Ezâ—k 20. 33 37. Micah 4. 7. So saith the Angel Gabriel of Christ He shal be great and caled the Son of the most high and the Lord Luk. 1. 32 3â— shal giv him his Father Davids Throne and he shal reign over the hous of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom shal be no end This is a Kingdom on Earth for whos claim Christ was crucified as an enemy to Caesar and on his Cross inscribed Jesus of Nazaret King of the Jews being in scorn Crowned with Thorns So 't is said of the Disciples That they did contrary Acts 1â— 7. to Caesars Decrees saying ther is another King one Jesus Therfore Gods Kingdom is real no metaphorical Monarchy and so taken in both Testaments When we say For thine is the Kingdom power and glory 't is understood by force of our Covenant not by right of his power So it were frivolous to pray Thy Kingdom com unles it be meant of Gods Kingdoms restauration by Christ which was interrupted by the Jews electing Saul Nor is it proper to say the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand or thy Kingdom com if it had stil continued for Gods Kingdom of Power is every wher In sum Gods Kingdom is a civil Monarchy which consists Summary in the Israelits obedience or obligation to observ thos Laws which Moses first should bring from Sinai and what the high Priest afterward shal deliver before the Cherubins in Sanctum Sanctorum which being cast off by electing Saul the Prophets foretold should be restored by Christ and we daily pray for its redintegration thy Kingdom com acknowledging the right of it in adding For thine is Kingdom Power and Glory for ever Amen The proclaiming herof was the Apostles Preaching wherto Men are prepared by Gospel-Teachers and to promiss obedience to Gods government is to be in the Kingdom of Grace becaus God givs such power to be his Subjects gratis when Christ shal com in Majesty to judg the World and actualy govern his own People which is caled the Kingdom of Glory If Gods Kingdom caled for its gloriousnes and celsitud the Kingdom of Heaven were not a Government which he executs on Earth by Vicars or Vicerois who deliver his commands to the People ther needs no digladiation who it is by whom God speaks to us nor would Priests trouble themselfs with spiritual jurisdiction nor any suprem Rulers deny it them From this literal interpretation of Gods Kingdom ariseth Holy what a genuin Exposition of the word Holy signifying what in Monarchies Men cal public or the Kings property who is the public Person or Representativ of al his Subjects As God King of Israel is stiled the holy one of Israel and the Jews Gods People a holy Nation So the Sabbath Gods day is a Holy day the Temple Gods hous a holy Hous Sacrifiâ—es Offerings Tiths Gods Tributs Holy duties Priests Prophets Annointed Kings Gods Ministers holy Men the celical Spirits Gods Messengers holy Angels or the like For wherever holy is taken properly ther is stil somwhat signified of property got by consent For al Mankind is Gods Nation by property of power but Israel only an holy Nation by Covenant In saying Halowed be thy Name we pray for Grace to keep the first Commandment to hav no other Gods but him The word Prophane is usualy taken in Scripture for common Prophane what and consequently the contraries holy and proper or peculiar must signify the same thing but figurativly such as liv godly giving themselfs to devotion as if they forsook the World are caled Bonhoms That which God makes holy by appropriating it to his own Sacred what use is stiled Sacred or Sanctified as the seventh day in the fourth Commandment and the elect in the new Testament are said to be sanctified as indued with the spirit of godlines That too which Men dedicat or giv to God for his public service Churches Chapels with their Utensils Priests Victims Oblations external Rites of Sacraments c. is stiled Sacred or set apart to God Now ther be divers degrees of sanctity or holines when things are sequestred or consecrated for Gods neerer service thâ—n others as al the Israelits were a holy People peculiar to God yet Levies Tribe more holy and Priests among Levits more but the high Priest most holy so Judea was a
Witchcraft Witches justly punished with death for their fals beleef that they can doo such mischief and a wil or purpose to act it their Trade being neerer to a new Religion then a Craft or Science Such as are content to be poor may easily resolv to Censure be honest so thos that hold Hel to be no real place and Devils meer Metaphors must of cours deny Witchcraft yea many who pretend to be wise pious professors are too incredulous of Witches contrary to the faith of al Gods People Exod. 22 18. both Jews and Christians who wil not suffer a Witch to liv as God commanded The best is only privat persons deny it but al public Princes and Christian Common-wealths make strict Laws against it Saul destroied Wisards and such as had familiar Spirits yet in distres caused a Witch of Endor to rais Samuel as the spectre seemed with whom he consulted Serjeant Glyn who at last Lent Assises in Cornwal condemned eght Witches upon pregnant presumptions and personal confessions can scientiously satisfy any Man that ther be such impious confederats with Satan els al Laws and Magistrats that question them for their fals imaginations or intentions to work mischief if they can doo none were most unjust and to execut them bloody De Regno purae Caliginis Of pure Darknes Kingdom BEside al Soveraign powers Divine and Human precited Eph. 6. 12. Mat. 12. 26. Mat. 9. 34. Eph. 2. 2. John 16. 11. the Scriptures specify rulers of this Worlds Darknes even the Kingdom of Satan and Principality of Beelzebub over Devils or Phantasms in the Air as Satan is stiled Prince of the power of the Air and Prince of this World becaus he rules in this Worlds darknes So they under his dominion in opposition to the Faithful caled Children of the Light are properly Children of Darknes The Kingdom of Darknes is a confederacy of Deceivers who Kingdom of Darknes to get dominion over Men in this World devise erroneous doctrins to extinguish the Light both of Nature and Scripture p. 333. c. therby to seduce silly Disciples and so disprepare them for the Kingdom of God to com Fabula narratur mutato nomine de te Let the name changed be The tale is told of thee The darkest part of Satans Kingdom is without Gods Church among such as beleev not in Christ yet doth not the Church like the Land of Goshen enjoy al Light necessary to the work injoined by God but as Men born blind hav no Idaeâ— of any bodily Light nor can any conceiv greater then he hath perceived somtimes by his own senses so is it with the Light of the Gospel and understanding too that none can imagin any greater degree therof then he hath attained Ther be four causes of spiritual Darknes 1. By abusing or abolishing the Scriptures Light for weer 1 Caus not knowing the Scripture the chief is wherto almost al the rest are consequent or subservient wresting it to prov Gods Kingdom so oft cited to be the Church or multitud of Christians now living or that shal rise at last day but the Kingdom of God was first erected by Moses ministry over the Israelits so saith he but none els cald his peculiar People which after ceased when they refused to be longer governed by God and chose Saul Since which time God had no proper Kingdom by pact or covenant but only as he ever was is and shal be universal King of al Creatures ruling according to his absolut Wil and infinit Power Nor are any now under any King or Kingdom by pact sav our secular Soveraigns til Christ shal com again to reign eternaly on Earth Succedaneal to this said error is that Christ now in Heaven hath som one Man or Assembly by whos mouth he speaks givs Laws and which represents his Person This regal power under him the Pope claims generaly over al the Church but in particular stats the Pastors or Presbyteries of thos places which begets such darknes in Mens understandings Hence results another error that a Christian Kingdom had need to receiv his Crown by a Bishop as if the claus of Dei gratia depended on that Ceremony So al Ecclesiastics assume the title of Clergy caling al others Laity or People simply Hence also arose the distinction betwen Emperors Civil Laws and Popes Canons which last were but bare Canons or Rules voluntarily received by Princes til Charlemaign becam Emperor but afterward as the Popes power increased becam commands or Laws and Emperors allowed them For the Pope pretending al Christians to be his Subjects makes it capital for any not to be of Roman Religion but tolerats Jews Mahometans and Pagans to enjoy their own Rites if they offer no scandal A secund abuse of Scripture is turning consecration into conjuration or inchantment for to consecrat is to offer giv or dedicat decently and devoutly any thing to God by separating it from common use or prophane to be holy and peculiar for Gods service by his Ministers hands but when Papists pretend to change the nature or quality of a thing as in the Lords Supper to make Bread and Wine by saying this is my Body this is my Blood to be Christs very Body and Blood it must either be Gods extraordinary work which 't is not being doon daily and frequently or a vain impious conjuration wherby they would hav Men beleev a change of Natures contrary to the testimony of their sight and other senses If the Aegyptian Sorcerers who turnd their Rods to Serpents and Waters to Blood or at least to seem so had made no change in shew but only outfaced the King that they were Serpents which looked like Rods would not al Men tax them for Liers Thus Priests tel the People that they hav turned Bread into a Man nay a God requiring Men to worship it which is gross Idolatry The words this is my Body or represents my Body can extend soly to the Bread which Christ consecrated with his own hands for he said not the Bread wherof any Priest shal say this is my Body shal be instantly transubstantiated into it nor was this doctrin harched in the Church of Rome til under Innocent the third not 500. yeers ago when the Popes power was at highest and Peoples darknes heaviest that Men could not see the Bread they eat specialy being stamped with Christs figure on the Cross as if the very wood was transubstantiated which they ate together with the Body So at Baptism they use many Charms in name of the holy Trinity with the sign of the Cross at naming ech Person as in consecrating holy Water the Priest saith I conjure thee Creature of Water in the name of God the Father Almighty and Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord and by virtu of the holy Ghost that thou becom conjured Water to driv away al the Enimies powers c. The like is doon in Benediction of Salt and Hony mixd therwith