came to pass in that year when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome in the 179 Olympiad in the third Month on a Fasting-day he saith That Pompey entred Ierusalem with the Roman Legions Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 8. And for their subjection to the Romans he addeth That Syria and Iudea and all places from the Borders of Egypt to Euphrates were committed to the tuition of Scaurus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 5. And here I finde That all Historians and Chronologers do agree in the aforementioned year Now for the Number of time That there are 666 years from this beginning to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas this is clear also in all our ordinary Books of Chronology Dr Willet who doth differ from our Judgement about the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom he in his Synops. Papism Quaest. de Antichr part 2. saith That the Scepter was taken from Iudah at that year when Cicero was Consul at Rome which he affirmeth to be 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the setting up of the Headship of the Bishop of Rome And in general he doth approve the truth of our Interpretation as Bale the Historian did before him And whereas it may be Alledged That Calvisius the most accurate Chronologer doth Number somthing more than 60 years to the Birth of the Lord To solve this Difficulty let us say as he doth That Cicero and Antonius did enter their Office about the 20 of October when all was full of troubles at Rome And in the fourth of Iuly following which was the 17 day of the Month Tamuz the Romans entered Ierusalem and Pompey went into the Temple To this if we adde those Acts of his of breaking down the Wall of Ierusalem of making Iudea Tributary to the Romans and delivering all into the Power of Scaurus the Questor till further Order should be taken by the Senate These things must necessarily be done in the latter end of the year when Câ—…cero and Antonius were Consuls or rather in the beginning of the next year which according to Calvisius his account is the year of the world 3889. To which if you adde 666 years the Number of the Name of the Universal Headship of the Beast this will make the year of the world 4554. And this will bring us to that fatal year of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And so this present year will be From The Creation of the World the 4555 Year From The Birth of the Lord the 606 Year From The Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom the 666 Year For the Number of years there is yet one main Objection Some will have the periods of time in Daniel's Image to be a meer Scholastical speculation Sol. We will go to the Scriptures and to the Stories of the Church to decide the Question For the Scriptures Let us first consider the words of Daniel's Thanksgiving upon the Revelation of the Mystery of the Four Metal-Kingdoms Blessed be the Name of God for ever for Wisdom and Might are his he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Dan. 2. 20 21. The scope of the Vision is concerning the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms and so many changes of time answerable to those Four Mutations of Empire But if we look more narrowly to the text the words in the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are times and revolutions of time For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as tempus statutum determinatum an appointed and determinate time For the Lord having shewed Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel and the substance of the Dream That it concerned a Fourfold change of Empire and a Fourfold change of time upon the Earth Upon this Reason the Prophet breaketh forth into the praise of the Wisdom and the Power of God in a sutable manner to the present occasion And in very deed if we look upon the translation of the Empire from the Babylonians to the Persians from the Persians to the Graecians from the Graecians to the Romans Here is a notable Example of the Wisdom and the Power of God And that which is more considerable The Lord speaketh of the times of the sovereign Dominion of these People many years before they come to have the Dominion upon the Earth For this cause the Prophet breaketh forth into the praises of the wisdom of God in his disposing the changes of times and the changes of Empire and for the communication of this deep secret to him and the other three Children and by their means to the information of the Church And when all this is done shall we say That the Four changes of time in the Image of the Metal-Kingdoms are but a curious speculation Further it is added vers 44. In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed This is spoken of the rising of the Kingdom of Christ in the time of one of the Four Metal-Kingdoms The Four periods of time then are not a bare Speculation but a plain Scripture-truth For it is the plot of the Spirit to shew That down from Nebuchadnezzar there should be Four Changes of Empire and Four notable Revolutions of time and when these Changes should be in their course and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Now whereas Bodin in his Method of History chap. 7. taketh a great deal of pains in the Confutation of this Let us Consider what he Alledgeth First There be many things he confuteth which we do not allow For as we have formerly said The Babylonian Empire did not begin at Ninus but at Nebuchadnezzar Secondly He taketh it as Granted That only the Amplitude of Dominion maketh a Monarchical Kingdom And hereupon Reasons Why should not the Kingdoms of the Parthians Saracens Turks Tartars go under the account of Monarchical Kingdoms Here he is to consider That not only the greatness of Dominion but the greatness of Dominion over the Churches Continent is necessary to the Being of Daniel's Metal-Kingdoms And therefore look what Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar did begin it did orderly descend to the Persians Graecians and Romans and not to the Parthians as experience sheweth Therefore a Beast in Daniel or the Revelation doth not signifie a State or Government in the General Notion but a State or Government that is Idolatrous and doth persecute the Church Neither doth it signifie an Idolatrous Government in the Latitude but such an Idolatrous Government in and about the Borders of the Church If this distinction were well observed They that are Enemies to Magistracie would not have such harbour in the Revelation as they think they have Thirdly He disputeth against those who stand for a German-Roman Empire And with him we do agree That this is but a Fable For the Empire of the last Edition is the whole Body of
19. vers 1 2 3 4 5. That when the Saints did sing their Halelujah at the Judgement upon the great Whore then a voyce was heard The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth vers 6. Here I demand Did not the Lord God Omnipotent Reign before He did not Reign before in the sense of that text For the great Whoâ—…e had Ruled all the world and had corrupted the Earth by her Fornications all was under her Power and she spilt the Blood of the Martyrs at her own pleasure But at her destruction the Lord Christ did begin to Reign and that was the time of the marriage of the Lamb of the glory of the Gospel-Church when the Lamb's Wife had made her self ready vers 7. So it is said Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Here I demand Were not the Kingdoms of this world the Kingdoms of Christ before the sound of the Seventh Trumpet before the fall of the great City before that time when the Kingdom of the Beast began to be destroyed I Answer They were his Kingdoms jure by Right they were his by vertue of Purchase 1500 years ago and more but he entered not into the actual Possession till the destruction of the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world He received Institution jus ad rem above 1500 years ago but he had not Inâ—…uction jus in re till the destruction of the Beast's Kingdom And therefore these words are specially and Emphatically added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast taken to thy self thy great Power and hast Reigned In which words the holy Spirit doth insinuate That before the sound of the Seventh Trumpet the Lord Christ by his own free and voluntary permission did suffer the Beast and other Monarchical States to encroach upon him and to detain his Power for 1260 years At the end of this time he doth resume and take the Power to himself alone This is the scope of the Prophecie And for the Argument of Mr Hayne That Christ was an established King upon Mount Sion when Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired against him I will further adde That in those times when the Beast ruled over all and when all worshipped his Image and received his Mark in those very times the Lamb stood upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having their Fathers Name written in their forehead chap. 14. vers 1. Now I believe none that understand the scope of the Prophecie will affirm That Christ was stated in his Monarchical Kingdom in all the times of the Reign of Antichrist upon the Earth To speak properly These were rather the times of the Patience of the Saints and of the Exinanition and concealment of the Glory of Christ's Kingdom The Kings did agree to give their Power to the Beast and must do so till the Word of God be fulfilled When this is done the Beast shall be destroyed his Body shall be given to the burning Fire and then the Lord Christ shall begin to Reign Mr Hayne It must be granted That Christ's Kingdom when it was set up was more powerful than Romes which to this day never could though assisted by the Gates of Hell either by Might or Policy prevail against Christ's Kingdom Answer It is true That the Kingdom of Christ is in it self stronger than any Monarchical Kingdom whatsoever But the great Question is Whether it be his mind at all times to eâ—…ert and put forth his Power If this had been his mind why did he not dash in pieces the Babylonian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman Powers as soon as they had any Being Why had they any liberty given them to Afflict the Saints In these Variations and Changes of Empire the Lord Christ would not put out his Power till the times of his Reign upon the Earth should begin Again We do not absolutely and simply affirm That the Lord Christ did not exert and put out his Power in the times of the Metal-Kingdoms For he armed his Saints with Faith and Patience and made them able to Suffer But this we affirm He did not put forth his Power to the destruction of these Kingdoms in their Tyranny and Rage against the Church When the Babylonian stood in all greatness of Power it could not overcome the Spirit of Christ in the Three Children And when the Ten Horns did agree together to give their Power to the Beast The Lamb did overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful chap. 17. vers 14. It is manifest then That the Lord Christ did put out his Power to hold up the Faith of the Saints and to make them able to Suffer But for the present he did not break those Tyrannical Empires in pieces to make them submit to the Laws of the Gospel He did not nor will not exert and send forth that part of Power till the time and season doth come when his Monarchical Kingdom shall begin The Apostle saith 1 Tim. cap. 6. vers 15. In his times he will shew who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only Potentate the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords He will set forth his Monarchical Sovereignty and Potency but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times in that season which the Father hath appointed for his Sovereignty and Dominion Now that time according to the Scriptures is at the end of the metal-Metal-Kingdoms and more particularly at the end of the Antichristian Kingdom But let us proceed Mr Hayne Christ in S. Iohn's time was the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1. 5. Had all things given him by his Father Luk. 10. 22. All Power in Heaven and Earth was given him before his Ascension Matth. 28. 18. So that he was the Head of the Church his Body and in Place far above all Principalitie and Power and Domination and every Title and Name that is Named not in this world only but in the world to come Eph. 1. 21 22. Therefore at Christ's being here on Earth or near unto that time he had an absolute and boundless Sovereignty far above all Monarchs that hereâ—…ofore lived or shall ever live hereafter Answer To this matter I have spoken before scil That the Kingdom given to the Son at his Ascension was far greater than any Earthly Kingdoms whatsoever But the Question here is Whether did he enter into the Possession of that Kingdom yea or no There was a Power given to Christ at his Ascension by vertue of which he was able to destroy the Beast the false Prophet the Dragon Gog and Magog Death and Hell and all other Enemies yet we see that he doth not nor will not execute and put forth his Power in their destruction till the time appointed of the Father till the Saints have passed the time of their Patience and Sufferings
under these Tyrants But in this matter let us Answer Mr Hayne with Mr Hayne In the first Page of his Book he speaketh of the Eternity of Christ's Kingdom and of its extent to the end of the world And afterward in the second Page he speaketh as followeth Of this Extent saith he is Christ's Kingdom yet in regard that God hath soâ—…etimes permitted Satan and wicked men in extraordnary manner to domineer and to exercise their worldly and ungodly Power and that at other times he hath made his own Sovereignty by remarkable Mercies and Iudgements to appear God and Christ upon this more glorious expression of their more Over-ruling Might are then especially said to have a Kingdom and to Reign Because in such times their Glory and Majesty doth more manifestly shew it self Exod. 15. 18. 1 Sam. 12. 12. Obad. vers 21. Rev. 12. 10. In like manner I may say Though at the Ascension of Christ there was given to him a Kingdom far greater than all the Kingdoms of the world yet in regard that it hath pleased God the Father for many Ages together to permit Rome Imperial and afterwards Rome Papal in an extraordinary manner to exercise their worldly Power And seeing also it is his pleasure after some Ages to make his Sovereignty known in the destruction of the Tyranny of these States and in setting up the Gospel as the regent Law in this respect the Reign of Christ may be said to begin at the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom in the last and Antichristian State thereof But a little further to open the meaning of the Scriptures When Michael and his Angels i. e. Christ and his Primitive Martyrs had conquered the Dragon presently and immediately upon the Conquest this Acclamation was heard I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down Rev. 12. 10. Here I demand what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that Kingdom of God and Power of Christ You are to Note That the scope of the place is concerning the Fight between the Lord Christ and his Primitive Martyrs on the one side and the Powers of the Persecuting Empire of the Romans on the otherside After a long and terrible Fight the Dragon was overcome by the Faith and Patience of the Martyrs by the Prayer of Faith grounded upon the Promise of God And in the times of Constantine the Great when the Christian Faith as the best Expositors will have it became Religio Imperii the Religion of the Empire then at that time the Kingdom of God and the Power of his Christ was revealed to the world The Deliverance and Salvation of the Church from under the Ten first Persecutions was much desired before but it was not effected till the dayes of Constantine the Great To his times then that notable expression the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ is come is more immediately â—…o be applyed By that which the Church hath had Experience of already we may learn what is the meaning of the Spirit when he speaketh of her Deliverance from under Antichristian sufferings and of the future Reign of Christ upon the Earth for 1000 years And though there was some beginning of his Monarchical Reign in the dayes of Constantine yet that was but radiatura vel specimen Regni Christi a glympse or a handâ—…el as it were of the Kingdom of Christ and of the future liberty of the Church that shall be For that glory was Eclipsed and the Church fell under Persecution in all Antichristian times When those times shall be fulfilled the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And so they shall continue and remain for many years when Jews and Gentiles both together shall make a glorious Church under Christ their Head and King in the latter dayes After the destruction of the Fourth Beast it is expresly said The Dominion under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High and that this Dominion is to continue for ever Dan. 7. 27. Now then If the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ did begin at the Incarnation and so forward to continue for ever what shall we make of the Reign of Antichrist for so many Ages together Christ hath Reigned but a little if we look to an exteriour Reign Mr Hayne The Reign of Antichrist and of other Tyrants is no impeachment to Christ's absolute Sovereignty The wickedness of Sons taketh not away the Fatherhood and Authority of Parents Nor a Debauched Servant's ill carriage argue his exemption from the Master he is subject to David was and continued a King though Ishbosheth and Saul's House though Absolon his own Son though Sheba a Benjamite and many of Israel rose up against him and submitted not to his Scepter Answer We agree That the Tyrannical States and by Name the â—…ntichristian cannot be such impeachments to Christ's Kingdom so as absolutely and finally to obstruct it in every part and point of Power We yield also That the Right belongeth to Christ to be Universal Head of the Church though Antichrist hath Usurped his Right for many Ages together And further Though his Jurisdiction hath been detained by others a long time yet he hath Power enough in himself to recover it again when the time appointed for the Dominion of the Tyrannical States is once fulfilled But to say for the present That the Antichristian State is no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ this is a marvelous thing When a Usurpet is in the place of Government is this no impeachment to the lawful power All the world did agree together to worship the Beast and to receive his Mark and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ The great Whore corrupted the Earth with her Fornications and the Kings of the Earth agreed together to give their Power to the Beast and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ Though David was anointed King over Israel and though by vertue of his Unction he had true Title to the Kingdom yet so long as Saul and Ishbosheth did bear Rule the Kingdom was not his In like manner Though the Lord Christ by suffering Death and by his Unction had Title to all the Kingdoms of the Earth yet as long as the Tyrannical States of this world and particularly the Antichristian Kingdom do continue the Kingdoms of this world in that form and manner as they shall be are not his And therefore at the Fall of the Great City this expression is used The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Here is a tacite implication That they were none of his Kingdoms before in that sense which the text intendeth Mr Hayne You much debase and vilifie Christ and his Kingdom in comparing it and counting it Inferiour to
this Fourth Monarchy is to be stated according to Church-relations Secondly We will shew out of the Stories in whose times and by whose means the Church came first under the Dominion of that People Now That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms when the Church came under the Obedience of that People may be proved by these Arguments ARGUMENT I. Where the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin by the same Analogie we are to proceed in stating the Beginning of the Fourth Kingdom But the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin each of them in their several times when the Church and the Confines adjoyning came under their Dominion Therefore the Roman as the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began when the Church and the Confines about the Church came under the Obedience of that People The Major is clear For none will Deny but that the Roman doth hold Analogie with the three former Empires in their beginning And for the Minor we prove it by Induction of Singulars As for Ensample Example 1. First In the Babylonian Kingdom the first of Daniel's Four there were many Potent Kings that did Reign in that Succession before the times of Nebuchadnezzar for he began to Reign in the 144 year of the Aera of Nabonazzar Now the several Names of the Kings the times of their Reign and the order of their Succession are all set down in the famous Canon of Ptolomy as we shall shew afterwards But not to go far for an Example There is mention made of one Merodach-Baladan in the Canon aforesaid called by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah King of Iudah 2 King 20. 12. There was then a Succession of Babylonian Kings before Nebuchadnezzar You will say Why is he then called the Head of Gold as much in sense as the first Babylonian King I Answer Though he was not simply the first Babylonian King others Reigning before him yet he was the first Prince of the Babylonians that brought the Jewish Church and the Confines about that Church within the Babylonian Empire Example 2. Secondly That Kingdom of the Medes and Persians whereof Darius and Cyrus were the Founders if we go strictly to work the Foundation of these was laid before For it is manifestly plain by the testimony of the Greek Historians and by the Chronographical Tables now in the hands of all men That there was a Potent Race of the Kings of Media down from Arbaces the Mede Yet for all this Darius and Cyrus are the true Founders of the Mede-Persian Kingdom because they first brought the Jewish Church under the power of the Medes and Persians And that which is very remarkable to our present purpose though it be a thing famously known among Historians That Cyrus began to Reign in the 55 Olympiad though he subdued many Nations Propagated the Persian Empire very far yet the Scripture taketh no notice of that beginning but then only when the Church came within the limits of the Persian Dominion And therefore it is well Observed by Piscator in his Scholia upon Ezra chap. 1. vers 2. That the Edict came forth in the first of Cyrus King of Persia. This saith he is the first year of his Reign in Babylon Example 3. The Third Kingdom in Daniel's Image is that of the Graecians of which Alexander became the Head at the overthrow of Darius The rough Goat is said to be the Monarchy of the Graecians and the Great Horn to wit Alexander is expresly called the first King Dan. 8. 21. Now How can he be said to be the first King of the Graecians seeing there were many Mighty Kings before him in and over that Nation To let pass all the other States of Greece in Macedonia it self Philip the Father of Alexander was a Potent Prince But the Answer is as before He was the first Monarchical King that subdued the Territories of the Church There was never any Graecian Prince that extended the Sovereign Rule of that People so far Eastward to the Confines of the Church as he And therefore he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first King of the Graecians From all the forementioned particulars it is clear That the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image began each of them in their several times when the Church came under their respective Dominions And so the Assumption is proved If then we proceed in the same Analogie we must necessarily say That the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Jewish Church and the Continent adjoyning came first under the Sovereign Lordship and Command of the People of Rome But yet for further confirmation of this truth we will produce some new Arguments to prove That the Metal-Kingdoms are Numbred in relation to the Church First The Revelation of these Metal-Kingdoms was specially for the Saints and People of God For though one end was to Discover to Nebuchadnezzar what Successions of Tyranny there should be after him yet this was principally for the Churches sake and the Churches use And therefore it is mentioned This Secret is not revealed unto me for any wisdom that I have above all living but for their sakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King vers 30. Therefore in the delineation of these Tyrannical Empires the Lord doth specially intend to Reveal to the Church those Changes and Vicissitudes of times that she should meet withal In Relation to her then There is primarily a Discovery of these things Secondly These metal-Metal-Kingdoms are also Discovered to shew in what Region or Part of Time the Kingdom of Christ should begin All the Scriptures in the Old Testament point mainly to Christ some point to his Parentage others to the place of his Birth others to the Tribe that he should come of So this in special pointeth to that period of time when his Kingdom should begin These are the words of the text In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed From whence it is manifest That the Monarchies are reckoned according to the alterations which shall be in and about the Borders of the Jewish Church For Where should Christ be Born but in Iudea And hereupon he is called The King of the Jews Thirdly If we go to that Expression so often mentioned Dan. 11. where the Seleucian is called The King of the North and the Dominion of the Lagidae The King of the South Here we must necessarily Affirm That these Empires are said to be North and South in some special relation And the Reason is clear Because Iudea did lie in the middest betwixt them as a Lamb betwixt Two Wolves having the Seleucidae on the North and the Lagidae on the South Now that the People of the Jews are herein principally respected the words of the Angel are clear I am come to make Thee Understand what shall befal Thy People in
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit
Doctrine and in the whole Spiritual Government Therefore there ought to be a temper kept for this disease hath always reigned in Princes to desire to bend Religion according to their own pleasure and lust and for their own profits in the mean time So far he In which words two Points are observable First the lawful exercise of the Power of the Supreme Magistrate as it doth keep its due limits in Causes Ecclesiastical Secondly the redundancy and the excess of the Power when it doth tread under foot the Laws of the Church That which these learned men did speak concerning the Supremacy of the Kings of England in Causes Ecclesiastical and the danger of the excess of the Civil Power hath been too truly verified by some in our days not onely to the total ruine of themselves but also to the destruction of that Soveraignty it self which they did so immeasurably exalt And whereas Calvin in the place aforementioned hath these words Et hodie quam multi sunt in Papatu qui regibus accumulant quicquid possunt juris potestatis And at this day saith he how many are there in the Papacy that heap upon Kings whatsoever Right or Power they can possible So that there may not be any Dispute of Religion but this Power shall be in one King to Decree according to his own pleasure whatsoever he list and that should remain fixed without Controversie So far he But we for our parts may not onely say Quam multi in Papatu How many in the Papacy but how many in the Profession of the Protestant Religion have accumulated this great Power upon Princes that they might do what they list in the Church of God and in the determination of matters of Faith In Daniel and the Revelation these things are set down as the true causes of the destruction of Kingdomes That is a most Divine expression of Daniel and the three Children Chap. 2. ver 20 21. Wisdome and might are his and he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings And for the cause of these Changes it is more particularly expressed Chap. 7. v. 11. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the Horn spake I beheld even till the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning fire All solid Interpreters do understand some State or Government to be typed by the Little Horn. Now the destruction of such a State or Government doth arise immediately from hence because of great words which the Horn did speak against the most High Therefore the exorbitancy of the Power against Religion Christ and his Saints is oftentimes the cause of the eversion of States and Kingdomes But that we may more fully understand how far the Power may go and whither it must not go let us consider the examples of the Kings of Iudah And here it is clear That Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah did great things about the affairs of the Church and had a very large testimony for their zeal in the Worship of God yet I am sure none can say that their Power was so transcendent as to abrogate any thing that was appointed or immediately commanded by God in his Word For when Uzziah the King would offer Incense that appertained not to him but to the Sons of Aaron he was imitten with leprosie and compelled to dwell alone as one that should have no commerce nor society with men So Belshazzar the King when he made a Feast to a thousand of his Lords we reade That in the time of the Feast the fingers of a mans hand did appear and write upon the wall the destruction of the King and the Kingdome And the cause of this Judgement is expounded by Daniel himself in these words Chap. 5. ver 25. Thou hast lifted up thy self against the Lord of Heaven and they have brought the vessels of his House before thee and thou and thy Lords thy Wives and thy Concubines have drunk wine in them Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar both by strong convictions and demonstrations were brought to understand That the God of Israel was the onely true God and that they had their Dominion from him Now when they were not contented with this which the Lord had given them but would insult over the Giver and drink wine in the Bowls of the Temple which they had taken with sacrilegious hands this was the cause of the ruine of the King and Kingdome at last There is a remarkable passage of Herodotus in his second Book where he maketh mention of a Statue that was set up to Sennacherib in one of the Temples of Egypt with this Inscription and Title upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever looks upon me let him learn to be pious This Testimony as it hath the greatest probability of truth so doth it singularly well agree with the Story of the Scripture We reade that 185000 were slain in one night in the Camp of the Assyrians by an Angel sent from Heaven Sennacherib himself was killed by his own two sons and that great Empire did decline and lose its vigour by degrees Now if we look into the cause of all this we shall finde That the insolency of that King against God and his Church was that which broke him all to pieces This was done in the sight of all Asia that the world might know that the insolency of the greatest Powers of the Earth against God will prove the certain cause of their destruction But we will conclude this matter with that Exhortation of the Psalmist for so he speaketh to all Princes and Potentates who do intrench upon the Prerogative of Christ Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way Psa. 2. ver 10 11 12. Now why doth he exhort the Kings and Judges of the Earth to be wise rather then other men They are Gods Vicegerents and there is none greater in Power then they and through the greatness of their place none are more apt to bend Religion according to their own pleasures and lusts then they are Because this is more immediately against the Kingdome of Christ and cometh nearest to Antichristian pride the Psalmist doth advise them to take heed what they do to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling If not he tells them plainly their insolency against Christ and his Church will be a certain cause of their destruction This is made manifest from the beginning of the Psalm The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lâ—…rd and against his anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us ver 2. Now he doth direct his speech to such as these and tells them plainly That the Lord Christ will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them
Constantine the Great After these things he sheweth the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings by the Emblem of a Beast with ten Horns that came up out of the Sea Chap. 13. ver 1. This Beast doth signifie the Roman Tyranny in the last and the Antichristian Edition And he further addeth in the latter times of this Kingdome that the Eternal Gospel shall be preached to every Kindred Tongue and Nation Chap. 14. ver 6. 7. Then also the deceived Kings shall be undeceived and The Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Chap. 11. 15. That is those Kingdomes which formerly were the Kingdomes of the Beast shall become subject to the Laws of Christ and of his Gospel Here is a plain Example though not in the Age of the Apostles of whole Christian Nations in the times of the Gospel I willingly yield That the preaching of the Gospel is that by and through which primarily and immediately Churches are gathered yet by the Authority of the Magistrate the same Gospel also is countenanced Laws are made Parishes are divided Ministers maintained and the Body of the Nation brought to attend to that which is or at least may be the mean of their Salvation I cannot think but with great horrour what would ensue if the Designs of some men should take place It would be the very Abaddon and Apollyon to the Church of God But let us look what is spoken of the Kings of Europe They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall burn her flesh with fire Chap. 17. If they shall hate the Whore then they shall destroy the Idolatries and Superstitions of that Church which they did formerly so love and admire and on the contrary part they shall countenance the Gospel bring in their People and do as much for the Church of Christ which they did formerly persecute and hate Of the New Ierusalem it is said The Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory to her Chap 21. But lest any should think That this is meant onely of the Glory of the Church in Heaven Let sundry passages of the Prophet Esay be considered The scope of all whiâ—…h is to shew That the Kings of the Earth shall bring their Glory unto the Church There is much spoken also of the coming in of whole Nations of the Conversion of Kings and the adorning of the Church by the bounty of Kings Reade Chap. 60. per totum with many other places If these things were rightly considered men would not have such prejudices against a National Constitution and setting up of the Gospel by the Authority Power and Command of Kings and Princes What shall we make of the Reign of Christ upon the Earth Is it not directly and diametrally opposite to the Reign of the Beast And the Reign of the Beast let the Angel himself together with our own experience shew wherein the formality and the being thereof doth consist So he speaketh The Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast These shall make war with the Lamb but the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings Rev. 17. ver 12 13 14. The effence of the Kingdome of the Beast lyeth in the Confederacy of Kings and in their yielding themselves to the Name and Headship of the Bishop of Rome This is the Reign of the Beast upon the Earth So by the Rule of Proportion the Reign of Christ and of the Lamb shall be in the holy association and concurrence of Christian Princes to set up the Gospel of Christ his Name and Headship as the Regent-Law among the Nations From all that hath been said it is cleer That this Doctrine is not contrary to the Authority of Magistrates nay it is most forcible and effectual to establish the Laws and Government of the Church Upon the same grounds I do here desire to speak a word or two and Oh that I could speak it with tears The Reformation in Germany and now lately in England hath been and yet is much deformed by abalienation of the Churches Revenue and in passing away that which former Ages have bestowed I may speak of a great part at least upon the preaching of the Gospel These are Scandals to the Enemy Let our Consciences in the mean while judge Whether this be not a Scandal given rather then a Scandal taken Whether we do not open the mouthes of the Enemies of the Lord to speak evil of the Reformation And whether we are not faulty in this Point Moses went in Gods way and by his Command and it was a glorious work to deliver Israel from the Bondage of Egypt yet withall when he was in the discharge of so excellent a work then the Lord stood in the Way to kill him Exod. 4. 24. Our Armies are going forth against the Enemies and the Proteâ—…ant Armies are like to go forth more and more These are the times or at least do border upon the times of the Suâ—…per of the Fowls of the great Vintage of thâ—… Batâ—…el of Armageddon There are like to be great Commotions of State Army against Army in the times of the end of the Beasts Kingdome And therefore by collation of all Circumstances we cannot be fat off from the performance of all that hath been foretold It is meet for us to see our own sins and specially that which I have hinted before we go on in the Lords work These things I have thought good to annex by way of Appendiâ—… My purpose is not to speak any thing to please or diâ—…please any Party Neither can I tell how any Party will be pleased with me it may be I may displease all However I do desire to please mine own Conscience in delivering that which I conceive to be a Truth of God There is one thing whiâ—…h I think meet more â—…ully to explain my self in I have in the preceding Treatise made it a good part of my work to prove the Roman to be the Fourth and the last Metal Kingdome and that the Roman doth begin in the consideration and notion of such a Kingdome when the Church and the Conâ—…inent of the Church came under the Dominion and Soveraignty of the People of Rome This I know the followers of Iunius will not away with and many learned men in these times do follow this way of Interpretation But because we will not unnecessarily controvert and make our selves more enemies then needs we will be content to say That the Roman doth begin at the end or ending of all four Metal-Kingdomes and where they end in the method order and way of account the Roman doth begin And whereas we have endeavored Chap. 6. pag. 116. to prove the beginning of the Roman as The fourth Metal-Kingdome to be at that instant of time when the Church came under the Dominion of that People the same Arguments mutatis mutandis will prove the beginning of the Roman at the end of all four Metal-Kingdomes And so the followers of Iunius and we shall agree in the substance of the Interpretation Let us compute the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome as Decreed and Enacted under the Emperor Phocas and in that series and way of account it will be 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as that great Empire doth succeed at the end of the four Metal-Kingdomes Here is the Name of the Beast and the Calculation according to the Number of a Man according to the Divisions and Parts of the Body of Man in Daniels Image If we go either way the Account will be made good FINIS Hier. in Levit. Quot verba tot mysteria quot syllaba tot sacramenta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 2. c. 39. l. 3. c. 3. â—…us l. 3. c. 23. Epiph. Haeres 51. Rev. 16. Acts 1. 7. * In his Treatise concerning the Kingdom of Christ upon the Earth Note Note Note Note * And besides the Testimonies of Josephus Dio the Historian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iews 〈◊〉 Taxâ—…d by Gabinius 〈◊〉 3â—… Note
we account it but a curiosity to finde out the meaning of Christ in these things in which also the precious Souls of many thousands are so deeply hazarded and that for ever to their eternal perdition if they repent not Our Saviour fore-seeing the great Calamities that should befal the Church and People of the Iews at the Destruction of Ierusalem had great tenderness of heart toward them At the instant of his Suffering he said Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children For the dayes are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the barren that do not bear and the Papps that never gave suck Luk. 23. 28 29 30. Even so at this present day though the friends and followers of the Church of Rome are the greatest Enemies that we have yet nevertheless had we the heart of Christ and did we see the greatness of their sin and the grievousness of the wrath to come we would have tender Affections towards them we would mourn over them with many tears But how shall we do this if we our selves do not understand what this sin is and what judgment the Lord will bring upon them for these things Therefore it is no idle Speculation to meditate on this subject which concerneth the sin of the world and the great judgment of God because of the sin Fourthly If we consider the special Cause of the Martyrdom and the Sufferings of the Saints it was specially for these things And therefore in the beginning of the Beasts Kingdom and Edict was made That all who would not worship the Image should be put to death chap. 13. vers 15. The Victory of the Saints also that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire was of them that had overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name chap. 15. v. 2 3. At the beginning of the thousand years also those Souls saâ—…e upon Thrones and judgment was given to them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God that had not worshiped the Beast nor received his Mark. We may conclude then That these were the special Causes of the Martyrs Sufferings in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom and were the eminent object of their Victory and Crown in the end of the Kingdom Now shall we think the knowledge of these things to be a nice Speculation I think that there is nothing more seriously to be thought of and I believe also that it is the minde of Christ that we should so judge of the matter Fifthly If we consider the object of the Vials upon what kind of persons they are poured out They are poured out upon a People that are distinguished by such Badges and Cognizances as these That had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 1 2 10 13. Now then if we would know what the Vials are and wherein the justice of God doth appear in his pouring forth of them in these times for these are the times of the Vials it would be a Point very necessary and material to the opening of this Doctrine to shew what is meant by the Image of the Beast and the Mark of his Name for the Vials full of the wrath of God have their several and respective operations upon these kind of men Therefore it is no matter of light curiosity to discover what these things are and what kind of persons are deciphered and set forth under these Characters Sixthly Considering the Promises that are made to the Church That after the time of the Beasts Kingdom then the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. v. 3. That wherein the Nations have been deceived in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom is in the matter of worshipping the Beast in adoring his Image and in receiving his Mark as may appear chap. 13. v. 13 14. chap. 20. v. 3. Further whereas it is said that the two-horned Beast did deceive them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles he had power to do Here we must not think that this deceiving of the Nations was only at that instant but he hath deceived them and doth deceive them and will deceive them in all the times of his Kingdom And it is particularly said of the Kings of the Earth to wit The deluded Kings that they shall agree to give their Kingdoms to the Beast till the words of God shall be fulfilled When those times are once fulfilled the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more For though he and the Beast are two yet in this business they are but one The Dragon deceiveth the Nations by the Beast the Beast is the Dragons Vice-gerent in deceiving the Nations When the Beast is destroyed the Dragon also shall be bound up that he shall deceive the Nations no more If we descend to particulars and enquire wherein the Nations have been deceived the whole Scope of the Prophecie doth direct us to the worship of the Beast and to the receiving of his Mark. It is no frivolous study then to dive into the Sense and to search into the Meaning of these things seeing they are the subject-matter of such an universal Delusion And who can tell when these things shall come to be more clearly known to the Consciences of them which have been formerly seduced When they shall come also more perfectly and fully to know what the Spirit meaneth by the Name of the Beast his Mark and Image and how they have greatly sinned against Christ in yielding to these things Who can tell what a mean this may be of their undeceiving We may probably suppose that the States and Governments of this world may more easily be brought off from their subjection to the Beast when we shall define the true natural meaning of the Spirit and lay the definition before the Conscience In the great Controversies betwixt the See of Rome and other States it is remarkable what the Champions of that Church do usually propound they speak much of the stability of that Seat grounded upon the Promise Tues Petrus c. And in very deed if we look to experience how many Kingdoms how many Churches in the East and in the West have totally perished and have come to nothing when that Church and See hath continued in the greatest Glory and that for many Ages Now this being laid as a Foundation is not here great reason alledged to the Conscience that the States of Christendom should yet continue their Obedience to the Catholick Apostolick Romane See as they call it None can deny but That Authority hath been wonderously and miraculosly preserved in all times and in all changes of time And for mine own part I do openly confess That to me it is a great wonder to see a State oâ—… Government to continue so many Ages and yet to abide one and the same still But when I read the Scriptures I find that the
or Intercision of that sovereignty before the Roman Dominion in the last the reâ—…aired and Antichristian state thereof In the 13 Chapter it is said That the Ten-Horned Beast had a wound in one of his heads vers 3. What is this wound but an intercision or cessation of all Roman Majesty in the world at the rising of the Ten Kings The Two-Horned beast by his Deâ—…es did cure the wound vers 14 15. What is this cure but the renovation of the same Sovereignty in the Popes which was formerly lost in the Caesars So in the 17 Chapter it is said That all the world worshipped the Beast When they beheld the Beast that was is not and yet is v. 8. What is meant here by the Beast that is not This noteth the total cessation abrogation of the Roman Majesty at the Fall of the Empire And by the Beast that is This â—…eth the reâ—…ing of the Roman Majesty from the Dead when it was formerly lost in the Caesars Both Scriptures then do plainly shew and so doth S. Paul in the Thessalonians That the Empire must first Fall before the Antichristian times can begin They therefore that set the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom at the time of Victor or at Constantines removing the seat of the Empire to Constantinople or at the Reign of the Emperor Iulâ—…an or at any other time before the Fall of the Empire To my understanding they do anticipate the true beginning of the Beast's Kingdom and do go against the Grounds and Foundations of all true Apocalyptical learning The Second Branch of this Principle is this also That the time of the beginning of the Beast with Two Horns must be after the rising of the Ten Kings or the Ten-Horned Beast out of the Sea chap. 13. vers 1. For though the antient Commentators take the first Beast to be the Old Empire yet the latter Interpreters such as Brightman Peraeus Mede and others do more rightly understand this to be the rising of the Ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire And in very deed if we consider the time of the Beginning of this Beast it was presently and immediately after the Dragons Flood scil after the Inundation of the Barbarous Nations Secondly The Manner of the Rising The Beast had Ten Crowns upon his Horns at the time of his Rising out of the Sea which noteth the Division of the Roman into Ten inferiour Kingdoms in that notable change of State Thirdly The time of his Continuance He was to continue 42 Months and this is the exact time of the Sufferings of the Church under the Antichristian Persecution These and many such-like Reasons do strongly prove That the Beast with Ten Horns and his rising out of the Sea doth Note and decypher The standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And here then The beginning of the 42 Months the time of the Reign of this Beast is set forth by a true Demonstrative Character and we may not doubt of the certainty thereof Further then If we look to the scope of the Text the rising of the Beast with Two Horns must needs be after the rising of the Ten-Horned Beast and so consequently after the standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And so the Visions will be rightly applyed to their true times I know nothing of moment which doth contradict this Assertion but only that which is spoken by Mr Mede in his Apocalyptical Key Synchronism the second Where he endeavoureth to shew That the Ten-horned Beast and the Beast with Two Horns are exact Contemporaries in all their times These are his words A se invicâ—…nt neque ortu suo neque interitu separantur quinetiam altera alterius potestatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est in praesentia ipsius administrat And then he concludes Quis non vidit illas omni aevo suo necessariò contemporare But saving the great respect I bear to this Author I cannot see first how this can agree with the scope of the Scripture Secondly With the event of things Thirdly With the Tenor of his own Doctrine as he delivereth it elsewhere Fourthly With the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have spoken most Proâ—…atively concerning the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom First I cannot see how he agreeth with the Scripture For Iohn saw first a Beast come out of the Sea with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns upon his Horns and after that he saw another second Beast which came out of the Earth with Two Horns From whence we may easily collect That the rising of the one is in order of time before the rising of the other and therefore they no not ad amussim contemporare ortu suo they do not exactly agree in the time of their Original Secondly I cannot see how he agrees with the event of things For at that time when the Ten Kings arose out of the ruines of the Empire there was no Roman Sovereignty in the whole world For as we have formerly mentioned The Beast had a wound in one of his Heads and therefore there was an intercision and a cessation of that Potency for a time We yield that the Two-Horned Beast is the Restorer of the Ten-Horned Beast he cured the wound and made the Image to speak and live It is true that he revived the Roman Sovereignty from Death to Life but this reviving was not assoon as the Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire Thirdly I cannot see how this agreeth with Mr Mede's own Doctrine For he saith Apost pag. 83. That the Fourth Beast is the Roman Kingdom the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings that arise out of the dissipation of the Empire and the little Horn he saith expresly that it must arise after them pag. 74. For so he will have the Chaldee word to be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 70 to wit That the little Horn must arise behind the Ten Horns Now then if the Papacie must arise after and behind the Ten Kings it is plain That he doth contemporate with them ortu suo in his beginning and that according to Mr Mede's own Principles Fourthly I cannot see how he can agree with the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have demonstratively written of the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom For as many almost who have spoken of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth have applied this beginning to the Bishop of Rome in the times after the Fall of the Empire when the Decree went forth That he should be Head over all the Churches All the Circumstances of the Text laid together prove the truth of this Interpetation We come now to the Third Principle Princ. 3. The time of the rising of the second Beast must be so stated That all the circumstances of the Text may agree to such a beginning We must not leave the times of the Fall
clear but the times in the 7 of Daniel also will be much illustrated if we parallel them with the times of the Revelation Only here will lie the weight of the business Whether the matter is one and the same in both Prophecies And it must necessarily be one and the same if we can solidly prove the ten-horned Beast in Daniel to be the Roman Kingdom All do agree that the ten-horned Beast in the Revelation is the Roman Kingdom and if we can make it appear that one and the same Kingdom is described in the seventh of Daniel this will be as it were a band or ligament to couple both Prophecies together and a mean to expound the one by that conformity which it hath to the other But because Iunius and his followers and by Name Dr Willet do so strongly insist upon the Point That the ten-horned Beast in both Prophecies is not one and the same Roman Kingdom but one and the same only in Analogie and similitude of expression If they can make their words good I confess that we shall be liable to a great mistake when we shall take that for really the same which is only the same in some similitude Interpreters have gone too far this way as it is clear by experience For Paraeâ—… in the beginning of his Commentary treating of the Method of the Revelation doth draw three Observations out of Augustine's 20 Book of the City of God cap. 17. First saith he There are many things darkly delivered in the Prophecie to exercise the mind of the Reader Secondly There are some things delivered more clearly by the understanding of which we may discover the other that are more dark if diligence be used Thirdly It doth exceedingly conduce to the unfolding of the Mysteries of this Book that the same things are repeated in a different way of expression We do acknowledge that these Observations are of good use but that some Interpreters as Paraeus himself in his Commentary and Lampadius in his 〈◊〉 upon Sleâ—…d in de 4 Imperiis and some others have gone too far this way There is some similitude between the seven Trumpets and the seven Vials but the Authors aforenamed have much disturbed the true course of the Apocalyptical times when they take the Trumpets and the Seals for the same in matter though they differ in manner To avoid thâ—… Rock we will first prove the Identity of two Scriptures and then expound them by way of Parallel Upon this Consideration we do now fall upon the Work to prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom And if this can be made good then it will be one and the same Kingdom with that which is mentioned in the Revelation And so we shall parallel the one by the times of the other Prophecie Now let us hear what Iunius Broughton Piscator and other Learned men can alledge to the contrary Junius There is none that is ignorant how variously the Fourth Kingdom is interpreted For some think this place to appertain to the four Monarchies to continue to the consummation of the world Others will have the Monarchies here meant to continue to the Kingdom of Christ only in which Number they have placed the Roman their Free-state and their Empire being united in one And truly the former Opinion all the Fathers have followed being moved as it is probable with this expression There is a God in Heaven that maketh known to the King what shall be in the latter daies chap. 2. 28. But they have not well observed the meaning of the text for the Hebrew word doth not signifie that which is last but that which is latter or that which cometh after though it be not simply the last of all Answer If we observe the Rules laid down by Dr Willet 1. That the Kingdoms here described are Monarchical Kingdoms 2. Monarchical Kingdoms about the Borders of the Church 3. Such Monarchical Kingdoms where the latter do build themselves upon the ruine of the former If we observe these Rules it will be no difficult matter to define the Monarchies what they are where they begin and where they make an end There need be no variety of Opinion in a matter of such common Experience And in particular the same Experience sheweth That the Roman must be the fourth particular Kingdom As for those Interpreters who will have this Kingdom to expire at the coming of Christ they do not erre in taking the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom nor in joyning the Free-State and the Empire in one but they erre in this That they end that Monarchy at the Coming of Christ. For this is contrary to Experience and the Testimony of the Scriptures For what shall be the Ten Horns or the Ten Kings What shall be the little Horn What shall be all the other Properties of the Fourth Beast chap. 7. How shall all these be attributed to the Roman Kingdom if it End at the Coming of Christ For the former Expositors it is true that all Antiquity in a manner have followed this way To take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom To which I may adde Many of the Interpreters of these times and some eminent in the Knowledge of the Prophetical Scriptures as Brightman Grasserus Mede and others But that this should be the principal Ground that moved them to take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom because the Lord shewed to Nebuchadnezzar what should come to pass in the last times this I cannot take to be the prime foundation on which those Expositors do build To my understanding this phrase in the latter dayes or as it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the extremity of dayes or as Piscator Polanus and others will have it temporibus consequentibus in the times following This expression nakedly considered inforceth nothing at all Whereas Iacob assembled his Sons together to tell them what should happen to them in the latter dayes I do in this matter agree with Dr Willet That he did not assemble them together to tell what should befall them in the end of the world but in the times immediately following Yet this Expression is sometimes used to foretel what shall be done in the end of the world And therefore the Prophet Hosea saith That the Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes or as it is in the Original in the extremity of dayes There is no doubt to be made but that the Prophet speaketh of the future Call of the Iews that shall be and of their living under the Reign of Christ which things are to be finished in â—…e end of the world And I see no reason but that the Lord might reveal the same things to Daniel at least the whole order of them he living after the times of Hosea being also a man specially chosen of God to be acquainted with the greatest Mysteries concerning the times of
height the Heavens and in breadth the corners of the Earth Likewise the other Kingdoms aâ—…e semblanced to a Ram and to a Goat Buck and both in sundry Horns And now all the Nations be named that be therein contained Answer First For the great Tree it is not so much a figure of the Babylonian Kingdom as of the King Nebuchadnezzar in his own personal greatness For when the Tree was cut down and Nebuchadnezzar fell the Babylonian Empire stood Foâ—… the Kingdoms of Persia and Greece it is not needful that these two should be all the Nations which Daniel doth Number after the Babylonians First How doth this distinguish the Monarchies after the Scripture-difference The Scripture distinguisheth them according to the change from People to People chap. 2. vers 44. chap. 7. vers 27. If therefore the Babylonians Persians Graecians be all the People how shall we make Four Monarchies of Three People Secondly That of Persia and Greece are again repeated chap. 8. because they were more summarily described in the former Chapter For if we look narrowly to the matter the Seventh Chapter is for the most part taken up in the descrption of the Fourth Kingdom Mr Broughton The Legs of the Image are the Successors of Alexander in the mightiest Kingdoms Syria and Egypt Answer Piscator doth build much upon this Reason and therefore to avoid repetition we will defer the Examination thereof till we come to him Mr Broughton Daniel chap. 7. vers 13. One like to the Son of man c. The Iewes grant Christ here to be meant and if we had not deceived them by forging a general Fourth Monarchy by refusing the plainness of Daniel they would have come to the Faith long ago Answer This is a good Caution in the general and Christian men ought to take heed how they turn all into nice Disputes Atheistical and gainsaying people will soon take Advantage Yet for all this we have sufficient matter to convince the Jew that their Messiah is come that he is cut off that the â—…0 weeks of Daniel are at an end because Ierusalem hath been destroyed long ago and the 70 weeks do lead us to that fatal destruction For our Interpretation that the Roman is the Fourth Monarchy it is not this that keepeth the Jew in his blindness and unbelief but rather it would be a greater stumbling-block in his way to take the Seleucian for the Fourth Monarchy Mr Broughton who affirmeth this to be a Fourth Monarchy how can he make it good That the Kingdom of Christ was set up in the times of the Seleucian Suppose a Jew should read in the Gospel written by Saint Matthew that our Saviour was Born in Bethlem in the times of the Romans and as the other Evangelists do expresly say in the times of Augustus Caesar who caused all the world to be taxed c. Here then if a Jew should be of the judgement of these Learned men That the Roman is none of the Four Monarchies and that there was a total dissolution of the Four Metal-Kingdoms before the coming of Christ and the beginning of the Roman In this method and way of Interpretation how can they possibly make good that Scripture forementioned In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. If the Lord will raise up the Kingdom of Christ in the dayes of the Four Metal-Kingdoms and the Evangelists all with one mouth do say That the Kingdom was raised up in that time when all was under the power of the Romans we may safely Conclude That the Roman must needs be one of the Four Kingdoms and in particular the Fourth and the last Kingdom And whereas it is alledged One like the Son of Man came in the clouds of Heaven vers 13. We do willingly yield when the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian state thereof shall be brought to a final destruction then in those times the Kingdom of the Saints shall be set up upon the Earth in the last dayes and there shall be a Union betwixt Jewes and Gentiles under Christ their King according to the Scriptures And though we do not press the strictness of the Letter for a Personal and visible Reign of Christ as many have done and many now do yet I trust that the Jew and the Gentile shall find it true That both People shall come under the Reign of Christ when his Gospel shall be the regent Law in the latter dayes But of this matter somthing more largely afterwards Mr Broughton I will shew thee what shall be in the latter end of wrath chap. 8. vers 21. This place strongly overthroweth their Error that seign the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom meant by the Legs of the Image seeing the Greeks are the Dealers in the latter end of wrath And it had been a strange thing that this last vision repeating the former should neglect the Romans if they had been spoken of before Answer We have shewed how the former Kingdoms 〈◊〉 repeated in the latter Vision we yield that there is a repetitiâ—…n of the Monarchical Kingdoms but not a repetition of them in the full Number For what a way of Reasoning were this The Babylonian is not reckoned chap. 8. therefore he is none of the Four great Empires mentioned in the Chapter going â—…efore Let us come to the main Reason which Mr Broughtâ—… saith strongly overthroweth their Error who feign the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom His Argument is drawn from that Expression I will shew thee what shall be in the last end of indignation â—…ll that may be gathered from hence is this That the Greeks may be Dealers in the latter end of wrath if we compare them with the times of Daniel yet according to this sense the Romans may be latter than they Secondly If we look to the true translation of the word as Iunius and Piscator have it the Interpretation must run thus I will make known to thee what shall be in the extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that indignation when Antiochus shall afflict the Church And therefore the Angel doth expound what is meant by these words In the latter end of their Kingdom when transgressors are come to a full end a King of fierce countenance shall stand up vers 23. So then according to the true sense the Greeks are not so much the Dealers in the latter end of wrath as Antiochus in particular is a Dealer against the Saints in the latter end of the Graecian tyranny Here then is a plain fallacy à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simplicitur Mr Broughton Chap. 12. vers 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up that standeth for the Children of thy people When Antiochus going to War against Parthia left Lysias behind him to have rooted out the Iews then Michael stood up Here the terms of Daniel's People must needs mean the Iewes and not the
troubles of the Christian Church Now it is evident That the Holy Iewish Nation was never troubled in their whole State but in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes And therefore it is clear that the Angel speaketh of those dayes And this one speech might have kept Daniel in his true meaning that we should not draw him beyond Christ. Answer If â—… may speak what I find by Experience there is not any one place either in Daniel or the Revelation that seemeth to me to be more intricate than the Number of time mentioned in this Chapter It may be the Lord will have the time to lie doubtful and to be sealed to the time of the end vers 4 9. However it be though I cannot positively prove the meaning of the text yet we may firmly conclude That the periods of time do lead us to the end of the world and that they cannot possibly be restrained to the Persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and to the times of the suffering of the Jews under that tyranny But let us look to the Text By the Children of thy people we do willingly acknowledge That the People of the Jewes are here meant But we do not yield that Mr Broughton doth make a true Deduction from the meaning of these words He doth infer That in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes his persecuting the Church Michael may stand up because the whole Nation of the Iewes suffered more eminently for Religion in those times Now here I say This cannot be the time of the great Tribulation of the Jews nor the time of the standing up of Michael seeing the Tribulation here spoken of is after the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom For I would gladly know what the Angel doth mean by these words He shall come to his end and none shall help him vers 45. Is it not clear by the whole tenor and scope of the text That he speaketh of the King of the North or the Seleucian Kingdom That this Tyranny shall come to its end without help or remedy And then afterward the Seleucian Kingdom being destroyed the great Calamity shall fall upon the Nation of the Jews in the following times Secondly Our Saviour himself that best knew the meaning of Daniel's Prophecie doth expresly speak of the standing up of the Abomination of Desolation mentioned by Daniel the Prophet he doth speak of the greatest wrath that ever was from the foundation of the world that it should fall upon the Nation of the Jewes and that for the Elects sake only those dayes should be shortened Now then how doth he apply these Predictions not to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes which Mr Broughton here speaks of but as all the Evangelists do agree to the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans Matth. 24. 21 22. Mar. 13. 14 15 c. Luk. 21. 20 21 c. Now whereas Daniel did put the Question partly out of a desire to pry into these Mysteries and partly to give information to the Church he received an Answer sutable to the Question which he did propound The Question is this Then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things vers 8. And the Answer of the Angel is this From the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the Abomination that maketh Desolate shall be set up there shall be 1290 daies Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes But go thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the daies vers 11 12 13. From the scope of these words if we take it for granted That the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation was at the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem for so our Saviour doth expound the words of Daniel then we do infer from the destruction of that City there will be 1290 dayes and then again 1335 dayes to the time of the end And so we may conclude That this period of time will not extend only to the times of Christ but very far beyond his times toward the end of the world But it may be alledged seeing that I undertake to shew the length of the period How long it shall continue and the beginning from whence it shall commence why do not I speak Determinately concerning the time where it shall end I do only so far undertake to speak of the length of this period to shew that Daniel's Prophecie containeth a great Number of years beyond the destruction of Ierusalem And this is enough to Confute Mr Broughton and other Interpreters of this way though for my part I am not able to determine the Question why it is said 1290 dayes and then after that 1335 dayes There is a special reason of doubling the Number but yet for the accommodation of the time I must confess my ignorance Only for the present purpose it is enough to say in the general That there is a great Chain of years to begin after the destruction of Ierusalem and that the times of Daniel and the times of the Revelation do both run parallel together to the glorious Kingdom of the Saints But for the true concord of the times I do profess that I lie in the mire Whereas the holy Prophet is commanded to seal and to shut up the Vision we are not to take this simply as though there shall be a perpetual inclosure and an absolute concealment of the sense for ever but only that the disclosing is referred to the time of the end They that shall live neer upon the accomplishment of the Prophecie upon the borders of the glorious Church at the times of the Calling of the Jewes perhaps they shall see that which hath lain hid in the Scriptures for many Ages Though Daniel was to seal up the Vision for the time present yet in the latter dayes many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased vers 4. Object But if it shall be said That the great Question doth lie in this From what beginning are we to fetch this period of time or where is the date thereof Some place the beginning of these years in Antiochus Epiphanes some in the Abomination of the Desolation set up by Iulian the Apostate Sol. For the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation there is no question but that this is meant of the Calamity under the Romans for so our Saviour doth expound the meaning of the Prophecie And there is good reason wherefore we should rest in the Authority of such an interpreter As for the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation by Iulian the Apostate I marvel that such a judicious Interpreter as Mr Brightman should rest upon so groundless a conceit But as groundless as it is I find that many men are carried away with his Authority But first of all how was Iulian a taker away of the daily Sacrifice He rather countenanced the Jewes against the Christians Socrat. lib. 3. Secondly how
1290 dayes the time of the dispersion doth run from that begiâ—… 〈◊〉 We haâ—…e good reason to take this for an authentick 〈◊〉 because Danâ—…el in the 12 Chapter doth more largely repeâ—… 〈◊〉 Desolation by the Romans which he had more briefly 〈◊〉 chap. 9. We cannot be perswaded but that the Propâ—… 〈◊〉 last Vision went farther into the times than he did iâ—… 〈◊〉 going before at least he went as far For 〈◊〉 is expresly said concerning this last Vision that the time was long and for many dayes The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Mr Broughton doth well render it the Army-like-ordered time was great Piscator upon the place also doth well observe the same propriety of the phrase Vide â—…r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essâ—… Metaphora quod in tempore determinaâ—…o partes convenienti ordine à Deo sunt dispositae sicut Milites in exercitis Tâ—…e sâ—…emeth here to be a 〈◊〉 the parts in this determinâ—…te time are so disposed of Gâ—… Souldiers in an Army We may then safely conclude 〈◊〉 in this last Vision Daniel doth go many 〈◊〉 deep into the times and much deeper than he did in the former Visions And therefore we may necessarily affirm That he doth lead us far beyond the times of Christ. On the contrary If these times end with the Persecutionâ—… under Antiochus Epiphanes for so Mr Broughton and others will have it how is the time long and how doth the Lord speak of such notable events that should befal Daâ—…iel's People in the last and utmost Rere-ward of time The destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans was 230 years after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes And therefore the Vision of the 70 weeks if Mr Broughtons interpretation be good must go farther than this last Vision by such a Proportion and Number of years Now who can possibly believe this to be true that readeth the three last Chapters of the Prophecie Must the whole Narration of all the things there declared end at Antiochus his death Now then to gather all into one sum we may safely collect That Daniel in this Vision doth not only lead us to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans but he doth speak also how long the Jewes shall remain under that fatal Dispersion These things our Saviour the Apostle St. Paul Isaiah and Daniel all of them do speak First of the scattering of the Nation after the destruction of Ierusalem and of the time of their Dispersion till their Calling again If any shall then require me to make good the Chronologie of 1290 dayes and of 1335 dayes I must confess that I am here at a loss and it may be that they who shall come in the Rere-ward of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Army-like-ordered time shall see more Then perhaps many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased If I may to use the words of Mr Fox vent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Conjectures I should be willing to proceed in this manner First To speak of the time in a Latitude Secondly To speak of it more particularly If we speak of it in some Latitude and begin the 1290 daies at the destruction of Ierusalem this period of time will bring us precisely to the year of the Lord 1359 And here as Alstedius well observeth in his Chronologie cap. 6. the Saints did begin more vigorously to testifie against the Antichristian Idolatries And in very deed if we diligently observe the times with some subtilty of consideration we shall find That from the taking of Constantinople and the destruction of the Greek Empire in the East the Languages have been revived and the Witnesses of Truth have been more effectually raised up in the West and the light of the Gospel doth more and more encrease And it is very probable that these things will go on and never cease till the Kingdom of Christ be set up in its full glory and Monarchical power over Jews and Gentiles This I take to be the meaning of the Prophecie in the general accommodation thereof But for the more distinct and particular Application of the times this as I have said before I must leave to them that come after Now let us proceed to the words of Piscator in his Preface upon the Prophecie of Daniel Piscator The third Kingdom is not here rightly extended to the Successors of Alexander the Great so far at least as he is stated the first King of that Kingdom For though this is done chap. 8. vers 21. yet nevertheless that Prophecie differeth much from this For the Kingdom of the Greeks figured by the He-goat is there expresly Named and is divided into the Kingdom of Alexander who is resembled by the notable Horn which the He-goat had between his eyes and the Kingdom of his Successors So that this of Alexander is clearly to be distinguished as different from that of the Successors For it is said When that Horn was brâ—…ken four stood up for it or in the place of it and afterward those four are expresly called one Kingdom vers 23. Likewise it is spoken concerning the Kingdom of Alexander That it should be plucked up and that it should come to others and not to his Posterity Dan. 11. 4. Answer I do not deny but in some sense the Kingdom of Alexander may be distinct from that of his Successors But 〈◊〉 Whether in the present case it ouâ—…ht to be 〈◊〉 distinguished The Kingdoms of Media and Persia are two distinct Realms Dan. 8. yet both these make but one silver-Metal So the Kingdoms of Alexander and his Successors though they be distinguished yet in the Notion Relation and Distribution of the Kingdoms in the Image they make but one Brass-metal or one Empire typed by the third Beast with four Heads In this case every Metal signifieth a distinct Kingdom in the fulness thereof And therefore as the Golden-Head doth signifie the Babylonian-Kinâ—…dom and the Silver-Breast the Mede-Persian So the Brazen-Belly and Thighs do signifie the whole Graecian Empire And as in this Acception the distinct Kingdoms of Media and Persia do not make two but one Silver-metal So the Distinct Kingdoms of Alexander and his Successors do not make divers but one third Kingdom of Brass But yet further If we should ask how every Metal-Kingdom comes to be divided it must be in relation as each People cometh to have the sovereign Dominion over the Earth and therefore it is expresly said concerning the Kingdom of Christ That it shall not be left to other People chap. 2. 44. And in the end of the seventh Chapter v. 27. these words are recited The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High From whence we collect That the Monarchies are to be distinguished as the Dominion doth devolve and descend from one People to another till at last it cometh to the turn of the Saints of the most High
to be the Monarchical people This being laid as a ground we may say in the particuâ—…ar case alledged by Piscator That though the Kingdom of Alexander was plucked up by the Roots and the Kingdoms of his Successors were set up upon his ruines yet for all this there was no change of Dominion from People to People There was only a change from Alexander to his Successors still one Graecian People had the Empire over the Earth And to put all out of questiâ—…n That the Spirit doth principally point to the Flux and Passage of the Sovereignty from one People to another and thaâ—… in this case he doth not distinguish the Kingdom of Alexander from that of his Successors the ground which we have to buiâ—…d upon iâ—… The resemblance of the He-goat chap. 8. Now under this similitude the whole Graecian Empire both of Alexander and of his four Successors they are all comprehended together as they were formerly set forth under the Type of the Third Beast with four Heads Now whereas 〈◊〉 alledgeth That the He-goat is different from the Third Beast and that the Prophecie chap. 8. Habet rationem diversam a different way of Interpretation I Answer The He goat and the Third Beast are all one so farforth as both are Types of the same Empire under one and the same People And for the Partition of the Greek Kingdom between Alexander and his Successors this doth no more hinder the Type of that Kingdom by one Third Beast then it doth hinder the delineation by one He-goat But now to produce some Reasons that Alexander divided from his Successors cannot be the Third Kingdom Typed by the Brass-Metal or the Third Beast First All the Kingdoms were persecuting States such that did afflict the People of God But Alexander if you divide him from his Successors did not afflict the Church of the Jews neither were they Persecuted in all the times of his Empire Secondly The Metal-Kingdoms are so constituted that the latter are of a more hard and Tyrannical disposition against the Saints Now take Alexander in sensu diviso take him several from his Successors how was his Kingdom of more hard disposition against the Saints than was either Babylon or Persia going before His Monarchy was but for a few years and there was no Persecution of the People of the Jews in all his time Thirdly The Beast that came up our of the Sea after the Persian Bear is expresly said to have four Heads vers 6. Now take Alexander severally from his Successors what four Heads or what four Divisions were there in his Kingdom For in his time the Beast was so far from having four Heads that it had no Heads or Divisions at all Therefore we must necessarily conclude That the Third Beast doth represent and figâ—…re the Graecian Kingdom which in a famous revolution of State became divided into four Parts Now whereas the learned Interpreter doth distinguish the Kingdom of Alexander from the Dominion of his Successors I do yield this to be true For Alexander being broken off four Kingdoms did stand up out of that Nation But this is nothing to the purpose For these several Fractions and Divisions do not hinder the Unity of the Greek Monarchy If it had been the plot of the Spirit to make a Third Monarchy of Alexander and a Fourth of his Successors why doth he use the similitude of one He-goat for the representation of two Monarchies Why are two Empires set forth under one figure And whereas he strongly bindeth upon this That all Four Successors are expresly called One Kingdom vers 23. Saving the great Worth and Learning of the Author he is deceived in this Point For when it is said In the latter end of their Kingdom when transgressors are come to the full a King of fierce countenance shall stand up Now in these words In the latter end of their Kingdom this is not only meant of the Kingdom of the Four Successors contradistinct to the Kingdom of Alexander but the expression is concerning the whole Kingdom of the Greeks opposed to that of the Persians In the description of the He-goat Four Kingdoms are said to rise up out of that Nation and in the latter end of their Kingdom meaning the Greeks when that People shall have the Sovereignty over the Earth a King of fierce countenance shall arise Therefore we conclude That Alexander and his Successors together make but one Greek Empire under the similitude of one He-goat Now let us proceed Piscator By the Fourth Kingdom which was prefigured by the Ironthighs of the Image we must understand the Kingdom of the Successors of Alexander the Great This I have already cleared by comparing it with the Fourth Beast chap. 7. To which I now adde another evident collation of chap. 2. vers 43. with chap. 11. vers 6. concerning the Feet of the Image which pertain to the Fourth Kingdom Daniel speaking to Nebuchadnezzar thus saith Whereas thou sâ—…west the Iron mixed with miry Clay they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men but they shall not cleave one to the other even as Iron is not mixed with Clay Now this very same thing the Angel Gabriel doth declare concerning the Successors of Alexander to wit The Seleucidae and the Lagidae chap. 11. And in the end of the years they shall joyn themselves together for the King's Daughter of the South shall come to the King of the North to make an Agreement but she shall not retain the power of the Arm neither shall he stand nor his Arm. From hence it is manifest by the Fourth Kingdom Represented by the Feet of the Image this cannot be understood of the Roman Empire seeing it was diverse from that of the Graecians Answer The Character of the mixture of Marriages drawn from that collation between chap. 2. vers 43. and chap. 11. vers 6. This of all others seemeth to be the grand Argument But to say the truth and that upon tryal I here find that Interpreters do usually build upon Three notable False Principles First They take the Fourth Kingdom as divided in all time and therefore they look after the interchangable marriages of the Seleucidae and Lagidae to make up the Union But in this they erre For the Fourth Kingdom as long as it is in the Iron-Legs it is not diâ—…ided at all It is one intire Dominion and therefore needeth no Uniting by mixture of marriages The Division beginneth not till you come to the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay But let us hear the words themselves Aâ—…d the Fourth Kingdom shall be strong as Iron forasmuch as Iron breaketâ—… in pâ—…eces and subdueth all things and as Iron that breaketh all these shall it break in pieces and bruise So then the Fourth Kingdom so long as it is in the Iron-Legs is more strong than any going before There arose first a Kingdom of Gold in all fulness of powerâ—… anâ—… then afterwords a Kingdom of Silver and
a third 〈◊〉 Brass that should rule over all and then last of all a Kingdom of Iron which should break in pieces and suâ—…due all the former Metals But how is this verified in the Fourth Kingdom The strength and power of the Kingdom was chiefly in the Iron-Legs when it came to the Feet and Toes it then became divided and was partly strong and 〈◊〉 broken If we look narrowly to the words there is a description of the Fourth Kingdom in the 〈◊〉 â—…ate thereof First It iâ—… described as one intire Kingdom ruâ—…ing over all the Earth and so it was in the first times when it was in the Iron Legs Secondly It is described as a divided Kingdom into many parts and so it was in its last times in the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay If this be so How far doth Piscator and other Interpreters of his way depart from the Truth First They make the Fourth the mightiest Kingdom to consist meerly of the Fragments and broken pieces of Alexander's Dominion Secondly That which is more They make it a Kingdom broken and divided in all its times when it became divided in its last times only Thirdly They plead the mixture of Marriages between the Seleucâ—…dae and the Lagidae in the Iron-Legs of the Image and yet it standeth them upon to prove That the Fourth Kingdom was divided when it was in the Iron-Legs The Scripture saith no such thing but rather the contrary as long as it was in the Iron-Legs it was an absolute intire and undivided Kingdom And therefore where there is no division into pieces what need is there of mingling to make an Union Secondly They usually take it for granted That the Fourth Kingdom is divided into two parts and therefore they mainly insist upon the division between the Seleucidae and the Lagidae We yield that there is a division in the Feet and Toes of the Image but how is it proved That this is a division into Two parts only and no more The words of the text are these The Legs were of Iron and the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay The Chaldee hath it Out of those parts that wâ—…e of Iron and those parts that were of Clay The materials of the Feet were Iron and Clay of these the several parts of the Fourth Kingdom were tempered But how is it proved That the Kingdom was divided into Two parts only and no more They that build upon this as upon an undoubted Principle should first make it appear That it is so For where doth Daniel in his Exposition make mention of any such bipartite State How can this be proved from his words For thus it is in the text Whereas thou sawest the Feet and Toes part of Potters Clay and part of Iron the Kingdom shall be divided or as Iunius rendreth it Râ—…gna erunt diversâ—… There shall be diverse Kingdoms But how is it proved That the Kingdom is divided only into Two parts and that the diverse Kingdoms are only two and no more Let us refer that matter to that other description chap. 7. And is there any thing there spoken to prove the bipartite State of the Fourth Kingdom For if we must suppose That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae are the Two Iron-Legs or divisions of the Fourth Empire why is not this repeated again or somthing to this purpose in the seventh Chapter All agree in it That there is a description of one and the same Kingdom in both texts Now then in the seventh Chapter there is no mention made of this division only there it is said That Ten Kings or Kingdoms shall arise and another shall arise up after them Here it is plainly said what that Number of Kingdoms is into which the Fourth Empire shall be divided scil into Ten inferiour Realms These then are the parts of the Fourth Empire that shall mingle themselves with the seed of men in the latter times of that Dominion There is nothing spoken in the text conâ—…erning the bipartite State nothing concerning the Seleucidae and the Lagidae but that multiplicity of lesser States in the Feet and Toes of the Image are here defined and declared to be Ten in Number the proper Character and print-mark of the Roman Dominion Rev. 17. Object You will say That the two Legs of the Image do signifie the double state of the Fourth Kingdom and these are the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Sol This is but a Fancy as I have formerly proved for if you look to the Exposition of the text in Daniel's own words The Fourth Kingdom was so far from being bipartite that it was not at all partite or divided as long as it was in the Legs the division beginning only in the Feet and Toes But if any stand upon the Analogie and similitude That therefore the Kingdom must be divided into Two parts because there are two Legs in the Body of man I would here know also by the same method of Interpretation what is meant by the Knees the Ancles and other parts of the Legs Must we finde out a signification for all these The Kingdom of Babel is compared to an Head of Gold must we look then what is signified by the Eyes the Nose the Mouth the Beard the Lips and other parts of the Head and so apply several significations to the Babylonian Kingdom This were to trifle in a serious matter It is a good observation of Dr Willets That the Image is no Natural but a voluntary sign and therefore we are not to seek for a signification beyond the intent of the Type The intent of the Type by the Legs of the Image as by the lowest region and part of the Body of Man is to set forth the Fourth and last Monarchical Kingdom and the Fourth and last period of time We can prove no more by the similiâ—…ude than it will signifie and here it is plain That the Two Legs do signifie no more than the Two Thighs the Two Sides and these do not signifie the bipartite State of the Third Kingdom Thirdly They take it for a granted Truth That the twodivided State is the proper Character of the Graecian Kingdom and therefore they look to the Seleucidae or Lagidae as the immediate parts and divisions of that Empire But herein also they are greatly deceived For it is plain from chap. 8. That the Graecian is quadri-partite In a famous change of State that Empire became divided into Four Kingdoms The Goat is the Kingdom of Graecia the Four Horns are Four Kingdoms that shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of that Nation vers 22. And this is the reason wherefore the Third Beast is said to have Four Heads because of the quadri-partite Estate of that Empire From whence we collect That Piscator and other Interpreters that follow his judgement do erre from the Truth when they would have the Seleucidae and the Lagâ—…dae to be the two parts of the Greek Empire To speak properly Neither the
times must consume the Roman Kingdom in the Antichristian state thereof as it is cleer by the whole Book of the Revelation Object But whereas Piscator doth alledge That the Kingdom of Christ did begin to fill the whole Earth when the Gentiles far and neer were brought to the Faith by the Preachiâ—…g of the Apostles Sol. I do not Deny but that the Kingdom of Christ in the Apostles time did then begin to fill the Earth For the bounds of his Spiritual Kingdom were much enlarged by their travel But what is this to the purpose The text speaketh plainly of a Monarchical Kingdom of such a Kingdom opposed to the Four Monarchies that shall subdue and fill the whole Earth The Apostles Preached the Gospel among all Nations and by name Saint Paul filled all places from Ierusalem to Illyricum with the Gospel of Christ. Yet nevertheless for all this large spreading of the Gospel there was no destruction of the Roman Kingdom In those times the Romans continued their Power and Tyranny though the Gospel of Christ was Preached everywhere But when the stone shall become a Mountain and fill the whole Earth before this can be done the Stone must strike the Image upon the Feet and Toes thereof The Tyranny of the Roman Kingdom must be broken by the Power of the Gospel before the Kingdom of Christ can be set up in the Throne Now if we apply these things to the times we shall find that the Church was in perpetual conflict with the Empire of the Romans for 300 yearâ—… together in all the times of the Ten first Persecutions Now it is said of the Primitive Mareyrs That they overcame him to wit The Persecuting Empire by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12. 11. By the scope of the place it is clear That the Lord Christ by his Power and his Martyrs by their Sufferings both together did break the Tyranny of that Persecuting Empire It is said of them That they overcame him to wit the Dragon with Seven Heads and Ten Horns The Saints by their Sufferings did overcome him and so the Gospel was set up as the regent Law The Woman brought forth a Man-Child that should Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron This is meant of the Reign of Christ upon the Earth and there were some beginnings thereof in the times of Constantine the Great as appears by the scope of the text vers 9 10 11. Now whereas it came to pass afterwards That the Christian Empire was broken to pieces by the coming down of the barbarous Nations out of the North and Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire aforesaid Then also according to the Prophecies a New Persecuting Empire was Erected to try the Faith and Patience of the Saints This in the whole Prophecie is called The Antichristian Empire or The Roman Kingdom in the last Edition thereof Now this Kingdom also shall be broken in pieces by the Preaching of the eternal Gospel the Nations shall be undeceived and the Gospel shall be set up as the regent Law as it began to be set up in the times of Constantine the Great but was hiâ—…dered afterward But now it shall be far otherwise The Kingdom of Christ shall be so set up after the breaking in pieces of the Toes and Feet of the Image after the wearing out of the Antichristian Tyranny that he shall Reign 1000 years From all that hath been said it is clear That we must look after the Monarchical beginning of the Kingdom of Christ according to the Prophecies Of this we shall have some occasion to speak more largely afterward Now let us consider what is Alledged by Polanus Polanus The Scope of Daniel is To speak of those great Empires only that should stand up one after another till Christ in those Territories where the Babylonian began Now the Roman had nothing that the Babylonian had but only Syria and Egypt He had nothing that the Persian had more than the Babylonian but Asia the Less Therefore the Roman is not to be accounted one of the Four Empires Answer It is true that the Roman went no further Eastward than the River Euphrates neither did he possess many of those Eastern Countries which were formerly under the Babylonian and Persian Monarchies But what of all this It is enough for our purpose That he possessed all those Countries on this side Euphrates which were the Continent of the Church In the Churches Continent the Roman was the Successor of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires For look what Monarchy the Babylonian began over the People of the Jews the same was continued by the Romans when their time came to have the Monarchy over the Church If this be a truth we may quickly Answer the Objection of Dr Willet which is much to the same effect These are his words This Vision of an humane Image signified one united Body consisting of divers Kingdoms one succeeding another as the parts of the Body do joyn one to another the Beginning and Head of which was Babylon And then he addeth The Roman Monarchy being distant at least 1200 miles could not make one united Body with it Therefore that Monarchy cannot here fitly be understood By the same Reason he might Argue The Graecian Kingdom being distant many miles from the Babylonian and Persian therefore it cannot be compacted into the same Image of Persecuting Empires But this is not the Point which we are on For we are not to measure the Monarchies by the Longitude Latitude and Distance of place but by the same Succession of Monarchical Dominion over the Churches Territories In this sense the Roman may be placed in the same Image of Monarchical Empires as long as he did continue the same Sovereignty over the Church which the Babylonian began And therefore when the Scriptures do call the City of Rome by the Name of Babylon it is a very proper Expression for she did continue the same Tyranny over the Saints which the Babylonians began And it is clear also That the same Empire did Devolve and Descend upon the Romans in the Fourth Alteration and Change of State But let us proceed Polanus At the Coming of Christ the Kingdom represented by the Feet and Toes was ruined but so was not the Kingdom of the Romans which was not compleat till the time of Trajan Therefore the Roman is not the Fourth Kingdom Answer I have already touched this Point in my Answer to Piscator but because I see many Excellent Expositors build upon this Principle That the Kingdom of Christ Beginneth at the Dissolution of all Four Metal-Kingdoms and that this Dissolution was at his Incarnation Because they build strongly upon this we will bestow the more pains to enquire into the matter To the clearing of this let us look to that which the text naturally affordeth and then let us make Application From
the Second Chapter of Daniel we gather these Four Observations First Concerning the time of the Beginning of the Kingdom of Christ it must be in the latter times For though it is only said That in the dayes of these Kingdoms speaking indefinitely shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed yet in the scope of the Vision it is implyed to be in the times of the last Metal-Kingdom For according to the Order of the Vision Nebuchadnezzar first saw the Head of Gold then the Breast of Silver the Belly and Thighs of Brass the Legs of Iron the Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay And then after some consideration he saw a Stone cut out of the Mountain that smote the Image upon his Feet Therefore the Beginnings of the Kingdom of Christ were in the latter times when the Image was in its last and lowest Region At leastwise the eminent operation of Christ's Kingdom was upon the Feet and Toes of the Image Secondly We are to observe That the Kingdom of Christ was small in the beginning it was a little Stone cut out of the Mountain For look what difference there is betwixt a little Stone and a great Mountain so the same difference is betwixt the Kingdom of Christ when it began and that Kingdom when it self became a Mountain and filled the Earth Calvin upon the place speaketh very well Propheta admonet exordia Regni Christi fore contempta The Prophet doth well admonish us the beginnings of the Kingdom of Christ to be weak and contemptible Thirdly We are to Note also That the progress of this Kingdom was from small beginnings First it was a Stone cut out of the Mountain and then by degrees in time though the space of time is not expressed in the text it became a Mountain and filled the Earth Fourthly Concerning the means of the encrease how it came to that plentitude or fulness of Power It smote upon the Feet and Toes of the Image and so the Iron the Clay â—…he Brass the Silver the Gold were broken all together and the Stone became a Mountain and filled the Earth vers 34 35. These are the Four Observations drawn from the Second Chapter Now let us apply our selves to Polanus and other Interpreters of that way And here we agree That the Kingdom of Christ did in some sense begin at his Incarnation And this is one chief Argument to prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom because the Lord Christ came in the Flesh and his Gospel was Preached and many Churches were gathered when the Romans did bear rule But our Question is Whether did the Kingdom of Christ begin as the Fifth Monarchy as a Mountain that did fill the Earth In this sense he cannot be said to begin in that fulness and amplitude of power at the Incarnation For from the scope of the text it is plain That the Kingdom of Christ was small in the beginning Secondly That it grew by degrees Thirdly That the means of the encrease was by wearing out the Fourth Kingdom The Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes and so became a Mountain and filled the Earth If we apply this to the event The Kingdom of Christ began when the Romans did bear rule His Kingdom was small in the beginning but by degrees first by wearing out Rome Imperial and after that by wearing out Rome Papal this Kingdom of Christ shall come to the fulness of all Monarchical power over the whole Earth Now on the contrary Let us suppose That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae joyntly or the Seleucidae alone do make the Fourth Metal-Kingdom For so Iunius Broughton Piscator Polanus Hayne Willet and others will have it Upon their Grounds I Demand First How did the Kingdom of Christ begin in the times of the Four Metal-Kingdoms if the Seleucidae and the Lagidae do make the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Secondly Seeing the Kingdom of Christ did begin as a little Stone cut out of the Mountain How do they prove that this Kingdom did come to that small beginning in the times of the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Thirdly Seeing the Kingdom of Christ did encrease by decrees in the duration of the Metal-Kingdoms How did it encrease in the duration of the times of the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Fourthly Seeing the means of the encrease was by the wearing out of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet How did the Kingdom of Christ wear out the Dominions of the Seleucidae and Lagidae Were they not totally destroyed some years before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh by the means of the Romans All these things put together do weaken that Principle of the Dissolution of all the Four Metal-Kingdoms at the Coming of Christ in the Flesh and that the Kingdom of Christ did begin at the Incarnation in the fulness of Monarchical Power Now because Mr Hayne hath laboured very much in this Point we will take his Arguments into Consideration Mr Hayne When Herod Pilate and the Iewish Rulers rose up against Iesus Christ God set him to be his King on Mount Sion and gave him so Eminent a Kingdom that to it all Kings Iudges and People must submit or else be crushed with an Iron-Scepter But Herod Pilate and the Rulers of the Iews rose up against Iesus Christ 1500 years ago and more Therefore God set up Christ his Kiâ—…g on Mount Sion and gave him a Kingdom so Eminent 1500 years ago and more Answer For the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ 1500 years ago I yield that this is true according to the right meaning of the Scriptures But the great Question is Whether the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ when the Saints of the most High shall become the Monarchical People whether did that Kingdom begin 1500 years ago yea or no I do call that the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ to speak cleerly in the Point not when he hath a power in himself greater than any Earthly Dominion not when by the merit of his death and donation of his Father he beginneth to have right to all Earthly Kingdoms for this was given to him at his Ascension But by the Monarchical Kingdom I understand when the Lord Christ after the several and respective times of the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world according to the free Dispensation of his Father doth actually take into his Possession the Sovereignty over the Earth and that his Gospel cometh to be the regent Law over the Nations Now this Monarchical Kingdom I deny that it began 1500 years ago It is not fully begun as yet though we have some beginnings thereof by the Preaching of the eternal Gospel by Luther and those that follow The scope of the Spirit in the Revelation is to shew that this Kingdom must begin at the end of the Dominion of the Beast or the Roman Kingdom of the latest Edition But to come to particulars It is mentioned Rev.
Earthly Monarchies and Kingdoms Answer For the Kingdom of Christ I acknowledge that it is far above Earthly Monarchies in largeness of Dominion in greatness of Power in time of continuance Yet we do not vilifie and debase it by compaâ—…ing it with the Kingdoms of this world We see both in Daniel and in the Revelation That the Kingdom of Christ and the Monarchies are all Numbered together and are set one in Opposition against the other the Kingdom of Christ against the Governments of this world Further We have good Reason to Affirm That this Kingdom is not begun in that fulness and amplitude of Power as it shall have because the Lord Christ hath not yet Ruled Universally over the known parts of the Earth as Earthly Monarchs have done Mr Hayne That Christ hath not so Ruled the Reason is easily given Soloman who excelled in Abundance of all outward and royal Accoutrements found all to be vanity of vanities and vexation of Spirit Answer That Christ hath not so Ruled is because the time of such a manner of Ruling is not yet come to that fulness of Perfection as it shall have The Scriptures do everywhere speak of his Kingdom over Jews and Gentiles in the latter dayes and shall any imagine that there shall be no such Kingdom And though that of Solomon be rightly applied to the Kingdoms of this world that they be all vanity of vanities yet we must take heed that the same things be not spoken of the Kingdom of Christ. For the Nature of this Kingdom we desire that we may not be mistaken We do not plead for a Personal Reign nor a literal Resurrection of the Martyrs nor a confluence of all Sensual Delights as many have done That which we principally stand for is The Universal Subjection of the Nations to the Laws of the Gospel and the rest of the Church from such Persecutions as have been in all Antichristian times when the Governments of this world have been engaged to Afflict the Church For as formerly The Kings of the Earth being deceived did yield a Universal subjection to the Bishop of Rome and to the Laws made by his Authority So the times shall be when the spiritual Excellencies of the Gospel shall be discovered to the world then the Dominations Dignities States and Governments of the Earth shall willingly submit to the Laws of Christ Whole Nations shall come in in the time of the Gospel They that will call such a Kingdom vanity of vanities must needs call many Promises of the Scriptures Vanity of Vanities For many Promises are concerning the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles when that Nation of the Jews shall be called Secondly The Hallâ—…lujah that was sung to the Lord Christ at the burning of the Great Whore was in reference to this The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth chap. 19. vers 6. For as the Great Whore somtimes Reigned over the Nations when their Laws Statutes Customs Priviledges and all other things were made subject to the Authority of that Church So the Lord Christ shall Reign when the Nations shall willingly yield themselves up to be governed by his Scepter and shall live in subordination to the Laws of the Gospel Be it far therefore from any to think That the Hallelujah was sung to Christ in reference to his Monarchical Reign and such a Reign when all comes to all be but vanity of vanities But leaving this Point let us come to that which is more pertinent to our purpose to the Discourse concerning the Four Metal-Kingdoms and to the Parallel between the Ten-Horned Beast in Dan. 7 and the Ten-Horned Beast in the Book of the Revelation Mr Hayne The Beast Rev. 13. expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom to the Fourth Kingdom Dan. 7. Therefore it is not one and the same Roman Kingdom That the Beast Rev. 1â—… expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom I thus prove The Chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation having reference to some thing in the Old Testament express some New matter like the Old yet not the same with the Old But the Beast in the Revelation hath in the Figurative and Mystical terms thereof reference to the Old Testament namely to the Fourth Beast in the Propheâ—…ie of Daniel Therefore the Beast in the Revelation expresseth not the same but a like Kingdom to that in Daniel's Prophecie What I Affirm of the chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation is evident For Egypt Babylon the New Ierusalem the Wilderness Paradise Manna express new terms like 〈…〉 same Answer I can see no Reason but the Fourth Beast with Ten 〈◊〉 in the Prophecie of Daniel is one and the same in substance with the Ten-Horned Beast in the Revelation They are â—…et out by one and the same Character with the same circumstances and both Prophecies do pitch upon one and the same Roman Kingdom And what Mr Hayne doth Alledge to 〈◊〉 contrary in my Apprehension is not of such great moment For what if it happeneth many times That the 〈◊〉 mystical terms in the Revelation having reference to 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament express some New matter 〈◊〉 the Old yet not the same with the Old What if this be true in many particulars as in those aforenamed yet it dâ—…th not follow That it is true in every particular We can shew many Instances to the contrary That the same truth is literally and historically mentioned in both Prophecies First The Kingdom of Christ is described to be an everlasting Kingdom that shall not pass away Dan. 2. And is not this one and the same Numerical Kingdom with that which is mentioned in the Book of the Revelation concerning the Dominion of Christ that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last which is and which was and which is to come the Lord Almighty Secondly Muâ—…h is spoken iâ—… the Old Prophets concerning the future Glory of the Church of the Jews that shall be at the Call of that Nation and are not the same things Numerically and in terms repeated by Paul in Romans 11 and by Iohn in the Revelation But now let us come more particularly to enquire concerning the Ten-Horned Beast whether he be one and the same in both Prophecies for if Mr Hayne or other Interpreters of his way can make it appear That this Beast is the Seleucian Kingdom and the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings in a lineal Succession we will willingly yield the truth of that which he Affirms But on the contrary if we can make it appear and that by true Demonstration That the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom then we may conclude That one Kingdom is Identically Literally and Historically spoken of in both prophecies and that Iohn doth but more fully declare those things which were more fully decyphered in the prophecie of Daniel This is that which we shoot at to make it appear that both Daniel and Iohn do describe one and
the same time of the Roman Kingdom under the Type of a Beast with Ten Horns This being once explained the Doctrine of the Number 666 and other Apocalyptical Mysteries will begin to be made clear But seeing that Dr Willet in his Commentary upon Daniel and in his Appendix against Grasserus is somthing more copious in this matter we will therefore more diligently enquire Whether the Fourth Beast in Daniel be the Seleucian or the Roman Kingdom The Queries are of Three sorts The First From the Nature of the Fourth Beast The Second From the Ten Horns The Third From the description of the little Horn. The Queries from the Nature of the Fourth Beast are these Querie 1. How can the Seleucidae be the Fourth Kingdom upon the Earth under the Type of the Fourth Beast seeing they are one of the Four Heads of the Third Beast going before chap. 7. vers 6. chap. 8. vers 8 22. If they make one of the Four Heads with the rest of the Successors of Alexander they cannot be the Fourth Kingdom The Fourth Beast must necessarily be the Roman seeing the Third with Four Heads is the Graecian going before But Dr Willet thus replieth Alexander's Four Captains were at the first Regents under him and his Successor Aridaeus but they became the Fourth Beast when they erected the Kingdom to themselves If we put Alexander and his Successors together we can give a cleer Reason why the Third Beast may be said to have Four Heads because in the times of the Monarchy of the People of Greece that Nation became divided into Four Kingdoms as appeareth Dan. 8. 8 22. But if we take Alexander and his Successor Aridaeus asunder from the Four Successors I cannot see possibly how the Kingdom of Alexander in that abstract consideration may be said to have Four Heads or that it may be decyphered properly by such a character The Four Heads do signifie the Four Divisions of the Greek Monarchy and can this be a Character of Alexander's Kingdom which in it self considered had no Heads Parts or Divisions at all The Scriptures speak plainly That the Graecian was one intire Kingdom in him and after his eradication the Dominion began to be divided into Four parts Therefore his Successors quatenus Heads had no being at all in all the times of his Dominion Much less could they be the Characters of his Kingdom at whose only extirpation they were to begin as Heads of the Graecian State Besides it would be a great work to prove out of the Stories That the Kingdom of Alexander was Governed by Four principal Regents in his time And further If it could be made appear still this would be a great Question Whether in the Description of the Monarchies the Scripture would look to such inferiour Administrations Darius the King set over the Mede-Persian Kingdom 120 Princes Dan. 6. 1 2 3. and yet we do not reade that this Number of Regents is set forth as the special Character of that Monarchy We have a clear Reason in the Scriptures wherefore the Graecian State is figured by the Type of Four Heads scil in relation to the quadri-partite Division of Alexander's Kingdomâ—… after his death Therefore the Notion of the Four Regents of Alexander during his life time I take rather to be an evasion than a just Truth grounded upon the Prophecie or the civil Stories Querie 2. How can the Kingdom of the Seleucidae be the Fourth Kingdom upon the Earth that shall be different from the former and shall devour the whole Earth and tread it down and break it in pieces chap. 7. vers 23. How can this be applied to them The Seleucidae were far inferiour to the Kingdom of Alexander Four Kings or Kingdoms did arise out of him but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Strength chap. 8. vers 22. Further The Seleucians were far inferiour to the former Monarchies of Babel and Persia in greatness of Power and largeness of Dominion On the contrary If we apply the Fourth Beast to the Roman all the properties of that Beast will be verified iâ—… him First The admirable condition of the Fourth Beast above the former Secondly His multi-form and various shape Thirdly The greatness of terrour Fourthly The highest degree of strength Fifthly His Iron-Teeth and Brazen-Nayles Sixthly His Actions to devour and to break in pieces Seventhly The object of his Victory to subdue the whole Earth Eighthly The time of the continuance And so the Earth hath longer continued under the Dominion of the Romans than under any nay under aâ—…l the Metal-Kingdoms All these properties agree to the Roman and I cannot possibly see how they may be applicable to the Seleucian Kingdom But Dr Willet replieth That the Kingdom of the Seleucidae make the Fourth Beast not so much in respect of greater strength as in respect of greater cruelty and hardness of disposition against the People of God the Iews And therefore when it is said of this Kingdom That it did devour the whole Earth this is not simply the whole Earth but the whole Earth about the Confines of the Iewish Church If we should grant this Principle of cruel Disposition against the People of the Jews this would strongly prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom For the Jews suffered much from the Babylonians much from the Persians more from the Graecians yet most of all from the Romans They were under the Roman Tyranny for the space of 130 years together and then last of all the Nation and Church was destroyed by their means The Sufferings of the Jews under Antiochus were great but they were not to be compared with the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem Our Saviour himself doth testifie as much when he speaketh concerning the great calamity that should come by the Romans Luk. 21. vers 20 21 22 23. And this also is well observed by a certain nameless Writer in a Tract concerning Antichrist and the Four Monarchies For saith he Quamvis Antiochus graviter afflixit Iuâ—…aeos tamen ea afflictio ad tempus tantum duravit cum illa 〈◊〉 quae a Romanis facta est nequaquam conferenda Therefore if the greatest degree of Cruelty against the People of the Jews doth give denomination to the Fourth Beast the greatest Sufferings of the Jews have been under the Romans Secondly In the case of the Monarchies in the Chaldee Visions I see no reason why the Jews should be called The only People of God In Dan. 2. there is mention made of the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ and how that Kingdom should break the Metal-Kingdoms Now is this verified in the Nation of the Jews Do they only make the Kingdom of Christ Or have they been only used as Instruments to the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom Again It is mentioned That the little Horn did wear out the Saints of the most High till the Saints took the Kingdom Now what warrant is there to take them only for the Saints of
ask What and who are they after whom the little Horn shall arise Are they not the Ten Kings signified by the Ten Horns and is not then the litle Horn the Eleventh in the same succession Mr Mede in his Apost pag. 74. thinketh that the words do best run in this sense Out of this Kingdom ten Kings shall arise and another shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them as the 70 translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This plainly sheweth the rising of Ten Horns and the little Horn rose behind them in the order of time Thirdly Let us go to the scope of the words going before For Daniel would know the truth of the Fourth Beast and of the Ten Horns and of the little Horn that came up after them And the Angel's Answer is sutable to the Question The ten Horns are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall arise up after them and shall be diverse from the first vers 24. Now is not here a plain Antithesis or Opposition betwixt the Ten Horns and the little Horn that came up after Upon these grounds we may conclude That there are Eleven Horns mentioned in the text Now if these be Eleven Kings lineally succeeding why is the Beast called and set forth by the Character of Ten Horns Why is the most Tyrannical Prince left out of the Number But on the contrary If you take the Fourth Beast for the Roman Kingdom and the Ten Horns for the Ten Kings that shall arise in a famous change of State all things will agree For though the little Horn be more Tyrannical than any of the Ten yet it is not of that Edition of Horns from whence the Beast fetcheth his proper denomination In the Goat of Graeciae chap. 8. there are Six Horns in all First Alexander the great Horn Secondly His Successors Four notable Horns And then Thirdly Out of one of them Antiochus Epiphanes a little Horn. Yet we do not say That Six Horns but Four Heads and Four Horns are the proper Characters of the Graecian Kingdom For in a famous mutation of State that Monarchy became Divided into Four Realms So likewise though the little Horn scil the Papacie was more terrible than any of the Ten going before yet the Ten Horns give the denomination to the Beast because the Roman in a famous alteration of Government was parâ—…ed into Ten inferiour Dominions There is a delineation of the Roman by the same Character in the Book of the Revelation chap. 17. vers 12. Now whereas Dr Willet maketh the Question How ten Kings may arise out of one Kingdom at one time I Answer As well as Four Kings or Realms may arise out of one Graecian Kingdom at one time The Four Horns are Four Kings or Kingdoms which shall stand up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of that Nation chap. 8. vers 22. So the Ten Horns are Ten Kings that shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Regno out of that Fourth or Roman Kingdom chap. 7. vers 24. Querie 2. If the Ten Horns be Ten Kings in a lineal succession and the little Horn is one in the same row or order why doth the Spirit put such a difference between the one and the other According to the text there is a great distance between them they were of a former Edition this of a latter They came up together and were of the same kind this after some pause or interval of time came up after them was diverse from them before whom Three of the former were plucked up by the roots If you apply this to the row of Seleucian Kings I cannot see how this can be true either in the general or in the particular accommodation In the general it is not true for the Seleucian Kings Reigning one after another make but one Dynastie For though some of the Kings were more mighty than others and some more cruel against the Saints of the Jewish Church yet all make but one succession of Kings in the same Kingdom Now if you look to the text there is mention made of a double change or form of State the first is when the Ten Kings arose the second when the little Horn arose up after them which was diverse from them and subdued three of the former Kings and so became Great The scope of this Scripture is concerning the Division of the Fourth Kingdom into Ten Regencies or Divisions at one time and after some space of time it sheweth how the little Horn arose and subdued three of the former Realms We cannot see how this can be spoken so properly of Kings Reigning one after another in the same Policie or Government Neither is it true in the particular Accommodation for they that will have Antiochus Epiphanes to be the little Horn they have not yet cleared the Point First How Antiochus Epiphanes was the tenth Seleucian King Secondly How he was more Potent than his Father Antiochus Magnus or Seleucâ—… Nicanor Thirdly How he did pluck up three of the former Seleucian Kings by the roots Fourthly How he did wear out the Saints of the most High till the Saints did take the Kingdom which should be for ever and ever Fifthly How he did continue his Dominion and Persecution so long till the Beast was destroyed and his Body given to the burning fire All these Particulars have not yet been cleared in Antiochus Epiphanes Somthing hath been spoken in the Commentaries which I take rather to be Evasions than just Answers On the contrary if you take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom all things will agree For in a famous Revolution of Empire that Monarchy became divided into ten inferiour Realms as it is set forth by the rising of the Ten Horned Beast our of the Sea Rev. 13. 1. After this another rose out of the Earth This in Daniel is called the little Horn which is the Emblem and Type of the Papal Government Now to this last Edition of Roman State all the aforementioned particulars do agree First it is evident That this was more dreadful than any of the Horns going before Secondly That it did eradicate some of the former to have elbow-room in Italy Thirdly That it did wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time Fourthly That the wearing out of the Saints was till the Body of the Beast was cast into the burning fire and the Saints of the most High did begin to Reign with Christ chap. 19. vers 20. and chap. 20. vers 4. Querie 3. If the Ten Horns be Ten Kings and the little Horn the last King why is it said I considered the Horns and behold there came up amongst them another little Horn vers 8. If these be so many Kings in a lineal succession how could the little Horn that came last of all be said to come up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter ea among them to have Being and Existence with them We do willingly yield That Antiochus Epiphanes was one of the Seleucian
Kings and reigned in the same row with Antiochus Magnus and Antiochus Theos Yet we cannot say that he came to reign with them for when he began they had no Being at all This is true in all successions when he that cometh after beginneth to Reign then they that go before cease to be But it is otherwise spoken of the little Horn he came up among them to wit among the Ten Horns he broke three of them in pieces and for the residue they had their Existence and Being together at one and the same time You will say That this is but a similitude and similitudes are not to be pressed in every particular I Answer That Types and Similitudes used by the Holy Ghost ought to be pressed so far as he intendeth If therefore by ten Horns he did intend a lineal succession of Kings why did he not keep the same method which he used to do in the description of such Successions In the former verses he speaketh of the rising of Four Beasts out of the Sea the first like a Lyon the second like a Bear the third like a Leopard the fourth was diverse from the former All these are said to come up out of the Sea one after another by which it is clear That there are so many successions of Monarchy But when he cometh to describe the Ten Horns there is nothing to prove such a subalternation or succession of one Horn after another but rather the contrary The Ten Horns are Ten Kings that shall arise and after them a little Horn shall arise and so all shall exist together But when the Babylonian-Lyon rose up out of the Sea and after that the Persian-Bear and Graecian-Pard it is no where said That these Beasts did arise up inter se invicem and that they had an existence at one and the same time For this were to confound that order succession and subalternation of the Four Monarchies which the holy Spirit intendeth But Dr Willet doth make this Reply The Beast in the Revelation is called a Beast with seven Heads which signifie so many forms of Government in a lineal Succession So the Beast may be called a Beast with ten Horns to wit so many Kings succeeding one another Answer If he could shew as good Reason wherefore the ten Horns are ten Kings in a lineal succession as the seven Heads of the Beast are so many successive forms of Roman Government we would yield up the Cause For it is expresly said There are Seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come chap. 17. vers 10. Now there is not the least iota word or apex in Dan. 7. to prove such a succession but rather the contrary To me therefore it is very strange That the holy Spirit should depart from his usual method in Typical and Periodical Prophecies that he should speak of ten Kings lineally succeeding and yet leave no Character or Mark in the text to know the succession I may say It is not ordinary with him so to do Now take the ten Horns for the ten Kings of the Roman Empire it is clear That these had Existence with the Papacie or little Horn. The Angel thus speaketh concerning the ten Horns These have no Kingdom as yet but receive a Kingdom one hour with the Beast vers 12. Both Scriptures plainly shew That the ten Kings are of one and the same time though in order of succession the little Horn came up after the ten Querie 4. If the ten Horns be ten Kings and the little Horn be the tenth why is it said That only three of the former were plucked up by the roots This implyeth That there was no eradication of the residue of Horns but they had some being with the little Horn. You will say That only three were plucked up by the roots because the little Horn did actually subdue and humble three as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Well be it so still the Question is which three of the former ten were they that the little Horn did eradicate Dr Willet and other Interpreters of his way take it for a granted truth That he did pluck up Three Kings that Reigned immediately before But now do they prove this from the text The words are without any restriction or limitation He shall subdue three Kings vers 24. Before whom three of the first Horns were plucked up by the roots ver 8. Therefore to my understanding when the Scripture saith That the little Horn came up among the Ten and did subdue Three only this is to me an Argument That the residue of Horns were not brought in subjection but had an existence as Kings in the times of the little Horn. Secondly It is said of the little Horn that he shall be diverse from the first and shall subdue three Kings If you take the Three Kings for Three lineally Reigning how could the taking away of such a Number of Kings make the little Horn more powerful than the former In the corrupted State of the Ten Tribes we read somtimes That he that came after did take away the life of the Prince that went before yet this was never judged as a cause of greater power and strength to come to the Kingdom by such Usurpation 2 King 9. 3. Hos. 1. 4. On the contrary If you take the Ten Horns for Ten States or Realms into which the Fourth Monarchy became divided here will be a clear Reason why the little Horn became unlike to any of the former because he brought Three Kingdoms under his Dominion We read that Alexander's Dominion was plucked up by the roots and this was the cause of the greatness of the King of the South and the King of the North Dan. 11. 4 5 6. So in the present case the eradication of Three States or Dynasties before the little Horn is the cause of the greatness of his Dominion Thirdly Let us come to particulars what Three Kings were they whom Antiochus did subdue They say Ptolomaeus Philopater the King of Egypt Seleucus the Brother of Antiochus and Demetrius But it is mentioned Dâ—…n 11. 21. that he shall come peaceably into the Province Now what peaceable coming is this when he shall begin with the extirpation of Three Kings Again how can Ptolomaeus Philopater be one of the Ten Kings of the Seleucian line No Historian did ever reckon Ptolomaeus Philopater among the Seleucians And for his over-running of Syria this doth no more make him one of that Succession than Tamerlains over-running the Turkish Empire doth make him one of the Ottoman line Now on the contrary let us take the little Horn in that sense as the text naturally requireth all these difficulties will be avoided The Beast with Ten Horns is the Roman as divided into Ten lesser Kingdoms The little Horn is the Papacie Now to give elbow-room to this in Italy Three of the Ten Kings lately raised out of the Ruines of the Empire were all
plucked up by the roots By the conquering of which Three and by the voluntary resignation of the rest the little Horn became more stout than his fellows being made greater than they in a triple proportion Object But you will say Which are the three Kingdoms that the little Horn did subdue and how do you prove the truth of this out of the Stories Sol. The First is The Kingdom of the Goths in Italy For the Bishops of Rome were under the Dominion of these Kings they were sent as their Ambassadors and lived under the fear of continual Persecution and there was nothing in the Old Empire to keep back the Papal power in the growth and the increase thereof but there was the same impediment from these Gothish Kings Now it is clear in the Stories That this Government was wholly extinguished by the valiant Narses in the time of the Emperor Iustinian And for the means to procure it we may easily believe That the Bishop of Rome had some hand in the extirpation of these Kings that he might be freed from fear Secondly After the Ruine of the Gothish Kings the Exarchs of Ravenna had some Dominion in Italy Now when the Controversie grew hot between the Bishops of Rome and the Emperors of Constantinople about the matter of Images as Mornay well obserâ—…eth in his History of the Papacie Progress 27. the Popes then called in the Lombards against the Exarchs to the ruine of both Estates And for the Dukedom of Rome for so we must now call it the People of that City upon the Difference concerning Images in Churches being engaged with the Popes in Rebellion wholly shook off the yoke of the Emperor and took an Oath to be subject to the Pope in all Points And here saith Baronius An. 726 was an end of those Dukes and Governors which the Emperors were wont to send to Command in Rome and the Places adjoyning Sigonius also speaketh much to the same purpose That the Dukedom of Rome was translated from the Graecians to the Pope of Rome by reason of their wicked Heresie and Impiety But that which he calls Heresie is no other but Iconomachia or a standing against Image-worship Thirdly The Kingdom of the Lombards growing very Miâ—…hty by the Conquests over the Exarchs these also the Bishop of Rome did subdue humble and eradicate by a Forreign power For he brought in the French into Italy which did willingly hearken to the Motion By these several passages it is clear That the Papacy did destroy Three new-Erected States by means whereof the Temporal Dominion of that Church in Italy was much established And so according to the Story it is made clear That the little Horn did humble and subdue Three of the former Horns and did pluck them up by the roots Querie 5. If the Ten Horns signifie Ten Kings in a lineal Succession Why is it that in Daniel and the Revelation the Beasts their Heads and Horns usually signifie Realms and Dominions and not Persons individually Reigning The Mede-Persian Monarchy is Typed by a Ram and the two Horns are not two particular Kings but the two Kingdoms of Media and Persia Dan. 8. vers 24. So the Goat is the Graecian Monarchy and the Four Horns are Four Kingdoms that shall arise out of that Nation vers 22. Also the Ten Horns of the Beast in the Revelation do not signifie Ten particular Kings but so many Realms and Dominions of the Roman Kingdom Further The Beast which came out of the Earth with Two Horns Rev. 13. 11 signifieth the Papacie and the Two Horns his bi-partite Jurisdiction to wit His Spiritual and his Temporal Dominion There is good Reason to be rendred for this because Persons do change Governments do abide And it is the manner of the Spirit when he doth describe the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world by Beasts to decypher them by that which is Permanent and Characteristical and not by that which is fluent and changable at every turn To me therefore this is a good Reason considering the Analogie of both Prophecies that the Fourth Beast should be set forth by the Character of Ten Horns and that these Horns should signifie so many Realms and Dominions of the Fourth Kingdom Object But it will be objected in the description of the Graecian State under the similitude of an He-goat That Alexander is the Great Horn that came up and Antiochus Epiphanes is the little Horn. Therefore the Beasts and their Horns in Daniel and the Revelation do not alwayes signifie Tyrannical Empires Dynasties and Governments but somtimes denote particular Persons that Reign Sol. One Exception must not prejudice a general Rule He that can let him give another Example Our Position is built upon the general use of both Prophecies But Dr Willet and the Interpreterâ—… of that way do build only upon one particular Instance exempt from the ordinary Method Secondly We grant That in the description of the He-goat the first Horn is Alexander the Great and the little Horn is Antiochus Epiphanes yet in the Case we speak neither of these are any way to be ranked in the Number of Horns that do Characteristically and specifically distinguish the Graecian from the other Three Monarchies It is expresly said That a Third Beast câ—…me out of the Earth with Four Heads Now these are not such a Number of particular Kings but they are so many Realms States and Dominions that shall stand up â—…ut of that Nation as we have above proved and are the special Notes of that Kingdom If therefore the Ten Horns be the Characters and Badges of the Fourth Beast they are so many Realms Divisions and Regencies of the Fourth Empire The course of the Spirit is to set forth different Empires under different Types and to distinguish Kings or Kingdoms of one and the same time from those that come after one another in a lineal Descent Now they that hold the Ten Horns to be so many Kings in the Seleucian line what Letter or Syllable is in the text to prove such a succession Querie 6. Sixthly If the Ten Horns of the Fourth Beast be Ten Kings succeeding one another rather than one and the same Empire divided into Ten inferiour Realms why should the holy Spirit in the Iron-Metal chap. 2. speak so much of the Division of this Kingdom That in the Feet and Toes of the Image it should be divided into a plurality of States that these should mingle themselves with the seed of men to preserve an Union All this sheweth That the Fourth Kingdom toward the latter times should be divided into many lesser Dominions And if we may interpret one Scripture by another both speaking of one and the same matter the particular Number of Realms is represented by the Ten Horns Now they that will have Ten Horns to be Ten Kings lineally Reigning cannot infer from hence any Division of the Fourth Kingdom nor consequently the need of any mixture of State Kings Successively Reigning need no
mingling one with another to preserve the Union of a Kingdom On the contrary if we take the Ten Horns for Ten Kings or Kingdoms at one and the same time there is nothing more ordinary than to establish Leagues and Confederacies betwixt Kingdoms and States that are contemporary each with other For that which they Alledge concerning the Division betwixt the Seleucidae and the Lagidae we have spoken thereof already and therefore we will not repeate the same things again Let us now in the last place come to those Queries concerning the Collation of the little Horn mentioned Dan. 7. and that little Horn spoken of chap. 8. For they that differ from us stand much upon this That Antiochus Epiphanes is signified in both Scriptures under the same Emblem Here we agree with them in Two Points First That the Prophecie of Daniel doth repeat one and the same thing for the better understanding of the Visions But then there must be some good evidence from the text to prove the things repeated to be the same though the Expression is divers Now what good proof is there to make it appear that the little Horn chap. 7. and that little Horn chap. 8. are one and the same Secondly We agree That Antiochus Epiphanes the Graecian Antichrist doth resemble the Roman Antichrist in many things and that the one is the express Image and Type of the other In these particulars then they do agree and are parallel Antiochus the little Horn Dan. 8. The Papacie the little Horn Dan. 7. 1. Out of the Graecian Kingdom there came forth a little Horn vers 9. 1. After the Ten Kings a little Horn did arise out of the Fourth Kingdom vers 8. 2. He did destroy the Mighty the Holy People vers 24. 2. He shall wear out the Saints of the Most High vers 21 23. 3. He shall magnifie himself in his heart against the God of gods vers 25. 3. He shall speak great things against the Most High vers 25. 4. By him the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away vers 11. 4. He shall think to change Times and Laws and they shall be given into his hand vers 25. In these several Particulars it is manifest That the little Horn mentioned chap. 7. and chap. 8. do both agree But yet whosoever he is that diligently considers the Scriptures he shall finde them to differ in the most remarkable circumstances First They differ in the State or Government where they arose the little Horn chap. 8. rose out of one of the Four Divisions of the Graecian State but the little Horn chap. 7. arose out of the Kingdom Typed by the Fourth Beast which all our Arguments asorementioned prove to be the Roman Kingdom Secondly They differ in the preparation and moulding of the State before the rising of either of them For the little Horn chap. 8. arose out of one of the Four Divisions of the Greek Empire But the little Horn chap. 7. arose after the Division of the Roman Empire into Ten inferiour Realms Thirdly They differ in their Actions For the little Horn chap. 8. is only said to rise out of one of the Four Kingdoms of the Graecian Empire but the little Horn chap. 7. is said to arise after the Ten Kingdoms of the Roman Empire And that he did pluck up Three of the former Kingdoms by the roots This is cleer from the scope of the text Fourthly They differ in the object of their Tyranny For though the little Horn chap. 8. is said to destroy the Holy People vers 24. yet the whole scope of the text sheweth that only the People of the Jews are here intended Now for the little Horn chap. 7. he is said to wear out the Saints of the Most High but there is no circumstance in the text to prove that these are the People of the Jews There is not one word of taking away the daily Sacrifice or of the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation or of Daniel's People or the pleasant Land or any such passages which the Prophet useth when he speaketh of the Jews All that can be said is this That he shall change Laws and times But from hence we cannot infer That these must be the Laws and Times of the Jewish Church For the Apostle when he speaketh of the Great Antichrist doth use such an expression He shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess. 2. And yet he doth not mean the literal Temple in Ierusalem Fifthly They differ in the time of the Continuance of their Tyranny The little Horn chap. 8. shall prevail and the Sanctuary shall be troden down unto Evenings Mornings 2300 vers 14. Now for the little Horn chap. 7. he shall wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time till the Saints themselves take the Kingdom How this time and times and half a time should be all one with the 2300 Evenings Mornings I cannot discern If you apply this to the Roman Antichrist a time and times and half a time is the full sum of the Antichristian Tyranny Rev. 12. 14. Sixthly They differ in the Event For after the 2300 Evenings Mornings the Temple was cleansed vers 14. and after that the little Horn had finished his times he was broken without hand vers 25. All these things were truly fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes But if you apply the little Horn chap. 7. to Antiochus there can be no right accommodation First That little Horn did wear out the Saints till the Son of Man came in the clouds of Heaven but so did not Antiochus Epiphanes Secondly The little Horn did wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time till the Dominion under the whole Heaven was given to the Saints but so did not Antiochus Epiphanes Thirdly The little Horn shall continue till the time of the Destruction of the Fourth Beast But the Kingdom of the Seleucians ended not at Antiochus many of that line succeeded afterwards in the Kingdom And there was a good space of time from the death of Antiochus to the destruction of the Seleucian State by Pompey the Great But Dr Willet replieth Though the Kingdom was not utterly ruined yet the Glory of it was much abated at Antiochus his death By the like Reason I might argue That there was an end of the Babylonian Kingdom at the death of Nebuchadnezzar because the Glory of that Kingdom did afterwards abate in Evilmerodach I might argue also That the Graecian Kingdom ended in Alexander because the Kings that arose after him did not arise in his strength Others there are that do Alledge the words of the Eleventh Verse I beheld then because of the voyce of the great words which the little Horn spake I beheld even till the Beast was slain and his Body given to the burning fire From hence they gather That the little Horn was first broken off and when the Beast was Hornless and harmless then he was destroyed
Such a sense may be admitted For we read in the Scripture That the Davidical Kingdom should be destroyed for the sins of Manasseth King of Iudah 2 King 23. 26. yet the destruction was many years after his death Though such a sense may be admitted yet it will not stand in the present case for in this Chapter the little Horn is said to continue till the destruction of the Fourth Kingdom It is said in express terms in the 26 Verse That the Iudgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it to the time of the end Here I demand Whose Dominion is it that they shall take away Is it the Dominion of the Fourth Beast Hornless and harmless No This is immediately spoken of the little Horn that should wear out the Saints of the most High and should change Laws and Times a time and times and half a time Touching this little Horn it 's said That the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Kingdom They shall bereave him of his Dominion Therefore it is clear That the times of the little Horn shall continue to the end of the Beast's Kingdom and to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Saints And yet further Daniel did desire to know the truth of the Fourth Beast and of the Ten Horns of the little Horn that came up after them I beheld saith he and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them until the ancient of dayes came and judgement was given to the Saints of the most High the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom vers 22. From these words also it is manifest That the times of the little Horn do extend to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Saints Now how this should be verified in Antiochus Epiphanes it is not as yet made so clear to me But if you apply this to the Papacy all things will agree for it is manifest That the Two-Horned Beast in the Revelation must wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time Rev. 12. 14. Rev. 11. 7 8 9. Now when this time is once fulfilled the Beast and the false Prophet shall both of them be cast into the Lake of fire and the Reign of Christ and of his Saints shall begin upon the Earth Rev. 19. 20. Rev. 20. 1 2 3 4. But by the way because some stand for a Personal Reign of Christ at the end of the Fourth Kingdom because then the Son of Man is said to come in the clouds of Heaven I Answer That they have no Reason to take that strictly which we can prove from the Harmony of Scripture ought to be construed with some kind of Latitude These things are shewed to Daniel who saw afar off as joyned together and yet in experience they do not meet in the same juncture of time As for example A man that traveleth in Wales or some such-like hilly Country while he is yet at a long distance he may see the tops of two great Mountains as though they were near together yet when he cometh to look upon them with a more distinct view the one may be ten or twelve Miles beyond the other in the distance of place It is well known also That when the Apostles made mention of the coming of Antichrist they also spake of the end of the world 2 Thess. 2. What then shall we argue as many do That the Discovery of Antichrist will not be till the end of the world This cannot be We that live in these times may see more clearly That Antichrist hath been revealed many hundred years ago and the end of the world is not yet come If therefore a Reason be demanded why these two The Revelation of Antichrist and the End of the World are coupled together we may say That the Apostles who saw afar off spake of these things because they should happen in the last times though in the particularity of time the one might be before the other In like manner the Prophet Daniel who lived very remote from the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom from the glorious Kingdom of the Saints and from the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of Heaven to him all these things in the general and in the lump may be represented together when in a more distinct and particular consideration the one may be before the other The consuming of the Kingdom of Antichrist with the word of his mouth and the establishment of the Kingdom of the Saints may be before the Personal appearing of the Son of Man in the Clouds of Heaven But now it is not to our present purpose to meddle with this Difficulty That which we have to say is only concerning the Fourth Beast That either he must signifie the Seleucian or the Roman Kingdom But we have proved by many Arguments against Dr Willet and others That the Seleucian cannot here be meant Therefore we may safely conclude That the Fourth Beast with Ten Horns is the proper Embleme and Type of the Roman Kingdom From whence also we gather That Daniel in his Prophecie and Iohn in the Revelation so far as this Point is concerned do speak of one and the same matter And by the Interpretation of the one we may finde out the sense of the other Prophecie There is no Principle that can be more useful and demonstrative than this To discover the Truth by the Harmony of the Prophecies Now let us go to the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom and so let us see how there is a Chain of 666 years from that beginning to the Universal Headship of the Beast This shall be the Subject of the Chapter following CHAP. VI. That the Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom is not from the time of Julius or Augustus Caesar or from any other vulgar Beginning but precisely from that instant when the Church of God came under the Dominion of the Romans 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the going forth of the Decree That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all the Churches THere are in this Proposition Two Parts that need special Confirmation First That the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came under the Dominion of that People Secondly That from this beginning there is the space of 666 years to the Universal Headship For the Beginning of the Dominion of the Romans according to different Relations men may differently state the Epocha thereof But laying aside all other considerations we are to note in what sense Daniel doth begin it as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And here I stand upon it That we are principally to look to the state of the Church How the Church and the Continent adjoyning came under the Dominion of that People For the clearing of this we will also demonstrate two things First That the Beginning of
the latter dayes Dan. 10. 14. From all which we gather That the Monarchies are specially Numbred according to Church-relations And therefore the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came first under the Obedience of that People Let us now proceed to the Second Argument ARGUMENT II. Where the Graecian Kingdom Typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast made an end there did the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal and the Fourth Beast begin But at the overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom in Asia and at the Conquest of Judea the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast did make an end Therefore at the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom and at the Conquest of Judea the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal and the Fourth Beast began The Major is evident it being a ruled case in the Body of the Metal-Kingdoms That where the former ceaseth the latter doth begin All the Question is concerning the Assumption Whether the Graecian ended as the Third Metal-Kingdom at the destruction of the Seleucian Here I finde that Interpreters are greatly divided They agree in it That the Graecian is the Third Kingdom but they are divided about the particular time when that Empire ended For all the Successors of Alexander came not under the power of the Romans at one and the same time His Successors in Greece ended when Macedonia was made a Roman Province by Aemilius the Consul 166 years before the Birth of our Lord. His Successors the Seleucidae in Syria and Iudea ended when all that tract of Land was brought under the power of the Romans by the means of Pompey the Great this was done about 60 years before the Birth of our Lord. His Successors the Lagidae in Egypt were made a Roman Province by Augustus Caesar this was done 28 years before the Birth of the Lord. So then it is plain That all Alexander's Successors fell into the hands of the Romans yet all fell not under the Roman Obedience at one time The great Question is Where we shall set the Ending of the Graecian Kingdom as typed by the Third Beast and the Brass-Metal And this I say must needs be at the overthrow of the Seleucian 60 years before the Birth of the Lord. First In the Original distribution of Alexander's Kingdom Iudea is pleaded to belong to the Seleucian Polyb. lib. 5. And therefore the Seleucian is that Successor to whom the Title of the Monarchy doth principally appertain I do not Deny but the Lagidae somtimes made their Incursions into Iudea as may be seen Dan. 11. But in the Original Constitution of the Kingdom Iudea was allotted to the Seleucian And that which may strengthen our Argument if you reade Iosephus the Book of the Macchabees and such-like Stories you shall find That the Sufferings of the People of the Jews have been wholly in a manner from those Successors of Alexander that were of the Seleucian line And this to me is a great Reason wherefore the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal is rather to end at the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom Secondly At the Overthrow of the Successors of Alexander at several times the Fall of the Seleucian was only at that time when Iudea Ierusalem and all that Continent of Land fell under the Power of the Romans Mr Mede and some Historians do look principally when Greece the Head-Province was brought into subjection to the Romans by Aemilius the Consul they look here more specially to the ending of the Greek and beginning of the Roman Empire But at this very time Iudea was under the Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes and the true Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast in great vigor and sulness of strength For though in those times Greece their Native Country was taken away from the Graecians yet nevertheless that People had still the sovereign Dominion in and about the Borders of the Church And this continued for the space of 106 years till the time of Pompey the Great then the Selcucian Kingdom and together with it all the Lands of the Jewish Church fell under the Dominion of the State of Rome And that which may adde to the force of this Reason let us Consider First The limits of the Land of Promise Secondly The Governments that there should be erected For the limits of the Land of Promise the Seat of the Church for 2000 years these are the words of the Charter to Abraham Unto thy Seed have I given this Land from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates Gen. 15. 18 19 20. This was performed in the dayes of Ioshua who brought Israel into the Possession thereof Secondly For the Governments here erected The Scriptures do take notice that these Countries were under the Government of the Judges and then after that under the Kings of the Line of David to the times of the Captivity And then it was revealed to Nibuchadnâ—…zzar in the Image of Persecuting Empires what Succession of Tyrannies should be in and over those Countries For as somtimes the Kings of the Line of David did bear Rule in the Land of Promise so they continued the Government till the People of Babel got the Dominion So the People of Babel carried on the times of the Golden-Metal till the People of Media and Persia did take the Kingdom And after that the People of Media and Persia did continue the times of the Silver-Metal till they were subdued by the People of Greece under the Conduct of Alexander the Great And after the Victories of Alexander the People of Greece went on with the sovereign Dominion over all the Territories of the Church from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates till the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom by Pompey the Great And then all that tract of Land came under the Dominion of the People of Rome So then we may conclude As the Seleucian is the immediate Successor of Alexander in and over the Continent of the Church So where he ended as the Third Metal-Kingdom over the Church there the Roman did begin as the Fourth Object But some perhaps may Reason That the Lagidae the Successors of Alexander in Egypt were not made Subject to the Romans till the times of Augustus Sol. Grant this to be true That Augustus did extinguish the last Successor yet the Monarchy was taken from the People of Greece before when the Romans came into Asia and brought all those Eastern Countries about Iudea within the compass of their great Empire It is one thing for the People of Greece to have a Fragment of the Kingdom of Alexander remaining and another thing for that People to have the sovereign Dominion over the Continent of the Land of Promise And this they had till the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom by the Roman State But Helvicus in a little Treatise intituled Chronologia Universalis doth stiffly argue the Point That the Graecian Kingdom did not end as long
as the Lagidae one of the Successors of Alexander did remain These are his words Quatuor Regâ—…aunam Monarchiam constituunt non per se separatâ—…m considerata sed conjunctim hoc axioma mereri haud secus ac de mortuo Principe omnes Praefecti Conjunctim repraesentant Principem Adeo si pars Ditionis ab extero quodam avellatur illa non Praefecto sed toto Principatui decedat Ita Romani ereptâ Asiâ Occupatá Macedoniâ diminuêre quidem Monarchiam extinxisse vero ad se transtulisse dici non potuerant antequam ultimam partem Aegyptum subegerunt pag. 50. From which words of his it is clear That the Graecian Empire was diminished only at the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom and it was extinguished at that time only when the Lagidae were brought under the Power of the Romans But herein he is greatly deceived for if we must Affirm That each Metal-Kingdom doth continue as long as any Fragment thereof doth remain what shall we say by the meaning of this Scripture As for the rest of the Beasts their Dominion was taken away but their Lives were prolonged for a time Dan. 11. 12. This plainly sheweth That after the Imperial Dominion was taken away there might be some prolongation of life some inferiour Dominion as long as any Relique remaineth This is true in some sense after the death of Alexander the Great when his Kingdom was divided among his Successors there was some diminution of the Monarchy because these Successors did not stand up in his strength And yet for all this the Empire of that Nation did still abide And further when Aemilius the Consul subdued Perseus there was a greater defalcation yet nevertheless The Graecian Monarchy continued the most prevailing about the Borders of the Church But afterwards in the times of Pompey when those Eastern Countries were brought under the People of Rome then there was not only a diminishing but a plain abrogation of the Empire of the Graecians For then the Graecian did not only lose the Imperiality in a more general sense but the Imperiality here principally intended about the Borders of the Church And therefore where the Seleucian made an end there the Roman began Thirdly The Seleucian of the Four Successors of Alexander was the most prevailing and the most eminent Priâ—…ce Therefore at the Ruine of the Seleucian we do rather place the end of the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast That the Seleâ—…cian was the most notable of all Alexander's Successors we prove First From the Testimony of the Scriptures For it is expresly said That a Mighty King scil Alexander the Great shall stand up but when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken Dan. 11. 3 4 5. Now this came to pass after his death his Kingdom was divided to Four Successors the Kings of Syria Egypt Asia Greece For the Kingdom of Asia that â—…oon vanished and the Kingdom of Greece or Macedonia was very remote from the Confines of the Church All the description is limited to the Two Successors Syria and Egypt and of these Two that of Syria was the more Potent The King of the South meaning Egypt shall be strong and another of his Princes shall be stronger than he vers 5. that is The Seleucian Prince in Syria called the King of the North shall be stronger than the other Succesâ—…or And further Concerning the Seleucian it is added His Dominion shall be a great Dominion This plainly sheweth That the Seleucian is the most eminent and the most notable of all the Successors according to the Testimony of Scripture Secondly This is clear by the Testimony of Historians For the Stories of the times plainly shew That the Seleucidae did possess Syria Babylon and part of Asia and as some will have it they possessed all from Phrygia to the River of Indus Thirdly It may be confirmed by Reason for the Antigonidae in Asia that were one of the Four Successors were subdued by the Seleucian and therefore by the Addition of this the Seleucian must needs be the greater Dominion Fourthly Here is the Consent of Modern Expositors for Iunius Broughton Rolloc Piscator Wâ—…llet and other Interpreters of this way do pitch upon the Seleucian as the principal Successor I do not say That their Position in the particular Application is true but that which I stand upon is The ground of their Reasoning in a more general sense For if they Affirm the Seleucian to be the fourth Kingdom in their judgement there must be somthing more eminent and remarkable in that Potentate above all the rest of the Successors Wherefore else should they appropriate the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to him only Lastly We are to have special regard unto this rather than to any of the other Successors because whatsoever is spoken in the Prophecie of Daniel concerning the Graecian or the Third Metal-Kingdom is specially meant of the Seleucian Kings As for Ensample A great part of the description chap. 8. and chap. 11. is concerning Antiochus Epiphanes his rising greatness cruelty against the Saints and his polluting the Sanctuary Now out of which of the Four Successors did he spring Was not his Original out of the Seleucian stock And did he not Reign as a Seleucian King For the Angel speaking of the Fall of Alexander and the Rising of the Four Successors proceedeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and out of one of them came forth another little Horn. Now if you enquire which Successor was that One from whom Antiochus Epiphanes did spring Did he not arise out of the Seleucian Family By all that hath been said it is clear by the Testimony of Scriptures by the authority of Historians by the weight of Reason by the consent of Interpreters and by the sufferings of the Church That the Seleucian is the most eminent and notable Successor of Alexander Therefore we do conclude That we have more special Reason to end the Third Metal-Kingdom at the destruction of the Seleucian rather than at the destruction of any other successor If we must end at the the destruction of the Seleucian where he endeth the Roman must begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT III. When all things needful to the being of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom began first to be applicable to the Roman State at that instant of time did the Roman begin as the Fourth Kingdom But at the time of Pompey's Victory over the Seleucian and his reducing of the Territories of the Church all things needful to the being of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom began to be applicable to the Roman State Therefore at the time of Pompey's Victory over the Seleucian and his Reducing the Territories of the Church the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom For the Major none will Deny That the Roman did then begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when it did receive all things necessary to the being of that Kingdom Things do then begin when they receive
Story of the Gospel and particularly the entrance of Christ into his Ministery he hath these words In the fifteenth year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Governor of Iudea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene the Word of the Lord came to Iohn the Son of Zacharias in the Wilderness Luk. 3. 1 2 3. Here I demand What hath the Evangelist to do with the times of the Romans being a Government so alien to the affairs of the Church I Answer There be Two Reasons wherefore he Numbreth the times according to the Roman accompt The First is To shew the Truth of Daniel's Prophecie in the Image of Persecuting States For there it is expresly said That in the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. Now the Evangelist expoundeth this to be the Kingdom of Christ and that the Roman in particular is the Metal-Kingdom in whose times the Kingdom of Christ did begin And he doth leave it upon Record That the Lord Christ had a solemn Inauguration into his Office in that part of time when Tiberius was Emperor in the fifteenth year of his Reign when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Iudea c. Now if it be the scope of the Evangelist to shew That the Lord did begin his Office in Preaching the Gospel when the Romans did beaâ—… Rule there must be a particular instant of time also when all in Iudea fell under the Dominion of that People and that in the sense of the Gospel must be the Epocha or term of the Roman Kingdom Secondly The Evangelist doth so punctually Number the times according to the Roman Government because then Iudea where the Gospel began to be Preached was under the Command of the People of Rome And the Evangelist doth no more in the times of the New Testament than what the Prophets and ancient Writers had done in the times of the Old As for Ensample Those Prophets that lived in the times of the Kings of Iudah and Israel as Isaiah Ieremy Hosea dated their Prophecies from the Reign of those Kings And from that time that the Kings of the Line of David were taken away it was the use to reckon by the times of the Four Monarchical States So Daniel and Hezâ—…kiel who lived in the times of the Babylonian Empire do reckon their Visions by the times of the Babylonian Kings And after them Ezrah Nehemiah Haggie and Zachary who lived in the times of the Persian Monarchy dated their times by the Reigns of the Kings of Persia. And as for those Ecclesiastical Writers that lived in the times of the Graecian Kingdom as the Author of the Book of the Macchabees they accounted by the years of the Kingdom of the Greeks In like manner the Evangelists living in the times of the Romans date the Story of the Gospel by the Roman account In all which they do secretly imply That the Roman is the Fourth Metal-Kingdom and it began so to be when the Church of the Jews became subject to the People of Rome So long the Stories of the Church were Numerable by the Roman account But let us adde another Testimony out of the same Evangelist where he telleth us chap. 2. vers 2. A Decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed 〈◊〉 this taxing was first made when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria Now whereas he saith That all the world should be taxed this is meant only of the world under the Roman obedience And here we Affirm When Iudea and the Countries near Bordering became Members of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Roman world then did the Roman begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms The Evangelist being to speak of the Birth of the Kinâ—… of the Jews his special purpose is to shew how that particular Continent was under the sovereign Power of Augustus Caesar at that time Object 1. But here it may be Objected How could Augustus tax Iudea when it was under the Power of Herod the King Sol. This matter is solidly Disputed by the learned Spanhemius in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 2. pa. 157. The sum of that which he doth deliver cometh to this issue Though Herod was King he had not jus summum the supreme Dominion he had only jus subalternum a Right and a Power meerly by the courtesie of Augustus And therefore he citeth a passage out of Appianus That as Darius was the King of Pontus and Polemon of Cilicia so Herod was King of the Jews that is meerly by favour and courtesie Secondly He sheweth That there were often Appeals from Herod to the Romans and therefore he was compelled to pleÌ„ad for himself before Antonius at Laodicea and before Augustus after the Battel of Actium at Rhodes Many more Arguments he brought to prove that his Government was meerly Precatious and at the will of the Romans Now for that particular time when the Romans began to have the sovereignty over the People of the Jews this was at the times of Pompey the Great These are the Authors own words pag. 160 At a sane erat conditio populi Iudaici tempore Macchabaeorum qu indo à Iudâ Macchabaeo foedus primò cum Romanis initum ubi Iudaeâ—… vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi Romani rescripto Sena us ad Deâ—…ctrium à quo premebantur 1 Mac. 8. Sed quamâ—…rimum à Pompeio Magno subacti fuere societatis nomen in servitutem abâ—…r illi aequè ac aliae gentes dâ—…victae Romanis vectigales facti eorum imperio accessêre Ab eâ—… tempore Iudaeorum gens in Clientelâ Romanorum fuit à quâ—…bus Reges pro arbitrio instituebantur vel destituebantur tales quidem quibus precarium limitatum erat imperium à nutu eorum suspensum qui Romae rerum potâ—…ebantur In these words of his he doth plainly distinguish what the People of the Jews were before the Conquest of Judea by Pompey and what they were after Before the Conquest they were Friends Allies and Auxiliaries and after that their society was turned into servitude and as other Conquered Nations so the Jews were made Tributaries to the Empire From that time the Nation of the Jews was alwayes under the Dominion of the Romans by whom their Kings were either set up or plucked down at pleasure And for the manner of their Rule it was meerly limited hanging upon the good will of them that had the supreme Command at Rome Now if this be so I leave it to any man to judge when the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom According to these Principles he must needs begin at the times of Pompey when the Church was brought under the Power of the Romans Object 2. Why is it said That the taxing was when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria and not rather
received some hints of the Four Metals of Daniel's Image when he spake of the Golden Age under Saturn and of the Silver Age under Iupiter c. We must not think whatsoever is spoken by this Poet to be altogether a Fable That which he saith concerning Deucalion's Flood in many particulars it was a Fable of his own making yet in the general ground we all know that it is a Scripture-Truth that there was a Deluge to drown the world So he speaketh of the Gyants and of their heaping of Pelion upon Ossa we may conceive that in this he had some respect to the Gyants before the Flood and to the building of the Tower of Babel So in the present case when he spoke of the Four Ages of the world of the Golden the Silver the Brass and the Iron-Ages though in this matter to use the Apostles Expression he turned the Truth of God into a Lye yet in the ground it is true That the times of the Church are divided into Four Ages and these Ages are figured by so many Metals of the Image In after times they that lived in the Church and had the right Experience of things did expound the Babylonian to be the Head of Gold the Mede-Persian to be the Silver the Graecian to be the Brass and the Roman to be the Iron This is a true Exposition in the main but in some particulars they have gone too much after Ovid in his Metamorphosis It is true that the Babylonian Monarchy is represented by the Golden-Metal but it is a common Error in the Ancients and now generally among the Historians Chronologers and Writers to begin the Babylonian Monarchy at Ninus Upon the front of many Chronological Tables you shall find That Ninus is Pictured as the Founder of the Babylonian Cyrus of the Persian Alexander of the Graecian Iulius Caesar of the Roman Monarchy This distribution though it may take in a greater compass of time yet it doth not agree with the sense of the Holy Ghost in some chief Circumstances For the beginning of the Babylonian at Ninus Historians have taken this out of thâ—…ir own Heads and not out of the Word of God And from hence Bodin in his Method of History ch p. 7. hath taken occasion to Dispute against the Scriptures and to strike out the Truth because some have mingled their own Inventions with the Word of God He hath taken this Advantage upon the private Errors of some who have stood for the Truth in the main But the latter Expositors do decline this Error of Ninus and do pitch upon this That Nebuchadnezzar is the Head of Gold and that the Babylonian Kingdom doth begin from his Monarchy They find by Experience That the Scriptures do chiefly point to those several Empires that were to stand in fulness of Power one after another in those Countries where somtimes the Kings of the Lineage of David did bear Rule These are the most approved Interpreters which I so call because they go according to the minde of the Scriptures Now according to their grounds it followeth by necessary consequence That the Roman must begin as the Fourth Kingdom in the time of their Free-state when the Church and all the Countries adjoyning came under the Lordship and Dominion of the People of Rome And whereas in the Chronographical Tables Iulius Caesar is set forth as the Founder of the Roman Empire this is as false an imagination as that of Ninus First It is clear That every Metal-Kingdom did rise and encrease by the destruction of the Empire that went before Now what part or parcel of the Graecian Empire did Iulius Caesar bring under the Power of the Romans Secondly What part or parcel of the Nations about the Borders of the Church did he bring under the Roman Obedience If we speak in a Latitude Caesar did change the Free-state into the Government by One yet to speak accurately The Roman did not begin then as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom but in the times of Pompey when the Jewish Church came under the Obedience of that Nation And so our Argument is Founded upon the Principles of the best Expositors for the true beginning of the Roman Kingdom Now then to gather all into one sum we may conclude the Roman to begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came under the Dominion of that People This is demonstrated First By the Analogie of the Three former Metal-Kingdoms which did begin each one as the Church came under their Dominion Secondly By the end of the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal Where the Graecian endeth there the Roman beginneth Thirdly By that which is necessary to the Being of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom which began to be applicable to the Roman in the time aforementioned Fourthly By the Testimony of the Evangelist S. Luke which doth insinuate such a Beginning Fifthly By the Principles of the latter and most Approved Interpreters which being rightly laid do necessarily prove such a Beginning also Having thus laid the Foundation I should now proceed to the Building But there are some few Objections that yet remain to be Answered Object 1. Mr Mede standeth upon it That the Roman came up by the same degrees as the Graecian went down Therefore there can be no determinate and set time of the Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Sol. What he speaketh in his Apostacy of the latter-times concerning the gradual encrease of the greatness of the Romans we do yield to be a truth in the main But we here speak of the beginning of the Roman in a more strict sense in that acception as it is in the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And here as there was a determinate time of the beginning of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires So there must be a determinate beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Secondly Daniel saw in the Vision the Four Beasts come up out of the Sea one after another and the Fourth Beast last of all There must then be some determinate time of the beginning of the Fourth Empire Thirdly It is the plot of the Spirit by the Four Empires to decypher so many periods of time According to this Rule If there be no certain beginning of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom there will be a Chasme There will be some part of time which will be long to no Metal of the Image For as Mr Mede himself doth allow The Image doth comprehend Four great Revolutions of time to begin one after another in an orderly succession These are his own words Apost pag. 69. For the true account of the times in Scripture we must have recourse to that Secret Kalendar and Great Almanack of Prophecie The Four Kingdoms of Daniel which are a Prophetical Chronologie of times measured by the Succession of Four Principal Kingdoms from the beginning of the Captivity of Israel until the Mysterie of God should be finished A course of time during which the Church and the Nation of the Iews together
by the Persians and Daniel mourned for it full three weeks together the Angel to comfort him telleth him plainly Dan. 10. 20. I will return to fight with the Prince of Persia and then the King of Graecia shall come in The meaning of which words is this That the power of the Empire of the Persians should be overthrown by the Graecians and then he cometh to particulars to speak of the expedition of Xerxes into Greece how that the Fourth King of the Persians should raise up great multitudes of People against the Graecians These are the words of the text for speaking of Darius the Mede he saith In the first year of Darius the Mede I stood up to strengthen him chap. 11. vers 1. And then he addeth I will shew thee the truth behold there shall stand up three Kings in Persia to wit Cyrus Cambyses Darius And the Fourth meaning Xerxes shall be richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Graecia vers 2 3. If we will go to the true Reason wherefore the Graecians were so couragious at the Straits of Thermopylae and wherefore they did prevail against the Persians the true cause doth lie in these words I will fight against the Prince of Persia and then the Kingdom of Graecia shall come in It was the secret and invisible hand of the Lord that was the cause of the declining of the Power of the Persians in the East and the rising of the Graecian in the West It is true That the He-goat passed from West to East upon the face of the whole Earth and yet it is as true That the Ram of Persia did push to the three several Coasts Westward Northward and Southward chap. 8. vers 4. By these words it is plain If the Victories of the Graecians did pass from West to East then è converso it is as true That the Victories of the Persians did pass from East to West Let us hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah to put all out of question for speaking of Cyrus thus he saith I have called a ravenous Bird out of the East the man of my Counsel from a far Country chap. 46. 11. From hence it is plain When God will Conquerors shall come out of the East And in Allusion to this Story those Kings that shall deliver the Mystical Israel out of the Captivity of Western Babylon are called the Kings of the East in a Figure Rev. 16. 12. It is not in the Climate in the Hemisphere in the temper of the Heavens in the better exercise of Military Discipline in the experience of old Souldiers in the success of fortunate Generals or any other inferiour cause but in the immediate Dispensation of God Therefore to adde the words of the Psalmist as an Epiphonema Lift not up your Horn on high speak not with a stiff neck for promotion cometh not from the East not from the West but God is judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal. 75. 5 6 7. I have staid the longer upon this digression because I set that States-men Souldiers and others of deepest wisdom look to these subtilties Hereupon they trust in an Arm of Flesh oppose the Gospel perfecute the Saints bear themselves more high over those that are made subject to them Make no Conscience of Honesty Truth or Religion when they have the Law in their own hands They should as well look to the invisible and spiritual causes of the Changes of Empire to the Providence of God to the Revelations in the Word to the Angels fighting against the Kingdoms of this world to the power of the Saints Prayers that are offered upon the golden Altar There is nothing more divine nothing more spiritual and nothing more apt to carry up the Soul into an high contemplation of the manifold wisdom power truth and Fidelity of God then to behold in the Prophecie of Daniel and in the Book of the Revelation as in a Map the several Empires of the world where the Church should be seated their times their changes and their causes of the change and this many hundred years before these Empires come to be set up They that read the VVord together with the Stories of the times may see the Fidelity of God and may by this come to know him by the Name Iehovah But so much by the way touching the sudden growth of the Graecian Empire from VVest to East Now we come to the Romans and in the times of their Dominion they must also have the strength of Iron to subdue the whole Earth and break it in pieces And though great Nations and mighty Princes should rise against him as Pyrrhus Hannibal Perseus Iugurtha Sertorius Methridates Tigranes c. yet in their times the Romans must be too hard for them all and break them all in pieces And therefore when Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Cicero and others boast of the Roman Greatness it may be said to them as somtimes it was to Cyrus I have girded thee with strength though thou knowest not me Isa. 45. 1 2. This was the true though the invisible cause why the Romans grew so Great and their Dominion reached to the ends of the Earth But now it is high time to return from whence we have made a digression to shew when the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Some think it was when that Nation was the most prevailing Nation upon the Earth But this cannot be For in the times of Antiochus the Great but more specially in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes they were the more prevailing People yet they did not begin in those times as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image You will say then VVhere shall we set the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom I Answer In this case we must distinguish between the Latitude of the Roman Dominion more absolutely considered and the Latitude of the Dominion in and about the Borders of the Church If you speak of the Latitude of Dominion in a more absolute consideration then the Roman began as the more prevailing Dominion when it became more mighty than any other Empire of the world But if you speak in a more strict sense it began then to be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image when it did begin to take in the greatest Amplitude and largeness of Rule in and about the Confines of the Church And this is to our purpose Object 3. Others perhaps may Alledge That we cannot begin the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom when the Iewish Church came under the Dominion of that People For say they it is foretoll in the Prophecie of Jacob The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come Gen. 49. 10. Sol. I Answer We must so expound the meaning of one that it may not dash against the main sense of another Scripture Now it is the manifest scope of other Scriptures to shew That the Four
Monarchies must come to bear Rule over those Countries where the Kings of the Line of David had the power before And therefore it is mentioned That a Rod shall come out of the stock of Iesse and a Branch shall come out of his Roots Isa. 11. 1 2. A Lapide upon the place speaketh very well Christo enim nascente regia Davidis familia ad pauperes redacta When Christ was born the Kingly Family of David was brought very low To this accordeth the Prophet Daniel In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed chap. 2. vers 44. In these words he doth insinuate That when the Kingdom of Christ beginneth it shall be as it were a new-erected Kingdom raised up out of the rubbish To me therefore Baronius in his Apparatus seemeth to deliver a strange Exposition of this Prophecie For he speaketh to this effect That the Kingdom was specially foretold to the Tribe of Iudah above any other To which when that tribe had once attained in David by a long race of Kings it held out to the Captivity of Babylon And after the Captivity of Babylon where there was some intermission for a time the Empire recovered again in Zorobabel And then from him being derived it held in his Posterity without any absolute interruption to the second year of the 184 Olympiad when Calvin and Pollio were Consuls Then Herod an Idumaean a Gentile at the first and after that a Proselyte by the courtesie of the Romans took the Kingdom in Iudea and so the Government was translated from the Natives to a Forreigner This is the sum of that which is more largely delivered Where Three Errors are to be noted First That he maketh the Davidical-Kingdom to last to the times of Herod Which cannot be For the Kingdom was taken from the Kings of the Line of David by the Babylonians And by them it was transmitted to the Persians and Graecians And so last of all it came to the Romans in whose time Christ was Born Neither did Herod a Forreigner Reign any more by the courtesie and favour of the Romans than did Hyrcanus his immediate Predecessor A Second is this That he maketh the Scepter to continue in the time of Zorobabel which is not so For they that plead for an inferiour way of Rule in the High Priests the men of the Great Sanhedrâ—…m do not affirm That all these came of Zorobabel no nor of David neither Thirdly He erreth in this That he maketh the Scepter to depart from Iudah in the times of Herod for the Jews had some form of Government some Laws of their own which did continue to the destruction of Ierusalem When the Lord Christ had provided him a People amongst the Gentiles then Ierusalem was destroyed and the Jews were cast away according to the Prophecies Object You will say then What is the true meaning of Jacob's Prophecie Sol. This is the meaning thereof That there should be a Succession of Kings in the Line of David till the Captivity of Babylon And though the other Ten Tribes should be cast away yet that Tribe should remain And after the Captivity though the supreme Power should be taken away from them yet still among that People there should be a continuation of some Laws and forms of Government under the Persians Graecians and Romans till the coming of the Messiah When the Messiah shall be born he shall raise up the Tabernacle of David which hath fallen down he shall set up that Kingdom that never shall be destroyed And at the end he shall destroy all the Metal-Kingdoms and fill the Earth And so by consequence the Kingdom of David shall continue for ever This is the full sense and the meaning of Iacob's Prophecie Piscator in his Scholia upon this text doth confirm what we speak Gubernatio plena cujus princeps pars est potestas judiciorum capitalium adempta fuit Posteris Iudae per Pompeium qui Iudaeam in formam Provinciae redegit imperioque Romanorum subjecit Post quam gubernationis ademptionem paulò post natus est Christus sub Augusto Quod autem potestas illa Iudaeis per Romanos fuerit adempta fatentur ipsi Joh. 18. 31. Gubernatio vero imminuta ademptâ scilicet potestate Iudiciorum capitalium relictâ Potestate Iudiciorum civilium Religionis duravit usque ad tempus illud quo natus est Christus immo etiam quo patefactus est in orbo terrarum per praedicationem Apostolorum Quippe Iudaeos adhuc tempore passionis Christi habuisse potestatem aliquam judiciorum patet ex verbis Pilati ad illos In which words of his there is a plain distinction betwixt the Sovereign and Supreme Power and that which is subordinate For the Sovereign and Supreme power in Capital Crimes he faith this was taken away from the Jews by the means of Pompey the Great who first brought that Nation in subjection and made it Tributary to the Romans And so that speech of the Jews is to be expounded It is not in our power to put any man to death Joh. 18. 31. For the subordinate Power which he calls gubernationem imminutam a regulated or limited power in Civil Causes and in matters of Religion this saith he did continue to the destruction of Ierusalem And so those words are to be expounded Ye have a Law and judge ye him according to your Law Joh. 18. 31. By this then we may understand how Iudea may be made subject to the Romans before the coming of Christ and yet some form of Policy might continue among that People to make good the Prophecie of Iacob But if we must needs stand upon the words That the Scepter was taken away by the means of Pompey the Great this hath excellent ground in the Stories and it doth make exceedingly for our purpose For the ground in the Stories we shall finde That the Jews that were in Bondage first to the Babylonians secondly to the Persians thirdly to the Graecians that after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes they did assert their Liberty against the Graecians of the Seleucian Line And some Kings did Reign in Iudea of the stock of the Macchabees But after such time as Pompey the Great brought Iudea under the power of the Romans they never recovered their Liberty again Now then I leave it to any to judge Whether here is not the beginning of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image This we have confirmed by Reasons and have Answered such Objections as might be alledged to the contrary Now let us go to the second Point to shew the Order of the times that there is the space of 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And for the time we cannot easily be deceived because the words of Iosephus are so plain That this
Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches For the Calculation of the times I have shewed That there is a Chain of 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship aforesaid To the clearer probation of which I have largely insisted upon two Points First That the Roman is the Fourth Metal-Kingdom against Iunius and his followers Secondly That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom not from Iulius or Augustus Caesar but from that time when the Church came under the Dominion of that People Now from this beginning I do positively Affirm That there is a Chain of 666 years to the beginning of the Papacie set forth by the Type or Emblem of the little Horn Dan. 7. And this is the true Accommodation and Application of Daniel's Visions to the Stories of the Church And whereas Iohn in the Revelation speaketh of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth that the Number of the Name or Universal Headship of this Beast is 666 His meaning is That there are 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast He doth more fully repeat that which was more briefly delivered before And in these Calculations he doth but refer us to Daniel's Chronologie in the Image of persecuting States This is the whole process of the Discourse But before I come to the Point I will remove a mistake in some of our latter Commentaries which will have Mahomet or the Turk to be the little Horn. This is the Opinion of Grasserus and Mr Brightman I have been held with some kind of admiration to see two such worthy Expositors to leave the Common and plain way and to embrace a private Fancy of their own so contrary to the scope of the Scriptures and to the ordinary Reason of men But let us come to Argument First The little Horn and the Ten Horns in the text are set forth as the parts that do integrate and make up the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom But so do neither Mahomet nor the Turk as it is plain by experience For who can say That the Turk or Mahomet are any integral parts of the Roman Kingdom being every way so contrary and opposite having no union or conjunction at all Object 1. But it may be Replied The ten Kings that arose out of the Ruines of the old Empire are reckoned as Branches and Parts of the Roman Kingdom and yet they were the Princes by whom the Empire was destroyed Sol. To this I Reply The forenamed Interpreters may easily give an Answer to this Doubt out of the Revelation Though the Ten Kings did arise out of the Ruines of the Empire yet all of them afterward were united in one Roman Body of the last Edition but neither Mahomet nor the Turk ever came within this union or combination Object 2. But it may be further Alledged That the little Horn did subdue three of the former Horns and this rather agreeth to Mahomet and the Turk than to the Papacie whose part it is to preserve them Sol. Among the many Notes of the little Horn it is possible some few may be applicable to Mahomet and to the Turk but we should also consider the multitude and Evidence of those others that do utterly reject such an Application Now there are many Notes that cannot possibly agree with Mahomet or the Turk if we should come to singulars And for the eradication of Three Horns we have largely proved how the Papacie did humble Three Dominions to have elbow-room in Italy He did cast down some of the former and it is as true That he did preserve the union of the Residue to make a Roman Catholick Empire Secondly For the Blasphemies of the little Horn The Beast was destroyed and his Body given to the burning fire Now what Congruity or colour of Reason is there That the Roman Kingdom should be destroyed for the Blasphemies of Mahomet If you apply this to the Papacy this is fully verified in that which is spoken The Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and they both were cast into the Lake of fire Thirdly In all the times of the Roman Kingdom from the beginning to the end there was the greatest cruelty exercised against the Saints in the times of the little Horn. Now if you apply this to Mahomet and the Turk though they have made great waste in the Christian world yet the War hath not been formerly against the Saints as such neither hath their cruelty been the greatest that ever hath been But if we apply this to the Papacy here hath been a War against the Saints as Saints and here hath been the greatest Persecutions that ever were as appeareth by the whole Book of the Revelation Fourthly The little Horn is said to continue a time times and the dividing of time This will not agree to the duration of Mahomet for what place of Scripture doth once mention such a thing But it is plainly applied to the Papacy Rev. 12. 6. Rev. 13. 5. These and many more Reasons may be produced to prove That Mahomet cannot be resembled by the little Horn and the Reasons for the Affirmative are very weak and feeble On the contrary if you take the whole Body of the Chapter and the whole Bundle of Notes they will be wholly applied to the Bishop of Rome and strongly prove That the Papacy is the little Horn. Now I will try the truth of one Principle on which the forenamed Authors do build when they take Mahomet to be the little Horn. The chief Ground they build upon is this Because the Turk doth hold all those Countries in Asia which were formerly the Continent of the Iewish Church To this I have said before That so long as the Jews were the only People of God the delineation of the Four Metal-Kingdoms was in special reference to that Church But they being cast off the Metal-Kingdoms so much of them as doth remain doth more immediately concern the Churches of the Gentiles If Mahomet be the little Horn who were the Saints of the most High whom he did wear cut Will any man say That they were only the Saints of the Jewish Church Alas the Jews were a People cast away some hundreds of years before the Name of Mahomet was heard in the world and they do remain till this day a People not called again It may be more truly affirmed That the Metal-Kingdoms in Daniel's Image do not concern the Jews only nor the Gentiles only but both Jews and Gentiles in their several times For proof of this we will lay down some special Observations First In the Image of persecuting States it is not the purpose of God only to shew Four Revolutions of Empire but his more special intent is to shew the beginning of the Kingdom of his Son Secondly It is his purpose
of men that had persevered and held out for Christ against the Power and Headship of Antichrist in all the time of that Tribulation And yet as this matter is one it is branched into several Considerations First If you speak of the Papacy as a State or Government afflicting the Saints so it is called a Beast like to one of the Beasts in Daniel Secondly If you speak of the Universal Headship wherein the form and essence of the Kingdom doth consist this is the Name of the Beast Thirdly If you speak of that Universal Headship as a Representative of that Soveraign Majesty that was formerly lost in Rome Imperial and now repaired in Rome Papal this is the Image of the Beast Fourthly If you speak of the publick profession of this Universal Headship in the society of men this is the Mark of the Beast Fifthly If you speak of the time when this Universal Headship began visibly and remarkably to appear this is the Number of the Beast and more specially of his Name and Headship All these are so many distinct Apocalyptical Considerations which agree in one main Truth in the general And thus having spoken of the Law of the Beast in the three branches thereof we will now come to speak more briefly of the other particulars because they are more easie to be understood Secondly For the Law-maker the Power by and through which he caused all to receive the Mark this is a Spiritual Christ-like efficacy prevailing in the Consciences of men to make them subject to his Laws It is said of the Monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar that the most High God did give to him a Kingdome And for the Majesty that he gave him all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive Chap. 5. ver 18 19. So the Beast in the Revelation hath the same transcendent power he causeth all to receive a Mark whether rich or poor bond or free male or female he compelleth all to yield obedience as they sometimes did that were under the power of Nebuchadnezzar But here is the difference The power of Nebuchadnezzar was more external over the bodies of men this is more internal over their Mindes and Consciences and by consequence over their bodies also Secondly They thaâ—… were under the Jurisdiction of Nebuchadnezzar had they been left to their free choyce they would have been glad to have enjoyed their liberty but now for those that lived in subjection to the See of Rome for the most part the matter was far otherwise with them they would not be free if they might The Kings of the Earth divided in Interests and in many Civil respects all of them could agree in this one thing To give their Power to the Beast Rev. Ch. 17. They thought they could not be saved unless in all Realms there was a Universal subjection to this Headship given by Christ himself as they thought to Peter and his Successors And for the time of the publick Institution of this Universal Headship there were some preparations and previous workings towards the setting up of this Power but there was no publick Establishment thereof till the time of the Emperor Phocas Let us hear what Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments speaketh concerning this matter Pag. 108. Col. 2. But Rome saith he would not so soon lose the Supremacy once given as the giver lost his life For ever since from that day she hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by all force and policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whom by the words of Gregory we may call the Fore-runner of Antichrist For as Gregory brought in the style Servus Servorum So this Boniface brought into their heads first Volumus Mandamus Statuimus Praecipimus that is We Will and Command We Injoyn and Charge you The same is mentioned by Paraens in his Commentary upon the Revelation Chap. 6. ver 12. From whence I gather As the Bishops of Rome have had a Mandatory Power in and over the Church so this first began in the time of the Emperor Phocas in the Decree of the Universal Headship Thirdly Let us consider the persons who they are that are subject to his Power He commandeth all both small and great rich and poor to receive a Mark. The greatness of rich men cannot procure a toleration neither can the meanness of poor men exempt them by their poverty Bullinger upon the place speaketh very pithily We see saith he that Emperors Kings Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons Realms Countreys Cities Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Prelates Doctors Clerks and Lay men obey him And also men of the greatest Power Riches Wisdome together with the poor people There is no such Kingdome and so diversly compact in the whole world no not among the Mahometans And all these are willingly subject to the Seat yea they have perswaded themselves that they cannot well live and that they cannot be saved unless they be subject to the See of Rome So far Bullinger From hence we gather that the event doth fully answer the Prophecy for we see by experience how all the world hath worshipped the Beast and received his Mark. And whereas some to illude this truth have pleaded that the Popish Churches in France do not own the Pope for Head of the Church We will easily grant that they may not be so strictly obliged to the Popes Chair in some temporal respects yet it is too plain that his Authority is set up in their Consciences and that they are subject to his Laws Fourthly Let us consider the punishment to be inflicted upon those that have not the Mark in the Forehead and in the right-hand they are forbidden to buy or sell. Mr. Mede doth take this for Excommunication or casting out of Church-fellowship But rather the words signifie a cutting off from all civil commerce among men Yea if we compare the Scriptures we shall finde that it was present death for any man to refuse to have the Mark in the forehead and in the right-hand Therefore when Iohn saw the Souls of those that were beheaded for the Word of God and the testimony of Iesus that had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark Chap. 20. ver 4. he doth plainly shew that the beheading was for the Non-worship of the Beast and for the not receiving of the Mark We may conclude then when men are exempted from buâ—…ing and selling this is a Synecdoche By this one all other kindes of punishment whatsoever are understood And thus we have seen the matter of the Law the Law-maker the persons subject to the Law and the penalty upon all such as shall refuse subjection Let us now come to the several particulars which concern the right calculation of the Number First For the Person who it is that must make the discovery It is such a one as hath wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
question was to me how the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast should be 666 Here I mused and often pondered in my minde what is the manner and use of the Spirit in the Scriptures when he speaketh of the riâ—…ng of Governments and their Calculations by Number to discover their beginning And here I found as I believe every man shall do the like who will give himself to observation that the Prophetical Scriptures do very often reckon Governments either by the Number of years to the time of their rising or by the Number of years how long they shall continue Now I was sure that 666 could not be the time of the continuance of the Antichristian Kingdom seeing in the whole body of the Prophecy it is largely shewed That the Kingdom of the Beast must continue 1260 Prophetical days or years and that this time must commence from the rising of the ten-horned Beast out of the Sea or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Therefore Mr. Archer in his book of the Personal Reign is a very fabulous Writer in this as in many other particulars when he will needs have 666 to be the time of the continuance of the Beasts Kingdome All the circumstances of the Text plainly laid together do decypher this Kingdome à priori and therefore the Number must refer to the time of the beginning or the standing up of the Name or Headship But then the great 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 what time I should 〈◊〉 to Number In this caâ—…e I was helped by the practise of Chronologers For theâ—… when they have a Prophetical Number and do not know â—…rom what beginning to compute iâ—… aâ—…k how long it continueth and where it maketh an eno And if they be certain of these two they will finde out the third where it ought to begin It is a sure rule in this as in other kindes of learning By two known things you may come to discover a third unknown And sometimes it so cometh to pass that some diligence must be used before we can come to the knowledge of the two by and through which we may prove the third As for example We reade That the Prophet Ezekiel was to lye upon his left side 390 days which signifie so many years of the patience of God in bearing the iniquity of the house of Israel Again he was to turn and to lye upon his right side 40 days which signifie so many years of the patience of God in bearing the iniquity of the house of Iudah Ezek. 4. 4 5. Now for the application of the times the great Queâ—…ion is Where the 390 years begin and where they make an end and how long they do continue For the continuation there is no doubt to be made and for the time of the ending this must be at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldaeans For the time of the end though it is not set down in express terms yet it may be collected from the whole scope of the Text. For five years before the destruction of Ierusalem Ezekiel was to take a Tile and pourtray upon it the city Ierusalem and laâ—… sâ—…ge against it build a fort against it So then the scope of the whole Vision is to shew That after the 390 years of the patience of God are run out the time should come that the Chaldaeans should destroy both City and Temple In this Ezekiel was a sign to the home of Israel to foretel the destruction of the City and Temple five years before it came to pass Ezek. 1. 2. Upon these grounds Chronologers do reason in this manner If the 390 years do end at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldaeans they must necessarily begin at the Apostacy of Ieroboam For if you take the right vein of Chronologie in the Book of the Kings and number the times interchangably as each King of Iudah and each King of Israel began to reign and to carry on the whole series and order of years you shall find by induction of singulars That there will be an exact line of 390 years from the defection of Ieroboam to the destruction of Ierusalem aforesaid He that desires the particular account of the years and how it is exactly computed let him go to the Isagoge of Calvisius And of the certainty of the account the Chronologer thus speaketh Hunc igitur numerum annorum 390 ex annotatione Historiarum hujus temporis ab initio Ieroboami usque ad excidium Hierosolymae nos colligemus It a quidem ne conjecturas nos Lectori obâ—…rudamus neque etiam sacrae Scripturae vim faciamus Isag. Cap. 40. And in very deed his performance is answerable to the Promise for he doth exactly prove by induction of singulars and that from the words of Scripture That there are 390 years from the Apostacy of Ieroboam to the destruction of Ierusalem But now for the 40 years of the iniquity of the house of Iudah this matter is somewhat more dark But yet nevertheless Chronologers do reason in this wise If 40 years be the time of the patience of God in bearing the iniquities of the house of Iudah and those years must run compleat at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldees then it will follow according to the Scripture-Chronologie and the series of the times that they must necessarily commence from the 13 year of Iosiah Now if a question be made Why these years should begin from the 13 of Iosiah who was a reformer of the Church Though he was these times are to begin there because the Lord did then begin to strive with that people to bring them to Repentance by the Ministery of Ieremy These are the words of the Text From the thirteenth year of Iosiah the son of Ammon King of Iudah even unto this day that is the three and twentieth year the word of the Lord hath come unto me and I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking but ye have not hearkned And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the Prophets rising early and sending them but ye have not hearkened nor inclined your ear to hear Jer. 25. 3 4. From these words it is plain That the 40 years patience of God in bearing the iniquitie of the house of Iudah did begin from the Ministery of Ieremy and when these should run compleat then the Prophet â—…zekiel doth signifie That there shall be the destruction of Ierusalem From this and from some such like passages I was moved to take the like course I argued in this manner If 666 be such a Number of years and if this period of time also must end at the setting up of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas by necessary consequence I did conclude That this time must begin 60 years before the birth of the Lord. Consulting with Chronologers I found that this was much about that time when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome But here to me was the great difficulty
fitly applied to Rome Antichristian which is truly and properly called the Whore of Babylon in the figure But now a little to draw nearer to the Point When was it that the Whore did begin to ride the Beast and where shall we set the date of her Dominion For so the Angel doth expound the words The Waters where the Whore sitteth are Kindreds and People and Multitudes and Nations and Languages ver 17. Her sitting upon the Beast and upon many Waters doth not onely imply an ordinary sitting but a sitting in the way of Lordship Dominion and Supreme Command Such a kinde of sitting we must look after if we will truly know the time when the Whore began to ride the Beast And here I say at that time when the Bishop of Rome did begin to be the second Beast or Universal Head under the Emperor Phocas then at the same time did the Roman Church begin to be the Mother of all Churches or rather the Great Whore that rideth the Beast the Mother of all the Fornications and the Idolatries of the Earth Let us therefore more distinctly consider the times as the Angel doth give the true delineation of them And therefore speaking of the Ten Kings that should carry the Whore that should be wholly at her devotion he doth expresly speak of them They have no Kingdome as yet but receive a Kingdome as Kings one hour with the Beast ver 12. Therefore the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Kings must needs anticipate or go before the Jurisdiction and Dominion of the Great Whore And lest there should be any mistake in the time the Angel doth plainly shew That there must be eight Revolutions of State in the City of Rome and that seven of them must fall before the time cometh that the Whore shall ride the Beast These are his words There are seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goeth into Perdition ver 10 11. From whence it is manifest That the Ten Kings must arise and seven Forms of Government must fall in the City of Rome before the times of the Great Whore can begin But here is a hard question to be decided by the way How can the Beast be said to be the eighth King and yet one of the seven Heads I will the more willingly take it into Consideration because I have been heretofore much puzled with the question And I finde also that the very best and most approved Interpreters do not give a certain sound To let pass how far Brightman and Paraeus have gone aside in the matter Mr. Forbes makes the Kings and Heads of the Beast to be co incident terms but in this he is greatly mistaken For the Beast in the order of Kings is expreslâ—… said to be the eighth King and in the order of Heads he is onely one of the seventh Therefore we may certainly conclude That these are not equivalent terms but that necessarily some distinction must be made betwixt the Heads and the Kings Mr. Mede therefore keeps himself in doubtful terms for speaking of the seventh Change of State to wit The Christian Caesars he saith That this Potentate because he should be of short continuance shall seem to be Dynastes alius another Ruler sed revera non alius in deed and in truth not another So likewise concerning the Beast in which State he should carry the Whore This Beast saith he in respect of the Change of the Caesars seemeth to be the eighth but revera non nisi septimus in deed and in truth no other but the seventh In which words of his so far as I apprehend there are two passages which seem to me to differ from the scope of the Text For when he speaketh of the Change of the Caesareate from the Pagan to the Christian Caesars how can he call that of the Christian Caesars Dynasten quasi alium revera tamen non alium The words of the Text are plain Five are fallen one is to wit that of the Pagan Caesars when Iohn wrote the Revelation and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of the Christian Caesars is not yet come It is clear then that the Governments of the City of Rome are eight in all and not eight in appearance onely and the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in reality and truth and not another in shew onely as Mr. Mede will have it So likewise for the Beast it is strange that he should affirm him to be quasi octavum Dynasten as it were the eighth Potentate sed revera non nisi septimum but in deed and in truth no other but the seventh The words of the Text are express The Beast that was and is not he is octavus the eighth in reality and in truth and not the eighth in appearance only Therefore the Exposition of Mr. Mede doth contradict the words of the Text and the knot remains Upon much debate I finde that we must go another way to work and here we must distinguish the Roman Governments as they are simply so called from the Roman Governments as they are Heads of the Beast If you look upon the Roman Governments as so many Policies and Forms of Dominion then it is clear That there are eight Forms of Regency to wit The Kings the Consuls the Decemvirs the Dictators the Tribunes the Pagan Caesars the Christian Caesars and after all these seven cometh the Beast as octavus Dynastes the eighth Potentate Now on the other side if you reckon the Heads of the Beast there can be but seven Heads and therefore the Beast must needs be the particular seventh seeing the Christian Caesars from Constantine to Augustus cannot be called an Head of the Beast at all unless we will go against the scope of Scripture For it is not the manner of the Scripture to call Christian Governments by the Title of a Beast or the Head of a Beast This Character doth properly appertain to the Kingdomes and States of this World that persecute the Church and are contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom of Christ. Upon this account the Christian Caesars do indeed make a distinct Dynasty or Policy and yet are no part or Head of the Beast The words of the Text are clear for when the Spirit speaketh of the other that should come to wit the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Head but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another King which sheweth plainly That the Christian Casars are a distinct Form of Government but no Head of the Beast So likewise the Beast of the last edition is not termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth Head but he is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth King Touching the Kings it is spoken
of them Five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and the Beast that cometh out of the Bottomless Pit he is the eighth To satisfie the doubt we do pitch upon this sense that the Beast is both the eighth Dynasty and the seventh Head For if you reckon by the order of Kings the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars being included he must needs be the eighth But if you reckon by the Heads of the Beast which are Pagan and Idolatrous Forms of Government then that of the Christian Caesars must be Status exâ—…resimus or exemptilis a State exempted and put out of the Kalendar From whence it comes to pass That the Beast if you reckon him among the Kings his place is to be the eighth but yet among the Heads he is but the seventh And so these words The Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is one of the seventh are plain as I take it and the knot is untied But leaving this scruple I finde That all solid Interpreters do agree in the general sense of the Text to wit That the Antichristian times begin at the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings The words of the Angel are so clear for speaking of the Roman Dominion and the Ten Horns of that Beast he expresly saith These have no Kingdome as yet but shall receive a Kingdome one hour with the Beast which plainly sheweth That their times shall be when the Roman Dominion shall come to the last and Antichristian edition of State The fall of the old Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings is an infallible Character of the beginning of the Antichristian times And this no man can rationally deny that doth look upon the true scope of the Angels Interpretation But our question is concerning the times of the Great Whore when was it that she did begin to ride the Beast We cannot say That it was at that time when the Kings did rise out of the ruines of the Empire For then the Kings of the Earth did not dogmatically and conscientiously acknowledge the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches To the resolution of the case we will consider what Expositors do say to this purpose For in the 17th Chapter though there is mention made of the Beast with Ten Horns yet there is not the least word of the two-horned Beast Now the reason ordinarily given is very solid and it doth agree with the scope of the Scripture For it is plain That the description under the resemblance of a Beast with two Horns Chap. 13. is again repeated under the similitude and type of a Great Whore Chap. 17. Both Scriptures speak of one and the same matter in substance though in a different manner And if need should require we have many Arguments to prove the Parallel Now then in the present case seeing Iohn speaks of the City of Rome that in his days was the great City that ruled over the Kings of the Earth it is to our purpose to inquire when the Church came within the verge of the Dominion oâ—… that great City And here I say if we calculate the times aright and reckon 666 years from that time when that great City came to have Dominion over the Church we shall precisely come to that point and instant of time when the Church of Rome was made the Catholick and the General Mother of all other Churches The Church first came under the Dominion of the City of Rome and then 666 years after â—…hat Church her self was declared Universal Mother of all Churches And here then our Interpretation is one and the same in substance in both Scriptures And whereas the Woman hath this Inscription on her Forehead Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth The Name then on the Forehead of the Woman is not a Grammatical word consisting of Letters and Syllables but it signifieth her Universal Maternity or Motherhood when she began to be declared Universal Mother over all other Churches Now if you apply this to the times it came to pass in the 666th year from that time when the Church and the Territories of the Church came under the obedience of the City of Rome And this is the Number of her Maternity or general Motherhood or of the Name written in the Forehead of the Woman If we apply this to the two-horned Beast in the 13 Chapter his Name is no other but his Paternity or Universal Headship and the Number of his Name is no other but the Number of his Universal Headship from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome And so the sense of one Chapter is clear by the scope and drift of the other But we go on CHAP. X. A List of Fifteen Principles drawn from the main sense of the Prophecy concerning the Beast his Name Mark and Number by the Position of which the present Interpretation is established Also the several Expositions of Mr. Potter and other Writers are brought to Tryall FOr the more full proof of the Point we must take the same method to prove the truth of our Interpretation as Divines do when they would prove the Pope to be Anti-Christ They do infallibly determine him to be so because all the Properties of the Beast do punctually pitch upon that Seat or Succession So in the present case we may say That 666 is such a Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And this we take to be an infallible and undoubted Truth because all the Principles of the Prophecy do pitch and mainly centre upon such an Interpretation We can prove the truth thereof by the accumulation of Notes Wâ—… may further take in the words of the Jesuite Suarez for he himself well obserueth That it is not sufficient to decypher Antichrist by one two or three Notes but by the Concurrence of all the Properties that do appertain to him So I may say for a tight Exposition of the Name of the Beast and the Number thereof we must not rest in a few Circumstances for so many have been brought for the name Lateinos And M. Pâ—…tters Interpretation also seemeth to be very fair But this is that which I mainly stand upon That their several Interpretations will not agree with many Principles The same course then that we take to prove the Truth shall be to disprove their Error But now to the Principles in order Princ. 1. The Name of the Beast his Mark and Number do all agree to the Papall Tyranny by a special application This is proved from the whole scope of the Text. For the Beast is a Tyrannical Empire or Government and not onely so but also a Roman Tyrannical Empire in the last edition thereof Therefore these Characters are specially applicable to that Government and to the Hierarchy thereof and not to any other They erre therefore that seek after the Number in the
the other side I conceive That it is too high to call Hen. 8. or any other Supreme Magistrate an Head much more a good Head of the Church the eminency transcendency and sublimity of that Prerogative belonging to Christ alone Our Princes have used such a Title and in the sense of the Statute in a moderate way the people have ascribed it to them to wit a Spiritual Power Authority and Jurisdiction that ever have belonged to Kings and Princes which David Solomon the Kings of Iudah and Christian Emperours have ever exercised in their respective Dominions This no doubt hath been the sense of well-meaning men and so Mr. Bedel doth expound it in the forementioned place and pag. 56. But for my part being inlightned and better informed I pray God such Titles be no more used and let that passage Next under thee and thy Christ in all Causes Ecclesiastical in these His Majesties Dominions Supreme Head and Governour Let the exuberancy of such a Title pass among the iniquity of our holy things Our godly Friends have been offended at it our Enemies have insulted Experience hath shewed much danger in the use of it and the present Treatise I doubt not will shew what an evil thing it is to take away the Prerogative of Christ and to make other Heads of the Church in his room Of all men living the Erastians have greatest cause to look to this For let Princes be once told That there is no Church-Government in the Word of God and that they themselves are the sole Fountains of Church-Power By this means it will be effected That the Name and Power of Christ over his own Church will be plucked down and the Name and Headship of Princes will be onely set up In matters of this nature if you give an Inch men will take an Ell. Rather for acts past we should often think upon that expression of the Prophet I will pour upon the House of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look to him whom they have pierced Zach. 12. 10. Christ is not onely pierced in a literal sense when his body is run thorow with a Spear but he is pierced also when his Name and Headship is taken away from him and given to another So far as a whole Nation have been mediately or immediately directly or indirectly implicated and involved in such a sin so far I believe they ought to mourn If this be not done God perhaps may rebuke us when our Armies go forth against those that Worship the Beast and uphold his Name and Headship in enmity to the Government of Christ. Though not in the favour of the enemy yet we may be chastised for our own faults and the Lord may be provoked to appear against us When the Lamb went forth on his white Horse against the Beast and his Armies the Armies that followed were upon white Horses cloathed in fine linen white and clean Rev. 19. 14. Further also by the process of this Discourse information may be given to certain in these Times who being led by the meer shew and colour of some passages in the Prophesies do think it a part of their duty to level Magistracy abolish Laws and to turn all things up-side down in Church and Common-wealth Of such I may say That they mingle the precious Truths of God with Fables of their own commenting In the Metamorphosis of Ovid we reade of the Beginning of the World of the Chaos of the Giants heaping of Pelion upon Ossa of Deucalions Flood of the Four Ages of the Golden the Silver the Brazen and the Iron Age. These things are not all Fictions because they have some ground of truth in the Scripture neither are they all truths because they are mingled with Fictions of the invention of man Of the same kinde are some Authors who are for the Fifth Monarchy they think that the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ will be the Dissolution of all Earthly Kingdomes But by the purport and whole drift of the present Discourse they may understand That the Kingdome of Christ is not contrary to Governments Powers and Authorities purely as such but onely to Governments as Idolatrous as Tyrannical as contrary to the Laws of Christ and of his Church In the Prophecy of Daniel the Empire of Babel is resembled to a Lyon of Persia to a Bear of Greece to a Leopard of Rome to a Beast of divers shapes All these Monarchies erected and set up on the ruines of the Davidical Kingdome are parallell'd to so many Beasts Buâ—… to what Beast shall we resemble in its right constitution the Davidical Kingdome it self In the Book of the Revelation the Angel doth expresly say That there were eight Kings and yet the Beast had but seven Heads Chap. 17. How can this be I have fully proved That the Dynasty Race and Succession of the Christian Caesars do make the seventh Roman King but no Head of the Beast Therefore the Mediatoriâ—…n Kingdom of Christ is not contrary to Governments as such neither is nor ever shall be built upon the ruines of Governments as Governments but upon the ruines of Governments onely as Tyrannical and opposite to the Laws of the Gospel There is no such cause then why solid and judicious men in these dayes should set aside this kinde of Learning which is so much for the Credit Authority of the Christian Magistrate And for the Government of the Church in some Points if I am not mistaken there is in this Prophecy as strong if not stronger proof then in any other Book of the New Testament As for Example Though Bishops are put down the Service-Book taken away the Ordination of Ministers brought neerer the Rule all this being done men are not pleased What is the cause of the Difference The difficulty lies in the Church-state Robinson and others of that way do plead That we have no Example for a National Church in the New Testament and the bringing in of whole Nations by the power of the Magistrate this is the principal Rock of Offence I confess it is true that we have no Example of a National Church in the Apostles time For how could all Nations come in at that particular instant when the greater part of them did still remain in their Idolatries and the Emperors themselves were the greatest Enemies of the Church Now if we apply our selves to the Book of the Revelation we shall plainly see how the Spirit doth foretel That after the Preaching of the Gospel the Church should fall under grievous Persecutions in all the times of the Pagan Caesars when that time is ended the Empire it self shall become Christian. What else should be the meaning of that expression Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. 10. This doth note no other but the setting up of the Gospel in the Throne in the times of