see the day of Israels redemption which therefore they shall wait upon God for Both these are expressed Isa 60.9 Surely the Isles shall wait for me Thirdly They shall be such who shall be very considerable and strong in shipping having multitudes of ships at their command as this in the following words and the ships of Tarshish first Tarshish was a place very considerable for Navigation and Shipping in time of old for which reason the Scripture never speaks of great ships strong ships or multitude of ships but they are called by the name of the Ships of Tarshish 2 Chron. 9.21 Psal 48.7 Isa 2.16 Ezek. 27.25 Now this people dwelling in the Isles and so strong in shipping shall be the first that shall put their hands to this work The Isles shall wait for me and the ships of Tarshish first to bring thy Sons from far and thy Daughters from the ends of the earth Fourthly What if I say they shall be a people under a State Government for such a kind of Government of old had the Philistims the power of Government among them residing not in one man but in many which in Scripture are called the Lords of the Philistims Now this people who shall assist the Jews at this day are Isa 11.14 likened to the Philistims of old they shall flye upon the shoulders of the Philistims how not in qualities or conditions for the Philistims were ever enemies to Israel and these are friends but rather in the form of their Government the Philistims were governed by a State so shall these These are the characters let the Reader refuse or apply them as he pleaseth Now because the thing aimed at in pouring forth this Vial concerns the Jews more especially and their Restauration as hath appeared in our Discourse hitherto and because the thoughts of good men are various and their notions and conceptions very different in the point of the Jews first stirring some conceiving the same to be upon a Civil account only to recover their Country and their conversion to be some years after Others judging that they shall at the first be converted to the faith of the Gospel and their stirring to arise from that the right understanding of which mystery is a thing of such importance either opinion having seemingly much footing in the Prophecies of the Old Testament as that without some further light then as yet I have seen the Prophecies relating to this people and the time of their return cannot be brought to a joynt concurrence and harmony one with another I shall therefore not boasting of any light that I have above others having reason enough to be otherwise minded but as one willing with others to seek after and if it may be to find the truth offer here in the close of this Discourse and that in as few words as I can my own present thoughts concerning the thing which are That the first stirring or moving of this people shall be as I conceive from some notable work of God upon the hearts of some who shall at this day be Principal ones or Leaders amongst them working in them a sincere earnest and longing desire to find the Lord their God Hereupon arising themselves and stirring up others to arise with them now to go unto Sion unto the Lord their God which we have Jer. 31.6 For there shall be a day that the Watchmen upon the Mount of Ephraim who was head of the ten Tribes for which reason the Restauration here spoken of must be their last which is yet to come shall say Arise yee and let us go up to Sion unto the Lord our God and vers 9. wee have the manner of their coming They shall come with weeping and with supplication will I lead them Qualifications not proper to such persons who move only upon a Civil account and for worldly ends So Chap. 50.4 5. speaking of the frame they shall be in whilst as yet they are but upon the way In those dayes and at that time saith the Lord if the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping They shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Which Text was not fulfilled in the return from Babylon when Judah only not Israel and Judah together did return but manifestly looks to their last Restauration so Isa 51.11 we have a contrary affection arguing the inward joy and delight they shall have in this journey from considering whither and about what they are going viz. to Sion to seek their Lord The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads So Hos 3.5 they go seeking the Lord Afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and they shall fear the Lord and his goodness When in the latter dayes Chap. 1.10 11. at their beginning to stir before yet they are come forth the place of their captivity shall be called the children of the living God It shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall it be said unto them ye are the Sons of the living God Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the land for great shall be the day of Jezreel Now those amongst them who from such an inward desire and principle shall move themselves and put others upon it shall be as I conceive persons under a state of true conversion to God being now delivered from the curse before they lay under and that hardness which before was upon them though the particular Revelation of Christ as come in the fiesh shall not as yet be manifested to them but with a strong breathing after the Lord and a general faith in the Messiah whom they shall truly beleeve in look for but as to come they shall now go seeking after the Lord and David or Christ their King and this faith of theirs though for want of New-Testament light it be not a New-Testament faith i.e. a faith in Christ as come already yet shall the same be true faith though running in the Old Testament way they having yet no higher light for such was the faith of Gods people of old before Christ came a looking to the Messiah which was to come acknowledging their salvation to be only from him and earnestly breathing and longing after the day of his appearance And these persons who shall have already this true saving work begun in them shall by converse with and beholding the holiness grace and love of those Gentile Christians who shall be instruments to help them in their land have a farther work wrought in
But I say now they shall want this courage choosing rather cowardly to lye down though stript of Liberty and Religion both as men quite bereaved of spirit and life then boldly as did their famous Predecessors stand up for Christ and protest against the Beast And such a day as this is by far a worse day then to see Saints killed with the sword for whilst it is thus with them they are honouring their Lord and Master by bearing testimony though with their bloods but now they are shaming of him yea Religion it self by deserting their Colours And the Reasons why I conceive of the thing after this manner are 1 Because they cannot in any other way be said to lye dead as witnesses which must be because otherwise as I have said there is no distinction at all betwixt their Prophecying and their Killing 2 Because their resurrection at the end of the three dayes and a half is by a spirit of life from God entring into them vers 11. i.e. a spirit of courage and boldness now to stand up for Christ and Protest against the Beast put into them by God which before was wanting Therefore I say the death here spoken of is not a corporal but another manner of death and the wee of the day shall lye more in being forsaken of God within this time then in being tormented or martyred by man SECT VIII THe place in which the Witnesses lye dead is not the whole Papal Kingdom but some particular Nation or some one of the ten Horns The Reasons are 1 Because as our German Author in his Cl. p. 73. hath well observed they are said to lye dead not in the streets of the Great City in the plural number but in the street in the singular Rev. 11.8 And their dead bodies shall lye in the street 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Great City Noting that their killing shall be in one street not in all the Papal Kingdom 2 Because upon their resurrection the whole City i.e. all the Papal Kingdom is not overthrown but only a tenth part vers 13 And the same hour the tenth part of the City fell Now observe There where the witnesses lye dead three dayes and a half there this time expired they arise where they rise in that place doth the Papal power fall before them upon their rise or otherwise they could not rise for that power would keep them down so that look how far we extend the killing and rising again of the witnesses so far must we extend the ruine of the Papal power and that in the very same hour they rise But now the Great City or Papal power is not wholly destroyed upon the witnesses rise but a tenth part only falls therefore the rise of the witnesses and so consequently their lying dead which goeth before it is not to be looked for all over the Papal Kingdom but in a tenth part only Or thus we are not to conceive that all the witnesses Christ hath within any of the ten Horns shall at this time lye dead But Christs witnesses only in one of the ten Horns the death of a part being here put for the death of the whole and well may it considering how remarkable this death shall be for the nature of it It would therefore be inquired into seeing that this is to be but in one tenth part what part or place that is Answ I have in my Discourse upon the Vials Vial 4. affirmed the place to be Germany and I may truly say that what I then affirmed more doubtfully I am by looking more intently upon this subject of the witnesses much perswaded of and confirmed in One reason which swayes with me is because the Holy Ghost seems to speak of the place by way of eminency as being the most noted place of the whole Papal Kingdom vers 8. The street of the great City i.e. the noted street the Market-street or as I may say the Thorow-fare so vers 10. The tenth part of the City fell the Original reads the words with an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That tenth part of the City i.e. the most eminent noted part of all the Ten. Now the place being spoken of by way of eminency it must be understood either in relation to the witnesses or the Beast that kills them that is it must be either the most eminent place for witnesses or the most eminent Kingdom belonging to the beast one of the two Now take either of these and it doth not so properly agree to any place in all Europe as Germany for 1 In respect of Witnesses Our Question now is not where at this present day are most Witnesses but the thing we must look after is what place that is which through all the time of the Beasts reign hath been the most noted place for Witnesses and there must we fix our Standard Now that is Germany which in this respect until at this present day hath ever excelled all the Nations in Europe The Witnesses there began to appear for Christ openly against the Beast before the year 900 against whom suddenly after was raised a most bloody persecution by the Beast which per secution is the highest I can find in any History that was made to speak properly by the Beast Notwithstanding this persecution the witnesses as Ecclesiastical Writers affirm grew and increased and like fire in a thatch spread themselves over Germany and neighbouring Countries Yea from that day to this there ever have been more or less witnesses standing up and sacrificing their lives for the cause of Christ against the Beast in Germany so that Germany it hath been in a manner the Seed-plot of truth and the very Nursery of witnesses throughout all ages 2 Look upon it in respect of the Beast and it is also the most noted place and above all deserves to be called the street that tenth part by way of eminency being indeed the principal street of the great City the first horn of the Beast the chief Kingdom of the fourth Monarchy as under Antichrist as saith my worthy German Author in his Cl. p. 78. giving these three Reasons for it 1 Because It is called the Roman Empire 2 Because It is as it were a figure and Image of the old Roman Empire having seven Heads in regard of the seven Princes Electors and ten Provinces in respect of the ten Circles into which it is distributed 3 Because The Head of the German Empire hath still the name of a Roman Emperor and hath the preeminence above all other Kings adhering to the Papal State And truly when I cast mine eie upon what hath about half a year or three quarters of a year ago been done in Germany and also how the Saints there seem at present bereaved of life lying down and couching under their burden it appears to me the time place and thing compared together to be more than an ordinary dispensation And farther let me say Though the Saints there at
made so darkly that Daniel hears but understands not n therfore although in words far different yet as by the following answer appears aiming still at the same thing he puts the Question again What shall be the end of these things Answer then is made v. 11 12. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be tak n away and the abomination that maketh desolate be set up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety daies Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred five and thirty days The meaning whereof seems to be this that the beginning of the delivery of Daniels people viz. the Jews should fall out a thousand three hundred and ninety days i.e. so many years a day for a year being the Scripture account as Numb 14.34 Ezek. 4.4 5 6. after the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up the abomination that maketh desolate and forty five years after that for so many days hath the second number more than the first that the great trouble which the Scripture not onely here but elsewhere plentifully reveals as Ezek 37.38 39. Joel 3.1 2. Zach. 12. 14.1 2. will attend that people in their beginning to seek the Lord and David their King shall they be delivered from by the standing of Michael their Prince as vers 1. Which because till that day their deliverance though began before shall not be compleated therefore is the blessing annexed not to the first but to the latter time Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days The great knot here is for the untying of which more light would be welcome When the taking away of the daily sacrifice and the setting up the abomination that maketh desolate which is to be the head of our account had its accomplishment and here the variety of mens judgements hath brought forth various conjectures which not in this place to scan I shall pitch on that which seems to carry greatest probability of truth with it which is the opinion of those that bring it down to Julians time fixing upon as the mark they begin their account at that particular act of his of endeavoring by setting the Jews thereabouts the re-edifying the Temple at Jerusalem and so thereby in malice and opposition to Christ and Christian-Worship to restore Judaism and Jewish Worship at which time a fearful Earth-quake in the night did overturn all they had built in the day yea threw the very foundation stones of the Temple out of their places which before had never been removed Now the reasons why a fixation here is rather to be chosen than any where else are 1 Because if we make any other act since Christ before this the Head of our account the time is already expired and yet the Jews not delivered 2 Because No act whatsoever could more patly agree to the words themselves than this of Julians which was an abomination of the highest to endeaver the setting up of the Jewish worship when God had thrown it down and that out of a design to throw down Christian worship which God had set up and such an abomination as brought a desolation and an utter removal of the daily sacrifice the Temple-ground the only place of sacrifice being at this time lost For although the daily sacrifice did cease before from Titus time by whom the Temple was ruined as it also did all the time that Israel was in Babylon whilst the first Temple lay waste yet properly could it not either then or now nor no more now than then be said to be taken away because the Temple-ground to which as the onely holy place the Jewish worship was tyed whereon a new Temple might be built was still remaining But at this time not onely the foundation stones being thrown up but the very Temple-ground being lost in the Earthquake it is not improper to say the daily sacrifice was taken away 3 This likewise seems best to agree to the words of Christ himself concerning the destruction of the Temple Mat. 24.2 There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down For although the Temple was demolished by Titus yet the foundation stones did still lie one upon the other but now this act of Julians brought such a desolation that as the building was ruined formerly so the very foundation now had not a stone left upon a stone which punctually agrees to Christs own words And it is observable that Christ himself makes this setting up of the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the immediate fore runner hereof ver 3. compared with 15. which according to what hath been said was both immediate fore-runner and cause also Now for the precise time of this Hellish exploit there are among Historians four how many more I know not different accounts of the particular year in which the same was acted though all I have hitherto seen or heard of conclude it to be within the year of our Lord 360. or 367. yet whether or no through some mistake of Chronology the difference may not be somewhat wider I cannot determine though judge it very unlikely that it can or should be much Accounting therefore that we may draw to a head from the year 366. and the rather because the very year Daniels first number of days will from thence fall in with is already made famous by general expectations of some remarkable thing to be done therein and the beginning of the Jews delivery is likely to be either in the year it self or thereabouts of our Lord 1656. for adding 366. the supposed year of Christ wherein Julian did this to Daniels 1290. and there is made up the full sum neither over nor under of 1656. which if when that time shall come we see accomplished we need not then make it a question whether forty five years after their deliverance shall be compleated or not Daniel having foretold that in his last number of 1335. which he that shall take but ten from the 300 and add the same to the 35. will find that made up 45. and the foregoing number of 1290. to remain And because this reckoning is but of latter times it is not therefore to be rejected but rather to be received because Daniel himself tells us that the truth of this Prophesie was to be sealed up till the time of the end as vers 4.9 which is also a manifest argument that this cannot relate unless in a typical way to the times and story of Antiochus Epiphanes as some godly and learned men would carry it If any by calling in doubt the thing it self viz. Whether ever such a thing as the Jews conversion shall be question the whole My answer to such is That could I with that clearness demonstrate the time of it as through the Lords assistance it is easie to do the thing it self were this the place for the doing thereof I should have suspected my self to have injured
to forsake any man so far as he appears to me to go with that And in this resolution as to the present work I am confirmed by considering that the knowledge of those Prophecies which relate to the last times is to be attained not so much by settling upon old received Principles as by running to and fro to seek new Light and further Discoveries If any inquire of me as touching the reasons why I have forborn to mention the names of such Authors as I have had occasion in this Discourse to deal with my answer is because I would not appear as an opposer of men though for the love of truth I am an opposer of false Principles which may be in the best man and also because I would not give just cause by bringing the names of good men upon the stage to any who yet are living or the friends or lovers of such as are deceased to be offended I might adde another reason with wishes it were otherwise because many Professors in our dayes are grown so wanten that the very naming a good man and shewing him to be in a mistake is enough to make his name of little esteem if not odious with some of them And yet although I have suppressed names have I alwayes laid the weight of their Reasons in the ballance not willingly concealing nor extenuating by my laying it down the strength of any one Argument that whilst I was composing this Discourse I could meet with making against me which for any to do I have alwayes judged a manifest sign of one who rather seeks to make others think him a Victor than to finde the truth Having given thee Christian Reader this brief account of the rise of this enterprise and my progress in it I have only two or three things to adde First In case thou art one who art a young beginner whose face is but newly set towards Truth to seek it let me commend to thee this one rule amongst many which those who wait for the Spirit shall learn it being that which the Author being such a one as thy self finding himself wearied and quite tired out in seeking after truth whilst he hath addicted himself to follow now the opinion of this man now of that being able all this while to settle upon nothing hath in the end been forced as in other things so in this to have recourse unto which is to take the naked Scripture and read it over and by some distinguishing mark made in the Bible to sever those Scriptures which in the Prophets and elsewhere treat of the last times from other Scriptures whose subjects are different which done thou shalt then be able by the help of thy mark to turn thy Bible over and in a few hours to consider all that from one end of the Scripture to another hath special relation to the last times or by making a different mark to any subject into which thou desirest light whence having first by comparing the whole together founded thy self upon such Principles as are contradictory to no part thou shalt then be able to pass a right judgement upon the different minds and sayings of Writers knowing when and where to chuse and refuse as they agree with or differ from the substance of that truth which in Scripture hath special relation either to such a Time or such a Subject and as where this is carefully and understandingly done there will be little need of the multitude of Authors so where it is omitted there will be little else save confusion to him that shall turn them over And this let me say further in doing of it thou mayest promise thy self through the help of the good Spirit more full sat is faction then I will promise thee from what I have written or from any Book extant that ever I met with besides the Bible and willingly I would have been here at the pains to have pointed out to thee those Scriptures whose subject is the last times but that I judge that to read over thy Bible diligently thy self and mark them out will do thee much more good Secondly In case thou art one whose delight and study runs this way to pry into the mysteries of the last times if he might teach who indeed hath more need to learn I would say make stops sometimes and look round about thee lest while thou art running on supposing thou seest thy way before thee thou dost unawares out run thy Leader which if thou dost thou wilt streightway be woodded and wildred and go to work with thy reason only which will never make good work to hew the way thou shouldst go in And further never fear to make a turn out of the common road though standers by cry you are out of the way if so be thou perceivest truth to have taken that path before thee Thirdly If thou art one who art offended at the visible dispensations of this age and upon that account no friend to studies of this nature I only say perhaps thy readiness to be offended at what is done and doing at this day in the world ariseth hence from a not observing the signs of the times study therefore these things a little and more take a wise mans counsel Act. 5.36 Refrain from censuring and opposing for if the work now doing in the world be of men it will assuredly come to nought but if of God happily whilst ye oppose ye shall be found to fight against God Fourthly and lastly Whatsoever thou art receive not what is written without triall nor throw it away upon a loose triall with a Tush the one is an enemy to thy comfort for he that swallows meat whole tastes not the sweetness of it the other may be to thy light for he that 's resolved to open his eyes but half way must expect to see men like trees And as things are not written with a spirit of infallibility so as that all must be received so neither I hope is any thing put in with so much levity as deserves to be cast out with a Tush but rather lay Scriptures together wâ—igh things well and then judge Thus the Bereans did and are called noble for so doing whereas those who take things upon meer trust and those who throw them away without any triall are neither of them noble Only in case of trial do not for one single Scripture which may seem to thee to contradict any part reject the whole but rather lay Scripture to Scripture till the whole of Scriptures is brought to some harmony by which time possibly thou mayest see reason to be of my mind if not a better harmony being found I shall I so hope at least with thanks for light willingly relinquish my own and come to thine And further In case some things upon diligent fearch do evidently appear to be mistakes do not therefore because of some weeds throw away all the corn he that will eat no corn but what grew up without weeds
manner affirm all their suppositions in saying It is not for you to know the times and seasons as to say true Israel shall have a Kingdom restored I am to do it and that as you now conceive personally appearing onely it is not for you at present to know the time And this will more clearly appear if we carry these words to Act. 3.21 where we have that set forth by the word Restitution which here is called a Restoring Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began yet with this difference Act. 1. speaks of the Kingdom in reference to Israel onely who shall be chief in it Mich. 4.8 Thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem but Acts 3. in reference to the whole Creation which in the day the Kingdom shall be restored to Israel shall also have a Restitution which is expressed Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. Now in these words we have a coming clearly discovered he shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the Heavens must receive Which that it is Personal and not Spiritual onely is clear because such as the receiving of Christ in the Heavens at the time when these things were spokrn was and hath been since such shall his coming at this day be but the receiving of Christ in the Heavens then and since cannot be understood in a spiritual way because in that sense he had said before Lo I am with you to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 but must be in respect of his Personal and Corporal presence therefore such shall his presence Verse 19. be with his people at this time viz Personal and Corporal Now that this time of the restitution of all things should be the Day of the General Judgement which hath been the common opinion I cannot incline to for these Reasons 1 Because I find not the General Judgement spoken of in the plural number as times daies as this is the times of refreshing vers 19. times of restitution vers 21. these daies vers 24. 2 Because this is such a time as all the Prophets have spoken of Which God hath spoken of by the mouth of all bis holy Prophets Now not all Nay hardly any have spoken expresly of the General Judgement but of the time of Christs Kingdom all have spoken as will appear to him that shall but take a view of the Prophets severally in doing which though we might begin with Enoch the seventh from Adam who according to Jude Vers 14. prophesied of Christs coming and Kingdom and after him Jacob in his blessing of Judah Gen. 49.9 10. and Balaam afterward though a wicked man yet a Prophet Numb 24.17 18 19. Yet I rather choose to begin after Samuels daies for there the Holy Ghost seems to point out our beginning Vers 24. yea and all the Prophets from Samuel have likewise foretold of these daies Now beginning from Samuel setting Jonah aside which is but a History not one but have spoken of these times as to give instance David did it Psal 62. The whole Psalm is a Prophecie of Christs Kingdom and not Solomons any otherwise than in the Type as is clear 1. From the continuance of this Kingdom vers 7. as long as the Moon indureth 2. The extent of it vers 8. From Sea to Sea from the Rivers to the ends of the Earth 3. The Subjects of it all Kings and all Nations vers 11. neither of which either did or could agree to Solomons Kingdom Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he i.e. Christ shall appear in his glory And that the fulfilling of this relates to the last times is evident Vers 18. This shall be written for the Generation to come when as verse 22. the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Isaiah likewise Chap. 2.2 3 4. It shall come to pass in the last dayes the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And he i.e. Christ shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people Chap. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom whose Throne and Kingdom was outward to order it and establish it with Judgement and Justice Chap. 32.1 2. Behold a King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgement Christ and his Saints reigning together And a man noting a corporal presence as well as spiritual at this day shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Chap. 35.4 Your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you The whole Chapter speaks of Christs Kingdom and the coming here agrees to that chap. 63.1 2. c. which I have proved to be Personal Jeremiah also who throughout chap. 30 31 32 33. treats of Christs Kingdom and that too in the last days when Ephraim Head of the Ten Tribes never gathered as yet since their Captivity shall come in Ezekiel Chap. 34 11. to the end Chap. 37. throughout So Daniel Chap. 2 44.45 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever This Kingdome must bee outward because it breaks in peeces the four Monarchies which were outward and takes the place of them and it is improper to say a meer Spiritual Kingdome can take place of an outward and why as the four former Monarchies had alwayes some visible Head the same should not be in this fifth I see no reason Chap. 7.27 And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him i.e. Christ who in this Kingdome shall rule as Head and the Saints under him And this Kingdome must be outward for the Kingdome of the little Horn which was an outward Kingdome is the Kingdome here given to the Saints that Christ and his Saints rule in So Hosea Chap. 1.10 11. Chap. 3 4 5. both places agreeing punctually to that of Ezek. 37. which I have opened Joel Chap. 2.28 to the end Chap. 3. opened also before Amos Chap. 9.11 to the end Obadiah vers 21. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion and shall judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdome shall be the Lords Micha Chap. 4.6 7. In that day will I assemble her that halteth and
Ordinances shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee and verse 21. Thy Sun i. e. the Lord Christ who is the light of this New Jerusalem shall no more go down neither shall thy Moon thy outward glory and felicity with-draw it self making a clear distinction betwixt the Sun that before was which is called the Sun and the Sun that at this time shall be which is called thy Sun as being another Sun peculiar to these times and not the same Sun as was in former times and this Sun that we may not be mistaken in it is interpreted twice over to be the Lord Verse 19. The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light Vers 19. as opposed to the former Sun And again For the Lord shall be thine everlasting light vers 20. being there added as a reason why this Sun should never go down no not in Heaven hereafter because the Lord should be this Sun And who is this Lord why Jesus Christ the Lamb who is said to be the Temple and Light of this New Jerusalem and that in opposition to the Temple Sun Moon i. e. all outward Lights and Ordinances that before had been Rev. 21.22 23. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Lord God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And to this day as I conceive have those Scriptures reference Jerem. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brether saying Know the Lord for the shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Isa 54.31 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord arguing an immediate feeding and teaching not so much by instruments means and Ordinances as the Lord himself And though it is not denied these Scriptures had a fulfilling in the beginnings when the Spirit was poured down teaching then Christ promising and sending his Spirit for that end being more abundant and spiritual than in former times for which cause they are by Christ himself and Paul after him interpreted as then fulfilled yet it is evident from the scope of those places whence these Texts are quoted that the Prophets had in their eye another time namely the time of the Jews delivery when not Judah only but Ephraim Head of the ten Tribes also spoken of expresly by Jeremy should return yea the very time of the New Jerusalem whose stones are therefore by Isaiah said to be laid with fair colours her foundations with Saphires her windows of Agates her gates with Carbuncles and all her borders with pleasant stones not unlike that description of the New Jerusalem John gives us but more full Rev. 21. of that although in part these Scriptures had a fulfilling before in which sense Christ and Paul mention them yet the fulness or the compleat fulfilling of them respects the time we are speaking of And doth not the phrase of New Heavens and New Earth spoken of by Isaiah Peter John and ever with reference to this time imply as much for the very phrase of making a new implies the abolishing of the old which new made that it cannot consist of any such outward things as did the old is clear because upon the abolishing of the old such things only are left standing in this new as can never be shaken or removed which all outward things are subject to Thus although in the New Jerusalem a Temple there shall be yet not such a Temple as was the Temple of Jerusalem of old or is the Temple of Jerusalem that now is but as the whole state of things shall be new so shall the Temple be new In the new Heaven the Lâ—mb who sits upon the Throne shall be the Temple and the great Voyce out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne is the Voyce of Christ himself who at this day will sit upon his own Throne in the midst of his Church and People which is clear as before I have said Chap. 21.5 6. And what I have formerly hinted I shall here remember again that the very reason as I conceive why many in these dayes cast off the holy Ordinances and Institutions of the Lord Jesus is this They find it clear in Scripture that the continuance of these things are but until his coming which coming puts an end to Ordinances they judging to be Spiritual only and not Personal and perswading themselves withall that in this sense Christ is come to them already they conceive it high time for them to quit and shake off all outward forms Object If against what I have said it be objected that Zechary Chap. 14.16 speaking of this time tells us They shall go up from year to year to worship the Lord and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles therefore Ordinances shall be at this day I answer If by worshipping the Lord and keeping the Feast of Tabernacles we understand a walking in Ordinances then shall the Ordinances at this day bee common to all even the worst of sinners for that such at this day shall be in the world hath been before proved and observe the comand to come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles is general upon all that are left of those who came up against Jerusalem vers 16. All the Families of the earth vers 17. yea the very Heathen vers 18. and if Ordinances shall be so common at this day then will the purity of worship in respect of the Worshippers be less then than now it is and if so where then will be the holiness of this day which in this respect is to excel all dayes before it The meaning therefore I conceive is this That all people in remembrance of the terrible destruction Christ made of his enemies gathered together at Jerusalem upon his appearing shall from that day year after year i.e. often come and worship before the Lord i. e. fall down before this Christ sitting on the Throne acknowledging him to be the great King of the world and Jesus Christ the Lord to the glory of God the Father fulfilling that of Isa Chap. 45.23 Vnto me every knee shall bow And that of the Apostle Phil. 2.20 At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow And this the phrase used by the Holy Ghost of keeping the Feast of Tabernacles doth notably set forth for in Levit. 23.34 where we have the institution of this Feast we have vers 43. this added as the reason of the Institution namely the memorial of Gods strange and wonderful Providence towards and in preservation of Israel when they came out of Egypt which Deliverance as it was but a Type of this so the Memorial thereof by keeping the Feast of Tabernacles was a Type of the Memorial that should be kept
door was set open to the Jews to recover their own land yet because Constantinople his chief City was not thereby destroyed therefore in respect of the wrath of God poured out upon that at this day it is here said Great Babylon came now in remembrance before God which words very fitly agree to the ruine of Constantinople but are not appliable either to the ruine of Rome or the Kingdome of the Beast in general both which came up into remembrance and had been actually punished before this day 2 The Inevitableness of this Ruine Vers 20. And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found Islands and Mountains are places of refuge Men in times of commotion flye to these for shelter as being safer in them than they can be elswhere Now that which tome is a notable confirmation that the words are in this sense to be understood I find the Prophets in other places which relating to this very time serve as a Comment upon the Text intimating that men should at this day either be secure by reason of such shelters or flye to such places for shelter Ezek. 39.6 speaking of the Effects of the Battel of Gog and Magog saith I will send a fire in Magog and among them that dwell carelesly in the Isles as noting that some should at this day think themselves secure by being in Isles places of refuge and shelter The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 2.21 speaking of the day wherein God will arise to shake terribly the earth the same with that shaking Joel 3.16 Hag. 2.6 7. 21 22. tells us that some at that day for fear of the Lord shall flye to the clefts of the Rocks and to the tops of the ragged Rocks noting men shall seek shelter from such places of refuge as the Rocks of Mountains are But so inevitable shall their ruine be that notwithstanding men may flye for shelter to their outward Refuges thinking themselves secure by reason of them yet shall all their refuges and shelters prove no shelter against this storm for every Island shall flye away and the Mountains shall not be found 3 The Greatness of it Vers 21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent The Hail from Heaven denotes the more immediate judgements of God which shall fall on his enemies at this day and there may be an allusion to the destruction of the Canaanites by great Hailstones from Heaven Josh 10.11 The greatness of the Hailstones each being about the weight of a Talent notes the judgements God will inflict at this day to be the heaviest and most dreadful that can be a Talent of all weights being the greatest 3 Effect Blaspheming of God And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the Hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great The Eeast lived a Blasphemer now he dyes a Blasphemer and goes blaspheming to the Lake of fire burning with brimstone whither the just judgements of God which when they cannot reform sinners on earth cast them to Hell have now brought him And this is the conclusion of this great day as it respects Gods Enemies which to their woe they shall find and feel to be a black dismal and fatal day though but the beginning of it as it respects the Saints and people of God to whom it shall be the most glorious joyful and lightsome day that ever they beheld When God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and the Lamb and his Servants shall serve him And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And this is that New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven the hope of which let it purifie our hearts even as he is pure Let us alwayes have our loyns girded about our lamps burning and we our selves like unto men that wait for the Lord looking earnestly unto and breathing after that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who once was offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin to salvation When be that now overcometh shall be made a Pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall go no more out And Christ will write upon him the Name of his God and the Name of the City of his God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from his God and he will write upon him his new name And those that do his Commandements shall have right to the Tree of Life and enter in through the Gates into the City when without shall be Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie Which things he hath sent his Angel to testifie in the Churches who is the Root and Off-spring of David and the bright and morning Star Who also himself saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus The Reason of the Order observed in pouring forth the VIALS THe Beast having now for a long time trampled under foot the holy City blasphemed God his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and exercised his utmost rage and cruelties against all those who holding the testimony of Jesus could not be brought to worship him his Image or receive his Mark in their fore-heads or in their hands and being in all these his insolent and outragious practces animated yea assisted by the Kings of the earth subjecting themselves to him and giving their strength power and Kingdome to the Beast Christ as able no longer to hear the Blasphemies and behold the rage and cruelties of the Beast with all the determined time of redeeming Sion avenging the blood of his Elect on those that dwell on the earth judging the Beast casting down his Thrones and taking the Kingdome to himself being come without delay now rouseth up himself and in his wondrous zeal his power and greatness marcheth forth to judge the great Whore destroy the Thrones of Kingdoms take possession of the Kingdoms of this world and subject them to his own righteous Scepter But finding upon his first Rise that two of his ancient and principal Rights had been long invaded and laid waste by the Enemy namely The glory of his Priesthood upon earth and the exercise of his Kingly Power and Prerogative in his Churches the first by the putrified and filthy stinking puddle of Romish Doctrine which instead of exalting that Righteousness alone in Justification which is pure perfect heavenly did establish a righteousness which was earthly impure full of filthy dregs out of which one poysonous root were grown up innumerable Idolatries viz. the Mass Purgatory Indulgences Invocation of Saints Penance Pilgrimages Monkish life c. by which the glory of Christs Priestly Office was veyled the precious truth of the Gospel perverted and Souls instead of bread of
this spirit shall be mediate or immediate p. 34 Ans Partly mediate partly immediate The mediate cause of this work shall be a loud Call given to the dead Witnesses from Saints out of another place p. 35 This noted in the voyce from Heaven Come up hither Two Reasons given why this voyce is mentioned after their standing upon their feet not before p ib. Who shall give them this Call p. 36 CHAP. II. VVHerein is farther set forth the state of the two Witnesses within their Prophesying time and the time of their being killed from Rev. 12. Divided into seven Sections SECT 1. Examining the common Opinion which makes application of the things foretold Chap. 12. to the first Period or the time of the Dragons Rule before yet the Beast arose which upon examination is found too light Here the general method of the 11 12 13 14 Chapters of the Revelations is laid down page 37 to 43 SECT 2. Confirming the truth of the former by proving that the time times and a half cannot signifie 1260 years but three yeers and a half only p. 43 to 45 SECT 3. An Objection answered viz. That the War made by the Dragon Chap. 12. is different from that made by the Beast Chap. 11.7 p. 45 Here inquiry is made into the War of Michael and the Dragon and it s proved to be the late German War p. 46 to 49 Object It may be the English War answered and the Reasons given of the contrary p. ib. Here also is shewed that a two-fold visible Dragon is spoken of in this 12. Chap. 1 The Old Dragon viz. the ancient Roman Empire 2 The New Dragon viz. the present German Empire p. ib. Two Reasons given why the Dragon who governs the whole Papal Kingdome doth at this day choose Germany as his seat p. 50 A Reason also given why the Holy Ghost Chap. 12. glides so quick over all the 1260 dayes descending presently to the latter end of them p. ib. What of the Prophesie of this 12 Chap. is yet to be fulfilled p. ib. SECT 4. Another Objection That our opinion necessarily supposeth the Woman to be come out of the Wilderness and yet afterwards to go in again answered p. 52 SECT 5 A third Objection That this opinion is repugnant to Daniels time times and a half answered p 53 to 55. Here Daniels time times and a half are opened at large and proved from the Texts themselves in Daniel Chap. 7.25 Chap. 12.7 to signifie only three years and a half SECT 6. What useful truths arise from this method and what a harmony of truth following it we have in the 11 and 12 Chapters p. 62 SECT 7. Making inquiry after that remnant of the Womans Seed that the Dragon within the time times and a half the term of the Witnesses lying dead makes War upon Quest 1. What people are meant by this Remnant Answer is given in opening two notable Characters of them lying in the words p. 63 Quest 2. What War that is which is or shall be raised against them Five things propounded in order to an Answer p. 64 65 Ans A two-fold War 1 A War raised against them by the invisible Dragon How that shall be and why such a War must be p. 66 2 A War raised against them by the visible Dragon How and why such a War shall be p. ib. Yet notwithstanding this two-fold War the remnant of the Womans Seed shall not suffer much p. 67 CHAP. III. VVHerein is shewed the state of the Witnesses about and in the time of their Rise from Rev. 14. opened Divided into six Sections SECT 1. The common Opinion which applies the Prophesie of the 144000 to the time of the Beasts reign disproved and the time stated where this Prophesie takes beginning p. 68 to 73 SECT 2. Proving two things 1 That the Head of this Prophesie is to be placed lower than the Head of the Vials p. 73 to 76 Here is shewed why the Head of the Vials is placed somewhat upwards in the Beasts Kingdome and the Head of this Chapter about the end of it 2 That this 144000 differ from the sealed 144000 Chap. 7. p. ib. The scaled company scaled before any of the Trumpets sounded ib. To say because the one are scaled in their foreheads the other bear the Fathers name in the forehead therefore they are one can be no Argument p. 78 Two Reasons given why these are set frth by the same number with the Scaled ones ib. No Mystery in the number it self ib. SECT 3. Proving This 144000 to be the Gentile Saints p. 79 to 83 SECT 4. Handling three things 1 The Cause of this glorious Rendezvouz p. 83 2 The manner of it p. 84 3 The state and condition they shall be in hereupon set forth in two things 1 They shall be owned by some eminent Head raised up by Christ p. ib. 2 They shall set forth with praises p. 85 Here is also shewed where the beginning of this blessed company will be p. 86 Occasionally also here is discoursed of Daniels stone and it is shewed 1 What time we are to pitch upon for the first Rise of that stone 2 What shall befal the stone suddenly after it begins to smite ib. 87 SECT 5. The Characters of this 144000. Eight choice Characters of this blessed company observed from the text p. 89 to 92 SECT 6. How the work shall go from the time of their standing up until the beginning of the thousand years What Prophesies those are in the Revelations that afford us light to this Question p. 92 For answer 1 More generally the work shall go on with a more swift and irresistible hand than ever formerly p. ib. 2 More particularly 1 The Everlasting Gospel is preached p. 93 Five things very observable concerning the preaching of the Gospel at this day p. 93 94 95 2 Romes ruin comes unavoidably upon her p. ib. 3 A serious warning to the Papals Why are they warned at this day p. ib. 96 Here the Angel standing in the Sun Rev. 19.17 18. is interpreted p. 139 140 4 A sweet word from Christ of Heavenly Consolation to his people the day of their Redemption being now come p. 97 5 Christs Personal coming this the thing noted v. 14. proved by four Reasons p. 98 99 100 The Resurrection of the dead intimated in those words Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord vers 13. p 99 Why the Resurrection of the dead is mentioned before Christs coming p. ib. Not Martyrs only but all Saints shall come with Christ p. 102 What the Harvest and Vintage signifie p. ib. Christ himself the Angel of the Vintage p. 103 A Conjecture as touching the two Angels that cry with a loud voyce to have the work of the Harvest and Vintage performed p 104 Why one of these two is said to come out of the Temple the other from the Altar p. ib. VVhy the Angel coming from the Altar is said to have power over
given them from their work because their work is to bear witness for Christ against the Beast and that each in his place all the Forty two months that the Beast doth Tyrannize and the Holy City is trodden underfoot The Magistrate as a Magistrate bearing publick witness against the unjust oppressions of the Beast and his lawless Tyranny over the Estates and bodies of men yea and consciences too The Minister as a Minister against the cursed institutions of Antichrist either in Doctrine or Discipline Here its necessary we distinguish betwixt that general witness-bearing that is common to all ages and that special witness-bearing which is peculiar to these Witnesses and to this time viz. of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days There is a general Testimony which the people of God in all ages give for Christ against the World Sin Satan Oppression Error c. But that testimony barely doth not bring him who bears it within the number of these two Witnesses A Magistrate in his place may oppose Tyranny Oppression c. a Minister in his error and false Doctrine and yet neither of them Christs two Witnesses if there be not in both an opposing themselves to that special evill whether it be in things Civill or Ecclesiastical that was at first brought in or being brought in is upheld by the Beast for the peculiar work of these witnesses and the thing wherein lies the specifical difference betwixt these witnesses and others is That these bear witness for Christ against the Beast Which is most evident 1 Because Christ hath paired his Witnesses in the same manner as the Beast hath his The Beast as but now I observed stands up with two witnesses viz an Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry to maintain his cause On the contrary Christ stands up with two witnesse or a pair of Witnesses viz. a true Magistracy and Ministry to oppose the Beast and maintain his cause 2 Because It s for this Reason Christ entitles them my Witnesses because in Christs behalf they shall stand up against Antichrist as those are said to be such a mans witnesses that bear witness for him against his Adversary All that time the Beast stands up and would perswade the world that he is in the truth and his cause the right these two Witnesses on the contrary stand up and profess before the world that he is the Beast and his cause the cause of Antichrist and not of Christ 3 Which is the principal Reason because the time that these Witnesses bear their witness is the very time of the Beasts reign The time of the Beasts reign and treading under foot the Holy City is Forty two months Rev. 13.5 Chap. 11.2 The time of these two Witnesses is One thousand two hundred and sixty days Vers 3. And I will give power to my two Witnesses and they shall Prophecy one thousand two hundred and sixty days Now that the Forty two months and the One thousand two hundred and sixty days are one and the same I prove not onely from the general consent of Expositors who acknowledge the thing giving this reason for it Because say they forty two mouths reduced into days and reckoning thirty days to each month which is the Grecian account which John writing to the Church of GOD then resident among the Greeks did observe make up the full sum of One thousand two hundred and sixty days not a day over or under But I prove it hence that indeed this thing must needs be so for let it be considered what is the very cause that these two Witnesses wear sackcloth this long term of one thousand two hundred and sixty years the cause is not the sufferings of the Saints thoughout this time for had that been the cause then should these Witnesses have put on their sackeloth more early viz. with the time of the ten first Persecutions which was a day of as sore sufferings as ever any hath been since but then these two Witnesses here mentioned were not in their sackcloth but contrariwise the Woman all that time was cloathed with the Sun Chap. 12.1 the two Witnesses in Sackcloth therefore were not then up But the cause yea the very cause why the Witnesses wear mourning attire is because they hear the continual Blasphemies of the Beast against God his name and Tabernacle and them that dwel in Heaven They see the Holy City the Truths and Worship of Christ trodden under foot by the Beast and they not able to rescue them out of his hands this makes them put on sackcloth and mourn before the Lord. Now consider the term of time that is given to the Beast to continue to do these things is forty two months this being so it will follow that in case this forty two months were a time either longer or shorter than the one thousand two hundred and sixty days then must also the witnesses wearing sackcloth be by so much longer or shorter then 1260 days for continue the cause and we continue the effect also and contrariwise take away the cause and the effect ceaseth Upon this Principle it being a thing manifestly clear that the 42 months the 1260 days make up but one and the same number of years which also must of necessity begin and end together Hence it is evident that that very act which I may call the constitutive act i. e. the act which makes these Witnesses to be such is bearing witness against the Beast take this away though they may stand up against all the evill that is in the world besides yet are they not Christs Witnesses if they do not in particular appear against the evil of the Beast for if this be not the meaning what reason is or can be given why their witness-Bearing should be thus restrained onely to the time of the Beast seeing in the other sense it s a duty in all ages to bear witness and those Instruments the Lord hath raised up in all ages have done it 1 Hence a man may be a godly man and in a more general way bear witness for Christ and yet none of Christs Two Witnesses 2 Hence it s of more concernment than many are aware of to be inquiring into and publickly appearing against whatsoever is of the Beast though the thing be never so small A man in publick place may cease to be a witness of Christ if publickly he do not bear witness against these things 3 Hence such Laws Principles and Practices as tend to suppress this witness-bearing against the Beast are themselves expressely Antichristian and of the Beast SECT III. THese Witnesses are called two because of the fewness of them say some Because two is a number sufficient to bear a witness and without two a witness is invalid say others I no way disapprove these conjectures but I must confess I judge it most agreeable to the Text to say they are therefore called two because they consist of two sorts or two ranks of men viz. Christs
ordinary Prophetical days noting three years and a half which three years and a half are not to be added to the 1260. as a lesser period which takes beginning where the greater ends because then as one saith well the Beast should Tyrannize above 42. months the woman be in the Wilderness above 1260 days namely 1263 and a half whereas the utmost tyranny of the Beast is but 42 months the utmost period of the womans being in the wilderness but 1260 days but we are to look upon them as a smaller period comprehended within the greater or to speak plainly we are to understand them of the very last three days and a half of the 1260. and therefore M. Mede in his Cl and our German Author in his both translate those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they shall have finished their testimony Chap. 11. thus Cum finituri sint testimonium suum When they are about to finish their testimony the 1260 days now drawing to an end then shall the Beast make war against them overcome them and kill them As for that urged by a late Author who calls in reason to be Umpire or Judge in this business how the Beast now ready to die as our Author supposeth he will at the end of the 1260 days should be so magnanimous and warlike as to kill the Witnesses how the Sea being at this time tempestnous the earth terribly shaken can it be imagined that the Sont of the Sea and Earth i. e. wordly men should be so jocund and to banquet it sport it make merry send gifts one to another c. as they shall do in the day the witnesses lye dead I say no more but this that all time upon a mistake viz. That the rise of the Witnesses shall not be till the Empire of the ten-horned Beast i.e. Civil power of Antichrist is in a manner destroyed and this upon another that the subject of the fifth Vial is the political state of the present Roman Empire or Antichrists Civil State But as I have in my discourse upon the Vials proved the Subject of that Vial to be another thing so let me say here to the first it cannot be because the Whore but a little before Romes fall is so high and proud as that she fears no danger but saith I sit as a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow which were her political State where lyes her outward strength and as for inward she hath none destroyed she should have little cause thus to brag and brave Nay what do the witnesses after their rise if the Beasts power were destroyed before onely kill him whose sword was taken away before they came at him Or how falls the tenth part of the City upon their rise if it were fallen before SECT V. AS for the particular time of the Witnesses slaughter the most certain and convincing demonstration that can be given thereof is that which must be fetched from a right supputation of the 1260 days which is the term of their Prophecy their killing time being as hath been faid the very last three days and a half of the 1260. But because the doing hereof to free the truth from the mists men have raised about it will require in a manner a Treatise of it self and also because no Mystical number by reason of that glorious harmony that is in all can carry with it that forcible demonstration going alone as will appear to be in it when accompanied with others I shall therefore that I may not make this single Section to become a Book wave this enquiry in this place contenting my self to lay down two or three more general Conclusions concerning this Grand Question What time we are to pitch upon as the killing time of the Witnesses The Conclusions themselves are these 1 CONCLUSION That the killing of the Witnesses shall be in that very three years and a half which shall immediately precede the Jews first stirring which is manifestly clear hence because Daniels 1290 dayes which point us to the time of the Jews first stirring are concurrent in their end with the end of he time times and a half which is the time of the Witnesses rising as shall be made appear in our following Discourse 2 To this agrees what I have formerly written upon the Vials The rise of the Witnesses I have there stated under the fourth Vial. The drying up of the Turkish Powers thereby to instate the Jews in their own Land under the Sixth Now as the first stirring of the Jews must needs be some little time before the sixth Vial is poured out because their stirring is as I have shewed the chief moving cause to the Gentile Saints to engage in this War against the Turk So also it is observable that the time from the Witnesses rise until the pouring out of the sixth Vial shall be but a very little time the fourth and fifth Vials being both to be poured out in an instant upon the resurrection of the Witnesses as may be seen with the reasons thereof in our Discourse upon the fifth Vial. Hence in regard the first stirring of the Jews must of necessity be before the pouring out of the sixth Vial as the cause is before the effect and the time betwixt the Witnesses rise and the sixth Vial is so short we may very well conclude that the first workings among the Jews themselves in a way of stirring will be upwards even as high as the time of the Witnesses resurrection And for this reason because the Jews shall about the time of Romes ruine which falls in the middle time betwixt the fourth and sixth Vials be stirring are the praises rendred for Romes fall as is Mr. Cottons conjecture expressed by an Hebrew word Hallelujah Revel 19.1 2 3 4. 2 CONCLVSION That the killing of the Witnesses shall be but a little before the downfal of Rome which therefore presently falls upon their rise First The Order of the Vials proves this for under the fourth Vial the Witnesses rise as upon the Vials I have shewed This Vial is poured out in an instant and therefore said to be in an hour In the same hour the tenth part of the City fell Rev. 11.13 that is Germany one of the ten Horns and the very place as shall appear by and by where the Witnesses lye dead is upon their resurrection in an instant broken off from being any longer a Horn in Antichrists Kingdome and then as the next thing and that in an instant too is Rome ruined by the pouring out of the fifth Vial. So that Romes ruine succeeding presently upon the rise of the Witnesses their killing must be but a little before it Secondly This is further clear Rev. 18.7 where wee have the proud Whore instantly before her downfal glorying I sit as a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow What is the cause hereof Ans Undoubtedly the very same with the cause of that joy and triumph of the
11.15 now the doing of this is the proper and peculiar work of the seventh Vial as our discourse on that Vial proveth 3 The seventh Angels sounding is the time of rewarding Saints not some onely but all of them small and great ver 18. this comes under none of the Vials but the seventh onely which comprehends within it the time of the New Jerusalem the time of rewarding the dead and living Saints 4 Upon the seventh Angels sounding there are lightnings and voyces and thundrings and an earthquake and great hail ver 19. This is peculiar to the seventh and last Vial and answers to the plague of it almost verbatim Revel 16.18 21. Therefore I say the seventh Trumpet is contemporary with the seventh Vial and no other The matter of the Objection is therefore a mistake 2 For the ground of it which lyes in these words Thy wrath is come Ans This wrath is not to be understood of the wrath of all the Vials but onely of the last which because it shall be the greatest wrath hath an emphasis put upon it Thy wrath as if Christ had never been angry till now that is comparatively the former wrath was but a Flea-bite to this Hence which confirms our sense the day of the seventh Vial which is all one with the Battel of Armageddon is called the day of Christs wrath Psal 110.5 The fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God Revel 19.15 The day of vengeance Isa 63.4 Of indignation chap. 66.14 The great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 Mal. 4.5 all confirming this that this dreadful time of the Lambs wrath doth more properly relate to the last Vial onely than to all the Vials in general From all the three former Conclusions put together I make up this viz. That the day of the Witnesses killing must in all likelihood be already begun and not much more than begun For sith from our first Conclusion their rise must be concurrent with the end of Daniels 1290 days which beginning from Julians time expire A.D. 1656. as see Generation work part 1. p. 51 52 53 54. And sith from our second Conclusion their killing must be a little before Romes ruin which for what I have said under our first doth in a manner contemporise with the other And sith from our third Conclusion their killing must be under the Third Vial which is manifest from our discourse upon the Vials to be the Vial we stand under at present I therefore from the whole conclude That this black day is in all probability begun and the Witnesses do at this present time lye dead Hence it is a thing we must expect that yet a little while until this cloud is toward blowing over the work of Christ in the world wil go on but heavily for there is reason for it as I shall shew anon that within the day the Witnesses lye dead though their killing be a particular act an act restrained to one place onely yet that the work and cause of Christ in general should the greatest part of that day labour under a Cloud SECT VI. THe Beast killing the Witnesses the Text tells us is the Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit ver 7. of which Beast I have discoursed upon the Vials p. 97 98 99 100. where this Beast is proved to be the Roman Civil and Ecclesiastical State or the Antichristian Magistracy and Ministry both laying heads together and joyning hands to kill the two Witnesses of Christ viz. The true Magistracy and Ministry And here it is observable that Antichrists Magistracy and Ministry though two yet are called but one Beast as also Rev. 13. last One number is assigned to both the Beasts whereas the Magistracy and Ministry of Christ take them in the time of their Prophecie when they are killed or when they rise they are still two and spoken of in the plural number What may be the reason hereof Ans Christs Magistracy and Ministry keep their powers distinct and therefore they are two Antichrists mix their powers and therefore they are one That Magistracy and Ministry therefore which weave and intermixe their powers making and using in a manner but one sword whereas they should do two are neither of them Christs but both the Limbs of Antichrist nor are they in the account of the Holy Ghost witnesses but beasts who calls them so Rev. 13. yea layes down this as the principal character of the two Beasts that notwithstanding they were two yet did the one exercise the others power for the second Beast exerciseth all the power of the first vers 12. Now though the power of a Beast is ordinarily stronger then the power of a rational witness yet by how much the rational creature is more honorable then the sensitive by so much are those in whom the witnessing power remains more honorable then those whose power is only the power of Beasts SECT VII AS touching the Nature of the Witnesses death we are not to conceive thereof as though the same were to be a corporal killing which no way agrees with this Prophecy for 1 Such as is their resurrection and ascension such their death but their resurrection and ascension is not corporal therefore not their death 2 This Killing must be such a Killing as that they may in the time of their being Killed lye dead as witnesses for otherwise we cannot distinguish their killing from their Prophecying if we suppose them in both to give testimony and bear witness for Christ against the Beast But a corporal killing of witnesses doth not make them cease to bear witness but rather to bear witness in a more eminent manner as hath been before observed It is not a corporal killing therefore which is here meant Quest What manner of Death then is it Answ A Death as I conceive partly Civil and partly Spiritual 1 Partly Civil which shall be a deprival of the witnesses in a very great measure if not totally of their Civil Liberties and the free exercise of their Religion The godly Magistracy shall be put out of office and so be in no capacity as Magistrates to bear witness the godly Ministry by penal Laws have their mouths stopped and not suffered as Ministers of Christ to bear witness This shall be their death as to the Civil part of it 2 This death shall be partly spiritual and herein as I conceive the blackness of the day shall principally lye and not in Bloodshedding for observe though the Beast hath a will to this latter viz. to kill the witnesses outright yet is he not permitted to do it vers 9. Now this spiritual death shall consist chiefly in this viz. That the witnesses shall all this three yeers and a half be so left of God as that they shall not have that courage that was in the people of God al the time of the witnesses Prophecie who then did not love their lives to the death but mantained the truth and opposed the Beast with their blood
lower into the time of the Beasts Kingdom Now that the time times and a half should be a number distinct from the 1260 days appears to me upon these Reasons 1 Because the different expressions used of the womans abode in the wilderness the first and the second time argue them not to be one and the same but two distinct numbers for 1 Of her first going into the wilderness the 1260 days it is said v. 6. The woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God Of the second the time times and a half it is said She fled into her place v. 14. as seeming to intimate her having been there before 2 Of the first it is said They should feed her ver 6. noting a feeding by instruments and means she should have the enjoyment of Instruments Means and Ordinances though in a low and mournful condition all this time Of the second it is said She is nourished ver 14. noting that God by some immediate way of working would all this time keep a principle of grace alive in his though they should lye as dead taking little or no food outwardly by Instruments Means or Ordinances 2 Because the Dragon by the war in Heaven being cast down to the earth is said to have great rage ver 12. because he knoweth he hath but a short time But if this war in Heaven were at the beginning of the 1260 days as holds the common opinion which makes application of this to Constantines war he should then have a long time if after they were begun then must the time times and a half which are the consequent of this war be a distinct number from the 1260 days which is the thing I am proving And certainly the calling of the time times and an half a short time must be with respect to the fore-mentioned time of 1260 years which was a long time and if so then will it follow they cannot be one and the same number 3 Because the first going into the Wilderness is leisurely by degrees as the Beast by little and little crept in being not so much a forced act by outward violence offered to her as a voluntary act the woman retiring her self into a corner that so by a separation she might be kept pure and free from the defilements of that Beast she saw now rising But the second is on the sudden and she is forced to it by the exasperated rage of the Dragon and therefore she hath given to her two wings of a great Eagle v. 14. to note her quick and speedy slight lest she should be destroyed by the serpent 4 Because upon the womans first going into the wilderness the earth was no friend to the woman but rather the Barbarous Nations invading the Roman Empire did prove her Enemy by aiding the Beast and giving their strength to him But now upon this second going into the wilderness the turth is the womans friend and swallows up the flood the Serpent casts out of his mouth to cause the woman to be carried away therewith vers 15.16 agreeing to that chap. 11.9 These things added to the former grounds and method perswade me to think that the time times and an half ver 14. are not the same with the 1260 days ver 6. but a distinct number and in a word the very same with the three days and a half Chap. 11.9 signifying three years and a half a time notes one year times in the plural number two years half a time half a year in all three years and a half and to put a time for a year is as well Scripture phrase as a day for a year as Dan. 4.25 it is said of Nebuchadnezzar he should eat grass like Oxen till seven times should pass over him i.e. seven years SECT III. AGainst this it may be objected This cannot be because the war spoken of here which precedes the time times and a half and that war Chap. 11. which precedes the three days and a half are vastly different 1 That war against the Saints is headed by the Beast but this by the Dragon Answ This difference will be none at all let but this be considered that Chap. 11. speaks of the state or power acted by the Devil but Chap. 12. of the Devil as acting that state or power If this Answer be not sufficient he that shall observe our future discourse may find a farther and more full 2 Iâ— that war chap. 11. the Beast evercomes but in this is overcome and the Dragon cast down Answ True the immediate success and issue of the war chap. 12. is the vanquishing of the Dragon and casting of him out but yet the conclusion of the day is the subtil Dragon though cast out to the Earth finds a way and means to persecute the Woman and to drive her into the wilderness notwithstanding immediately before she had vanquished him and cast him out vers 13 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the Earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child Vers 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness In conclusion therefore the Dragon or the Beast acted by the Dragon overcomes and so as to drive the woman upon this War into the wilderness and that for a time times and a half which is no contradiction at all but rather a more full opening of that war which is hinted chap. 11.7 as the immediate forerunner of the three days and a half Onely the Witnesses victory at first over the Beast is passed over in silence chap. 11. and the Beasts overcoming and killing them the thing expressed but chap. 12. their victory over the Beast is recorded first and yet afterwards his persecuting of them and driving them into the wilderness for a time times and a half or three days and a half If now the Question be put What war I conceive this to be Ans I judge it to be the war made by Gustavus Adolphus in Germany which war for the remarkableness of it hath been by many accounted the pouring forth of a Vial but though for some Reasons I have given in opening the Subject of the Second Vial it could not be so yet was it as remarkable under another consideration namely as it was a forerunner of the Witnesses being killed The Reasons of this my conjecture are 1 Because the time of this War agrees exactly to the time of that War which is the forerunner of the death of the Witnesses that War is a war in the finishing time of their testimony that is in the last 60 dayes or years of the 1260. which properly is the concluding time of their testimony Accordingly this War made by Gustavus Adolphus fell out within that time 2 Because this War must be supposed to be such a War as shall be headed by some eminent Christian Head on the one side raised up and acted by Christ which Head
having spoken of the Old Dragon or Roman Empire in the beginning of the Chapter and the attempts that he made against the Woman vers 3.4 and then gliding over almost all the time of the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes because that time as in reference to the Witnesses or Woman had been spoken to already Ch. 11. in reference to the Beast was to be spoken to Chap. 13. the Holy Ghost comes to speak of the new Dragon or German Empire and the attempts that he in the end of this time should make against the Woman and also what should follow thereupon and so indeed this second attempt against the Woman specially relates to him as the first did to the old Dragon And further observe as the old Dragon about the beginning of the 1260 days is vanquished by the Woman and yet afterwards politickly surrendring to the Beast is too hard for the Woman and makes her flie for the Wilderness for 1260 days So in like manner the New Dragon about the end of the 1260 daies is vanquished by the Woman and yet afterwards by policy like the old Dragon finds a way to get the mastery of the Woman and make her flie for the Wilderness for a time times and a half or three years and a half Now according to this interpretation of this Prophecy referring this second attempt of the Dragon to the German Empire we see already the whole of this Prophecy fulfilled to two things 1 The Dragons attempt to swallow up the Woman by casting a flood out of his mouth and the earth preventing him vers 15 16. being the same with that endeavor Chap. 11.9 to put the dead bodies of the Witnesses into graves and the Peoples Kindreds Nations and Tongues preventing him This attempt is clear from each place to be within the three years and a half Whether some attempts that have been made against the Protestants in Germany not long since to extirpate them and the applications that in their behalf have been made by some to the ruling powers of Germany be a fulfilling of this Prophecy or whether we are yet to expect some more eminent and noted action than any we have hitherto seen I cannot determine 2 Another attempt which shall be after this and most probably towards the end of the three days and a half viz. to make war with a remnant of the Womans seed that shall within this time stand up for Christ in some other corner of the world But of this more anon SECT IV. OBjection 2. Against our former method it may be objected That this our opinion supposeth the Woman to be come out of the Wilderness and afterwards to go in again and if so then must the Womans continuance in the Wilderness the first and the second time be upwards of one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes for so long she was the first time onely vers 6. and if so then must the time of the Beasts reign his treading underfoot the Holy City the Witnesses wearing sackcloth which for time are the same with this be likewise upwards of One thousand two hundred and sixty dayes Answ The first Supposition granted the other indeed will necessarily follow but that we deny affirming that the Woman is here spoken of as if come out of the Wilderness at this time of the War in Heaven though indeed in it and that for one or both these reasons either First Because by her great victories and successes against her enemy the Dragon under the noble Swedish King she seemed in a manner to be got out of the Wilderness and to have put off her sackcloth and therefore is spoken of as if come out because in appearance for a while she was so giving check to the proud Dragon Secondly Because the time of her being in the Wilderness after this though short yet was to be a more black and dismal time than all the time before and she was to meet with sufferings of another kind than ever yet she had and therefore it is spoken of as though it were another and a new time though yet indeed but a part of the other SECT V. OBjection 3. But it may be further objected That the former Position and method makes the Apocalyptical time times and a half repugnant to and irreconcilable with Daniels time times and a half Answ 1. It is a known maxim that Scriptures more dark are to be interpreted by Scriptures more clear Now it being confessed on all hands that Johns light is the more clear we are therefore to make John interpretative of Daniel and not Daniel of John Secondly Compare Daniel with Daniel and follow this rule to â—nterpret that which is more dark by that which is more clear and Daniel himself speaks positively to our Assertion Thrice in Daniel we have the word time or times used in a mystical sense Dan. 4.32 Seven times shall pass over thee Chap. 7.25 Vntill a time times and the dividing of time Chap. 12.7 It shall be for a time times and a half In the first of these we have little mystery but the two last have in them much mystery Now consider whether it is most likely that we should interpret the two last places in a sense different from the first or whether are we to interpret them by the first surely it is most safe to say that we are to interpret them by the first not only because the first is the more clear but also because the first seems to me to be therefore laid down before the other that it might be a Standard of light to guide us into the mind of the Holy Ghost in the other If so then the seven times that were to pass over Nebuchadnezzar whilst he was to eat grass like Oxen being no other but seven years must we also understand the time times and a half or the time times and dividing of time of three years and a half onely as I have formerly noted But thirdly To come to the places themselves where the bottom of this scruple lies which are Dan. 7.25 chap. 12.7 I suppose let them be throughly weighed and it will appear that the time times and a half will as well if not better bear our sense of three years and a half then the other which interprets them one thousand two hundred and sixty years I shall begin with Chap. 12.7 and the rather because the words there opened will help us to the mind of the Holy Ghost in the other Now the Question is Whether are we to understand the time times and a half in that place of one thousand two hundred and sixty years or onely of three years and a half I answer of three years and a half and that appears upon this account In vers 6. we have a Question put in Daniels hearing How long it should be unto the end of Wonders To this Question we have a two-fold answer given First A more dark Answer vers 7. Secondly A more
to that people more especially as never was upon earth Chap. 1â— 1 At that time that is when this raging King of the North spoken of in the close of the former Chapter shall have so distressed the Jews shall Michael stand up and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation by which trouble they shall be scattered and in a manner broken to peeces as appears by Zacharies description of this day Zach. 14.1 2 3. In a word therefore as the time times and a half which sets forth the most black day of the Gentiles is ordered by God so to fall out as that it is here laid down in the more dark answer as a mark of the first viz. 1290 dayes which notes the beginning time so the scattering the power of the holy people or the Jews black day is laid down as a mark of the second viz. the 1335 dayes or the compleating time of Wonders when as saith the Text all these things shall be fulfilled Now besides that reason that the thing it self carries with it as I have opened it that what hath been said viz. That the intent of the Holy Ghost in the first answer is not to lay down any way or rule for us to calculate the times by but rather to give us evident marks and signs of either time appears to me for these Reasons 1 Because as to the first branch of the Answer namely the time times and a half we have no head of account laid down where to begin them if we begin them with the beginning of Johns 1260 they fall as we have said thirty years too short if from the time Daniel saw the Vision above a thousand years too short where therefore shall we begin them or how shall we account if we cannot find a Head to begin our account upon The Holy Ghost wheresoever he intends an account of times should be made up by us doth either lay down some express Head for us to begin upon as in the following verses And also Dan. 9.24 25. or else leaves us to begin from the time of the Vision but here we have not the one nor may we do the other 2 Because the second branch viz. the scattering of the power of the holy people is no number and therefore can be no other thing but a mark ergo must the first likewise 3 Because if the intent of the first answer be to give us any account of the time how long then considering that this is the main drift of the second answer it will follow that either we have two diverse accounts laid down in the two several answers or but one if two diverse how then are the answers the same which we have before proved if one and the same then is there Tautologie in the Text. 4 And lastly This seems to me to be the very reason why the answer was so dark to Daniel that he heard but understood not because the force of the answer lay in signs which being not as then things visible or in being Daniel is confounded within himself and knows not what to make of the answer This being so that the time times and a half are here laid down only by way of mark it will much better agree to our sense to take the time times and a half for three years and a half than to the other which interprets them 1260 years for that which is laid down purely as a mark must not be drawn out at length for then it ceaseth to be a mark and becomes a rule to measure by but must ever be held and accounted for some noted point some remarkable action by observing which we may learn something else This Text being opened there needs not much to be said to that other Chap. 7.25 save only that as the time times and a half are here laid down by way of mark so likewise are the time times and dividing of time there The thing they point at is not the duration of the little Horns Kingdom how long it should continue from the time of its first rise but rather to shew which who observes it shall find to be the very scope of the place when this blasphemous raging little Horn who for a long time together had worn out the Saints changed times and Laws should have a period put to his boundless rage and tyranny which I say is set forth not by measuring the time of his Kingdom but by hinting as a mark a most remarkable action which should be in the very concluding time of it and indeed prove the break-neck of his Kingdom and that is the black day of the witnesses killing the end of which day should put a period to his Kingdom the time of his rage and tyranny which thing though a great mystery in Daniel therefore when Daniel heard this the second time Chap. 12. he confesseth that he understood it not yet it is a thing cleerly revealed in John as we have formerly noted viz. that the end of Antichrists Kingdom and the end of the three dayes and a half the limited time of the Witnesses lying dead shall fall at one and the same point and therefore well may the time time and dividing of time he laid down as a mark to shew when a Period should be put to the Kingdom of the little Horn. Thus we see that Daniels time times and a half is so far from being repugnant to that Exposition I have given of Johns time times and a half that indeed rightly opened we have hence a strong confirmation of it yea of our whole methâ—d for as I said at first if Johns time times and a half be not to be understood of 1260 years but of three years and a half only then of necessity must the method of this 12 Chapter be as I have stated it If notwithstanding all any should yet say That surely it cannot be without something of the mind of God that a time times and a half that is three years and a half reduced into dayes and these dayes into years again should make the very sum of 1260 dayes or years Ans Yes I am verily perswaded that there is much of the mind and wisdome of God in it but if I may nakedly speak what I think is the mind of God herein I take it to be this That men when they will be curious which is a thing the best are prone unto and as soon taken with as any one snare I know shall even in the word it self find something to feed their curiosity whereby the simplicity of truth shall be hidden to them And indeed whether to go from a certain Prophetical stile a time for a year to a new stile no where clearly found in all the Word namely a time or year put for a year of years only upon this account because a time times and a half i. e. three years and a half will by this reduction amount to 1260 years I
say whether it seem not to savour more of curiosity than truth and might not possibly be by the wonderful wisdome of God so left in the Word on purpose that truth till the discovering time should come might be the more veiled I leave to the Spiritual and understanding Reader to judge The result of the whole is that the Prophecie of the twefth Chapter is not to be limited to the first period but brings us down even to the end of the second period namely of the 1260 years and consequently the time times and a half mentioned vers 14. is the same with the three dayes and a half Chap. 11.9 SECT VI. FRom what hath been said many useful truths arise which confirm us in the things before asserted upon Chap. 11. and also are a good confirmation by reason of that sweet harmony of truth it carries with it of the method laid down in this Chapter as 1 That the three days and a half Chap. 11.9 are not the sâ—me with the one thousand two hundred and sixty days because we have a manifest difference here made betwixt the time times and a half which answers to the three days and a half and the 1260 days 2 That the killing of the Witnesses shall not be a general act an act in all places at once because within the time times and a half which is the term of the Witnesses lying dead there is elsewhere a remnant of the Womans Seed standing up for Christ vers 17. 3 That the particular place in which the Witnesses are to lye dead is Germany because the War leading to their killing is in that Land 4 That the Witnesses in their killing time shall be deprived if not totally yet in a great measure of such outward Means and Ordinances as they enjoyed though in a mournful and suffering condition all the time of their Prophecy yet notwithstanding shall have a principle of life kept alive in them by the way of Christs more secret working therefore it is said of the Woman the 1260 days they fed her v. 6. but in the time times and a half she is non-rished vers 14. 5 That the People and Kindreds and Nations and Tongues Chap. 11.9 are such persons who drive on a worldly and earthly interest for they are here called the earth vers 16. And the earth helped the woman 6 And last That the people of God elsewhere within the time that the Witnesses lie dead shall have a cloud upon them and be brought into some straits for a War is attempted within the time times and a half by the Dragon upon the remnant of the Womans seed vers 17. SECT VII I Shall conclude this Chapter with a word or two of enquiry as touching this remnant of the Womans seed Two things concerning them are worthy a search after 1 What people are here meant by this remnant of the Womans seed that the Dragon within the three days and a half makes war upon 2 How or in what fense we are to conceive of this War made upon this remnant of the Womans seed by the Dragon Concerning the first I shall not presume to determine any thing of this people any further than the Holy Ghost hath who describes them by two notable distinguishing Characters as willing thereby to mark them out from all the people that within the time of the three days and a half should be found in the world besides First They are such who keep the Commandements of God By Commandements we are to understand those Gospel-Institutions Christ gave to his people in command upon his Resurrection so called Act. 1.2 After that he through the Holy Ghost had given Commandements unto the Apostles whom he had chosen Secondly They shall be such who have the restimony of Christ What is that Answ A Spirit of Prophecy amongst them Revel 19.10 the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy i.e. they shall be a people much looking into the Propheâ—ies of the last times having a great in-sight into what God is about to do in the world and abundance of faith in behalf of the cause of Christ so as not to fear it though the same be opposed by all the world yea and all the Devils in Hell Such a People who shall be eminent above all others for these Characters shall be found in the world at the time the Witnesses lye dead these shall be as an eye-sore to the Dragon who shall dread some mischief to arise to his Kingdom from them and therefore he shall wonderously dâ—sire and lay about him if it may be to rid these out of the way as fearing he shall not be secure in his seat whilst they are in the world and therefore having killed the Witnesses his next attempt is upon these But now as to the second How doth he attempt them or what manner of wat is it that he makes upon them In order to my answer I premise 1 That that Dragon which is the grand Persecutor of the Woman throughout this Chapter from whom all her sufferings originally arise is according to the Holy Ghosts interpretation vers 9. that old Serpent the Devil and Satan He stands ready to devoure the Childe as soon as born vers 4. He wars with Michael vers 7. He drives the Woman into the Wilderness vers 13 14. He casts a floud after her to drown her vers 15. He makes war after this with the remnant of her seed vers 17. 2 That this Dragon Satan being a spiritual and an invisible enemy and all the sufferings of the Woman until this day having been ever caused by some outward and visible means Wee may not therefore conclude that it is by any immediate hand or act of the Dragon that the Woman suffers but by some mediate hand that is some thing or power acted by this Dragon and made an instrument to serve his design against the Woman therefore is the Dragon said in his fighting to make use of Angels or Instruments vers 7. and also in his fal hath Angels or Instruments falling with him vers 9. 3 This thing or power acted by the Dragon to afflict the Woman is sometimes one thing sometimes another sometimes one thing onely sometimes more than one accordingly as he hath permission to act this or that thing and finds that by the acting of one thing or of diverse he may best effect his own design of distressing and if it might be destroying the Woman therefore before the Beast comes in he acts the power of the Pagan Empire after the Beast is come in the power of the Beast more in general but more particularly the power of the German Empire 4 That thing or power which is most commonly or properly governed by him is in a distinct consideration from all other things or Powers called by the name of the Dragon So of all the Powers in the world the Roman Power in the Primitive Ages goes under the name of the Dragon vers 3. of
without fault before the Throne of God 5 Because the Characterising this 144000 by this these follow the Lamb whither soever he goes is to me a cleer intimation that the Lamb was now upon his march to his Kingdom in the time of their standing up yea had gone a good step so far as many of his first followers had left him and these only clave to him which is not appliable to the state of the Church in the Wilderness and that many hundreds of yeers ago 6 Because that preaching of the Gospel which immediately succeeds their standing up cannot without a manifest forcing of the Text be applied to the time of Waldus Wickliffe or any time already past as will plainly appear when I come to open those words 7 Because their standing up is not until the very hour of Gods judgement upon Babylon is come vers 7. Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come What hour is this Ans The hour of Babylons downfal whose judgement comes upon her in an hour Rev. 18.10 For in one hour is thy judgement come and therefore to shew this to be the meaning we have a Herauld in the next verse proclaiming the news of it vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen For these Reasons and some others I could urge I cannot look upon this Prophecie as contemporising with the 42 months of the Beast the 1260 dayes of the Witnesses and Woman but rather as a Prophecie there to take beginning where the 12 Chapter leaves us which is about the end of the time times and a half with the attempt of the Dragon against the remnant of the Womans Seed And so in an orderly manner things succeed thus The Dragon having killed the Witnesses endeavours to rid the world of that remnant of the Womans seed that stand up for Christ in some other place Now the Lord Jesus seeing this that the Dragons rage is such that he cannot content himself with that unparaâ—eld injury offered to him namely to kill his Witnesses hereby indeavouring to leave him without witness in the world but because there is yet a little remnant in a corner of the world that stand up for him to bear forth his name and glory in the world therefore the malicious raging Dragon must design upon them and labour to root them out Christ hereupon is so mightily provoked and full of wrath and fury and so jealous for his name and his bowels do so work for his remnant that he cannot now any longer forbear to behold the cruel rage and insolency of the enemy but instantly appears by a more glorious manifestation of himself than ever before upon Mount Sion i. e. in the midst of his people now come thither calling together his remnant about him by his presence incouraging them not to fear this great and dismal attempt and assuring them that the Dragon ere he shall have his will upon them shall beat him out of the field And here will be the first glorious Rendezvouz in Canaan all done before this day is to be reckoned but the War on the other side Jordan that War was with a part the Lamb with his followers encountring such only as stood in his way and hindred his march towards the borders of the Promised Land but this will be with the whole body of the Canaanites under conduct of the Dragon who shall fall before the Lamb and his 144000. So that I say we are to begin the Prophecie of the 14 Chapter with the Dragons attempt against the remnant of the Womans seed in the very concluding time of the 1260 dayes Should I say That we we are to begin this Prophecy of the 14 Chapter from about the end of the Beasts 42 months Chap. 13. and that John after he had seen the Beast acting his part upon the Stage and now going off beheld presently the Lamb coming up with his 14400 it amounts to the same with the other so that whether we begin from the end of the 12 Chapter or of the 13. the beginning is stated aright either falling to be in the very concluding time of the 42 months the 1260 dayes But I rather choose to begin from the Dragons attempt 1 Because by that beginning we have as before wee have shewed in the 12 and 14 Chapters the Prophecie of the Woman compleat 2 Because that attempt seems to be the reason of the Lambs appearance 3 Because as I have also said the 13 Chapter comes in by way of digression and the Prophecie as to the point of time and order is compleat without it Object Babylons downfal is spoken of after this Rendezvouz vers 8. And the Beasts followers are afterwards threatned for worshipping the Beast his Image receiving his Marks vers 9 10 11. Therefore this Prophecie must contemporise with the time of the Beast Answ This stands upon a supposition which I deny viz. That 42 months is the utmost term of the Beasts continuance and therefore Romes downfal must bee within that time whereas I affirm but shall here wave the proof of it that the 42 months is only the time allotted the Beast to continue a Tyrant raging and tyrannizing over the holy City the Saints and the Nations and not the time of his continuance which shall be for some time after this term is run out within which time Rome shall be ruined and therefore is its destruction mentioned after this Rendezvouz of the 144000 and also the Beast still even within this time to his last shall have many cleaving and adhering to him who are the persons here warned I know not any other Objection against this our method that deserves a particular Answer Something else there is by some said for the common method but he that shall observe our following Discourse will find that either it falls of it self as I have stated the thing or if not may if he please gather up that which will be a particular Answer to the thing possibly where his scruple lyes SECT II. TWo things from our Discourse in the former Section are evident First That the Head of this Propheey is to be placed above a hundred years lower than the Head of the Vials And indeed were there nothing else to be urged yet he that shall but compare the persons and time when the Vials began to be poured forth with the persons here spoken of and this time will find that to be the more early this the latter for 1 Those that pour out the Vials have a mixture of fire with their Sea of glass vers 3. And I saw as it were a Sea of glass mingled with fire noting as Mr. Brightman observes that though they had attained some degrees of purity yet was it not such but still there was a mixture of fire hot jars contentions divisions making of parties even amongst the Reformers themselves But these here have all their Fathers name written in their
mighty Thundrings saying Hallelujah It teacheth us thus much That Christ will raise up some such faithful Instrument to bee his Lieutenant General to lead on this his 144000 whose name shall be as a great Thunder in the world dreadful and terrible to the Antichristian party And whereas it is the voyce of but one Thunder it intimates that at this first Rendezvouz there shall appear but some one noted Head for Christ but a while after when the work is gotten a little forwarder we hear of many Thundrings Rev. 19.6 i.e. many great One Heads Rulers who either wanted opportunity or courage at first shall now come in and joyn with this party 2 They shall begin their march with praises The Lamb being now upon Mount Sion his remnant gathered about him an eminent Head by Christ raised up and set over them the first work they do is to sing praises I heard the voyce of Harpers harping with their Harps The Holy Ghost in these words alludes to the way of praising God in time of Old when Gods people in their praises made use of Instruments of Musick and particularly and as that which was in most common use of the Harp Psal 33.2 Psal 43.4 Psal 71.22 And methinks the first setting forth of the 144000. seems to be much like Jehoshaphats march against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir 2 Chron. 20. An infinite multitude of people and Nations like the sand of the Sea come up together against Jehoshaphat and Judah The noise and rumor of their coming doth 〈…〉 â—istress the people but seeking God the Lord setting it home upon the heart of Jehoshaphat and his people that the morrow should be the day of his power he would do the work for them they should not need so much as to fight only stand and behold the salvation of the Lord fear and faint-heartedness now flyes away they do not consult whether are we strong or whether are we weak how is it possible we should deal with this multitude But being assured of the Victory and that the day should be theirs they begin a March with prâ—â—â—es singing and rejoycing before ever a stroke is struck as if they had carried the Field already So will it be with this remnant at this day the raging Dragon in his wrath and fury comes on gaping upon them It is a miracle in reason if ever they scape his mouth but against this to bear up their spirits they have the glorious presence of the Lamb in the midst of them this doth so wondrously animate them that in the mouth of danger they fear none but march oâ— in the very face of the Dragon harping with their Harps i. e. praising and rejoycing as knowing assuredly the Lamb will manifest his power they shall tread the Dragon under their feet Thus much as touching our second particular from the whole note That notwithstanding the Witnesses themselves are undoubtedly after their rise to be esteemed a part of this 144000 yet shall the beginning of this glorious company be not with them but there where that remnant of the Womans seed shall be found thâ— the Dragon wars against I shall here in the close of this Section adde a word or two as touching Daniels Stone the looking upon this Rendezvouz presenting that to mine eye The first rise of this Stone we are doubtless to place with the beginnâ—â—â— of the third Vial. My Reasons are 1 Because it being the Stone alone that breaks the Great Image by smiting him on the Feer and Toes we are there to place the rise of it where the Civil power of Antichrist in any of the ten Horns represented by the ten Toes is irrecoverably broken to peeces But the doing of this is begun with the third Vial therefore with the beginning of that are we to place the beginning of the Stone 2 Because Daniels Stone that smites Chap. 2. and his Ancient of dayes that sits Chap. 7. being one and the same we are to reckon the rise of the Stone from the first day that the Ancient of dayes began to sit and to cast down any of the Thrones of the fourth Beast But this work was begun with the beginning of the third Vial therefore there are we to begin the Stone Now let us look upon the work done of late yeers under either of these notions either as it is a breaking of the great Image or as it is casting down the Thrones of the fourth Beast for both are substantially the same and instrumentally wrought by the Stone and hath it not been done by a despised handful which worldly powers would not have raised up at first could they have holpen it nor continued when raised could they have had their will but as the raising so the continuing hath been from God more immediately than by the endeavour of hands i.e. humane means But now observe as God never doth any wonderful work but in the beginning of it he puts some death upon it so the most remarkable work that ever yet was in the world viz. the Stone smiting the great Image is no sooner on foot but presently even within that very Vial that the Stone begins to smite comes the saddest blow the blackest cloud over the work of God that ever one of them the world saw namely the death of the Witnesses this stops the work a while the Stone lyes still by lying still it seems to moulder In this extremity God ariseth â—â—kes the Scone into his hands again forms it more strongly by casting out the loose earthly matter and firmly uniting and cementing the rest adding withal more matter to it that so upon its next smiting it may break in peeces whatsoever stands in its way This is done in this glorious Rendezvouz of which we have spoken SECT V. OUr third Particular comes now into consideration namely to consider of the Characters of this 144000. As for the several Characters we have vers 3.4 I have given my thoughts of them already in the Epistle Dedicatory to my late Discourse upon the Vials But what I then wrote being but as the first day-break of light into this Prophecie and hoping through grace that I do now begin to see those things a little more clearly distinctly and fully than at that time I did I shall notwithstanding go over the whole again The first Character of them viz. That they stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion relating more to their condition than their qualification I shall be silent as touching it and the rather because I have opened it already Sect. 1. That omitted we have besides it eight Characters in the Text. I CHARACTER They have their Fathers Name written in their fore-heads vers 1. i.e. they shall bee such who shall know one another by no mark but only the Image of the Father the Fathers Name written in their-fore-heads And I take it that this is spoken of the 144000 followers of the Lamb in opposition to the Beasts followers
I have handled that in opening the Vials and shall not here repeat it What may be collected from Chap. 11. I have given some general hints of it likewise in our first Chapter All therefore I intend to do at present shall be to take up some few Observations as lie couched in this Chapter and will add some little further light than what hath been already brought forth to the Question in hand 1 More generally The work shall go on with a more swift and irresistable hand than ever formerly Now shall not all the means and endeavors that can by the world or hell it self be used be able to hinder but the wrath of God as a mighty over-flowing deluge shall irresistably come in upon the Antichristian ungodly world This seems to me to be noted in that running and posting of Angels one after another so soon as ever the work is set upon this Basis vers 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel ver 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image or receive his mark in his fore-head or in his hand The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God Vers 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple Vers 18. And another Angel came out from the Altar which had power over fire The posting of Angels argues the work now to be hot it runs like fire in a Thatch every Angel or Instrument makes a quick and speedy dispatch of his work 2 More particularly we have these things noted in the following part of this Chapter First The everlasting Gospell is preached vers 6 7. And I saw another Angel flye in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People saying with a loud voyce Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of waters Five things we have here observable concerning this preaching of the Gospel which shall be at this day 1 The wonderful purity and simplicity of the Doctrine of the Gospel as now held forth it shall be purged from those Antichristian mixtures and devices of man which tend to nothing else but to corrupt and darken the pure word of the Gospel and lead souls from the simplicity of the Gospel Hence it is called the everlasting Gospel because it shall be now preached as it was at first or all that dross that hath been and is in the Doctrine of the best Preachers hitherto shall now be purged out and that onely which will abide the fire and shall be everlasting shall remain 2 The matter it self that shall be held forth as one principal part of this everlasting Gospel shall be those things which concern Christ judging the great Whore and all his enemies and the setting up of his own Kingdonâ— calling upon the Rulers of this world to worship the Lamb throw down their Crowns and Scepter at his feet and therefore observe the matter of the Sermon is Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgement is come and worship him that made Heaven Earth c. as to say the time is come that the Lamb will judge the Whore destroy the Beast tremble all ye Nations before him ye Kings and Princes of the earth be wise give glory to him Kiss the Son worship before him who made Heaven Earth the Sea and the Fountains of waters lest he be angry and ye perish in the way as he is in his march to his Kingdom 3 The universal spreading of this Doctrine abroad and that as it were in a moment therefore the Angel to note the swiftness of carrying it is said to flye and to shew the universal spreading of it it is said to be preached to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People 4 The publick and boldholding of it forth such a spirit shall be upon the Preachers that they shall not whisper these things and speak them in private corners but openly and boldly in the Market-street yea in the very faces of the Kings and Princes of the Earth Hence to note the publickness of it the Angel is said to flie in the midst of Heaven i.e. openly in the view of all and to note the publickness and boldness both is said to proclaim it with a loud voyce 5 The great measure of faith that shall be upon the Preachers as to this particular business that the very time is come in which God will judge the Whore therefore they cry out The hour of his judgement is come As to say Flatter your selves no longer O ye Papists sit still no longer O ye Protestants with this in your mouths the time is not come the time is not come for assure your selves Christ will now delay no longer The hour of his judgement is come Secondly Romes destruction now comes unavoidably upon her vers 8. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen The words Babylon is fallen is fallen are not as I conceive to be looked upon as words of faith concerning a work to be done but rather a Proclamation of a work already done This Angel is but the Messenger and Herauld of those glad tydings who spreads this news over the Churches and Nations which what with the greatness of it the suddenness and unexpectedness of it begets such wonderment and joy that the whole World in a manner is filled with Hallelujah's Rev. 19. Thirdly A serious and solemn warning to all those who shall yet adhere to the Beast Vers 9. And the third Angel followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his fore-head and in his hand Vers 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Vers 11. And the smock of their torment ascendeth up for ever and over And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name But why are the Papals warned by pronouncing against them so dreadful a threatning at this day Answ The reason hereof I take to be this because the day of Christs coming and the fatal ruin of the Beast and his followers is now at hand therefore the coming of Christ and the treading of the Wine-press follows immediately upon this Now Gods way is ever before his fatal blow to give his enemies such a warning as may both
that it can be no other coming but Christs Personal Now because at the time of Christs personal coming the dead Saints are so to be raised up as that they may be ready to come with Christ 1 Thess 3.13 1 Thess 4.14 Zech. 14.5 Therefore we have the resurrection of the dead intimated in the verse before Christs coming vers 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them The Emphasis of the Text lyes in those words from henceforth about which I find Expositors not applying this to the time of Christs coming and the resurrection but to a time past to be much puzled And indeed there is cause for as it is a forced Translation and besides the Etymologie of the word to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise than from henceforth or from this time so cannot any solid reason be given for it without a supposal of the resurrection to be here intimated why the dead from this time should be pronounced Blessed more than from any other time why from this time they should rest from their labours and have their works following them more than from any other time To say they go to Heaven by Death and there rest from their labours Answ But why from this time rather than any other are they blessed seeing all that dye in the Lord throughout all Ages are equally made partakers of the blessing in this sense To say the reason of the special blessing ariseth from the Cause they dye in they dye in Christs Cause and suffer as Martyrs Ans But why is the speciality of the Blessing annexed to this time seeing as Martyrs many had suffered for Christ long before To say as do some others because the Gospel began now to be preached in the world which only makes men dye happily Answ But why from this time seeing a Soul cannot dye happily or in the Lord at any time without some knowledge of Christ and the Gospel To restrain this as do some others to the pains of Purgatory which they say till about this time did cause fear even in good people at their deaths but now the Gospel being preached clearly and the vanity of that opinion laid open the people of God dye comfortably with assurance of going straight-way into Paradise will not help us with an interpretation for who can think otherwise but that the vanity of this most grose opinion was laid open before even when the everlasting Gospel was preached vers 6.7 and if so why then are they said to be blessed from this time and not rather from that time when the everlasting Gospel began to be preached To say yet as do others because great Persecutions were now to arise so that it was a blessing to be dead before they came Ans 1. Whether is it a greater blessing to die in the Lord a Martyr or to die of a mans natural death 2. Let it be considered Whether the time of the Waldenses Albigenses which time Expositors place higher making application of the thing spoken of vers 6 7. to them were not a time of as sore yea sorer Persecutions than the time to which they make application of these words and if so that this be the onely reason why then should not the blessing be placed there rather than here or as well there as here For my own part I do conceive that the thing here intimated is the Resurrection which opinion as it cuts off a multitude of uncertainties so doth it agree most fitly to the circumstance of time according to the method I have observed and is clear also from the Context consent of other Scriptures and the words themselves taken in their natural sense without straining or forcing of them being in effect thus much as if the Holy Ghost should say The children of God untill this day have been ever accounted the worlds Fools who have counted their life a burden and toyl their death a loss of their expectations but now at this day of the Resurrection when the fruit of Gods peoples patience their faith and obedience of which was spoken in the foregoing verse which hath a necessary dependance on this and had we conjoyned them in our exposition as they are in the Text it might possibly have been better shall be manifested before all men it shall then be seen that those who in former ages from the very beginning of the world did live to the Lord and dye in the Lord are the onely blessed men who from this day in Soul and Body both are made partakers and that in recompence of their former toyl and labours of the glorious rest of Christ having now their good works following them i. e. the reward of all their former good works which the world looked upon as things lost and cast away given to them Hence which serves to expound these words the time of the seventh Angels sounding which is contemporary with this both looking to the time of Christs coming is called the time of Gods giving a reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his name smal and great Rev. 11.18 which answers punctually to this of their works i.e. the reward of their works following them By these two Scriptures I am further confirmed in what I have writen upon the Vials viz. That not Martyrs onely but all the Saints shall rise in the first Resurrection and come with Christ for the blessing here pronounced is common to all that dye in the Lord yea to all that have kept the patience faith and commandements of Christ and not peculiar to Martyrs onely the rewarding Saints in the time of the new Jerusalem is not a rewarding Martyrs onely but all that fear Gods Name a qualification common to Saints smal and great As for the double similitude in the following words 1. Of a Harvest vers 15 16. 2. Of a Vintage vers 18 19 20. whether the Harvest signifie Christs gathering his Elect in the world which are his Corn together to him 1 Thes 4 17. 2 Thes 2.1 Mat. 24.31 And the Vintage Christs destruction of those of his Enemies that he finds gathered together upon his appearing or whether one thing viz. The ruin of his enemies be intended in both which seems best to agree to Joel 3.13 Put ye in the Sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the Press is full the Fat 's over-flow which Prophecy as it is the same for time with this so this seems to be taken thence I shall not undertake possitively to determine Further whether the Angel with a Sickle who gathers the Vintage ver 19. be any Angel that Christ makes use of at his coming to destroy his enemies as God by an Angel destroyed the Host of Senacherib or whether this Angel be Christ himself who before
is called the Son of Man here an Angel which name is also given him Rev. 10.1 2 3 5 6. Rev. 20.1 Chap. 16.17 which in my discourse on the seventh Vial I have shewed is to be understood of Christ I shall not much insist on onely adding that I rather incline to the latter that it is Christ himself 1 Because this work is done by the pouring out of the seventh Vial and the seventh Vial is poured out by Christ alone 2 Because this work is the treading of the Wine-press and the treading of the Wine-press is Christs work alone Isa 63.3 Rev. 19.15 3 Because it carrying greatest probability with it that the Harvest and Vintage should be but one and the same thing set forth for ampleness sake under two Similitudes it should also seem most probable to conclude the Angel of either to be the same Now the work of the Harvest is in express terms appropriated to Christ the Son of Man therefore the Vintage is his work too 4 Because supplication seems to be made in the same manner to this Angel as is to Christ himself An Angel coming out of the Temple cryes with a loud voyce to him that fate on the Cloud i.e. Christ the Son of Man to thrust in his Sickle and reap vers 15. In like manner an Angel coming from the Altar cryes with a loud voyce to this Angel to thrust in his Sickle and gather the clusters of the earth vers 18. therefore they seem to be one and the same and Christ himself the person pointed at in both If here I may add my conjecture concerning these two Angels that cry with a loud voyce to have this work of the Harvest and Vintage performed I have a conceit that the first may signifie the Gentile Churches the second the Jews who both about the instant time of Christs appearance are provoked by seeing the whole world gathering together to swallow them up to cry mightily to the Lord to manifest his power for their preservation for which cause either are said to cry with a loud voyce and both by seeing the rage and height of the enemy have saith to beleeve their destruction to be at hand therefore either are brought in pleading great words of faith The first pleads Reap O Lord for the time is come to reap the Harvest of the Earth is ripe vers 15. The second pleads Gather the clusters of the Vine for her Grapes are fully ripe vers 18. and for this reason also may as I conceive the same thing be set forth under two Parables that so hereby a clear way might be made for either of these two first Gentiles than Jews to be brought in pleading with Christ to shew forth his power and greatness at this day Now of these two the Angel of the Gentile Churches is said to come out of the Temple yet not the Temple of Heaven which the Angel of the Vintage i.e. Christ comes forth of ver 17. because the Gentile-Saints had long before this time even from the first day the Vials began to be poured forth had a Temple among them Rev. 15.5 6. this being the most remarkable thing concerning them that they had a Temple therefore are they described as coming thence The Angel of the Jews comes from the Altar vers 18. Quest Why is he so described Answ To note the wonderful sufferings that people shall be in and that in that very nick of time wherein Christ shall appear which is spoken of Daniel 12.1 Zoch 14.1 2 3. and of which we have discoursed before this being the most remarkable thing concerning them and that which makes them to cry so loud therefore are they described as coming from the Altar yet as touching this Angel it is added that he hath power over fire vers 18. noting the great prevalency that the cry of this Angel from the Altar should have to bring down the Wrath of God upon the Heads of the enemies as Elijah commanded fire from Heaven and the Witnesses in the time of their Prophecy are said to devoure their enemies by fire Rev. 11.5 so the cry of these poor Jews who at this present are to be exercised under an hour of such sharp trouble as never was until this day since there was a Nation shall be so prevalent with Christ that it shall in a manner constrain him out of Heaven and command down his sore and heaviest wrath upon the heads of their enemies which is here set forth by this Angels having power over fire As touching the 1600 Furlongs vers 20. conjectures are divers Napiers opinion is That it respects the date of this terrible day who reads the words thus Blood came out of the Wine-press unto the Horse Bridles by the space of 1600 stades of courses as if saith he appearingly he should mean Metaphorically as Wine may be thought to flow from the Press or the blood of slain men in a Field to ascend to the Horse Bridles so eternally shall the torment of the wicked ascend after that 1600 years be accomplished for saith our Author these stades agree well to mean years seeing a stade is that race or course that one may be thought to run with one breath before he begin to renew his breath again as one year is that race or course that the Sun makes in a Circuit before he begin to renew his Circuit again Now counting 1600 years from the time that this was written which was about the 97 year of Christ as Eusebius in his Chronicle saith or in the end of the reign of Domitian as Irenaeus saith which was An. Dom. 99. the end of the account shall fall out about the year of Christ 1697. or 1699. Thus Napier This agrees well to the time of Christs coming as the same is held forth in other Scriptures onely falls two or three years sooner Now whether Christ who tels us that for the Elects sake the days shall be shortned Matth. 24.22 may not by reason of that sharp trouble that precedes his coming shorten by so much as this comes to that determined time of his coming which we have in Daniel I will not say yet a seeming probability of some such thing there is in our Saviours words Mayer hath an opinion that this may relate to the place quoting Rabbi Menahen upon Gen. fol. 60. who affirmeth that the Land of Canaan was 1600. Furlongs in length Now saith our Author for so much as all things are carried here on in an Allegory to the Temple the Altar and the Holy City which were of the Jews I doubt not but in this space without the City it is also alluded unto that Country such an innumerable multitude are destroyed as if such a slaughter of men were made as would overflow in this depth all the whole land of Canaan This opinion the Prophets favor in that general concurrence that is amongst them that the battle of Armageddon which is that treading of the Wine-press here mentioned
Sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up shall be 1290 days And these Characters do most exactly agree to the act of Julian as I have proved in my first part pag. 52 53. and indeed are not so fitly appliable to any act that ever was before or since it I judge my self therefore to have much reason still to hold to that opinion I then more doubtfully laid down viz. That we are with Julians act of setting the Jews about re-edifying of the Temple to begin the 1290 days The reason why I pitch upon the year three hundred sixty fix to be the year in which this was done when as there is amongst Historians three or four years variance in stating the year is not this onely because Historians of best account report this to be the year and Authors of no little esteem adhere rather to this report than any of the other but my reason is because the one thousand three hundred thirty five days vers 12. whose Head is the same with the one thousand two hundred and ninety cannot be made as they must as shall straight-way appear concurrent in their end with the two thousand three hundred days in case we fix this act of Julian upon any other year than the aforesaid year three hundred sixty six that therefore I conclude as formerly to be the year To three hundred sixty six add one thousand two hundred and ninety the whole is one thousand six hundred fitly six THESIS XXI The 1260 days are to be begun A.D. 396. for to that year are the Characters the Scripture gives us both of the time in which the Beast was to rise and the Characters of the Beast himself most fitly appliable THESIS XXII Two clear Characters we have laid down by the Apostle Paul 2 Thes 2. of the time in which the man of sin was to be midwifed into the world First In the time of the Churches first most eminent Apostacy from Primitive purity This we have vers 3. That day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of perdition as if he had said the revelation of the man of sin i. e the bringing him forth into the world is then to be expected when you shall see some eminent falling away for he thrusts himself forth into the world in or with this falling away Now this defection though it began and was in part more early because the mystery of iniquity did work and endeavor to thrust it self in even from the Apostles daies as ver 7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work yet did it not become eminent so as that corruption began to have the Major Vote in Councils and to be confirmed by their Decrees till in and near about this year What Canons that never passed Councils before the second Council of Carthage and other Council sin and about this year did produce I shall shew presently Secondly The rise of the Antichristian Beast is there to be placed where the ancient Roman Empire which is that the Apostle tells us did then with-hold and let began to fall to decay and to be taken away Vers 6 7 8. And now yee know what with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time For the mystery of iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let untill he be taken out of the way And then shall that wicked be revealed But this was A.D. 396 for the Emperor Theodosius dying A.D. 395. as saith Helvicus in Theatro Historico Alsted in Chronologia Monarch Rom. the Empire was thereupon divided betwixt Arcadius and Honorius his two Sons so that the year 396. was the very first yeer of the division of the Roman Empire Now division being the beginning of ruin we may say there began the ruin of the Roman Empire where it began so to be divided as never to be united more Hence Dan. Pareus calls this the consummate Division which did so distract the Empire now broken into two as that it never afterwards became united under one Emperor again Par. in Medulla Historiae profanae About this very time also by the general consent of Historians did the Goths and Vandals invade the Empire in such sort as that A.D. 410. Alaricus King of the Goths takes Rome it self Alsted in Chronologia Regnorum Veterum Helvicus in Theat Hist Ross in his Chronology at the end of his Worlds History And so mightily was the Roman Empire weakned by the former division and this invasion falling out together that Rome never recovered its former strength and beauty since THESIS XXIII The Characters of the Beast himself do also agree most punctually to this time of any Or take it thus Those very things which gave breath and being as I may so say to the man of sin came forth in or neer about this very year as 1 Idolatry in worshipping Images the Virgin Mary Saints the Reliques of Saints c. is the principal Character of the Beast All these things had beginning neer about if not in this very year as may bee seen at large in Wolfius his Centinaries Cent. 4. in treating upon the particular year 396. 2 Prohibition of Marriage this the Apostle makes an express badge of Antichrist 1 Tim 4.3 Forbidding to marry This began about this very time The second Council of Carthage was the first Council that ever made it a Law that Ministers should not marry as may bee seen in Alsted in Chronol Conciliorum Simson History of the Church lib. 4. Cent. 4. This Council was held saith Helvicus in the very year 396. Also in the first Council held at Toledo in Spain a little after viz. A. D. 400. as saith Helvieus was the same Decree confirmed as may be seen in Ecclesiastial Chronology at the end of the Tirpartite History Yea which was worse in this Council was not only prohibition of Mariage but allowance given therewithall to have Concubines Simson Hist of the Church lib. 4. Cent. 5. Siricius who was made Bishop of Rome A.D. 385. and so continued until the year 398. as saith Alsted in Chronologia Paparum Helvicus in Theatro Historico Joan. Wolfius Cent. 4. Prideaux in his Introduction to the reading of Ecclesiastical History p. 78. was the first as the aforesaid Authors with many others affirm that imposed single life upon the Clergy Yea this rage of Siricius was such as saith Melancthon upon Carion lib. 3. as that he removed from their office all such as being unmaried did marry forbad such as were married to company with their wives and in case of disobedience removed them from their places and functions and in an unsavoury manner cites that of Paul in his Decree They that are in the flesh cannot please God 3 Exalting himself above the Civil Magistrate This is another badge of Antichrist 2 Thess 2.4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God This began presently after this
was the only man of that age that knew the times and seasons yet doth not he know the deliverance of Gods people to be so nigh as indeed it was until as I may say the very day before their deliverance or untill that very year was come in which they were delivered Dâ—niel 9.1 2. compared with Ezra 1.1 2 3 c. THESIS XXIX The great unlikelihood in an eye of reason of bringing such great and wonderful things about within so short a time to which as yet we see so little visible preparation may well be a block in the way of carnal reason but why should it be so to Faith Seeing God hath assured us again again and again Rev. 18. that from that time wherein the proud Whore shall bee glorying boasting triumphing conceiting her self far enough from danger it shall bee but an hour i. e. a very little time to Gods passing judgement upon her in the overthrow and ruine of Rome the glory of her Kingdom THESIS XXX The sentence of death that is upon this work at present is matter of incouragement to faith no matter of discouragement seeing that from what I have laid down in many places of my foregoing Discourse it is a thing manifestly clear that a very black cloud to the end the work may come forth upon the sudden from under it with the greater glory and brightness is to come upon the work and cause of Christ among the Gentiles at the very ending time of the 42 Months the 1260 dayes as a like dismal cloud is to befall the Jews and Gods work among them at the very ending time of the 2300 the 1335 dayes If no such cloud did begin to appear there would bee cause of questioning our former principles but that it doth is a confirmation of them THESIS XXXI The fixedness of the time and certainty of the thing when the time is expired is no more an Argument for us at this day to sit still and do nothing in order to the effecting these glorious things than it would be to say in another case did I know the time of a mercy I may now sit still be idle sleep do what I will for I cannot have my mercy before and I shall have it at such a time THESIS XXXII The end of the 1290 dayes the 1260 the 42 months being so neer 1 Hence the several Discourses and hints laid down in our first Part our second and third tending to perswade That the day of the resurrection of the dry bones or the Jews stirring is neer are confirmed and made good 2 Hence what I have written Vial 5. p. 52. appears to be a truth viz. That the suffering of the Gentile Churches will shortly bee at an end for the 42 Months of the Beasts tyranny and treading underfoot the holy City the 1260 Dayes of the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth the Womans being in the Wilderness will shortly expire Now the Beasts Tyranny and treading under foot the holy City the Womans being in the Wilderness the Witnesses wearing sackcloth being the original cause of all the sufferings of the Gentile Churches their sufferings shall therefore end with the end of these for the Beasts limited time being once cut he shall have no new Lease of time to persecute the Woman tread the holy City underfoot the Woman once out of the Wilderness shall not return thither again the Witnesses having once put off their sackcloth shall not put it on again 3 Hence that which I have said Chap. 1. Sect. 5. viz. That the Witnesses do in all likelihood at this present day lie dead appears a truth for their killing is to be as I have proved Chap. 1 sect 4. in the last three years and a half of the 1260 and according to this our computation there are not at the utmost above three years of the 1260 to expire 4 Hence the glorious Rendezvouz of the 144000 of which our third Chapter treats cannot be full three years off for that is to be some little time before the compleat expiration of the 1260 days Thus much as touching the Numbers of the first Rank Numbers of the Second Rank THESIS XXXIII The Numbers of the Second Ranck are the 2300 days the 1335. THESIS XXXIV The 2300 daies and the 1335 dayes are likewise both to end at one and the same point Which is clear 1 Because the Prophecy of the eighth Chapter which lays us down the first number and the Prophecy of the 11 and 12 Chapters which gives us the second are one and the same the subject matter of either being the three last Monarchies viz. Medes and Persians Grecians Romans and also either Prophecy terminates at one and the same point viz. the final destruction of the Fourth and last Monarchy which thing needs no farther proof save onely diligently to compare the one with the other therefore the 2300 days which bring us to the shutting up of the one Prophecy and the 1335 which bring us to the shutting up of the other must of necessity end at one and the same point 2 Because as the 1335 days bring us to that time in which Daniel was to stand in his Lot i. e. to rise again chap. 12.13 But go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand up in thy lot as our old translation reads it at the end of the days i.e. at the end of the 1335 days mentioned in the foregoing Verse Daniel should rise So the 2300 days brings us to the last end of indignation Ch. 8.19 Behold I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of indignation And what is this last end of indignation but only the last Vial of Gods wrath Rev. 16. the pouring out of which is at the time of Christs coming and the Resurrection as I have elsewhere proved at large Therefore the 2300 days and the 1335. do yea must terminate at one and the same point 3 Because the Personal appearance of Christ is the concluding point of both The last King Chap. 8.25 or the fourth Monarchy comes to his final end by standing up against the Prince of Princes i. e. Christ Now this standing up is not a standing up against Christ in his Members for that he did it before vers 24. He shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practise and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people But this standing up is brought in with an also he shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes as noting it to be another and a distinct standing up from the former that was against Christ and his members onely but this standing up shall be a higher act of boldness and wickedness in him viz. a standing up against Christ himself in person who now appears as the Prince of Princes the very name written on his vesture and thigh at the day of his personal appearance to destroy the Beast Rev. 19.16 King of Kings and Lord of Lord to vindicate the
cause of his people against him shall the power of this fourth Monarchy stand up and by him without the help of any Creature shall it be destroyed therefore said in the following words to be broken without hand i.e. without mans hand by Christ alone agreeing to other places which speak of the same time Isa 63.3 I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Chap. 66.16 The slain of the Lord shall be many Rev. 19.21 the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat on the Horse with many others The final destruction also of that proud King spoken of chap. 11. viz. the fourth Monarchy is by the personal appearance of Christ as compare chap. 11. ult He shall come to his end and none shall help him with chap. 12.1 And at that time shall Michael or Christ stand up So that the utmost point of either Prophecy or the concluding act of that long Tragedy which we have First Rehearsed in brief chap. 8. Secondly More fully declared in that last and great Prophecy chapters 10 11 12. is the standing up of Michael therefore the 2300 days which bring us to the end of the first and the 1335 which bring us to the end of the second must both expire at one and the same point viz. with Christs personal appearance THESIS XXXV The point of time at which either ends is A.D. 1701. THESIS XXXVI The true beginnings of either number do necessarily infer this year to be the end THESIS XXXVII The 1335 days are to be begun at the same Head with the 1290 therefore but one Head of account is laid down to both which is the taking away of the daily Sacrifice and setting up that abomination that maketh desolate vers 11. Onely it is to be extended so many years farther as there are more days in the 1335. then we have in the 1290 which is 45 years now 45 years being added to the year 1656 where as hath been proved endeth the 1290 the 1335 wil expire with the aforesaid year 1701. THESIS XXXVIII The 2300 days are to be begun with the beginning of the Persian Monarchy namely with the first year of Cyrus The reason is because the eighth Chapter of Daniel is as I have said a Prophecy of the three last Monarchies onely viz. Medes and Persians Grecians Romans therefore may we not go upward into the Babylonish Monarchy for a beginning because in so doing we exceed the bounds and limits of the Prophecy but we are to begin with the first year of Cyrus with which year begins the Prophecy it self THESIS XXXIX That the Heads of either number which yet both end at one and the same point are so stated as that the greater begins with the beginning of the Persian Monarchy and so with the Head of the Vision it self running down quite through it the lesser not till near a 1000 years after about the midst of the Vision a little before the coming forth of the Beast is no less than the most glorious result of the wonderful wisdom of the All-wise disposer of all things who for divers reasons hath thought good so to order it 1 That hereby the Mysteries of these two Prophecies yea all Daniels Prophecies might be the greater for observe there being not above three years betwixt either Vision Daniel having the first of these two in the third of Belshazzar chap. 8.1 which year was the last of the Babylonian Monarchy his second in the third of Cyrus chap. 10.1 the third year of the Persian had both been to be begun from the time of the Visions then would the number of dayes in either have been equal to about three dayes which little time too the Text hath clearly determined to pass betwixt Vision and Vision and if so this one thing alone would have been so great a Standard of light into both these Prophecies yea all the Prophecies of Daniel his 70 weeks excepted all the rest having dependance on these as could no way stand with the design of the Holy Ghost which was to have the Book sealed up until the time of the end for hence it would have been obvious and evident to every eye 1 That either Prophecy were the same and had one and the same beginning and ending 2 That the thing spoken of the little horn chap. 8. and of the vile person chap. 11. were not to be applied to the time of Antiochus rage which very opinion hath been a cloud upon the Prophecies of Daniel for a long time for as Mr. Parker in his Daniels Prophecies expounded pag. 37. hath well proved the 2300 days are no way appliable to the time of Antiochus persecutions 3 That all Daniels Visions and Prophecies viz. That of the great Image chap. 2. That of the four Beasts and the little Horn chap. 7. together with these chap. 8 and chap. 10 11 12. do terminate at one and the same point and this point to be no other but the end of the 2300 the 1335 days for if these two be the same and terminate at one point then by a parallel of reason the other two also viz. that of the great Image and that of the four Beasts for either of those conclude with work of a like nature and glory of a like kind with these And if so then is that other clouding opinion which darkens all Daniels Prophecies at this day viz. That the little Horn chap. 7. is to be understood either of the whole Norman Race here in England from William the Conqueror the first of that Race as some conceive or of the late King Charles onely the last of that Race as others shaken off for that Race hath been extirpated root and branch these five years already whereas to the end of the 2300 days the 1335 it is near 50 years yet to come and therefore we must of necessity unless we deny that which from the scope of each Prophecy is so clear as that it is undeniable viz that Daniels Prophecies have but one and the same end conclude that either the little Horn Chap. 7. is no such thing as many now adays suppose or affirm that the final destruction of this little Horn is come upon him upwards of fifty years before the determined time Now this one beam of light followed being such as that it discovers most of those by-wayes that men have gone in and thereby darkned the truth of Daniel it could not I say stand with Gods design of sealing this Book to make Revelation of so great and clear light as would have come in had the heads of each number been placed with the time of each Vision 2 Reason Because hereby the latter Prophecy which is the clearer and intended by the Lord as a farther and more particular light into those things that in the general had been revealed before should have been as dark as the other in regard of making up any account of time had the same began as
the other from the time of the Vision for what is it that makes the 2300 days to be so hard to compute but this the ground we go upon to make up a right supputation of the years from the beginning of the Persian Monarchy until Christ is more dark perplexed and uncertain and therefore to find the vein of truth here is a thing more hard but now the 1335 dayes being begun as before with Julian the very beginning it self is below all the most difficult knots and therefore the computation made thence more easie Hence many have found the vein of truth that runs from the Head of the 1335 but the vein of truth that runs from the Head of the 2300 I may truly and modestly say hath not yet been found And indeed therefore God left that more clear this more dark because the way of God is to give his people first a little light afterwards more and also because that in the revelation of this light that after discovery might appear to be the greater light which before discovery was the thing most dark and obscure 3 Reason The Head of the 1335 is placed as it is because God in laying down that had a special design at another thing viz. To set up a light to shew us thereby the rising Beast as I observed before and therefore it was most necessary it should not be counted from the time of the Vision for then it could no way have served such an end but rather should be fixed as it is Which fixation is such and so wonderful that deny it and no other fixation can be which will first make the 1290 days end with the 1260. And secondly the 1335 with the 2300 both which must be for our fore-going reasons and by vertue of this fixation both are exactly performed as in part we have seen already and shall fully streightway And the number it self also hath as famous a Head for it self as any one number in Scripture What admirable wisdom therefore is there in appointing and disposing these heads as they are viz. That the 2300 days should begin where it doth and the 1335 where it doth And indeed were not the placing of the Head of the 1335 designed in the wonderful wisdom of God to be a Torch to give light to the time of the rise of the Beast we should have no Scripture ground but the bare report of History which leaves it so dubious as to many years that we cannot were we left to it alone know certainly which to chuse to build upon for the time of the Beasts rise and so consequently of his ruin though yet this is the great thing and as it were the very hinge of all the principal Apocalyptical Visions THESIS XL. The 2300 days as they end at the same point with the 1335 so also they determine the duration of all the three last Monarchies for they begin with the beginning of the Persian Monarchy and end with the end of the Roman This being therefore a divine determination the voyces of all humane Historians must here be laid aside and the reports of those only how many or few soever be acknowledged to be truth whose reports laid together will bring the 2300 days and the 1335 to end at the same point and also give to the three last Monarchies neither more nor less of years than 1300 which is the number of the years determined upon them THESIS XLI The calculation of this great number cannot be performed together but must be done by parts or by dividing it into several periods THESIS XLII The first part or period contains the number of years from the first of Cyrus to the 20. of that Artaxerxes whom the Greeks call Artaxerxes Mnemon with which year we are to begin Daniels 70 weeks or 490 years Chap. 9.24 THESIS XLIII That Daniels 70 weeks are to be begun from the 20 of Mnemon is clear from the Head of account that we have laid down in the Text vers 25. Know therefore and understand that the going forth of the Commandement to restore and to build Jerusalem shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks unto the Messiah the Prince i.e. 69 weeks of the 70 the other week we have ver 27. he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week which added to the 69 makes up the 70 compleat Now observe the Head we are to begin upon is a command expresly for the building of Jerusalem but neither Cyrus command nor any command before this had relation to the building of Jerusalem for they concerned the Temple onely as the plain words of Cyrus Decree Ezra 1.1 2 3. do shew and again chap. 6.3 4 5. the copy of it which was kept in the Court Rolls and found many years after had not a word in it that concerned Jerusalem but the Temple onely nor had any following Decree untill the 20 of Artaxerxes so much as a tittle in it that concerned the building of Jerusalem but all still had reference to the building and beautifying of the Temple But now the Decree of Artaxerxes Mnemon granted to Nehemiah in the 20 year of his Reign did particularly concern the building of Jerusalem and indeed nothing else Nehem. 1.3 4. compare with chap. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. verses THESIS XLIV The Objections from Ezr. 4.12 13 Isa 44.28 which at the first view seem to have in them weight against the thing I am speaking of may with ease and clearness be answered But I shall transmit the answer to a more full discourse THESIS XLV The number of years betwixt Cyrus first and the 20 of Artaxerxes Mnemon according to the account of the ancient Greeks who wrote the State and affairs of the Persian Monarchy are computable 147 which they reckon thus Cyrus 30 whereof we are to account upon but 3 Cambyses with the Magi 8 Darius Histaspes 36 Xerxes 21 Artaxerxes Longimanus 40 Darius Nothus 19 Artaxerxes Mnemon 43 of which we are to account upon but 20 THESIS XLVI This to be the account of the ancient Greeks is testified by Sir Walter Rawleigh History of the World Lib. 3. Chap. 4. Sect. 1. Carion in his Book of the four Monarchies in treating upon the second Monarchy Simpson Chronic. Catholic pars quarta p. 179. Onely Carion in his report differs from the other one year which falls within the number of those we are to account upon which is he gives to Xerxes but 20 years whereas the other give him 21. THESIS XLVII This account is followed by the best Chronologers namely Alsted in Chronologia Monarchiae Persarum Helvicus in Theatre Historico Sims Chron. Cath. Sir Walter Rawleigh in his History of the World who all of them with the limitation laid down in the next conclude upon the very same number of 147. years THESIS XLVIII The Greek Historians not accounting the first year of Cyrus from the time of his taking Babylon which they onely reckon amongst his noble exploâ—ts