the sure Word of Prophecy And if They are Inclin'd and stirr'd up to separate Themselves to Intermiddle with this Wisdom it cannot be but they must make great Discoveries If they faithfully attend and lay the parts one to another and it be the will of that Holy Spirit of Prophecy they should do so Now that it is his Pleasure They should do so is made known by the very Writing and Publication of Prophecy and no Prohibition of Searching it as also by the obligation that lies upon all when he Writes to observe and uâ—derstand This is due in Measure to every Intelligâ—nt and Worthy Writer but without Measure to his the Spirits Writing It is known to be hiâ— pleasure Because there is a General Coâ—mand to Search the Scripture Because All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is Profitable and there iâ— no Interdict upon Prophecy as to the search nor Limitation as to the Profitableness It iâ— known to be his pleasure concerning Prophecy because it is said by our Lord with Relation to the Prophecy of Daniel Let him that readeth Vnderstand Because the Apostle Peter hath said of the more sure word of Prophecy yee do well in Taking â—eed to it because it is written as in Golden Letters on the Porâ—al of the Revelation Blessed is he that Readeth and they that hear the words of the Prophecy of this Book which must needs imply with Understanding Because it is the Epiphonema the Burden of every Epistle of it He that hath an Ear let him hear And if it be thus then all the Locking up the Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy is that he may reserve the Secrets of it for the peculiar Friends I say not of his word in general but of his Prophetick Word and that they may whet up the sharpest Exercise of their Powers of Understanding to find the Golden Taches and Couplings and one Part of Prophecy may be joyn'd to Another and the whole peice be under view in all its Frame and Contexture As soon as ever therefore the Holy Spirit hath once Publish'd and Expos'd his Prophetic Writings and thereby and therein Affix'd them to the Pillars of the Temple They are by his Grace made the Right of his Servants to search into and to Understand For they then cease to be the Secret Things that Belong to God But they being Reveal'd become those that Belong to us and to our Children we enter into that Priviledg of the Israel of God To us belong the Oracles of God every servant of God that hath his Heart stirred up hath very good Right to search and his search is no Sacriledg nor shall be imputed to him as Curiosity or presumption It is his Right to Search even as among Men it is no Violation to Inquire into the Sense of any Author offering himself to the Publick and there is greater Encouragement in Searching the sure Word of Prophecy than in Searching any other Author or Writing as is next to be spoken Argum. 3. I Argue from the Infinite Grace of the Divine Spirit that as he hath Given to Man a searching Mind after all Knowledg so he would not give any part of Scripture as a Torment of wise Inquisitive Persons but give the Key of Knowledg to Them and that he will as the Spirit of Truth so Lead into All Truth and shew his Servants Things to Come with such Uprightness Faithfulness and Sincerity that there shall be no more Secresy or privacy in the Interpretation of Prophecy than is necessary according to the Laws He knows Just and Due and which he hath himself weigh'd out as so Just and Due to Prophetick Oracles even as in All other parts of Scripture he hath in Infinite Wisdom as he weighed out the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance so proportion'd to every point of Scripture-Truth its Exact measure of clearness of Revelation and so consequently of Interpretation the most necessary are the most plain and yet there are Truths of the Grace of God freely Justifying and Accepting sinners in Christ that call for the most Quicken'd and Awaken'd Faculties for the Interpretation of them as also concerning the inward Operations of the Grace of God in the Hearts of Men and yet in all These and such as These The Holy Spirit hath Wisely and Holyly Given out his Oracles in a most Righteous Scale between the Excellency of the Truth he Reveals and the Exercise he knows necessary to the Mind of Man in Searching out the Interpretation and so hath made the Manifestation more Lightsome or Requiring Closer Attendance And thus in Prophecy according to the Vehemency of Search and Enquiry he hath thought fit he hath Dispensed This doth not make it yet Private Interpretation because there are such Lines of Communication between part and part Emblem and Emblem number of Time and number of Time between words in Prophecy and words used in the Time of Prophecy Fullfill'd between Rules of Time in Prophecy and celebrated Rules of Time among Men in Prophecy Fulfill'd between Prophecy and Vniversal History that all may be made Plain But beyond All this Interpretation of Prophecy is not Private because The Spirit of Prophecy who Knowes it because he gave it Even that Blessed Publick Spirit of Wisdom Truth Scripture is present to Assist his Servants Searching into Prophecy Leading them into the Treasures of it Springing Thoughts into them all of the Sudden Bringing Things to their Remembrance that else would not have come theâ—e and so Enabling them to Match and Enterweave All those Foremention'd Indentings one with another and thereby raising in them Assurances equal to Demonstration He also foresaw what Humble Enquirers into these Things he would stir up and Assist in every Time and what measures of Assistance he would Allow them And yet this does not make Interpretation Private to such persons apart because such Accesses to All the Means of Interpretation and to those Assistances of the Spirit are free and open to one as well as another and what is given in Interpretation to any one ought to be freely Communicated and in the Reasons and Grounds of it It lies open to All And they who are thuâ— Assisted are not Assisted for Themselves only but as Lights set on an hill that they may not be Hid. Now this Assistance of that Blessed Spirit as a Spirit Graciously present to the Searchers into Prophecy is an Encouragement beyond what any Author in the World can give to them who search into their Writings For who as he can be so always present to the Minds and Understandings of Those who Read and Meditate upon them Who as he can Recompense the Love Reverence and Diligence of those who wait upon Him Who can as he Prompt to Them summon to their Memory keep them in Doubt and so urge them to further Enquiries refresh their Researches and so make Things further known to Them so settle confirm and assure Them that
to the Believer in Christ Rom. 8. 3. I would but parallel it thus A Man is Blind or Lame or Sick or Lunatick or any of those things we read of in the Gospel All the Power of Nature summoned together the whole Colledge of Physicians and of all the Wise Men in Nature being summoned together they could not have healed a Man born Blind They could not have interposed in the Case of those persons at all much less in an Instant as Christ healed them in the Instant I say therefore what Nature could not do and all the Power of Art joyn'd with it could not do that God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh did He hore away our Sicknesses carried our Sorrows so as to heave them off from us upon himself This we greedily enough allow to be Miracle In the same manner whatever the Law the Eternal Rule of Righteousness cannot in regard of the Sinfulness and Guilt of the Nature and of the Transgressions and Iniquities of Men do in the point of Justification before Gâ—d when this Justification is accomplished by the Righteousness of God in the Mediator it must needs be Miracle For as is the Power of God and his Omnipotency in Point of Efficiency such is the Righteousness of God in the Point of Justification and as is the Loss or Deprivation of any of the Faculties of the Soul or Body of the Power due to Innate or Connatural to Them So is the want of a Righteousness of Approbation or Acceptaâ—ce in a Man wherein he may stand before the Just Jâ—dg as of full Number Weight and Measure according to that Law of Righteousness Given to Man and by which his Righteousness shall be Judged whether it be a Righteousness or not If therefore there had been any Law or Rule of Righteousness that Mans Sin being consider'd could have given Righteousness let it have been the First Law or any After Law Verily Righteousness should have been by it Gal 3. 21. He Brings in these Words Is the Law against the Promises of God God forbid it is as if he had said Is there any Reason the Eternal Law of Righteousness should speaking of it as of a person Weighing its own Honour Reputation have Inclination against the promises of God as undermining it and surprizing that Honour and Glory from it of giving Righteousness or as if God to speak with Reverence were fond of Justifying men by the Righteousness of another or as if for the Glory of his Grace and of his Son he had brought in his Righteousness and begg'd of Men to take it when there was a Law that was worthy to be call d a Law of Righteousness by which they might better or but as well have had it of their own All this saith the Apostle be far from God to bring in his Promises in so Precarious a manner But the Case of Man Absolutely Requires it he could not satisfy he could not Answer any such Law of Righteousness by himself The Scripture â—ath concluded or shut up every way on every side all mankind under sin It must be by Miracle by Free Justification by the Righteousness of Another and by Free Pardon upon that Righteousness wholly out of the Creature and by the Creator Jehovah our Righteousness and this is Miracle It is therefore said Scripture hath shut up men under sin that the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that Believe Now what is given by promise is Miracle as Isaac a Son of Miracle Miraculously Given was a Son of Promise as we find Rom. 9. 9. The Promise was At this Time will I return und Sarah shall have a Son And as it is thus in the Point of Acceptance as Righteous before God So it is in the Point of Conversion Regeneration Sanctification It is all by Miracle For it â—s by Promise It is by a covenant of free Grace therefore it is by Miracle A new Heart and a New Spirit will I Give you I will take away the Heart of stone and Give you a Heart of Flesh I will write my Laws in their Heart and put my Fear in their Inward parts and they shall not depart from me Ezâ—k 36. Jerem. 31. Heb. 8. All This is by promise Therefore It is by Miracle It is by a New Covenant as I have said Miracle is a New thing therefore it is All Miracle Both then even Justification and Renovation they look toward the Kingdom of Christ toward the World to come So they are by Miracle For Miracle and the World to come turn one upon another Therefore as Justification so Renovation is by promise by Free Grace and so by Miracle Free Will is according to the Law of the First Creation and not Miracle in any other way than as hath been said before the First Creation and the first Spring of All is Miracle There are Two Frees as I may so speak that make a Great Noise among us Free Grace and Free Will And although they do not so in themselves yet Men set them into an Encounter one with the other They do not so in Themselves any more than the Law and the Promises of God which the Jews Rencountered one against another do For if there had been a Free Will that could have produc'd Faith Repentance Renovation Verily they should have been by Free Will But God hath concluded All under Vnbelief that he might have mercy upon all If therefore the Men of Free Will were speaking of the State of the First Creation I confess they discours'd well excellent wâ—ll but because it is the World to come of which we speak Therefore All Free Will in such sense falls to the Ground All is by Miracle by Miracle of Grace by Miracle of the New Creation For the making tfiis plain by Scripture we shall see how Duely this arises from John 3. 1 c. Christ had a Learned Man in the Jewish Law to deal with Nicodemus a Ruler among the Jews and I doubt not He might have sate among the Doctors of the Chair for Free Will and he would have voted no doubt in all they said with them He came with a Great Complement to Christ calling him Rabbi We know saith he Thou art a Teacher come from God For no man can do the Miracles thou doest except God be with him Here you see he had a great sense of Miracles and of the Miracles of Christ that is his Miracles especially on the Outward Man Christ therefore as it were withdraws him from the Outward Court of Miracles into the Inner Court of Spiritual Miracles that yet as I have said give both inward and outward Assurance of Themselves Christ instructs him therefore in the Point of Regeneration Except a man be born again a new or from above Either way signifies Miracle he cannot see the Kingdom of God What says Nicodemus to this This Great Man that came to acknowledge the Miracles of Christ Oh saith
so they cannot a tend to the sure word of prophecy as they are commended here for doing 3. In their peculiar Enmity to the searching the Prophecy of Scripture and denying even to the most Learned to intermeddle with it seeing their own Condemnation in it contrary to the Apostle's most peculiar Commendation of those who give heed to Prophecy 4. In their setting up Tradition a thing dependent wholly on Human Will above Scripture whereas the Apostle commends Scripture and its Prophecy that it came not by the Will of man but by the Spirit 5. In their allowing to their own Votaries the Credit and Honour of their pretended Inspirations above the Close attendance to Scripture Prophecy and its Interpretation which the Apostle hath here so recommended to every Christian and without the least signification of Inspiration Given to All and his plain making former Scripture the Test of All following 6. By exalting their Fabulous Legendary Miracles above Scripture or the Prophecies notwithstanding even to the Transfiguration The Apostle prefers the sure Word of Prophecy Although That was no Cunning devised Fable and of so great an Excellency by which the Apostle seems prophetically to Glance most severely upon those Cunningly Devised Fables that should arise in the Christian Profession 7. The Apostle Foretelling those Scoffers in the last days who should set up the Mock Fifth-Monarchy so earnestly recommends the Words of the Prophets and the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour the Great Messiah and Jesus whereby he hath also given a very damning Predictory Admonition of the Grand Antichristian Apostacy Now in all these it may be said to those Antichristians as it was to the Jews and their Rulers of old while they read these Scriptures and the Prophecys of Scripture in their ownway they not understanding the Voices of the Prophets are most justly condemned in fulfilling them For thus ought the Antichristian Apostacy to do though most wickedly they do so that these Scripture Prophecys may be fulfilled All that hath now been spoken being by way of premisal and preparation I lay down these Propositions 1. That Scripture Prophecy is given by God for a Light that must shine in the dark place of the Antichristian Apostacy till the end of which the Kingdom of Christ is in delay 2. Christians do well to take heed to it as so shining and giving the time when the day of that Kingdom shall dawn and the day Star of it shine into the hearts of all Saints 3. Such heed cannot be given except there be a Right given to Christians and a power of interpreting Scripture Prophecies 4. It is a First Principle to Christians of the Apostle's setting and fixing that all and every Prophecy of Scripture and particularly of Time relating to the Kingdom of Christ is Open and Free and not a Private Record or of any way an Enclos'd Impropriated â—or Appropriated Interpretation For the more clear and illustrious arguing the Grand Proposition That all and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of a private or secret but of an open free and publick Interpretation I will first proceed by direct and down right proof and Argument that of all Scripture except that which lays down the Truths precisely and absolutely necessary to Salvarion The Prophecy of Scripture is in its Interpretation most Free open and most certain I will in the second place give Answers to the great Objections against this Proposition so prov'd I will in the Third Place consider what Standards according to Reason and Scripture-understanding may be given whereby we may judge whether any one hath given a true Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy viz. whereby the person giving such Interpretations may know himself he hath given such true Interpretation and whereby Any other may judge of it and find it so In the Fourth Place I will draw out in most publick view the Evidences I my self have within my self and have offered to others that I have given a True Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy All this I will do with most particular relation to prophetical numbers of Time I will Super-add a Judgment upon the state of Time Intermedious from hence to the Kingdom of Christ and shew that the Kingdom of Christ shall be very sudden and as Lightning And this I shall do by way of retractation and correction of Any thing wherein I have err'd in this matter and what will be as an Answer of an Objection that Glories in the present appearance of Things to Sense as if no such Kingdom were near I will recollect the whole in some very Brief Reflections for the settlement of the Judgment and practice in relation to Scripture Prophecy concerning Time I begin with the First The arguing the Proposition which shall insist upon these Four Heads or Topicks 1. I argue from the Infinite Ability of the Divine Spirit so to give Prophecy that the Interpretation may be Free and Publick 2. I argue from the necessity That whatever is written with sense and coherence of the things written and with the Harmony of Truth if the parts of such Discourses are diligâ—â—tly compar'd and sagaciously intermedled with by persons separating themselves thereunto a certain Interpretation must needs fly out to them 3. I argue from the gracious Assistances and Promises that the Holy Spirit will as the Spirit of Truth lead into all Truth shewing things that are to come and give the key of knowledge leading into the Sectets of Prophecy even wherein our Dulness and Slowness of Heart makes them so notwithstanding the Provision of the Spirit for their Interpretation Argument I. The Divine Spirit hath an Infinite and Infallible Prescience of things that are to come to pass Known to him are the Works of God from the very Foundation of the World to the end of it with every particular Accident to the very least Circumstance and therefore he can foretell all things as clearly as he pleases and so that they may be interpreted and understood He searcheth all things even the deep things of God whose Counsels of old are faithfulness and truth who calleth the End from the Beginning and can declare it For he worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will which Will he knew from Eternity within himself This Prescience of the Divine Spirit is acknowledg'd by All Christians except some few who least deserve the Name of Christians who deny the Actual Determinations of Free or what we call Fortuitous Agents to be Scibilia or Knowable I make not therefore here any dispute concerning the High Mystery of the Supreme Prâ—science how or in what manner God foreknew when the things fore known depend on causes acting so freely that what they will choose seems impossible to be known before hand or so fortuitously that if it could be foreseen how they would be cast the Fortuitousness seems destroyed But that God does foreknow I take for granted even as it is much the more generally agreed and
in several greatest Instances of each kind it is most evident and undeniable in Scripture God hath foretold the Events of each sort God magnifies his own Divinity and challenges all False Names of Deity upon this very Point For thus he says Declare to us things to come that we may know you are Gods Isa 43. 23. And as he foresees and fore-knows with infinite clearness and perspicuity even so he is able according to the nature of Prophetick Language which he hath constituted and fram'd taking the Example from none but giving it to all to Express all things Prophetically He employs the true Laws of speaking Prophetically and shewing things to come he knows by his own Wisdom so to govern the speaking of his Servants the Prophets that prophetical things may be compar'd with prophetical Prophetical things in the Old-Testament with prophetical things in the New Even as he hath taken care in all Spiritual Things in General as the Apostle shews at large 1 Cor. c. 2. That they may be so express'd that Spiritual things may be compar'd with Spiritual Even so that Prophetical Emblems Figures Iconisms Types Numbers of Time in the Old and New-Testament may be compar'd and co-ordinated one with another that They as face to face or as Tally to Tally may answer and agree the one to the other and may not be of any such private Interpretation as not to be search'd into or understood He also foresaw there would be and took care there should be Monuments of clear undoubted and Universal History to correspond with Prophecy as Testimonies of a mighty and powerful providence that should ratifie it by event and that there should be among all Nations in their Historical Records witnesses thereunto Nay beyond this by the Infiniteness of the Divine Foresight the Holy Spirit hath chosen out such Words as should themselves give great Light and Confirmation in the Explanation of Prophecy by their own Light by falling in with the Words made use of in the time of Events coming to pass For the Holy Spirit having a certain Foresight of the Words that should be at any time in general use could point to them many Ages before for his own service in Prophecy and being so pointed to and coming so into use they make a very considerable Character to distinguish both Times and their just place in Prophecy In the same manner the Holy Spirit foreknew what celebrated Rule or Number there would be found necessary in any Age for the Adjustment and Mensuration of time to such purposes as he had to remark upon in his Prophetical Frame and when he is pleas'd to make any Allusion to it it is of singular use to the Explication and assurance of Prophetical Time and whereabout in Time we are by concerting one with another viz. One such Note in History and Event with such its correspondent Note in Prophecy many particulars in each sort of these shall after be remarked and they â—â— plainly shew that Prophecy was not intended nor design d for secrecy and reseâ—ve from All Interpretation Now in all these Particulars I use the Word Foreknew or Foresaw to avoid any dispute on the Word Fore-ordered which else I altogether prefer God therefore in scorn to the Dark Oracles of the Devil as well as to the Black Dens and Caves out of which he gave them says thus Esay 45. 19. I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth I said not unto the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain viz. my Counsel and Will in Prophecy as they that seek to the Idols of the Heathen For I the Lord speak Righteousness I declare the things that are Right Right in Regard of Infinite Understanding and Fore-knowledg of all Events I speak Things That are All plain to him that Vnderstandeth and Right to them that find Knowledg It cannot be suposed that the Divine Spirit can have any necessity upon him to speak Darkly or Ambiguously concerning things to come if he please to speak at all of them as undoubtedly he hath been pleased to speak of them or that in that Regaâ—d Prophecy of Scripture should be of any reserv'd or secret Interpretation For all things however to come are so Open and Naked before him with whom we have to do that he need not Darken Counsel by words without Knowledg either as they do who know not Themselves nor Vnderstand and so cannot beget Knowledg in others Or that would deceive For he knows All so as to speak plainly clearly certainly concerning Them He understands them fully the certainty of their coming to pass He is neither Nescient nor Doubtful concerning any Thing or the Manner or the Time of its comming to pass and therefore how long soever he speaks of them before hand yet he needs not so to speak as to hide himself in his Prophecy concerning Them or seek Subter-fuges or Ambi Dextrous expressions concerning Them any more nor so much as any Other He that looks most downright on things present For as Darkness and Light are all one to the Father of Lights so Yesterday and to Day are all one to him who Inhabits Eternity and who is without any Variation or Shaddow of Turning All these Things are so undoubtedly certain so Universally Agreed and Acknowledg'd that altho they themselves make a High Argument in this point yet They need no Proof but Require only to be Magnified Displayed and Illustrated Argnm. 2. Any Author or Writer that can Write Sense and who does indeed Write Sense and Writes with some Largeness and Diffusiveness of that his Sense and does declare He would be Heard and Read and would have the Minds that have Wisdom Exercise themselves upon what is Written let him wrap up his Mind and Sense in such Figures that none but the Wise and Considering should find out his meaning and let it but be that he accordingly hath Framed his Discourse whenever such a Writer gives out and makes publick such a Writing he thereby puts it under the Dominion of every One that is Wise and Sagacious and who will allow the Time and Thought that is necessary to make such Observation and Compare of the Hints and Remarks that cannot be Avoided in Rational and Coherent Discourse however Involv'd in Symbols and Figures by which the Sense and Meaning may be Understood and Found out But now it is on one side most True that None as the Divine Spirit can Write Highest Truth and of Stupendious Significancy and Coherence and yet Veil and Hide it so as that it should be impossible to find it out but remain perfect Mystery till the time of Revealing it should come if he pleased so to have it But then on the other hand none as he can Write in Figures and under Veils and yet so mix the Lights and the Shades if he please to have it so that the Minds that have Wisdom shall find Light Arising and Springing out in Taking heed to
Beast is Affirm'd to be the Seventh Succession as Head and the Eighth as King The Sixth Succession is Litterally Affirm'd to be then in Being or now is that the Seventh King being the Christian Emperours was no Head It is Litterally Assur'd the Eighth King but Seventh Head call'd The Beast goes into Perdition and the Kingdom of Christ immediately Succeeds Now all these do so lead us in the True Line and Course of Time that we cannot be surer of the Course of the Seasons and Months that run along and fall out between Season and Season then we are of the Things which in Event or Matter of Fact and History run along all this Time from the Resurrection of our Lord and Answer the Symbols and Images of Prophecy Hereby then the Seals the Trumpets with the grand Events Compriz'd under Them are made most certain to Run along the Time of the Roman Empire from the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh at the Fullness of Time to his Appearance in the Fullness of Times or of All Time at the Kingdom of Christ Now if any one should say These Standards of Interpretation of Prophecy of Scripture are not sufficient to secure Interpretation according to them to be also according to the Mind and Sense of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy I should be Bold to say he either Contradicts what the Apostle hath said That Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation or he must suppose the Sense of the Apostle in these very words All Every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation are as or more Dark and more Hard to be Understood than the Darkest Prophecy of Scripture it self and Further That things may be made by Art or by Chance to fall into an Exact Harmony with the Word of Prophecy or that even a Serious well grounded Research of Scripture according to all the Commands and Encouragements of the Word of God and a keeping close to all the Rules of Scripture and Reason in such a Search may be all to no End or purpose we are never the Nearer to the Truth and Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy than if we had never search'd at all which how Opprobrious and how near to Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit It is so to say I leave to every serious Considerer to Judg. Now as to what I have my self done I cannot without Transcribing a Considerable Part of what I have already Written and made Publick shew How close I have kept to these Rules and Standards given by my self for Interpretation of Prophecy Nor will I presume to say any thing in the gross concerning it I will only first make my Humble Petition to any Person able to Weigh and to Consider and to Compare one part of Things with another that if I have been wanting in any one he would please by Free Entercourses to Remonstrate it to me and to allow Liberty of Debate upon it that so a due Care may be Taken to Vindicate Enlarge Strengthen or if necessity should so Require to Retract or Reform I will therefore here subjoyn but some of the grounds I have rested upon in the Interpretation of Prophecy according to a few Notes on these Standards as the Next Head of Discourse Proposed I First according to our General Scripture Account Fix Historical Time For the drawing then into one View the Types and Symbols of Prophecy from the Time the Spirit of Prophecy was pleas'd to Compose it into a Scheme and had prepar'd so to do I have consider'd the Archetypal Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City c. 40. to the End Representing the Kingdom of Christ in its Glory and the New Jerusalem also having the Glory of God Now when this was once given it becomes a Standard gives Types to the State of the Church of God from that Time among the Jews before Christ and in the Days of our Lord in the Flesh then of the Jewish and Gentile Christian Church in all the States of it either in the Dartings out of the Glory of it or the Stops Stays and Darknings of its Glory because as is Evident both by Scripture and Experience that Glory hath been and yet is under so long a Delay from the Time of that Vision given to this Day Now this I have all along observ'd from Prophetick Vision to Prophetick Vision through the Prophecy of Daniel and of the Revelation in those Express References to that as I justly call it Archetypal Vision from the very giving it to the End And I Account it as a Pole-star like the Star that Led the Wise men to Christ so this Vision shapes an Unerring Course to the Kingdom of Christ And because one Principal Point in that Vision of Ezekiel was the Throne Leading to the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem Ezek. 4. 3. 7. and Rev. 22. 3. And that there was to be as I have said so long a Delay Soon after the Vision of Ezekiel given There is a Vision given to Daniel c. 2 in Nebuchadnezzars Image and of Four Beasts c. 7. describing Four Monarchies as Four Thrones which should successively reach to the Kingdom and Throne of Christ And then as it is expresly said the Thrones were east down these Counter Thrones to the Throne of Christ and the Throne of the Son of Man Established alone Dan. 7. v. 9 This therefore I lay before me as another Archetypal Vision relating to the Powers of the Gentiles and the Enemies of the Kingdom of Christ And having to do with the Roman Monarchy the last of the Four from the Times of the New Testament I most particularly consider that and Finding that the Evangelist Luke gives an Early Notice of it as an Vniversal Monarchy in Augustus Caesar Commanding a Cense of the whole World as his own Dominion Luke 2. 1 Even before the Birth of our Lord I conclude this must be the Fourth of Daniels Monarchies For though some would have it the Macedonian as Divided after the Death of Alexander the Great I find That cannot be both because the God of Heaven would not have set up a Kingdom in the Days of those Kings as is expresly said Dan. 2. v 44. And also because The Kingdom of Christ Even yet is not that Universal Dominion it was Foretold it should be And Lastly Because I find so Admirable an Haâ—mony beâ—wen the Prophetick Figures in the Revelation and the plain Historical Accounts of that Monarchy and that the Spirit of God hath even to plain Litteralness or more than so Interpreted it to be Rome and its Empire I lay therefore before me this Roman Monarchy in the Pagan Empire in the Antichristian Empire viz. The Papacy which to give publick Notice it is a Throne Assumes so Solemnly and Notoriously Enthroniczation to it self and the European Kings given as Horns of Strength to it as also the Mahometan Saracens and Turks coming as two Woes upon it are adjusted in Time Now
there be sufficient Assurance of this by the Predictions being in well known Hands Now both these are uncontestable concerning this Prediction by being so long ago in Print in Dr. Mayer and Dr. Mayer's Works in many Hands The Sum of the matter is This Prediction was so long before 98 an undeniable matter of Fact in Print and known to be so But I must not conceale There is a Prediction in Sâ—ows Annals p 749. According to which This I am Discoursing most probably was Form'd as appears by several Allusions of the one to the other so plain as not to be Denied It is a Prediction upon that famous year 1588 running thus Post Mille Expletos a partu Virginis Annos Et post Quingentos Rursus ab orbe Datos Octagesimus Octavus Mirabilis Annus Ingruet Is secum Tristia Fata Feret Si non hoc Anno Totus Malus Occidet Orbis Si non in Nihilum Terra Fretumque Ruant Cuncta Tamen Mundi sursum Ibuntque Retrorsum Imperia Luctus undique Grandis Erit There Englished thus When after Christs Birth there shall be expir'd Of Hundreds Fifteen years Eeighty and Eight Then comes the Time of Danger to be fear'd And all mankind with Dolors it shall fright For if the World that year shall not fall If Sea and Land then Perish ne decay Yet States and Kingdoms then alter shall And men to ease themselves shall have no way Now this last Recited Prediction is said to be written by Regioâ—ontanus that most Famous Astronomer of his Time in the year 1475. the year before he died at Rome And the Prediction I now Recommend may seem to be a meer Imitation of it and so to be the Diversion of a Fanciful Poetical and Adventrous Pen wantonizing upon a Former Prediction and Running Counter to it and that therefore there is no Regard to be had to it But I shall argue the contrary and that upon Due Compare of the one with the other That in Dr. Mayer will be much advanced in Repute I do grant That it was written by one that had laid the Prediction of Regiomontanus before him Nay I make no doubt he writ it after the year 1588. when the Remarkable Events of that Famous Year had given Reputation to the Prediction upon it Whoever therefore writ the Prediction before us Coasted and Glanced along upon that of Regiomontanus grown into Esteem by Things Answering it and grafts a far greater Prediction upon so much as would serve his main purpose and Leaves the Rest And this he did to give it some Remarkableness by appearing in some of the Garb of what had obtain'd a Degree of Honor by the Effect Following it But it indeed far exceeds its Copy and since I know it is so Truly according to the Sure Word of Prophecy I am assur'd whoever writ it writ it either from a Judgment enlightned by deep Enquiry into Scripture Prophecy or by some Divine Impulse and far above the Copy And as Reasons of my Assurance herein I make these Observations upon it 1. In the other Prediction there is nothing but what falls within an ordinary Human imagination supposing the world in an Hurly Burly and Confusion but such a Series of Events known only to Scripture and its Prophecy not to be Read in the Stars nor in the Book of Nature but the Book of God only shews a much higher Original than Human Imagination taking Copy from one much lower than it self but either a mind Divinely Taught by Scripture Prophecy or at least Providentially Impell'd as Caiaphas's was John 11. 51. and not speaking of it self 2. Whereas in the other Prediction The Events though signified to be great yet are but General and Confused and no one Express In this Prophecy all is very great each Event is of the greatest that can be Thought of with in the state of the whole present World each is Distinct Firmly declared Like one that knew he spake on great ground this Poetry and Fancy do not use to do 3. Whereas a mere Fancy or Humor of Foretelling would have chosen some nearer Time than above a Century beyond that 1588 to raise a quicker Expectation and thereby a greater Amuse this Prediction carries steddily to 1698 so far off 4. A Naked Fancy or Incertainly guided Arrogancy of Foreâ—elling if it had born so Aloft and at a Distance from the Time of the Former Prediction would have hardly miss'd of the Câ—imâ— of 1688 Answering 1588. For we see common Expectation hath of it self run upon that year and has not been greatly mistaken in Regard of the Revolution in this Nation wherein All the European World hath been so much concern'd also to carry therefore the Prediction as from one 88 and not to stop and quarry as one may say upon the next 88. but to fall Perpendicularly upon 98. is a higher flight than of a Fancy 5. The words chosen out by whoever was the Predictor so susceptible of so ready to Fall into and to Cope with the words and Images of Scripture Prophecy are a very great Argument and Assurance He either from Great Acquaintance with Scripture Prophecy and Assistance from it in that mediate way or some more immediate Inspirings of that Holy Spirit of Prophecy or at least from a Providential Impulse or Motion of Mind was Enabled to use words which the Holy Spirit Teacheth comparing Spiritual Things with Spiritual 6â— That which above All Assures me there was a Divine Extraordinary either Explorating and searching out of the Testimony of Jesus in the Written word or from some Emotion of the Spirit of Prophecy in some Holy and Sanctified Person or at least from some Providential Impulse of that Spirit upon the Person that writ the Prediction is that he hath fallen upon that very time I have by exact Calculation found to be the very Time for the Coming of these great Events to pass in a settlement in 98 after their beginning 97. FINIS