reform outward Kingdoms but when once the work comes to breaking and beating to pecoes i.e. subverting Kingdoms razing their very foundations and destroying their being as they are the Kingdoms of this World here unless we conceive God to do it by a Miracle must we also conceive some other hand besides a Spiritual to bee put to the work 3 Because the Stone to the end there might not be a vacancy in the world comes straightway in the place and room of the Great Image so soon as ever the same is totally broken verse thirty five for as the Great Image while standing bears rule over all the earth verse thirty nine so the same being broken the Stone becomes a Mountain and fills the whole Earth verse thirty five therefore must the Kingdom of the stone be such a Kingdom as was that of the Great Image viz. outward or otherwise the coming of that in the place of the other now taken away could not supply the want of the other From all which reasons and some others also that are laid down in the following Discourse page one hundred and five one hundred and six It is clear That the Kingdom of the Stone mentioned Daniel 2. cannot be a Spiritual Kingdom but must be an outward Thus much from Daniels first Prophecy Secondly As for that Kingdom Daniel speaks of in his Second Prophecy Chapter seven which is there said to be given to the Saints and to succeed in respect of the greatness and glory of it though not in respect of the beginnings the Kingdom of the Little Horn that it cannot be a Spiritual Kingdom but must also be an outward and visible is clear for these reasons First Reason Because it is a Kingdom in which outward judgement is given to the Saints verse twenty two Judgement was given to the Saints of the most High This Judgement must be outward because the effect of it is such viz. a casting down the Thrones of the Fourth Beast verse nine by consequence therefore the Kingdom it self must be such Second Reason Because it is a Kingdom the Saints are said to possesse verse twenty two The time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom but it is more proper to say of the Spiritual Kingdom that it possesseth them than they it Third Reason Because it is the very same Kingdom which was before governed by the Little Horn that is given to the Saints now that being an outward Kingdom such must the Kingdom given to the Saints be also That the Kingdom given to the Saints is the very same Kingdom that the Little Horn did before possess is clear from the plain words and expressions used by the Holy Ghost verse twenty one twenty two I beheld and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them until the Ancient of days came and Judgement was given to the Saints of the most High and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Note we do not read it That the Saints possessed a Kingdom upon this their judging of the Little Horn but the Kingdom teaching us thus much That that very Kingdom which the Saints by judging the Little Horn do take from him they themselves do afterwards possesse So verse seventeen and eighteen These great Beasts which are four are four Kings which shall arise out of the earth but the Saints of the most High â—eall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Observe the Kingdom or that very Kingdom which was before governed by the four great Beasts and by the Little Horn as the last Limb of the Fourth Beast is the Kingdom that the Saints take i.e. from this Little Horn and so consequently from all the Beasts or Powers his Predecessors and having taken it do possesse it for ever and ever i.e. it shall never be taken from them again as they took it from all the other So verse twenty six twenty seven But the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Observe The Saints in the Evening of the Little Horns Kingdom are by the Decree of Heaven constituted a High Court of Justice hereupon they sit in Judgement by sitting in Judgement they take away his Dominion Whose Why the Little Horns upon whom the Discourse runs but what becomes of it when they have taken it away despoiled him of it why it is by God given to them the Kingdom and Dominion and greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Which yet further besides the general scope which shews this to bee the same Kingdom with that of the Little Horn that this Kingdom should bee an outward Kingdom the use of that Phrase the greatnesse of the kingdom under the whole Heaven which cannot without forcing the words be restrained to a Spiritual Kingdom only doth necessarily import The Kingdom of the Saints therefore which Daniel in his second Prophecy makes mention of cannot bee a meer Spiritual Kingdom but is and must be an outward But now as it was the great Master-peice of Satans policy at the time of Christs first coming when hee set up his Spiritual Kingdom to put that Generation of men altogether upon looking after the outward kingdom drawing them thereby to a neglect of that Kingdom which they in that day ought specially to have attended to So is it his great engine of Policy in the days a little before Christs second coming when now Christ is indeed and in truth entring into the World to set up his outward Kingdom to turn the eyes of this Generation altogether upon the Spiritual Kingdom drawing them thereby off from the outward hereby cunningly holding forth one truth as a bait to allure from another and endeavouring to draw the hearts of men from the great truth of the Generation by presenting them with some other truth every way as glorious considered in it self the time and season only which is still the thing that adds beauty to generation-Generation-truth set aside as the truth it self of the Generation Upon the fore-going Principle That Christ is to have an outward visible Kingdom and the scope of the following Discourse which proves that the time of setting up this Kingdom is now approaching and upon us doth it not necessarily follow that all those who in this day shall by their sayings or actings be found to have any hand in keeping Christ from his Throne are by so doing become guilty of High Treason against this King of Kings and though they may and should escape the judgement of man may they not expect in case they remember not from whence they are fallen and
have spoken and Christ himself with the Apostles and Evangelists of the New likewise But not to enter into so large a field which requires a Book not an Epistle let us because the Rulers of this World begin at this day to be jealous of this Notion and to look bigge upon Christs outward Kingdom consult with Daniel upon this Question Whether the Kingdom hee speaks of in his two first Prophecies be meerly Spiritual or whether it bee not as Spiritual so outward too And although some Arguments urged from Daniels first Prophecy to prove this Kingdom to be not Spiritual only but outward also are laid down in our following Discourse yet do I not here judge it amisse to enlarge some of them and also adde something new to vindicate thereby a most blessed but suffering truth hoping my labour in so doing may not be altogether lost Let us therefore I say ask Daniels minde upon our Question First As for his Prophecy of the Great Image Chapter two the Stone verse thirty fourth which is interpreted Christs Kingdom verse forty fourth cannot be meant of Christs Spiritual Kingdom but must necessarily point at an outward The Reasons are 1 Because the rise of this Kingdom is not till after that the feet of the great Image i. e. the Roman Monarchy in its Antichristian state is risen and in being which is clear 1 Because Daniel to whom things in the Vision were represented as his interpretation verse thirty sixt to forty sixt doth evidently manifest in that order of succession that they were to come forth in afterwards beholds the Feet before yet hee sees the Stone as verse thirty four Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon his feet the seeing of the Stone cut out and smiting was after that the whole Image in its several parts had been presented to him therefore I say as all the other parts so likewise the Feet of the Image were in being before the Stone 2 Because Daniel beholds the Stone so soon as formed to smite the Feet verse thirty four therefore must the Feet bee in being before the Stone was formed 3 Because the Kingdom signified by the Stone is not set up till in the days of the ten Antichristian Kings verse forty four And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom That these Kings can point at no other but the ten Antichristian Kings John speaks of Revelations 17.12 13 14. See our future discourse page three hundred and eighteen and three hundred and nineteen Now the Kingdom of the Stone being to bee set up in the days of the ten Antichristian Kings therefore must the Antichristian State be before the Kingdom of the Stone If so then cannot Christs Spiritual Kingdom be the thing signified by the Stone for that was set up when Christ first gave forth his Spirit immediatly upon his Ascension which was within the time that the Iron Leggs of the Image verse forty i. e. the Roman Monarchy in its first and as yet Pagan state did bear rule being three hundred years and upwards before the Feet viz. the Antichristian State had existence or being in the World Christs Spiritual Kingdom therefore being long before Antichrists Kingdom was begun but the Kingdom of the Stone having not being till afterwards it follows that the Kingdom of the Stone cannot bee Christs Spiritual Kingdom but must be an outward Second Reason Because it is the Stones proper and peculier work to break in peeces the Great Image i. e. outward Powers First That it is its proper work is clear because it doth the thing not accidentally but intentionally and therefore it is said to do it by smiting verse thirty four thirty five forty five which Phrase notes the intention of the Agent it smites the Great Image with full purpose and resolution to break it and therefore observe it never leaves smiting after once it hath begun till it hath beaten the Great Image to very chaff and dust vers 35. Secondly That it is its principal work is clear because no other work is attributed to the Stone but this only which sheweth that the Kingdom of the Stone is a Kingdom set up by God to perform this work which in case it doth it not it doth nothing But now the proper and principal work of Christs Spiritual Kingdom is another thing viz. The increasing and edifying it self in love and it doth not at all intermeddle much less undertake it as its proper and principal work with the routing and breaking of Worldly Powers which if indeed it should then Christs Spiritual Kingdom the proper and principal work hereof being once rightly apprehended by the Saints the Children of this Kingdom would soon prove a thing of as dangerous consequence to the Rulers of this World as the Doctrin of the Fifth Monarchy either is or can be But this I say is not the work of Christs Spiritual Kingdom therefore cannot the Kingdom of the Stone bee Christs Spiritual Kingdom but must bee an outward Third Reason Because the Kingdom of the Stone is such a Kingdom as that the standing and continuance of the Great Image is altogether inconsistent with the growth and prosperity thereof which is clear because it neither doth nor can grow up to be a great Mountain filling the whole Earth till the total removal of the Great Image verse thirty five But now the standing and continuance of the Great Image is no way inconsistent with the growth and prosperity of Christs Spiritual Kingdom but rather is indeed advantagious unto it as the Persecutions that Christs Spiritual Kingdom hath met with and that in all Ages from the Great Image which have always been the greatest and most effectual means of its growth and fruitfulness do bear witness therefore cannot the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ bee the Kingdom here meant Fourthly Because the Kingdom of the Stone is a Kingdom in respect of Nature the same with the Kingdoms represented by the Great Image i. e. it is outward as they are outward which appears 1 From the general scope and drift of the Prophecy which runs upon outward Kingdoms all the first four Kingdoms or Monarchies are outward as none can deny why then the Holy Ghost in speaking of the Fifth and last should so farre vary his scope as presently to glide from the outward Kingdom to the inward ought besides the bare say so to have some solid and substantial reason brought for it by those whosoever they are that either do or shall assert it 2 Because it is not proper to say that a bare Spiritual Kingdom considered only as Spiritual should break in peeces beat to very chaffe grind to Powder the Great Image i. e. destroy the very being of worldly Kingdoms which work is yet notwithstanding done by the Stone as Vers 35.44 45. Indeed Christs Spiritual Kingdom may by that light and life it gives forth much refine and
nor gained years but to conclude the thing absolutely because the testimony though ever so true is but Human we may not Though therefore I determine upon a particular year yet not so absolutely but that I do confesse That in case men in their accounts of that time which at present to us is undetermined by Scripture have lost or gained years by so much will things in accomplishment fall either sooner or later than the year I have fixed upon Now though I will not here take upon me to determine as judging the thing upon a pure Scripture-account indeterminable whether Scaligers account of the Year of our Lord or the vulgar account be the true only adde That should the first which fixeth the day of Christs Birth two years higher than the vulgar account be the truth then the one thousand two hundred sixty days the one thousand two hundred ninety do end with the end of the present year one thousand six hundred fifty four but if the last viz. the vulgar have the truth in it then do they end with the end of the year one thousand six hundred fifty six the year I have always hitherto pitched upon for the Witnesses Rise Iews stirring c. though I confess I am in a great doubt which we are to hold to but lesse than twelve Months will untie this knot and unriddle this Mystery yet that neither account though they vary two years as to their beginning have since upon their reckoning either lost or gained years seems to mee a probable truth upon our fore-going Principle viz. of the concurrence of the two thousand three hundred and the one thousand three hundred thirty five days in their end For supposing some miscarriage may have crept into either of these or rather both for setting aside their small difference as touching the beginning they both as to number of years since Christ speak the very same thing in all likelihood the miscarriage must bee within the time of the first three hundred years for since that time Christian Religion hath been the Religion of a principal part of the World and hath always gone upon a publique date but now in case any miscarriage were in that time then seeing we must after once Daniels one thousand three hundred thirty five years are begun allow the like number of years viz. one thousand three hundred thirty five of the two thousand three hundred to it that these two by this allowance may concur in one end it will follow that so many years over or under as the miscarriage hath been so many years by that time we have counted the years of the two thousand three hundred before Christs Passion and the years of the two thousand three hundred which follow the beginning of the one thousand three hundred thirty five will be found within this time viz. betwixt Christs Passion and the beginning of the one thousand three hundred thirty five years over or under the general sum of two thousand three hundred for if the years within this time have been counted more than they should then will the totall sum of the years be more upon account of the whole time put together than two thousand three hundred if lesse then lesse so that the two thousand three hundred must by this means either be stretched or crooked neither of which must be for this two thousand three hundred is of all the most exquisite and perfect rule to measure times by it being the very Date that Heaven hath set upon all worldly Kingdoms the account that the wonderfull Numberer of times and seasons hath left us It therefore being a thing Divine determines of all accounts that are Human but suffers it self to be determined by none This Harmony therefore of the two thousand three hundred years and the one thousand three hundred thirty five in their end as it doth determine the truth of all our account till Julian viz. That we must of necessity reckon nine hundred sixty five years of the two thousand three hundred to be expired at the time of Julians Act not a year more or lesse for if upwards of nine hundred sixty five years were expired before Julian then would there not be one thousand three hundred thirty five remaining if lesse then more either of which destroys the harmony So likewise doth it determine that in all probability our Christian Epock hath neither lost nor gained years from that time to this day because if any where it had lost or gained years it is likely it should be within the first three hundred years but there it did not therefore much more unlikely that since when Christian Religion hath been more famous and gone upon the publique Date of the greatest Empire in the World it should have lost or gained any Having thus made good the whole of our account there is nothing now remaining but that we cast it up to the end we may see where or with what year Daniels two thousand three hundred years expire For the better doing hereof I shall divide the whole into Six Periods 1. Period Contains the number of years from the beginning of Cyrus first unto the end of Artaxerxes Mnemons twentieth note That the twentieth year of Mnemon though Nehemiah received his Commission within that year yet being the current year is to be reckoned into this Period the same rule is also to be observed in all the following Periods the years of this Period are one hundred forty seven 2 Period From the end of Artaxerxes Mnemons twentieth year unto the end of the thirty fourth year of our Lord The years of this Period are the four last of Daniels four hundred and ninety being cut off for our Reasons laid down in opening Daniels seventy weeks four hundred eighty six 3 Period From the end of the thirty fourth year of our Lord untill the end of the year three hundred sixty six the years of this Period are three hundred thirty two These three first Periods contain years nine hundred sixty five 4 Period From the end of the year three hundred sixty six untill the end of the year three hundred ninety six the years of this Period are thirty 5 Period From the end of the year three hundred ninety six to the end of the year one thousand six hundred fifty six the years of this Period are one thousand two hundred and sixty 6 Period From the end of the year one thousand six hundred fifty six to the end of the year one thousand seven hundred and one the years of this Period are forty five These three last Periods contain of years one thousand three hundred thirty five The years of the three first and the three last Periods put together make up exactly 2300. The sum of all is That Christs Personal Appearance Israels compleat Redemption The final overthrow of Beast and Great Turk The binding of the Dragon The total dissolution of the Fourth Monarchy The beginning of the one thousand
KNOWLEDGE OF THE TIMES OR The resolution of the Question how long it shall be unto the end of WONDERS By JOHN TILLINGHAST a Servant of Jesus Christ Dan. 12. Vers 8 Then I said O my Lord what shall be the end of these things Vers 9. And he said unto me Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end Vers 10. Many shall be purified and made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Chap. 7.21 I beheld and the same Horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them Vers 22. Until the Ancient of days came and judgement was given to the Saints of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Printed at London by R. I. for L. Chapman and are to be sold at the Sign of the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1654. Knowledge of the Times TO The faithful VVitnesses of CHRIST Within the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland Dearly beloved in our Lord IT was not doubtless without a special and most wonderful design of Heaven in order to the making of Christs Kingdom and the Administrations thereof the more welcome to the World when the Fathers appointed time of setting the same up should be come That the power of the Fourth Monarchy in its second state should be in all respects but chiefly in its rise worse more odious and abominable than ever was power in the World before it for as for all the three first Monarchies and the Fourth also considered in its first state before the Antichristian Beast was Mid-wived into the World they did receive their power from God upon which account the Apostles in the New Testament urge obeto the ruling Powers of the World that then were telling Beleevers to whom they wrote that there was no power i. e. then standing but what Originally in respect of the derivation of the power was of God and ordained by God Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.13 14. But now the power of the Roman Monarchy in its second State as subjected to Antichrist which Beast was not then risen but to ascend to the Throne afterwards Revel 17.8 is as in many other respects so especially in this viz. of the first rise or derivation of the power made to differ vastly from all those preceding powers which were parts of the Great Image as well as it for those though their power was abused yet had they it originally from God but of the Antichristian Power the contrary is expresly declared namely That when the Ten-Horned blasphemous Beast should arise he should receive his power from the Dragon or Devil Revel 13.1 2. And I saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven Heads and ten Horns and upon his Horns ten Crowns and upon his Heads the name of Blasphemy And the Beast that I saw was like unto a Leopard and the Dragon gave him his power and great authority Hence Revel 11.7 and again Chap. 17.8 where his rise is spoken of he is said not to have a descent from Heaven as had the former powers but an ascent out of the bottomless Pit i.e. from Hell noting as before that the derivation of this Power should not bee from God but from the Devil Which Position is yet more clear if wee consider how that Jesus Christ all the time of the Beasts Kingdom doth set up a two fold power viz. a power Magisterial and Ministerial which he calls his two Witnesses Revelation 11.3 For this very end to oppose the Beast by bearing constant witness against and smiting so farre as in them lyes the Beast and his Powers This witnesse-bearing Power set up in direct opposition to the Beast though in respect of their outward condition they are at and under all the time of the Beasts Kingdom he till his day is out ruling the rost for which cause they wear Sackcloth yet being declaredly of Divine appointment and ordination I will give power to my two Witnesses hence it necessarily followeth that the power of the Beast cannot be such too unlesse we should suppose Divine appointments to be manifestly contradictory within themselves and to fight the one with the other which to say would be rather a blasphemy than an absurdity And it is for this reason because the Beast receives his power from the Dragon that the Worshippers of the Beast are said to worship the Dragon Revelations 13.4 And they worshipped the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and they worshipped the Beast From all which it appears That Power considered as Antichristian is not of divine institution but Diabolical This Antichristian power is that which of all the Powers of the Four Monarchies takes last place closing up the Worlds day and standing next to Christs Kingdom in regard of time God seeing it best in his infinite and unsearchable Wisdom to suffer things before he will erect his own Kingdom of righteousness and holiness to grow to such a height of unparalelled impietie in the World as that the principal affairs thereof which in all Ages and Generations formerly had ever been ordered and disposed by men as his Substitutes should in this last time namely the time of Antichrists Kingdom bee disposed of and governed by men as Substitutes of the Dragon In the ruines of this Power Christ begins his own Kingdom for as the Persian Monarchy had its beginning in the ruines of the Babylonian and the Graecian in the ruines of the Persian the Roman afterwards in the ruines of the Graecian so the Kingdom of Christ or the Fifth Monarchy hath its first rise in the ruines of the Antichristian Kingdom with which the Antichristian Kingdom being the Fourth Monarchy in its second and last state the Fourth Monarchy it self goes to ruine and way is made for the rise of the Fifth which succeeds it This thing is most evident in the two first of Daniels Prophecies viz. That of the Great Image Chap. 2. and that of the four Beasts Chap. 7. for the one tells us that Christs Kingdom ariseth by smiting and breaking the feet of the Great Image the other that it ariseth by judging casting down the Throne taking away the Dominion of the Little Horn either of which are the same both pointing as the future Discourse proveth at large at the Kingdom of Antichrist and Christs judging thereof Now that this Kingdom of Christ which Daniel speaks of as succeeding the Kingdom of Antichrist taking its beginning in the others ruines cannot be a meer Spiritual Kingdom as many would have it but must bee an outward and visible Kingdom is manifest enough though wee had no other proof thereof but what is couched in these two Prophecies though yet I might say it and speak truth that this Doctrine of Christs visible Kingdom is that great Truth of which all the Prophets of the Old Testament more plentifully than of any one besides it
repent to be arraigned as such before his Throne another day who will then passe a Judgement of persons and things not as they are in mens interpretations but according as he hath left them in his Word yea let it be seriously considered and laid to heart whether or no the condemning this blessed Doctrin the glorious truth of the Age viz. of the Fifth Monarchy or Christs visible Kingdom considering that no five Parties this day in England have so much to say from the Word for their particular opinions though all they have to say be put together as may be said for this be a thing justifiable before Gods people or rather in the sight of God and out Father especially too when as the persons condemning have never to this day given the truth a fair hearing by using such endeavours for the finding out the minde of God in this thing as they might and as lies in their power to do and which were there nothing else but the dis-satisfaction of Gods people God declares from Heaven that he calls upon them to do yea whether or no is not this very act of theirs a dealing more injuriously with the blessed Truth of Christ the least ïota of which is of farre greater worth than Men and Angels than ever did the Pagan Powers of the Roman Empire in the Apostles days with the persons of particular men though Malefactors who always refused to pass a Sentence till they had heard what the accused could speak Acts 25.16 yea whether or no such persons whose words and actions are Patterns unto Multitudes will not have much to answer for unless they repent if so be Christ shall one day finde it that by their slight speeches or frowning carriages towards the truth of the Generation the generality of poor souls that know nothing but are meerly led by example shall be emboldned encouraged to slight revile oppose persecute that truth in which his honour is more nearly and immediatly concerned than in any other truth besides it And is it not possible that a man with a faithful and upright heart but considered as mistaken or darkned in his Principles may do all this Did not Paul act with an upright heart considering he acted zealously according to his light whilst yet he persecuted the Church and the true way of the Lord And in such Cases is it not the better and safer way for a man to fear his own heart and to be jealous that it acts under some distemper and so makes not a judgement of it self in the light of the Lords Spirit but in the darkness of temptation than to bee confident of it especially too when a general fear of such a thing dwells upon the hearts of Gods people David concluded himself then for certain to be under a temptation when he saw that otherwise hee must condemn the generation of the righteous Psal 73.15 Much more I could say but that it is no delight to dig into a Wound To conclude therefore seeing the visage of our times both in respect of the great opposition this day made to the truth of the age and in many other respects is grown pale and black and that blessed Cause of Christ that of late looked with a fresh and amiable countenance begins now to appear wan with Death in the face of it is it not high time for the Saints and all those who wish well to Sion to cry mightily to the Lord and to give him no rest to humble themselves greatly before him for those manifold abominations committed in the Land especially that Pride Luke-warmness Wantonness unthankfulness for Mercies past love of this present World open licentiousness gross Apostacy that superabounds even among those that bear upon them the Name of the Lord which things have given our Father just cause not only thus to frown but to depart from us for ever Yea is it not high time if wee have a tongue for Christ now to speak for him if bowels now to sympathize with him if tears in our eyes now to pour them forth before the Lord if groans in our hearts now to send them up into Heaven if faith in the Word and promise of God now to act it if exhortations in our Breasts now to bring them forth and speak often one to another and will not the Lord hearken and hear and shall not a Book of remembrance be written before him for them that now fear the Lord and call upon his Name Yea will not God say concerning them and they shall bee mine in the day when I make up my Jewels and though they are Children full of failings yet for this service sake I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him surely he will And should not this consideration added to all the rest that the set time of our Redemption is at hand which dwelling every day more and more upon my heart hath caused mee to speak work up our hearts to all these things and beget in us noble resolutions to hazard whatever is precious to us in the World for the sake of Christ and his now despised Cause which though trampled upon at present yet shall it suddenly arise with Power and great Glory and then shall all its enemies melt away before it as the Snow before the Sun then shall the Armies of Heaven march forth with the Lord in the Head of them and the Princes shall bee afraid of his Ensigne whose fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this So beleeves he and so he prays who is From my Study in Trunch this 4th day of the 9th Month 1654. A poor sinful Creature unworthy to make mention of the name of the Lord John Tillinghast Errata PAge 2. line 10. for so even this also read so even in thâ—s also p. 3. l. 26 27. for such knowledge also is the root of grace r. such knowledge is the root of grace p. 4. l. 14. for apace this way r. apace this way p. 6. l. last for be with Jew and Gentile r. betwixt Jew and Gentile p. 17. l. 18. for are the same r. both which are the same p. 22. l. 15. for at r. as l. 16. blot out which p. 37. l. 20. for current r. concurrent p. 43. l. 29 r. Bishop of Rome Purgatory p. 45. l. 25. r. they are to be p. 77 l. 27. for consists r. insists p. 82. l. 31 32. for terrible to the Saints r. tetrible to the Nations p. 85. l. last r. Crowns p 87. l. 11. for in r. into p. 89. l. 13. for the beginning r. our beginning l. 21 22. for the aforesaid ending of the 1260. days r. the ending of the 1260. days from the aforesaid beginning p. 109. l. 24. for eleven r. eleventh p. 129. l. last for 1230. r. 1150. p. 137. l. last forhurt r. hurts p. 14 1. l. 29. for also v. 3. r. v. 3. also I. p.
hath these sayings which he applies to the year 390. Concerning the Avarice and corruption of the Clergy Jerome thus Whence is this Avarice crept into the Church the Law now perisheth from the Priest the Vision from the Prophet And again Searching saith he former Histories I have not been able to find any who have so rent the Church and seduced those of Gods Family as those do who now go under the name of Priests they are become a crooked snare giving occasion to scandal in all places Farther He calls the then Roman Presbytery Scribes Pharisees a Synod of Pharisees and addes that from the Apostles dayes untill that time the Church grew under Persecutions and was crowned with Martyrdome But saith he at this day the same is greater in riches and power but lesse in vertue Concerning the Prohibition of Mariage Meats c. the said Jerome thus IN HYPOCRYSIE they speak who when they cannot contain will seem so chaste as even to condemn Mariage so abstemious that they judge those that use the creatures of God sparingly when as they give up themselves to follow luxurious Banquets Our aforesaid Author alleadgeth also a saying out of Augustine applying it to the year 399. tending to shew how greatly the Church about this time was fallen from her first purity The testimony speaks thus That Religion about this time was so corrupted with Traditions and humane Rites that the very condition of the Jews under the Law was more easie then that of Christians under the Gospel Also under the very same year as the next thing he brings a testimony of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who by an Epistle admonisheth another Bishop that he should not load Christians with heavy Burdens Ceremonies and Traditions nor obtrude upon his Brethren single life After this he quotes Chrysostome declaming against the Bishop of Romes Purgatory c. which things he applies to the year 410. the recital whereof I forbear to mention Hitherto of what I find in our Authors Epistle The Book it self affords variety of the like betwixt the years 390 and 400 whereof I shall onely glean up some things Cent. 4. A. D. 391. Of the Clergies enriching themselves by Auricular Confession he saith thus That when any Prince or great man confessed himself guilty of any crime by him committed presently by threats and perswasions he was made to beleeve that he could not be saved unlesse he did confer on the Church a good part of his estate or else bidding farewel to all earthly things devolving them upon the Clergy should betake himself to a private Monkish life which done he should thereby not onely be freed from Hell but also obtain a sure certain and plentiful hope of life eternal A.D. 393. He saith thus That in that very year was seen hanging in the Heavens a burning Pillar by the space of thirty dayes And saith he about this very time began humane Traditions Monkish life c. A.D. 395. He makes mention of one Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium reprehending the worshipping of Images An Argument Image worship was up so early A. D. 396. He collects many things out of Epiphanius third Book Contra Haereses shewing how great the defection was at this time Concerning Image worship Epiphanius thus Whence is this Image worship and design of the Devil And a little after The Images of such as never lived do men introduce to be worshipped having the mind adulterated from the one and only God And a little after that Be mindful my beloved children that ye bring not Images into the Church but bear about God alwayes in your hearts for it is not meet that a Christian should be held by his eyes but by the occupation of his mind Concerning the Virgin Mary Epiphanius thus The body of Mary was truly holy but not God The Virgin her self was indeed a Virgin and to be honoured but not given us that we should worship her she her self worshipping him who was born of her flesh Much more is by the aforesaid Author quoted from Epiphanius which speaks the very same language with these all which he applyes to the year 396. the recital whereof I forbear A.D. 399. To this year Wolfius makes application of many sayings of Augustine who was made saith Helvicus Presb. Hyponensis A.D. 391. Concerning Purgatory Augustine thus The Catholick faith beleeves Heaven to be the first place the second Hell as for a third we are wholly ignorant nor is it found in the Scripture Concerning worshipping Saints thus It is not our Religion to worship dead men they are honored for our imitation sake not to be worshipped for the sake of Religion nor are we to consecrate Temples to them for they will not so be honoured of us Concerning Faith and Works Good Works do not precede Justification but follow the justified Concerning Peter and the Power of the Keyes thus We who are called Christians do not beleeve in Peter but in whom Peter did beleeve And again The Keyes of the Church are delivered to the whole Church not to one Peter A little after Augustine reprehending saith our Author the arrogancy of the Popes who suffered themselves to be called Gods saith He that would seem to be God when as he is man doth not imitate him who when he was God was for our sakes made man The aforesaid Author quoteth a saying of Gregory Nazianzene concerning Councels about this time Cent. 4. p. 127. If truth saith he be spoken I judge it best that all Councels be avoyded for I never saw good end of any Councel nor the abrogation of any evill thereby but only ambition contention and strifes about Prerogative and Dignity This cloud of witnesses standing up for the truth and that about this time is a manifest demonstration of that great Apostacy from primitive principles and purity which we are speaking of to be about this very time If any doubt of the Testimonies themselves or conceive I may in translating them have corrupted them they may satisfie themselves by having recourse to my Author where likewise they shall find in most things two for one of what I have translated Adde hereto as a Celestial sign of this defection and of the rise of the Antichristian Lucifer about this very time what is by Alsted recorded viz. That a little before this time as namely A. D. 383. And again A. D. 389. were seen two Comets one following the other like unto Lucifer the like to which were never seen in any other Age. In Chronologia Cometarum Yet as concerning the defection I am speaking of I grant that the same was in part more early The reason whereof is this because the mystery of iniquity from the Apostles dayes did begin to work and endeavour to thrust it self in 2 Thes 2.7 Hence in the year 198. when Victor was Bishop of Rome a great stir was made by him about the Celebration of Easter but the same was opposed by some Councels at that time Alsted in
observe God having assured his people of many great things already he shuts up all with this as the crowning mercy to all the rest Even saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall be laid As to say Over and above all I have promised already I do also give particular assurance That Jerusalem shall be built and the foundations of my Temple there shall be laid And to this our last English Annotations agree interpreting them to be the words of God himself by rendring the words Even saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built thus and saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built so by the copulation and put for even making in effect the words to have relation not to Cyrus but to God himself who had said thus and thus before and now over and above saith Jerusalem shall be built and the foundation of the Temple there shall be laid Now looking upon the words thus it doth not necessarily follow because Cyrus gave Decree for the one the building of the Temple that therefore he did for the other also viz. the building Jerusalem but it proves that God would do both and as he afterwards raised up Cyrus to do the one so would he also raise up Cyrus or some other to do the other when the time for doing it should be come Object If it be said But the building of Jerusalem cannot but be included in that of Jerusalems being inhabited vers 26. therefore if these be the words of the Lord also there seems to be a Tautologie he should speak the same things twice Ans Not so for seeing to inhabit is one thing and to build a place in order to its being inhabited is another the things though spoken apart may both very well be spoken by the Lord himself and that without any Tautologie and by how much the Jews had their eye chiefly upon this the building their City Jerusalem by so much doth the Lord give them greater assurance of it by doubling the thing in a manner yet without Tautologie because set forth in several and divers expressions Object But Cyrus is said to perform all Gods pleasure vers 28. and this he could not do if he did not as well give command for the building Jerusalem as the Temple Ans The Phrase of performing all Gods pleasure neither can nor must be stretched farther then this viz. That whatsoever God hath determined to be done by Cyrus that he should freely and cheerfully do and accordingly so he did First He destroyed the Babylonian Monarchy which were the oppressors of Gods people Secondly He freely without price or reward gave full liberty to the Jews who before were captives to return to their own land Thirdly He made a Decree that they come thither should set upon the work of building the Temple Fourthly He laid a happy foundation as I am now coming to shew for the perfecting the whole work of God both concerning the Temple and Jerusalem also More then this I mean in reference to Gods cause and people cannot be proved that ever God determined Cyrus should do and all this he did and accordingly performed all Gods pleasure 2 Granting these words Even saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built to have relation to Cyrus yet may the meaning of them be onely this That God would make Cyrus the principal instrument as of laying the foundation of the Temple which was actually done by his decree so also of building Jerusalem but how Ans By removing the great impediment namely the Babylonian Monarchy which had ruined Jerusalem and was a professed enemy to it out of the way and setting the Jews who whilst Captives could never do it free from their Captivity which accordingly was done by Cyrus God making him instrumental to ruine Babylon by which as the Jews are thereupon by him set free to build the Temple for present so also the supreme power came now to be in the hands of a Nation who were more friendly to the Jews and inclining to hear their complaints and redresse their grievances for future And in this sense it may well be said of Cyrus that he should say to Jerusalem thou shalt be built i.e. set open a door which before was shut for the building of it afterwards And to this well agrees that other Text Chap. 45.13 I have raised him up in righteousnesse and will direct all his wayes he shall build my City and shall let go my Captives not for price nor reward The building Gods City the Objectors themselves will never say was done actually by Cyrus Decree The meaning therefore can be no other then this That Cyrus should set open a door for the doing of it by destroying the Babylonian Monarchy that had desolated Gods City setting the captived Jews at liberty and laying a foundation for such a work afterwards by putting forth a Decree to build the Temple which might be and was an inducement as appears from Ezra 6.1 2 3. compared with verses 6 7 8. to his Successors after him to follow their noble Leader in kindnesse and respect to this Nation And indeed it is a thing observable that for the general of all the four Monarchies the Persians were ever the most friendly to the Jews and most ready to do them right and favour following doubtlesse herein the example of their famous Founder Cyrus to whom therefore as being the leading man whose example became a provocation to his Successors the whole work in Scripture and that not amisse is attributed As for the other place in Ezra Chap. 4.12 13. it being onely the allegation of Judahs Adversaries and written to Artaxerxes for this end to put a stop to the work of God I rather conceive them to be words of meer accusation then of truth by which those crafty enemies endeavour to make the case of the Jews as foul as may be and to beget in the King the greater dislike of their proceedings they suggest such things to him on purpose which might breed jealousie and cause a discountenancing of the work and therefore they set before him how potent a City bearing rule over Kings in former times Jerusalem had been and how that now the Jews were re-edifying of it had set up the walls and joyned the foundations And some colour there was for this for the Jews had now laid the foundation of the Temple as appears Chap. 3.11 and the malicious subtill enemies seeing a work on foot and being willing to mistake so they might incense the King and hinder the work call this the building of the walls of Jerusalem Now the Reasons perswading me that this was onely the enemies false accusation and that indeed there was no such thing in reality are 1 Because in Chap. 3. vers 8. to the end where mention is made of the Jews building and the progresse made in the work there is not one word spoken of building any thing but the Temple only 2 Because the
imaginations and in case these general Characters which are deducible only from the letter are once found it will be then a thing more easie to give a right sense of particular Phrases and to determine concerning them in which we are to cleave to the literal in which to seek a Spiritual interpretation For an example I shall pitch upon Daniels little Horn which as it is one of the most famous Prophecies in all the Scripture so is there not any one I mean that is so considerable that hath fallen under more mis-interpretations then it which mistakes are multiplied daily through that earnest inquiry that by the Saints of this Generation is made after the minde of Daniel and though it may be thought enough as to it hath been already said in the precedent Discourse yet because some through weaknesse cannot others byassed with some particular affection to this or the other opinion will not apply those things as they ought to be applied I thought it not unmeet to take up this Prophecy here again and make it the example of my Rule Now the sure and certain Characters of this little Horn which are deducible from the letter of the text and which all put together cannot be made agree to any opinion but only that which is the truth are such as these 1 CHARACTER The Kingdom of the little Horn must be in the latter days the reason is because the extreme and utmost part of Nebuchadnezzars great Image viz. the feet and toes Dan. 2.41 42 43. are the same with the little Horn Chap. 7. This needs no proving because it is universally granted whatsoever interpretation is by any put upon the little Horn carries along with it this concession That the little Horns Kingdom cha 7. and the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzars Image chap. 2. are the same at leastwise in respect of time Now the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzars Image falls within the later days the reason is because the Image it self brings us down to the latter days vers 28. which cannot be in case the feet and toes which are the extreme and utmost part thereof were not to be extended as farre as the latter days To whose Kingdom this phrase is most properly appliable the Apostles use of the same phrase 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. doth clearly teach us 2 CHARACTER This Kingdom of the little Horn must necessarily appertain to the Roman Monarchy That it cannot belong to the Graetian is clear because the Graecian Monarchy whether we consider it as united under Alexander or as in its fourfold division afterwards is comprehended under the third Beast Dan. 7.6 but now the Kingdom of the little Horn belongs not to the third Beast for the Little Horn ariseth among the ten Horns of the fourth vers 8. That it cannot be any power distinct from and succeeding the Roman Monarchy is also clear 1 Because no place in Daniel or elsewhere doth so much as once countenance any such opinion as this viz. That there should be any worldly Government succeeding the Roman Monarchy Nay let me say the Scripture is clear against such a Notion for it is manifest Dan. 7.12 13 14. Revel 19.11 12. compared with vers 19 20. That the destruction of the Beast i.e. the Roman Monarchy as under Antichrist is upon the appearance of Christ if so where shall we then finde room for the Government of the little Horn to succeed the Roman Monarchy 2 Because the Beast is slain his body destroyed and given to the burning flame and that for the blasphemies of the little Horn Dan. 7.11 This Beast I say can be no other but the fourth and last Beast vers 7. which Beast is the Roman Monarchy Hence I gather two things 1 That the government of the little Horn cannot be a Government distinct from the Roman Monarchy a thing the Roman Monarchy hath nothing to do with for then why is the Roman Monarchy punished for the blasphemies of the little Horn 2 That the Government of the little Horn cannot be a government succeeding the Roman Monarchy for it is most clear from the words That the fourth Beasts Kingdom is in being and that at the time the little Horn blasphemes Now it would be improper to say That the little Horns Government succeeds the Fourth Monarchy and yet that Monarchy still in being even in the time of the little Horns Dominion 3 Because if the little Horns Kingdom or Government succeed the Roman Monarchy then have we in Daniel five Monarchies preceding the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints viz. 1 The Monarchy of the Babylonians 2 Of the Medes and Persians 3 Of the Graecians 4 Of the Romans 5 The Monarchy or Government of the little Horn. If so then must not Christs Kingdom hee called the Fifth Monarchy but the Sixth If therefore the little Horn can neither belong to the Graecian Monarchy nor succeed the Roman then must the same of necessity appertain to the Roman Monarchy 3 CHARACTER The Little Horn must be a power equivalent to the whole body of the Fourth Monarchy This is clear Dan. 2. which Prophecy considers the Fourth Kingdom 1 As an Iron Kingdom vers 40. 2 As a Kingdom of Iron and Clay vers 41 42 43. yet both but one Kingdom and therefore that which is called the Fourth Kingdom vers 40. is called the Kingdom vers 41 42. shewing us That the Holy Ghost was still speaking of one and the same Kingdom for otherwise he would for distinction sake have called the feet of Iron and Clay another Kingdom but calling it the Kingdom it hath a manifest reference to that Kingdom he had mentioned last viz. the Fourth which Kingdom is called an Iron Kingdom to set forth the state before Antichrist came in a Kingdom of Iron and Clay to set forth the state afterwards They that would see more reason hereof may consult with our fore-going Discourse 4 CHARACTER The little Horn signifies such a power as consists of ten parts which ten parts are so many Kings not succeeding in one and the same Kingdom but reigning in a Kingdom divided into ten parts This appears Dan. 2.41 42 43 44. for the Power here mentioned which is the same with the little Horn Chap. 7. consists of ten toes vers 42. which toes are called Kings vers 44. In the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which words cannot have relation to all the Four Monarchies for the God of Heaven set up no Kingdom no not in a Spiritual sense in the time of any of the Four but the last only why should it then be said these Kings in the plural number if not to give us to understand 1 That the ten toes here spoken of are to be understood of so many Kings 2 That the Kingdom of the Stone should begin and that before the Roman Monarchy as consisting of ten Kingdoms should be ruined for it is the Kingdom of the Stone that smites the feet and