shall separate the clean Beast from the unclean and shall not defile your Souls with Beast or Birds nor with any other thing that creepeth upon the Earth and ye shall shew that they are unclean Also Exod. 34. Take heed to thy self lest thou make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of this City lest it be for thy ruine and farther on make no agreement with the men of that Religion lest when they shall have gone a whoring after their Gods and shall have worship'd their Images they call thee to eat of the things which are dedicated to them and thou take of their daughters to thy son and their daughters go a whoring after their Gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their Gods Levit. 15. Wherefore ye shall teach your Children and command them that they keep themselves from their pollutions lest they dye in them when they shall have polluted my Tabernacle Ezek. 2. The heart that goeth after their abominations and their sins I will bring their way upon their own head saith the Lord. Deut. 20. When thou shalt come into the Land which the Lord thy God shall give thee take heed that thou do not according to the Abominations of the people for the Lord hath all those things in Abomination and for such sins will he blot them out that thou mayst go into their Country Thou shalt be clean and without spot before thy God Those Nations whose Lands thou shalt possess followed Southsayers and Diviners but thy God hath otherwise ordained it for thee Now this is manifest too from the New Testament John 12. That the Lord is come dyed and suffered that be might gather in one the Children of God And 't is for the sake of truth thus united and for the separation of it from others that he says Matth. 10. For I am come to divide a man from his Father and to set the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter-in Law against her Mother-in-Law and those of a mans House shall be his Enemies And he hath commanded thee to separate saying If there is any who leaveth not Father and Mother c. Also beware of false Prophets who come to you in Sheeps Clothing Also beware of the Leven of the Pharisees Also beware that no man seduce you for many shall come in my name and seduce many Wherefore if any man say unto you loe here is Christ or loe he is there believe him not and go not after them And in the Revelation he forewarns with his own voice and commands his people to go out of Babylon saying I heard a voice from Heaven saying O my people come out of her and partake not of her sins that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins are come up to Heaven and the Lord hath remembred her Iniquities The Apostle saith the same Be not unequally yoaked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness And what communion hath light with darkness And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and be separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Also in the 5th to the Ephesians Be ye not partakers with them for ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. Also in the 1. to the Corinthians 10. I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord and of the Table of Devils Also in the 2. to the Thessalonians 3. Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which ye have receiv'd from us for your selves know how ye ought to follow us And below And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Also Ephes 5. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of darkness Also 2 Tim. 3. This know also that in the last days perillous times shall come And below Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away By these things noted here above the malice of Antichrist and his perverseness manifestly appear Also it is commanded by the Lord to separate from him and to be join'd to the Holy City of Jerusalem And therefore we who have knowledge of these things the Lord having reveal'd them to us by his Servants believing this Revelation according to the Holy Scriptures being admonish'd by the Commandments of the Lord The Waldenses protest their separation from Anti-Christ we separate our selves inwardly and outwardly from him because we believe that he is Antichrist and have join'd together and are united with a free will and most sincere intention and are purposed with purity and simplicity to please the Lord and to be saved through the assistance of the Lord holding our selves firm to the Truth of Christ and his Spouse as far as our Capacity of Understanding can support us The Causes why the Waldenses separated themselves from the Romish Church And therefore we have deliberated to shew the causes of our separation and what sort of Congregation we are that so if the Lord shall vouchsafe the knowledge of the same truth those who shall have receiv'd it may love it with us and if they are not sufficiently enlighten'd they may receive succour by this Ministry and be water'd by the Lord that if it be more abundantly and more highly conferred on any other we may desire the more humbly to be taught and to learn what is better from him and to be corrected in our Errours Now the things which follow are the Causes of our separation To maintain the Essential Truth That it may be manifest to every one in general and in particular that the Cause of our separation is such that is to say for the Essential truth of the Faith and for the inward knowledge of one true God and the Unity of Essence in three Persons which knowledge flesh and blood cannot give and for the Worship due to one only God by all those things above-mention'd for the sanctification and honour which is due to him above all things and above every Name for the living hope in God through Christ for regeneration and inward renovation by Faith Hope and Charity for the merit of Jesus Christ with all sufficient Grace and Justice for participation or Communion with all the Elect for the remission of sins for a holy Conversation and for the faithful performance of all the Commandments in the faith of Christ for true Repentance for perseverance to the end and for life eternal 2. And the Ministerial truths and in what they consist The Ministerial Truths are these The outward Congregation
in the Church of Christ which as the Faithful partake of by Faith Hope and Charity so he opposes it by worldly Wisdom by false Religion by feigned Goodness by Spiritual Power by secular Tyranny by Riches Honours and Dignities by Luxury and the Delights of the World How manifested So that it is manifest to every one that Antichrist cannot come but where all those things above-mentioned meet together to make up perfect Hypocrisie and falshood that is to say the wise Men of this World the Religious the Pharisees Ministers Doctors the secular Power with the People of the World all joined together so that all together have made up a perfect Man of Sin and Error For although Antichrist was already conceived in the times of the Apostles yet because he was still as 't were in his Infancy he wanted both inward and outward Members and forasmuch as they knew him they more easily ruined him and turned him out of their Communion as being but yet rude and unformed and silenced him For as yet he had not the Wisdom nor Reason to excuse himself to define and pronounce Sentence He had not yet his lying Ministers and humane Traditions were wanting and Religious Orders were not yet abroad And therefore however he was fallen into Error and Sin yet he had not wherewith to cover Filthiness and Shame of his Errors and Sin having neither Riches nor Preferments he could not draw to him any Minister for his Service had no way to encrease preserve or defend those that belonged to him For he was destitute of Power or secular Strength and he could not force or compel any from the Truth to Falshood And because many things were thus wanting he could not corrupt nor scandalize any by his Cheats and so being as yet tender and feeble he could not gain place in the Church But growing up in his Members i. e. in his blind Ministers and Hypocrites and Subjects of the World he is grown to be a perfect Man at full Age i. e. since the Lovers of thee World both spiritual and temporal Persons blind in the Faith are multiplied in the Church with all Power They being wicked desiring to be sought to and honoured in Spiritual things and to cover their Grandeur Malice and Sins made use of the Wise of this World and Pharisees to this Purpose as hath been above said Now this is a great wickedness to disguise and set off Wickedness that deserves Excommunication and by that means to make themselves what is to be allowed to no Man but belongs only to God and Jesus Christ the Mediator That he robs Christ of the Honour due to him to take away these things from God fraudulently and by Rapine and transfer them to himself and his Works seems to be the greatest Robbery Such are the assuming to himself the Power of regenerating He pardons Sins of pardoning Sins of giving the Graces of the Holy Spirit of making Christ and such like things and in all these things to cover himself with the Cloak of Authority and of the Word By this means deceiving the ignorant People who follow the World in these things and are of the World and departing from God and from the true Faith and Reformation of the holy Spirit departing from true Repentance and Perseverance in what is good departing from Charity Patience Poverty Humility and that which is worse then all departing from true hope to relye upon all that is ill and the vain hope of the World enslaving themselves to all the Ceremonies that belong to such things He makes Men to worâ—…ip Images Saints and Relicks making the People to commit Idolatry and fraudulently to serve the Idols of all the World under the name of Saints and Relicks and Ceremonies paid to them so that the People miserably erring from the way of Truth think that they serve God and do well and the People stirred up to hatred and wrath against those who love the Truth commit many Murders and as the Apostle says truly This is the Man of Sin grown up who Exalts himself above all that is called God and opposeth all Truth who sits in the Temple of God that is to say in the Church shewing himself that he is God whose coming is with all manner of Deceivableness in them that Perish And seeing that he is truly come there needs no longer waiting for him for he is already grown old by the permission of God and already decreases For his Power and Authority is lessened and the Lord Jesus hath slain this wicked one by the Spirit of his Mouth in many Men of good inclination sending a Power contrary to his and his Lovers and dissipating his Place and Possessions dividing this City of Babylon in which all sort of wickedness is in its Strength What the Works of Antichrist are The first work of Antichrist is to banish truth out of the World The first work of Antichrist is to take away Truth and to change it into Falshood Error and Heresie the second work of Antichrist is to cover Falshood with Truth and to confirm and prove a Lye by the Faith and by Vertues and to mix Falshood with spiritual things for the People under him whether by the means of his Ministers or by the Ministry or whatever else there is in the Church Now these two ways of proceeding contain a perfect and accomplished Malice such as no Tyrant no Potentate from the beginning of the World to the time of Antichrist could ever yet shew And there never yet was any Enemy who could so turn the way of Truth into falshood or falshood into Truth or that in like manner hath perverted those who make Profession of one or the other i. e. either of Truth or Falshood So that the Holy Mother the Church with her true Children are altogether trodden under Foot especially as to Truth and for the sake of the true Worship according to truth and as to the Ministry and the right use thereof and her Children who partake of the same She weeps bitterly in speaking of it and in the Complaint of Jeremiah she saith How doth the City sit solitary that was full of People as Heathen and uncircumcised She is become a Widow that is to say destitute of the Truth of her Spouse she that was the Mistress of Nations by reason of her subjections to Errors and Sin the Princess among the Provinces by seeking her Portion in the World and the things which are of the World Weep and look forward and thou shalt find that now all these things are accomplished at this time For the Holy Church is reputed a Synagogue and the Synagogue of the Wicked is declared to be the Mother of those who best believe the Law Falshood is Preached for Truth Injustice is Preached for Justice Error for the Faith Sin for Vertue a Lye for the Truth What the Works are that proceed from the former These they are The first Work is that which turns
of Ministers with the people subject in place and time in the Truth by the Ministry i. e. in the Truth mention'd above leading establishing and preserving in a faithful and frequent assembling together tending to Faith and good life according to the Customs and Obedience and diligent continuing in the practice and usage of the Lord over his Flock The duty of good Pastors The things which the Ministers are obliged to for the service of the people are these The Word of the Gospel the Sacraments join'd to the Word which certifie what hath been the intention and understanding and confirm the faithful in hope in Christ and the Ministerial Communion in all things according to Essential Truth And if there be any other Ministerial things they may all be referred to these above but of these particular Truths some are essentially necessary to the Salvation of men others conditionally are contain'd in the 12 Articles of Faith and in many of the discourses of the Apostles For Antichrist hath already reign'd in the Church in time past by the Divine permission A summary of the Errors and Impurities of Antichrist 1. Idolatries and superstitions of several sorts The Errors and Impurities of Antichrist forbidden by the Lord are these viz. Divers and innumerable Idolatries against the Commandment of God and Christ Worship given to the Creature and not to the Creator visible and invisible corporal or spiritual intelligible or sensible natural or fram'd by any Art under the Name of Christ or Saints of both Sexes and Relicks and Authorities which Creature is Worship'd by Faith Hope Works Prayers Pilgrimages Alms Offerings costly Sacrifices Which Creature they Worship Adore Honour in many manners by Hymns Speeches Solemnizings and Celebrations of Mass of Vespers bowing to the same Creatures by Hours Vigils Feasts by Acquisition of Grace which is essentially in one only God and meritoriously in Jesus Christ and is acquired by Faith alone and the holy Spirit The first cause of such superstitions For there is no other cause of Idolatry but a false Opinion of Grace of Truth of Authority of Invocation of Intercession which this Antichrist hath taken away from God to attribute it to Ceremonies and the Works of his Hands and to Saints and Purgatory And this Iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the first Article of Faith and against the first Commandment of the Law The second cause In like manner an Inordinate love of the World which is in Antichrist and that is it from whence sprung all the evils and sins that are in the Church in those who are the Guides to govern her and her Officers who sin without any restraint these are against the Truth of the Faith and against the knowledge of God the Father as St. John Witnesses He that sins neither knows nor hath seen God for if any one love the World the love of the Father is not in him The second Iniquity of Antichrist is trusting in the Creatures The second Iniquity of Antichrist lies in the hope which he gives of Pardon of Grace of Righteousness of Truth and of Life Eternal as being what are not in Christ nor in God by Christ but in men living or dead in Authorities in Ecclesiastical Ceremonies in Benedictions in Sacrifices in Prayers and in the other things above mention'd and not in true Faith which produces repentance by Charity and makes men to depart from evil and brings them to do good So that Antichrist teaches not firmly to trust on such things as Regeneration Spiritual Confirmation or Communion Remission of Sins and everlasting Sanctification but to trust in the Sacraments or in his base Simony by which the people is deluded so that selling all things he hath invented many Ordinances old and new to get Money suffering if any one hath done this or that hereby to obtain Grace and Life And this double Iniquity is properly called in the Scriptures Adultery or Whoredom and therefore those Ministers who lead the brutal People in these Errors are called the Whore in the Revelation And this Iniquity is against the second Article and also against the second and third Commandment of the Law The third Iniquity of Antichrist is the Establishing the merit of Works The third Iniquity of Antichrist lies in this That he hath invented besides what hath been already said false Religions and Rules and Monasteries giving hopes of obtaining Grace by building of certain Churches As also in this viz. If any one often and devoutly hears Mass if he hath partaken of the Sacraments if he hath been at Confession things that rarely shew men to be contrite or if they have satisfied by Fastings and emptying the Purse or if they have been or are Members of the Romish Church Or whether they have not devoted themselves already or vowed to be of any Order either to take the Cap or Monks Hood which they affirm against all Truth that they are obliged to And this Iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the 8th Article of the Creed I believe in the Holy Ghost The fourth Iniquity of Antichrist is covering all with specious titles The fourth Iniquity of Antichrist lies in this That as he is the fourth Beast before described by Daniel and the Apocalyptick Whore he covers himself nevertheless with the Authority Power Dignity of Ministers Officers and Scriptures and equals and compares himself to the true and holy Mother Church wherein Salvation Ministerially is and no where else wherein is Truth of Life and of Doctrine and of the Sacraments For if he should not cover both himself and his wicked Ministers these being known to be open sinners he would be abandon'd by all For Emperors and Kings and Princes looking upon him to be the true and holy Mother Church have loved and endowed him contrary to the Commandment of God And this Iniquity of Ministers and those subject to him who are thus upheld in error and sin is directly against the 9th Article I believe the Holy Church This as to what respects the first part Of Unction and the Superstitious Shaving of Priests and Monks Secondly for as much as they who partake only of the outward Ceremonies ordain'd by humane Inventions believe and hope to partake of the Truth of the Pastoral Offices and Cures provided that they be shorn like Lambs and Anointed and blessed by touching the Book and Calice with the hand they profess to be ordain'd as Priests ought In like manner as is above said the people who are under them communicating by the words signs and outward Exercises and their diverse Actions think they partake of the Truth drawn out from them And this is against another part of the 9th Article I believe the Communion of Saints Wherefore it 's necessary to depart from the wicked Communion of Monks by whom Carnal men are drawn in they through their Avarice making them trust in such vain things so that though they be Luxurious or Covetous yet if they do but give to them
viz. Because it was to extend it self to the flight of the Woman into the Wilderness which is Contemporary with the Reign of Antichrist This however it dropped from my running Pen I presume to give as I then set it down and as it will appear to be the great Hinge on which all turns in the Explication of the Apocalyptical Writings and what I have pursued in the following Discourse I reasoned also with the same Person viz. Monsieur Desgallesnierres formerly Minister of Mans in France now of one of the French Churches in Westminster on some other Heads in which I found my self so much to differ from that Excellent Person his worthy Countryman Monsieur Jurieu I mean particularly as to the sense of the first Vial which he makes to consist in the Corruptions that then broke forth in the Romish Church whereas I am apt to think it ought rather to be applied to the Plague that was sent as the Punishment of such Corruptions in the Irruptions of the Saracens As also in the fourth sixth and seventh Vial I cannot but differ from that great Man as may be seen in the following discourse that I fall in with him in the second and third is but agreeable to my Notion on the first in which if the Saracens infested the men that had the mark of the Beast in their own Country the men that had the mark of the Breast are in judgment permitted to attempt the revenging the Injury in the Country or Territories of the Saracens under the second and third Vial. And if in the same time I farther offer the great Plague that the Waldenses and Albigenses at that time were to those who had the mark of the Beast I hope 't will be no darkning of knowledge to leave it to the choice of the Reader which he thinks fittest to pitch on That I have consulted with other Authors such as the Fathers Histories Councils and other Writers that was but necessary for the informing my self of the State of the Romish Church the Romish Greek and Mahometan Empires with the Histories of the several Princes and Countries in any of these in order to the knowledge of those great Events and Circumstances of all sorts that might conduce to the Explaining these Important Truths But that I have not every where mention'd my Authorities was at present to ease my self and the Reader as not knowing but that a discourse of this nature if it should happen to find acceptance in the World might draw farther enlargements from me hereafter in which it would be requisite to be more exact as to the Quotations There are I confess some other Discourses on this Subject which I cannot say I have not seen though it was long after I had in effect finished this Treatise and as I before said I was unwilling to peruse any thing that might Prejudice or be a Bar to my own free Thoughts and it is but late that they came into my Hands and that upon the occasion of some Notions communicated by me to the Learned and my worthy Friend Monsieur Allix who thereupon spoke to me of Dr. Cressener's and Mr. Beverly's Books both of them very ingenious Men but utterly differing in their notions from what I here present As also he hath given me very high Expectations of what the profoundly learned Bishop of St. Asaph hath or is preparing on these Subjects but found me still under that Stiffness that believing what I have here written to be of a Piece I was unwilling so much to be acquainted with what that Excellent Prelate hath to make the World happy with when he shall please to make it publick Only having as I before said received Mr. Beverly's Book I could not but be very much pleased to find him though upon different Grounds from what I go on fix in a manner the same Period for the Ruin of Antichrist he fixing it in 1697 without saying what part of the Year it is in which he fixes it whereas my Computation makes it to be either in the later end of 1696 or the middle of 1697 for I place it in 1697 and a half after the substraction of the odd Days in the different Computations or if the fraction of Hours be taken out about the end of 1696 no great difference of Calculation though the Foundation on which we go be altogether different And I cannot but adhere to my own his notion of the Months spoken of in the Prophesie being Jewish Months seeming to be a little precarious and the number he sets of 475 not being so proper to the time of the ten Kings or Horns rising up as 455 or thereabout on which I pitch For though on the supposition he goes it may well enough point to the Cessation of the Empire it will not so well agree to the rise of the Beast and the ten Horns with it But I will not too much controvert the matter with that Zealous Person I cannot but rejoice to see his Assurance that the Event will Correspond with his Calculation nor can I be dissatisfied that it falls in with mine I shall not need to say much more by way of Preface only I wish his particular Applications to any private Prince may not be as far from the Mark as Mr. Mede's was of Gustavus Adolphus But it may be for I would lessen no Man's Labours on this Argument what is severally and in so different a manner performed by us may be but like several Arrows shot by several Hands at the same Mark if we all or any of us hit may that which ought to be the Mark of all our Studies Crown all viz. The Glory of him who is the God of Prophesie and who if he commanded St. John in one place to Seal those things which the seven Thunders uttered and write them not as being obscure and mysterious and to be kept as such when first revealed Rev. 10. 4. Hath likewise commanded in another not to seal the Sayings of the Prophesie of this Book for THE TIME IS AT HAND Revel 22. 10. Amen Amen Introduction WHEN I first entred on this Work I had it in my thoughts to have replied both to Preface and Book but through a very great and long Indisposition in Health I was not able to make that speed I intended in the Design and was greatly pleased to find my self prevented in several parts of it by the Learned Pens of those who had so successfully ingaged therein Nor did I question what hath since happen'd but that a very little time would produce a full answer to every thing that was material in the whole Collection though should there not have been a Syllable more offered in the Controversie than what the Author had given me occasion to speak to from the Preface I am apt to think there would be little reason to boast his Monuments of Antiquity the Gibeonitish Craft of old Sacks upon their Asses of old and rent Wine-bottles of
old and clouted Shooes of old Garments and dry and mouldy Bread Joshua 9. 4 5. whereby 't is easie to make out the Allusion those for whom he writes are so much concern'd to hide all their Cheats will be but a poor proof of their coming from a far Country let me so express the remote and distant Ages of the Church unless they bring with them what the Gibeonites did not Truth and Sincerity For is there not some Standard by which Antiquity it self must be tryed For however error can never be quid primum yet it may be quid antiquum we know it is as ancient as the Fall of Man Nay more than that as the Fall of Lucifer So that the pretence of Antiquity alone were all granted which is brought for such would not be sufficient to establish matters in Debate unless what is urged as antiquum or what is ancient be proved likewise to be primum or first i. e. to be the same with that Truth which obtain'd before the Ancients either glossed on or witnessed to it which whither it be or no will appear by that time we shall have reflected on the Preface To begin therefore where the Author doth viz. That Novelty in Faith is so great a scandal to any that lay claim to the Truth of Christianity that wheresoever it is effectually proved there all pretences immediately fall to the ground and there can be no Truth in that Society beside the noise of it and the Name I am very ready to grant and shall only consider that we may come plainly to the matter in Debate these two things 1. What Novelty in Faith is 2. Whether the Collection of the Primitive Fathers giving Testimony to the Faith once delivered to the Saints as 't is here pretended will justifie those the Author pleads for from Novelty CHAP. I. What Novelty in Faith is 1. NOvelty in Faith is whatsoever is brought in how early soever it be contrary to the Rule of Faith as once delivered to the Saints i. e. to the Holy Church as then Establisht in its Purity and Perfection by Christ and his Apostles For that is what must be understood by that Phrase as 't is found Jude v. 3. it being the greatest absurdity to imagine that the Apostle should speak as he there doth of his giving all diligence to write unto them that were Sanctified of the common Salvation or exhort them earnestly to contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints if the necessary Principles of that Salvation had not been already made common sufficiently given forth and publisht or the Faith it self not fully delivered for which they were so earnestly to contend I am sure St. Paul thought so when he exhorted Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 13. to hold fast the form of sound words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the model or delineation the short prescript and certain Rule of wholsome Doctrine he had heard of him and more at large in the third Chapter of the same Epistle v. 14 15 16 17. required him to continue in the things which he had learned and been assured of knowing of whom he had learned them and that from a Child be had known the holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise to Salvation through Faith which is in Jesus Christ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto all good Works And St. Peter prefers its Evidence before any Collection of Testimonies whatsoever for he prefers the Evidence of the written Word before a voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. For we have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your hearts knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophesie came not at any time by the Will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost To these we may add St. John speaking of it As what they i. e. the Christians had heard from the beginning 1 Joh. 2. 24. What was the word of life 1 Joh. 1. 1. what was theTruth 1 Joh. 1. 8. But we have a better Witness than all these even our Lord himself promising his Apostles before he left them that the Spirit of Truth should guide them into all Truth John 16. 13. i. e. as himself enlarges it chap. 14. 26. should teach them all things and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them And as it is in that forecited Joh. 16. 13. should shew them things to come which what was it but to assure them that whatsoever was needful to be known either of the Precepts or Mysteries of the Gospel whatsoever for the comfort of the Church was needful to be foretold should be thâ—rowly reveal'd to them Nothing that was matter either of Faith or Practice should be left to uncertainties the Spirit which was to come down in so miraculous a manner as he did on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost would declare to them the wholewill of God would not leave them as Orphans without sufficient instructions in the Gospel they were to Preach without comfort and assistance in those things they were to suffer as Martyrs for it And was not this effectually wrought by him For 1. What are the Gospels but the things that Christ did and taught brought to their Remembrance 2. What the Epistles written by St. Paul and others of the Apostles but the teaching them all things fully informing them and by them the Church in all matters of Faith and good Life which were less clearly laid down in the Gospels 3. What the Revelation of St. John with those other Predictions scattered abroad in the Writings of the other Apostles but the shewing them things to come And if so If there were so full a discovery of Truth made to the Apostles that all that our Lord promised herein was actually made good to them whilst in their Ministry here on Earth and by them to the Church which is and can be built only upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone Ephes 2. 20. If not only St. Peter 2 Epist 3. 2. makes this the whole of the Christian to be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of them the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour But St. Jude himself from whom the Author takes the Argument of his Collection as 't is to give Testimony to the Faith once delivered to the Saints v. 17. gives this as his weighty Caution that they should remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ 't will leave it beyond all doubt
little advantage his Cause till he can shew too 1. That the Divine Providence is equally concern'd in preserving the Writings of the Fathers intire as 't is in preserving the Sacred Volume of the Bible 2. That there is the same help to be had in comparing the Writings of any Father among themselves as there is in comparing the several parts of the Bible as 't is 1 Cor. 2. 13. in comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual Or 3. That there is the same Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power going along with the one as there is with the other 1 Cor. 2. 4. which with many others that might be reckon'd up are all of them very material differences and such as will no way serve to ease the difficulty under which the Author labours in this matter But 't is not my business to disparage the ancient Fathers in what they are thus liable to be abused but rather and that I am sure is the nearer way to Truth to Establish the Foundation on which they and every wise Builder must depend for Strength and Security and that is as I before laid it down as what they are produced for is agreeable to the Faith they are brought to assert I proceed to the second Enquiry viz. 2. How far allowing the utmost that can be to their authority 't will be for their Service whom they are here brought to countenance CHAP. III. How far allowing the utmost that can be to the Authority of the Fathers 't will be for their Service whom they are here brought to countenance NOW that can be no farther than they 1. Are a Collection of Primitive Fathers for those only they are the Author amuses us with 2. Speak directly to the matters under Debate and 3. What they speak of them is agreeable to that Primitive Truth which alone can give credit to any Cause And 1. That they are not a Collection of Primitive Fathers needs no farther proof than to consult the Authors own Index which gives us so many of his Authorities after the 5th Century the time himself sets in his Preface p. 4. for what is to be received as Primitive And it may be there are some others whose Judgement ought to prevail in this matter who will not allow that stile to all whom he there produces before the first 500 Years of the Church But it was necessary to amass Testimonies and be they what they will they must be called Primitive though they come down to the 1546th Year after Christ an Age in which I doubt very little either of Primitive Truth or Purity will be found amongst them As also 2. That they Speak not directly to the matters under Debate will be clear by stating What the Controversies between the Donatists Gnosticks Marcionites Valentinians and the Orthodox were with What those between Vigilantius Aerius Berengarius the Iconoclasts and those who opposed them were and What those are which at present are between them whom under these names he endeavours to render odious and those for whom he writes In which at present I am bold to say the Author is not in the least Ingenuous and if what others have reply'd on the several Heads be not a full satisfaction in the Case I dare promise if it be called for and God shall give me Life to shew him wherein he hath mistaken the true state of these Controversies and most injuriously transferred their Errors to those whom he insinuates to be meant by such fictions And then Thirdly Whether 3. What the Fathers are here produced to speak for them is agreeable to that Primitive Truth which alone can give credit to any cause must be tryed by comparing the Testimonies themselves with that which in this matter must be the firm and unshaken Rule to them and us i. e. the Faith it self once delivered to the Saints as 't is recorded and is to be received as Divinely inspired in the Holy Scripture For is it the name of the Writer or the Reason of the thing the Honour due to the person of any ever so Celebrated an Author or the Necessary and unalterable Truths with which Faith ought to be supported must turn the Ballance And in this I am willing to own the Ingenuity of our Author who tells us pref p. 2. that these i e. the Fathers are not suppos'd to have had the Assistance of the Divine Spirit like the Evangelists and yet some of those he quotes were Popes It seems he had forgot the Infalibility some ascribe to them and Pref. p. 3. that the Authority of the Sacred Volume of the Bible stands firm and unshaken and is the pure Feuntain of Life From whence I frame this short Argument that if the Bible be the pure Fountain of Life if the Penmen of it had the Assistance of the Divine Spirit why should we trouble our selves with lesser Authorities or why should we not prefer 〈◊〉 that Religion which hath no one point in Controversie with those for whom this Author pleads which is not altered by this first record of Truth before that which is so unhappy as to have no one point in Controversie which is plainly laid down in or confirmed by it But notwithstanding all this the Author will still have his Collection to be a convincing Argument of the Doctrine of their Forefathers and a Test whereby to examine how far each point under Debate may be truly stampt with Novelty Pref. p. 4. But suppose their Forefathers were in Error will its being their Doctrine make it Orthodox Or how can that be a Test to examine how far each Point under Debate may be truly stampt with Novelty which it self is not free from Innovation or at least is wrested to prove that which I question not will appear to be the Case in a very great measure When the Testimonies here made use of shall be more strictly look't into to which it was in the first intention of the Writers themselves never design'd Nor will it serve the turn what he goes on with Pref. p. 4. viz. That to suspect them in any of the following Points wherein so many of them agree speaking as it were with one Mouth to suspect them in things for which Antiquity never question'd them which no Church or Prelates then in being or succeeding ever Censured or Condemn'd them to suspect them in things which never any Man yet in all the intervening years has Preach't against or publickly disown'd but what has been branded as an Innovator to suspect them I say in these Points is to proceed with Passion rather than Reason and to pass sentence not according to the merits of the thing but as the Cause and Party require 1. For 't is not the speaking of so many with one Mouth were that granted that can exempt them from suspicion if what they speak do not do it i. e. If that it self which is the matter in tryal be not agreeable to the Faith once delivered to the Saints And
Passion and Interest and avoid the Censure and Prejudices which have usually attended those who have hitherto though with ever so great Care and Industry Fidelity and Piety ingaged in the same undertaking and as he wholly depends upon Thee O Blessed Father Son and Holy-Ghost O most mysterious and adorable Vnity in Trinity Trinity in Vnity whose Nature and Ways are unsearchahle Let him accordingly meet with that success which may make it appear that that blessed Spirit who was promised to guide the Disciples into all Truth and shew them things to come John 16 13. first inspired thy unworthy Servant and moved him to so holy a Work in the discharge whereof to thee O Father Son and Holy Ghost be Praise Glory and Honour to thy distressed Church the use and benefit of what Thou shalt instruct me to deliver and to thy poor Servant Comfort and sure confiderce of thy Assistance and Direction through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Amen What here follows is the Copy of a Dedication written to the King on the occasion of what is now Published it being written on the same Page with the Prayer above 't is thought fit to add it here without altering it in any thing from what it is in the Manuscript To the K. Octob. 9. 1686. SIRE THE final Ruin of Antichrist is at hand it will not be many Tears before this will he fully compleated it will begin in a very short time the Pope is the great Antichrist the power of the Papacy his Antichristian Kingdom I do not say how this shall be accomplished whether by Noise Confusion and Violence or by the Spirit of the Lord working in the Hearts of Kings and Princes to take away the Power they have so long given to the Beast or by a general Conversion of the Heathen World and coming in of the Jews all conspiring towards the overthrow of Superstition and Idolatry and making Way for the true Kingdom of Christ on Earth in that universal Piety and Holiness which shall prevail throughout the World only that this shall be and that the time is at hand is what I think I can by God's Assistance demonstrate I most dutifully premonish and in the Name of Christ beseech your Majesty not to be found in the RVINS OF ANTICHRIST or to share in his Plagues Your most Dutiful W. Sire As you value either a Temporal or Eternal an Earthly or Heavenly Crown despise not the Warning Let not the Drolls of the Ignorant or Prophane rob you of the Price put in your hand to get Wisdom Prov. 17. 16. FINIS This refers to Page 151. l. 7. And in the Preface to page 15. l. 4. LEst there should be any Mistake about the Period fixt for the Fall of Antichrist which in the Preface p. 15. l. 4. is said to be in the latter end of 1696 or the middle of 1697 whereas p. 151 there is but one of those numbers mentioned viz. 1696 and the other supposed in the different Calculation it is thought fit here for the clearing of both to add the Calculations from whence those Numbers arise which are thus 1260 Days or Years are assigned for the Reign of Antichrist which beginning at 455 after Christ the time upon so many accounts fixed for it as is at large there discoursed gives us 1715 and the odd Days Hours and Minutes in 1260 for that is the number from whence the abatement must be made it being only of that Period the Holy-Ghost so often speaks under the different Measures give us in the whole 18 years and 125 days 9 hours i. e. five days to be taken from every year will in in 1260 years give us 17 years and an half and 5 hours taken like manner out of the said 1260 will make 262 days 12 hours and then for the 49 minutes to be also thus taken out those in 1260 years amount to 42 days and 21 hours For 49 minutes multiplied by 1260 give for the whole number of Minutes 61740 which divided by 60 for hours give 1029 hours and that again by 24 for days gives 42 days 21 hours Now out of 1715 take 18 years and 125 days and 9 hours and that will throw it back to the latter end of 1696 i. e. 125 days and 9 hours in that year which generally speaking I say to be about the later end of that year Not that for the Reasons there mentioned and those p. 146. I would presume so to fix this in a Point as not to allow a great Latitude for the completion of such Predictions which number is to be taken the event must shew and when that comes that will regulate all our Chronology but that it lies within the compass of the numbers there offered I cannot have the least Scruple God Almighty clear up the Minds and Eyes of Men to wait for behold and adore his wonderful Works for I cannot but add it again BEHOLD I COME AS A THIEF The Translation of the Manuscript p. 49. c. is as here follows THIS Book is dated in the Year 1120 and the Title that is prefixed to the Treatise of Antichrist is this As the Smoak goes before the Fire as the Battle before the Victory so the Temptation of Antichrist goes before Glory and then the Book it self follows thus Who Antichrist is Antichrist is the falshood of Eternal Damnation covered with the appearance of Truth and of the Righteousness of Christ and his Spouse Opposed in like manner to the way of Truth of Justice of Faith of Hope of Charity and to a moral Life and the ministerial truth of the Church 't is menaged by false Apostles and most obstinately maintained on all hands Or else Antichrist is a Cheat which hides the Truth of Salvation both in Substantial and Ministerial Matters or else is a fraudulent opposing of Christ and his Spouse and every faithful Member And so it is not any particular Person set in any Degree Office or Ministry i. e. commonly so considered but it is the same falshood opposed to Truth which is covered with and makes shew of Beauty and Piety out of the Church of Christ as in certain Names Offices Scriptures Sacraments and in many other things which sort of Iniquity with its Ministers great and small and all those who with a wicked and blind Heart follow them His names such a Congregation taken together is called Antichrist or Babylon or the fourth Beast or Where or the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition His Ministers are called False Prophets Lyars Ministers of Darkness the Spirit of Error the Where in the Revelation the Mother of Fornication Clouds without Water Autumnal Trees dead and twice pulled up by the Root Waters of the cruel Sea Wandring Stars Balaamites and Egyptians Why called Antichrist He is called Antichrist because being covered and decked with the Livery of Christ and of his Church and of his faithful Members he acts contrary to the Salvation wrought by Christ and truly administred
for above forty Years for the cure whereof a Council is called at Pisa which creates Alexander the fifth Pope so that now there are three Popes at once Gregory the Twelfth for he was chosen to succeed at Rome Bennet the thirteenth to succeed Clement the seventh in France and Alexander the fifth and not long after John the 23d and after him Martin the fifth upon which the Schism ended But such were the contests prevarications and cruelties of those Times such the Barbarities of these Vicars of Christ as they would all fain be stiled that it is a shame they should be named among Christians I shall give but one or two Instances The first is that of Urban the 5 th wrapping up five Cardinals in Bags and commanding them to be cast into the Sea The second that of Innocent the seventh who when the Romans were earnest with him to take away the Schism that had been so long in the Church and that he would extinguish the Wars and Seditions the King of France having promised his Assistance herein and Peter de Luna the Antipope no way resisting such an accord he sent the Romans who thus addrest him to Lewis his Nephew then residing at the Hospital of the Holy-Ghost in Saxia and by his Authority they are forthwith all Murthered and thrown out at the Windows and the reason given for it was Eo modo tolli seditiones Schisma non alio quidem posse That that was the way that Seditions and Schisms were to be taken away and that it could be done no other way So Longus a Coriolano p. 373 374. He that shall read the History of those times shall not need to go far for an Expositor to explain to him what is to be understood by the Beasts Kingdom being full of Darkness and they gnawing their Tongues for pain such the Envy and bitter Malice they had against one another such the Torment Vexation and Rancour of their envenomed Minds such the disorder and confusion that was among them every thing dark and black as Hell it self from whence it came As neither will he for a Comment on what follows viz. Their blasphemingthe God of Heaven because of their Pains and their Sares and repenting not of their Deeds For what could be so highly to the dishonour of God himself what so much to Blaspheme his Name as to pretend Religion the cause of Christ and the Right of governing his Church for all their excess and outrage And to say no more to use his Holy Name in thus Excommunicating one another What so much for the Disgrace of those Princes and others who were so highly scandalized at such Enormities as to continue still in Communion with those who had let me so speak Excommunicated all Holiness and Charity I may say even Christ himself and his Gospel from their Church For was it not too in this Season that the Gospel was made to give place to the Papal Constitutions the Word of God made of none Effect through the Traditions of Men Mark 7. 13. I mean in that Authority to which the Canon-Law was advanced Which being begun by Cyratian Anno 1145 enlarged by Boniface the 8th Anno 1298 and having the Clementines added to it by Clemeus the 5th Anno 1308 and the Extravagancies by John the 22d Anno 1320 became the Rule and Standard of Popery And what could this produce but the grossest darkness in the Kingdom of the Beast For what must the mist be that is cast hereby upon the Understandings of Men when instead of that Word which is a Lamp unto our Feet and a Light unto our Path Psalm 119. 105. Only such a fatuus ignis as that of foolish Man's Invention is shall be allowed to guide us How is this for the Blind to lead the Blind and what 's the Consequence thereof what can it end in but in making both fall into the Pit Indeed this I could not here well pass by as being at least part of that heavy Judgment which was then infâ—…icted on Antichrist not but that this darkness began earlier to spread it self over the Kingdom of the Beast than the time we mark out for that particular Vial said here to be poured on his Seat according to what we have already taken notice of viz. That it is not necessary that each Vial in its full extent should be just confined to some one Period wherein none other of the Vials were pouring out and will in some degree continue as long as any thing of this Kingdom shall remain for indeed the Kingdom of the Beast is nothing else but the Kingdom of Darkness it being only by Error and Ignorance he can hope to prevail For let but the light of the Gospel once clearly shine forth and all Mists and Clouds will vanish forthwith and this Kingdom of the Beast it is by that at lastit is to be overthrown will vanish with them But one thing more is to observed of this Vial as it was poured out upon the Seat of the Beast and that was as now Princes began to despise the Power of the Popes and make themselves their Judges it was what they had sometimes attempted before but the Popes still got the better of them in the contest but now they effectually made them to be deposed and submitted them to the Authority of Councils as in that of Constance Nay they came to that Indiffereucy that several of them owned neither the Pope at Rome nor at Avignon and Charles the 6th King of France went so far as by a publick Edict to decree ne quis suorum Romanum aut Avenionem excutreret ad Pontifiem That none of his Subjects should go either to Rome or Avignon to the Pope Besides it was what did not a little encrease their pains and sores what happened to the Seat of the Beast under this Vial from Wiclef and his Followers who so highly declaimed against the Pope as being Antichrist and so stronuously opposed the Doctrines of Purgatory of Images of Invocation of Saints of Transubstantiation of Indulgences c. For however Wiclef's Doctrine was condemned at Constance Jerome of Prague and John Hus Burnt for defending it yet how did the Light of the Gospel by them Preached begin to dispel the Mists and Clouds which this Kingdom of Darkness had cast abroad How did it but make way for that clearer Light which shone forth yet clearer at the Reformation When according to Hus's Prophecy viz. Nunc quidem torretis Anserem at veniet Cycnus quem non poteritis torrere post centum Annos Deo mihi respondebitis Now indeed you rost a Goose alluding to his own Name which signifies a Goose but there will come a Swan whom you shall not be able to rost after 100 Years you shall answer to God and me Luther appeared against the Corruptions of the Church of Rome And here let us leave them full of Darkness as they are and gnawing their Tongues for
pain for grief and Vexation that all they can say in the defence of their Superstition and Idolatry will never be able to silence Truth Let them do all they can to hold the World in Darkness still by the denying them the use of Scripture but the Day is dawned and the Light is broken forth and will dazzle the Eyes of those Bats and Owls who so much fly from it The Knowledge of God's Word blessed be his holy Name for it will not suffer Men to be so Blind as to be led any longer by such dark Guides let them seeing it is their black doom so to do Blaspheme the God of Heaven let them continue in their Impenitency and not repent of their Deeds but that God whom they Blaspheme is able to recover his own Glory and will give them but too too long a day to repent when they who have so much laboured to support their Kingdom by it shall themselves be reserved in Everlasting Chains of Darkness CHAP. XVI Of the sixth Vial Rev. 16. 12 13 14 15 16. AND the sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof was dried up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared And I saw three unclean Spirits like Frogs come out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to gather them to the Battle of that great Day of God Almighty Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his Shame And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Amageddon This Vial contains a great variety of matter and Subjects to whom it relates and seems to point at Events which concern not only the fall of Antichrist under the restriction we have hitherto been speaking of him but of all others though not so precisely under that Denomination who with him rise up against the Lord and his Anointed Psal 2. 2. And 't is but necessary we should have this notion of it the business of this Vial being to usher in the Kingdom of Christ on Earth i. e. To open a way for the Return of the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles which is what that Kingdom will consist in And if so it cannot be imagined how there should be any left to oppose the Purity of the Christian Religion which will be the great Glory of our Lords Reign any of his Enemies remain who shall not be destroyed That indeed his Enemies shall be willing to make a push for it to make their last attempt against his Power is scarce to be doubted for if as it is in the former Vial they repent not after all his Plagues of their Deeds what can be expected but that their Impenitency will hide the things that belong to their Peace from their Eyes and they will use all endeavours to assert their unrighteous Cause What can be expected but that they will band and league together to oppose their common Enemy or if they band not if they enter not into common Leagues and Alliances to this purpose if they continue still at a distance and Enemies to one another yet that they will all conspire in the same Malice against Christ i. e. That the Dragon the Beast and false Prophet will all unite in the common cause of Hell and gather themselves together to the Battle of that great day of God Almighty Such is the precipitate Malice such the blind Envy such the unaccountable Despair of the Devil and his wicked Instruments that though they are certain nothing but ruin can be the Consequence they cannot deny themselves the satisfaction of the attempt Lucifer under whom they have listed will ascend and be like the most high will in his boundless Pride and Ambition be aspiring to set himself above God although he thereby be but preparing his own Hell and fitting himself for everlusting Chains of Darkness But then Chains and Darkness will be their Lot Ruin and Destruction will attend all their Enterprises and that in the Extent Manner and Circumstances of it is what is here more particularly to be considered Now that I shall do in the Method the Vial is delivered 1. I shall consider what is to be understood by the great River Euphrates and the water thereof and how that is to be dried up 2. What by the way of the Kings of the East to be prepared and how the drying up of the Water of the great River Euphrates will prepare their way 3. What is to be meant by the three unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the Beast and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet 4. Why Christ is said to come as a Thief at this time and to declare those Blessed that shall then Watch 5. The turn he shall give to Affairs in gathering them into a place called in the Hebrew Tongue Amageddon 1. What is to be understood by the great River Euphrates and the Water thereof and how that is to be dried up Euphrates may be taken either literally or in a figurative sense either for the River it self and its Waters in the common Notion we have of these or for those who are Borderers on it and it is the stile the Holy Ghost makes use of Rev. 17. 15. to express Peoples Multitudes Nations and Tongues by Waters If in the first sense we take this viz. For the River it self and its Waters in the common notion we have of these then the drying up the Water thereof under this Vial will be either like what happened in the drying up the Red-Sea for the Children of Israel to pass through it towards Canaan or what hath already happened to Euphrates it self at the taking of Babylon by Cyrus who made wide and deep Trenches whereby to divert it Streams and so came upon that City unawares in the night of their solemn Feast the same Stratagem by which Semiramis and Alexander are likewise reported to have taken it as Frontinus relates l. 3. c. 7. i. e. This will be Either By Miracle God immediately interposing as he then did for the deliverance of his People the same People of Israel as we shall afterwards shew for whom he wrought the former Miracle and in order to his bringing them into the same Canaan or Land of Promise Or By some artificial Stratagem whereby they shall be enabled to open to themselves a passage thorow it But if in the latter Sense Euphrates and its Waters are to be taken viz. for those who are Borderers on or Inhabitants near or about it Then The drying up the Water thereof will be causing the People who thus inhabit or border on or about it like