Sects make up the whole body of the man of sin but they most that fell from Faith or manners in those ten Nations over whom the Representatives of the Primitive Church once presided because these Nations were chiefly Antichristian that sometimes held forth Primitive found Doctrine and Manners and have since revolted from one or both which appears in Thes 2.3 where the Apostle immediately before he describes the man of sin and foretells his coming infers a necessity of falling away first before he could come which evidently implyes That the body of Antichrist was to be an Apostate body made up at first for the most and chiefest part of Revolted Church-Members Many Expositors upon the place call that falling away That grand and general Revolt of the Gospel-Church from Faith and Obedience But what that falling away was and how and when the Church fell and fled into the Wilderness we shall further shew in part at present but more fully afterwards The certainty and duration of that defection which could not be total in the true Church fully appears in two several Texts of one and the same Chapter Rev. 12.6 14. And the Woman fled into the Wilderness vers 6. And to the Woman were given two Wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the Wilderness c. vers 14. Into the Wilderness that is into the secret subterfuges of obscure Latency And the time of Her continuing there is exprest in both Texts Two Texts in one and the same Chapter are the sacred twofold Testimony of the God of Truth shewing the certainty and duration of her defection But she could not in such sort flee until she fell from Heaven wherein she stood before she fled vers 1. Heaven was her primitive station Her conversation contrary to that aforesaid triplicit Iniquity was in Heaven till near about 407. I shall not here stand to shew how she stood in and fell from Heaven in a twofold respect For her standing was both Temporal and Spiritual Her Temporal standing for the Text refers not without the other to that was from about 292 to the time aforesaid as the sequel will clearly shew Her Spiritual standing in Heaven her more Heavenly Conversation was all the time of Her primitive station that is She as she ever should held forth so long contrary to Sensuality Covetousness and Pride Sobriety Equity and Veracity Secondly Sound Doctrine Thirdly Right Church Discipline What Sobriety Equity and Veracity because little looked into and perhaps less discerned are we shall shew afterwards This threefold true Gospel Obedience opposite to Sensuality Avarice and spiritual Pride with right Discipline and sound Doctrine are the true Churches Cognizance the certain marks of the true Church which whilst in Heaven clothed more spiritually clothed with the Sun she held forth But about the year 407 her Members and their Successors fell some à tanto some à toto They that fell only in part fled into the Wilderness and were persecuted because they fell and fell but in part by those that fell wholly to the Apostacy of Antichrist And we find a third sort more free from that defection and less forward to fly whom the Text calls a Remnant And the Dragon saith the text was wroth with the Woman and went and made War with the Remnant of her Seed which kept the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.17 Where they are not taxed either with falling away or flying but are witnessed to have kept the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus And that even then after the revolting Church was fled into the Wilderness from the face of the Serpent to wit Of the second Dragon These Champions of Christian courage Sons of Fortitude that kept the Commands of God when the rest of the Primitive Church were some in part some wholly faln might seem for they were but few like Caleb and Joshua Meses and Aaron when all Israel besides was faln away in part or in whole from Faith in the Promises and Obedience conform to God's Commands Numb 14.10 Nor is it like that those Professors that stood best were free from falling in part or held out long against the force of the second Dragon but followed the flying Church into the Wilderness also For when the prototype Church Jacobs Family fled into the Wilderness and so into Egypt her place there prepared of God there was not one that we find that staid behind or fled not from the Famine Nor may we imagine That they that fell wholly to the Apostacy of Antichrist fell wholly from sound Doctrine for they fell little from that at first but from the fruits of it Obedience conform to Faith For the Devils believe and tremble but fell wholly from all Obedience and therefore though they fell not at all that we find from the Doctrine of Faith they fell totally So the Children of the total Apostacy in the beginning of the grand defection were too forward to do the works of their father the Devil and though they like him sell little at first from the Doctrine of Faith fell wholly from Obedience to oppose the Truth and persecute the Witnesses of it Therefore their Apostacy though they fell little or had not faln at all from the Doctrine of Faith was total as the figless fig-tree though perhaps the fullest of leaves was wholly fruitless For Waters oft ebb and stow with full currents in the same channels so sound Doctrine is the Channel in which some men may and do run the wayes of God's Commands And sound Doctrine is also the same Channel wherein many men as the Pharisees who said but did not did may and do run in full currents quite contrary Courses to impugne the practise of Gospel Truth and persecute the Witnesses of it This is the greatest Apostacy guilded with Hypocrisie For If the light of the eye saith our Saviour be darkness how great is that darkness So If sound Doctrine it self be by uncharitablness perverted to misapplications or made to oppose the Truth and persecute the Assertors of it that 's the greatest Apostacy both from Faith and Charity Therefore they that fell á toto totally fell from Faith of veracity or from seeking after sincere obedience to impugne it and persecute the doers of it by a constant current of opposition though many of them fell little at first from the Doctrine of Faith For gross Heresies or Doctrine greatly corrupt are more peculiar to sensual Antichrist such as the Arrians were and Mahumetans are than to Antichrist Secular and Spiritual that fell less from the Doctrine of Faith and perhaps more from manners to manners not so sensual but more injust and merciless which the sequel will clearly shew But at present we shall begin to compare both both the holy City and City of Apostacy together that thereby both may plainly appear And first They that fell least and they that when they fell most fell but in part
This is not the way of his coming nor could he come this way This is via non satis deceptiva There 's not deceit enough in such open enormities to deceive the Nations This had been the way to deceive none and to be seen of all Had he come this way not of deceit but apparent wickedness he had not laid his foundation of fraud in his misapplyed Tu es Petrus had not had power to pull down the Primitive Church nor to assume her proprieties and priviledges to himself to build his Apostacy therewith in her place Nor could he have drawn the Nations those that dwelt upon the Earth saith the Text nor the Primitive Church her self to be the Burgers of his new built City had he come with open hostility profaneness and gross Heresies This had been the way to affright her and them and to make both fly from his presence as the Church then also did from the face of the Serpent or second Dragon ch 12.14 For Such professed hostility open profaneness and gross Herefie best befits the Pseudoprophetick superintendent of Antichrist sensual seated in Spiritual Sodom and her head that Dragon who about the year 407 came not like this Bicorn Lamb-like builder with all deceivableness but with open violence armies of gross Hereticks Heathens and Arrians to kill the Church and her witnesses or to cause her saith the Text to be carryed away of the flood To wit By that flood of Military Forces vers 15. wherewith he vanquished Rome Imperial That so neither she nor any part of her being quite carryed away might be ever seen any more Therefore He did not deceive and draw her by fraud but by force drave her to fly with two wings of a great Eagle as into her subterfuge into this Tripolity of deceit which the false Prophets hands had constituted or was in constituting of it of ten Nations For That City of deceit and persecution but of her preservation from corporal and total destruction by that second Dragon the Text calls Her place prepared of God ch 21.6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there 1260 dayes The same place and the same time is set down the second time in the same Chapter vers 14. For Though the False Prophet by Gods permission built this ten-fold City of Apostacy yet it was a place prepared of God for the purpofe aforesaid To wit To preserve his Church not from all persecution but from a total destruction by the rage of the second Dragon from whose face the Church then fled for 1260 years ver 14. For the false Prophet built that City a City both of affliction and refuge to the flying Church But God gave him power all power into his hands to crect that Decalabyrinth of errour Whose coming is with all power saith the Apostle 2 Thes 2.9 He shall wear out well nigh wear out the Saints of the most high and think to change times and Laws and they shall be given into his hands the Laws of power or all power as it were by a Law shall be given into his hand for three times and an half or 1260 years to be a refuge as well as a scourge to the Church so long Dan. 7.25 For as God prepared a Fish and that Fish to be a place for flying Jonah not as a Tombe to interre him in lasting oblivion but as a Womb to preserve him for a future birth to a better life So God prepared Rome Papal with her Sects for his flying Church as a womb to preserve her from perishing and for a future production of her to a far better reviction And the Woman fled into the wilderness into her place prepared of God where she is nourished for 1260 dayes from the face of the Serpent Apocal. 12.6.14 The time in Type and Antitype and how God prepared Rome Papal with her Sects to be a place to preserve his Church for 1260 years from perishing by the second Dragon we shall shew afterwards And therefore Male creditur Hosti It s dangerous trusting to Turkes and Mahumetants the main continued stem and Off-spring of this second Dragon For though they pretend to some slavish allowance of liberty to Christians and Sects for which some Sects and wicked professors wish them before Papists and indeed above others more Orthodox it may be undoubtedly expected That had they the power absolute in their own hands over all Christians they would Massacre all as they did formerly in Spain for the very name of Christ For so their like Pagano-arrian predecessors at the ingress of this second Dragon about 407 came with flood-like armies and with full purposes to destroy utterly the Gospel Church But The false Prophet came with all deceivableness Laid his foundation of deceit pulled down Church priviledges and built his Decapolite state of Apostacy under a strict and specious pretence of the Catholick and Apostolick Faith confirmed by many dreadful false Miracles and in shew of all meekness as being the servant of the servants of God and the tender Father of all the Fathers of the Church when all was nothing but a strongly deluding fraud in a superficial affected shallow knowledge and profession fruitful only in persecution and in bringing evil reports upon the best men then living A knowledge and profession casting the imputation of innovations upon their antient Catholick and most solid Truths as in the examples of the sixth Council of Carthage Saint Basil Jerom Augustine and others And calling their own Innovations Antient and Catholick Truths and Customes So Innocent the first did about his pretended antient right of Supremacy in his Epistles to the Bishop of Roan Augustine and others You have saith he to Saint Augustine had due regard of the Apostolick honour I say of him who hath the care and charge of all Churches in asking advice of him in these perplexities and intricate causes following therein the antient Canon which you know as well as my self to have ever been observed in all the world And yet Augustine and the sixth Council of Carthage clearly proved this his pretence of an antient and Catholick practice in all the world to be a notorious and remarkable lie in those four first Fabers of the Apostacy To wit Innocent Zosimus Boniface and Caelestin For The Son of perdition in all his Sects and Off-spring seeks seeks diligently to suppress solid truth and sincere obedience by casting the lying Imputation of innovation upon it and to preferre a shallow fruitless knowledge in a proud careless covetous practive as antient Catholick and Apostolick Thus he cast down the power of the Primitive Church and built his Apostacy in her place That is the Bicorn Seer by deceit by all possible deceivableness built this City And as the bands of the blinded Syrians sent to Dothan came instead of it to Samaria so these ten Nations with the Dragons floodlike armies or they
of Papal Rome And when the time of those two Parents the Earth and the Sea was come to the Birth and there was no strength to bring forth the Bicorne and Decacerastick beasts Papal then did this second Dragon though he wounded both those Infant new born beasts with a sword give power to their two Parents to bring them forth by affording what furthered in that grand design their sick desires For he took away all that letted and filled other Nations of the Empire besides Italy with his Armies that they could not hinder it He also gave strength and means of growth to those two Parents by him first wounded Off-spring For he gave his power the Supremacy therein to that Decarch secular and Papal whom the Sea brought forth and likewise power to the Bicorne beast Rev. 13.2 4. ch 11.10 Dan. 7.25 That is he immediately after he had taken and burnt Rome lest the ruines of it with Italy almost ruinated to the wounded beast and false Prophet Papal For Honorius that good Emperour though a man of no great gifts durst not at least did not reside any more at Rome And that second Dragon in some process of time consigned his kingdoms to the false Prophets care embracing himself the unity of the Church of Rome He several wayes and at sundry times gave his seat and power which he took away from those he took out of the way as aforesaid to the beast and false Prophet wherefore He that is taken out of the way and he that taketh him away must needs be two But the first Dragon and Imperial Rome that letted the rising up of Rome Papal were taken out of the way But he that took away the first Dragon with Rome Imperial was this second Dragon 2 Thes 2.6 7. Rev. 13.24 which also Church History hath confirmed and will more fully confirm Therefore there must be inevitably two Dragons the second taking away the first and the first taken away by the second which also we find apparent from Reason Scripture and Church-History The first we find in Heaven and we find the Woman the Gospel and Primitive Church in the same Heaven of power at the same time Rev. 12.1 3. But she had not at her first ascending into that Heaven of authority such full power as that first Dragon had For he stood before her in the time of Constantius the first and in the beginning of Constantines Reign to devour her Child so soon as it was born ver 4. That is to destroy every man that might as a Christian Prince Emperour or Magistrate defend the Church The Woman or Gospel Church was then in Heaven in a double respect or in a twofold acceptation of the word Heaven but the Dragon only in a single acceptation of it And first the word Heaven holds forth an holy conversation And in this acceptance of the word the Church was then said to be in Heaven shining in the splendor of her Primitive Graces and not then faln from Heaven nor fled into the Wildernesses where her good works were much more dark and less visibly conform to Gospel Rule Secondly She not only had her conversation in Heaven but was ascended also into the Heaven of power and Authority in the Roman Empire and sate upon part of that Dragons throne whereon that Dragon sate Supream And in this respect both she and that first Dragon were said to be in Heaven that is in the Heaven of high power and Authority in the Roman Empire For in that Heaven of an holy conversation with the true Church that Dragon never was nor could be His conversation was not in Heaven but quite contrary to her Heavenly conversation Nor was he in Heaven That is as some assert in the true Church For both the Church and he are said to be in Heaven and he not in her or for her but before and against her But he was in Heaven that is he inhabited the Heaven of high power and Authority in the Roman Empire and was far above the Primitive Church at her first arrival into this Heaven For we find her there crying travelling in Birth and pained to be delivered that she might bring forth a Man-child a Christian Magistracy or power secular to protect her from that red Dragons bloudy persecutions And we find him standing before her to devour that Man-child or Christian Magistracy should she produce any But she brought forth a Man-child saith the text That is a Christian power secular and Military Michaels substitutes that overcame that Dragon and cast him out so as his place was found no more in the Heaven of Supream power and Authority in the Roman Empire He strove various ways and at several times to regain his place regained some power but his place was found no more in Heaven He had some power for a very short space power to persecute the Church but prevailed not He never after arrived to Supream Power in the Roman Empire but was soon after deprived of his being and about 412 cast into the bottomless pit forever By this it may plainly appear impossible that this Dragon should give his seat and power to the beast secular and Papal when he himself had none to give and when that beast was not in being who existed not till that Dragon that letted as the text saith his rising up was taken out of the way But the Dragon saith the text gave his seat power and great Authority to the beast Therefore that was the second Dragon But for the Readers irrefellible eviction we shall consider the Paterns or Prophetick Types and compare them with their Antitypes And first we find the type-Woman the Jewish Church Primitive Jacobs Family in Heaven adorned by an heavenly conversation having the Sun Moon and twelve Stars her Lights and guides Gen. 37.9 So we find her Antitype the Gospel Church Primitive in Heaven also having the Sun Moon and twelve Stars her Lights and guides Rev. 12.1 Thus we see that the Prophesies of the old Testament even in Genesis were not finally fulfilled as some affirm they were at the death of our Saviour or at the destruction of Jerusalem but signally ecchoed forth future transactions far beyond those times But of this we shall give after a short progress full proof The type-Woman Jacobs Family was as it were ascending into the Heaven of power become more mighty saith Pharaoh then the Egyptians therefore that Dragon for so the Scripture calls Pharaoh expresly the Dragon Ezech. 29.3 stood before that woman to devour her Man-child And this Dragon of Rome Pagan that Dragons Antitype stood before the woman the Gospel and Primitive Church ascended into the Heaven of power to devour her Man-child also so soon as it was born Rev. 12.4 The type-Dragon Pharaoh with his servants were cast out of their Heaven of power into the Sea Sank as a stone in the mighty waters The Sea covered them for ever Exod. 15.10 So his and their Antitype this
the Witnesses Sackcloth Prophesie run parallel in the same Epoche So the six Vials and this Cities duration synchronize with both which is plain from their temporal periods For The period of this threefold Mystery of iniquity in the tenth Chapter is thus exprest There shall be time no longer And its period in the sixteenth Chapter under or at the beginning of the seventh Vial as the former was under or at the beginning of the seventh Trumpets sounding is likewise thus exprest It is done And what is done The answer is made in the next verse but one And the great City was divided into three parts c. That is this threefold City was done ver 19. The scope and almost the express words of both texts is the same shewing That this threefold City or Mystery of iniquity should at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and pouring forth of the seventh Vial begin vigorously to be made manifest and the Mystery of God her Antithesis to be compleated that is The true Church should then begin more vigorously and visibly to expatiate and appear to all Sects and Nations For those periods It is done Time shall be no more are terms of expression that are synonymous in sense and are in both texts a twofold sacred record that the duration the more entire duration of this threefold City should be 1260 years synchronizing with the six Trumpets with the six Vials with the Witnesses Sackcloth-Prophesie and with all the rest of these twelve Epochaes Thirdly the duration of this threefold City is commensurated which are also the Epoche of the death of the Witnesses by three dayes and an half Rev. 11.9 11. In which texts the two former texts are more fully explained and the same period of this threefold City the third time repeated And first We see that the two Witnesses were to lye in that City dead for three dayes and an half ver 8 9. Therefore the end of those three dayes and an half was the period of the Witnesses death and of the duration as will appear of that threefold City For After three dayes and an half saith the text the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them ver 11. Therefore the end of those three dayes and an half must be the period of their lying dead in that City and the period also of that Cities duration For The same hour saith the text the tenth part of that City fell ver 13. And fell not to but from Apostacy in manners to pursue sincere truth and peace in Theory and practice or to use the words of the same text shall then begin to give Glory to the God of heaven that is Shall then begin to give Glory to God with greater vigour and visibility of true obedience then formerly And these three dayes and an half of the duration of the death of the Witnesses in that City and of that City till it should begin to fall as aforesaid are also conterminated as the same period the third time exprest with the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet vers 13. And the seventh Angel sounded c. Therefore these three dayes and an half of the more entire duration of this threefold City and of the death of the Witnesses therein synchronize with the six Vials the six Trumpets and the Witnesses Sackcloth Prophesie in 1260 years For those in this Chapter twice repeated three dayes and an half are the same three times and an half chap. 12.14 the same forty two Months chap. 12.2 And the same 1260 dayes in the next verse which being 1260 dayes annual are 1260 years For the durations of the death of the Witnesses and of this threefold City were pre-signified in Scripture both by three dayes and an half artificial or 42 hours and by three dayes and an half Annual or forty two Months as we shall fully and that so soon as we shall first lay down these twelve Epochaes instantly shew The Fifth Epoche is of the Gospel Churches grand revolt FIfthly The Gospel-Churches profligation and defection seems to retain the same time For We find her in Heaven holding forth though at last more remisly her primitive integrity of an Heavenly conversation till about 407 Rev. 12.1 And till then from about 292 in the Heaven of high Power and Authority in the Roman Empire For She casting the first Dragon from his seat there sate sole Regent in his Throne of power Her Eagles exalted both her and themselves into that Heaven ver 7. to the 12th But a falling away was to come and the Church fell fell from Heaven fled into the Wilderness for 1260 dayes Annual 2 Thess 2.3 Rev. 12.1 6 14. Therefore the Church fell from Heaven though not totally and finally in a twofold respect First in reference to her Heaven of high power Secondly In respect to her heavenly conversation Her fall in conversation caused her other fall She fell in part from her former Heavenly conversation Therefore She fell as the effect of that cause from her Heaven of high Power and Authority Her fall in conversation was Spiritual Her fall from Power was temporal In reference to both she according to those texts aforesaid stood in Heaven And in reference to both she fell from Heaven The manner of her fall from both is plain from her Patern or Prophetick type Lament 2.1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a Cloud in his anger and cast down from Heaven to the Earth the beauty of Israel c. So God covered her the Anti-type-Church with a Cloud in his anger and cast down from Heaven to the Earth the beauty of Gospel Israel For She like the Church of Ephesus left her first love forsook her first works works of Judgment Mercy and Faith and remembred not scarce yet remembreth from whence she fell Thus she fell first in her conversation from Heaven therefore God sent the second Dragon with a flaming Sword who cast her as were our first Parents out of Paradise out of her Heaven of power and Authority and drave her into the Wilderness for 1260 years chap. 12.1.6.14 Many Expositors call that falling away in conversation that grand and general revolt of the Gospel Church from Faith and Obedience Howbeit it was in her true members though much inwardly chiefly in outward appearance and practice The gradual aggresses of the Churches defection from about 340 to 407 we shall shew afterwards The sixth Interval THe sixth Epoche and this of a different denomination more fully proves the former is of the Churches abode in her place prepared of God which is twice recorded in two several texts of the same Chapter And the Woman fled into the Wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there 1260 dayes which being as we shall instantly and irrefellibly shew dayes Annual are 1260 years chap. 12.6 And there were given to the Woman two Wings of a great Eagle that
Almost all Professors and many Saints much deceive themselves by being of this or that Sect or Church-Society and by being therein vainly consident whereas a Sect signifies nothing But sincerity is the substance of true obedience Saul so desperately deceitful are half-performances paid a large price of exemption from obedience to God and doing good to himself his Country and Family He went saw and overcame Amaleck as God commanded brought away their best Catcle c. Who could nor could he himself imagine that more to please God could be done that service Nor scarce could Samuel beat him out of the strong confidence of that misbelief But Samuel told him that all that large price of exemption for it seemed to exceed an half-performance from true obedience was as Witchcraft and Rebellion Why as Witchcraft Because half-performances deceive unsealed Hypocrites more than Witchcraft and would deceive were it possible the very Elect But the practice of the good Samaritan is a perfect Patern in a fourfold conformity for all Men and Nations to follow having due respect to all the Principles of right in it self A Quo Quid Cui Quantum Quoties c. And such Works and they only are the sacred Harmony of the Harps of God And I looked and lo a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion c. We shall and so conclude the first Part of this Treatise further enquire First Who that Lamb is Secondly What is here meant by Mount Sion Thirdly Who those Harpers shall be Fourthly Why they are called the first-fruits Fifthly What is meant by those Harps of God And first That the Lamb on Mount Sion shall be Christ is not doubted I suppose nor deny'd by any Not that Christ shall then stand corporally in his Hypostatical person there or any where else upon Earth either for 1000 years or more or less time when these 144000 shall attend him But by the Lamb in this Text is meant Christ's Substitutes his revived Witnesses Religious Ministers and Magistrates raised from the sleep of Spiritual Death to the Life of Animadvertency and to mind to do right and shew mercy after the Patern of the good Samaritan in a fourfold Conformity which only is Christian true practice For As Michael and his Angels are said to fight with the first Dragon And to bind him c. Ch. 12.7 Ch. 20.2 It was Michael's Delegates and Substitutes Constantin with his Armies and Officers that fought and not Michael personally and literally on Earth So the Lamb in the Text upon Mount Sion shall be his Witnesses and Representatives Religious Kings and Ministers standing firm as upon Mount Sion upon lasting Principles of sound Faith and good Manners Nor was it God and Christ literally but the said Substitutes with their Successors that reigned on Earth when the 1000 years began Ch. 12.10 Nor shall God and the Lamb literally but their Representatives be the Temple in the conscript-City of God Ch. 21.22 Secondly We shall further enquire who this conscript-number that shall accompany the Lamb shall be and see wherein they differ from Locusts and Hypocrites And first They clearly appear to be the gospel-Gospel-Church after lier Wilderness-Pilgrimage brought to and built upon immoveable Foundatious of Truth and Peace For two Texts in one and the same Chapter expresly tell us That the Woman fled into the Wilderness and was to remain there at least 1260 dayes dayes annual which are 1260 years Ch. 12.6 14. And the duration of that Desert-condition by her finished we find her immediately or very soon after firmly seated upon Mount Sion And it is well known to all that know any thing that Mount Sion was never in the Wilderness Ch. 11.11 13 15. Ch. 13.18 Ch. 14.1 That Mount was the Type-Seat of true Worship This the Antitype That for a time This till time be no more That was literal This shall be Spiritual To wit Lasting and inviolable Principles of true Faith and good Manners whereon the Gospel-Church firmly built shall perform true obedience to God and good Works to Men in a fourfold conformity Therefore Locusts and Hypocrites can be none of this couscript-company their Harps of pride strife and ignorance if such Instruments can be called Harps sound forth rash and foolish questions cavils and impugnations against that which is right Their works and true Saints too off practice the same are torn Sacrifices clypt fragments half-performances good beginnings never finished works of negligence and careless forgetfulness or wicked exemptions from good works They scatter some fragments the worst Simony to be rid of doing good whiles they relieve the poor reward the well-deserving but strengthen not their hands as Sodom did not by relieving or rewarding of them Their works not performed in a fourfold couformity are contrary to the Patern in the Mount and the practice of the good Samaritan Therefore being laid in the ballance they are ever found wanting This company having the Name of God in their foreheads may be called Coetus Virgineus vel Chorus incontaminatus the Virgin or undefiled company These were not defiled with women saith the Text for they were Virgins vers 4. They seem to differ from the Profuga or sealed Church only as Christ transfigured in the Mount differed from what he was before Christ in the Mount was not another man but a Man the same Christ of another manner So these 144000 conscript in the Mount shall be the same Gospel-Church that was sealed before that fled into the Wilderness and was fed there for 1260 years Not for matter another Church but a Church of other manners transfigured as it were in the Mount of God and not floating as the Ark in the flood upon unstable waters not driven to and fro with every wind of false Doctrine and different Opinion not broken by proad Billows of swelling Schisms and Subdivisions but shall be immovably fixt like the Ark at last upon a sure Rock which can never be shaken Many rich Prophetick-promises to the Gospel-Church are held forth in the 7th Chapter from the ninth verse to the end But those manifold promises of the richest mercies seem to be made chiefly to the conscript-Church and were not so fully fulfilled to the sealed servants of God in that Chapter For after the sealing of them the Text saith After this I beheld and loe a great multitude c. vers 9. For as God did not begin to smite Egypt with the Plagues of Excision till his people were first sealed in the Fronts or Door-posts of their habitations with the blood of the Lamb Exod 12. So these their penultimate Antitype were first sealed in their foreheads before God smote Imperial and Apostate Rome about the beginning of the fifth Century But as his Prototype sealed servants the people of Israel finished forty two journeys in the literal Wilderness So these sealed servants of God in the 7th Chapter were to fulfill forty two moneths Prophetical 1260 years in the Spiritual Wilderness before they should stand
with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Ch. 11.2 Ch. 12 6.14 Ch. 13.5 That Type-Wilderness was the place of provocation wherein those in a figure sealed servants of God erring in their hearts and not knowing the wayes of God provoked him to anger and they all perished in that place for their provocations That Type-Desert was a literal local barren part of the World But this Antitype-wilderness is less literal more spiritual no less barren in good works and is in the Aggregate of it the whole World For the Prototype apostate-Apostate-Church was driven out of Paradise into the barren World that brought forth as a curse laid upon it Bryars and Thorns And the Antitype revolted Woman the Gospel-Church fled from Heaven her Primitive stations and was driven thence into the Wilderness this wicked World where evil Beasts Heathens Hereticks and proud and blind Hypocrites in habit and which is an inextricable Labyrinth of investigable intanglements and wayes all overgrown with Briers and Thorns of the Cares and Pride of this life A place where the sealed servants of God habituate themselves to err in their hearts and to be ignorant of his ways with all confidence and continually provoke him to anger But The Gospel Church was not to continue scatrered over all this Spiritual Wilderness but to be more strictly confined for 1260 years to her more pecular place there prepared of God The pâ—â—ce prepared in the literal Wilderness was Egypt as we shall in the sequel fully shew Another Prophetick-place prepared of God and that more Mystical was the Apostate body of Israel or they in their journeys and places of their pitcâ—â—ng their Tents For all Israel above twenty years old about four excepted fell away when the faithless Spies brought evil reports upon the Land of Promise from Faith and Obedience That Apostate body was a place prepared of God to preserve his truly sealed servants So the Papal-Apostacy and her subdivisions such at least as held the Homousian Faith were the Antitype-place prepared of God to preserve his truly sealed servants for 1260 years But these 144000 upon Mount Sion shall not need any place prepared in the Wilderness to preserve them because they themselves shall not be there Nor shall they need a body of Death the body of the Apostacy of Antichrist to preserve as the Fish did Jonah their lives from death But they shall have the Name of God written in their foreheads And that name true practice in a fourfold conformity shall be a strong Tower to desend them from all distresses Nor shall that Name of God the vivid practice of the power of Godliness be an Anchor in a storm but an impreguable Rock above all Seas which storms can never reach Paul's Ship wherein he sailed was long driven to and fro dash't with impetuous storms at last split in pieces The passengers got its brokenboards to bring them to shore And the Profuga Gospel-Church that fled from the Serpent for 1260 years hath been long driven too much like Pauls ship to and fro broken with violent storms and is now ready by dashing billows of dissenting brethren to split inpieces But these 144000 upon Mount Sion shall not need to fear Sea-storms of tribulations or persecutions because there shall be no more Sea saith the Text Chapter 21.1 No more Sea That is No more coaltern persecutions betwixt Professors of different perswasions nor tempestuous dashings of civil Divisions nor any more distresses as formerly for faithless disobedience So the whole World in time of the flood was a stormy-Sea wherein the Ark the Prototype-Church was driven But when it rested on Ararat there was no more Sea of dashing billows against that weather-beaten Type And so the sealed Wilderness-Church hath been driven to and fro though her first 800 years were more favourable for about 1260 years as in a troubled Sea But when she shall arrive upon Mount Sion there shall be no more Sea Righteousness delivereth from death But her righteousness of a four-fold conformity which only is the fruit of true Faith shall deliver her from all future Sea-storms and Shipwracks But this righteousness is much more difficult to be done than the righteousness of formal Professors and far different from the promiscuous clypt and defalked righteousness of such true Saints whose Harps are ever out of tune For Formalists and Hypocrites nor are true Saints free from this fault really imagine that the way to work true Gospel-righteousness is obvious to any Every man they think may do it without much direction for any difficulty therein The ground of this almost general misconceit is this They mistake the deceiveableness of unrighteousness for the Righteousness of Saints and the Gold-like Crowns of Locusts for the Name of the living God written in the foreheads of his servants And this righteousness mistaken for true is most easie to be done by the most indocible It s most easie for men to pretend Religion and practise none To profess to witness the Truth and testifie lies in words and works or to witness it in both with those delayes and such slackness or partiality that it profits none To take much care to come to the knowledge of the Truth in the Doctrine of Faith and Manners and be deceived but not to come to the knowledge of the Truth in practice that they may be saved This is Doctrina dedocenda Doctrine to be learn't at least to better ends To pass heady censures and practise actions of precipitate rashness which even Heathens abhor is as bestial abhorred of God Our Law said an Heathen condemns no man unheard But corrupt careless true Christians can and commonly do condemn Indictâ causâ inaudito viro any man or thing unseen and unheard But no Law Literature nor Religion nor strict Profession nor sound Doctrine No Gifts nor Parts can bind or debar unsealed evil-Beasts from this barbarous frenzy which the Laws even of wicked Heathens allow not and which makes men more bruitish than the worst Heathens This desperate wickedness of barbarous folly so easie it is to be learn't is little less frequent nor less esteemed for true Righteousness than it was by the Pharisees who by this temerity of blind Hypocrisie condemned and crucified the King of Righteousness But the Righteousness of this Chorus Virgineus contrary to the Crowns of Locusts deceits of Hypocrites and the dangerous diversious of corrupt careless true Christians shall be as the Text infers every way conform to that which is right Therefore it must be for difficilia quae pulcra far more difficult to be attained and practised These were not defiled with women saith the Text for they are Virgins That is They shall not pollute themselves with the false Doctrines and foolish Opinions of Erroneous Professors nor espouse their works Their works shall not be like the fruits of Formalists withered for want of Rain nor blasted with the Wind but be good and perfect fruits of a foursold conformity well-pleasing to God
Dragon of Rome Pagan with his Angels servants and Officers were cast also out of their Heaven of high power as a great Milstone cast into the Sea into the bottomless pit for ever more Rev. 12.9 ch 18.2 ch 20.3 The type-Dragon Pharaoh thus sinking himself for ever had then no seat or authority to give to another And this Dragon of Pagan Rome his Antitype thus sinking for evermore had no seat power or authority to give to the Sea-born beast secular and Papal who also existed not till after that Dragon fell for ever as aforesaid Thus we see the Prophetick type Pharaoh with his servants is so apposite to its antitype the first Dragon and his Angels that it seems a real and literal relating of it Both perished without power both had not to give both did not give the least power to any other But the Dragon gave his power and great authority to the beast Rev. 13.2.4 Therefore that was the second Dragon We shall now examine another Patern or Prophetick type and compare it with its antitype How art thou faln from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the morning How art then cut down to the ground Isa 14.12 Who was this that thus fell from Heaven and who was thus cut down but only the Representative of the Kingdom of Babylon And from what Heaven did they thus fall but from the Heaven of high power and authority in that Kingdom And this Dragon of Pagan Rome the Representative secular of subantitype Babel Rev. 17.5 was cast down from Heaven unto the Earth chap. 12.8 And what was this Heaven out of which he was thus cast but the Heaven of high power and authority in the Roman Empire And thus Mead and most expositors expound the word Heaven in those texts to be high power and authority and indeed those texts thus explain themselves This was that Heaven of power wherein this first Dragon stood when he stood before the Woman to devour her Child For in any other Heaven he could not stand with the Primitive Church And how did type Babel with her secular head fall from this Heaven of power And how did her penultimate antitype or sub-antitype Rome Pagan and her head the first Dragon fall also from the same Heaven of power and authority unto the Earth I answer type Babel and her head secular fell from that Heaven when she fell into the hands of Cyrus that subdued both her and him And sub-antitype Babel Rome Pagan and her head the first Dragon fell also from their Heaven of power when they fell into the hands of Constantine and his armies Michaels substitutes that conquered both her and him about the year 320. But type Babel and her captivated head rebelled in the days of Darius Hystaspes for twenty months But she and her faln head by that Robellion fell lower from Heaven unto the Earth For her Rebels in her slew the women of that City that they should not hinder them in their designed work And Sopyrus by a policy cruel to himself betray'd the men into the hands of Hystaspes So she as a further progress to her final depopulation lost very many both of her men and women She raising that Rebellion to regain her place was exceedingly weakened thereby It quite brake that conquered power which she had in peeces and her place was found no more in heaven So the first Dragon the then faln head of sub-antitype Babel or Rome Pagans sudu'd representative rebelled also against the Gospel Church and her Masculine Off-spring that had subdu'd him He persecuted the woman persecuted her chiefly under the form of an Arrian in the time of Constantius the second Julian Valens but prevailed not the Primitive Church prevailed against him and his place was found no more in heaven But Thirdly Seleucus after type Babel to her own utter ruine had rebelled as aforesaid drew five hundred thousand of her Citizens out of her to inhabit his by him new built Selusia wherefore As Cyrus drew her River dry and so subdu'd that City at first So Seleucus draining that City of her Inhabitants brought her to the next door to eternal desolation which soon after followed For the place where she formerly shone like a refulgent Star was a Forrest where the Kings of Persia used to hunt in St. Jeroms time How art thou faln from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning And so When the first Dragon the captive head of sub-antitype Babel or Pagan Rome had rebelled against the Gospel Church and his Victor her Manchild Then he and his Angels falling the faster from heaven for that Rebellion were cut down to the ground For the Churches Eagles of high power in the Roman Empire the Orthodox Emperours Valentinian and Theodosius with his Sons bound him the more for that Rebellion with cords which he could not cast from him and with strong chains their strict Edicts against Arrians and Heathens which he could never break Therefore thus begirt with the bands of eternal death he besought the second Dragon the Barbarians of the North to pity his deplored estate That second Dragon mindless of his miseries came about 407 and about 412 trod his feeble and dying remnant under his careless feet Thus dyed that Dragon poor as Codrus not having any inheritance nor heir to inherit But the Dragon gave his seat and great authority the Supremacy therein to the beast therefore that was the second Dragon That beast secular and Papal blasphemed them that dwelt in Heaven Rev. 13.6 By heaven there is meant the heavenly conversations of Saints whom that beast blasphemed Rejoyceye Heavens and ye that dwell in them chap. 12.12 There by heaven is meant not only the heavenly conversations of Saints but the high power and authority of the Primitive Church prevailing against the first Dragon and possessing his throne of power and authority in the Roman Empire out of which heaven of power he was cast as aforesaid For he had no other heaven held no other That was his only heaven in which he was where and when John saw him in heaven And this was that heaven in which the Primitive Church stood with him when he stood before her and was there without him after he was cast out when her Manchild or secular head sate sole Monarch in the throne of the Roman Empire But rejoyce ye Heavens c. By heavens here is more especially meant the Western Empire and Churches that were more heavenly minded more Orthodox and more fruitful in good works conform to Gospel rule then the Eastern Churches were who were much more corrupt with Heresies Arrianism and evil manners And therefore as they scarse could be counted true Churches and so called heaven were called the earth and the Sea Wo unto the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea For The Devil is come down to you having great wrath because he knoweth he hath but a short time ver 12. For That first Dragon acted by the
devil and therefore called the Devil got by Rebellion so much power for a short space against the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea Egypt and the East Empire as to persecute many precious Saints in those infimous out-places that less regarded the truth of the Gospel in Doctrine and manners But he prevailed not or very little against the Western Churches who were much more sound in faâ—â—â— and manners and therefore called Heaven Rejoyc◠〈◊〉 and ye that dwell in them wo unto the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea c. But Of this I have written at large in my Tract against Chiliasm This first Dragon thus prevailed under his eighth and last head and chiefly under the form of an Arrian against the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea Egypt and the Eastern Empire from the death of Constans to the death of Valens about 18 years Then was he bound as we have shown before sufficiently by Theodosius and his two Sons with a new recruit of chains so strait that he could scarce breath or rather must breath his last Then seeking aid of the second Dragon that Dragon came but did not succour him sad poor dying distressed but destroy'd for ever about 412 the feeble relicts of him Therefore this first Dragon had not then nor long before any free power seat or authority But the Dragon gave his seat c. Therefore that was the second Dragon The first Dragon was Draco devictus a Dragon subdu'd by a woman She overcame him by the blond of the Lamb and the word of her testimony ch 12.11 But this second Dragon overcame that woman drave her into the wilderness killed her witnesses To wit about four hundred and seven ten or twelve when their testimony by which they overcame the first Dragon grew at least in works weak or in the words of the text when they had finished that testimony ch 11.7 ch 12.14 15 17. The first Dragon was an Indigena in the Roman Empire the second an Alienigena from the North Rome Pagan was the last clearest fullest type of the Antichrist predicted by Prophets and Apostles Rome Papal was the antitype or substance shaddowed forth by many types but last and above all by Pagan Rome whose head the first Dragon was as the second was the first head in Scripture order because the raiser up of Papal Rome But before I proceed I must first resell sundry opinions of many Learned writers For some affirm that all Prophesies under the Law were fulfilled at the death of our blessed Saviour or at the destruction of Jerusalem So they cut off the Prophets from giving testimony to the Apostles and the Apocalyps Secondly some affirm that all the Prophesies in the Apocalyps except the Dragons binding for 1000 years whom they also except in vain were fulfilled about 412 at the excision of Rome Imperial Then there can be no second Dragon beast or false Prophet commencing then And then this if not the whole design of the Apocalyps may seem a dream I must therefore take away of necessity these cardinal obstacles in the way of my progress to explicate those intricate Scriptures that are most needful to be unfolded and to make the Plain thereby the more perspicuous And first we shall prove though we have done that perhaps before sufficiently that the Prophets bare clear record to the Predictions prophetick promises and comminations in the Apostles and the Apocalyps and reached even Papal Rome That there were two Dragons needs no dispute Further proof of it might seem superfluous Howbeit even that also will hereby necessarily and irrefellibly appear The world so far as I find never took notice that there were two nor do the Learned Grotius Hammond and others that I see observe it because they stating the period of the Apocalyps and all prophetick Scriptures about the year four hundred and ten when Rome Imperial was translated so exclude both the second Dragon beast and false Prophet with Papal Rome and all modern Sects and so doing must exclude though they would except them the Mahumetans also from being any part of the Churches predicted Antithesis The more literal fulfilling of the Apocalyps in many things they with Mead and many others have learnedly observed which literal fulfilling in many things they find and I confess ended much about the years four hundred and ten or twelve But of many things that relate not to Pagan but to Papal Rome they take little or no notice nor are they misguided but by a general mis-supposition which may necessitate even the most Learned to the same mistakes For their not observing that there were two Dragons which also never any that I find observed necessitates them if not all expositors to the same aberrations Doctor Hammond or as well any other Learned or rational did or might had his suppositions been right very rationally thus argue The Dragon for neither he or any other perhaps supposed more than one ended with the computation of the Apocalyps for ever in four hundred and ten or twelve But the Dragon beast and false Prophet had all one and the same synchronick Epoche ending as aforesaid Therefore after four hundred and ten or twelve there could be never any Dragon beast or false Prophet much less any of them after that time as they could not be before apply'd to Papal Rome Papal Rome whom the Apocalyps it self thus absolveth must therefore remain free for ever from any such imputation as being any part of the body of Apostacy or of the Antichrist predicted by Prophets and Apostles His and their arguments were those suppositions right are very rational and indeed the very truth Nor did the Learned Grotius Hammond and others as it seems to me much observe That as some Rocks re-eccho the first sounds given three or four times as Trogus Pompeius witnesseth and I have oft observed so some prophesies sound forth several successive transactions in four or five reverberations For example The prophesie in Daniel of the abomination of desolation struck first Prophetically upon the cruel practises of Epiphanes and sounded forth the Jews sad calamities by his merciless persecutions but did not terminate there but sounded forth also the Jews desolations at the destruction of Jerusalem And when you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel saith our Saviour c. Daniels dimidium hebdemadis of the same duration and denomination and makes Daniels prophesie of the desolation at the destruction of Jerusalem to be in the third Reverberation The conformity of that half week of years in its duration and denomination to its type under Epiphanes and its anti type under the Apostacy appears from these Texts Dan. 9.26 27. Rev. 11.2 3. The duration of that half week of years under Epiphanes and the Pharisees as in types was 1260 days literal but in their anti types 1260 years The desolations in those types were more literal but in their
she might flee into the Wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time times and half a time from the face of the Serpent ver 14. The times in both texts are exactly the same and make a twisted or double record That the Epoche of the Churches abode in her place prepared of God was to be 1260 years Into the Wilderness That is into an obscure sad desolate and distrest condition both in temporal and spiritual respects Into her place prepared of God Having here proved the Epoche by the double testimony of two texts we shall refer this place prepared of God but a little further to a fitter place where we shall shew what this place prepared of God was where the Gospel-Church was to be preserved for 1260 years The seventh Epoche IS of the death of the Witnesses And when they shall have finished their testimony their Primitive testimony in 407 and not their 1260 years Prophesie in Sackcloth the beast saith the text that cometh out of the bottomless pit the second Dragon shall overcome and kill them shall cast them out of their primitive power and capacities temporal and spiritual and kill many of them corporally And their dead bodies shall lye in the street of the great City called spiritually Sodom c. That is their dejected condition shall be visible and obvious to the frequent view of those spiritual Gentiles of that threefold City of Apostacy And they of the Peoples and Kindreds c. those Gentiles aforesaid shall see their dead bodìes their persecuted and despised state three dayes and an half That is Three times and an half chap. 12.14 Or 1260 dayes Annual or years chap. 13.3 That 's the Epoche both of the death of the Witnesses and of their Prophecying in Sackcloth And so Their type Eliah and the Prophets of Israel finished also their as it were primitive testimony against the wickedness of Ahab and Israels Apostacies And when they had finished that primitive testimony Jezabel Ahab and the false Prophets killed them for 1260 dayes literal That is Killed many or the most and persecuted all for 1260 dayes Therefore they that escaped death corporal fled with the persecuted Church as into a Wilderness into the secret subterfuges of obscure latency for 1260 dayes literal So long also did her and their type-surviving Witnesses as well they might and had most just cause Prophesie as in Sackcloth in great obscurity and contempt And just so long was rain literal restrained to wit for 1260 dayes literal But after those flying persecuted type-Witnesses had finished those 1260 dayes of their type-death and Prophecying â—n Sackcloth they were not killed we find little of that in that grand exemplar or Patern So when the Gospel-Witnesses St. Basit Ambrose Athanasius Jerom Chrysostom and others had finished not this Sackcloth Prophesie of 1260 years but their primitive testimony about 407 against the fast approaching defections of the primitive Church And when she and her revolting children repented not then did the Beast that came out of the bottomless pit the second Dragon kill the Witnesses And the Sea born-beast and false Prophet-Papal to whom that Dragon gave his power the Supremacy therein prosecuted though they seemed gentle for the first 805 years the killing of them for 1260 as in the Patern literal dayes Annual Therefore they such as escaped death corporal fled with the persecuted Church into the spiritual Wilderness into the secret subtersuges of obscure latencies for 1260 as in the type literal dayes dayes Annual Just so long was rain restrained in the type literal in the Anti-type spiritual rain To wit for 1260 as in the Patern dayes literal Annual dayes or years And therefore the Gospel-Witnesses such as were killed by the death of persecution but not corporally or totally killed Prophesied as well they might and had most just cause for 1260 as in the Patern literal dayes Annual in Sackcloth th it is in great infirmity affliction obscurity and contempt for 1260 years Wherefore when they had finished for that 's intended in the text their primitive testimony about the year four hundred and seven or ten then the second Dragon somewhat assisted even at first by the Beast and false Prophet overcame and killed them as aforesaid for 1260 yeas But after that Epoche of their 1260 years death and Prophecying in Sackcloth they as their type were not are not to be killed There was no such thing in the Patern nor shall be in the Anti-type of it Nor is there any ground that I find for it in Scripture but abundantly sufficient for the contrary For we may add to this of it self full evidence That it plainly appears to be a matchless piece of absurdity That the Witnesses should Prophesie in Sackcloth 1260 years because they should be killed many killed and all persecuted so long by the Dragon Beast and false Prophet who were to continue in power so long And then when the Witnesses should have finished that 1260 years Prophesie and the Dragon Beast and false Prophet should cease to be in full power the Beast out of the bottomless pit scarse in being himself or not in such full power should overcome and kill them the second time for 1260 dayes immediately after he for who else should kill them had first killed them for 1260 years before The futility of this absurdity the Paterns which are more then one sufficiently resell But that is also fully done in the sequel by many perhaps undeniable demonstrations From what already appears we plainly see that the Epoche the twice repeated three dayes and an half in the 11th Chapter of the death of the Witnesses is 1260 as in the Patern of days literal of dayes Annual or years and runs exactly paralel with their Prophecying in Sackcloth succeeding their Primitive testimony about the year 407 and not their Prophecying in Sackcloth 1260 years after it But to come nearer to the matter we shall having shewn the duration of the death of the Witnesses here distinguish The death of the Witnesses was ab extra vel ab intra external or internal Their external death is threefold Corporall civil spiritual Corporal chiefly from the Dragon civil from the beast spiritual from the false Prophet in all Papal Sects To wit By Papal fulminations excommunications rash censures slaunders c. These external deaths for brevity I but briefly hint But Secondly their death internal is more properly spiritual because its the death or decay of spiritual Graces whiles the lusts of the flesh of the eyes and pride of life seem to live and judgment mercy and faith to dye in the souls of Saints and whiles they manifest that internal death of Graces by outward correspondent fruits and practices So the Church of Sardis had a name that she lived and was dead And how dead None of her Members were killed that we read by any corporal civil or spiritual death as the witnesses were externally But her death was
think any man can imagine they could be the true Church Wherefore if they could not possibly be the Saracens nor Monks and Friars nor possibly be the true Church Then I conceive with submission at least unless any can give a better account of them they were if I may so say a Semi-Papal body of Apostacy Formalists in Profession Papists in Practice that sprung up about the year 1417. when the fifth Angel might begin to sound And that they might have some footing or beginning in those Victorious Taborites whose Victories had been more happy had they not fought against their Superiours Howbeit they were to be some relief to the Church and many amongst them though perhaps not of them might chiefly intend that though the most might do it for seditious and self-ends For I partly shewed before That there is Antichristus adjuvans and Antichristus destruens Antichrist in some respects helping the Church And Antichrist seeking to destroy her And First Antichrist seeking to destroy her And the Dragon the second Dragon cast out of his mouth waters as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood Chap. 12.15 That is that he might destroy her For gross Hereticks such as the Arrians then were and the Mahumetans are and all sensual carelesly-ignorants and loosly-inanimadversive Professors constitute Antichrist sensual and their design is had they power to do it to destroy utterly the Church and Saints But Secondly There is Antichristus aliquando adjuvans Antichrist sometimes and for self-ends helping the Church And the Earth saith the Text helped the Woman c. Ver. 16. That is The Earth men minding Earthly things and her son the Bicorn-Beast whom she brought forth She I say her son the Papal Apostacy then new sprung up affecting for the said ends a fruitless formal though somewhat literally sound Doctrine and Profession helped the Woman and swallowed up the flood which the second Dragon cast out of his mouth to destroy her That is She helped her by converting through deceit his Nations and Military Forces to the unity of the Church of Rome And he deceiveth saith the Text those that dwell upon the Earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do c. Chap. 13.14 And these Locusts no doubt were a new Progeny and a principal part of Antichirst adjuvant that helped the Church as the Earth had done against the Floods of the second against the swelling Floods of the loosed Dragon To wit Against those Church-persecuting Papists that revolted from being some shelter to her as formerly to work by all wayes and means to destroy her They helped her I say not as their Predecessors did the second Serpent's by swallowing up this Food of the loosed Dragon nor by killing his Military Forces But they being commanded not to kill them tormented saith the Text those men to wit those Church-persecuting Papists that had not the seal of God in their foreheads for five moneths which are one hundred and fifty years That is They tormented those true-Church-destroyers by abating their power by alienating their proprieties and assuming to themselves their Church-Revenues And so the Text saith expresly And to them it was given that they should not kill them but that they should torment them five Moneths Chap. 9.5 And if they did thus bend the Forces of their Superficial Fruitless Formal though their Doctrine was somewhat Literally sound Knowledge and Profession against the true Church and Saint-Persecuting Papists it was the best service they could do for want of better to the true Church and Saints then ready to perish by the unbridled rage of the loosed Dragon Nay say some these Locusts were the Saracens And this Opinion seems part of their Smoak For when I pray did their Apollyon ever see the Mahumet-Saracens so much favour true Saints How came they so quick-sighted to see the Seal of God in their foreheads who bound them as these Locusts were by a Law that they should not hurt any green thing the servants of God when were they commanded by any command either express or implicit to spare or protect true Saints and to torment the Papists their persecutors Boniface we read received them into pay to invade Sicily to war against Christians and by that means against Saints But when did Saints and Saracens so comply Such Doctrine may well serve to teach Christians to fall in love with Mahumetans and turn Turks And how should a proud trivial contented knowledge joyned with a covetous blind Profession bear better light But many men Learned Religious say these Locusts are of our Opinions as in many other things that those Mahomet-Saracens were these Locusts More 's the misery and the greater pity that such men either Learned or Religious should so mislead or be misled Or it may at least serve to shew as a means to humble them the more the instability and weakness of some able and sincere witnesses of the truth Here we may mark with admiration how appositely the wise and Almighty hand frames Similitudes in Sacred Scripture For what Creature did God ever make that loves like the Locusts to live in dark Clifts and Smoak ascending from Subterranean fires in which places I have seen them like Bees about to swarm in great abundance And what Professors love to live in the Smoake of a fruitless blind zeal formal Worship and a Superficial though somewhat sound Doctrine than these Locusts do Smoake is insufferable to all Creatures living except to Locusts Nor can any men in the least Moral or ingenuous endure a smoaky empty ignorant proud barren Profession but only Locusts and Hypocrites The Vulgar observation though that may be true that these Creatures live but five moneths in the open fields I voluntarily omit But these Locusts in the Text were to torment men saith the Text expresly for five moneths Vers 5. And they had power to hurt them saith the second Text for five moneths Vers 10. Five moneths counting a day for a year make just one hundred and fifty years And these Locusts if we count from about 1417 when they most probably might begin to about 1567 continued in chief power to torment the Saint-persecuting Papists for five moneths of dayes Annual or about 150 years For Zisca alwayes Victor Signally beat the Imperial Armies in eleven battels about the year 1417. And after his death Procopius and his Confederates beat them in two Battels about the year 1424. But what are they or their Armies to these Locusts 'T is said Castra sequentes vix pietas sequitur Little Religion attends Armes Howbeit Procopius and Zisca their Leaders might be men of much valour and piety but the major part of their Armies as will appear seemed to have some Lions teeth like these Locusts After those battels these if I may so call them Modern Formalists though many true Saints might be amongst them expatiated and prevailed against the
and profitable to Man For so their site position and number import We find them not wandering in the Wilderness nor sitting under shadows of Death as they did before when the Woman fled into the Wilderness and her Witnesses were killed for 1260 years Revel 12.6 14. Ch. 11.7 9 11. But we find them situate and built standing no doubt after the Patern of the Lamb upon Mount Sion where Solomons Temple was built and so the Antitype of it Ch. 14.1 For We find their number to be 144000 Ch. 14.1 3. And the quadrate dimensions of Solomons Temple were 144000 Cubits thus cast up It s length 60 Cubits multiply'd by its breadth 20 Cubits makes its product 1200 Cubits which multiply'd by 30 Cubits the heighth of it makes 36000 Cubits whose square is 144000 Cubits And we find this sacred company to be 144000 to stand upon Mount Sion That is To be the Antitype of Solomons Temple or the true Gospel-Church returned out of the Wilderness and turned back to obedience That is To have the Name of the Father of the Lamb written in their foreheads which necessarily infers That this Caetus Virgineus must needs be Chorus Agni the Church of Christ That is The City of God re-built upon Mount Sion To wit upon inviolable Principles of Truth in Faith and Manners For Secondly Both their number and position imports a Quadruplex-conformity in practice For this City saith the Text lieth four-square in 12000 furlongs Ch. 21.16 It s Quadrate Dimensions it 's so easie and evident that it needs no casting up are 144000 furlongs which principally imports That the Righteousness of this Chorus incontaminatus should be of a Quadruplex-conformity or every way conform to that which is Right in it self A righteousness of arduous industry and acquisition directly contrary to the Goldlike-Crowns and deceits of Locusts and Hypocrites Thirdly The Name of God shall be in the foreheads of his servants the inhabitants of this holy City saith the Text Chap. 22.4 And his Name shall be written in the foreheads of these 144000 Ch. 14.1 Therefore these 144000 shall be that City of God I omit for brevity many other comparityes betwixt this conscript 144000 Ch. 14. and the holy City Ch. 21. The Position of the Prototype twelve Tribes about the Tabernacle was in a fourfold figure And their Antitype this 144000 Ch. 14. are of a square number And the holy City Ch. 21. is to be both of a quadrate number and figure And this fourfold congruity betwixt both in their number in the Name of God in the place of that Name and in their quadrate position signally proves that these 144000 Ch. 14. shall be the same City of God Ch. 21. And likewise that the practice of that quadrate polity for such as the Tree is such is the Fruit shall be a righteousness of a quadruplex or fourfold conformity which only or what tends thereunto is substantial and true Righteousness All other is but deceits We have already shown who that Lamb upon Mount Sion shall be Secondly Who these conscript first-fruits that shall attend him are to be And Thirdly We shall further enquire why this conscriptcompany is called The first-fruits redeemed c. Or from what and for what they shall be so redeemed And first from what they shall be redeemed To which I answer They shall be redeemed from doing the works of Heathens and Hypocrites that are contrary to Gospel-rule And from those obscure commixt works of proud careless true Christians that are inconform to Christs Commands and render them though true Saints doubtful to themselves and others whether they be such or not Secondly We shall enquire for what they should be thus redeemed The Text expresly answers this demand in these words These are the first-fruits That is They should be thus redeemed to be the first-fruits or foregoing examples for all Ages to follow To wit To draw the Nations both Heathens Sects and Saints to practise good works conform to that which is right in it self For the works of Hypocrites have no power to draw others to practise sincere obedience because they by their works give not nor can give any good examples for Papists Jews or Turks to follow Nor can careless true Christians corrupt in Manners draw others nor be drawn without those first-fruits for them to run after their examples Therefore All Sects and Nations without these first-fruits and the Lamb for their Patern must remain statu quo prius ever unconverted never truly united but be as they are and long have been Or be if that be possible worse than ever they were Sic subitò deterrima deteriora si sint sequentur Saecula For corrupt careless slothful true Christians cannot run nor draw others to run the ways of Gods Commands They though their Doctrine were most sound they strict and devour their gists great and many have more need to be drawn than power to draw others by their examples Their drawing is rather a drawing back of themselves and a with-holding of others from pressing forwards For the proud covetous careless conversations of such true Saints have no attractive force to good draw forceably to evil Their slothful pains of careless Levity Pride and Avarice are usually fond and rash impugnations of censorious ignorance against the practice of that which is right Therefore the secret and scarce discerned Graces of such true Saints are too feeble to draw others by solid Doctrine or depth of Knowledge which they never seek after Or by good examples which they never give These are no attractive first-fruits though they may in due time be drawn by them But The Righteousness of these first fruits shall be opposite to the works of darkness Justitia manifesta works of Light made thereby manifest and for that cause forceable to draw he Nations Men Sects and Saints to God and to bind the attentive ears of all to hearken and obey by its delicious harmony Nor shall that sacred company serve for Paterns of practice to posterity but be Gnomon judicij vel Norma judicandi the Rule of Right Judgment to all Saints Sects and Professors that pretend to extraordinary gifts of the Spirit of God and to be endowed with power from above above their brethren of present or former times Such may try and judge themselves and discern and be discerned by others in a very large measure whether they be led by the spirit of delusion or by the Spirit of Truth and Sobriety For The Gospel-Church was to be in the Wilderness vailed in great obscurity involved in great distresses and decaying daily in Graces for 1260 years and until these first-fruits her Off-spring should begin to stand upon Mount Sion Therefore all Sects and Professors that pretend to be endowed extraordinarily with Gifts and Power from above before this time expire appear inevitably and may appear to themselves by undeniable Record of Sacred Scripture to be so far Impostors and Seducers of others For if
covetous and his practices partial or but in part And such services to God joyned with covetousness Also all half performances and commixt worshippings of God and Baal Christ and Belial or of God and Mammon and all haltings betwixt two contrary Practices or Opinions are Spiritual Sorceries and are expresly compared to Witchcraft and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Because the best works of such Professors are mixt Heterogene or Lincy-Woolsy works of deceits and wicked exemptions from sincere practice and true obedience Fourthly Nor of their Fornications Literal Fornications in sensual Antichrist are many But the Fornications of the Mystery of Iniquity and these intended in the Text are the same are more Spiritual And what are they When few or many joyn in outward-worship or in any Church-Society to act Spiritual-filthiness That 's Spiritual fornication That is when such come together not for the better but for the worse Not to be more fruitful but more barren in good works when they meet together not to edifie but to increase strise and ignorance This and such like conjoynt-practices are Spiritual fornication It is an absurdity in the very name of a true Church That God should call any people out of the world to practise covetousness Or to become Vines bringing forth if any fruits for themselves for their Proselytes Co-associates nothing for others nor to further any thing that 's profitable or honest But the conscript-Conscript-Church shall not be defiled with Women for they are Virgins Ch. 14.4 That is Her sacred company shall abhor the pollutions of this Spiritual filthiness and be redeemed from the Earth and among men to God and the Lamb ver 3 4. But it 's contrary to the Nature of a true Church That she should be called or redeemed of God from the Earth to follow Earthly things Or that she should be redeemed from among men to mind nothing or to omit good manners and be ignorant of them Such co-adjoynings as produce these or such like ends are Spiritual fornications far from the ends of that conscript incontaminate Company But there is no Church till those first fruits appear can be free from gross pollutions of Spiritual fornication because they have not their hearts turned back they yet repented not saith the Text of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their fornications Nor Fifthly Of their Thefts And what are they To diminish or derogate from the due woâ—th or works of any man is Spiritual thievery Such are all half-performances like that of the unjust Steward's who set down but fifty measures of Oyl where an hunred were due And therefore All witnessing of the truth in words and works as Pilate did by halves seconded by recidivations or oppositions are Spiritual thievery and murderous thefts as that in Pilate was All careless or willful derogations from the true meaning of the Scriptures or from the truth in the Writings of those that rightly unfold them are spiritual thievery and such detractors have all plagues that can be possible denounced against them Revel 22.19 And therefore To affirm that no right collection can be made nor clear conclusion drawn from Prophetick-Scriptures is Sacrilegious and Blaspemous Theft as I shall further shew in the second pare in answer to that mistaken Assertion Scriptura symbolica non est argumentativa Blind Hypocrites will by no means believe that inanimadversive men that mind not hear not read not the incomplex Principles of right in itself and that 's the shame and folly of beastial Professors be they never so literate or seeming Religious must needs be wicked men But their practice is a continual derogation from the truth and their works at best but works of darkness and ignorance wrought without any Rule of Reason And therefore must be Spiritual theft of necessity For Thirdly Ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Theft is the proper work of darkness And Spiritual Theft delights most therein It oft makes the Truth itself to be a mysterious means to practise Murder and promote Robberies So Doeg by speaking the truth when he should not and by not speaking the whole truth robbed David of his due repute with Saul and robbed the Priests of the Lord of their lives A theft like unto this but much worse is when Men and Saints as they commonly do raise slanders from shadows and say They hear such and such evil reports from the mouthes of other men That many affirm the same c. But never name who those speakers are conceal those slanderers or rather feign such to be whereas in deed there were never any such speakers nor such things spoken Or at least they make it not appear and De non apparentibus non existentibus eadem ratio Things that appear not to be are not in being in the Eye of Reason and Judgment of Equity This way of wounding men is a most wicked way of lying defamation Such fictitious slanders did Doeg never produce against David or the Priests of the Lord These Speluncarum mendacia Thefts least perceived whereby many are robbed of their Lives ruinated in their Estates come out of dark Dens But indeed those reporters themselves where the first pretended speakers are not produced are those Robbers and Thieves that slay others by the Sword of their slanderous tongues Ad fabulas credendas facilitas An easiness to believe lyes or a disposition apt to derogate rash censoriousness is a thievish disposition and denotes that such depravers are Spiritual Thieves Such surreptitious Professors where they prevail are the excision of Mercy and Equity and supplant all good Manners because they steal away the hearts of the Ministers of Justice as Absalom did the hearts of Israet and make them basely subservient to Sycophants and to receive and believe lyes It 's the most deplorable demonstration of base degenerosity in Men and chiefly in Magistrates to suffer themselves to be made miserable preys so they seem strict and religious to Depravers and Hypocrites Nor was there said Jerom so simple and mean a Scribe that conspired not c. But now we may rather say There is no such sordid Pickthank or ignorant depraver no such treacherous Ziba or slavish servant nor a Lad so silly or illiterate that is not sufficiently able to carry away an hundred Captives and to alienate through lying defamations their Judgments and Affections far from doing right or shewing mercy And therefore Thou shalt not run with a multitude to do evil For he that runneth with a multitude of evil men is a member of that multitude So Men and Ministers of Justice that suffer themselves to be in such sort basely stoln away by Spiritual Thieves make by that means themselves Thieves These now more than ever increasing worshippings of Idols and these Spiritual Murders and Sorceryes and Fornications and Thefts are the sins of which Men and Saints have not yet repented And from which their hearts and hands must be turned