once wonderfully pleased with that Opinion and Forbes his pretty exposition thereof gave me much contentment But now at length the Law of Synchronistical necessity hath beat me fromit and shewed me as I think a far more evident unforced and useful Exposition As for the state of the true Church in the times of Apostasie we have three Prophecies 1. The Woman in the wilderness 2. The two Witnesses in mourning 3. The Virgin-company of the Sealed ones And therefore that of the measured Court may be spared for another use Aliter If any part of the Book-prophecy begin at the Beginning of Apocalyptical time where the Seals began then certainly the First entrance thereinto viz. the measuring of the Inward or Temple-Court should have a share in this priviledge of Firstship But that some of the sequent Visions of this Second Prophecy do begin at the Beginning of Apocalyptical Time it is evident namely of the Second Vision hereof Chap. 12. The Twelve-starry crowned Woman crying in travail and but then a bringing forth and the red Seven-headed Dragon watching to devour her Child as soon as it was born Was not this at the Beginning thereof Ergò ut suprá III. The Connexion of the Beginning of the Times of the Beast with the Beginning of the Seventh or Trumpet-Seal from the then Sealing of the 144000 chap 7. and the Connexion of the End of the Times of the Beast with the End of the Sixth Trumpet from the then Finishing of the 1260 days of the Contemporary Prophecy of the Witnesses chap. 11. These I say concern me near and are the two Hindges whereby the Book-prophecy is hung as it were a door upon the Prophecy of the Seals without which there would be no ground in the Text to connect them If these therefore be wrung from me the whole Scheme is dissolved and broken and that which is worse cannot again be restored The latter Connexion or Hindge I think you grant me unless your Tenet of the Vials do any way impeach it Howsoever you deny not the Finishing of the 42 moneths potestas agendi at the expiring of the Sixth Trumpet and by consequent you yield according to express Text that the Beast must be well forward in his Downfall and Ruine by that time The ground of the difference between us is That I would have the Vials to comprehend all the degrees of the Beast's Ruine and therefore inevitably begin them before the Seventh Trumpet You would have the Vials to be but some of the degrees of the Beast's downfall and therefore have liberty to begin them after the Seventh Trumpet hath founded But for the First Hindge of Connexion by the Sealing of the 144000 chap. 7. you seem to make most scruple where nevertheless I observe that you grant the thing I seek for viz. That the Times of the Beast begin with the Beginning of the Trumpet-Seal But you question my Ground and Character But unless this be the Character and so intended there will be none found at all Which I desire you to consider together with my Grounds as followeth in brief The Synchronisme of the Beginning of the Times of the Beast with the Beginning of the Seventh Seal or Seal of Trumpets The Sealing of the 144000 follows immediately upon the Sixth Seal and therefore begins with and is coincident with the Seventh because the Seals follow one another without interruption of time But the 144000 Sealed ones are one of the Beast's contemporaries chap. 14. Therefore the Beast also and all under his times must contemporate with the Seventh Seal That the Sealing of the 144000 succeeds upon the expiring of the Sixth Seal 1. The Transition shews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After these things I saw which I never find used but when that which follows in the Narration follows also in order of time 2. No other reason can be given why otherwise the Course of the Seals should be so interrupted and disturbed by an interlaced Vision and in that place rather than any other For if this Vision concern all the Seven Seals why was it not deferred till they were finished as is the usual method elsewhere If it concerned only Six Seals it were something but the Turba palmifera the Palm-bearing multitude chap. 7. 9. shews it is extended to the End of the Trumpets c. Lastly What need had there been for this Vision to have been at all mentioned among the Seals were it not intended for a Character of Connexion of the two Prophecies not else possible to be connected but left in a wandring uncertainty IV. Whether the Dragon with Seven heads and the Dragon simply mentioned in Chap. 12. be the same The Seven-headed Dragon in the 3. ver and the Dragon simply mentioned in the 4. v. are both one for the words run thus v. 3. And there appeared a great red Dragon having seven heads and ten horns v. 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars And the Dragon stood before the Woman which was ready to be delivered c. The same event succeeds upon the Battel of Michael with the Dragon simply so called which follows upon the attempt of the Seven-headed Dragon to devour the Woman's Child to wit The flight of the Woman into the Wilderness v. 6 14. What if the one the Seven-headed be Satan in concreto as he possessed the Seven-headed Empire as it were the Soul of that bloudy Body and the other which fights with Michael the same Satan still but in abstracto The first Satan visible persecuting the Church the second Satan invisible fighting with the invisible Michael and yet the time of both the same and so the same event consequent to both Another Probleme concerning Michael If this Michael in the Revelation be the same with that in Daniel who should it then be If Christ be this Michael why then saith Christ Dan. 10. 13. Michael one of the chief Princes came to help me and v. 21. None holdeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince For that it is Christ which here speaks will appear by comparing his description in the 5 and 6. verses of the Chap. with Revel 1. 13. Compare also Dan. 12. 6 7. with Rev. 10. ab initio ad v. 7. Napier would have Michael to be the Holy Ghost which if it be admitted then those chief Princes whereof Michael is said to be one will be the Persons of the Trinity May this stand or will it help the conceit of the ancient Chiliasts for Regnum Spiritûs But Napier thought not of any such matter V. Of the Sealing of the 144000 mentioned in Ch. 7. The Sealing of 144000 Chap. 7. after the sixth Seal was opened seems not to be Narratio de praeterito but Cautio de futuro not a Narration of what had passed under the 6 Seals but a Caution against a danger to come under the Seventh For the Seventh Seal coming then to be opened and being a Seal
16. 16 and 23. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to my Father And in that day when I am gone to my Father ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Verse 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive Heb. 7. 25 26. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an High Priest became us who is made higher than the heavens How is it then that some extenuate that kind of Saint-worship wherein Prayers are not made unto them directly but God is prayed to in their names and for their mediation sake to grant our requests Is it not a denial of Christ's Prerogative to ascribe unto any other for any respect of glory or nearness to God after death or otherwise that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable Death triumphant Resurrection and glorious Ascension Certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title is it self also incommunicable To conclude therefore with the words of S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus As God is one so is the Mediator one for it is a God-like Royalty and therefore can belong but to one There is but one God in Heaven without any other Gods subordinate to him therefore but one Mediator there without any other Mediators besides him As for the Angels and blessed Saints they have indeed a light of Glory too but they are but as lesser Lights in that heaven of heavens And therefore as where the Sun shines the lesser Stars of heaven though Stars give not their light to us So where this glorious Sun Christ Iesus continually shineth by his presence sitting at the Right hand of God there the Glory of the Saints and Angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any Flower of that Divine honour which is God-like and so appropriate to Christ by right of his heavenly exaltation in the Throne of Majesty Whatsoever Spirit saith otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds not the head but is a Christ-apostate-spirit which denies the Faith of Christ's Assumption into Glory and revives the Doctrines of Daemons The way being now cleared I may I hope safely resume my Application which I have already given some taste of That this Doctrine of Daemons comprehends in most most express manner the whole Idolatry of the Mystery of iniquity the Deifying and invocating of Saints and Angels the bowing down to Images the worshipping of Crosses as new-Idol columnes the adoring and templing of Reliques the worshipping of any other Visible thing upon supposal of any Divinity therein What copy was ever so like the sample as all this to the Doctrines of Daemons And for the Idolatry of the Eucharist or Bread-worship though it may be reduced to Image-worship as being the adoration of a Sign or Symbole yet let it be considered whether for the quality thereof it may not be taken rather for an Idolatry of Reliques the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament being the Mystical Reliques which he left us as Monuments of his death till he come Whichsoever it be I must confess it hath a strain above the Abominations of the Gentiles who though they supposed some presence of their Daemons in their Images and Reliques yet were they never so blockish as to think their Images and Reliques to be transubstantiated into Daemons But to come to the main again I will confess for my self that I cannot think of this Daemon-resemblance without admiration nor do I believe that you will hear without some astonishment that which I am now to add further That the advancers of Saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it but even gloried sed gloriatione non bonâ that they had a thing in Christian practice so like the Doctrines of Daemons We heard before that Plato in his Respub would have the Souls of such as died valiantly in battel to be accounted for Daemons after death and their Sepulchres and Coffins to be served and adored as the Sepulchres of Daemons Eusebius lib. 13. Praepar Evangel cap. 11. quoting this place adds with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things do befit at or after the decease of the Favourites of God whom if thou shalt affirm to be taken for the Champions of the true Religion thou shalt not say amiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is our cusâ—ome to go unto their Tombs and to make our prayers at them and to honour their blessed Souls The purpose of Eusebius here was to shew as a preparation to draw men to Christianity how well the present use of Christians in honouring the memories of their Martyrs by keeping their assemblies at their Sepulchres did agree with that of the Gentiles so much commended by Plato in honouring their champions and worthies for Daemons after death But alas in the next Age after it proved too-too like it indeed For these ear-rings which the Christians had borrowed or stolen from the Gentiles at their coming out of AEgypt presently became a golden calf as soon as the woman the Church came into the wilderness yea and Aaron the Priest had a foul part in it too Read the eighth Book of Theodoret De curandis Graecorum affectionibus whose Title is De Martyribus or in the mean time take these few passages thereof Thus he speaks having quoted that passage of Hesiod for Daemons commended by Plato If then the Poet Hesiod calls good men after their decease the Guardians and Preservers or Deliverers of mortal men from all evill and accordingly the best of Philosophers in confirmation of the Poet 's saying would have their sepulchres to be served and honoured I beseech you Sirs he speaks to the Greeks why do you find such fault with what we do For such as were eminent for Piety and Religion and for the sake thereof suffered death we also call Preservers and Physicians in no wise do we term them Daemons God forbid we should ever fall into such a desperate madness but the hearty friends and servants of God That the Souls of holy men even when they are out of the Body are in a capacity of taking care of mens affairs Plato affirms in the eleventh Book of his Laws The Philosopher you see bids men believe even the vulgar reports that is the relations and stories which are commonly talk'd of concerning the care which deceased Souls have of men But you do not only disbelieve us and are utterly unwilling to hearken to the loud voice of the Events or Effects themselves The Martyrs Temples are frequently to be seen famous for their beauty and greatness They that are in health pray for the
City taken by Totilas and a third part thereof demolished and the rest left for a while memorandum Fortunae ludibrium without an inhabitant and lastly the Ostrogothish Kingdom which a while as a blaze continued the light of the dying Caesars in Italy by Narses utterly extinguished WOE WOE WOE The Fifth Trumpet is the First Woe and brings the Saracen Locusts upon the world proceeding out of the smoaky and darkning Seduction of Mahomâ—t conjured up by the Angel of the bottomless pit who though a warlike people and well armed yet had not power to destroy either the State of Caesars in New Rome or the Papal Principality sprung out of the Empire 's ruine in the Old but only Scorpion-like to torment and vex them as their Tail or hindermost Troups out of Africk did Italy and Western Rome 150 years The Sixth Trumpet is the Second Woe and brings upon the Roman Provinces the barbarous and dreadful â—nâ—ndation of the Turks loosing them from the great River Euphrates where they had been long before prepared and now let go as a plague for the Idolatry of Christians 〈◊〉 only as the Saracen Locusts to plague and torment the Roman State buâ— in part tâ— utterly slay and destroy it as they have done in the Empire of Greece which the Saracens had no power to do The Seventh and Last Trumpet is yet to come the entrance whereof is the Last Woe wherein all the Reliques of the Roman Beast with the last Principality of the City of Rome yet surviving shall together with the rest of the enemies of Christ be utterly abolished in the Great Day of Armagedden that all the Kingdoms of the world may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Ch. 11. 15. Note that when the Angel comes at the Seventh Trumpet because the Event thereof is the common issue to both Prophecies he therefore suspends it a while till he hath fetch'd up Chap. 11. a transcurrent and through-running Vision of the Second Prophecy unto it and then joyns them together in one and the same close The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. The Second Prophecy The Opened Book containing Fata Ecclesiae I. By the Inmost and Measured Court of the Temple I understand the Church in her Primitive Purity whenas yet the Christian Worship was unprophaned and answerable to the Divine Rule revealed from above By the War between Michael and the Dragon about the Woman 's manly Off-spring contemporary with the Measured Court I understand that long and bloudy Combate which Christ our Lord animating with his Spirit his undaunted Souldiers fought with the Devil possessing and reigning in the Ethnick Roman State that is the Times of the Primitive Persecution by the Heathen Emperors a War lasting long and costing the lives of many a valiant Martyr yet at 300 years end when a Christian was installed in the Imperial Throne the old Dragon was dismounted and overthrown and the Souldiers of Christ our Lord prevailed For they overcame him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and loved not their lives unto the death Note that the Description of this Vision is double in the Text 1. more General The Dragon's endeavour to destroy the Woman's Off-spring from ver 1. to the 7. verse 2. more Particular of his Battel with Michael the Woman's Champion For that these two Descriptions are of the same thing and same time is manifest in that one and the same Event The Woman's escape into the Wilderness is the Consequent to them both II. 1. By the Second or Outward Court trampled by the Gentiles and not to be measured I understand the Apostasie under the Man of Sin when the Visible Church being possessed by Idolaters and Idolatry like that of the Gentiles became so inconformable and unapt for Divine measure that it was to be cast out and accounted as prophane and polluted For the Apostasie of the Church is Ethnicismus Christianus 2. By the Witnesses in sack-cloth I understand the mournful Prophecy of God's true Ministers during all that time who when toward the end of their days of mourning they should be about to put off their sack-cloth and leave their lamentation seeing the Truth they witnessed beginning to take place by publick Reformation the Beast which ascends out of the Abyss shall slay them and rejoyce over them as dead three days and an half that is so many years 3. By the Woman in the Wilderness Ch. 12. I understand the condition of the true Church in respect of her Latency and Invisibility to the eyes of man As the Israelites when they had escaped the rage and gotten out of the reach of the Egyptian Pharaoh yet lived a long time after but in a Wilderness an infrequent and barren place where they could not have lived without being extraordinarily fed with Manna from Heaven Such was the condition of the Apostolical Woman and Church of Christ when she had escaped the rage and fury of the Dragon persecuting in the Seven-headed Empire 4. By the Virgin-Company of the 144000 Sealed ones I understand the opposite State of the unstained Church unto the Kingdom of Apostasie in their sincerity of Service and faithful adherence to their Lord and Master whilst the rest worshipped the Beast and his Image These are those who when the Trumpets were to sound were secured by the Mark of Divine protection lest their Society should have been extinguished in those Calamities which then fell upon the Empire How could this Holy Company else but have perished in such Confusions In that place they were represented by the Tribes of Israel for the present Church of the Gentiles is but Israel surrogatus and so by God accounted until the Fulness of the Gentiles come in 5. By the Seven-headed Ten-horned Beast the Two horned False-Prophet and Babylon the Mother of Harlots I understand the State and Kingdom of Apostasie according to three subordinate parts thereof 1. The Body 2. the Head 3. the Seat For Kingdoms especially of the ancient form consisted of three parts Regnum Rex Metropolis Regni So in the Kingdom of Apostasie for such it was to be are Regnum Apostaticum Rex Apostaticus Metropolis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of Apostasie was to be the Roman Empire upon a deadly wound of the Caesarean Sovereignty shivered into a Plurality of Kingdoms yet all joyntly as one Body anew acknowledging the Motherdom of the Roman City This is that Seven-headed Beast with Ten crowned Horns upon the Seventh Head whereof S. Iohn speaks Chap. 13. whose description there I understand as if he had said I saw a Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns with Diadems which upon the recovery of a deadly wound in one of his Heads arose out of the Sea and succeeded in the Throne Power and
whole Orthodox Christian Church in the Age immediately following the Apostles 771. a passage out of Iustin Martyr to this purpose vindicated which had been corrupted as other passages to the like purpose were expunged out of Sulpitius Severus Victorinus Petav. and others of the same judgment 533 534. nor was it anciently denied but by Hereticks and such as denied the Apocalyps 534 602. Other Testimonies for it as out of the Council of Nice 813. and a Carechism set forth in K. Edward the sixth his Reign 813 815. That this Millennium follows upon the expiring of Antichrist's reign 603. this clearly proved by the Synchronisms 429. That the 1000 years of Satans being bound began not at Constantine 427 880. S. Hierome's misrepresentation of the sense of the more ancient Fathers detected 899. Doubtful whether Cerinthus held any part of this Opinion though in a wrong sense 900 Mincha what 357 826. in marg The Purity of the Christian Mincha explained in three particulars 358 359 Minister how the word is sometimes used improperly 27 517. Four Solecisms from the improper use thereof ibid Ministers are not the peoples Ministers but God's 26. and are maintained out of Gods revenue 77 78 120. their maintenance is not of the nature of Alms 73. To make provision for God's Ministers and Worship a work highly pleasing to God 174 Miracles No noise of Miracles done by Reliques of Martyrs in the first 300 years after Christ 679 680. The design of the pretended Miracles in after-ages 681 c. Monks and Friers the chief promoters of Saint-worship 690 691. and of Image-worship 691. The two characters of Monastick professors 688. a third character 689. Monkisn poverty no point of Piety 126 c. Months The 42 Months in Apocal. 11. 2. the same with 1260 Days in vers 3. are to be taken for Months of years and are more than three single years and an half 598. their beginning and ending 600. why the profaning of the holy City by the Gentiles and the continuing of the Beast is number'd by Months Apocal. 11. 2. ch 13. 5. but the Prophesying of the Witnesses and the Woman's abode in the Wilderness by Days ch 11. 3. ch 12. 6. 481 492 Moses the Rites and Ordinances of Moses observed for some time after Christs ascension by the Apostles and believing Iews 841 Mountains and Hills what they signifie in the Prophetick style 135 462 Mountains and Islands 450 N NAme written in their foreheads in Apocal. 14. 1. what meant thereby 511 Name of God Hereby is meant 1 God himself 2. what is his by a peculiar right 4 5. Gods Name to be called upon a thing what is imports 5. Gods Name how it is sanctified or hallowed 9. how it is prophaned or polluted 14 Names of men in Apocal. 11. 13. what 489 490 Nations or Gentiles put in the Apocalyps for the Apostate or false Christians 574 908 Nazarites their Vow and Law abrogated by the Apostles and therefore no ground for Monkish orders 128 Nebuchadnezzar's Vision of an Image of Gold Silver Brass and Iron explained 104 105 743 744 New Heavens and New Earth what meant thereby 613 New Ierusalem what meant thereby 772 877 914 Nicene Council See Council Noah The seven Precepts of the sons of Noah 19. these Precepts were briefly included in the Apostles decision at the Council in Ierusalem Acts 15. 165. whether the observation of the Sabbath-day was included in any of these Precepts 20. The division of the Earth by Noah's Sons was not confused but orderly 274 Number of the Beast 666 why he differs from Monsieur Testara's conjecture about it 795. Mr. Potter's Discourse upon it highly approved by him 877 Numbers of Times when Definite and Indefinite 597 656 Numbers Distributive or Divisive wanting in the Hebrew Text and how supplied 700 O OBedience to Gods Commands the best protection against dangers 262. a more necessary and acceptable duty than Sacrifice 351 c. Three qualifications of true Obedience 1 Cordial 2 Resolved 3 Vniversal 310 Offerings were either Eucharistical or Euctical and Vâ—tal 285. a description of these 289. They are due to God naturally and perpetually 286. That they were not Typical and Ceremonial but Moral in their end and nature proved by four arguments 288 289. That they are required of Christians 291. the three degrees or parts thereof 290 Offerings and Sacrifices wherein they differ 369 The two Olive-branches in Zech. 4. explained 833 Oracles The Heathen Oracles began to cease at the birth of Christ. 193 194 Oratories See Proseucha's P. PAlestine See Canaan Passions 4 Rules for the governing of them 227 S. Paul's Conversion a Type of the calling of the Iews 891 Peace on Earth Luke 2. what is meant thereby 93 94 Peace-offerings and other Sacrifices were to be eaten before the third day and why 51 Penitents 5 degrees of them according to the discipline of the ancient Church 331 Pentecost why called the Feast of Weeks 265. and of harvest 269. why the Gospel was first published and in such a miraculous way at Pentecost 76. That those First Converts to the Christian Faith at Pentecost were not Gentiles but Iews 74 75 Perfect Heart See Heart Perjury upon Theft a more dangerous Sin in the Iewish State 133 Persecutions Which were the greatest and longest of the 10 Persecutions 334 S. Peter his Second Epistle why and by whom questioned 612 Pillars and Images why at first erected 632 The Pontifical Stole and Title first refused by the Emperour Gratian. 601 Poverty its dangers and evils 132 133 Prayer why God requires it of us 170. why not always heard 168. how God often hears our Prayers when we think he doth not 169. A set Form of Prayer proved to be lawful 2. Objections against set Forms answered 3 4. To be prayed to in Heaven and to present our Prayers to God is a Right and Privilege proper to Christ 639. and that Christ purchased it by his death 640 Presents The Oriental Custome to bring Presents to their Kings 115 Priesthood why confined to one Tribe only under the Law 178 179 Prophecies so foretel things to come as yet to instruct the present Church 285 Prophesying hath a fourfold sense in Scripture 58. in what sense it is attributed to Women 58 59 A Prophet's Reward is a special and eminent Reward 87 Prophetical Schemes familiar and usual to the Eastern Nations 616 759 Proselytes two sorts of them 1 Proselytes of the Covenant or Righteousness 2. Proselytes of the Gate 19 20. these are called in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worshippers and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that fear God 20 21. why there were more of this sort of Proselytes 21 22. how these became so ready for the Gospel and Faith of Christ. 22 Proseuchae or Places of Prayer their use among the Iews and how they differed from Synagogues 66 67. where they are mentioned in Scripture 67. their Antiquities 68 69 Prosperity is apt to make men
redeemed us from our Spiritual thraldom by raising Iesus Christ our Lord from the dead begetting us in stead of an earthly Canaan to an inheritance incorruptible in the Heavens In a word the Christian by the day he hallows professes himself a Christian that is as S. Paul speaks To believe on him that raised up Iesus from the dead So that the Iew and Christian both though they fall not upon the same day yet make their designation of their day upon the like ground the Iews the memorial-day of their deliverance from the temporal Egypt and temporal Pharaoh the Christians the memorial-day of their deliverance from the spiritual Egypt and spiritual Pharaoh But might not will you say the Christian as well have observed the Iewish for his seventh day as the day he doth I answer No he might not For in so doing he should seem not to acknowledge his Redemption to be already performed but still expected For the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by the Ministery of Moses was intended for a Type and pledge of the Spiritual deliverance which was to come by Christ their Canaan also to which they marched being a Type of that Heavenly inheritance which the redeemed by Christ do look for Since therefore the Shadow is now made void by the coming of the Substance the Relation is changed and God is no longer to be worshipped and believed in as a God fore-shewing and assuring by Types but as a God who hath performed the Substance of what he promised And this is that which S. Paul means Colossians 2. 16 17. when he saith Let no man judge you henceforth in respect of a Feast-day New-moon or Sabbath-dayes Which were a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. DISCOURSE XVI 1 COR. 11. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head I HAVE chosen this of the woman rather than that of the man going before it for the Theme of my Discourse First Because I conceive the Fault at the reformation whereof the Apostle here aimeth in the Church of Corinth was the womens only not the mens That which the Apostle speaks of a man praying or prophesying being by way of supposition and for illustration of the unseemliness of that guise which the women used Secondly Because the condition of the Sex in the words read makes something for the better understanding of that which is spoken of both as we shall see presently The Discourse I intend to make upon the Text shall consist of these two parts First of an Enquiry What is here meant by Prophesying a thing attributed to women and therefore undoubtedly some such thing as they were capable of Secondly What was this Fault for matter and manner of the women of the Church of Corinth which the Apostle here reproveth To begin with the First and which I am like to dwell longest upon Some take Prophesying here in the stricter sense to be foretelling of things to come as that which in those Primitive times both men and women did by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them according to that of the Prophet Ioel applied by S. Peter to the sending of the Holy Ghost at the first promulgation of the Gospel I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions And that such Prophetesses as these were those four Daughters of Philip the Evangelist whereof we read Acts 21. 9. Others take Prophesying here in a more large notion namely for the gift of interpreting and opening Divine mysteries contained in Holy Scripture for the instruction and edification of the Hearers especially as it was then inspired and suggested in extraordinary manner by the Holy Spirit as Prophecy was given of old according to that of S. Peter Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So because many in the beginning of the Gospel were guided by a like instinct in the interpretation and application of Scripture they were said to Prophesie Thus the Apostle useth it in the fourteenth Chapter of this Epistle where he discourses of spiritual Gifts and before all prefers that of Prophecy because he that Prophesieth saith he speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort But neither of these kinds of Prophecy sutes with the person in my Text which is a woman For it is certain the Apostle speaks here of Prophesying in the Church or Congregation but in the Church a woman might not speak no not so much as ask a question for her better instruction much less teach and instruct others and those men This the Apostle teacheth us in this very Epistle Chapter the fourteenth even there where he discourseth so largely of those kinds of Prophecy Let your women saith he keep silence in the Churches For it is not permitted unto them to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to be subject And if they will learn let them ask their husbands at home Again in 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence Note here that to speak in a Church-Assembly by way of teaching or instructing others is an act of superiority which therefore a woman might not do because her sex was to be in subjection and so to appear before God in garb and posture which consisted therewith that is she might not speak to instruct men in the Church but to God she might To avoid this difficulty some would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text to be taken passively namely for to hear or be present at Prophecy which is an acception without example either in Scripture or any where else It is true the Congregation is said to pray when the Priest only speaks but that they should be said to preach who are present only at the hearing of a Sermon is a Trope without example For the reason is not alike In prayer the Priest is the mouth of the Congregation and does what he does in their names and they assent to it by saying Amen But he that preaches or prophesies is not the mouth of the Church to speak ought in their names that so they might be said to speak too but he is the mouth of God speaking to them It is not likely therefore that those who only hear another speaking or prophesying to them should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prophesy no more as I said than that all they should be said to preach who were at the hearing of a Sermon What shall we do then Is there any other acception of the word Prophesying left us which may sit our turn Yes there is a Fourth acception which if it can be made good will
native signification thereof being to answer is also used for to sing as in Psalm 147. 7. where we translate Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving sing praise upon the Harp unto our God in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer unto the Lord in thanksgiving sing praise upon the Harp unto our God And Esay 27. 2. In that day sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer ye unto her And Numbers 21. 17. in Israel's song of the Well Spring up O Well sing unto it in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer unto it And Moses speaking of those that were worshipping the golden Calf Exodus 32. 18. It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery nor the voice of them that cry for being overcome but the noise of them that sing do I hear In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of them that answer one another And so in other places But to put all out of doubt look Ezra 3. 11. where it is expresly said The Levites the sons of Asaph sung together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord Because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Hence was derived the manner of Praying and Praising God in the Christian Service alternis in a Musical way and as it were by way of prophesying and versifying even though we do but speak it only as you know the Poet sayes Amant alterna Camâ—enâ—â— Thus I have taken occasion somewhat to enlarge upon this particular that we our selves might the better understand the reason of what we do and what precedents and whose example we follow therein And thus much of Prophesying I COME now to the Second thing I propounded to speak of namely What was that Fault among the Corinthians which the Apostle here taxeth For the right understanding whereof I say two things First For the Offenders that they were the women and not the men That which the Apostle speaketh concerning men being by way of supposition only and to illustrate his Argument against the uncomely guise of the women à pari This appears because his Conclusion speaks of women only and nothing at all of men Secondly For the quality of the Fault it was this That the women at the time of praying and prophesying were unveiled in the Church notwithstanding it was then accounted an unseemly and immodest guise for women to appear open and bare-faced in publick How then will you say should it come to pass that Christian women should so much forget themselves as to transgress this Decorum in God's House and Service which they observed otherwhere I answer From a phantastical imitation of the manner of the She-Priests and Prophetesses of the Gentiles when they served their Idols as their Pythiae Bacchae or Maenades and the like who used when they uttered their Oracles or celebrated rites and sacrifices to their Gods to put themselves into a wild and extatical guise having their faces discovered their hair disshevelled and hanging about their ears This these Corinthian women conceiting themselves when they prayed or prophesied in the Church to be acting the parts of She-Priests uttering Oracles like the Pythiae or Sibyllae or celebrating sacrifice as the Maenades or Bacchae were so fond as to imitate as that sex is prone to follow the fashion and accordingly cast off their veils and discovered their faces immodestly in the congregation and thereby as the Apostle speaks dishonoured their heads that is were unseemly accoutred and dressed on their head Which he proveth by three Arguments Partly from Nature which having given women their Hair for a covering taught them to be covered as a Sign of subjection the manner of this covering being to be measured by the custome of the Nation Partly by an Argument à pari from men for whom even themselves being Iudges it would be an uncomely thing to wear a veil that is a womans habit so by the like reason was it as uncomely and absurd for a woman to be without a veil that is in the guise and dress of a man And howsoever the Devils of the Gentiles sometimes took pleasure in uncomeliness and absurd garbs and gestures yet the God whom they worshipped and his holy Angels who were present at their devotions loved a comely accomodation agreeable to Nature and Custome in such as worshipped him For this cause therefore saith he ought a woman to have a covering on her Head because of the Angels Lastly he concludes it from the Example and Custome both of the Iewish and Christian Churches neither of which had any such use for their women to be unveiled in their sacred assemblies If any man saith he be contentious that is will not be satisfied with these reasons let him know that we that is we of the Circumcision have no such custome nor the Churches of God For so with S. Ambrose Anselme and some of the Ancients I take the meaning of the Apostle to be in those words Thus you have heard briefly What was the Fault of these Corinthian Dames which the Apostle here taxeth From which we our selves may learn thus much That God requires a decent and comely accommodation in his House in the act of his worship and service For if in their habit and dress surely much more in their gestures and deportment he loves nothing that is unseemly in the one or in the other Which I doubt some of us at least of the younger sort are not so observant of in this place as we should and therefore with those whom it concerns would amend it And thus I conclude my Discourse DISCOURSE XVII TITUS 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost THESE words as it is easie to conceive upon the first hearing are spoken of Baptism of which I intend not by this choice to make any full or accurate Tractation but only to acquaint you as I am wont with my Thoughts concerning two Particulars therein both of them mentioned in the words of my Text One from what propriety analogy or use of Water the washing therewith was instituted for a Sign of new Birth according as it is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the washing of regeneration The other What is the proper Counter-type or thing which the Water figureth in this Sacrament I will begin with the last first because the knowledg thereof must be supposed for the explication and more distinct understanding of the other In every Sacrament as ye well know there is the outward Symbole or Sign Res terrena and the Signatum figured and represented thereby Res coelestis In this of Baptism the Sign or Res terrena is Washing with water The Question is what is the Signatum the invisible and celestial thing which answers thereunto In our Catechetical explications of this Mystery it was wont to be affirmed to be the
downfall was to be wrought by the Stone viz. the Kingdom of Christ who should first demolish the Gods and Idols thereof and then the State it self The time therefore when our Saviour spake was fulfilled and the Kingdom of God was at hand Thus you see how the Time was pointed out at large now hear the precise and punctual Time whereby they might know not only that the Kingdom of Messiah should be set up in the Roman Monarchy but also in what time thereof The Angel tells Daniel ch 9. 24. That when the Temple City and Commonwealth of the Iews which then lay wast by the Babylonish captivity should be restored and set up again it should continue 490 years or 70 times 7 years and no more and that before that term ended Messiah should come and be anointed and make atonement for sin His words are these Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most Holy For understanding this reckoning you must know that the Iews according to the Law counted their time and years by Sevens every Seventh year being a year of rest for the Land and freeing of Servants and so called a Sabbatical year according to which account the Angel tells Daniel that Seventy of those weeks of years were allotted for the standing of their Temple and Commonwealth when both should be restored again after the Captivity which make in all 490 years Now if Messiah were to appear before these 490 years were ended it could not in likelihood be much later than this time when our Saviour published his Gospel because within 40 years after the Temple and State of the Iews was utterly destroyed whereby it was apparent that the 490 years were ended and therefore the Time of Messiah's appearing past But Daniel yet points out the Time more nearly and punctually For he tells us moreover that from the Edict for restoring the State of the Iews and re-building Ierusalem which was some years after the re-building of the Temple should be unto Messiah the Prince 62 of those weeks or sevens of years and after those 62 seven years Messiah should be cut off Now if we reckon this number of weeks of years from that week wherein Ezra received commission from Artaxerxes King of Persia to restore and settle the Church and State of the Iews and Nehemiah soon after to build the walls of Ierusalem we shall find the Time when our Saviour began this publication of his Gospel to fall out in the last week of those 62 weeks As a woman therefore with child when her tenth and last moneth is come may truly say Her reckoning is fulfilled and her travail is at hand so might our Saviour when the last week of Messiah's weeks was begun say The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of heaven is at hand The Lesson to be learned hence is for confirmation of our Faith against the blindness and obstinacy of the Iews who will not believe that Iesus of Nazareth who came at the time appointed was their King Messiah but look for another yet to come O blind Miscreants If the time of Messiah's coming were then fulfilled when our Saviour preached unto them how are they so besotted as to look for that his coming still Shall he come 1600 years after the time of his coming was fulfilled Their Fathers looked for the coming of Messiah at that time when our Saviour preached amongst them yea had filled all the East with the fame of their expectation which thâ—y would never have done had they not seen the time appointed for his coming and kingdom was to come out in that Age. Why did their Fathers never alledge against the Apostles That the time was not yet come Had not this been the readiest way to stop their mouths when they told them They had crucified their Messiah Nay when our Saviour made this fulfilling of the time to be the ground of his doctrine why did not their great Doctors their Scribes and Pharisees oppose and gainsay it unless they had known it to be so indeed Nay at his blessed Birth when the wise men came from the East to Ierusalem saying Where is he that is born King of the Iews when Herod and all Ierusalem was troubled when he assembled all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people about it why did they not tell him the Time was not yet come unless they had known it had been come But of the Time there was no question only the Place was inquired of In a word All the exception the Iews could find against our Saviour was the meanness of his Person because he came not like a King and the Place of his education because he was a Galilaean But against the Time of his coming they took no exception Nay which is an invincible confession the most of them at this day have no other shift but to say That Messiah was born then namely before their Temple was destroyed and lies hid all this time somewhere for their sins but at length shall shew himself unto them Let us pray unto Almighty God that he would at length open their eyes to see him to be their King whom they have pierced and that there is no other to be looked for And let us continually magnifie his goodness unto us unto whom being Gentiles and Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel a people without God in the world he hath nevertheless vouchsafed this great light and made known that Mysterie which is hidden from his own people to whom appertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Whose were the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever What are we that it should please the great and mighty God to look upon such dead dogs as we are DISCOURSE XXVI S. MARK 1. 15. Repent ye and believe the Gospel WHilest our Blessed Saviour preached here on earth what else in likelihood could the argument of his preaching be but the Mystery of Christian Religion or way of attaining Salvation through himself Accordingly this Brief of his Sermons recorded by our Evangelist contains no less than the Sum of all Christian Divinity For the Knowledg of the Kingdom of God and the means how to attain to be a member and so to have interest in the benefits and priviledges of the same which is Salvation containeth the Sum of all a Christian is either to know or do The first of which The knowledg of the Kingdom of God is in the first words The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand of which I have spoken already The second is contained in the next words Repent ye
perswasible if you consider that this is one of the most methodical Books in Scripture But if the Beginning of the Inner Court be coincident and no higher than that of the Outward Court it must then follow even by that little you yield me That the Vision of the twelfth Chapter fetches his Beginning higher than it For the Woman 's Child-bearing her Travail her Delivery with the Seven-headed Dragon's Attempt and the Battel of Michael you grant and the Text evinceth to be elder and before the Woman's abode in the Wilderness But the Woman's abode in the Wilderness the XLII months of the Beast and the XLII months of the Outer Court begin altogether and at the same time Therefore that which is elder to any one of them is elder to every one of them Why therefore should not the Book-prophecy have begun rather with this of the eldest beginning unless that that wherewith it begun did fetch its Beginning as high as it All this notwithstanding I confess ingenuously that your exceptions do so far weaken my Argument that it appears not to be of so sufficient strength as may force assent But that which is enough to stagger a man in his own Tenet is not alone sufficient to cause him to embrace the contrary unless the Arguments shewn for that part do appear of more force and probability than himself grounded upon Otherwise a man may reply as he is Terence did to the Lawyers Probè fecistis multò sum incertior quà m dudum Besides a Probability stands in place of a Demonstration till a greater Probability can be brought to shoulder it out Let me therefore acquaint you a little what scruples arise in me when I consider your Argument for the contrary You say S. Iohn surveyed both the Courts together For the measuring of the one and leaving the other unmeasured were at one time Ergo the things signified by them both fall also under one time Resp. 1. Here I consider first when a Representation is made not by Motion or Action but by a standing Type or Picture such as is the Fabrick of the Temple though the parts may be viewed all at one time yet may the thing signified by them be of differing times for in this case Order of place useth to signifie succession of time For example The Scheme I sent you may be comprehended at one view and yet the parts according to their order of place do represent priority and posteriority of times The Monarchical Image in Daniel was not by piece-meal but all at once presented to Nebuchadnezzar's view and yet the four metalled parts thereof were Types of four not coincident but successive Kingdoms So the seven Heads of the Whore-ridden Beast in this Prophecy though seen at once signified nevertheless Things not at once but some past some present some to come five Kings fallen the sixth present and seventh to come In the Temple it self the First Tabernacle or Holy Place was a Type of the Oeconomy of Redemption in the Church Militant and the Second Tabernacle or the Holy of Holies of the Church Triumphant in the Heavens So S. Paul to the Hebrews makes the first Tabernacle the Type of the Body of Christ wherein being incarnate he suffered here below and through which as through a First Tabernacle he entred within the Veil the Holiest Heavens there to make intercession for us Was there not here a priority and posteriority of times Why may not then the two Courts of the Temple be Types also of successive times though S. Iohn viewed them at one time Indeed where the Representation consists in Motion and Action I grant the case is otherwise for here things done together in Vision are to be expounded of things to be performed together in signification But the example we have in hand is not of that sort For the essence of the Type here consists not in what S. Iohn himself did but in that which was presented to S. Iohn in Vision namely the Frame of the Temple with his two Courts the First such as might be measured with divine measure the Second such as could not be measured therewith being possessed and troden down by the Gentiles As for S. Iohn's acts hereabouts they are no other than such as whereby he was to inform himself concerning that which was shewed unto himâ— Neither is this the only place where S. Iohn is bidden do something for his information and survey of the Vision shewed him Vide cap. 7. v. 13 14. cap. 10. v. 4. cap. 14. v. 13. cap. 19. v. 9. Resp. 2. Secondly Neither were the Acts whereby the Apostle surveyed the two Courts either one Act or two Acts at one and the same time but several Acts several and successive times For first the Text expresseth no more but what the Angel bade S. Iohn do and not what S. Iohn did Now it will not follow that that which was comprehended in one bidding was therefore done at one time For that may be bidden with one Act of bidding which will require a two or three acts in performing and those too such as cannot be done at one time But perhaps you suppose there was but one only Act commanded to wit to measure the Inner and not the Outer Indeed if it were so then it must needs be of one time For if there be nothing here but the Doing of a thing in one place and not doing it in another it cannot possibly be of diverse times because every positive implies his negative and goes together with it But if the words of the Text be considered there will be sound more in them than so howsoever our Translation obscures it For first I conceive not S. Iohn's survey of the two Courts to be an Act of mere Separation but rather of Examination as the nature of measuring importeth Again there is more to be done to the Second Court than only Not measuring it that were but doing nothing to it For the words of the Text are not Leave out if thereby you understand a preâ—ermission only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cast it out the Vulgar hath Ejice forà s and Beza though himself translates Exclude yet confesseth it is ad verbum Ejice forás So that here we see a positive act commanded and not a pretermission only and our Translators when they turned it Leave out expressed rather what themselves conceived than what the words signified This considered I understand it thus That in this survey S. Iohn was first to examine the Inner Court which by its conformity to the Divine measure which he was to apply thereto he should find to be Sacred That done he was then in the next place to survey the Outer Court which because he should find possessed by the Gentiles and therefore not capable of the Divine measure he was to cast out that is excommunicate and pronounce unsacred and polluted See Ezek. 44. 6 7 8. The summe of all this discourse is in
in the day-time for three weeks together or some such like sense Gen. 29. 27. The Week which Laban would have Iacob fulfil before he gave him Rachel was not the Seven years service but the Seven daies of Leah's wedding-feast as the Targum translates and the Vulgar Imple hebdomadam dierum hujus copulae nor can it be otherwise by the age of Rachel's children Secondly Let it be shewn in all the Prophecy of Daniel or for ought I know in any other of the Prophets where times of things prophesied expressed by daies are not to be understood of years For when the Angel means daies in Daniel he expresseth it therefore not by daies for so it were doubtful but by evenings and mornings chap. 8. 14. where he speaks of the time of the persecution of Antiochus A brief Demonstration and as I conceive unanswerable of the Contemporation of the four Timed Prophecies in the Apocalypse viz. Of the Gentiles treading down the Court and Holy City 42 months Of the Witnesses preaching in Sackcloth 1260 daies Of the Beast's power of doing 42 months Of the Apostolical Woman's continuance in the Wilderness a Time Times and half a Time expressed also by 1260 daies 1. The Times of the Beast and of the Witnesses come out together viz. at the end of the Sixth Trumpet Chap. 11. Ergò being equal times they must needs begin together and so contemporate throughout 2. The Times of the Beast and of the Woman's being in the Wilderness have the same Epocha and beginning namely the dethroning and vanquishing of the Red Dragon Ch. 12. Ergò being equal times they must also have the same ending 3. The Times of the treading down the Court and Holy City by the Gentiles and of the Sackcloth-prophecy of the Witnesses are concurrent by the plain construction of the Text which gives them to prophesy all that heavy time Besides when the Witnesses have finished we find the Gentiles angry as being driven from their possession in the Temple Ch. 11. vers 18. I. M. CHAP. X. A Discourse of the Beginning and Ending of the 42 moneths or 1260 daies Rev. 11. 2 3. wherein Alstedius his Four Epocha's are examined SIR I Waved not the Question of the Ending of the XLII months more than that of their Beginning for as I designed their Beginning in a latitude so by consequent I do their Ending If they begin between the years 365 and 455 they must end between the years 1625 and 1715. Only I refused precisely to determine the year of their ending which for some reasons I supposed should not certainly be known till the Event should make it manifest according as was not the precise Beginning of the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity till the Event discovered it by their Ending For when the articuli are more than one to begin at who can determine at which God will reckon the beginning and consequently at what precise year shall be the ending Yet as God accompted the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity from a remarkable moment of that latitude of time the Iews were entring into so I believe the same All-wise God will do the period of the XLII months from some remarkable moment in the latitude of their beginning Howsoever because such remarkable moments or terms are more than one all that we can say is That it shall be from some one of them and it may be from some one we observe not God in his wisdom till he sees fit veiling it from our eyes For Alstedius I will ingenuously confess I had never observed those passages of his Chronology you acquaint me with as having never been nor yet am owner of that Book though I think I want few of his other Writings in which I have met with many passages tending to the same purpose with these of his Chronology here and there scattered but no where so fully and ex proposito I sought up and down for the Book and some two days since I got a sight of it so long as to read the pages you quote and no longer yet because you desire my judgment of the Years he setteth down I will answer something for your satisfaction and first lay the ground to examine them by viz. The Holy Ghost reckoneth the Epocha or Beginning of Antichrist and his Apostatical times from the taking of that which hindred out of the way that is the then-reigning Imperial Sovereignty of Rome 2 Thess. 2. 6 7 8. or as S. Iohn expresseth it from the deadly wounding of the Head or Sovereignty of the Roman Beast which in his time ruled or the shivering of the Empire into a plurality of Kingdoms upon that deadly wounding Apoc. 13. 3. with chap. 17. 12. When that great City should cease to be the lap of that Sovereignty which the Caesars once held over the Nations and many new upstart Kings should appear in the place and territory of that once One Empire then should the Times of Apostasy with that wicked One make their entrance Therefore as the Epocha or beginning of the Apostatical times in a latitude is to be fetched from that deadly blow or downfal of the Caesarean head in a latitude so he that would conjecturally point out any precise year where to begin those times must do it from some remarkable step or degree of the Caesarean blow or downfal in the same latitude Where note further that the Caesarean blow or downfal may be accompted double First Religious and Sacred as he was Draconicola by a dismounting and dethroning of the Dragon which actuated and enlived him Secondly Political by the ruin of his State and Majesty Some of the places I now quoted may seem more to respect the one some more the other Antichrist we see hath cured them both the First by a new Idolatry the Second by his usurped Tyranny Let us examine Alstedius his Four Epocha's according to this ground The first is Anno Christi 362. which was ill pitched it being the very time of the Dragon's recovery of the Imperial Throne under Iulian not any moment or step of his dismounting and the Empire flourishing under one Monarch not falling or disshivering Nor is his Reason good Because then began the persecution of Iulian for that argues that the Dragon was not yet down Nor the other Because of the Schismatical contention of the Roman Popes for what reason can there be why the Schism of the Popes should be the Epocha of their dominion and of the times of Apostasy under them Besides the Event shews this was no Epocha of the 42 months for then the expiration of them should have appeared anno 1622. by some mortal blow to the Antichristian state but it proved contrary Alstedius addeth the three years and an half of the Slaughter of the Witnesses to the end thereof hoping they should have revived Anno 1625. but alas they did not He that would chuse an Epocha about Iulian's time might with much more probability
many Patterns of so many States of the Church succeeding in the like order the Churches are named then surely the First Church viz. the Ephesian State must be first and the Last be the last As for those between though there be no Characters to bound them all exactly yet the mention of false Iews and the Synagogue of Satan Throne of Satan Balaam Iezabel c. Apocal. 2. in the Five middle ones will argue that they belong to the time of the Beast and Babylon And for the Sixth in special viz. Philadelphia we have a good character where to place it viz. partly about the time the Beast is falling and partly after his destruction when the New Ierusalem cometh For Philadelphia is promised that the Synagogue of Satan should bow before her feet that she should be preserved in the general temptation to come upon the whole world that upon her should be written the name of the New Ierusalem Apocal. 3. 9 10 12. If any thinks these Seven Churches are to be put into the Scheme as being perswaded they serve for Prophecies of things to come as well as Descriptions of things present he may easily supply their want by imagining them in that middle empty space between the Two Prophecies or might without any great deformity express them by 7 letters E. S. P c. CHAP. 3. vers 21. I will give him to sit with me in my Throne even as I am set down with my Father in his Throne Here are 2 Thrones mentioned My Throne saith Christ this is the condition of glorified Saints who sit with Christ in his Throne but my Father's i.e. God's Throne is the Power of Divine Majesty herein none may sit but God and the God-man Iesus Christ. To be installed in God's Throne to sit at God's right hand is to have a God-like Royalty such as his Father hath a Royalty altogether incommunicable whereof no creature is capable To receive our devotions in Heaven is a flower of this incommunicable Royalty CHAP. 5. vers 12. Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Blessing The whole Doxology consists in the acknowledgment of these three Sovereign Prerogatives of the Divine Majesty his Power his Wisdom his Goodness The two first Power and Wisdom are express and Riches and Strength belong to Power the third viz. Goodness is implied in Blessing or Thanksgiving which is the Confession of the Divine Goodness Observe also that these words and those in the parallel place chap. 4. 11. are the summe and argument of that Hymnologie which the Primitive Church used at the offering of Bread and Wine for the Eucharist CHAP. 9. vers 5. tormented five months and vers 10. to hurt men five months For the clearing of this difficulty 1. What if these Five months are not the whole time of the plague of Locusts but the time only of their tormenting with their tail Agreeably to this supposal the Editio Complutensis followed by Plantine reads not vers 10. as we do with the Codex Regius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is And they had tails like unto Scorpions and stings and in their tails they have power to hurt men five months And what if this then be the meaning of vers 5. They should be tormented five months and their torment was as the torment of a Scorpion when he Striketh a man that is they should be tormented by the tail a◠Scorpions torment and strike with their tail 2. What if by the Head of this Army of Locusts we understand their Foremost troups or Vanguard which infested and setled in the Eastern parts erecting their chief Caliph at Bagdat or Babylon in Mesopotamia and by the Tail of this Army their Latter and hindmost troups which encamped Westward in Africk and Spain as the Rere of that great Army who in process of time erected also a Caliph at Algier and from thence after some ages invaded Sicily and Italy which they held even under the Walls of Rome and Pope's nose just five months or 150 years during which though they killed not the Beast yet they continually frighted vexed and tormented him For it should seem that the Holy Ghost in this number principally aimed at Italy once the Seat of the Empire and now of the Beast whom the Head-troups of these Locusts never came near but only their Tail Vers. 20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Daemons and Idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and of wood which can neither see nor hear nor walk See this explained in Book III. pag. 635. CHAP. 10. vers 11. Thou must prophesie again before many c. These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou must prophesie again which interpret the Symbolum of the Book-eating ver 10. do imply that the Systeme of Visions following do relegere tempus Apocalypticum ab ovo But if any Vision of that Systeme of Visions do begin at the beginning of the Apocalyptical time or period as it is not denied but that of the Puerperium in Chap. 12. doth there is no reason to think but that the First Vision beginneth there both because it is the First and because it is the summe and Compendium of all that follow after If then the First Vision after the eating of the Book begin at the beginning of the Apocalyptical period surely the Measuring of the Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which begins there If the Measuring of the Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begin at the beginning of Apocalyptical time then this Measuring cannot be contemporary with the Treading down of the Outer Court and the Witnesses prophesying in Sack-cloth because these contemporate with the Woman in the Wilderness and the XLII months blasphemy of the Beast which are granted not to be from the beginning of Apocalyptical time CHAP. 11. Vers. 2. the holy City shall they tread under foot 42 months and ver 3. my two Witnesses shall prophesie in Sack-cloth 1260 days and ver 9. three days and an half as in chap. 12. 14. a time and times and half a time That by these Numbers are not meant Three single years and an half see it demonstrated by five Reasons in Book III. pag. 598. CHAP. 12. vers 14. And to the Woman were given two Wings of a great Eagle This alludes unto Exod. 19. 4. where God is said to have born his people upon Eagle's wings and brought them out from the Egyptians unto himself namely in the Wilderness That she might flie into the Wilderness into her place where she is nourished from the face of the Serpent Seeing the whole Apocalyps almost consists of Expressions borrowed from the Types of the Old Testament why should not this of the Woman's dwelling and being fed in the Wilderness have reference to
that of Israel's Mora in deserto an estate and condition externally better than what they came from in Egypt but inferiour to that they should in time attain unto Yea besides this general the Allusion is most fit for many particular Correspondencies Moses brought the Israelites out of the Egyptian bondage into the Wilderness a place where they might worship and sacrifice unto the Lord safely where the Law was given Tabernacle built Ordinances both Sacred and Political enacted c. So did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great Constantine deliver the Apostolical Woman and brought her into the like condition wherein she might worship Christ safely the Laws of the Church were established Tabernacles for Christian Worship erected Tâ—thes and Revenues assigned c. And had not this Christian Wilderness a Calf too made of the Ear-rings stoln from the Egyptians Was there not here found a Korah among the Sons of Levi with his partakers men of renown to rebel against Moses and Aaron and to offer strange fire unto the Lord Was there not here a Balaam to deceive and a Baal-Peor to be worshipped was there not a Marah and a Meribah Yea was there not here also as well as there those who brought an evil report upon the Land whither they were to go Farther might not God say of the times of this Christian Wilderness as he did of the abode of Israel there Psal. 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved c. and Amos 5. 25 26. Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years O house of Israel But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch c. CHAP. 17. 14. and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful i.e. The Lamb and those called and elect and chosen ones which are with him shall overcome the Beast So I understand it These are that Virgin-Company Chap. 14. which follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth and shall now accompany him in this Exploit This therefore will serve for a Character Synchronistical That that Virgin-Company continues in time to the end of Babylon and the Beast and for an intimation of whom that Vision meaneth viz. such as faithfully adhere unto the Lamb while the Beast reigneth and the rest of men admire and worship him CHAP. 19. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations So it was prophesied of him by Esay chap. 11. 4. that he should smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips should shay the wicked and in 2 Thess. 2. 8. he shall consume that Wicked one viz. Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth Christ our General nor fights nor conquers by force of Arms but by the power of his Word and Spirit He does all nutu verbo As it is said Psal. 33. God made the world by his word and by the breath of his mouth in like manner doth Christ overcome his enemies and enables his Ministers to overcome them also Verbo Spiritu oris Agreeable hereunto is that in Hos. 6. 5. I have hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth CHAP. 20. 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection What is meant by the First Resurrection see in The Remains upon the Apocalyps Book III. pag. 604. and in Book IV. Epistle 20. Vers. 14. And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire This is the Second Death Nothing is hereby meant but that Death was now quite vanquished and that there should be no more Death of Body or Separation of Soul but only the Second Death As if it had been said Death and Hades were now confined only to the lake of fire which is the Second Death The Death of Bodies in the grave should be no more nor the state of Separate Souls in Hades CAP. XI Commentationes Minores in Apocalypsin CAP. 1. vers 3. Tempus enim prop è est i.e. Iam adest tempus quo verba Prophetiae hujus impleri coeperint indies magìs magÃsque implebuntur Vers. 4. ab eo qui est qui erat qui venturus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eadem habentur verba vers 8. cap. 4. 8 cap. 11. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturus idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Futurus ut ex cap. 16. 5. manifestum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utì locum hunc restituit Beza ex vetusto bonae fidei manuscripto codice Seculum Futurum Haebraeis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unde Marc. 10. 30. Luc. 18. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Psal. 71. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa. 27. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venturis sub diebus id est Posthac Imposterum Esaiae 44. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulgat Ventura quae futura sunt Dan. 9. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus Principis venturus id est futurus Et à septem Spiritibus qui in conspectu throni ejus sunt Per Spiritus hos intelligit Angelos Aretas in locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornelius à Lapide pro eadem sententia Iunium laudat sed fallitur Fortè Drusium dicturus fuisset nam ille sic sentit ad hunc locum ubi inter alia habet Septem Archangelos esse qui stant coram Deo etiam Ionathan prodidit Sed ubi non commemorat Locus est Gen. 11. 7. Dixit Dominus Septem Angelis qui stant coram eo Venite nunc c. Cum istis facit Th. Beza Quòd inquit Septem hos spiritus nonnulli pro Spiritu Sancto acceperunt cujus septiformis ut loqunutur sit gralia manifestè refelli potest vel ex eo quod scribitur infrà 5. 6. Et paulò pòst Vt nemo de hoc possit ambigere iidem isti Septem Spiritus infrà cap. 5. 6. Agni cornua oculi id est ministri dicuntur Accedit quòd in cap. 8. 2. expressè dicuntur Angeli Vidi inquit Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septem Angelos qui adstant coram Deo Confer cap. 4. 5. Septem lampades ante Thronum quae sunt septem Spiritus Dei Cap. 5. 6. Agnum stantem tanquam occisum habentem cornua septem oculos septem qui sunt septem Spiritus Dei missi in omnem terram Zach. 4. 10. Septem isti oculi sunt Domini qui discurrunt per universam terram Videsis etiam Tobiae 12. 15. Ego sum unus ex septem Angelis qui astamus ante Dominum Cypr. adversus Iudaeos lib. 1. 20. Hilar. in Psal. 118 vel 119. Psal. 129. vel 130. Adde Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Septem quidem sunt quorum est maxima potentia primogeniti Angelorum principes Sed de Septem hisce Angelis
Quòd cùm Christiani quendam locum qui publicus fuerat occupà ssent contrà Popinarii dicerent sibi cum deberi rescripsit Imperator Melins esse ut quomodocunque illic Deus colatur quà m Popinariis dedatur About the middle of this Century flourished that famous Gregorie of Neocaesarea surnamed Thaumaturgus He in his Epistola Canonica as the Greeks call it describing the five degrees or admissions of Penitents according to the discipline of his time which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he est extra portam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ORATORII ubi peccatorem stantem oportet Fideles ingredientes orare ut pro se precentur 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Auditio est intra portam in loco qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur ubi oportet eum qui peccavit stare usque ad Catechumenos illine egredi 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Substratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NAOY 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut intra Templi portam consistens cum Catechumenis egrediatur 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Congregatio seu Consistentia est ut cum Fidelibus consistat cum Catechumenis non egrediatur Postremò est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participatio Sacramentorum Who sees not here that Christians in his time had Oratories or Sacred Houses to worship in and those accommodated with distinct places of remoter and nearer admission Nay further we find in this Gregorie's life written by Gregory Nyssen that he was himself a great Founder and erecter of these sacred Edifices whereof the Church built by him at Neocaesarca in Pontus where he was Bishop was still standing in Gregorie Nyssen's time Hear his words where he relates the speedy and wonderful success this Thaumaturgus had in the conversion of that City Cùm omnibus omnia fieret saith he tantum sibi anxilio Spiritûs repentè populum adjunxit ut ad Templi fabricationem animum adjiceret Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cùm omnes offerendo tam pecunias quà m operas suas studium ejus adjuvarent Hoc est Templum quod usque hodie ostenditur quod magnus ille Vir statim aggressus quasi fundamentum atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotii sui i. Episcopâtus in maximè conspicuo urbis loco constituit He adds besides that whereas in his own time there had hapned a most grievous Earthquake Quo omnia tam publica quam privata aedificia disjecta essent solùm illud Templum Gregorianum illaesum inconcussum mansisse Nor is this all He tells in the same place how that a little before the persecution of Decius which was Anno Christi 252. this Thaumaturgus having converted not the City of Neocaesarâ—a only but the whole territorie adjoyning to the Faith of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Converts pulling down their Idol-Altars and Idol-Temples and in every place erecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratories in the name of Christ stirred up the fury and indignation of the Emperour About the same time with this Gregory lived S. Cyprian at Carthage In him I observe the Christian Oratories twice remembred once by the name of Dominicum i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another time of Ecclesia The first in his Book De opere eleemosynis speaking against communicating the holy Eucharist without an Offering Matrona saith he quae in Ecclesia Christi locuples dives es Dominicum sacrificium celebrate to credis quae corbonam omnino non respicis quae in Dominicum sine sacrificio venis quae partem de sacrificio quod pauper obtulit sumis The other in his 55. Ep. or 3. ad Cornelium where declaiming against some lapsed Christians who having in time of persecution sacrificed unto Idols would nevertheless without due penance and satisfaction be admitted again into the Church If this be once permitted saith he Quid superest quà m ut Ecclesia Capitolio cedat recedentibus Sacerdotibus ac Domininostri Altare removentibus in Cleri nostri sacrum venerandúmque consessum i. in Presbyterium seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simulacra atque Idola cum Aris suis transeant Note that Ecclesia here and Capitolium Christ's House and Iupiter's Temple stand in opposition one to the other also that Capitolium by Antonomasia is put for a Gentile Temple in general that in the one to wit Ecclesia was Altare Domini nostri sacer venerandúsque consessus Cleri in the other Idola simulacra cum Aris Diaboli Contemporary with S. Cyprian was that famed Dionysius Alexandrinus made Bishop somewhat before him but out-lived him some five years namely until 265. There is an Epistle of his extant which is part of the Canon-Law of the Greek Church to one Basilides resolving certain Quaere's of his amongst the rest Whether a woman during the time of her separation might enter into the Church or not To which his answer is negative This Quaere he expresseth thus De mulieribus quae sunt in abscessu an cas sic affect as oporteat Domum Dei ingredi Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which and his answer thereunto we learn not only that the Christians had then Houseâ— of Worship but a religious respect also to difference them from common places And here because the Time fitly presents it in our way take notice for some reason that we shall bear of ere we have done That this of the Christians having such Houses for their devotions was a thing publickly known to the Gentiles themselves together with the name whereby they called them as appears by two Imperial Rescripts the one of Galienus about the year 260. recorded by Eusebius Hist. lib. 7. c. 12. Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Places which having been a little before in the persecution of Valerianus his Father taken from the Christians and then in the hands of the Gentiles Galienus graciously restored unto them with liberty freely to exercise their Religion The words of the Rescript so much of them as is needful to our purpose are these Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius Galienus c. Dionysio Pinnae Demetrio caeteris Episcopis Salutem Meae munificentiae beneficium per universum divulgari Orbem praecepi Vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. à locis religionis cultui dicatis discedatur Et propterea vos mearum literarum exemplari uti poteritis quo nemo deinceps vobis quicquam facessat molestiae c. The other is of Aurelianus De Libris Sibyllinis inspiciendis when the Marcomanni invaded the Empire Anno Ch. 271. recorded by Vopiscus in these words Mirorvos Patres sancti he writes to the Senate tamdiu de aperiendis Sibyllinis dubitâsse libris perinde quasi in Christianorum Ecclesia non in Templo Deorum omnium tractaretis that is in the Capitol where the Senate used sometimes to sit Add
continuance thereof and they that have been long sick pray for recovery the barren also pray for children And they that are to take a long journey desire them viz. the Martyrs to be their Companions or rather their Guides in the journey Not going to them as Gods but making application to them as to Divine men and Agents for them with God Now that they who made faithful prayers have obtained their petitions clearly appears by the Presents and Gifts brought by the Votaries as so many grateful acknowledgments of their recovery Accordingly some do present to be hung up in the Church the Effigies of Eyes others of Hands and these made of Gold or of Silver Nay the Martyrs have utterly abolisht and wip'd out of the minds of men the memory of those who were called Gods Our Lord God hath brought his Dead viz. the Martyrs into the room and place the Temples of your Gods whom he hath sent packing and hath given their honour to his Martyrs For in stead of the Feasts of Iupiter and Bacchus are now celebrated the Festivals of Peter and Paul and Thomas and Sergius c. and other holy Martyrs Wherefore since you see there is so much advantage by honouring the Martyrs be perswaded I beseech you to flee from the errour of Daemons and making use of the Martyrs as so many Lights and Guides follow the way which leads directly to God c. Now judge whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath hitherto been fitly applied or not I will go on CHAP. VIII That Idolatry is the main Character of the Churche's Apostasie proved by Three Arguments HAVING therefore by so many Arguments made apparent as I hope what I endeavoured to prove I desire we may observe among so many Corruptions both now and heretofore overwhelming the Church of Christ what that is wherein the Holy Ghost placeth the Essence and accounteth as the very Soul of the Great Apostasie under the Man of sin and would have us to make the Pole-star of our discovery thereof Not every Errour not every Heresie how foul soever but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idolatry and Spiritual Fornication As for other Heresies though accompanying this yet are they but accidental and not of the Essence of the Great Apostasie which was to come Even as Whores are seldom without other foul faults which yet are no parts of whoredom so hath the Spiritual whore many other Heresies but her Whoredom is only Idolatry and the Doctrine of Daemons Neither is Heresie of itself no though damnable Heresie a character whereby the Great Apostasie can be known from other Sects and Blasphemies Foul Heresies were in the first Ages of the Church yet Antichrist and his time were neither of them yet come When his time approched nearer the Arrians Macedonians Nestorians Eutychians were abominable Hereticks and the Arrians possesâ—ed for a time the face of the visible Church yet was not theirs the solemn Apostasie looked for But Idolatry or Spiritual Whoredom which in that storm the Devil was a working this is the only character and note whereby the Apostasie under the Man of sin is discovered and distinguished from all other Blasphemies Sects and Heresies of what age or time soever Which that I may not seem to ground only upon the exposition of my Text which whatsoever the probability thereof be may yet be thought alone too weak to support the weight of so main a Conclusion I desire you to take these Arguments for a full confirmation thereof some of them have already been intimated but now all are musâ—red up together 1. That Babylon is intituled in the Revelation of S. Iohn not the Liar of Babylon nor the Tyrant of Babylon nor the Heretick of Babylon nor the Murtheress of Babylon but the Whore of Babylon yea that Great Whore and the Mother of the fornications and abominations of the earth Doth not God think we give the name as he accounts the nature Or is there any one will deny that this Babylon is that Mystery of iniquity which our Apostle so calleth as being in opposition to the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mystery of true worship and Religion If any should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mystery Babylon in her forehead would help to reclaim him And what Whore is that with whom the Kings and Nations and Kingdoms of the earth commit fornication can it be any other but a spiritual Whore Without question therefore S. Iohn means no other thing here than what he foretold in the eleventh chapter That the Second and outmost court of the Temple which is the Second state of the Christian Church together with the holy City should be troden down and overtrampled by the Gentiles forty two months that is overwhelmed with the Idolatry of the Gentiles which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as power shall be given to the Beast to make war with the Saints as long as the Witnesses must wear sackcloth and the Woman which escaped the fury of the Ethnical Dragon be fed in the wilderness 2. S. Paul tells us that the Great Apostasie should enter by strong delusions by signs and lying wonders Consider then what Corruptions of the Christian Faith were thus ushered in To begin with the beginning and First Corruption of that kind Invocation of Saints with the Adoration of their Shrines and Reliques how were these advanced in the Church was it not by miraculous cures of the sick healing of the lame restoring of the blind yea raising of the dead as seemed by the only touch and aire sometimes of the Shrines and Reliques of Souls deceased was it not still confirmed by strange Apparitions and other means wonderful to hear for discovery of Bones and Reliques unknown and forgotten yea of men whose names they had never heard of before and which I shall shew better hereafter no such experience for three hundred years together observed in the Church until the fatal and fixed time began to enter The worshipping of Images the Second for time of the Churche's Fornications was not this also allured and at length fully ratified by like Signs and Miracles shewed upon those who approached them in their devotions Read the Legend and see what store there is of strong delusions and lying wonders That which for time came in last but deserves a place among the foremost I mean the Idolatry of Mass and Adoration of the Breaden God search and see if it also be not thus attended If all this be true then would I know what Doctrine of theirs besides was installed with these solemnities There is but one only left for exception and that is Purgatory But what if all the delusions of Purgatory with all the Apparitions of Purgatorian Ghosts were but an indirect device of Satan aiming partly to advance the Mass into an Idol by the miraculous efficacy as the Ghosts forsooth report of the oblation thereof for them partly to instal the Son of perdition
Cor. 11. 22. Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in or despise ye the Church of God and verse 34. If any man hunger let him eat at home c. c In answer to that Question Whether may the Holy Oblation or Eucharist be celebrated in a common house he affirms That as the Word doth not allow that any common vessel or utensil should be brought into places that are Sacred carried through the Temple Mark 11. 16. so likewise doth it forbid that the Holy Mysteries should be celebrated in a common house For neither would the Old Testament permit any such thing to be done nor our Lord who said There is here one greater than the Temple Matth. 12 6. nor the Apostle saying Have ye not Houses to eat and drink in c. Whâ—nce we may learn That we ought not to take our common supper in the Church nor should we dishonour the Lord's Supper by eating it in a private house But if one be necessitated to communicate in private let him then chuse out the most clean and decent house or room for such a purpose and withal see that he do it in the fittest and most seasonable time d Despise ye the Church of God e Making it a place for common feasts and banquettings f Behold a fourth charge That not the poor only but also the Church it self is injur'd For as hereby thou makest the Lord's Supper a private Supper so thou dealest no better with the Place in that thou usest the Church as a private and ordinary house g If ye come together to feast it do this in your own Houses for to do thus in the Church is a manifest contempt a plain dishonour done to the Church For how can it but seem a thing wholy indecorous and absurd for you to fare deliciously in the Temple of God where the Lord himself is present who hath prepared for us a common table when at the same time those Christians that are poor are hungry and out of countenance by reason of their poverty * Isidorus Pâ—lusiota lib. 2. Ep. 246. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whâ—â—â— note that of two câ—p 〈…〉 place the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Copy are deficient in the first them but to bâ— supplied out of this the second or repetition of the same thing as the Reader that considers it will observe the Antithesis requires * Coenacula dicuâ—tur ad quae sâ—â—â—â— ascenditur lest Inde Ennio Coenacula maxima coeli a The Upper room of Sion * For these Traditions see Adricomius ex Nicephor c. and 〈…〉 infra de locis sanctis Iohn 20. 6. Acts 6. Acts 15. Epist. 27. Psal. 87. 1 2. a Her foundations are in the holy mountains the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Iacob Acts 4. 34 35. b In the upper plain of Mount Sion there are cells of Monks encompassing that great Church which was founded there as they say by the Apostles because that there they received the Holy Ghost and there also is to be seen the venerable place of the institution and first celebration of the Lord's Supper 〈…〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The breaking of the Eucharist 1 Cor. 10. 16. a And he came down to Caesarea and went up into the House of the Christians that is the Church and saluted them and departed thence to Antioch Hist. Eccl. l. 2. cap. 17. b Philo having described what kind of habitations they had proceeds to speak of their Churches which were frequently to be met with in several places of their Country How that the Sacred House was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Worshipping-place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Monastery wherein these solitary livers perfomed the Mysteries of a severely-religious life bringing in thither not meat nor drink nor any other necessaries for the use of the Body but the Books of the Law the Prophets the Psalms or Hymns and the like things of Sacred use whereby Divine knowledge and Piety might be encreased and advanced to great perfection * 〈◊〉 Const. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈…〉 David 〈◊〉 canat populus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extremitates versuum non versuum initia ut male interpres Bovius * He mentions it Hist Eccl. l. 5. cap. 1. * Lib. 7. c. penult a They were so eminently religious as that they converted their own House into a Church Or else it is said The Church at their House because all of their houshold were Believers and faithful Christians so that their House or Family was a little Church b He was a person of great esteem for he turned his House into a Church * Or whosoever else were the Author thereof under Trajan whose then fresh success in subduing the Parthians and Arabians contrary to the unlucky presages of some his scope seems to have been to gratulate See Iacobus Miâ—yllus in Argumento a We passed through iron gates and over brazen thresholds and by many winding ascents we came at last to the house or room whose roof was overlaid with gold not unlike to what Homer makes Menelaus his house to have been And now I beheld and observ'd all things therein but I could see no Helena there but on the contrary a company of persons with their bodies bowed down and pale countenances * Pag. 52. See this of Clemens quoted in Greek and translated by the Author in the next Discourse Sect. 1. toward the end Ab Ann. 100 ad 200. a This passage out of Ignatius is thus translated by the Author in another M S. copy of this Discourse All of you meet together for prayer in one place let there be one prayer common to all one mind one hope in love in the immaculate faith in Iesus Christ than whom nothing is better All of you as one man run to the Temple of God as to one Altar to one Iesus Christ the High-Priest of the unbegotten God b One Altar to every Church and One Bishop with the Presbytery Deacons my fellow-servants 1 Tâ—m 2. 5. c On Sunday all that live in towns or in the country meet together in one place d To set up another Altar e One Altar to all the Church and One Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons a Let the Door-keepers stand at the entries of the men looking well to them the Deaconisses at the doors where the women were to enter * Holy Porches * Lib. 6. c. 14. al. 21. Vid. Graec. a In Graeco 27. b In Graeco 12. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Epiphan Exposit Eidâ—i cathol c. 21. De duobus ulâ—imis Const. Apol. l. 8. c. 24 26. b See Act. 11. 26. Sâ—cr lib. 6. c. 8. Tâ—â—od l. 2. c. 24. 2. * In Tom 1 Biblioth Patrum edit Parisâ—â—ns ex Ardâ—ivo Viennensi * The word Missa seems to have been long used in Italy before it was elsewhere a As in
* Hâ—res 28. * Act. Ap. 15. Constit. Aposâ— 1. 6. cap. 8. * â—cil Romaâ—â— * 1 Io. 2. 18. 1 Ep. 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * i. Quaterniouis Regnerum a Transitio Siâ—â—â—â— exâ—mplum Soph Pasuk malè pâ—sitae vid. Gen. 23. 17. alibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articulus hâ—c loco non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed ut alibi nonnunquam solet â—aniâ—m certum eximium quid dâ—sigâ—aâ— Sic Esai 7. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Tropo Prophetico Dii Subigi domari dicuntur cùm subiguntur Gentes Urbes quibus prae esse putabantur vide Esai 46. 2. Ier. 50. 2. 51. 44. item c. 48. 7. Quemadmodum vice versâ quod magìs mireris Diis servire politicè scilicet qui colla Gentibus quorum Dii fuerint submittere coacti sunt ut Deut. 4. 28. cum locis parallelis c. 28. v. 36 64. Ier. 16. 13. quibuscum compone 1 Sam. 26. 19. In quae omnia vide Chaldaeum Paraph. Hîc tantùm operae pretium erit expendere morem Romanis solennem cùm Urbes obsiderent Deos Deásve illarum praesides carmine evocandi Ãnque suas partes hostium tutelâ abjectâ adigendi Cujus formulam vide apud Macrob. l. 3. Saturnal c. 8. * Similâ—m praefixi usum 〈◊〉 Ezra 1. 5. lev 16. 21. Numer 5. 15. 32. 33. 33. 2. Hujus ediâ— p. 475 476. * Vel â—osque Maâ—uzzimos nimirum * Ephesus primitiva Ecclâ—siâ—e Typus plurima fortiter passae sed tandem in amore dâ—crescentis unde Apostasia 2 Thess 2. and 1 Tim. 4. 1. ‖ No more haâ—e the first 6 Trumpets only ingruss we know by the Text where the First of them beginneth and where the Sixth endeth * the Saracens * the same is said of the Woman's being in the Wilderness ch 12. 6. * Numb 16. * Hades is the state of Separate Souls whether good or bad after death * Vulgaâ— legebat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctus * Dan. 10. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principâ—s prâ—marâ— * Vide Hieron ad Matth. 1. 1. 2. Christi filii Davidis filii Abraham Abraham genuit c. Vide Tractatam de Doctrinis Daemoniorum 1 Tim 4. 1. pag. 623. Vid. Resp. ad D. Lâ—weni Stricturas Lib. III. pa. 551. * Quid sâ—miendum sit de O 〈…〉 riticis hisce Vâ—de Comment Apocal p. 451. * in Pers. Trucul * Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non tantum poenam sed culpam significat Ezech. 7. 23. * Tertul. adv Iudaeos c. 9. Sic Babylon apud Ioannem nostrum Romanae Vrbis figuram portat proinde magna Regno superba Sanctorum debellatricis Idem habet l. 3. adv Marcionem * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Isai. 63. 3â— Thren 1. 15. Targum 〈◊〉 * Civitaâ— magna * Rom. 25. Commutârunt veritatem Dei in mendacium c. * Vide Comment Apocal pag. 48. â—â—85 * Not four Heads as some coâ—ceive but four 〈◊〉 on one Head the Man's face being the forward â—ace * The Lxx. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 * Vâ—â—â— â— * The Song of the Resormed Churches all the time the 〈◊〉 are pâ—â—ring upon the Beast * Vers. â— * Vers. 6. * See the Author's clearer explication of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Lud. de Dieâ—'s Letter to him pag. 569. SEAL 1. Chap. 6. 2. SEAL 2. Vers. 4. SEAL 3. Vers. 5. SEAL 4. Vers. 8. SEAL 9. Verse 9. SEAL â— Verse 1â— * Verse 13 14. * Verse 13 14. * Chap 8. 1. Verse 3. Verse â— TVBA â— Verse â— TVBA 2. Verse 8. TVBA 3. Verse 10. TVBA 4. Verse 12. TVBA 5. Ch. 9. 3. Verse 5. 10. TVBA 6. Verse 14. * Verse 15. ‖ Verse 20. * Verse 15. TVBA 7. Ch. 11. 14. * Ch. 16. * viz. the Prophecy of the Seals and the Prophecy of the Book opened * Ch. 11. â— * Ch. 12. 7. * Verse 9. ‖ Verse 1â—â— * Verse 6 8â— 14. * Ch. 11. 2. * Verse 3. Verse 7. 9. * See a farther account of her being in the Wilderness in the Short Observations Chap. 12. Comment Apocal in locum * Chap. 14. 1. * Chap. 7. 3. * viz. Ch. 7. * Ch. 13. 1. 11. ‖ Chap. 17. * Ch. 17. 8. * Verse 9. 10. * Verse 11. * Ch. 12. 3. * Ch. 17. 3. * Chap. 16. * Chap. 15. 1.
the Ground and Rule of it III. If the Order Method and Connexion of the Visions be framed and grounded upon supposed Interpretation then must all Proofs out of that Book needs be founded upon begged principles and humane conjectures But on the contrary if the Order be first fixed and setled out of the indubitate Characters of the letter of the Text and afterward the Interpretation guided framed and directed by that Order then will the variety of Expositions be drawn into a very narrow compass and Proofs taken from this Book be evident and infallible and able to convince the Gain-sayers IV. This is that Method which I endeavoured to represent in my Scheme and demonstrate in the Tractate annexed In which therefore you shall find all Interpretation set apart and as it were disclaimed and all the Reasons founded upon the bare letter of the Text taking no notice at all of any Event or Interpretation whatsoever but leaving all at full liberty only reserved that the Order and Synchronism which I represent out of the Text be no way violated thereby and so let the Interpretation be what it may be V. I dare not be confident that this Order and Series which I have deduced and represented is in no part thereof faulty and swerving howsoever for the main I am well perswaded and think that if not this yet something like it ought to be thought on But he that shall espy the errors of mine I desire him to shew me them by such Arguments only as my self make my grounds namely from the Characters which the letter of the Text affordeth and not from Interpretation because Interpretation as I said is to be fitted unto the Order and not the Order to follow it VI. But for example sake yield me a-while that this which I have exhibited is indeed the true Representation of the Order and Connexion of the Apocalyptical Visions See then how admirable the use thereof will be for Interpretation For if we can once be assured of the meaning of some one principal Vision how evident then and ruled will the way be from it to find and discover the rest Will it not be like a Mariner's Card to guide our way in this mystical Sea For example Are we assured what the Prophecy of the Whore of Babylon means For here here I say we must first pitch and therefore mark it the Angel himself of purpose expounds this Vision only of all the Visions this Book or Scheme representeth Do we know then what this meaneth If we do then behold the Scheme and see there what will follow viz. 1. That all the Visions contemporating with Babylon's times must be expounded of such things only as belong to the times of Babylon's whoring 2. All Visions preceding must be interpreted of things foregoing it 3. All Visions following of things to be after it c. Verbum intelligenti sat est What a number of ambiguities uncertainties and varieties of interpretation will this cut off and strike dead at a blow It would be as fetters and cords to hold in yea as a ginn to intangle our desultorious and shifting Interpreters especially our Adversaries who do súsque déque miscere omnia The Consideration of these things will make the Apocalypse to appear for the frame and quality thereof the admirablest Prophecy in Scripture And as much as the divine Revelation of Spiritual Truths in the New Testament surpasses the Old for evidence and clearness so the Prophetical part of the New for the fabrick and sureness of the grounds for Interpretation exceeds all the Prophecies of the Old CHAP. II. Particular Considerations for the understanding of the Scheme c. I. OMitting the Vision of The seven Churches which is not generally granted to be a Prophecy The whole Prophetical part of the Apocalypse following consists of Two main Prophecies both of them beginning their race at the same Epocha or Terminus à quo of time and concluding together likewise at the same Goal or Terminus ad quem that is they begin ab iisdem carceribus as we speak and run ad candem metam The first of these is Prophetia Sigillorum The Prophecy of the Seals reaching from the 4. Chap. until almost the end of the 10. which is represented in the upper-half of the Scheme The second is Prophetia Libri The Book-Prophecy beginning at the 8. verse of the 10. Chap. and reaching to the end of the Book which is represented in the lower or under-half of the Scheme So that the Book of The Revelation might fitly have been divided into two Tomes and the second Tome to have begun at the 8. verse of the 10. Chap. at these words And the voice which I heard from Heaven namely chap. 4. 1. spake unto me again i. e. begun anew and said Take the Book And I took the Book And he said unto me Thou must prophesie again that is begin a new Prophecy ab ovo Consider it Certainly such a division would be most easie for interpretation if also every several Vision in each Tome was cast into a several Chapter or Section And it cannot be denied but the division of Chapters especially in the New Testament being but of humane institution is sometimes so ill ordered that it doth much prejudice the Reader in understanding the meaning of the Holy Ghost II. That the Times of the Inner Court begin with the Beginning of the Seals Now if this Second or Book-Prophecy do begin ab ovo from the same Beginning of time whence the Seals began and without doubt the Seals begin at the Beginning of the Apocalyptical time and runs over anew those times which the Seals before traced till it concludes with them will not then this reasoning be very reasonable viz. If the whole Prophecy of the Book comprehends the whole time of the Prophecy of the Seals then the Beginning of the Prophecy of the Book begins at the Beginning of the Times of the Seals But the Beginning of the Book-Prophecy in the Text is The surveying of the two Courts of the Temple the first Court measured the second uncapable of measure One of these two then must begin at the Beginning where the Seals began But the Second Court cannot for it synchroniseth with the Times of the Beast Ergo the Former must that is The Inward Court within which the Temple it self stood being capable of the Divine measure must note some condition of things and times which forewent and preceded the Rising of the Beast and the Treading down of the Second and Outward Court by the Gentiles And is there not as much need and use of a measure to distinguish of the different States of the Visible Church in the diverse Times and Ages thereof as of the differing Members of one and the same time Consider it And this granted will open a door for discovery of far more admirable matter than doth the confounding of both Courts into one Time I confess I was