by an Henopaeia the succession of these two sorts of men thus kept out of power are turned into two single persons called two Witnesses Then they are clothed in sack-cloth as well as made to Prophesie to shew their low condition in the World Thirdly it being incredible that two single persons should each of them live 1260 years they are said by an Antichronismus to Prophesie onely 1260 Days namely the days of their deprivation of all power in Church or State wherein they lay like dead carcases as to any Political Power or Influence upon the World though they were yet in Being then as being the woman in the Wilderness as it is expressed by another Symbol But this dead condition of theirs representable by an unburied carcase that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Cortex might be observed is not to expatiate unto 1260 days much less to so many years but by another Antichrenismus though the same time is signified is to be contracted into three days and an half For who could endure that two carcases should lye stinking in the streets of the City suppose 1260 days or three years and an half Besides the incredibility of their being raised to life after so long a time And though these three days and an half be set at the end of the 1260 days yet by a Lemmatosynechia a figure usual in the Apocalypse they are easily understood to belong to the antecedent time and to Synchronize with it See my Synopsis Prophetica Book 1. Ch. 4. in Antichronismus Therefore this is the external Decorum observed in the outward Cortex of the Vision that their Political Death which is exactly Synchronal to the time of their mourning in sackcloth which is said to be 1260 days is contracted into three days and an half signifying there Daniels three times and an half as Day and Time sometimes signify the same thing This Parabolical Prophecy of the two Witnesses thus understood has a most enravishing festivity and elegancy in it and is one of the choicest examples of that Divine wit and Artifice of Concealment as well as Revealment that occurr in the whole Apocalypse Nor does that expression ver 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put a bar to the supposed Lemmatosynechia and hinder their Political Death from running back into the same time with their mournfull Witnessing For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is a word which the Spirit of Prophecy has made choice of to serve as well the sense of the Pith of the Parable as of the Cortex thereof But our English Translation has pitched upon that sense which onely comports with the Cortex of the Parable while it renders it And when they shall have finished their Testimony as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Futurum exactum which it is not and besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well agere or peragere as finire And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will easily and naturally signify While they shall be performing or declaring their Testimony the Beast shall make war against them and kill them that is the successive body of them kill them all successively in that Political sense or keep them successively dead from the first suppression of them and kill some of this successive body according to a natural death even many Myriads of them as History can witness So easily is the difficulty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 removed Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has two senses the one serving the Pith the other the Cortex of the Parable as Day has two senses vers 9. and relating to the Cortex signifies a natural day but to the Pith it signifies Time in such a sense as Time is taken in Daniel Ch. 7. vers 25. And now I hope I have made it abundantly plain that there is no Incongruity in this Opinion of Peganius and mine in making the three days and an half the same with Daniel's Time and Times and half a Time or 1260 days Prophetically understood Nothing hinders but this may be the sense But now I shall produce reasons to prove that it really is so As first It being a Number consisting of three Integrums and an Half as Daniels three Times and an half is and the 42 Months and 1260 Days being but the varying of the phrase for the Three Times and an Half if a man have but any competency of Apocalyptick Nasuteness or Sagacity in him he will easily smell out the high probability of these three days and an half being the same with the three Times and an half in Daniel and consequently the same with the 1260 Days of the mournfull Prophecy of the Witnesses Secondly There being no example in all the Apocalypse at least and I think no where else of the affectation of predicting things to the curiosity of half a year it is plainly incredible that there should be any such affectation here Thirdly If the condition of the Apostolick Church be ever brought to so sad a condition again as is represented by the carcases of the two Witnesses lying dead in the streets of the great City it is incredible that they should recover again within the space of three years and an half The conceit looks almost as Romantickly or fabulously and out of the same ignorance of the Apocalyptick Antichronisme as that of the Romanists who tell us what strange feats Antichrist shall do in the same space of Time namely within the space of three years and an half when an age would scarce be sufficient to compass such Atchievements Fourthly If we restrain the lying dead of the Witnesses to the three years and an half at the end of their Prophesying there is nothing in the Vision to represent their Political Death to which their Resurrection relates before that time though they have been dead in that sense at least 1260 years already Which is exceeding absurd Fifthly Being that the witnesses have lyen slain in a Political sense and have been so often slain many hundred thousands of them in a Natural sense before the end of their mournfull witnessing it is unconceivable what persecution or oppression in these last three years and an half different from what they had endured before should â—…efall them or more worthy of taking notice that the former should be omitted and these by the carcases lying three days and an half in the street be represented Sixthly and lastly Whereas it is said v. 7. And when they shall have finished their Testimony the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them unless my sense be admitted Till the end of their Prophesying there is neither any war nor any overcoming nor any killing of the Witnesses which is point-blank against the Truth of History This which I have produced as it does fully satisfy my self that the three days and an half are the same with Daniel's three Times and an half so I hope that other will also
Time is naturally divided into two parts The Time before the beginning of the ten persecutions which began in the tenth of Nero and the Time from thence to Constantine when the Pagan Persecutions ceased The former is the Ephesiâ—…e Interval the latter the Smyrnean The Persecutions are threatned in the former executed in the latter So we see the order of these four Churches placed according to the order of Time and known History And the Sardian Interval naturally follows where there is no complaint of eating things offered unto Idols as in the two former the Pergamenian and Thyatirian Intervals which intimates that the true non-Idolatrizing Church had now whenas before she was but the Woman in the Wilderness become according to Promise in the Thyatirian Interval a visible conspicuous Church and Polity of her self got from under the Pagano-Christian Yoke as well as the Primitive Church before had got from under the Pagan Not that this is the best constitution of the Church that ever will be though incomparably or if you will infinitely better than Popery but that it is introductory to the Blessed Millennial State when the New Ierusalem descends upon Earth according to the Prophecies in the Opened Book For now Prophecy shews the order of these latter Intervals not History as being things to come And it is said expresly to the Church of Philadelphia I will write upon thee the name of the city of my God even of the New Ierusalem c. But now as in the Visions of the Opened Book Prophecy after the thousand years Satan is let loose and Gog and Magog besieges the Holy City so after this excellent Philadelphian Interval succeeds the Laodicean who by their laziness and their luke-warmness will permit Gog and Magog to grow upon them and as Fire from Heaven puts an end to that Siege so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laodicea combusta puts a Period to this Stage of the Earth together with the Church So that the account of the placing of the Seven Churches without any respect to Paronomastical Allusions you see is steady and orderly and according to Time and History for what is past and according to the Prophecies in the other part of the Apocalypse for what is to come Which ordering of them who can be so stupid as not to acknowledg to be done by design From whence again it will follow that this Vision of the Seven Churches is a Prophecy properly so called of the Condition of the Church from the beginning to the end And the same will be still more particularly and exquisitely proved by the Paronomastical Allusions of the Names of these Churches and other Names that occurr in the Epistles to the Churches But as the former way of Proof I have pursued but sparingly so I must let this alone altogether both because it would take up too much space whenas my Notes are swollen to too great a bigness already and because the Reader may peruse what I have copiously enough writ in my Exposition it self I will onely here take notice that if the Paronomastical Allusions all along from the beginning to the end suit exquisitely to the order of Time and Things as I am well assured they do they are also a notable confirmation or demonstration of the Visâ—…on of the Sevâ—â— Churches being a Prophecy properly so called of the state of the Church from the beginning to the end that it was as ceâ—â—ainly intended a Prophecy by the Spirit of God as the skilfull Structure of the Bodies of Animals are an assured Argument of his Providence or that Flower-work or Imagery in Carpets or Clothes made of variously coloured Feathers which are things light and slight enough one would think are an argument of the Art of the Indians that are said to make them And for my part I look upon this Paronomastical way let others make as light and slight of it as they will to be made use of on purpose because as it is where seriously taken notice of a sufficient key of Revealment so it is here as pleasant a pieâ—…e of the Artifice of Concealment from high and lofty Wits that would be likely to stalk over such Allusions with a disdainfull gate and overlook them There being more ways than one wherein that of the Apostle may be verified That God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise THE END Errata sic corrige PAge 60. l. 8. For is rightly r. is rightly p. 96. 〈◊〉 r. Geniconâ—â—a ibid. r. Idiconâ—â—a p. 105. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 114. l. 11. r. good p. 116. l. 7. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 117. l. 15. r. retracting ibid. r. â—… p. 119. l. 1. r. Mithridath p. 121. l. 5. r. 202 We. p. 122. l. 6. r. Pamphylia p. 152. l. 32. r. from uttering p. 176. l. 31. r. called in p. 228. l. 4. r. therein accordingly p. 257. l. 19. r. Ioint-Exposition Books Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-yard HEnrici Mori Cantabrigiensis Opera omnia tum quae Latinè tum quae Anglicè scripta sunt nunc verò Latinitate donata Fol. 3 Voll Apocalypsis Apocalypseos Or The Revelation of Saint Iohn Unveiled Quarto His Tetractys Anti-Astrologica A Confutation of Judiciary Astrology in Answer to Iohn Butâ—…er B. D. Quarto His Remarks on Judge Hales's Treatise of Fluid Bodies Octavo Answers and Replies in Defence of his Antidote against Idolatry Octavo T. Burneti Telluris Theoria Sacra Orbis Nostri Originem Mutationes Generales quas aut jam subiit aut olim subiturus est complectens Figuris Aeneis Quarto 1681. Dr. Falkner's Libertas Ecclesiastica Octavo Christian Loyalty Octavo Vindication of Liturgies Octavo Dr. Sherlock's Discourse of the Knowledg of Iesus Christ with a Defence and Continuation Octavo A Reply to a Pamphet called The Mischief of Impositions which pretends to answer the Dean of St. Paul's Sermon concerning the Mischief of Separation Quarto 1681. N. Resbury's Sermon Preached at the Anniversary Meeting of the Charter-House Scholars On Monday December 13. 1680. Quarto His Sermon at the Funeral of Sir Alan Broderick Kt. November 25. 1680. Mr. Long 's History of the Donatists Octavo His Character of a Separatist Octavo The Nonformists Plea for Peace impleaded against Baxter Octavo Against Hales of Schism with Mr. Baxter's Arguments for Conformity Octavo The Spirit of Enthusiasm Exorcised in a Sermon before the University of Oxford on Act-Sunday Iuly the 11 th 1680. By G. Hicks D. D. Quarto The Spirit of Popery speaking out of the Mouths of Faâ—…atical Protestants Grovâ—…i Responsio ad nuperum Libellum qui inscribitur Celeusma seu Clamor ad Theologos Hierarchiae Anglicanoe c. Quarto Mr. Grove's Vindication of the Conforming Clergy Quarto A Farewell to Popery to Dr. Nichols Vice-Chancellour of Oxford and Warden of New Colledge from Walter
and the same Goat under the Succession of this variety of Horns 11. And yet there is still greater evidence of this truth from Ch. 7. 6. After which I beheld and lo another like a Leopard which had upon the back of it four Wings of a fowl the beast had also four Heads and Dominiâ—…n was given unto it That the four Heads of this Beast are the four Successours of Alexander * namely Perdicca Seleucus Ptolemaeus Meleager Grotius himself does frankly confess The Wings therefore denote the four Kingdomes Alexander's Empire was divided into after his decease which is still lookt upon as one Beast notwithstanding as the Roman is with its division into ten Kingdomes noted by ten Horns or into Oriental and Occidental figured by the two Wings of an Eagle Here Grotius if he would speak out would make Alexander the Beast as he has Domitian and others in the Apocalypse against all the Laws of Prophetick Interpretation nay indeed against all rhyme and reason For he glosses thus Pardus variâ—…m Animal â—…ic Alexander moribus variis But how grosly incongruous it is let any one consider For then would Alexander be inferiour to his four chief Officers and they would be the Head of him which is a Political Absurdity nay the Head of him when he ceased to be which is an Absurdity Metaphysical Wherefore Alexaâ—…der is the first Head or great Horn of this Beast not the Body of it that he may be superiour to his four grand Officers and not be the Beast to bear these â—…our Horns or Heads when he had quite ceased to be on this stage of things For these were not Heads nor Horns before he wâ—…s dead Alexander therefore is the first of the Succession of the Heads or Horns of this Beast not the Beast it self But to come up closer to our business I say it is very manifest from thesâ—…â—…our Heads and four Wings that this Leopard is said to have that the Third Kingdome takes into it the four first Successours of Alexander Nothing can be more plain than this from the very Text. For the Leopard is described in the third place and immediately after him the Fourth Beast is mentioned and called the Fourth v. 7. Wherefore this four-headed Leopard is plainly the Third Beast But now that the Succession of these four Heads even to Antiochus Epiphanes is the Succession of one and the same Kingdome is plain from Ch. 8. 22. Now that being broken namely the great Horn whereas Four stood up for it Four Kingdomes shall stand up out of the Nation but not in his power And in the latter time of their Kingdome the Original has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Seventy render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the very same with our English and there is no doubt of the Translation a King of fierce countenance shall stand up Which Grotius and every one acknowledges to be Antiochus Epiphanes Whence it is evident that the whole Succession of Alexander's Captains from the first four inclusively even to Antiochus his time is one Succession and one Kingdome For he calls the times of Antiochus the last times of their Kingdome Wherefore it is plain seeing that the Kingdome of Alexander is one and the same with the Kingdome of the four Captains for that is the Third Kingdome and the Kingdome of the four Captains the same with their Succession even to Antiochus his time that the whole Succession from Alexander to Antiochus is one Succession and one Kingdome If this be not demonstratively true there is no demonstration in Mathematicks But if this be true the Kingdome of the Lagidae and Seleucidae are not the Fourth Kingdome but the Kingdome of the Râ—…mans according as all sober men have hitherto held 12. Which we being so firmly assured of we shall easily know where to seek for this little Horn that is said to change times and laws For where can we find it but amongst those many Horns in the Roman Kingdome or Empire not in the Greek to which Antiochus Epiphanes appertains And we have already plainly shewn * that the Apocalyptick Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns is this Roman Kingdome and that this Beast once healed or in such a condition that it may be said of him that he is the Beast that was and is not and yet is which is when he is become Pagano Christian is this Empire actually divided into ten Kingdomes and that together with this Division the Empire began to relapse gradually into Idolatry by the Agency and Guidance of the Two-horned Beast or the Whore whom I havâ—… also shewed to be Synchronal to the healed Beast or the Beast that was and is not and yet is 13. But the Beast restored or healed his duration is 42 months which is 1260 days or a Time and Times and half a Time For the abode of the Woman in the Wilderness is indifferently expressed by either of these latter and the first and the second are joyned together in the Vision of the Outward Court and the Two Witnesses Wherefore 42 months and a Time and Times and half a Time being the same with 1260 days they are the same one with another But this little Horn in Daniel we speak of his Reign is also set out by a Time and Times and half a Time Therefore it is of the same duration with the Whore or Two-horned Beast which is Synchronal to the Beast restored whose continuance is 42. months Wherefore it is a strong suspicion that there is a Coincidence at least of time if not of affairs or complication of natures if not Identity of some betwixt this little Horn in Daniel and those three Synchronals the restored Beast the Whore and the Two-horned Beast For that expression Dan. 7. 24. And another shall rise after them does not at all hinder since the Seventy translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them * it signifying order of situation as well as of time And this being placed behind is the most convenient posture for such an exploit as is attributed to this Horn which is said to throw down or humble three Kings which is more by treachery and craft than open force 14. Now from this equality of time it will also follow * that the duration of this little Horn is 1260 years by the last Confectary of our joynt Exposition Which again shews how impossible it is this Horn should be Antiochus Epiphanes To which you may add that it is said to be different from the rest of the Horns in the explication of them * And the ten Horns out of this Kingdome that is the Roman Kingdome as has been demonstrated are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall rise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them and he shall be diverse from the rest and he shall subdue three Kings Now I demand what one of the ten Kings or Kingdomes is so different from all the rest unless it be an Ecclesiastical Kingdome Wherefore
obscuring than to the clearing of the judgment of the Reader And so make him less capable of assenting to what Grotius had set down for Truth Which reason does not at all reach our case which I conceive to be quite contrary Forasmuch as those parties I so often quote most of them above named if not all besides Mr. Mede being of a different persuasion from my self in other things of no small moment as certainly the two Iesuits are Cornelius à Lapide and Gaspar Sanctius to say nothing of Calvin and Grotius it is the greater argument to the Reader that those things are the plainer wherein both they and I agree and the more assuredly true And as for Mr. Mede he is such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a modest and unexceptionable writer and so usually successfull in what he attempts that no mans judgment can be muddied or made less capable of receiving truth by its being recommended to him by his suffrage And thus much briefly touching the manner of my Performance of this present task But now for the Performance itself I hope it will recommend itself to the Reader upon this twofold account namely of the Utility if not necessity of perusing such discourses and also of the Pleasure thereof He that giveth his mind to the law of the most High and is occupied in the meditation thereof will seek out the wisedome of all the Ancient and be occupied in Prophecies saith Siracides He will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be very busy and diligent in searching out the true meaning of the Holy Prophecies in Scripture In which inquiry therefore a plain faithfull and impartial Exposition from an hand that has no design but the discovering the Truth must be very usefull and helpfull to as many as have the fear of God before their eyes and any regard to his law And certainly both particular persons and whole Nations miscarry many times from their ignorance of or non-attendance to the voices and predictions of the inspired men of God that they will not take notice of the works of Gods hand and of his dealings with the sons of men but think all things are hurried on in a blind carreer by chance because they do not attend to what God has foretold his Church by the mouth of his holy Prophets nor will take the pains to compare the predictions with the Events But that wofull denunciation in the Psalmist is against such Psalm 28. 6. Because they regard not in their mind the works of the Lord noâ—… the operation of his hands therefore he shall break them down and not build them up So that we see a kind of Necessity incumbent upon us to study the Prophecies of the Holy Scripture and to endeavour after the attainment of the right sense of them and more especially of Daniel and the Apocalypse the Prophecies there so assuredly reaching into our Times and so 〈◊〉 setting out the State of the Christian Church both of her Apostasie into a Pagan-like Idolatry and of her emerging out of it And so faithfully also forewarning the true Church what barbarous persecutions they should undergoe under the tyranny of Antichrist accordingly as it is come to pass and is copiously recorded in the Histories of Christendome to the eternal shame and ignominy of that Woman of Idolatry and Bloud the Lady of the seven-hilled City of Rome I do not deny but there may be several besides those of the profane rabble that would willingly excuse themselves from the duty of diligently studying these Prophecies of the Apocalypse and Daniel and that out of a demure shall I call it or hypocritical modesty as if these things were so profound and sacred so abstruse and mysterious as that they poor humble souls durst not presume to come near them but were as afraid of these two Prophets Daniel and St. John as the Gadarens were of that great Prophet our Blessed Saviour after he had dispossessed the two Demoniacks and brought them to their sober senses but permitted the Devils and the swine fit companions to run headlong together into the Sea The presence of the hoggs they could bear and of the Devils they could bear but the singular sanctity of our Saviours person was so unsuitable to their coarse and unsanctified nature that out of consciousness thereof they desired him fairly to depart out of their coasts And it were worth the while for them that have so slight a conceit or great abhorrence from conversing with John and Daniel to search into the condition of their own souls whether their unholy and insincere nature makes not the converse with these two holy Prophets so irksome and burdensome to them O ye Hypocrites saith our Saviour to the Pharisees ye can discern the face of the Skie but can ye not discern the signs of the Times and thence gather that your expected Messias or Christ is come by the predictions of the Prophets and by his life and miracles done by him both the time of his coming and characters of his person and actions being so lively described in the Prophetick writings And is not the like rebuke due to all the Pharisees of Christendome that pretend they have convincing marks signs or arguments to conclude things far more hard and difficult and yet cannot discern from the plain presigurations in the Prophecies of John and Daniel that set out so punctually the coming of Antichrist both his time and place the Pagan-like Superstitions he would bring into the Church and gross Idolatries and thereupon most bloudy and barbarous persecutions and yet I say cannot thence discern the signs of the times but as the Pharisees before them did oversee the present true Christ so they the present true Antichrist and as the Jews a Christ so they forsooth expect an Antichrist to come I say therefore it is the Hypocrisie and wickedness of their own hearts that makes men so shy and squeamish of professing themselves able to understand the Prophecies of John and Daniel It is over sublime cry they and over Divine for us a thing of miracle and inspiration I grant the Prophecies themselves are so And for that very reason these men are so shie to have their judgments determined by them they harbouring other crotchets in their carnal minds more sutable to the spirit of this world and sentiments of the Flesh and so seem to shuffle with God Almighty and their own consciences as Ahaz did of old Isai. Ch. 7. to whom when the Lord had spoken saying Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God ask it either in the depth or in the height above Ahaz presently returns this cunning hypocritical answer I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord. What palpable Hypocrisie is this as if it were tempting the Lord to do as he commanded him But he was tampering with the King of Assyria and his head was full of worldly policies in which he had a greater trust than in the
salute not the cloven toe but the hairy backside of the black Goat in a Nocturnal conventicle of Witches The Consciousness of which baseness and impiety of spirit to him that has any sense of Religion left in him one would think should be more affrightful to him than the menaces of the most cruel Tyrant or the very flames of Hell Wherefore there being so strong an Effort and tugg to debauch a Nation on this manner how can it be unseasonable by all honest means to endeavour to keep them sound that God be not dishonoured nor Religion slurred before the eyes of this Atheistical world by so foul an Apostasie Nor is there any thing of Immoderateness or Extravagancy in this my zeal for so good a cause For I herein offend neither the Law of God nor man And I doe but that duty I owe to my Prince Church and Country in defending the established Religion of the Land against all Opposers or Vnderminers of it and being what I defend is true I have the Apostles warrant if not command to be zealous in it who tells us It is good to be zealously affected always in a good matter It is not onely asserted by our Church but it is irrefutably proved by able writers of our Church that the Church of Rome is Idolatrous And the most horrid murders they have committed upon innocent souls hundred thousands of them because they would not commit Idolatry with their Church all Histories ring thereof Wherefore our Church in her Homilies does not stick to intimate this bloudy Idolatrous Church to be that Harlot in the Apocalypse upon the Seven Hills as also that the Pope of Rome is the Antichrist And Bishop Jewel in his Volume against Harding appointed by authority to be in every Church expounds the Man of sin 2 Thess. 2. whom all the Ancients understood of Antichrist of the Bishop of Rome making the Antichrist predicted there to be the Pope And indeed what Protestant writer before Grotius ever expounded that Prophecy of any other than the Pope But how absurd and ridiculous Grotius his Interpretation is I have abundantly shewn in my Synopsis Prophetica Now what extravagance is it in me who further confirm what our Church holds to say nothing of other Churches by a more perfect and accurate account of the Prophecies of St. John and Daniel Wherein I shew all those Prophecies that the Ancient Fathers interpreted of the times of Antichrist himself necessarily to belong to the Papal Hierarchy And for Antiochus Epiphanes whom they lookt upon as a Type of Antichrist I have further shewed how lively a Type he also is of the Pope So fitly do things agree and cohere all along in every place And verily I am so well assured of the truth of the Expositions I have exhibited of Daniel and St. John those parts especially that appertain to the deciding of those grand Controversies betwixt the Church of Rome and the Protestant Churches viz. whether that Church be Idolatrous and the Pope Antichrist that I dare in an humble confidence spread them in the sight of Heaven before God and his Holy Angels and the Blessed Spirits of the Saints departed and particularly St. John and Daniel the two inspired Pen-men of those Divine Visions which the special Providence of God has left to the comfort and direction of his Church and appeal unto them whether the Expositions be not true Not that I expect any miraculous voice from Heaven in attestation to the truth of the said Expositions but to signify thus to all the world with what sincerity and assurance I have written them Which I would have chiefly understood of the abovesaid Controversies and of my Applications of things past But as for what is to come that of the Poet may here take place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is the best Hariolus that guesses well so he the best Interpreter of Divine Prophecies that gives a rational account whatever the Event may prove touching such passages of them as concern things yet future Which I speak in reference to my Expounding Dan. Ch. II. vers 45. of the taking of Rome by the Turk which I heartily wish the Papal Hierarchy may prevent by a timely repentance of their Idolatry and bloud But the like fears and jealousies of holy men in former time touching the Turks over-running the West for their Idolatry are expressed in our Churches Homily upon that subject to which I refer the Reader But as for the truth of my Expositions which reach the main points whether the Church of Rome be not that Babylon the great the mother of Harlots with the golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of Fornication the woman on the Seven Hills that is drunk with the bloud of the Saints and the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus and whether the Pope be not the Antichrist and the Papal Hierarchy understood in all those Prophecies in John and Daniel which the Ancient Fathers and Primitive Writers understood of Antichrist whence it is manifest that the Pope with his Hierarchy is he these things I profess are as clear to me as any point in all Theology and Philosophy Geometry itself being not excepted But as for those that answer this our well-grounded confidence of the truth of our Expositions instead of endeavouring a solid confutation of them which they are conscious to themselves they can never perform and therefore have discreetly declined the taking notice of my Joynt-Exposition of the seventeenth and thirteenth Chapters of the Apocalypse in my Synopsis Prophetica published at least fifteen years agoe which alone would make good the conclusions aimed at of the Antichristianity and Idolatry of the Church of Rome for those I say which answer this well grounded confidence of mine with mocks and mowes with distorted drollery and course buffoonry I have no other Reply to give to them but that I heartily pity them and that I humbly conceive if there were any remainders of a mans heart left in them they would pity themselves could they but once consider what a few hairs breadths their souls are elevated above those of Monkeys or Baboons and would sadly sit down on their breech with their arms or rather forelegs if you will across and sigh deeply to the Maker and Former of all things that he would vouchsafe to transform them into the shape and state of men And I in the mean time it being something doubtfull how much the braying of their brutish nature may prevail shall desire all good people to pray for them But for those to whom is given a more sober and understanding heart and capable of the mysteries of God I hope by perusing the Expositions which I have written upon the Prophet Daniel and the Apocalypse they will not stick to acknowledge with our own Church and other Reformed Churches that the Popedome is the Kingdome of Antichrist and the Roman Church most foully and
For as the Stone was cut out without hands so it will be carried without hands to smite the Image on the Feet namely by the power and conduct of the Spirit of Christ who will then open a door of success that no man shall be able to shut as it is said to the Church of Philadelphia considering I say that Omnipotency it self is the Spring of this motion and that it does not depend on the humours and purposes of men I can of a truth declare unto the King that The Great God hath made known to the King what shall come to pass hereafter or after this namely after the demolition of all these Four Empires the Vision reaching to the end of the World which that expected glorious State of the true Church will precede when the Kingdom of the Stone cut out of the Mountain that is out of the Roman Empire shall it self become the Kingdom of the Mountain and fill the whole Earth that is when that State of the glorious and pure Church shall spread over all And the Dream is certain and the Interpretation thereof sure and more particularly touching that excellent State of the Church concerning which it is said Apoc. 21. 5. And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new And he saith unto me Write For these words are true and faithfull And he said unto me It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End The Dream that he has interpreted is certain especially the most concerning part thereof the Glory and Prosperity of the true Church of Christ it being to be atchieved by the irresistible power of the Lord Jesus NOTES upon VISION I. Ver. 43. * Alliance by Marriages whereby one Kingdom c. That this is not the sense of the place viz. The Marriages of those of great rank in these Principalities mutually with one another thereby to bind these distinct Kingdoms in peace and amity besides the reasons alledged in my Exposition this may be one also that the words which seem to import it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a very improper word to signifie that Noble Princely Royal sort of Men or Women who matching with one another of several Kingdoms might tie those Kingdoms in the bonds of unity and friendship It would then have been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall mingle themselves with the seed of Nobles or Men of great power and interest or at least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the seed of Men in a common or indifferent sense But here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the seed of mean abject weak despised Men such at least in appearance as Cornelius à Lapide very well Comments upon those words Dan. 7. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est saith he alluding to the Roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi filius hominis miseri aerumnosi mox morituri obliviosi oblivioni tradendi haec enim omnia significat Enos from the Two Roots above named the one whereof signifies to be sickly the other to be oblivioâ—…s Whence he makes Enos which is the same with the Chaldee Ansa to denote a wretched weakly sickly contemptible Wight and at least seemingly dull and oblivious and whose Name is quickly to be drowned in oblivion Which certainly is a very unmeet Character for the Princes and Great ones of Kingdoms But may very well decipher those of the Papal Seminaries Covents or Monasteries those Monks and Fries mob'd in their Cools and long Coats and making a shew of great mortification and despicableness as if they were altogether dead to the world and the vigour of nature were quite extinct in them they pretending to nothing but holiness and interest of Holy Church whether in these mob'd habits or got into a more brisk dress to carry on affairs in the behalf of the Papal Dominion either in their own Country or other Nations The very propriety of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say intimates that this mingling with the seed of Men does not signifie matches of Great persons of several Kingdoms and that therefore it will naturally point to that sense I have pitch'd upon in my Exposition And how hugely applicable this is to History see that Excellent English Gentleman Sir Edwin Sandys his Speculum Europae Which shews what fast hold the Pope takes on the Secular party by the activity and fedulity of the Monks and Friers and other Emissaries that are sent out of their Seminaries for the purpose For the Religion that is taught in those Seminaries being framed more for the Power of the Pope and worldly interest of Holy Church than for safe guidance to the Eternal salvation of Souls those that come out of these Seminaries to instruct the people do reaâ—…ly the work of the Papacy that is bind the Laick party to obedience to the Pope and so make the Iron stick to the Clay VISION II. The Vision of the Four Beasts rising out of the Sea whereby the Four above-named Empires are prefigured Dan. 7. AS by the Statue consisting of Four Metals those Four Empires the Babyloâ—…ian Medo-Persian Greek and Roman from their beginning to their ending were represented so they are here in the very same extent of time notwithstanding this Vision was seen towards the end of the first of these Empires namely the Babylonian Which manner of representing in Prophetical Type part of time past in a Set of Visions is made use of also in the Apocalypse the greatest part of the time of the first of the Six Visions in the First Six Seals being expir'd when S. Iohn saw them And there is the same reason of the Set of Visions of the seven Churches which begin as that of the Seals from the first Epocha of Christianity as does also the Vision of the measuring the Inner and Outer Court and the Woman clothed with the Sun with Twelve Stars upon her head c. There was about Sixty years from the Epocha of S. Iohn's Visions to the time he saw them and less from the beginning of the Babylonian Empire till Daniel's seeing of this Vision of the Four Beasts So that this is no obstacle but that the Babylonian Empire may be here represented from its beginning though Daniel saw this Vision toward the end thereof But because that in a Set of Prophetical Visions a little snip of time in comparison of what the whole Set of Visions takes in may be set out by some inconsiderable part of that Set of Visions to take the liberty of interpreting a whole Set of Visions viz. all the Six Seals nay Two whole Sets of Visions succeeding one another viz. all the Six Trumpets succeeding the Six Seals of things past when S. Iohn saw those Visions as Grotius does is so wild and extravagant that it may well astonish any sober man
Intervals of the Church of Pergamus and of Thyatira must come after Ephesus and Smyrna because till the expiration of those two Intervals Idolatry had not again reentred the Apostatizing Church And the three following intervals of Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea are the Intervals of the true Church elapsed out of the hands of domineering Idolatry and therefore we hear no more in them of things sacrificed unto Idols nor of any Iezahel And Philadelphia which is the most holy and the most glorious Interval of the Church that is to appear on the face of the Earth is not to be named accoâ—…ding to her Dignity but according to her Succeâ—â—ion in time toward the latter end of the World as she is here ranged But of this more than enough because we had touched of it in the general before 5. Tenthly Why is Christ in his Description before the Epistle to the Church in Pergamus set out by a two edged Sword coming suppose out of his mouth according to the Ellipticalness of the Apocalyptick style what reason in the Letter can be given of that for especially if this Supplement be made it cannot respect the slaying of Antipas with the sword What peculiar thing then in this Church of Pergamus is there to require this Description Truly nothing at all appears in the Letter but in the Prophetical sense it is very proper The Waldenses and Albigenses in this Interval assaulting the Church of Rome or at least defending themselves and their pure Faith so signally by this Weapon I mean by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God though themselves died so many thousands of them in the field by the sword for the Faith they thus defended And in the Eleventh place The description of Christ before the Epistle to the Church in Thyatira And his Feet like fine Brass as if they burned in a Furnace for that Supplement is to be understood out of his Description in the first Chapter as before But now what peculiar significancy has this description or what congruity to any thing in the Church of Thyatira Literally understood surely none But in the Prophetical sense it is very expressive of those lower members of Christ's Body his Church here on Earth of their invincible Zeal and Patience and Sincerity of Affection such as did abide the most fiery Tryals that could be put upon them and made them stand at the Stake amongst burning Faggots with the Flames about their ears and never flinch for it As has been noted in the Interpretation of that Epistle This was the state of that Interval of the Church Twelfthly In a Book that is so full of Aenigmatical Involutions and coverings upon coverings where he calls the Churches Golden Candlesticks and the Bishops or Pastours Stars and Angels even then when he interprets and offers to be more plain that the same Authour should so openly and plainly mention any one by name as he does the Martyr Antipas if there were not some farther Mystery in it would be a great Difficulty and hardly to be digested by the more sagacious and curious I must confess I have often wondred at this naming Antipas by name till I understood a further sense thereof such as we have rendred in the Exposition of that Epistle 6. In the thirteenth place One might well demand why Christ expresses a greater disgust against the Church of Laodicea than that of Sardis For though the former is said to be luke-warm yet the other making a great shew of life is notwithstanding declared to be dead That Christ should be more inraged against Luke-warmness than Hypocrisie and threaten it more deeply than the other I will spew thee out of my mouth which is quite to cast a thing away never to be resumed again must seem marvellous to the onsiderate Certainly if there were not some greater matter in it the Spirit of Christ would not speak so severely onely to follow a Metaphor But in the Prophetical sense the solution is easy that passage being predictive of the Extermination of the Church from the face of the earth at the close of the world as I have expounded it In the fourteenth place it may be demanded why so affectedly and repeatedly in every Epistle that Phrase is used I know thy works without any variation or omission Which seems a thing but of-small importance in the Literal sense of these Epistles but in the Prophetical it seems on purpose so repeated to intimate an Allusion in Asia to the Hebrew word * as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was intended on purpose to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * that Asia may also be significant as well as the names of the Seven Churches which they all being it is a shrewd presumption this repetition was for some such design as has been declared Whereas the Literal sense can give no account thereof Fifteenthly Alcazar himself is much stumbled that the Spirit of God should be thought to take notice of any one particular Woman in the Church of Thyatira and so call her by the name of Iezabel as is ordinarily supposed And indeed these things are too little for the Majesty of this Writing of the Apocalypse But how can we help it in the Literal sense if we will interpret with constancy and coherency But in the Prophetical sense there is no such incongruity The Object is worth the Spirits taking notice of in this kind this Iezabel being that painted Woman of Rome intoxicating the Kings of the Earth with the Cup of her Spiritual Fornications as has been shewn upon the Text. 7. Sixteenthly It seems very strange that that Promise of ruling over the Nations and receiving the Morning Star which doubtless are Political Promises should be made to the Church in Thyatira more than to that in Pergamus or Ephesus and others What Victories or Dominion did the Church in Thyatira in Asia get over the Nations more than other Churches This is an hard knot in the Literal sense But in the Prophetical it is loosened at the first sight For the Closure of the Interval of the Church of Thyatira brings in the time wherein whole Nations revolted from the Pope and his Idolatrous Church and professed the Reformed Religion and so in these parts got the Pontifician party under them Seventeenthly In the Epistle to the Church in Philadelphia there is mention made of a mighty Temptation that is to come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth touching which he saith Behold I come quickly Why should this be said to the Church of Philadelphia more than to any other of the Churches here specified There are not the least footsteps of reason to be found in the Literal sense But in the Prophetical sense the thing is plain For the Interval of Philadelphia beginning in the last Vial wherein that mighty and terrible Earthquake is to happen the great Temptation what it is is plainly thence understood and how in