adeo vix aliquam esse super quo non coelestis ille penetrasset Ignis quem Christus in terra accensurus advenit p. 730. To his own that golden Promise belongs The Lord will dry up Euphrates to make a way for his scattered ones Some think it concerns the Return of the Jews miraculously as once through the Red Sea Rogers's Naam p. 228. Sed Quorsum haec What Concernment hath America in these Things America is not any part of the Apocalyptical Stage The Promise of preaching the Gospel to the whole World is to be understood of the Roman Empire only according to the extent of it in John's time As it is said Augustus made a decree that all the world should be taxed The Roman Empire contained about a third part of the Old World and this Triental only was to be concernd with the Apocalypse The Prophesies of the Revelation extend but to such Kingdoms or Monarchies of the World where the Church in all Ages still was therefore not to the West-Indians nor Partarians nor Chineses nor East-Indians But what shall we say if the Stone which these Builders have refused should be made the Head of the Corner Lo we heard of it at Ephratah we found it in the fields of the wood Or if it be not made a Corner-stone that it should be quite thrown by and not be at all laid in the Building is more than can be proved from the Scriptures I suppose there is nec vola nec vestigium of any such thing to be found there Who art thou that judgest another Mans Servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth Yea he shall be holden up for GOD is able to make him stand may be applicable here There is a vast odds between historical and prophetical Scriptures as to the manner of their declaration Augustus taxed as much of the World as he could taxed all his world Why may not Jesus in like manner give Law to all His World without asking Caesars leave To tedder the Scriptures and tie them to the Herculean Pillars takes off all the Lustre of the Spanish Motto PLUS ULTRA and makes the Glory of it to dwindle away to very nothing But the Word of God is not bound To go about to do it is I fear to limit the Holy One of Israel and injuriously to spoil the Church of that Doxology In God will I praise the Word in the Lord will I praise the Word I have seen an and of all perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad It was so in David's time but now tho the Scripture Canon be compleat it is so â—ar shrunk as to extend but to about a Quarter of the Old World For they who have no share in the Revelation t is hard to think how they will be able to make out a good Title to any portion of Scripture this being the last and most comprehensive of all And what a Rack of Romanizáng endless incurable Torture must this needs fasten serious Christians upon Whenas after diligence to acquaint themselves with the Scriptures and to obtain the Favour of God in the ways there marked out still all is bootless except they can prove themselves to dwell within the bounds of the Roman Empire Which as to multitudes is a doubt that all the Learning in Europe is not sufficient to resolve And what shall become of Scotland Ireland Denmark Sweden Poland Bohemia Moscovia Buchâ—â—â— Brerewâ—â—d much of Germany and a great deal more of Europe beside According to this Reckoning these Nations must be Extra Ecclesiam because they are Extra Imperium As also by far the greatest part of Asia and Africa and all America The first and most so far as I know that hath given countenance to this Bill of Exclusion is the Conjecture of the Learned and Pious Mr. Mede And therefore it may not be amiss to take a View of that Chapter entituled DE GOGO MAGOGO in Apocalypsi Conjectura lib. 3. p. 713. Altho the Author be incomparably more than my Match yet the Honour of being a Retainer to my Noble Lord Say Love to my Country and the Advantage as I apprehend on my side do prompt me to the Undertaking Dr. Twisse in a Letter to Mr. Jeseph Mede dated Ap. 6. 1635. mentions his having written to my Lord Say touching his Counsels for advancing the Plantations of the West and telling him that his Lordship little thought that they tended to promote the Kingdom of Gog and Magog My Lord in his Answer to the Doctor gave a touch only thereupon which was this That surely the Americans were not Gog and Magog The Dr. writ more largely of this Subject in his next Letter Upon this his Lordship wrote a large Letter Opposing the Conceipt of Gog and Magog tho the Millennium of Christ's Kingdom were granted yet not a little against that also Epist 50. p. 993. Had this Letter of the L. Say been in print probably there had been nothing left unanswered or at least there had been a trodden Path whereas now I must beat out my way as well as I can Conjectura Thus I have told you out my fancy of the Inhabitants of that World which tho it be built upon mere Conjectures and Not upon firm grounds c. Epist. 43. p. 981. Let but those who quote Mr. Mede imitate his Modesty and as yet no great trouble occurs APocalypsis codex est fatorum ecclesiae Gentium non Judaeorum Habent enim Judaei de suo c. neque nostra ullateâ—â—s opus babent These Pronouns Meum and Tuum in a business of this nature I cannot away with This being one of the first Writts of Partition brought for dividing the Scriptures that I have taken notice of The Scriptures are an Estate holden in Joint Tenancy and none have any preferible Right in them From the Epistle Dedicatory Unto his Servants we must with Mr. Deâ—t conclude that the whole Doctrine of the Revelation appertaineth to the Universal Church of Christ throughout all the World in all Times and Ages p. 8. The Bodleian Library is not the Propriety of this or the other particular College or Hall much less of the happy Keeper of it but of the Renowned University of Oxford By which means the whole World is benefited by their Illuminations â—uard Batc vel p. 108. The Apocalypse is a most illustrious Epithalamium suited to the stately Magnificence of the Bridegroom and of the Bride Now the Jews upon their Return will eminently sustain that Character The New Jerusalem is that which the Old and New Testament do ring of This City of God is especially made up of Jews and from thence it hath its Name Goodwin Rev. p. 28. Therefore seeing the Parchments belong to those who have the Estate this Book must needs belong to the Jews because the glorious Things that are spoken of therein are eminently spoken of them Our LORD whose this Book is and his Servant John the writer
millions of their subjects unto whom both defensive offensive Iron was unknown which made the deadly impressions of their Enemies weapons and the inefficacy of their own surprising to amazement It is to be noted that the Pots wherein they boiled their fish and flesh c. were made of earth as also innumerable other vessels most were enjoind to use no other By this means the Potters trade was in principal demand among them which renders this Metaphor very agreeable In the computation of Time made by the Mexican Nation their greatest Period consisted of Fifty two Years which they call'd a VVheel Upon the last night of every Wheel they used to break all their Vessels and stuff and put out their fire saying that the World should end at the finishing of one of these Wheels and it might be at that time Upon this conceipt they passed the night in great fear and watched very carefully for the day But when they saw the day begin to break they presently beat many Drumms sounded Cornets Flutes and other Instruments of Joy saying that God did yet prolong the time with another Age. And then began another Wheel on the first day whereof they went to the high priest and took new fire and bought new Vessels Joseph Accsta lib. 6. cap. 2. When the Spaniards came they took these miserable Potters themselves and dash'd them in pieces one against another Holy Hilary in his Exposition of the second Psalm is exceedingly concernd lest there should be any imputation of Ingratitude to our LORD upon the account of his seising upon his Inheritance in such a manner as presently to break it in pieces with an iron Rod. But he quiets himself in this that it is in order to Restauration and Reformation Be wise now therefore O ye kings be instructed ye judges of the earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Kiss the Son c. They who will not take warning by Beishazzar and Motezuma and will not learn in all their Administrations to glorifie the God in whose hand their breath is and whose are all their ways they must expect to come to worse ends than they did Great Motezuma who laboured to be worshiped as a god No plebeian might look him in the face if he did he was punished with death He did never set his soot on the ground but was always carried on the shoulders of Noblemen and if he lighted they laid rich Tapestry whereon he might go When he made any Voyage he and the Noblemen went as it were in a Park compassed in for the nonce and the rest of the people went without the Park He never put on a Garment twice nor did eat or drink in one Vessel or Dish above once all must be new He used to be attended by Noblemen barefoot This Motezuma of whose bloody Pride and Luxury he knew no bounds was at last imprisoned in his own Palace by his unwelcom Guests was hated by his subjects covertly and basely slain so that t is yet controverted whether Spaniards or Indians were the authors of his death But howsoever Motezuma died miserably and paid his deserts to the just judgment of our Lord of heaven for his Pride and Tyranny His body falling into the Indians power they would make him no Obsequies of a King no not of an ordinary person but cast it away in great disdain and rage A servant of his having pity of this king's misery made a fire thereof put the ashes in a contemptible place Acosta lib. 7. cap. 22 26. Some judicious and learned Divines have conjectured that America is prophesied of in the thirty seventh of Ezekiel under the denomination of a Valley Certainly no part of the habitable World can shew more Bones or bones more dry than these vast Regions do Mr. Downam thinks that Mr. Eliot's taking his Text from thence when he first preached to the Indians has its weight His Appendix to the Letters from New-England is well worth the reading The Prophet is said to be carried out in the spirit and for ought I know he might be carried beyond the limits of the then known World Dan. 11.45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy Mountain yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him The complexion of this portion of Scripture is such as constrains me to imagin that the place designed by the Holy Spirit is no other than America Every word almost has an emphasis carrying in it to me the perswasion of this sence They who remove from one Land to another there to dwell that settlement of theirs is call'd a Plantation Especially when a Land before rude and unfurnish'd is by the New-comers replenished with usefull Arts Vegetables Animals Thus when in the year 1492. Christopher Columbus had opened the way the Spaniards planted themselves in the spatious Regions of America and too much planted Antichristianisme in the room of Heathenisme Tabernacles So called from the movableness of their condition and shortness of their continuance As Tents they were lately set up and notwithstanding all their Praemunitions so far as they are Antichristian they shall be taken down before it be long by the immovable Counsel and Providence of God Palace The Extent Riches and Pomp of the Mexican and Peruvian Empires are very great Bellarmin 〈◊〉 notis Ecclesi ad Notam Quartam ◠Nonam Insomuch that when the Church of Rome met with Losses in Europe they pleased themselves with their Gains in the new-New-World They glory in the many Churches they have planted there which are they say without all mixture of Hereticks If with Mr. Nicholas Fuller Miscel sacr lib. 5. cap. 18. we take this word to signifie Equile Regium Horse Guards It will still look upon America The Reputation the Spaniards Horses gave them did much contribute towards their prodigious Conquests And after above threescore dangerous battels Mexico was at last taken upon Hippolytus day August 13. 1521. Since which time Horses that were never seen there before are one of the four Fair Things of that Citie Between the Seas The middle Provinces of the New World governed by the Vice Roys of Mexico and Peru are known to lye between two of the most wide and famous Seas of the whole World The American Inhmus respecting its own narrowness and the bold approaches of the huge Ocean on either side does command the title of Nonsuch America it self and they who pass thether are so much concernd with the Sea that Peter Martyr stiled his History Decads of the Ocean And in the general History of Spain part of the King's Title is The Islands and firm Land of the Ocean Sea Grimeston p. 1234. in the glerious holy Mountain Ingenious Joseph Accsta lib. 3. cap. 19. speaking of New-Spain hath these words Which without douct is the best Province the Sun doth circle And Mr. Gage in his faithfull Relations cap. 12. p. 134 speaks of
His Will be done in Earth as seemeth best to his divine Majesty In the mean time let us for our parts WAIT upon his Graces Leisure and glorifie his holy Name and edifie one another with all Humility John Fox his Protestation Vol. 1. I was now about to have passed on to the Sixth Vial but am interrupted by some of my Friends who suppose that not one of the Vials is yet poured out To which Objection I have nothing more satisfactory to my self to say than what I writ in answer to Mr. Benjamin Eliot April 7. 1685. Some object that Revel 11.19 Rev. 15.5 intend the same Thing and the Witnesses are not yet risen and therefore there is no Vial as yet poured out Vide Med. lib. 3. cap. 6. P. 735. Answ See Med. Synchron 5. Sect 3 P. 534. The word Temple in both places signifies the Reformed Church fashioned according to the Commandment of Christ and his Apostles and separated from that sorry earthy heaven conformable to the inventive fancys of men But these two Scriptures have respect to very different Times and Conditions of this Church The Opening mentioned Rev. 15.5 precedes that mentioned Rev. 11.19 some hundreds of Years The Temple Rev. 15.5 is the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony Tabernacle intimating its ambulatory and movable condition taken down in one place and set up in another according to the holy wise and soveraign Pleasure and Providence of God And this may be spoken in contradissinction to the Temple Rev. 11.19 wherein God will settle his Abode Psal 46.4 Testimony The Sack-cloth Witnesses are the constituent parts of this Temple which for the first Ages of it was more closely shut and less visible and began now to be more open when the Commissioners of the Sack-cloth Testimony stood forth in order to the execution of their Charge On the other hand the Church Revel 11.19 is called the Temple of GOD intimating that God had a more visible avowed and immediat Hand in building this Temple As the New-Jerusalem is said to come down from God out of Heaven It may also imply the Excellency and Glory of this Church above the former Ostendit aper tum SPONS Patrocinium Brightmaâ— Cantic 6.2 fol. 105. And therefore God will avowedly and plainly Own this Church to be His by his Wonder-working Providence in the face of the whole World Whereas God did but privatly and partially favour the other And that many times Not to save them from death The Witnesses must be slain but to strengthen them and inable them to dye Triumphing As it fared with Christ their Head In this Divine Temple the Ark of the Covenant is Seen There 's another difference Mr. Mede conjectures it may be meant of Christ's Personal Appearance See lib. 5. cap. 11. P. 1114. However then it will satisfactorily and plainly appear to the Saints that God in Christ is a God Keeping Covenant a God of Truth Fullfilling every good Word He hath spoken concerning his Chosen and concerning his Enemies Then and not till then will it fully appear that God is a faithfull Keeper of that Covenant recorded Jerem. 31.31 and Heb. 8.8 The Israelites had indeed served Baal and not Jehovah Therefore it was fit that God should carry it towards them as Baal did to his prophets 1 Kings 18.26 29. But now God will of his bounteous Grace provide that there shall be no more National permanent Apostasie For the Confirmation of what has been said take a few words of my ever honoured Master the late Reverend Learned and Holy Mr. Thomas Parker in a Manuscript of his upon Isai 60. Nova Hierosolyma quae bic describitur est ipsa Philadelphiensis Ecclesia quoad antitypum inchoata a temporibus Wiâ—lefi ante cujus pedes adorabunt omnes ipsius inimici in compensationem Patientiae qua sustinuerat Opprobrium antegressum tempora Wiclesi et qua sustinuerat Opprobrium Persecutiones passim crumpentes in primordijs Regni Christi post Wiclephum restituti Haec etjam est ipsa Nova Hierosolyma quae describitar Apoc. 21. Comprehendit autem statum imperfectiorem inchoatum a temporibus Wiclefi et statum perfectiorem post finem annorum Antichristi et etjam Perfectum tandem introducendum in Gloria Caelesti Et paulo post Violentia in ea jam ex parte cessavit saltem imperfectius et Vicibus alternis sed tandeno perfecte cessabit c. Sol igitur illius nunquam occumbet quoniam bostes Lucem ejus nunquam extinguent licet ad tres dies dimidium Voti sui compotes futuri videantur Upon these grounds the forementioned Objection ceaseth to be cogent with me And I am so far from thinking that no Vial is yet poured forth that I am apt to conclude that no less than Five ANGELS have already poured out their Vials So many guesses have been made about the Subject of the Fourth Vial that if I do enter a claim for the Sun of Persecution I shall no more incur the danger of being extravagant than some that have gone before me Certainly that is the Sun that consolidates and cherishes the Antichristian State As for the Fifth Vial Bullinger Brightman Forbes Pareus Mede and Company Interpreters of the Revelation have poured that to purpose As also Dr. Whitaker The Author of the History of the Council of Trent Chamier Robert Parker Dr. Ames Dr. Owen cum multis Alijs And seeing the Tower of Babel hath no other foundation than the Uncertain Vanity of the Apostle Peter's having been at Rome Uldaricus Velenus did the Babylonians a singular displeasure in writing a Treatise to prove that He was never there Bellarmin de Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 1. The truth is except their Index expurgatorius be enlarged with many Clauses of Scripture the Probability lies on Velenus his side Ten to One. And Bellarmin's arguing from Peter's Tomb is unsound For it was customary at Rome to make Funeral Solemnitys and erect Monuments for persons dying abroad Alcyone resolved to pay that Respect to her husband Ceyx who was lost at Sea Ovid Metamor lib. 11. lib. 12. princip Si non Urna tamen junget nos Littera si non Ossibus Ossa meis at Nomen Nomine tangam How easy was it for the modern Romans to make use of this Custom when it might serve their turn Moreover if this Vial partly intends Impressions to be made upon the City of Rome it self yet we need not wait longer for them There was a jostling between Charles the Emperour and Clement the Bishop The Emperours Army in their march towards Naples wanting both Pay and Provisions Charles Duke of Bourbon was fain to calm them by promising the Liberty of furnishing themselves at Rome Upon the fifth of May 1527 They incamped in a meadow near the City From thence He sent a Trumpet to the Pope to demand passage for his Army through the City in his way to Naples The next morning May 6. at
of it were Jews and there have been of that Nation converted in all Ages who have kept Possession for the rest so that I cannot discern any incongruity in affirming that this Book belongs to them also and gives an Account of God's Providence toward them especially upon their Return Return Return O Shulamite Return Return But let us see what is laid in against their Claim Ambitu suo Gentes The Church consists not of Gentiles only The four Quarters of the World with all their Furniture make the Apocalyptical Stage and in every one of these are the dispersed Jew to be found Eodem ni fallor faciunt c. If there be not Room enough in Rev. 10.11 to entertain the Jews I cannot imagine any thing large enough to comprehend them Sed omnium maxime illud confirmat Parabolarum Symbolorumque propheticorum in hoc Libro indoles atque ingenium in quibus nempe passim observare licet Judaeos sive synagogam Israeliticam Personam Verae Christi Ecclesiae ex Gentibus surrogatae sustinere Gentes contra typum Idolatrarum ejusdemque Ecclesiae hostium c. Atqui in ea Prophetia ubi Gens Israelitica alienam personam sustinet ibi suam ipsius gestare nullo modo verisimile est quandoquidem illud fieri nequit quin totius Parabolae ratio conturbaretur c. It is indeed a sugular Honour to that Nation that sincere Christians such as with inviolable Chastity keep themselves to the Institutions of their LORD shoold be called Jews Rev. 2.9 But to take an occasion from thence to exclude all Jacob's Posterity from this Privilege is to argue perversely Our Saviour doth not deny Nathanael to be a Jew by pronouncing him an Israelite indeed The Revelation doth not so much regard what Nation a man is of but whether he be a follower of the LAMB or no. For he is not a Jew in this spiritual sence which is one outwardâ—â— only But he is a Jew which is one inwardly Rom. 2.9 In this glorious State of the Church which John introduceth the Jews must needs be very much concerned because Christs Receiving them again is a notable means reserved of God to revive and bring on the Spring of the Gentiles and to cause them to flourish as is herein described Rom. 11.15 And yet there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same LORD ever all is Rich unto all that call upon him Hinc adeo fit ut tantillum c. The Jews are not mentioned by the by only but directly and on purpose as in the beginning of the nineteenth chapter And that which is last accomplished is firstly and chiefly designed by the Efficient I will be their GOD and they shall be my People Is the most Great and Glorious and All that can be said Whatsoever else is spoken must be only in explanation of this or it will be perfectly blasphemous Nonsence Upon which consideration me thinks tantillum and Sponsa AGNI do not stand well together in the same chapter However we are beholden to this great and worthy Author for his concurrent Testimony that the Jews are the People intended in the sixteenth and nineteenth Chapters Pari ratione May it not with more or equal strength be argued New-Jerusalem is not the same with Jerusalem but as Jerusalem was to the westward of Babylon so New-Jerusalem must be to the westward of Rome to avoid disturbance in the Order of these Mysteries If we might be allowed to take Mr. Mede's words as they seem to sound at the first hearing they would signifie no less New-Jerusalem is not the whole Church but the Metropolis thereof and of the New World Epist. 20. p. 944. The thirty seventh of Ezekiel treateth of the Marriage of the LAMB Therefore it seemeth probable that the thirty eighth Chapter treateth of the same Gog and Magog that John doth the same Order being kept in both places If Ezekiel have some respect to former Enemies that doth not hinder but that this might be the ultimat and principal Aim of the Prophesie The Reverend Learned and Holy Mr. John Cotton had much of the meaning of this mysterious Book shewed him be Christ as a Blessing upon his much Prayer and Study in order to his Exposition of the same in his weekly Lecture at Boston in New England He hath written thus This Gog cannot be Gyges nor Antiochus Epiphanes This Gog in Ezekiel is the same with this Gog in the Text. For 1. Gog in Ezekiel is foretold when he shall come to be the same whom the Prophets of old spake of Ezek. 38.17 2. Gog in Ezekiel cometh after the Resurrection and Reunion of Judah and Israel Ezek. 37. throughout And upon his Destruction Ezekiel seeth a Vision of a glorious Church of the Jews Chapt. 40. to the end of the Book So doth this Gog arise up to fight against the Holy after the first Resurrection of the Churches of Jews and Gentiles And after his Destruction John seeth the New Jerusalem come down out of Heaven Chapt. 21. to the end of the Book When the Saints and Witnesses of Jesus Christ have enjoyed the Liberty Purity and Authority of Church Government for the space of a Thousand Years after the Destruction of Antichrist Satan will again find Liberty and Power to deceive the Nations Princes and People in great multitudes to war against the Church especially against Jerusalem V. 7 8 9. Taken out of a Manuscript of Mr Cotton's own Hand-writing p. 34 36. Mr. Greenhil upon Ezek. 38.5 6. p. 496. Observes From all quarters of the World there be Enemies ready to combine and act with Gog c. Those of the East comprehended under Persia those of the South intended under Ethiopia those of the West included in Lybia and those of the North contained under Gomer and the house of Togarmah were all at the beck of Gog to go against Jerusalem the Servants and Worship of God therein Ex quo autem hominum genere Hostis hic novissimus Ex gentibus in opposito nobis Hemisphaerio quas Deus Opt. Max. occulto suo judicio maximam partem nunquam sit Evangelij sui lumine perfusurus Moses Deut. 29.29 speaking for ought I know of the Unparalleld Providences awaiting the aboriginal Natives of America shuts up all with that solemn and silencing Axiom The Secret things belong unto the LORD our GOD. A man may know more by himself than all others can and yet he cannot lawfully account himself a Castaway much less may he denounce another man Reprobate and least of all a whole World of men except he shall suppose himself licenced to cast firebrands arrows and death and say Am not I in sport One of the chief Spices wherewith Historians have embalmed the Memory of Isabella Queen of Castile is that she did greatly love Learned men who were of good Conversation especially Prelats of an holy and religious Life preferring such Accordingly Twelve learned Clerks of good