1260 days Resp. 1. This of the 42 Moneths and 1260 days are spoken of in two Visions 2. These are of the same thing meant it is plain which is the one of Antichrist and her time of Tyranny the other of the Church and her time of suffering under this same Tyranny of Antichrist 3. This sweetly sets out the wisdom of God setting out one by the Moons Government the Governess of the night and sea on which she sits and rules and the other by the Sun the Governor of the day and Church in which he reigns Illust. That as the Israelites in the time of their persecution had light in their dwellings when their persecutors were under darkness 2. To shew That the worst of Saints estate was more comfortable then the best of the enemies Heb. 11. 25. God would ever keep and teach us to keep a difference between the godly and ungodly in this as in the other divisions made of God betwixt them set down in the Scriptures as Israel had the bright side the Egyptians the dark side of the Cloud toward them Mr. Fox Constat enim sub Nerone Domitiano Trajano Severo Commodo Decio Dioclesiano Imperium draconis longe supra triennium constitisse Wherefore he takes the second greater number from the Baptist to Constantine Quae persequutionum tempora si certè ex Historiis supputentur us vnictum Satanam sub Constantino effluxerunt menses 42 Anni 294. But the way of making up this account I suppose is very unwarrantable Vt Daniel enumerat suas Hebdomadas itidem nos singulos menses in Septenarium annorum numerum deducamus à primo enim persecutionis initio hoc est decollationis Johannis Baptistae ad pacem ecclesiae sub Constantino restitutam Anni 294. 1. These things square not they must with this Exposition bring in the times of Persecution before the beginning of the Prophesie 2. Nor was this the beginning of Persecution The beginning of the Persecution I suppose rather to have been in Herods murthering the thousands of Infants of Bethlehem and the driving of Christ into Egypt which was many years before 3. There is an express direction for that way of account to Daniels Prophesie but none to this 4. I suppose there is no way justly to account these moneths by but these two 1. By the years they make which is three years and an half 2. By reducing them to days which are 1260. Now Mr. Fox saith That the Churches persecution must be more then three years and an half and therefore not to be accounted by the years they make 2. The Reason why God accounts Antichrists time the persecutor by moneths and the Saints time the presecuted by days I have spoken of before Cooper Bishop of Galloway on the words saith The words are used of God as a Riddle in which he signifies a time unknown to us but certainly known to him For shall we think the Church will be forced to flee into the wilderness but three years and an half from Christs Resurrection to the end of the world Mr. Mead Apost. of last times saith The days of this hiding of the Church begun at the healing of the deadly wound the Beast received which was in the destruction of Rome by the Goths about 410. And if we consider That the Church was set up in the Heathen world after Christs death we have no cause to draw the beginning of the hiding of it from the beginning or any other part of time of his life but rather thus The Church is visible in the ten persecution the red or bloody Dragon the Emperors of Rome persecute it which were Antichrists Predecessors belonging all to the sixth Head of that seven headed beastly Monster who could not by all their open killing courses destroy the Christian Profession though many thousands were ofttimes slain in a day but when that the seventh Antichristian Head came up who was worse then all She hath the Spots of the Leopard the Feet of the Bear the Mouth of the Lyon the Power and Authority of the Dragon and that all written in the Vision Cap. 13. from ver. 1. to the 10. appears because in this Vision the Horns have their Crowns on them which was onely permitted under the Reign of the seventh Head and not under the Reign of the sixth Revelations 12. 3. The Crowns are on his heads he permitted not Kingly power to any to Reign with him as the Pope unless to two or three onely extraordinarily as in Herod and Lucius When the severnth Head Reigns she by force 1. Persecuting the sincere truth as bloodily as the Heathen Dragon before her or worse and pulling down the building of Truth 2. Setting up a counterfeit way of her own carrying a false light with it by which she bewitched the Nations with her cup of abominations deceiving silly souls with the outward shews of Religion and Piety by which she overthrew more then by her cruelty and did more against the Church then by open rage of fire and faggot 3. By corrupting History by false Expositions of Scriptures by subtile distinctions by corrupt and false Traditions by abominable Blasphemy speaking against God his Tabernacle his Saints rendring them odious to the world a way too common in these days which came from Rome I wish some men in time to consider who is meant by the Accuser of the Brethren who are to be cast down without question it is not the Devil onely he was cast down a long time since they accuse them before God night and day their day who ever they are is near yea next and he or they must be cast down upon which followeth much joy in heaven among them that dwell therein for their fall See God gives them the Devils name that do the Devils work 4. As I suppose the truth appears plain That the first ten verses do appertain to the Reign of the last and seventh Head of beastly Antichrist and then it is more plain That the 42 moneths is the time of that Heads continuance and that the Churches hiding began in her time and ends with her ending 5. The persecution was grievous without question and tedious before the Church could be brought to such obscurity as appears in the Heathen Dragon who was made red with her blood and as ver. 4. With his tail he had cast down the third part of Stars to the earth 6. It was not given to the sixth Head but this seventh Head to overcome the Saints the other Head made War but could not overcome them this doth which it could not have done had it not been given him to do Rev. 13. 7. 7. If we make the hiding of the Church to be the time before Constantine then there was never a time in which it was visible Now if it were never visible how could it be said to be hid at all 8. It hath been the practice of the godly and learned to judge her visibility
THE CHURCHES GOING IN AND COMING OUT OF THE VVILDERNES OPENED By the unworthiest of the Gospel-Ministers JOHN BRAYN Cant. 6. 10. Who is she looketh forth as the Morn fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners Zech. 4. 7. Zorobabel shall bring forth the Head-stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace unto it 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world London Printed for George Whittington at the Blew-Anchor in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1649. TO my dear Uncle Mr. Thomas Churchey and his VVife Mrs Mary Churchey my Aunt of Wincaunton in Somerset GOd having taken in taking from you the daughter of your hopes the onely means of earth to have perpetuated your Memorial and to have kept your Name in life among the living when you had layen asleep among the dead In whose long and much deplored absence I think it my duty in what I may to contribute that means that may help to make sweet your Memory among the Saints as in another kinde is was the duty of the yonger to raise up seed to the elder Brother Which service I desire may be accepted of you both as done of him that while he lives shall gladly wait to do you any or all the service else he can and rest praising and praying to GOD daily for you That ye may be saved Your obliged Kinsman JOHN BRAYN To the Reader MY prayer to God for thee is That there may be given thee an honest and humble heart to read and understanding from the Lord to apprehend rightly what thou readest that thou be not left to scorn the Matter for the meanness of the dress it is set out in or the unworthiness worthiness of the Author whose aym herein is Gods glory and thy edification who desires thee to pass by the many infirmities thou mayest easily finde in the ensuing Treatise and it will be thankfully acknowledged by the Author to be a favor To an unworthy Gospel-Minister JOHN BRAYN Of the hiding the Church A Certain kinde of strangeness may seem to seize on men that read the prescribed Form of Church-Discipline contained in the two former Treatises that I have written thereof out of the Word as being new and unheard of and by that means cause many to reject it though indeed it be that which was first in the Church and long since turned out of doors by the Policy and Tyranny of Antichrist Now to the preventing of causless conjectures of novelty and the like in the hearts of men I have thought good to set forth the causes 1. Why it came to be hid 2. How it come to be hid 3. How long it was to be hid as foretold of God in the Scriptures which will serve much to take away those Objections which many make 1. About the hiding of the Church 2. About the strange and unheard of way this seems to be to the world and is no other thing then was foretold of God to be done by the world when it should be brought to light Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morn fair as the Moon clear as the Sun terrible as an Army with banners These things set out the degrees the Church was to come out by 1. As the morning out of the dark night having light and darkness mixt with it 2. It came out as the Moon having many spots in it subject to an encreasing and decreasing light or a night-light or rather a changing light not permanent 3. Is that of the Sun Lord of the day who by its light fully expels darkness and by his heat revives the pleasant plants of God from their seeming deadness their life lying hid in them 4. It s time of thus coming forth and way is terrible as an Army with banners indeed in a time of War 5. It s coming out is wondred at and enquired after with a Who is this a great enquiry is in the world after it as after an unknown and an unusual unheard of birth and so much the more wonderful because as another Sun it will appear to all the world by a glorious heavenly light The cause of this admiration is the long hiding of this Gospel-mercy from the world who as the Sun is carried from us as it were into another world that it shined not to us in the time of whose absence we are sate down in darkness which continueth so long that we know not the light when it comes forth but is wondred at and hated hence it must have an Army and be terrible to bring it forth Rev. 12. 6. 1. It is driven into the wilderness 2. It is hid and so hid as after from the face of the Dragon v. 14. as that the Dragon could not finde her nor make discovery of her 3. Ye have the time how long it is to be hid expressed of God v. 6. 1260 days which days being set down prophetically must be understood of so many years which are 1260 years 1. This agreeth with Antichrists time of Tyranny as in Cap. 13. 5. Antichrists time is forty two moneths which accounting thirty days for every moneth as in some places they do it makes just 1260 days prophetically years which clearly shews the time of the Churches hiding its obscure condition in which it should not be known to the world what her estate was which agrees with the time of Antichrists Reign It s hiding begins with the beginning of the time of Antichrists Reign and ends with the dissolution of him 2. We may collect the time we having set down in Scripture Antichrists end Rev. 13. 18. which is to be in the year 666. when Popes and Papacy have their final fatal and fearful end for as in v. 5. it is to continue no longer then the forty two moneths Obj. The number of the Beast 666 may be to be understood of the times of the beginning of Antichrist R. 1. The 666 so could not be the number of the Beast but of the time going before the Beast the number of years unto the Beast but not of the Beast which is the number in the Text spoken of 2. This number of the Beast must contain the beginning and the end of the Beast or that cannot be the number of him which is to be limited onely to his beginning and end 1. His number is much more then 666 being to be 1260 years and so that could not be its number possibly 2. It could not be much of the first 666 years because Antichrist could not be revealed in most of that time there was that did hinder which would hinder until taken out of the way 2 Thess. 2. 7. 3. If the year 666 were to be understood of the time Antichrists beginning was to be it were no such wisdom as the Text holds it out to be to account the number unless we
say Antichrist is yet not come but is to begin to be 1666 for 666 comes not to be accounted by any account of numeration again until the time in the account of timâ— from Christ to this day 4. As for Potters account drawn to prove the Antichrist of Rome from the square Root of the number 666 being 25 there may be something of God in it and the number drawn from Names by others from Irenaeus to this day men adding several significations and significators as their fancy lead them to to which I leave them and time to reveal the truth thereof Now that this may be more plain to us it is added by the holy Spirit in the Text that the number is the number of a man that is Numerus numerans then the time of the Beast is the numerus numeratus now in the number numbring it is of man 1. To shew That the number is ordinarily to be numbred as among men is used in their other ordinary accounts 2. To satisfie us and to take us off from any unusual kinde of casting up Antichrists accounts In that he saith {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he shews it was ordinary indeed with some but not with all men 4. John being himself a Jew borroweth this custom proper to the people to set out Antichrists number by which is to set down in their numbring of years the figures containing the lesser number but leaving out the Millenary number that so by this taking it from the custom of the Jews it may be hid from the Gentiles which kinde of computation is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the lesser computation among the Jews Now if you deduct out of 1666 the number of 1260 then the time of Antichrists rise and the Churches hiding must be in the year 406. 1. About which time the Goths invaded Italy and upon which the ten Kings signified by the ten Toes of Daniels Image arose out of the Roman Empire divided in the two Iron Thighs before of Constantinople and Rome by the Sons of Constantine after which Estate the Iron and Clay are mixed the Popes and Kings of the earth Reigh together Now the History and Mystery being compared together meeing in one agree as one in all things as in the same oneness of truth proves it sufficiently unto us to be of God 2. About this or not long before Hilary of Poictoyrs in France who lived about 380 saith The Church was not be found in his days in Houses in Temples and in Cities but in Prisons Mountains Dens Deserts and Caves of the earth But in the 26 years after there was a more exceeding encrease of darkness then in far more time before 3. To these times as to the Primitive and purest times have the learned had recourse to to Reform the Church by in our days and not to the times since 4. The differences amongst us about Church-Government in that they are in a maner undetermineable abundantly prove the hiding of it in the Word to us which should determine all and decide all Controversies for us 5. About that time or a little before though many did retain the truth of Doctrine yet had lost the truth of Discipline and few after the first 250 years wrote any thing of it in a maner Now as the Doctrine stayed last so it came by Luther first again and after by degrees to reveal the Discipline and it is my opinion That until 1666 the ful perfect discovery of Church-discipline wil not be so perfectly practised in the Church as shall be the time between this and that being to prepare for it And at that time there will all things that concern the Church Government be revealed and erected in the world amongst men though I conceive that according to Christs promise these now last and most cruel days of Antichrist for the Elects sake shall be shortned and that God before the end of this time may give us by some means a general knowledge of the Churches Form of Government though not so plainly and perfectly as in the time appointed 6. That the Church now hid shall then come forth is manifestly implyed in that God sets down the express number of the days it is to remain hid which God would not have limited it to if it had been his minde to have it hid for ever from the sons of men 7. The mighty opposition of the Spirits of godly men against all or any Government yet exercised carrieth much evidence with it That the Governments known are not of Divine Institution The Spirits of Gods people will be subject to Gods Government as the Apostle in another case 1 Cor. 14. 32. 8. When ever the whole Gospel platform of the Churches Discipline shall be set up man will not be necessitated to borrow pieces of Prudentials to patch it up Gods wisdom will sufficiently be revealed in the Word for the Government of his Church 1. Conclusion is not to cry down all those things which at present have with them the appearance of Novelty 2. Not to admire nor dote upon those things at present seem old a thing whereunto we see the world wonderfully carried after when indeed were things fully and plainly discovered to us new things would be old old things would be new which vanity John strikes at in his 1 Epist. Cap. 2. v. 7 8. by which means men can scarce be permitted to try things whether they are truth or no but cast them away as new though they were from the beginning And we our selves now and our fathers in King Edwards days heretofore have seen how hard old Heresies Superstitions Traditions and Popish Vanities are to be cast down and how hardly the Truth comes to be set up among a people and proves a people are not easily taken off from their old ways in Religion but as the Philistims would set up Dagon again and again after its fall The old as we account old is pleasing more to Nature then the new that of Popery was more Natural and corrupt then that of Episcopacy Episcopacy much more then that of Presbytery and that of Presbytery more then that of Independency which the world cannot bear how then the way of the Lord Jesus which will finde more opposition with the world then ever any Government yet found in all the world or its divine holy pure nature and power would not be made appear 3. The old will be a new Government when ever brought forth to light and the new old 4. Let us not be overstrict in suppressing all those Doctrines that suit not with our judgement or practice in Church-Discipline whereby we should keep the way of God which is hid to be hid for ever unto us Matth. 11. 25. God hides things from the wise and prudent and reveals them to babes he as a most free Agent makes known himself and mysteries to whom he please
and commonly to the most unlikely means that none may glory in man nor man in himself but all in God 1 Cor. 1. 20. 5. In the spirit of humility I beseech all publike persons to consider how sad a thing it would be if the time of the Churches Revelation being at hand any thing of Power or Authority should be made use of to keep it from us and from the world did not the Spirit of God stir up the Spirit of man within him for the love of Christ and the Gospel to undergo any thing what means may this be to bolt out the Kingdom of heaven from us and to shut it up from us for ever 6. Conclusion hence is that until the Kingdom estate be brought forth to the world the world will not see peace It is good for Magistrates and Ministers to help it forth but not to hinder it a woman in travel though her throws for a time cease yet they leave her not but come upon her until she be delivered of her childe the woman now travels in pain again to be delivered as heretofore Rev. 12. 2. Isa. 56. 8. Shall a Nation be born at once It is well observed of learned Broughton That while Solomons Temple lay waste all the world was in war and in flames of fire as it were but when it was restored God blessed all the world with a sweet peace which change of our estate observe it well will be in some kinde agreeable hereunto as all shall see who live to behold it Psal. 118. 22 25. when the stone shall become the head stone laid for the building God will send prosperity and not before A third general ground to prove the Churches not being yet come forth may be from Rev. 12. 7. There was war in heaven c. 1. The holy Spirit having ended with the Churches time in the wilderness comes to shew what should succeed it in her coming thence 2. In her beginning visibility there is a war between those are of her visible Members in this war many Ministers are cast down or Angels v. 8. Their place was found no more in heaven 3. Ver. 10. A voyce cryed saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ 1. Here is a clear difference made betwixt heaven before the war and the kingdom after the war 2. This diststinction is apparently clear in the Word now if now then not before being the most certain note and distinction of time 3. When this comes comes Salvation strength and the power of his Christ and not before shewing there would in this war be much weakness until then and then God would bless it with strength and power by which the Church should prove victorious in the world But of these things I forbear to speak more of but refer it unto the Exposition I have intended to write much more particularly and at large if the Lord give leave as these things come to be discussed of Obj. These are dubious Scriptures and therefore the proof cannot be sufficient and again many are the contrary Expositions made by the learned against this of yours which are rather to be assented unto c. 1. Friend the hiding and time of the hiding of Church must be hence or now here 2. The Scripture is dubious indeed before but plain in the fulfilling 3. The Scripture was given against doubts not to occasion them and to reveal beforehand the purposes of God to his Church near before the accomplishment whereof God usually reveals them by the Word and Spirit to some of the Church as in Huss Prediction of Luther Brightman of the fall of Episcopacy Now for the contrary Expositions made of some of the most eminent that I have read I shall in brief insert 1. Junius makes the 1260 days to be from the beginning of the rebellion to the end of the destruction and Temple which was done before John wrote his book of the Revelation who saith of the things in the book they are things shortly to come to pass so that I think it is clear he alludes to nothing past in this book 2. Others make this time agree with the wise mens coming to Christ and end with Herods death which is sufficiently answered in that made to the former 3. Opinion is That the 1260 days and the time times and half a time are one and the same being three years and a half Resp. 1. These are not the same they differ in maner of revelation as in the words themselves appear 2. They differ in time the one before the Churches coming forth the other after many things came to be done between as the War and fall of the Dragon the fall of the Angels the coming of Kingdom The one I think concerns the Jewish Church who is the woman brought forth the Male Childe the other the Gentiles The Jews shall have their place appointed them of God for safety their time times and half as the Gentiles their 1260 days whom infinite floods of persecution most certainly are to attend from all which God will most graciously save that people and joyn them to himself 1. This War is at the end of the 1260 days 2. At the end of the two Witnesses Prophesie when God will have the Church ministred unto in another way then before and all other ways of ministery before extant will cease and be put an end unto 3. The same hour is an earthquake a strange change of things In Church and state ver. 12. 1. If it be to come we are warned of it as of the saddest time the Saints yet saw which we shall instantly know 2. This sorrowful sad time ends in a heavenly happiness the time of suffering being to endure but three years and half 3. It occasions the greatest change of things that ever was occasioned on earth 4. Herein the deliverance will be so wonderful that the enemies will be affrighted at it and see God so in it as to glorifie God when that of Isa. 11. will be fulfilled God making the Lyon to lie down with the Lamb the Calf and the Bear together and shall not hurt nor destroy so that the Church will after this sad dying time see God honoring her again more then ever she was honored in this present world 1. Again to return to the former purpose this being one Vision the two numbers cannot be of the same time 2. It is not to be thought that this Book being so short and containing in it so much of History and Prophesie as concerns the Church to the end and Antichrist rise and fall withal that in that there is a repetition of one and the same thing in one and the same Vision Object You make the 42 Moneths Rev. 13. 5. and the 1260 days the same Rev. 12. 7. though these are set out by differing terms as the other of a time times and half a time differs in terms from the
to be before Constantine and not since approving the practice of the first and nearer times to the Apostles as most pure and the after times more corrupt Had not these first times the most famous Churches godly faithful Ministers precious Christians most sound and sincere Doctrine and the onely Gospel-Discipline which ever since hath been persecuted reviled corrupted blasphemed by that sinful Man of Sin Pareus saith It began to be hid 606 and then its hid estate ends and the Church comes forth in the year 1866. Moulin begins it Anno 755 then it ends 2035. Brightman begins it 426 then it ends 1686. who comes nearest to Antichrists end determined of God and the just computation of the time of the Churches obscurity which ends 1666. Now in that it was said Then to be hid there remains some thing to be done more remarkably eminent to the brining forch of the Church then as yet hath been manifested to the world is a thing I think not by any to be gainsayed But for the Elects sake these days Christ foretelling the cruelty of Antichrists time who is indeed the Abomination of desolation spoken of by the Holy Ghost which prophesie of Daniel computed and compared with this clears most excellently the truth But this I leave to be spoken of in expounding the Revelations It is not amiss to write a word more to manifest and make more plain the minde of God by the hiding of the Church 1. Manifestation or Demonstration is to be taken from the Metaphorical expressions used and the History alluded to by which Gods it out to us so sets that whiles the Wilderness hides the Church yet it is ordained to shew the way how it came so to be hid 2. The History alluded to is either that of Israels coming out of Egypt or Elijah's flying unto the Wilderness or both but especially Elijah's estate sets it out abundantly more clear 1 Kings 17. and 18. and 19. 1. In his flight and hiding Rev. 12. 6. 2. In his feeding miraculously by the Ravens Rev. 12. 6. 3. After many days he comes to Ahab again 4. The godly are not hid onely from the wicked but godly Elijah thinks himself above 1. Kings 19. 14 18. when God had seven thousand had not bowed the knee to Baal 5. In this time Baals Prophets are slain 1 Kings 18. 40. Rev. 12. 8. 6. Cap. 9. 2. Jezabel threatens him with death he flyeth again and where but into the Wilderness which is after his appearing to Ahab and first flight Rev. 12. 14. 7. This flying into the Wilderness is after the rain signifying the Ministery after the long drought of the means of grace 8. This wilderness estate is very fearful to him and will be to the Saints cap. 19. ver. 4. Rev. 12. 15. 9. In this time the Lords Altars are cast down and Groves to Baal set up and Altars 1 Kings 19. ver. 26. 10. The Prophets are slain 1 Kings 19 ver. 10. Rev. 11. 7. 11. Shews the strange effects this persecution brings on the world by an earthquake which is a change and removing of things that were and setting up things that cannot be shaken Rocks and Mountains are rent before the Lord and a refining fire comes purging up the dross then came the still voyce in which God was said to be Conclusion generally is this hence in the hiding of the Church under Antichrist it is to be as that under Ahab who as Antichrist made Israel to sin {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Word is of an active and passive signification in which the Prophets are to be slain the Altars that is all publike form of true worship pull'd down Baalitical Altars set up not a man left visible that is known to serve God or that must not be forced to kiss Baal and how to Baal in which time great inquiry and search is made after any man that shall worship the true God in truth to destroy him 1 Kings 18. 10. and yet to meke it more evidently plain in this persecution not onley Ahab the King but Jezabel the Queen hath hand in it which shew that Antichrist hence was to have the name one while of a Woman Whore another while of the Man Dragon which makes the Agreement between the Type and Antitype remarkable and then lasty his first hiding was for many days one reason why God accompts the hiding of the Church by days Rev. 12. Apply these to the Church estate and it may be abundantly proved yet that of Elijah was but the type onely as the moddel to the building his many days being nothing to these c. in the Text 2. The Churches hiding now exceeds theirs abundantly that was under the Mosaical Ministery 1. As it was hid in the word as well as in the practice so that I know not the Man this 1260 years past can say he hath found it 2. Hid in the writings of those practised it God in judgement to the world permitting them to be adulterated as that way by which he would accomplish his own ends in the world they but fulfilling his councel therein Mr. Fulk on Rev. 12. ver. 6. Hic locus apertè demonstrat non semper fore ecclesiam mundo conspicuam quod maxime urgent Papistae nam si semper omnium visui exposita erit quomodo in desertum fugere dicatur Mr. Barnard on Rev. 12. 6. understands by the 1260 days 1260 years and on the 14 Verse saith Her flying into the wilderness sheweth she was hid in the wilderness and by her flight lost her visibility before her enemies Mr. Cooper Bishop of Galloway sets forth the hiding of the Church in his Comment on Rev. 12. 6. by the hid estate of the Popish Synagogue in England Who are saith he without publike state of Regiment or open free exercise of holy Function Then this I think could be nothing chosen more fitly or fully to clear the thing intended for Antichrists rising he riseth by taking down the Gospel frame of Gospel Government makes that to be hid that he may appear onely when Christ sets up the Government of the true Church he shall pull down the frame of the false again Christ and Belial cannot agree Dr. Taylor in his Tract called Christs victory over the Dragon being an Exposition on Rev. 12. ver. 14 he speaks excellently and to purpose saith he The flight was not in respect of motion but of state and condition not a change of place but of condition and ornaments And after Antichrist sits still in the Temple of God neither is the woman yet got out of the Wilderness page 789. indeed in this the man hath said in a maner all Who can say more to us alive then he though dead now speaketh Conclusion is this That all the 1260 days of the Churches hiding or near to the 1666 year of Christ the Church frame will be hid and the exercise of Gospel Ministery and Government concealed which God in mercy to the Elect will some few years because of the bloody wars and destructive times shall about the end of these times come on the world by reason of Satans rage who knoweth well far better then we his time is short of raigning on the earth and that Christ raign will immediately begin in which Antichrist Satans first born son must down and he himself be bound a 1000 years so that few men would be preserved alive Did not the Lord shorten them as few as they seem in number to be being in all but 18 years If 18 years of war should continue in this Kingdom more what would become of us we thought we should not endure seven years war but the famine would destroy us Oh if this be done in Heaven let the earth and sea take heed to it as short as the time seems to be great will the destruction be on Antichristian Kings and Kingdoms not leaving a King nor scarce a Kingdom among them Dan. 7. 11 12. 1. Pet. 4. 7. The time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God If it first begin at us what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God Note here it is plain judgement must begin at us at the house of God 2. The time prophesied of it should begin at us is come 3. The end is unutterable unconceiveable God will make in Popish and Heathen Kingdoms the persecuted the Church they have the dregs of this next cup wrung out for them to drink which in this 18 years succeeding the whole world cannot keep them from it nor it from them but as fuel for this fearful fire must be devoured of which who shall be happy will be warned as Noah to the saving himself and family Heb. 11. 7. FINIS