I look upon to be the more likely reading and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which bears the same sense comes so presently after Loveth all things that is to say is a sincere lover and hearty imbracer of the whole Creation of God and a rejoycer in his works Believeth all things that is All the Fundamentals at least of the truly ancient and Apostolick Faith in vertue of that purification of the Soul whereby she has arrived to this transcendent state of Divine Love Hopeth all things namely firmly expecteth all those great and gracious promises of a Blessed Immortality after this life and the Glories and Enjoyments thereof in which hope she is so fixt and stedfast by reason of the purity of the Soul and presence of the Divine Spirit in her that as it follows buoyed up by this full persuasion and chiefly in assurance it is for the glory of God and the good of his people she Endureth all things being assured that God whom St. John calls Love and with whom she is united by faith and love can carry her through a thousand persecutions and deaths and yet repose her safe at last in his own bosome Which is according to that couragious profession of the same blessed Apostle Rom. 8. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerours in him that loved us For I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life the fear of the one or the love of the other nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ our Lord. This is that most excellent glorious and salutiferous Idea or Character of the Philadelphian state of the Church which is immediately to succeed the Sardian and in which alone the Reformed Churches must hope to be in safe Harbour indeed But in the mean time the nearer we compose our selves to this great Pattern in the greater safety and better condition shall we be If we will lay aside all our Dissentions and Animosities all our Factions and Schisms and remember that for all the stir and noise we make about Opinions and Ceremonies and Forms of Government in the esteem of our Lord Christ we are but dead bodies for so he declares to the Church in Sardis being destitute of the life of Christ which is the Spirit of Love whose fruits and effects I have above described out of St. Paul If we could but have so much zeal and ardour of mind to promote the Indispensables of Christian Religion as every Sect has to promote such Forms or Opinions as Christianity can well want and yet be most effectual for the Salvation of Souls which is the end of our Religion it would be a wholsome symptome or sign of our Recovery For this undoubtedly would bring along with it all Decency and Order and Morigerousness to the Magistrate whether Ecclesiastical or Civil in things indifferent and cement us together and consolidate us into one inexpugnable Temple of Christ able to bear off all the assaults of the Emissaries of Antichrist whereas now Divisions and Factions Animosity and Discord amongst our selves is like to make us a prey to the common Enemy These things are lively represented to us in those two Epistles the one to the Church of Sardis the other to the Church of Philadelphia which therefore made me so solicitous to confirm to all the World that Truth and here again repeatedly to declare it That the Vision of the Seven Churches is a Prophecy of the State of the Church from the beginning thereof to the end of the world To which I will onely cast in this third reason That it makes much for the Gracefulness and Elegancy and Enravishing Artifice of this Divine Volume of Prophecies the Apocalypse that the Vision of the Seven Churches be acknowledged such a Prophecy as I have described especially if we consider how the order of the Intervals agree with the order of the Synchronals of the Sealed and Opened Book-Prophecies and particularly how the Church of Sardis falls in with the Rising of the Witnesses on which things it is needless here to enlarge any further and not at all convenient my Preface having already swelled so exceeding much beyond my expectation Onely I will remind the Reader that I am not alone in this my confidence of the Vision of the Seven Churches being such a Prophecy those two eminent Theologers Ludovicus Crocius and Balthasar Willius an Authour that was very lately sent me by a Reverend and Learned Friend discovering the same truth before me and the latter so well assured of it that he makes it the ground of his Exposition of a considerable part of the Prophecy of Zachary as I have intimated above and the more of us hitting upon and approving the same Notion unknown to one another it ought to be the greater confirmation to others that the Notion is natural sound and true Thus have I with all imaginable sincerity and freeness given an account of this my Exposition of the Divine Visions of Daniel and of my annexing the Threefold Appendage thereto And now that this my just zeal for the truth may not seem to any one either unseasonable immoderate or extravagant That it is not unseasonable I think is over apparent there being that strong Effort by the Popish Party to bring their Religion again here into England and therefore it is the duty of every one of my Calling as he finds himself tolerably appointed for it to instruct the people touching the Solidity of our Reformed Religion and of the Detestableness of Popery such as it may be made out to be either from Reason or the Divine Oracles For for a Nation Priest and People to turn in a moment from one Religion to another as contrary to one another as Light is to Darkness and Christ to Antichrist surely must be the greatest slur that ever was put on the Profession of true Religion since the world stood and the greatest gratification and Triumph which that Triumvirate of pestilent Wits ever yet have had I mean the Atheist Antichrist and the Devil And verily there being that vast difference betwixt the Reformed Religion and Popery this consideration alone one would think should put an effectual stop to any ones revolt that is not an Infidel and believes nothing of a life to come viz. That if he does not stand his ground in this assault nor be driven off by the terrour and affright of men he cannot assure himself but if the like threatnings of death and cruelty were used to him to renounce all Christianity whatsoever that he might be an utter Apostate from Christ pass over to Turcism nay Paganism and at last be persuaded humbly to
a spurious reading understanding the Prophecy literally And it may be it was a Comment crept into the Text. For as all are agreed that by the red Apple is meant some Imperial City so the Red Hats of the Cardinals and the Scarlet cloathing of the Papal Hierarchy might easily invite the Commentatour to interpret this Red Apple of the City of Rome and if any Iew was the Interpreter as there are many amongst the Turks they understanding by Edom in the Scripture which signifies Red the City of Rome or the Roman Power it was hard for him to miss of that Interpretation And Cornelius à Lapide notes that the Iews by the Idumaeans understand the Romans in his Commentary upon Isai. 21. 11. The Burden of Dumah that is of Idumaea in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is very nigh in writing to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Martinius in his Technologia observes out of St. Ierome Sic saith he Hieronymus ait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literas parvo apice distingui cùm interpretatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paululùm literae apice commutato pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legi posse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonare Romam But there was no need of this nicety the Interpretation of this Turkish Prophecy is discovered enough already I will onely referr the Reader to Mr. Mede Book 5. Ch. 8. where by many examples he shows that the Iews by Edom understand Rome and how R. D. Kimchi turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I think Interpreters are much mistaken when they interpret the seven and twelve years not Symbolically but Arithmetically For if there be any thing in the Prophecy I suspect this to be the meaning thereof That the Turk may take the City of Rome suppose within the space of the seventh Vial being so hugely guilty of Idolatry and bloud if she prevent it not by timely Repentance And if the Christian sword advance not against him during the Septenary a Symbol of the reign of Idolatry for such was the seventh Head yet upon the commencing of the Duodenary which is the Symbol of the times of the pure Apostolick Restitution and of the new Ierusalem Christianity shall furmount Turcisme Nor shall the Christians any where be any longer slaves â—…nto him But I brought this Prophecy of the Turks taking the City of Rome set down by that zealous Romanist Bartholomaeus Georgivitz onely to shew that the forewarning the Church of Rome of the danger is no argument of the least ill will towards them Shall be slain with the Sword of him that sits on the white Horse And this is the Christian sword that in the beginning of the Duodenary when the truely pure and Apostolick Church shall appear will put the Turk to flight that is quite vanquish the Turkish Religion and Power and turn them all Christians And these are those times which Cardan in an Astrological Fit of Divination more than ordinarily assisted it may be as the Star-gazers of the East were by a Supernatural Star describes in his language briefly thus Martem Lunam debellant Sol Iupiter Authoritate Dignitate Veritate Ob hoc Christiani erigite capita qui potest capere capiat The language is fantastical as being Astrological but the prediction insinuated by some better kind of Genius as the Turkish Prophet haply might be inspired by some secret Emissary from Palmoni who has a right to all Kingdomes though not possession yet of all is sober and true as appears by the Holy Oracles of Scripture VISION VI. Continued From the times of the sixth and seventh Vial to the second Resurrection as also the Duration of the Entireness of the Kingdome of Antichrist defined And the time of his more palpable Discovery indigitated by two Numbers directing thereto Chap. 12. 1. AND at that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the Children of thy people As it is said Ch. 10. 21. And there is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael your Prince This passage therefore denotes the time when the affairs of the Iews become very hopefull and prosperous which is about the sixth and the seventh Vials to speak in the language of the Apocalypse And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time As it is said Apoc. 16. 18. under the seventh Vial And there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon earth so mighty an earthquake and so great The comparing which two places together plainly shews to what times they belong And at that time thy people shall be delivered The Seventy have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy people shall be saved as also the vulgar Latin has it Salvabitur populus tuus namely from that bondage and abject condition they had lived in among the Nations as also from the rude and beggerly elements of Moses and by their conversion to Christianity they will be made partakers of eternal salvation Chery one that shall be found written in the Book Yea not the Iews onely but every one as well Gentiles as Iews that are found written in the Book of Life mentioned Apoc. 20. 12. shall be saved So that as it is usual with the Prophets there is a running out from the Temporal deliverance of the Iews to the Spiritual deliverance and from their particular deliverance from the lake of fire or second death to the General Salvation of all whose names are writ in the Book of Life As the sense is very coherent with what follows in the next verse which contains though something involutely and contractedly both the first and second Resurrection according as the words are capable of a double Exposition 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake Where Many in counterdistinction to All does plainly intimate the first Resurrection which is not the General Resurrection but the Resurrection of the Martyrs onely such as did actually lose their lives for witnessing to the Truth or did without all reserve expose them for the same as Daniel did who was cast into the Lions den and the three Children into the fiery furnace though they were miraculously delivered Some to everlasting life The Hebrew has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those to everlasting life viz. Those that awake out of the dust of the earth at this time Those that are revivificated into their glorious bodies at this first Resurrection these awake to eternal life and enjoy a blessed immortality in their Heavenly bodies This is the first Resurrection of which it is said Apoc. 20. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath â—…o power And some to shame and everlasting contempt In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you may render But those others another sort of people which the Prophecy
his Doctrine drawn the eyes of all so upon him and got such an authority with the Iews and esteem that they began to think with themselves that he might be the very Messias so great an opinion could not be raised in them from one years experience but from many and that it is rashly gathered from Christ's Baptism being named so soon in the same Chapter that it should be in the very first year of Iohn's Ministry viz. in the fifteenth of Tiberius things of far greater distance of time being spoken of within less compass of lines and no intimation given of the times distance a thing frequent in Scripture So that the time of Christ's Baptism by Iohn is to be defined from other considerations And therefore The second Reason is That this nineteenth year of Tiberius exactly complies with the age of Christ at the time of his Baptism Luke Ch. 3. ver 2. And Iesus began to be about thirty years of age c. The Greek has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is And Iesus himself was about thirty years of age namely the age in which the Levites began their service Numb Ch. 4. beginning his Function which he was initiated into by this Baptism of Iohn the Holy Ghost also then descending upon him Now from the year of Aelius Lamia and Servilius Geminus Consuls to the nineteenth of Tiberius are thirty years as you may see in Chronologers So plain an Argument is this for Christ's being Baptized in the nineteenth year of Tiberius as Lydiat would have it Thirdly From the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus to this time of the manifestation of Christ in his Baptism and Ministry are precisely 483 years or Sixty nine Weeks according as it said in the very Prophecy That from the abovesaid Decree to Messiah the Prince viz. to his manifestation should be seven Weeks and threescore and two Weeks that is sixty nine Weeks And thus is there left one intire Week to confirm aâ—… covenant with many first by his own Preaching the first half of the Week and after by his Apostles after he had sent down the Holy Ghost upon them And let these three first reasons serve for a tast but there are more than thrice as many congruencies with historical passages that Lydiat notes in several succeeding years that do notably confirm this Hypothesis of his touching our Saviour's Baptism falling on the nineteenth year of Tiberius which I must omit that the Notes upon this Vision run not out too far Now the time of Christ's Baptism is setled the time of his Suffering will be determined with ease and fall in right whether we will or no taking but what the generality of Expositors have concluded on whom Funccius declares to have been of opinion that Christ was between thirty three and thirty four years old when he suffered whence of necessity his Death falls upon the fourth year of the last Week and about the middle of that year And that he did not exceed that age is further confirmed by Thomas Lydiat in his Canones Chronici p. 93. out of Theodoret who expresly says When our Lord for about three years and an half had preached and had confirmed his Disciples by his Doctrine and Miracles he suffered To all which you may add that there being from Christ's Baptism to his suffering but four Passovers as is apparent out of S. Iohn's Gospel who writing to make a supply to the omissions of the other Evangelists who scarce take notice of any Passover but that wherein Christ suffered would be sure to omit none from the time of his Baptism to his Suffering and Christ being Baptized in the beginning of the eighth natural month that is of the Jewish Marchesvan or Roman November as Thomas â—…ydiat notes out of Epiphanius Christ's Passion will necessarily run into the middle year of the last Week and near upon into the middle of that year there being nigh six months space betwixt the beginning of Marchesvan and the middle of Abib or Nisan when the Passover was kept So handsomely do all things fall in and agree together And though I have been very brief in opening the grounds of Thomas Lydiat's Chronological account of this Prophecy yet I hope it is so plain at least so considerable that it may excite the Reader to seek further satisfaction if he need it from Thomas Lydiat himself and admire with all true Christians the stupendious providence of God who has left such clear and wonderfull testimonies thereof unto his Church in these Books of Daniel and the Apocalypse for our certain assurance who is the Christ and who is the Antichrist And those certain Revelations touching Antichrist are also as effectual Corroboratives of our Faith in Christ to as many as are unprejudiâ—…ed and set themselves seriously to understand them VISION V. Which is the Vision of an Angel in human shape clothed in Linen with his Loins girt with the fine gold of Uphaz Ch. 10. and is a Prooeme or Introduction to the Vision of the Scripture of Truth which takes up the other two whole Chapters in Daniel THat the same times are run over again as in the Apocalypse so in this Book of Daniel and things more fully explained in the repetition of the same times I have noted above But what is most remarkable in this present introductory Vision is this That the vision of the Scripture of Truth which follows and is a description of Affairs from the times of the Persian Monarchy to the end of the world being of such great importance the Affairs of the Church not only Jewish but Christian being so lively described therein that which is most remarkable I say is that as in the Apocalypse to Visions of like great comprehension and compass so here to this Vision of so vast extent of time is there prefâ—…xt a very pompous introductory Vision as there is before the Prophecy of the Seals which reaches from the beginning of the Christian Church to the end of the World the representation of the throne of God prefixed and of the Four Beasts and the Four and twenty Elders Before the Prophecy of the opened Boâ—…k which reaches also from the beginning of the Church to the Conflagration there is a Vision of a mighty strong Angel clothed with a Cloud and a Rain-bow about his Head his face as the Sun and his Feet as pillars of Fire c. And lastly before the Prophecy of the Seven Churches which is of the same extent with the forenamed Prophecies there is seen in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks One like unto the Son of Man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle His Head and his Hair was white like Wool as white as Snow and his Eyes were as a flame of Fire and his Feet like unto fine Brass and his Voice as the sound of many Waters Which is a representation of Christ