relation to God for though the Roman Throne were whiles the Pagan Emperors sate in it the Divels yet now a Christian Emperour possessing the Throne it is justly called Gods Throne for Gods Vice-gerent sate in it In this sense the two Witnesses ascend up to heaven Rev. 11. 12. that is to that Supremacie from which Antichrist had thrown them No wonder that the throne is called heaven when those that sit in that throne are called Sun Moon and Stars Gen. 37. 10. it signifies in this place the whole royal Family as Iacob expounds it The like phrase of Scripture to the same sense we finde in Isa. 14. 12. where you see the Church insulting over Babylon when she comes to ruine amongst others this is one expression How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Here Lucifer is put foâ—… the Prince the brightest Star in their Orizon and heaven is put for his Imperial seat from whence he is fallen and such a phrase sets forth the fall of the Kingdom of Iudah under the Conquest of the King of Babylon Lam. 2. 1. How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel The beautie of Israel was their Monarch in the Throne but this beauty was cast from heaven to earth Either he means the good King Iosiah who was violently snatcht from the Throne by death in the war or the carrying away of the Royal Family from the Throne to Babylon To our purpose is that Luke 10. 18. where Satan falls like lightning from heaven i. e. from his throne where he rules and where is that but in the hearts of men 'T is usuall to call a Throne Heaven Very many Scriptures more there are of the like signification and expression as Isa. 34. 4. Ioel 2. 10. and 3. 16. Hag. 2. 6. which by their expressions make it probable to us that Rev. 6. 12 13 14. and Rev. 12. 8 9. do both set forth the overthrow of the Pagan Empire by Constantine the Christian Emperor And thus you see the first period of the Churches afflictions in Iohns Vision to be finished The second follows which is that of the Apostasie After Satan was cast down from persecuting Christians by the Pagan Emperors he was not then bound observe that but Rev. 12. 14 15 16 17. drives the Woman into the wildernesse by the Woman is meant the Church where she hath a place provided for her ver 6. which is called her place ver 14. that is a place peculiar to her where she shall be visible This runs paralel with Rev. 7. 2 4 5. where Gods providence is set forth by sealing up his Elect in this time of apostasie which is but for a certain season The Church shall fly upon the two wings of the Eagle i. e. Magistracy and Ministry who shall be in sackcloth into the wildernesse and there be fed 1260 dayes ver 6. 14. God shall be a pavilion to them he will feed them and protect them they shall be under his seal But observe how the apostasie goes on in this 12th Chapter ver 12. there is a woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea and in Rev. 8. under the four Trumpets which was the eminent time of the four angels doing mischief you have the effects of this woe both upon the earth and sea i. e. Church and State The cause of this woe we have it expressed in Rev. 12. 15. The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a floud after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the floud The streams of this floud were the Arian and Eutichian Heresies with the rest of those wicked opinions then raised These streams were like the fountain the Divels mouth was the fountain and the mouths of the inhabitants of the earth were the sea to swallow up those streams therefore wo to the Inhabitants of the earth earthly professors that professed themselves Christians but lived in and loved the world more then their own souls or Gods glory such as the most of our Professors are these drank down Heresies as the pure water of Orthodoxal Truths Now all this while the Bishop of Rome was but as one of the four Angels of the Church and he though leading into apostasie exceeding fast yet in that way of Heresie the least hurtfull nay he was so far from being hurtfull that he was a succourer for some yeers of the orthodox Christians who opposed Arianism yet in regard of the aspiring insolent pride and covetousnesse in the Patriarchal Chair of Rome it might well be denominated one of the four hurtful Angels for as we shewed already soon was this Star in heaven fallen to the earth the Chair of Rome was apostatized from its primitive puritie as much as a Starâ—… is removed when it fâ—…lls from heaven to earth The Dragon Rev. 12. 17. when he saw that by the floud of Heresie he could not touch the Church because that under the wings of the Eagle that is of the Roman Magistracy and Ministry she was protected the Divel faceth about like a valiant and cunning Warriour and falls upon his strongest enemies that stood out against him which are called the remnant of the womans seed which keep the commandments of God The Angel of the Western Church had under his jurisdiction many faithful orthodox Divines which maintained Truth against these now the Divel wageth war a spirituall war against their souls So many and various are the deceits and wiles and strategems of the Divel that no Mathematician can draw lines so fast as the Divel can devise wicked wayes and subtil snares to entrap the Church of Christ in This war seems to be especially made against those of the Roman Church where the remnant of the faithfull Oxthodox Christians lay which fled from the Arian persecution And what 's the Divels Stratagem now Observe in the next verse Rev. 13. 1. there you have the ground he chooseth to stand upon And he stood upon the sand of the sea Some read but amisse and I stood conceiving that Iohn stood there No it was the Divel He stood Sea and Earth often signifie in the Revelation say learned men Church and State Here the Divel stood upon the Sea sand probably 't is meant Church government and Governours for as the sea is tyed with a rope of sand that so far it shall passe and no further so Governours and Government in a Church do curb the insolent surges of the peoples raging passions and vain fantasies that they break not in upon the Church to its overthrow By this Stratagem the Divel carryes all before him forâ—… soon doth he make the Governors and Government of the Church of Rome his own and the next thing that Iohn sees is a Beast arising out of the sea this is the Popedome of Rome The head of the Church of Rome was called one of
of reliques and with an excommunication of all hereticks in generall they dissolved the counsell By excommunication of all hereticks they meant all those that should withstand any of their cannons which they had decreed Here the Church of Rome and the Protestants parted and if it be seriously viewed on both sides by a clear and impartial eye 't is manifest that the Church if you 'l call a faction so of Rome left us Pope Adrian 6. acknowledged that the Church and chair of Rome was at that time in many things abominable The German English and French Churches desired that those abominations might be purged out for this end a generall councell was desired and under pretence of granting it a party of men were packed to oppose this end and carry on a contrary designe to the ruine of those who desired a reformation and in stead of removing those grievances established them Which now of these two parties is in the right They that kept their faces Zion ward in the reformation of a Church generally acknowledged to be corrupted or they that hardened their necks in a resolved obstinacie to persist in that corruption and added much more abominable corruption to it and established it by a law and made those that departed from their abominations to become a prey to them This is the true case betwixt us and Rome The faction of Rome pretended with us whose hearts were set upon a reformation to reform but in stead thereof established those very grievances the Church complained of hereby 't is manifest that they starting aside like a deceitfull bow left us in the high way of a reformation If we have left them 't is because they have left the truth whiles error was in a private faction in Rome though 't were damnable yet we left not that Church but when that private faction so prevail'd as to establish damnable heresie by a Law and excommunicated all that would not drink of the same poisonous Cup with them then 't was high time to leave their Communion notwithstanding they usurp the name of the Catholick Church The Church of England left not the Church of Rome because governed by Bishops but because those Bishops were become Starrs fallen from heaven to earth apostatized toto coelo from their primitive institution The See of Rome is become the beast of the Sea with seven heads and ten hornes and upon it's heads the names of blasphemy The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of Romes fornication therefore we come out from Rome and herein we have obeyed the voice of our Lord Iesus Revel 18. 4. We never held Bishops quatenus Bishops Antichristian though many Schismaticks and ignorant zelots have builded high upon that stramenous foundation which since the Iesuites by their Gunpowder plots have neatly fired about their ears It is true indeed the German French and British reformers that left Rome or rather were left of Rome could never attain to that reformation was requisite and they desired and the reason thereof is generally known For Rome with her Allies was alwaies so potent against them that it is rather to be admired they have a being then to be complained of that they have attained to no better a being The Churches beyond the Seas both in Germany and France by reason of their innumerable number of potent enemies were constrained to do what they might not what they would happy they that they may eat the Manna of true Doctrine though under the tents of an incompleat and insollid government Those Churches are like the wounded man betwixt Jericho and Jerusalem they have met with a friend that hath powred oyl into their wounds and brought them to an Inn but that Inn of government is not I think their proper home however happy they they are got safe out of the bloudy hands of Romish theeves unto that Inne God send them from thence safe home Let 's be thankful for pure Doctrine that the Ark but le ts not rest till we have lodg'd it within the Temple of right Government I have oft thought that the white linnen of the Saints signifies the right Government of the Church which is the Churches upper garment if so then let them wait with patience for this white linnen they shall not wear untill the Witnesses are risen the Witnesses are yet in sack-cloth or actually slain when they are restored this white Vesture of Church-Government shall be restored to the Church in splendor Let us not censure but pity and pray for those Churches that have not on this white garment confident I am that it is not for want of will but power that all this while many reformed Churches have it not on I cannot forget Bergermannus's words in the Assembly of Dort as I have them from a good hand to the Bishop of Landaff who when he had declared to him how the cause of the German divisions was for want of right Discipline he makes this affectionate replie in the midst of that Assembly Domine nos non sumus adeo fâ—…lices The Churches that protested against the Babylonish abominations established by the Popish faction at the councel of Trent have ever since born the name and title of the Reformed churches not that all or any of them are perfectly reformed for many of them are corrupt in severall doctrinal points and the most of them deficient as to the pattern of primitive government or as the sacred Rule requires Amongst these reformed churches England hath alwayes been esteemed the purest as being most conformable to primitive purity and the word both in Doctrine and Discipline This appears even from the pens of the Heads of other Reformed churches such as Calvin Camerarius Melancton Bucer Beza Zanchie Molinens Causabon Fergevil Saravia and others who many of them confesse in plain words and all by consequence conclude That the church of England of any church in the world comes the nearest to the Apostolick rule Yet for all this what by reason of the Popish pollutions on one hand and schismatical Separatists on the other hand the church of England could never put on that white garment of pure Discipline she so much endeavoured for though the Temple of Doctrine was purged and the walls of Discipline raised to a comely height under which the church flourished in Queen Elizabeth's and King James his dayes yet the Romish foxes in sheeps clothing crept up the wall of Discipline in King Charles his time and laid the church open as it is this day to the bloudy cruelty of the Babylonians The popish Prelats or rather the Spanish Faction then and ever since prevailing informing them knew the way to popish Doctrine was first to bring in popish Discipline which produced a double effect tending to their end For hereby cities and counties non ignota loquor were filled with superstition and profanenesse having liberty from the Prelates to profane the Lords day and we all know how great
charges brought no other Ornament then that of long hair with them which gross absurdity for he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they most delighted in and cared for he calls them Dogs yea worse then Dogs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They neither remained Dogs nor became Pastors except to devour others labours I will forbeare here to insert History partly for brevity sake and principally because the Historie in the fourth and fifth Century is so easie to be read and understood of every one that can but read English especially of those that can but understand the Latine and Greek tongue and have leisure to read the Councels in those Centuries So now my intended inference from all is this That the Bishop Head or Pastor of the Church of Rome is one of the Ring leaders or general Heads of this Apostasie Now Jesus Christ foreseeing the height of Apostasie that the Roman Church would rise unto if I may pass with my expression my meaning is to what a height of wickedness in this grand Apostasie the Church of Rome in her Ecclesiastick Head or Polity would rise sets it forth in several and various expressions to Iohn as first you have him but as one of the four Angels standing on the Western corner of the earth the Patriarch of Rome and no more though much more then ever Christ by his approving providence I mean by his revealed will in his Word allowed him though how large a power the Councels in Christian prudence may grant unto a single Church-man and how far that grant doth oblige the Church in obedience to that single person I will not dispute These Patriarchs as Prideaux well observes were entering into intolerable and inexcusable Apostasie Next you have the Politie or Head of the Roman Church set forth as a Star not falling or ready to fall but fallen at that present from Heaven to Earth During the time of the heat of the Arian and Eutichian Heresies whiles the Eastern Angels kept the wind of sound Doctrine from blowing on Christs Garden the Church the Western Angel the Bishop of Rome was tolerable yeâ—… commendable for Rome was a shelter to the Orthodox Christians at that time but soon after you find the Angel now as a 〈◊〉 that fals from Heaven to Earth The Pastors of the Church 〈◊〉 we have shewed already are called Stars Christ Rev. 1. 16. held seven Stars in his hand which ver 20. tells us are the seven Angels or Embassadors of Christ of the seven Churches so that the Star there is the chief Pastor of the Church of Rome which apostatiseth as far from Christs Rule and Ordinance as Heaven is from Earth How great an Apostasie is that in a Minister to usurp a power above an Emperor to usurp a power over all Churches to take the Title of the Prince of Princes and to make it his whole design to Inthrone himself in all Civil and Ecclesiastick Power besides the Apostasie from the purity of Doctrine and Discipline The third sight Iohn hath of him is in Revel 13. 1. there Iohn hath a sight of this great apostate Bishop in his full growth he is now a Beast risen out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the names of Blasphemy the Context of this Text and of that Revel 7. 1. of the four Angels give much light into each other in Revel 6. 12 13 14. When the sixth Seal was opened there was an earth-quake the Sun became black and the Moon became as blood and the Stars fell and heaven departed as a scrole and every mountain was moved it is parallel with Rev. 12. 7 8 9. which both signifie one and the same thing viz. the overthrow of the Heathen persecuting Emperours The first is parallel in the phrase with Isai. 34. 4. which expresseth the great fall of the Idumaeans and nothing of the general day of Judgment This kind of expression is usual when God will set forth the overthrow of the heads of Government as in Isa. 13. 10. that is a prophesie of the ruine of the Babylonish heads of Government by the Mâ—…des and Persians as ver 17 18 19 20. expound it yet there God â—…aith The Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine and ver 13. He will shake the heavenâ—… i. â—… the Thrones of Kings and so Revel 6. 12 13 14. signifies the fall of the Pagan Emperors the heads of the Romish Throne and Government which were thrown down by Constantine the Christian Emperor the self same thing is set forth in Revel 12. where you have the Church in her Primitive purity ver 1 2. groaning to be delivered from under the bloudy Tyranny of the red Dragon ver 3. that is the bloudy state of Pagan Emperors it is parallel with cap. 6. v. 10. where under that Tyranny the Church cries How long O Lord holy and true dost thou noâ—… judge and avenge our death on those that dwell upon the earth Next you have in cap. 12. 5. the Lord delivering the Church from under the Pagan Emperors by raising up of a Christian Monarch Constantine who is the man-child brought forth in the Church to rule the Nations with a rod of iron that is to subdue them by Conquest as he did and be their Emperial head upon that lawful Title as for those that say this is meant of the birth of Christ his Incarnation Death and Resurrection they do not only mistake the phrase of the Text but the whole Prophesie for in Revel 1. 1. The Revelation is not of knowne things that were past for that 's not properly Revelation but of things which must shortly come to pass but the Incarnation of Christ was not to come to pass it being past As for that expression He was caught up unto God and to his Throne it is that which stands in direct opposition to that afterwards ver 8. of the Divels being cast out of heaven so that he that will inforce that sense upon ver 5. as that it is meant Christs Throne in heaven to which he ascended after his Resurrection must be enforced to grant that until Christs Ascension the Divel was in Heaven which is Blasphemy and therefore we must understand the war betwixt Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels as meant of the Christians war against the Pagans and Idolatrous heathens and therefore the casting of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven is meant the casting them out of the Imperial Throne from their Lordly power and Dominion and the seating of Constantine that holy Christian Emperor in the Throne 1. He was caught up unto God that is he was converted unto God and 2. He was placed in his Throne whether His hath relation to the Emperor or to God is questionable but it holds good in either sense for it was Constantines Throne by Conquest but it is most probable that His hath
them in such good method as may make its matter both plain and delightful to the Reader much less to expand the breadth and the length of those glorious truths which are involved in those texts but if in magnis voluisse sat est I am well enough I have done my endeavour I should now proceed to shew the errour of those Millenaries who on the other extream would from the frozen Zone of affliction bring the Church militant into the torrid Zone of terene triumph where it shall have no night of sorrow but shall have Christ personally present in the midst of them hereby utterly making void that text which is unlimited until the day of judgement Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And All that will live godly in this life must suffer perâ—…ecetion nay worse then this it disgraceth Christ and debaseth his dignity so infinitely that when I consider the Majestie of Christs presence as he appeared to Iohn after his Assumption Revel 1. 13 14. with his eyes like a flame of fire his voice like the sound of many waters from his mouth a sharp two-edged sword proceeding and his countenance bright as the Sun shining in his strength and when I meditate of that glorious place into which with the humane nature he ascended I do so much abhor the thoughts of my Lord the King of Heaven and Earths debasing himself again to dwell with men before their bodies are changed and have put off corruption to be seene with these mortall sinfull eyes and touched with these polluted hands here that I cannot but cry out aloud against the opinion as blasphemous and therefore I passe it by as not worthy the mentioning of a solid Christian it needs not the confuting for the learnedst and most moderate of them Mead contradicts himselfe in one and the same page about this opinion and so do all of them that either print or prattle of it most ridiculously and absurdly Of the ANTICHRIST The Fourth Part. CHAP. I. WHose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders In verse 8. we had a generall view of Antichrists reigne and Antichrists ruine now in the four following verses the Holy Ghost descends to a more speciall and peculiar description of Antichrists appearing when he comes to be formally Antichrist i. e. to dis-possesse the lawfull Magistracie and Ministery the two anointed ones and to set himselfe and his Image or government above them The Holy Ghost describes him that the Church may know him above all others when he comes 1 By his manner of appearing in the world 2 By his followers or subjects His manner of appearing is described in Generall to be after the working of Satan Speciall to be 1 With power 2 With signes 3 With lying wonders 4 With all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse Whose comming Comming or appearance or presenee is here put for the full possession that Antichrist hath of the throne he usurpes his appearing formally to be Antichrist and how is this appearance the Text answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the working of Satan Some learned men conceive that by Satan is not here meant the Devil but such an enemy and adversary of the Lords Anointed as Iudas was their ground for this is partly from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not an infernall spirit or reprobated Angel but an adversary or spightfull enemy If this be the meaning of the Text then it must run parallel with that Revel 13. 12. he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him or in the presence of him that first beast is the Pope so that as the beast of the Sea with seven heads and ten horns got up to his usurped greatnesse by supplanting his Sovereign so by the same rounds of policie doth the Antichrist climbe up to his usurped greatnesse and thus he may be said to come after the working of the adversary the Pope who is the grand adversary of the true Christian Church and of the Jews conversion but I cannot adhere to this opinion for Satan here as for the most part every where is one of the black attributes of the Devil appropriated onely to him It would scarce be worth while unlesse to satisfie the curious to repeat the wilde opinions of some learned men on this expression Some thinke he is a Devil incarnate who endeavours to imitate Christ and to perswade the people that he is Christ they think he shall be of the Tribe of Dan and after this manner deceive the Jews They think he will pretend to come of a Virgin as Christ did Others that he shall not be a Devil but a man begot by the Devill of a Virgin Hierome on Isaiah 16. thinks that the Devil is the father of Antichrist this in some sense is tolerable but for the other opinions I finde not the least ground in Scripture for them and therefore leave them Neither can I so heartily imbrace the opinion of learned Swarez and those other Romish Doctors of his opinion who hold that Antichrist shall be filled with the evil qualities of the Devil from his cradle Yea the Devill say they shall so shape him to his mould when he is in the wombe of his mother ut temperamentum complexio ejus fiat propensissima ad omnia vitia these things may be true but 't is very uncertain to me I desire to sail by the Compasse of the Word and the winde of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture as neer as I can and that if any thing will bring me to the desired fair heaven of truth Anton. Scaynus Hemingius and Bened Iustin have very good glosses upon these words the neerest to truth of any of these I have repeated I most concurre with Zanchie upon this Text his coming is according to the working of Satan i e. the Devil who hath Iohn 8. 44. two Epithites given him by the Holy Ghost even by Christ himselfe he is a liar and a murtherer now according to this efficacie of Satan Antichrist comes these ars as Zanchie calls them Antichristi arma the weapons of Antichrist in this sense we finde a parallel Text Revel 13. 11. the beast of the earth spake like the Dragon and how did the Dragon speak Gen. 3. 1 3 5. he speaks flattering lies and teaches abominable rebellion He taught to pluck the forbidden fruit so Antichrist flatters his followers with fair promises of liberty but they are lies and teacheth to pluck the forbidden fruit you know there is one sacred tree in the world which man is forbidden to touch yea the Hereticks and Apostates of these times confesse it some of the eminentest of them have acknowledged that it is as sacred corn onely to be reaped by the hand of God now this forbidden fruit this sacred tree he cutteth down and herein he commeth according to the efficacie of Satan i. e. as a liar and
their opinions tending that way 4. Those that practice such abominations are gone out from us whereby they have manifested to the world they were not of us Now for the Papists hence to insult and say where is your English Church whâ—…ts become of the Protestant Religion 't is a false Religion and a false Church We Answer that the Church of England stands â—…pon its old foundations viz upon the Apostles and Prophets from which the Church of Rome is miserably fallen both in doctrine and discipline That there are apostates from the Protestant Religion in this nation is manifestly true but this makes not the Church of England the lesse a true Church We cannot say that a figtree because it hath much rotâ—…en fruit fallen from it is therefore a thorn The Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Divels speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hot iron Observe here that where the true Church is there shall be Apostates Seducers Blasphemers Lyers Murderers Hypocrites Therefore 'T is a signe where these are the true Church is as by the Eagles gathering together you may finde the carcasse and by the swarms of wasps and flyes the honey not because they make it but devour it The Church indeed is by these locusts much dâ—…faced and debased but not nullified for these herds of swine being violently rushed into the Temple do onely pollute it not destroy it To argue that the Church of England is no true Church because there are many seducers apostates and blasphemers amongst them is so absurd that the contrary Conclusion is most solid and true for if it were not a true Church the Divel would not thus furiously war against it there would not be such traps and snares devised to catch mens souls in as there are No man much lesse the Divel that spiritual Fouler that great spider of hell will lay snares to catch tame birds that he hath in a cage already As Christ by his spiritual fishermen catcheth souls in the Divels ponds and feeds them in his own so the Divel alwayes goes about with his unlawful nets and poisonous baits to catch men in Christs pond the Church and carry them into the black sea of eternal misery Where the spiritual seed is sown there the birds of hell will be picking and plucking of it up The notablest Cheaters usually frequent the greatest Fairs we speak in reference to that Refermation begun in England to which the Romish Cheaters did resort The purest Church is most commonly pestered with the vilest Hereticks as the fairest fountain with the foulest toads Since these Philistims the Papists are thus upon us 't is very necessary that we play the part of Christian men that whether we live or dye we may have the hellish blot of Antichristianism wiped off from our names which we can no better do then by freeing our Religion from that aspersion which the Papists cast upon it Iâ—… Queen Maryes dayes the Martyrs dyed under the aspersion of Hreticks in these dayes they are like to suffer by the Spanish Popish Faction as Antichristian men and womon it 's therefore not impertinent to the thing in hand to tell in a word how we came to separate from the Church of Rome The Church of Rome you must know was once a pure Church and it continued so the longest of any Church for when the Eastern Asian and Affrican Churches most fouly fell into many desperate Errors especially that of the Arian Heresie she kept her garments clean and became a shelter to Orthodox Fugitives all this while there was not the least ground for any Orthodox national Church to separate from her as on all sides 't is granted we mean for near four hundred yeers after Christ for until after the year of Christ 350. we find not any of the Roman Bishops any other then such as became the Angels of the Church and faithful Overseers of Gods flock The first that we find polluted with the Arian Heresie was Liberius who soon recollecteth himself shakes off the Heresie and dies a Confessor As for the Foppâ—…ries fathered upon these Primitive Bishops of Rome by Ciaconius and Lambertus Geuterus Isodorus Mercator and several other of the Popish Writers they are in no wise to be credited such acts being scarce possible much less probable to be acted by the Bishops of Rome in such times of persecution under the Pagan Empire After Constantine had cast down the Pagan Emperors and made Romes Imperial Scepter to bow to Christs Cross the Clergy became the greatest Court-Favourites hereupon they grew in a short time great in power and wealth being totally freed from the iron rod of the Heathen Emperors Wealth and ease not simply but by accident begat security and security the foundation of all Church mischief begat Pride Luxury and Heresie which by little and little excluded that Primitive Purity once to be found in the Church of Rome Now bebegan Monks quatenus Monks to be in great esteem and then Tapers were brought into the Church and then that trisagium pretended to be taught by Angels Sancte Deus Sancte fortis Sancte immortalis then they brought in adoringâ—… of Churches and the opinion of Purgatery with a fained pretence that the Bishop of Rome had power to chastise stubborn souls there Then began the Bishops of Rome or Patriarchs to shoulder with the Emperors and exâ—…mmunicate them for not giving the supâ—…riority to Bishops and to â—…mmunicate Bishops of other Diocâ—…sses where they had nothing to do then was the Chanâ—…l divided from the Church and extreme unction to be ministred to dying men and soon after Pelagius began to claim a Supremacy from Christ himself Thus did the Angel of the Church of Rome become a Sâ—…ar fallen from heaven to earth Revel 9. 1 2. who set open the bottomless pit whose smoak soon darkned the Sun and the air After Gregory the great and Sabinianus succeeded Boniface the third about the year of Christ 605. he obtained of Phocas the usurping Emperor who got to the Throne by the murder of his Master that usurped title of Supremacy that the Church of Rome should be called the supreme head of all other Churches Here the Star fallen from heaven became the Beast of the Sea as learned Prideaux observes with seven heads and ten horns at leastwise began to appear so Revel 13 1. Soon after this Churches became Sanctuaries for Thieves and Murderers by the Popes order Lay-Monks were made equal with Ordained Ministers in the execution of their Office Witnesses at the Font were forbid to marry each other Churches were superstitiously deck'd Holy-dayes appointed and superstitiously enjoined Priests strictly forbidden to marry and enjoined to shave their heads Latine Service introduced by Popish injunction into other Churches upon which the Popes daily inchroached by the usurpation of their Faction in
Likewise Act. 22. 3. proves Paul was never bound to that Trade of Tent-making for he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel now all men know that Gamaliel was no Laick Pharisee he was no Tent-maker but a Doctor of the Law who taught Paul not Tent-making but as the Text tells us the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers Tertullian and Hierom affirm that he was incomparably wise in the knowledge of the Scriptures Moreover Pauls Learning Eloquence and practices tell us that he never learnt before his Conversion nor ever practised the Trade of Tent-making he had a far worse Trade which hee followed too hard to be of that in stead of making Tents for men he pulled down and destroyed the Tabernacles of God the bodies of the Sainrs Such was his humane Learning that saith Chrysostome it was a great question amongst the Heathens Whether he were not more Learned then Plato 3. Next let us view Pauls Conversion This Paul that Lion that devoured the Saints that brier that scratched and wounded all that came neer him or hee could come neer that son of the Divel that imprisoned the Saints dragging them from Prison to the place of execution that Rock that could stand and see them murdered without relenting behold this Lion that devoured Gods Sacrifices now lying down amongst them and eating straw food formerly against his pallate with them This Wolfe is now found feeding not upon but meekly with the Lambs This Brier of the Wilderness that formerly drew bloud is now become a fruitful Vine in the garden of God and yeilds not only pleasant fruit but like the Apple-tree in the Forrest yeilds pleasant shade unto the Church scorched with afflictions For the Church had rest round about This Rock in the Desert of Zin as I may call him is now become a pleasant River to multitudes of thirsty souls This Paul that was the Son of the Divel in the morning and ready mounted on his message and more then three parts of his journey towards the place where he was to execute his Warrants is made the Son of God at noon This Mount Etna we find removed into the midst of the Sea and all his fiery flames put out This Cedar of Libanus is not only shaken but falls at this sudden Thunder of God This Iordan that was swiftly running into the dead sea is driven back at his rebuke Adam was not more strangely disfigured by his fall then this man gloriously transformed by his fall His fall was his promotion his blindness a giving sight Paul met with a better Tutor now then Gamaliel Gamaliel only and scarce that taught him Law but this new Master teacheth him Gospel he learnt more in one hour now then ever he learnt in all his life before he now learned the true knowledge of the Lord of life and no marvel though he were miraculously taught for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by the Lord of life It is most probable that this was the time that he was rapt into the third Heaven I mean the time of his three dayes extasie at Damascus Here Christ not only made him a Saint but created him an Apostle The other Apostles had the favor to see Christ after his Resurrection but he had the honor to see him and hear him speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineffable words which were not lawful for man to utter after his Ascension which few besides Iohn in Patmos could ever boast of After he was thus baptized with fire in heaven by Christ and with water on earth by Ananias you may behold this Christian Champion the true Hercules passing through his twelve fold Labours with mighty successe insomuch that never any man before or after him can be compared to him The Trophies of his Conquests still remaine in Europe Asia and other parts of the world The weapons of his warfare were spiritual therefore the more noble and the enemies with which he grapled and encountred were not carnal but spiritual he had to deal with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places therefore his Conquests are the more glorious See how hee conquered that roaring Lion Sergius Paulus proconsul of Paphus and made him lie fawning at his foot See him again crushing the head of that See pent Elymas Barjesus How many wilde Boars did he came which wasted and destroyed the Church It would be too tedious to relate either the Conquests that he got or the Scarrs of honour that he bore for Christ. He that thinks he can hyperbolize in his Encomiums of Paul wee 'l take up that Proverb on Pauls behalf as once on Hercules's against Iuno against him Pâ—…strà Paulum Indeed he was mortall as other men but went to his grave with more honour then other Conquerors after all their Victories do he died in the field and yet the weapons with which he conquered are immortall which he hath left to succeeding Ages And we finde in his fourteen Epistles which like the Tower of David builded for an Armory have hanging in them a thousand bucklers all the shields of mighty men There is no weapon that the Church or any member of the Church wants at any time in any case against any Enemy but he may be ready furnished in Paul's Armory against him His Epistles are another Paradise full of fruit and flowers Thus out of Paul the man-eater came out meat for man This barren wildernesse became a spiritual Canaan to the Christian Church flowing with spiritual milk and honey Q. Why do you call him Paul when his name is Saul A. I call him as he calls himself in all his Epistles except that to the Hebrews But since it fals in my way to discourse of his name and the changing of his name I shall not baulk it but briefly touch of it and passe immediately from the Author to the Subject from the name to the thing Some think Paul had two names given him as an honor to him if so then the question will be who bestowed that Title of honor upon him who gave him that name of Paul Truely the answer will be uncouth yet very true not his Godfathers nor God-mothers I mean the Church or Company present at his Baptism nor the Minister that baptized him For they all after his baptism called him Saul Brother Saul Indeed the correlate title Brother was Paul's greatest title of Honour for however the world contemns it it is not onely a title of great honour but of exceeding great and unconceivable profit to be a true brother of the Church militant for they have undoubted Title to an everlasting Crown and Kingdome which Usurpers cannot dispossess them of Now if the Church gave not Saul the name of Paul in honour to him certainly the enemies of the Church would not doe it then it must be concluded as most probable that Saul gave himself the name of Paul and so that opinion will fall
us hath relation both to Spirit Word and Epistle and so the Apostles meaning may be We had no such revelation from the Spirit we never delivered any such thing in any Sermon nor did we ever write any Epistle that expressed any such Doctrine The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Learned observe is here put for a specious pretence So it is used in Coloss. 2. 23. which things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a shew of wisdom a specious pretence of high Divinity Others as Hyperius and Zanchy conceive the word imports as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a perswasory speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word that Paul useth Col. 2. 4. Lest any one beguile you with inticing words or probability of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an adapted perswasory speech to make that which is spoken be it true or false seem to be a reall clear and undobted truth It is in Logick called a Paralogisme which saith Aretius the false Apostles here made drawing their false conclusions from 1 Thess. 4. 15 17. Thus they might argue from these words Then we which remain alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now if Paul reckon himself and the present Saints of Thessalonica amongst the number of them that shall be alive to be caught up with Christ then the day of Judgment must be near for Paul is well stricken in yeers and many of the Saints of Thessalonica are old and ready to go to their graves But say they Paul expresly saith Wee that are alive shall be caught up together with him Ergo The day of Judgment is neer at hand Such kind of Sophisme Zuinglius Primasius Hyperius and Aretius conceive the Apostle means Cornelius à Lapide and Estius by word understand the word or sermon of Paul as if Paul should say any such thing that the day of Judgment was at hand for saith Estius the false Apostles affirmed se ex ore Pauli audivisse that they heard Paul speak it That the day of Judgment was at hand from beleeving which the Apostle dehorts them flatly denying that any such word ever proceeded out of his mouth Nor by letter as from us This is to a word according to the Vulgar Translation which reads it so from the Greek Copie 'T is generally conceived that those false Apostles did either forge Epistles in Paul's name or set false glosses upon those he writ Therefore saith Theophylact these Seducers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They fained Epistles as if they had been written and sent forth by Paul and Zanchy as others conceives that either they did forge Epistles in Pauls name or else Paul alludes to the former Epistle where he had treated of this day of Judgment Beza hath a notable saying upon these words very fit to be applyed to our times alluding to the hereticks of those times he lived in If Beza which saw those monsters but in their babieclouts did conceive this Text to be fulfilled in his time what would he have said if he were now alive in England to see these monsters in their full strength and power But I leave this As that the day of Christ is at hand or instantly to be Some conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies here the time past and so the false doctrine here they make to be the same with that in 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. of Hymeneus and Philetus who affirmed that the Resurrection was already past but there is no word in the Greek Copie in all this Text to draw any such Interpretation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we have parallel texts to prove that the word signifies the present time whether the present year or the present generation it is indifferent but it signifies present 1 Cor. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either things present Some conceive possibly the Apostle here repeats the words in derision of the false Apostles who made it all their cry The day of Christ is coming upon us 'T is close at hand t is close at hand Zuinglius affirms that the Apostle took occasion to write this dehortation from a certain book that was writ Anno 24. which had this false doctrine of the day of Judgment 's being at hand This may have some probability if Zuinglius mean the 24 yeer after Christs Ascension But I can neither fully beleeve him nor cleerly disprove him But the most learned conceive that the Apostle grounds his Dehortation upon certain false teachers Doctrine that of meer envie took upon them the profession of Christianity possibly they were crafty Jews of that City on purpose to overthrow it when they saw an opportunity and Paul being absent they thought the fittest time to do mischief was then Now the mischef they intended was twofold 1. To bring Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus into the greatest disgrace that might be by defaming them as Seducers false prophets Baals priests Antichristian Ministers c. for if the day of Judgment did not fall out at their false set time Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus should be in all the blame these false teachers would have seriously professed that they were misled by those false prophets Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus but now their eyes were opened to perceive plainly that they were seducers and for their part they would no longer follow them nor their Doctrine which was so evidently false Such an engine in that age as well as this might have blowed up a whole Church at once and have made professors turn Apostates and hate their Ministers 2. By this Doctrine they intended to bring the Christian Religion into publick disgrace not onely to cast out Paul but Paul's doctrine out of all esteem for could they have possessed the people that the day of Judgment would certainly be that present year for 't is conceived that that was their designe the Christians that beleeved it would have neither sowed their seed nor dressed their vineyards nor provided for their families for to what purpose 〈◊〉 had been when they daily expected fire from heaven to consume all Now what a hardening would this have been both to the heathens on one hand and to the Jewes who had there a Synagogue on the other hand when they should have seen these poor Christians and their Families in extreme want of family necessaries meerly through the delusions of their Religion what shame reproach would it be to Christians and how would the Christian Religion have been cryed down as a most false deceitfull Religion and what a door had here been opened for weak Christians to have apostatized to their former Atheisme Many hundred yeers after our Ecclesiastical histories tell us that the Divell by such a cheat drew away many Professors to become Atheists when they saw the day of Judgment according to their Seducers Predictions came not to pass Ver. 3.
the four Angels then a Star fallen from heaven to earth and now in this place you have the Head of the same Roman Church called a Beast that doth rise out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns Now is the Apostasie come to the height He is a Beast It alludes to Daniel's four beasts to note that he usurpeth the throne of a Monarch he is got to that independent Greatnesse to be an uncontrolled Potentate therefore a beast Then he is a beast of the Sea his rise is from the Clergy from the Chair of the Church he claims his right to the Throne of universal uncontrollable Monarchie therefore Revel 9. 1. he is called a Star fallen from heaven to earth from God to the world And then his seven heads and ten hornâ—… tell us plainly that this evill Angel fallen Star and Beast of the sea is that Head or Polity over the Church in Rome for the City with seven heads and ten horns which through the bloudy cruelty and persecution of this Apostate Government and the supporters of it becomes drunk with the bloud of the Saints is by both Protestants and Papists confessed to be the City of Rome Rev. 17. Thus have I gone over a large and an uncommon circuit in this survey of the Apostasie and the heads thereof being willing to say as much as I find the Scripture to say of it and no more CHAP. IV. I Have but one word more to write concerning this Apostasie and then I have done with it and shall pass to the discription of the Antichrist and that is concerning the time of the Apostasie wherein by the assisting power of the Holy Ghost we doubt not but to make this Apostasie more manifestly distinct from the Antichrist then as yet it hath been there are five Texts give light into this Apostasie as Revel 11. 1 2. Rom. 11. 25. Luke 21. 24. Deut. 32. Dan. 12. 6 7 9 very briefly of each Of Revel 11. 2. I shall do little more at this time then repeat the words Here Iohn is commanded to measure with a reed the Temple of God the Altar and they that worship therein But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months This Text may well be put amongst those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Revelations for it is exceeding hard to be understood Iohn measures the Temple and the Altar in the Temple and they that worship in the Temple that is the Jewish Religion and those obstinate unbelieving Jewes who professed that Religion all these Iohn measures Now what the meaning of this measuring is I profess I do not know this I have learnt from the Jewish Antiquaries that the reed went as well to Mount Golgotha as to Mount Olivet it was to ruine as well as to rear up it was sometimes used to pull down and sometimes used to build up and for which of these ends Iohn is commanded to use his reed like a rod I cannot tell but if it be meant for ruine as most probable it is notwithstanding others contrary opinions then it must be meant of the ruine of the Jewish Religion that Temple which they bragged of saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this Temple of the Lord must now be meted out to destruction and the Altar and those that worship therein must be measured with the rod of destruction so that according to Christs words not one stone should be left upon another and they should be led captive into all Nations I know nothing prophesied of their dissipation by the Romans in all the Revelation but this Herein Iacobs Prophecie is fulfilled Gen. 49 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah untill Shiloh come i. e. there shall be a Church and State of the Jewes until Christ come and then for their Rebellion against Christ they should be both un-Churched and un-Stated and that the definite Particle until imports what ever others say my weak capacity knows not how to make sense of this Prophecie or truth of their sense other wayes And the court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not i. e. according to the former Exposition do not ruine the Gospel Church of the Gentiles with the Iewes for it is given to the Gentiles and they shall tread under foot the holy Ciâ—…y forty and two months that is the Gentile Church which worship God through Christ according to the Gospel they shal be exercised with affliction under the Gentile Apostasie As the Church and State of the Jewes by Iohns measuring line were dissolved and ruined and the Nation dissipated so the true Believers under the Gospel shall be persecuted and drove into the Wilderness by the Gentile Apostasie that is say some learned Papists by Antichrist who shall be a Gentile but I rather affirm it to be by the four Angels that were Gentiles and the by Star fallen from heaven to earth who is a Gentile and by the Beast of the Sea with ten horns and seven heads who is the Pope of Rome a Gentile to these Apostate Gentiles the Church was to be given and they were to tread the holy City under foot forty and two months not to measure it with a reed to the destruction of the Church as the Jewes By the holy City is meant the Church of God Revel 21. 2. in its state of holy conformity to Christ her Head maintaining his Truths in uprightness and sinceritie this holy City was to be trodden under foot by Apostate Gentiles for forty and two months and this is more evidenced by ver 3. which tells us that for the space of One thousand two hundred and sixty dayes which is just forty two months the two witnesses shall prophesie in sackcloth poor clothing for such worthy persons and high Officers as Monarchy and Ministry this is but to shew the sad condition of the true Church under the Apostasie of the Gentiles for if it fare thus with the Pastors how ill must it needs go with the Sheep There is one verse from Christs mouth that seems fully to comprehend all that Iohn hath said both of the Jewes dissipation and the Gentile Gospel Churches affliction in the three verses of Revel 11. and that is in Luke 21. 24. There shall be wrath upon this people meaning the Jewes and they shall fall by the edge of the sword and they shall be led away captive into all Nations here is Iohns measuring reed like a rod indeed passing over the Church and State of the Jewes to their ruine and mark what follows And Ierusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled This Prophesie is given in Iohns phrase and method by Ierusalem is meant the Church of God worshipping him according to the Gospel rule and by treading down is signified the
Prophecie I believe Rev. 10. 5 6 7. points directly for in this Text Iohn sees an Angel lifting up his hand to heaven and swearing by him that lives for ever and in Deut. 32. 40. there is he the Lord Christ lifting up his hand to heaven and saying I live for ever But that we may make good our assertion by evident demonstration we must go back as far as Deut. 28. where Moses begins his farewel Sermon to Israel and continues it to the end of cap. 32. A method that holy Paul that other Moses followes in Act. 20. 25. 30. when he knew his time was come that he should see the Macedonian Church no more after he had laid the foundation of the Church and builded them upon that foundation he strives to establish them precautioning them of the danger that would come upon them when he was departed even so doth Moses here as it were on Mount Pisgah foresee the future sins of the twelve Tribes and the peculiar punishments inflicted on them for those sins Now because we 'l go no higher then needs must in Deut. 28. 48. Moses shewes them their captivity under the Roman Empire God shall put a yoak of iron upon their neck until he have destroyed them i. e. the yoak of the fourth beast in Dan. 2. which is made of iron that is the Roman Monarchy and this is made more clear to be the Roman Monarchy in the next verse The Lord shal send a Nation against thee from far from the ends of the earth as the Eagle flieth that is the Roman Eagle shal come from the Western part of the world against them they shal ver 52. besiege the Cities of Iudah and take them and distress the people with sore famine Christ in his Prophecie Mat. 24. Luke 21. Mark 13 points to this Prophecie when he saith Famines and pestilences and wars and rumours of wars and distress of Nations and their scattering among many Nations shall come upon them This is so clear by the comparing of Moses and Christs prophecies that there needs no more be said of it So eminent shall be the plagues upon the Land of Iudah that Deut. 29. 22 23 24. all Nations in the world shall ask Why the Lord hath made it a barren wilderness bringing forth nothing for the good of man but even like Sodom and Gomorrah Now this is the very question this day in our ears this Scripture is fulfilled and the answer this day is like that in the Text Because they forlook Jesus Christ the God of their Fathers and clave to the Temple Ark and Altar which in comparison of Christ were but stocks and stones and in opposition to Christ were abominable filthy and detestable idols CHAP. VI. THat these Blessings and cursings are a Prophecie Deut. 30. 1 puts it out of doubt And it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing and the curse Benedictio maledictio haec as Tremelius reads it that is the eminent blessings they injoyed under Kings and the eminent curses that fell upon them under the Babylonish Tyranny but the dreadfullest of all under the Roman Monarchy yet when under this heavy curse Israel shall bethink themselves and return to the Gospel The Lord will turn their captivity and have compassion upon them and will return and gather them from all the Nations whether the Lord hath seattered them ver 3. 4. And the Lord will bring them into the Land which their fathers possessed and they shall possess it This is a promise of the restoring of the Tribes to their own Land after they have been captivated by the Roman Monarchy and driven into all Nations and parts of the world I might draw an Argument from Deut. 29. 29. to prove this If these revealed things belong to the Jewes and to their children for ever if the revealed curses under the Babylonish and Roman Monarchy belongs to the Jewes and to their children then the revealed blessings belong to them and to their children for ever for surely Gods bowels under the Gospel are not more shut up then under the Law but when the set time under the Law for their captivities accomplishment was fulfilled then God restored them from under the Babylonish yoak and is his arm shortned that he cannot or his bowels shut up that he will not redeem his captives from under the Romish iron yoak God forbid any Christian should be so sinfully and obstinately uncharitable as to think so This Prophecie of Moses cleares it to us that the Jewes shall be both converted to the Gospel and restored to their ancient possessions observe what Gospel promises are made to them ver 6 God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to loveth Lord and ver 7. there is a curse upon the Roman Monarchy which persecuted hated and afflicted the Jews and to this day hates them All the curses that are now on the Jewes shal fal on the Romish Monarchy This curse hath in its eye principally the Roman Monarchy for the promise is this to Israel ver 8. They shall return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all his Commandments Now the nature of these Commandments evidenceth to us that this promise is a promise made under the Gospel and if so then the curse must needs be upon the Roman Monarchy for since the Gospel none have been their enemies comparable to the Roman Monarchy Who laid waste their Kingdome destroyed their City Temple Magistracy Government and sold the people into Egypt and all other parts of the world for slaves but the Romane Monarchy The nature of these commands for which God will circumcise the heart of his people to obey them they are expressed in ver 11 12 13 14. which verses two of the greatest Prophets that ever were in the world expound Christ and Paul Christ in Luke 17. 21. and Paul in Rom. 10. 6. Saith Moses The Commandments which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it This saith Saint Paul Rom. 10. 6. is a description of the righteousness of faith and what 's that from Moses his words Paul tells us 't is the imbracing of the truth of Christs descension from heaven in his Incarnation and Sufferings and of his Resurrection and Ascension this is Moses commandment and this Paul in ver 9. plainly tells us 't is the commandment of faith which he and the other Apostles taught That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved so that Moses commandment to the Jews was Pauls
the Sickle and the same reason of the words for the Harvest is ripe observe how materially they agree in Ioel 3. 2. 14. the multitude of Gentiles comming together against the converted Jewes and Gentiles is called the gathering of the nations to bring them into the valley of Iehosephat ver 2. and ver 14. that gathering together is called the day of the Lord and in Revel 16. 12. when preparation was made for the Kings of the East to passe the enemies were gathered together ver 16. to Armagedon ver 14. their gathering together is called the battell of the great day of God Almighty Look we farther into Ioel 3. 15. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Starrs shall withdraw their shining i. e. the Roman and Turkish policy shall be thrown down This is an effect of that day of the Lord and the same effect we shall finde from the battell of the great day of God Rev. 16. for ver 19. the great City was divided into three their usurped Supremacy fell the Sun in that Horizon was darkned and the Cities of the nations fell and great Babilon came to the block and every Island fled away and the Mountaines were not found though the expressions in this and that differ yet they materially agree in this to set forth the incredible and terrible prodigious things which shall befall the enemies of the Church at the seventh Trumpet as in Rev. 14. 18 19 20. that Vine of the Earth may be meant the Turkish Monarchy in Rev. 19. 18. the flesh of Kings and Captains and mighty Men shall in that day be Doggs meat and Crows meat for if it be done thus to the green tree what shall be done to the dry if Judgement begin at the house of God and the righteous can scarcely escape where shall the ungodly and sinners appeare what great things may we look for to be effected in these latter times from these prophetique Texts Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth Seek the Lord with feare and rejoice with trembling kisse the Son lest he be angry One thing more we have in Ioel to prove that this prophecy of his is to be fulfilled under the seventh Trumpet Ioel 3. 7. it is to be fulfilled after the time that the Jewes are sold to the Graecians to the Sonnes of the Graecians i. e. into Europe their seventy years captivity was fulfilled in Asia under the African Monarchy but this captivity of the Jews is to be under the Roman Monarchy in the Europian part of the world we know Titus Vespatian sold them for slaves into Greece and other parts of the world and they after that suffered grievous and bloudy conflicts under the Roman Emperours now their redemption from under their last and longest captivity under the Romans and the Turks is not to be untill the sound of the seventh Trumpet Mat. 24. 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Mathew calls it the great sound of a Trumpet and Isaiah calls it the great Trumpet Isa. 27. 12 13. when God shall gather his Elect one by one it shall come to passe in that day that the great Trumpet shall be blown and they shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts in the Land of Egypt at the seventh Trumpet the twelve Tribes shall be redeemed from all the quarters of the world This alludes to the sounding of the Trumpet which proclaimed the yeare of Jubilee which was to sound aloud throughout the whole Land that all the poore captives might heare and rejoice thereat for then they were to be set free and restored to their own possessions Levit. 25. even so at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet shall the Jews be restored to their ancient possessions from which they have so long time been driven out as those many clear texts which we have quoted do evince Thus have I humbly presented my opinion of the two battels and how they are to be distinguished and not confounded they being as distinct as the first and second wo. I have also given my reason why I think we are not undr the 6. viall the reason why I have said so little of the vialls is because time to come will be their best Expositer as men have made time past their worst I will not fly reproachfully upon any that have writ upon the vialls for their fancy once had drawn me fully to their opinion but since I searched more into it I cannot finde it is either obvious to sense I do not say fancie or apparent to reason or agreeable at all with Scripture to say that any of the vialls are as yet poured out upon Rome it is absolutely as farre as I see contrary to Scripture for Revel 17. at that time when she is come to judgement ver 1. ver 15. the Whore i. e. the last policy or government in Rome rules over peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues the Prophecy mentions not onely the extent but the efficacy of his power in blasphemy and murder and seducements The policy of Rome prevailes so much Revelat. 18. 7 8. in those Kingdomes and States formerly under or now subject unto its spirituall whoredomes that in its pride it saith like an audacious proud and secure Whore I sit a Queene and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come in one day that day that shee thus vaunts it and boasts of prosperity and successe seeing I suppose the Witnesses lye dead that day shall death and mourning and famine and consuming fire fall upon her and what 's all this but the effects of the vialls which in one day come upon her I cannot tell whether this one day be put for one year or one age but 't is put I presume to signifie the speedy end that God will make with Rome when he begins to pour out the vialls so speedy as that the Kings of the Earth her confederates beholding with astonishment fear and wonder such suddain and unexpected judgements on Rome call this day one hour 't is I suppose an hyperbolicall speech comming from the mouthes of men amazed and terrified with such dreadfull judgements comming so suddainly and unexpectedly upon that mighty City all is to tell us that when the vialls are poured out they are poured out orderly but not leisurely there will not be hundreds of yeeres nor months betwixt Viall and Viall I scarce beleeve dayes For God when he begins to judge the Whore he will make a speedy end with her At the seventh Trumpet this mysterie of God shall be finished I le conclude my Discourse of the seventh Trumpet with setting downe in figures not in words that part of Iohns Prophesie which properly falls under the seventh Trumpet viz. Rev. 11. 15. to