them in Mark And it is the more to be Noted if we give heed to the Ecclesiastic Memoir that the Apostle Peter super-intended the Evangelist Mark in his Writing that Gospel Observe therefore The same Divine Spirit by the very same Servant of his the Penman of this Epistle and the Supervisor of that Gospel uses both Words the word so much the same with Epilusis so undoubtedly in the sense of Expounded and of Privately or Apart in the Word Idios and that they are us'd both Affirmatively and Negatively in the same sense For what the Evangelist spoke Affirmatively viz. Christ did Expound or Interpret but Apart that the Apostle in this Text lays down in the Negative or denies concerning the same Exposition or Interpretation viz. That it is not Apart or Private This is so full in this kind of Argument that it seems unnecessary to add It is the word used by the Septuagint for the Interpretation of the Dreams of Pharaohs Officers by Joseph Gen. 41. 82. 2. But that which is indeed above All is The Reason and Scope of the Apostles Discourse require the word Interpretation and no other For the Apostle was not Pressing that the word of Prophecy is a sure Word That He knew was Agreed and most acknowledged between Him and the Hebrew Strangers scattered Abroad to whom He wrote and so the Apostle takes that for a most confessed Thing and that they gave heed to it as such but that which required immediately to be further spoken to was That the sure Word of Prophecy shines as a Light in the dark place in which the Churches of Christ are till the Day of the Kingdom of Christ dawn and He the Phosphor and Day-Star of it shine into the Hearts All His For that is every where the Character of that Kingdom it first dawns and then it shines and it shines into All Hearts possesses All Minds The Day of Gospel-Light and the Day-star of that had already shone for they were Established in the present Truth but that the Apostle intended was to come For He says Vntil it shine which could not be ptoperly said of what is past Besides That could not be come that was yet in Prophecy and needed Prophecy to shine in the place of it which Place had been altogether Dark if it had not been for the Light of Prophecy And the Darkness of it was because that Day did not yet Dawn nor the Day-Star Arise Now to this Light of Prophecy saith the Apostle You do well to Take Heed you do well as it is your Duty so to do and as it is honourably well So it is said Blessed is He that Readeth and They that Hear But to this This Objection might well be made It is a great difficulty to understand Prophecy who or how few are agreed about the Sense and Interpretation of it and especially in what relates to the Time of it and those Numbers relating to Time so particularly in Daniel This therefore the Apostle would prevent and surprize before hand and He does it by laying this as a first Principle That All and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of Private Interpretation If it were so it were indeed vain to Take Heed to it as to a Light shining in a dark place for then it would be as dark as the dark place it self A Prophecy of the Kingdom that cannot be Interpreted can no way enlighten the Dark State of the Non-appearance of the Kingdom But the Apostle assuring the Sure word of Prophecy is not Private Secret Apart but of an Open Free Interpretation is full to the Purpose of Taking Heed or Giving Attendance to it as to such a Light And then the Apostles following words evince the same Thing Prophecy came not of old Time by the will of Man But Holy Men of God spake as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carried Moved Inspired by the Holy Spirit as is further to be Explain'd Now this comes as a Reason of what had been said before as is manifest by the Particle For And it is indeed a great Reason why no Prophecy of Sceipture should be of a private Interpretation because it was given as shall be shewn from the Publick Spirit and not from a Private Spirit as every Created Human Spirit is But if we understand the word us'd for Interpretation to signify either Illipse or Inspiration these following words would be only words of Amplification and not of Proof and to be Interpreted as the opposite to Private by the Adversative But and not Ratiocinative as the Causal Conjunction For assures them to be And the sense must run thus No Prophecy of Scripture is of Private Interpretation But Holy Men of God spake moved by the Holy Spirit and if any one should put in For after Inspiration or Illapse suppos'd in place of Interpretation It is as if the Apostle had said It is not of private Inspiration and therefore of Divine For there can be no opposite to Private but Divine in the Apostles sense and therefore it is not of private Inspiration Because or For Holy men were not Privately but Divinely Inspired which is Amplification and not Probation But if we take as on all Accounts we ought the word to be Interpretation the For comes in most justly as introducing a Great Reason Why Prophecy cannot be of private Interpretation because it is of publick Inspiration as shall be shewn How strong a Reason is this Now seeing Probation or Proof makes a Discourse stronger than Amplification only If there be any doubt concerning a word Whether This or That That ought to be preâ—erred which makes the Sacred Text more Sinewy and strong and so does the word Interpretation here And seeing there is so much for that word and nothing against it it ought to be acquiesced in by All as offering so great a Truth That we ought as in Hearing so in Preaching to give the sense of Prophecy as it is said of Ezra and the other Levites and the People under them Nehem. 8. 7. They gave the sense of the Law and Caused the People to understand the Reading or Preaching that is the inward sense of it and not only the Syllabical Reading lost in Babylon as some may suppose For that is beneath the Holy Spirits notice And thus ought Prophetical Scripture to be Administred Because it is not of private Interpretation It and the Time of it ought to be opened and explained All and every part in all its Divine senses But that further yet This point of Interpretation may be settled and secured and not only so but highly illustrated I will endeavour to clear that the Grand Importance of the Context nay of this whole Epistle is Adjusted and Prepared to Assure That Prophecy of Scripture is not of a Private Interpretation in that greatest Point of Prophecy of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Time of it That Mystery of God to be Fulfilled Evangelized by All his
men It is more than probable there will be and one might take Sanctuary to salve Appearances at some of them But so Great a Revolution as the Return of Miracles is such as will Allow no Subterfuge Either it is or it is not will presently decide Now this Test I have most Freely in the following Discourse put my self upon It is true there is yet a Distance of Time to 97. but not so far off now at 94. as it was at 84 when I Fiâ—st Publish'd that very Year and when it was as Little All will commonly think I Hope Less Acceptable than under the present Reign And have not now nor ever since either mov'd it nearer or further off And I most humbly bless God it is so much nearer that we All write now 1694. The Substance of the Discourse of Miracles was Preach'd in your Hearing to whom I especially write and hath for the most part undergone only such Alterations Additions or Detachments as the Difference between a Free way of Speaking and a more settled Writing requires The Adjoyn'd Treatise Entuled The Great Charter for Interpretation of Prophecy hath been occasionally interspers'd in many Discourses to you though more Compacted in Another Assembly But the Matter being so much Allied and so necessary to Direct Expectation as to the Time of the Return of Miracles Though it be an Addition to what I propos'd and Receiv'd the Contribution of so many for Yet the Discourse propos'd Leaving Room for it so as that it will come just up to the Proposal with this Adjoyn'd and no more I hope it will not be misinterpreted and the rather because it is the Authority I show for All I have Written and Preach'd concerning the Kingdom of Christ in Succession at 1697. And I am so far satisfy'd in what I have through Gracious Assistance been enabled to say that if I may be so Bold to make an Humble Allusion to what our Lord said concerning the Passover I would not set my self to Write I do not say declare any more concerning it Except Any one should call Publickly and in Print for an Answer of Any Objection made to it till it be Fullfill'd in the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ I Know many will be very Forward to blame me in this Confidence as I know it will seem also of Boasting But I have well weigh'd my Grounds and do not Fear I know whom and what I have Believed upon and Rest Secure He will bring it to pass and Hasten it in its own Time I have declared Yet According to the very Infirmity of the Present State I have ballanc'd the matter I know if Things which can neither Deceive nor be Deceived Ratifie what I have written God hath not vouchsafed by Any to Declare Them so Publickly Appearing as he hath by one most Unworthy and Desirous to Lye in the Dust before him and All his People in the Sence of my own Unworthiness If so Whatever hath or shall befall me None shall take This Glory from me nor from the Remembrance of me That I have beon thus Enabled by Him to Speak and Write thus concerning the Kingdom of Christ and the Time of its Succession I Remember yet with due Honor that Fellow-Helper in his Annotations on the Revelation Yet the least in the Succession of that Kingdom shall be much greater than Any can be now But if on the other side I may have been Deceiv'd on such Grounds as I Rest upon I should neither Expect nor Desire to have the mercy so Great a Confidence should be covered in Silence But that my so Great Assurance should he set as a Sea-mark to Caution All Others and to rest as an unremovable Shame and Confusion on my self and Name But I hope better Things and such as shall Lay fast hold on the Kingdom of Christ though I thus speak and as I most Humbly Sollemnly Affectionately Pray for your Abundant and Rich Entrance into this Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ So I most earnestly desire your Prayers for the bringing forth that Kingdom that you would look for and hast on to it even on my behalf also as the Minister of it and that I may so Preach it and all the Doctrines pertaining to it which are indeed all the Doctrines of the Gospel that I may both save my self and them that hear me and that while I Preach it to others I my self may not become a Cast-away from that Kingdom and that you may be Found worthy to stand before the Son of man at that day My most Honoured This 7th Month 7th Day 1694. Your most Faithful and Humble Servant in this Ministry of the Gospel and of the Kingdom of it T. BEVERLEY THE CONTENTS OF THE Discourse upon Miracles CHap. I. The Opening of the Text and the Heads of the Discourse given Page 1 Chap. II. Of the Nature of Miracles and the due place of them p. 4 Chap. III. Giving yet a more Strict and Exact Description of Miracles in Five Particulars p. 15 Chap. IV. Of the Reasons or ends of Miracles as they are generally Assign'd by those who have VVrit upon them p. 23 Chap. V. VVherein the Grand Scope of the Discourse is Endeavoured to be truly Fixed viz. That the Chief and Adequate End and Reason of Miracles is That they are Portions and Pledges Peices and Parcels and Portions of the Kingdom of Christ or of the World to Come and to Bring it in at Last p. 30 Chap. VI. A Discussion of the Times wherein Miracles have been most Illustrious and when there hath been greatest Darkness among the People of God in Relation to them Preparatory to the Asserting That Miracles are not ceas'd but a Return of Them is to be Expected p. 46 Chap. VII The Direct Proof of the Power of Miracles Returning by the following Arguments for it p. 58 Chap. VIII Of that Power of Miracles that always Accompanies the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and hath rested upon the Witnesses and yet Rests upon them During the whole Time past and to the End of the Twelve Hunâ—â—ed and Sixty Days of the Woman in the Wilderness and the Witnesses in Sackcloath and the Forty two Months of the Antichristian Apostasy p. 75 Chap. IX An Enquiry upon some late Miraculous Appearances of God according to his own Will that look like a Beginning of Miracles Returning and how far They give Encouragement to wait upon God in any case of Extremity to do for us above his ordinary Course of Providence or Government of the World p. 85. Chap. X. Wherein a Representation of the Excellency of the State of Miracles in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles is given That we may thereby Judg of the Return of such a State of Miracles excelling even that in Vniversality and reaching the utmost Effects p. 88 Chap. XI The Inferences from the whole Discourse of Miracles Tending to make Wise to Sobriety concerning Them and
Daniel there were very Resplendent Signatures of the Mighty Power of God in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream and Image both Retrieved by Daniel when He had lost all Lines of it as also Expounded to him which both satisfied and convinced that Insolent Monarch into an acknowledgment of God the Miraculous Chaining up the power of the Fire upon the Three Servants of God in that so over-heated Furnace while yet it had Full Force to Fly out and Ravage upon the Servants of the Idolatrous Furious Prince that doted upon that very Image of Vast Arbitrary Dominion most probably which being so Miraculously Represented and Expounded had Extorted from him the Confession of the one True God That immediate Hand of the most High upon him in such a Deliration and Phrensy which turn'd him to Grass with the Beasts and as wonderfully Restor'd him with a Mouth so full of acknowledgments of the God of Heaven The Dreadful and Astonishing Starting of the Hand and Fingers out of the wall to that Intemperate Sacrilegious and Idolatrous King Belshazzar with the Affrightful Comment of Daniel upon the writing of them The preserving Daniel in the Den of Lyons when their Rage was yet so quick upon the men that gave him as a prey to their intended Ravenous Teeth All these very stupendious and Mighty Works of God were undoubtedly on purpose provided for that very Time wherein These most Admirable and Truly more Miraculous Visions of the Kingdom of Christ were in Giving and as most Connatural to them so for a Confirmation of them They lasted therefore so long and were succeeded by not so many Miracles as very wonderful and Mighty Providences in the Restoring Judah and Jerusalem by such Signal and almost miraculously moved and Ingaged services of so many Princes of Persia together with the Glorious Prophecy of Haggai and Zechary which lasted till Judah and Jerusalem were Restor'd and so long continued the Spirit of Prophecy Then immediately came on those Strait Cramped Times both as to the Prophecy the Miraculous Power and all Appearances of the Kingdom of Christ One Rising and Setting with the other as by the strongest Sympathy and Configuration or most Wise Disposals to for and with one another For when those Straits of Time under the Power of Heathen Princes and the more settled Times of the Gentiles came in the Spirit of Prophecy Retired in Malachies Prophecy and took as it were its Leave and gave its Fare-well in those Words ending it Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant in Horeb for All Israel with the Statutes and the Judgments viz. As Enlarg'd upon by the Prophets Let my Written Word be your Rule Thus there was a Sealing up Prophecy till the sending of Elijah the Prophet which Elijah the Prophet our Lord Assures was John the Baptist in One Degree but not in the Highest For another Elijah like Ministry and of an Higher Elevation or exaltation shall yet Arise as our Lord hath Intimated also in saying Elijah truly Cometh and shall Restore All Things even before that Notably Great and Terrible Day of the Lord And when the mighty Converting Power the Power of Miracles being also Joyn'd with it shall be abundantly given out For John did no Miracle to shew the Prophecy was not in him Fullfill'd to the utmost then shall indeed the Heart of the Fathers be Turn'd to the Children and the Heart of the Children to the Fathers or of the Disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just However in the mean time The Beginning of the Gospel in every Evangelist is plac'd in John to whom says Luke The Word of God by immediate Mission came and he was a Man sent from God as the Evangelist John says And the very Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God is Fix'd in Him by Mark cap. 1. 1 2 As if he would have Joyn'd the last words of Malachi and the first of his own together and in a Continuation as one and the same Holy Scripture But notwithstanding all this tho John was so great a Prophet Yet he saith Christ that is Least in the Kingdom of God is Greater than he His Greatness above all that were Born of Women stood in this That he prepar'd the way to Christ and to that great Power with which the Son of God came He was so Great in his being so near the Kingdom of God yet because he was so near and not in that very Kingdom It was not fit for him to do any Miracle That was a Glory Proper only to the Kingdom of God it self Now it was just in its Appearance And thus I have brought Time down to its Fullness just to that very point wherein our Lord Jesus Christ Appearing there were so great Reasons of Expectation that his Kingdom should also have then Appear'd Immediately and all Miracles have been summ'd up in its Coming with Power But tho in the Days of those Kingdoms I mean of those Four Monarchies in Daniel that were so Determin'd by God and by Christ a Room was reserv'd That the God of Heaven should set up a Kingdom and a Dominion never to End yet it was in Infinite Wisdom and Counsel so Determin'd that it should shew it self and its right and so withdraw again because the last of the Four Monarchies even the Roman Monarchy had that large Stage of Time allow'd to it to run over and concerning the last State or Part of which Christ had Sworn There should be Time Times and half a Time e're the Wonders or Miracles proper to the Introducing his Kingdom should be Finished Dan. 12. 6. However for that very Appearance of that Kingdom set up so great a Power of Miracles as were wrought in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was so shewn both in regard of that Kingdom of Faith and Holiness that did then actually show it self and which indeed can never suffer a Total so much as Interruption much less an End But yet an Apostasy from it even a General Apostasy the Apostasy of a Generation the Antichristian Generation express'd by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 1. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to come as the Apostle does with so great an Earnestness and Zeal Assert 2 Thes 2. And by the same degrees the Mystery of Iniquity wrought in order to that and to bring it forth by the very same the Kingdom of Christ withdrew and Retired in the Spiritual Vertue and Power of it and also in the Miraculous Power that comes along with it This stop to its present glorious Appearance is very Forcibly Express'd by Daniel in these words Dan. 9 24. The Sealing Vision and Prophecy at the very Time of making an End of Sin and Finishing Transgression shewing that whereas the Glory of the Kingdom was in strict Justice due to Christ at the very Time of the Sacrifice offered and Reconciliation made and the great Assurance God gave of his Acceptance of it
by the Rising of our Lord from the Dead for our Justification which was in Daniels Phrase bringing in Everlasting Righteousness That then immediately sollows the Sealing Vision and Prophecy viz. The Vision and Prophecy of the Glorious Temple and Kingdom of Christ even to Ezekiel 40. c. Indeed there was a Gradual Unsealing that first Sealing in the Opening the Seven first Seals which produc'd the Appearance of the Kingdom of Christ in the Christian Empire of Constantine and his Successors but because under it the Antichristian State of the Empire made up every day nearer and nearer to Antichrist's 2 Thes 2. own Time wherein he was to be Revealed therefore there was a second sâ—aling of the Servants of God in their Forehead which sealing being contemporary with the Witnesses in Sackcloath and that contemporary with the Forty Two Months of the Gentiles and of the Beast and of the Woman in the Wilderness is by construction a Time of 1260 Days of Years So that the Glory of their State was indeed secur'd but Conceal'd also and Reserv'd Upon which the Kingdom of Christ could not be Reveal'd during that sealing also and this as I shall argue was the True Cause of the cessation of the power of Miracles And when there was a Challenge of the Kingdom of Christ Rev. 10. by the Roar of the Lyon and Seven Thunders uttering their Voices there was yet which shall be the last a sealing up the Voices of the Thunders So that there coald not be the mighty Works of Miracles shewing forth themselves notwithstanding the Reformation I have thus far now shewn the close connexion of Miracles and the Kingdom of Christ all along from the Promise of the Seed of the Woman breakiag the Head of the Serpent unto the very Kingdom of Christ appearing in far Greater Glory than ever yet it hath done and no Time excepted but the Time of Straits from the Restoring Jerusalem to Messiah and the Time of the 1260 Days of the Apostasy not expiring at the Reformation nor yet expired That I may then give what I account the True Reason of the Suspension rather than Cessation of Miracles I will lay down my sense of it in these Following Particulars 1. There is a solemn Oath of Christ That the Potentacy of the Beast would have Time Times and half a Time 42 months or 1260 Days 2. This Potentacy of the Beast was to attain its power by doing Great Wonders and working Miracles For that which is called The other Beast Rev. 13. 13. while he says to them that dwell on the Earth that they should worship the Beast and make an Image to the Beast that is give him in the Image of Spiritual Supremacy Imperial Power He works miracles tho false ones And thus it was to be because as hath been said the Kingdom of the Beast is the Counterfeit of the Kingdom of Christ and so must Appear with Miracles 3. The Kingdom of Christ cannot appear while â—he Beâ—st's Term lasts For those Two Kingdoms can no more stand together in Manifestation and Appearance than the Ark and Dagon 4. In the Kingdom of Christ then Miracles come when his Name in his Kingdom comes For where his Name is near in any Outward Lustre and Visible Glory of his Kingdom in that Psalm of his Kingdom Psal 75. 1. There his wondrous works must and shall declare it 5. Where True Miracles come False Miracles cannot Abide but Vanish as those of Simon Magus Acts 10. of Elymas the Sorcerer Chap. 13. 8. of the Exorcists Chap. 19. 13. as those of Jannes and Jambres before Moses 2 Tim. 3. 8. as the Priests of Baal whose God could not Answer by Fire before the True God by Elijah 1 Kings 18. 28. 38. When God indeed appears All Counterfeits are forced to cry out This is the Finger of God God cannot be out-shot in his own Bow 5. Where the Miracles proper to the Evangelical Kingdom and Glory of Christ come there is also a pouring out of the Divine Spirit in the Hearts of Men by mighty Operations of Grace according to his own Will and in proportion to the Appearance his Kingdom is to make at that time And this must prevail over All that stands in the way of it Lay then these together They make Demonstrative Proof There could be There can be no Miracles while the Antichristian Times last that is no open visible sensible Miracles For if the Beast must by the Oath tf Christ last 1260 Years If it must begin and be sustain'd by Lying Signs and Wonders And if where Christ's Kingdom comes in Glory Miracles come and his Spirit also If the False Miracles of Antichrist's Kingdom cannot stand before the True Miracles of Christ's Kingdom much more with his Spirit Then it necessarily follows there can be no Miracles no Divine Visible Miracles while the Kingdom of the Beast is by the Oath of Christ to continue It would presently break All in pieces over-throw All The Beast's Kingdom cannot stand before them His Kingdom having been so near to 1260 Years so long Miracles must have been suspended and the Miraculous Power have lain still and been quiet as in its Scabbard For what can such Lying VVonders as are done by the Dead Bones of Martyrs Relicks of this or that Saint the Virgin Mary or even pertaining to Christ's Garments VVood of his Cross before the mighty Power of Truly Evangelical Doctrine seal'd with Miracles such as were done by Christ and his Apostles together with the Inward Power and Grace of the Divine Spirit making obedient by Word and Deed What could All the Legendary Miracles of Transubstantiation do in Resistance to Divine Truth so armed or Brutish Excommunications effect before that True Apostolical Power of casting to Sathan The One True Fire from Heaven the other Brutum Fulmen False Fire though pretended to be brought down from Heaven where by the way I cannot but observe how Prophecy hath guided common Language For as Lightnings or Fulminations are Fire from Heaven so common Language hath styled Excommunications Fire as from Heaven though indeed only from the Magical Heaven of the Pope and most truly from the sulpâ—ureous smoak of the bottrmless Pit Revel 9. 1. Falling in with Revel 13. 13. to Great Exactness Now a due Consideration of what I have now Represented makes Full Solution to Two Objections that may arise from an overly Reflection upon it Object 1 It may be asked Why had the Apostasy of the Ten Tribes so Great a Type of the Antichristian Apostasy so many and so great Miracles by Elijah and Elisha Ans The Answer is already given because the Kingdom and Apostasy of Antichrist was sworn by Christ and therefore could not be broken till the End of the 1260 days but it would have been broken by Miracle whereas the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes being Israelitish and Appointed by God was not Touch'd by the Miracles of Elijah and Elisha altho their Paganiz'd Apostasy was
of his Kingdom of the New Creation there should be a Miraculous Appearance A Light therefore shone round and other Manifestations of the Powerful Visible Presence of Christ were given at it All this shews then another great Reason why God is pleas'd to make Miracles the Conveyance as I have said the Chariot of his Mighty Spirit and what End but that God would give Testimony That a New Creation a New Heaven a New State of Things a World to come shall be when the Gospel shall attain its Glory Then shall be a Visible Representation of the Inward Spiritual Glory The Case and outside to the Inward Glory shall be the outward Glory the outward Glorious State of all Things some Parcels and Portions of which are according to the Word of God shewn with the Gospel at such Times and in such Cases on such occasions as the Lord sees meet For this is Demonstration If without Miracles Christ drew Souls when he pleased even whole Cities as that of Samaria John 4. without any Miracles we Read of And if notwithstanding Miracles he left many to the Blindness and Hardness of their Heart It is then Evident There is no necessity of Miracles but the Spirit powr'd out from on High is Enough and only Enough with Miracles or without for Conversion It follows then Miracles are wrought chiefly because God would give Pledges and as I said Parts and Peices of the World to come before hand that shall be a Visible Glory over and upon the Spiritual Invisible Glory of the Gospel at its Height and Perfection Tho it may Collatterally serve for Confirmation and a Testimony to it now Yet still Miracles duly attend the Gospel in the World in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles in All its Grander Appearances in the World as is allowed and agreed on all sides I Argue then seeing the Gospel is yet in a very Imperfect State of Acquist or of getting the whole World into its possession therefore when ever the Gospel is to come out again in that Glory and Power as to bring the uttermost Ends under it Then even in Course there must be there shall be a return of Miracles Tho as I shall Argue much more because the Gospel shall then Introduce the Kingdom of Christ and the World to come It must be attended by Miracle But to Argue first according to the Allowances of Men with whom we now deal let us look on the second Psalm v. 7. saith Christ I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son This Day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathens for thy Inheritance and the uttermost ends of the Earth for thy possession This shall indeed be done by Angry Power by a Rod of Iron where the Gospel does not prevail but yet it is to be done also and principally too by the Gospel For Psal 110. When the Lord shall send the Rod of Christs strength out of Zion That he shall Rule in the midst of his Enemies and even as other Scriptures say to the very Ends of the Earth His People shall be willing in the Day of his Power and through the Power of Converting Grace he shall as in regard of Abundance of Converts have the Dew of his Youth the Children of his Youth Renewed at that Time Like the Eagles as numerous as the Drops of Dew from the dawn of the Morning His People perswaded by the Gospel shall come in as Free-will Offerings in so great numbers When this Day of Christ's Power therefore shall be and the Effects of the Gospel Preaching so mighty then according to all Rules of Proportion Miracles shall return to attend the Gospel But I Argue further from positive and Express Scriptures beyond Contradiction and indeed I do not find many that are so unreasonable as to disagree however they may think that Miracles shall not Return that the Gospel must have yet a greater Publication to the ends of the Earth than it yet hath had For we know what vast parts of the Earth there are now that are without the Gospel not only without the Belief of it but without the very Sound of it or at least a Sound that is at all Considerable if any at All Yet few think it shall be so to the very End Few think God hath done what he intends to do that God hath gone over the World with the Gospel as far as he hath any purpose to go and that he intends to go no further But whoever may think so Christ Discoursing concerning the End hath told us Matt. 24. 6 14. There shall be Wars and Rumors of Wars but yet we must not be so shaken in Mind as to think therefore The End must needs be For saith he The End is not yet It is True saith Christ I have been Prophecyed of as the Prince of Peace and that under my Government Wars should be made to Cease to the Ends of the Earth that the Nations should learn War no more but beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning hooks That I should Break the Bow and Cut the Spear and Arrows Asunder and Burn the Chariots in the Fire And therefore when ever you have Wars and Rumors of Wars you may think that it must needs be I must Come and put an End to all Things as in this State of the World that I may put an End to Wars But saith Christ These things must be yet the End shall not as yet be And therefore I freely profess though we see the World at this Day almost All in a Combustion in a Flame Every one knows what an Universal State of War there is at this Time yet I should not look on this as an Argument of the near Approach of the Kingdom of Christ if there were not more Assured Arguments from the Scripture Line of Time For Christ hath told us that there shall be such Things all along and we may see by the History of All Nations There have been Wars and Rumors of Wars all along and yet this is no Argument The End shall yet be But v. 14. Christ tells us what shall be an assured Argument The End shall be that is The End of this State of the World For saith he v. 14. This Gospel This very Gospel of the Kingdom it is very Remarkable It is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ It shall be Preached in all the World for a Witness unto all Nations and then shall the End Come Surely there can be nothing more Express and Full to the purpose That there must be just upon the End a Preaching of the Gospel in all the World Take what Preaching of the Gospel you will that hath been before if the End hath not Followed upon it That is not the Preaching of the Gospel on which the End Follows that is here spoken of This must needs be granted For when Christ says such things shall Be
the Blood as of a Dead man They hang out the Scarlet Thread of Christs Blood They set up Christ and Christ Alone and so there is none Barren among them They are blessed with doing Good to Souls made Wise to Win Souls and to turn many to Righteousness 4. The last Miraculous Power they Exercise is They smite the Earth with all Plagues as often as they will That is they may as Freely as They Desire Declare the Judgments of God even those seven last Plagues that shall make an end of the Antichristian State and of all the Enemies of Christ yea the whole Corrupted State of this Earth and all they say shall certainly be made good and Fulfill'd even as the Plagues Moses was Commanded by God to Smite the Land or Earth of Egypt with and which had their full effect are Recorded as Miracles of Judgment even so shall the smiting of Spiritual Egypt and its Earth be found to be when the Seal in their Forheads is Removed and all they have spoken and done fully understood in the Light of that Day But this as often as they will tho it seem altogether a word of Concession and Leaving the Matter to their Freedom and Choice yet it indeed gives the Faulty Reason on the part of the Witnesses why Popery has not been more prevail'd against even throughout the whole Time Times and Half Time of the Apostasy For the Wise and Holy Counsels of God do not Remove the Faultiness of Mens Actions which bring those very Counsels to pass as we see throughout Scripture in the greatest Instances as in Judas and all the Powers that Joyn'd in Crucifying the Son of God They were never the less wicked Hands because they did what God had determined in his Counsel and Fore-knowledg should be done And while the Jews heard the Voices of the Prophets they did notwithstanding most Evilly Fuâ—fill them Even so the Vâ—itnesses not having a Will to smite so much and so often as they should and ought have fallen under Blame by our Lord And this helps us to understand what Christ says to those Two Churches even the two Candlesticks slanding before the God of the whole Earth in the Time of the Apostasy Pergamus and Thyatyra To one it is said I have a few Things against Thee That thou hast them who hold the Doctrin of Balam c. To the other it is said I have a few Things against thee That thou sufferest the Woman Jezebel c. Now these small Things may be very well Interpreted They did not will so much as they should have willed However they are called small or Little Things because they were indeed under an Over-powering as well as an Under-willing But surely Sardis the Symbol of the Churches under the Reformation except in the Few and Small undefiled Names and yet more especially the They on the part of the Synagogue of Satan are under much severer Censure that they have not Will'd more to smite the Antichristian Earth with the Predictions of Divine Judgment upon them who have a Name to Live and yet are Dead who have not strengthen'd the Things that Remain but are ready to Dye in order to the Kingdom of Christ nor Fill'd up their Works before God who have not stamp'd with their Foot and with all possible Zeal Prophecyed Prophecyed as God Commanded Ezekiel the Ruin of Babylon the Great who as Jehoahaz have smote only Thrice and Staid when they should have smitten Six or seven Times till they had Consumed Babylon and cut it off Root and Branch For the Reformation was the Arrow of the Lord's Deliverance but not pursued to the utmost as 2 Kings c. 13 15. And this is signified by the Thunders that opened in the Reformation then Sealed and so it hath sunk and gone backward and not forward and so it will be to the End of the 1260 days we have rather been Giving back to Egypt this should stir up our Zeal to smite to the utmost now with the Arrows of the Lord's Deliverance and tho many who have gone further than others have been Laugh'd at Despis'd Persecuted by them Them especially of the Synagogue of Satan as Rash Heady Hot Fanatical Persons yet at Last it shall be found to be under a Divine Commission to smite as often as they would and all they have said shall have the full Effect even as greatest Miracles and Justified as true Interpretation of Prophecy Neglected too much by the Learned under pretence of a Sealed Book And thus far I have shewn That Miracles have not in the Inward Spiritual Part been cut off but have run along the whole Apostasy tho underground and Invisibly But they shall now within short Time appear in their Glory CHAP. IX An Enquiry upon some late Miraculous Appearances of God according to his own Will that look like a Beginning of Miracles Returning and how far they give Encouragement to wait upon God in any Case of Extremity to do for us above his ordinary Course of Providence or Government of the World TOuching the late Miraculous Appearances I will not say The Fr. maid Mrs. Salvage The Shepherd near Hitchin Hertfordshire Sir D. C. of Glocestershire more than we generally know of them that such things then were 1. Because the particular Instances altho an Atheist does not know I Believe what well to say to them yet they do not Rise to so great a Heighth as to Argue upon them alone 2. Because I do not observe God is pleas'd to go on and joyn them with others in a continued Series or Course that should strengthen one by the other and make All together more considerable remarkable and demonstrative of Divine Power 3. Because altho I see no more Reason to doubt of them than of any Miraculous Appearances of God that Rest on Human Testimony only yet I cannot but put a great difference between all Human Judgment on Miracles and those which the Holy Spirit hath Recorded as such I shall therefore Place no other sense upon them than this only that they are Providential Awaknings and Alarms of such a Returning Power of Miracles as upon all the fore-going Discourse and the Arguments of it we have Reason to expect As to the Question therefore propos'd I will give an Answer in Four Assertions how far we may in any Case ground Expectation of a Miraculous Power 1. The Time of the Return of Miracles is not yet because the Days of the Four Monarchies and particularly the Time Times and Half Time of the last State of the Fourth Monarchy or Roman Papal Apostasy are not yet expir'd nor the Kingdom of Christ yet in its Succession So that though our Time as the Lord speaks is always ready we have great need in all regards of the Miracles of Mercy But his Time is not always It is not yet If that Time be not yet we cannot look for any Miracle in our particular case with any certain Assurance we
Prophets that Restitution of All Things in that Kingdom spoken of by All the Prophets since the World began Now of this Kingdom and the Time of it The Apostles Affirmation The Prophecies of Scripture are not of any private Interpretation when and in what they speak of it hath the chief and most eminent place And therefore the Discourse upon so great a Scripture so levelled and prepared as I may say to all intents and purposes for the Justification of search into Prophecy concerning the Kingdom of Christ and what or what manner of Time the Spirit of God hath signified is indeed a Magna Charta for Interpretation of it Now then the occasion of all the Context is the mention of the Abundant Entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and That an Everlasting Kingdom Now of this Kingdom there is a Twofold state That which is now at present and by way of preparation or the Ministration of an Entrance and concerning that The Apostle says They were established in the present Truth 2. There is a Future State and Glory of that Kingdom which is that Everlasting Kingdom and to which this present Kingdom of Grace Ministers an Entrance and of this saith the Apostle I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance Upon this Basis or Foundation laid then I will first give great Arguments That through the whole Epistle and particularly in this Context the Apostle hath very great Relation to this Kingdom and most particularly to the Time of it 2. That the Context having so great Relation to this Kingdom and particularly to the Time of it also there is great Reason the Apostle should speak concerning the Interpretation of Prophecy as the principal Point and that Inspiration should Attend upon it In the first Part I will give Arguments First That the Kingdom is intended And then in the second place for the Time as intended also Argument 1 That which I have already said is most manifest That the mention of the Kingdom of Christ to which the Apostles Discourse before made haste and to which the whole Epistle after issues hath immediate Relation to this Context For the Connexion and Coherence is so close and strict that there is no dividing the one from the other as will appear in the following Particulars For 2. The Apostle gives notice what Kingdom of Christ He had regard to when He Styles it in Remembrance of that Kingdom Promised in Daniel the Everlasting Kingdom as it is there Styl'd C. 7. an Everlasting Dominion and a Kingdom that shall not be destroyed 3. In that so Emphatically He gives the Title of Saviour to Christ as the Apostle Paul joyns the appearance of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ together For therein above All Christ is seen and will be known to be the Saviour Restoring All that was Ruined by the sin of the First Adam 4. The great care the Apostle expresses They should have that Kingdom in remembrance although they were establish'd in the present Truth that Ministers but an entrance into that Kingdam as was intimated before 5. The Apostle as the New-Testament generally does calling the Kingdom of Christ his coming remembers the Admonition Christ gave him of hss dying or putting off that Tabernacle before he should so come whereas the Apostle had an expectation of that Kingdom immediately as they said Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel 6. The Apostle giving so full a Representation of the Transfiguration which was it self an admirable Landskip and a Model of it gives it on purpose to foreshew it the Apostle therefore gives it in Terms most expressive of the Kingdom of Christ v. 16. to v. 19. 1. It is called the Power and Coming of Christ and the word Majesty imports Royal Grâ—atness v. 16. 2. The sollemn Inauguration of Christ by the Voice from â—he excellent glory This is the beloved Son in whom I am well pleased like unto that other so great Declaration of him Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee when he set his Kingdom on his holy hill of Sion v. 18. 3. As the New-Jerusalem the Palace of the Kingdom of Christ is an exceeding high and holy Mountain so all this glory was on the holy Mountain 4. In that the Apostle is so apprehensive it might be suspected to be a cunningly devised Table which Caution of the Apostle is indeed a great Key of this whole Discourse and will lead us into the reason of this Context as shall appear after 5. In that the Apostle passes so immediately from the Transfiguration to the sure Word of Prophecy and to prophecy shining as a light in a dark place by which two Characters put together it manifestly appears the Kingdom of Christ inâ—ended is neither the Kingdom of Grace the Spiritual Kingdom the Gospel of Grace as we generally speak not the Kingdom of Eternity not the Kingdom of Grace because not only Prophecy looks to things to come if still in Prophecy and to be fulfilled but also if it should be suppoâ—'d That Prophecy shin'd in that Kingdom of Grace and of the Gospel by the Aposâ—les so Illustrious Ministry that could be by no mean called a dark or squalid or foul place For it was the Gloriousest State of the Kingdom and of Prophecy fulfill'd in it that had been ever before or hath been since or that shall be till that very Everlasting Kingdom of Christ come into its succession then it could not be the Kingdom of Eternity For the Kingdom of Eternity is not the manifestation of Prophecy but one of the plainest and most Fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel and of Christianity I come therefore to the second thing that this Epistle of the Apostle Peter is adjusted to and that is to the shewing the time of the Kingdom for which I give these Arguments 1. That the Apostle calls it the Everlasting Kingdom by which as was before intimated he refers to Daniel's Prophecy of that Everlasting Kingdom and Dominion Dan. 7. 27. which is postpon'd to four Kingdoms and Monarchies the last of which was then in course when the Apostle wrote this and to the last state of which viz. the Feet of Iron and Clay and the ten Horns and a little one chief of the Ten there was an allowance of Time Times and Half a Time before the Kingdom of Christ could come into its Succession 2. The Apostle by saying The sure word of prophecy shines as a light in a dark place intimates it foretels the time of that glorious Kingdom how could it shine so effectually as to enlighten the dark place if it gave no Knowledge when Prophecy should be fulfill'd For that Prophecy does not pass immediately into effect made the space between the appearance of Christ in Flesh and in Glory dark and therefore the light of Prophecy gives us a direction upon the Time when the eflect of Prophecy shall be the hope and
fulfilled as he hath spoken or Evangelized as Happiest Tydings by All his Strvants the Prophets Rev. 10. 7 Prophecy is therefore a Light shining till then and guiding to the Time when iâ— is to begin and then falls in One with it as the sorenam'd Scâ—iptures shew 2. There is a very particular dark place that Prophecy shines as a Light in tfll then and it is indeed the whole Time from the Delay of the Kingdom of Christ at his Resurrestion and â—scension till it dawns and rises as a Day-star but it is yet more particularly the Time and State of the Apostacy which is as a Smoak darkning the Air even the whole State of Christianity in the very Heavens of it Prophecy shines therefore as a Light in a dark place giving Assurance of and shewing the Time of that Day and Day-Star dawning upon the World till it shall Illuminate into the very Heart with its mighty Influences and Beams of Glory Object 4 It is to be further urg'd If the Time of this Kingdom and Glory be not generally known and agreed upon it can do but little Service for the Inlightning the dark place of the Apostacy and that we do not find it hath been and if Prophecy be not in its own Constitution of private Interpretation yet if it hath Eventually proved so how is the Light of it seen Answ 1 It is very agreeable to the Wisdom and Glory of God that the Fountains of Truth should be running and the Lights of it shining though the Streams and Rays are not received nor have their kindly Effect as the Evangelist John says The Light shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehend it not God lâ—ft not himself without Witness among the Heathen though we know of Few who received the Testimony Acts 14. 17. How many have the Gospel-Light wâ—thout its proper saving Effect Answ 2 There hath been a sâ—range Collineation or Levelling and Aiming of the Servants of God upon the Years of this Last Part of this Seventeenth Century for the Glory of Christ's Kingdom and besides some Later a Prophecy found in the Study of Justus Lipsius transcrib'd into the Preface of Dr. Mayer to the Volume of his Interpretation on the Prophets Great and Small is perpendicular on the Year Ninety Eight in such a Language as speaks Effects begun and in their Course as at Ninety Seven as shall Appear in a short Appendix to this Treatise Buâ— to All that hath been said it may be added in satiâ—faction of the Principal Objâ—ction that supposes â—roâ—hecy hath not been understood tâ—ll fullfillâ—d It is very plain we cannot give a certain Account what Light God may have given his Servants into Pâ—ophecy in any Times He gave Noah the Exâ—ct Time of an Hâ—ndred and Twenty Years before the Flâ—od to Abraham Four Hundred years from the Time of that Oracle to his seed Returning from the Egyptian Nation after God had Judg'd them Till which time They were under that oppression According to which Moses very Probably thought His brethren would have understood God would deliver his people by his hand Because it grew so near the time and Moses was a person so signalized by God in his miraculous preservation and his having the offer of being called the Son of Pharoahs daughter and yet Refusing that Glittering Honour as mark'd out by God for much Higher viz. In the deliverance of his People with whom he Chose to suffer Affliction rather then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Of all which I have no doubt He had the notices from the four hundred years He knew were Given to Abraham The Children of Issachar were men that had Knowledge and understanding of Times and Knew what Israel ought to Do 1 Chron. 12. 32. And undoubtedly some Oracular Instructions they had Joyn'd with Jacobs Prophecy by which they knew Judahs being a Royal Tribe and that the Lyon of the Tribe was the Emblem of it even till Christ the Lyon indeed of it and they Collected Davids Royalty should then begin Daniel understood by Books not onely the Book of the Prophet Jeremy But as we may very Reasonably suppose by the Books of other Servants of God that Kept or Searched Records of Times according to Jeremies Prophecy I doubt not Simeon Waited for the Consolation of Israel according to Daniels Seventy Weeks What Light God gave to his servants in the First times of Christianity we have not such certain accounts as might be desired But as it is reported to us by Ecclesiastick History It was foretold of Julian he was Nubecula cito Transitura a Cloud tbat would soon vanish But this I am sure was according to Prophecy that Sathan being cast down by the change of the Pagan Empire into the Christian Empire After Constantine there could be in the Roman Empire no place found for him any more of continuance in its Heaven though some short Attempts there might be as of Julian Eugenius Argobastes Maximus in his Pagan Supremacy altho under the Name of Christ as it were in his Right and as the Vicar of the Fifth Monarchy â—f him the Manly Birth on the Thâ—one Satan crept in as an underminer and in the Anti-Christian Supremacy He hath a Throne as on Earth whether therefore the Speaker had his Ground it self in Prophâ—cy The thing it self had and it could not be otherwise but that the Empire of an Apostate to Paganism must be very Short evâ—n as of a Prince relapsing to Popery in these Nations It was the business of Anti-Christianism to suppress the Interpretation of Prophecy that had so dreadful an Aspect upon it self as much as it could yet the common Fame and Bruit of Anti-Christs coming was spread far and near when the Christian Empire which was the Let according to Thes 2. c. 2. was taken out of the way the joynt being so Natural between the Christian Ceasing and the Anti-Christian Beginning to supplant having so much of the Name Christian The Voicing the Papacy to be that Antichrist lifting up himself above what ever was called Sebast or August as he did about that Time was heard all along from the time of Petrus Waldo till the Reformation and since the Reformation how many Eminent Servants of Christ have Labour'd with success in the Interpretation of Prophecy notwithstanding some particular mistakes with whom I humbly joyn my self a Fellow Labourer and one that hath taken part of their Labour and now the Fields are white unto the Harvest when many others shall enter into our Labours according to that saying One soweth and another Reapeth and yet he that Reapeth shall yet receive wages unto Life Eternal so that they who have sown and they that reap may Rejoyce together And indeed the Time is now so near that whatever Influence That nearness may be hop'd to have upon Interpretation of Prophecy according to Truth I may humbly hope for For tho the Time of Daniels public Interpretation upon the Seventy Years was
Beast is Affirm'd to be the Seventh Succession as Head and the Eighth as King The Sixth Succession is Litterally Affirm'd to be then in Being or now is that the Seventh King being the Christian Emperours was no Head It is Litterally Assur'd the Eighth King but Seventh Head call'd The Beast goes into Perdition and the Kingdom of Christ immediately Succeeds Now all these do so lead us in the True Line and Course of Time that we cannot be surer of the Course of the Seasons and Months that run along and fall out between Season and Season then we are of the Things which in Event or Matter of Fact and History run along all this Time from the Resurrection of our Lord and Answer the Symbols and Images of Prophecy Hereby then the Seals the Trumpets with the grand Events Compriz'd under Them are made most certain to Run along the Time of the Roman Empire from the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh at the Fullness of Time to his Appearance in the Fullness of Times or of All Time at the Kingdom of Christ Now if any one should say These Standards of Interpretation of Prophecy of Scripture are not sufficient to secure Interpretation according to them to be also according to the Mind and Sense of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy I should be Bold to say he either Contradicts what the Apostle hath said That Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation or he must suppose the Sense of the Apostle in these very words All Every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation are as or more Dark and more Hard to be Understood than the Darkest Prophecy of Scripture it self and Further That things may be made by Art or by Chance to fall into an Exact Harmony with the Word of Prophecy or that even a Serious well grounded Research of Scripture according to all the Commands and Encouragements of the Word of God and a keeping close to all the Rules of Scripture and Reason in such a Search may be all to no End or purpose we are never the Nearer to the Truth and Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy than if we had never search'd at all which how Opprobrious and how near to Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit It is so to say I leave to every serious Considerer to Judg. Now as to what I have my self done I cannot without Transcribing a Considerable Part of what I have already Written and made Publick shew How close I have kept to these Rules and Standards given by my self for Interpretation of Prophecy Nor will I presume to say any thing in the gross concerning it I will only first make my Humble Petition to any Person able to Weigh and to Consider and to Compare one part of Things with another that if I have been wanting in any one he would please by Free Entercourses to Remonstrate it to me and to allow Liberty of Debate upon it that so a due Care may be Taken to Vindicate Enlarge Strengthen or if necessity should so Require to Retract or Reform I will therefore here subjoyn but some of the grounds I have rested upon in the Interpretation of Prophecy according to a few Notes on these Standards as the Next Head of Discourse Proposed I First according to our General Scripture Account Fix Historical Time For the drawing then into one View the Types and Symbols of Prophecy from the Time the Spirit of Prophecy was pleas'd to Compose it into a Scheme and had prepar'd so to do I have consider'd the Archetypal Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City c. 40. to the End Representing the Kingdom of Christ in its Glory and the New Jerusalem also having the Glory of God Now when this was once given it becomes a Standard gives Types to the State of the Church of God from that Time among the Jews before Christ and in the Days of our Lord in the Flesh then of the Jewish and Gentile Christian Church in all the States of it either in the Dartings out of the Glory of it or the Stops Stays and Darknings of its Glory because as is Evident both by Scripture and Experience that Glory hath been and yet is under so long a Delay from the Time of that Vision given to this Day Now this I have all along observ'd from Prophetick Vision to Prophetick Vision through the Prophecy of Daniel and of the Revelation in those Express References to that as I justly call it Archetypal Vision from the very giving it to the End And I Account it as a Pole-star like the Star that Led the Wise men to Christ so this Vision shapes an Unerring Course to the Kingdom of Christ And because one Principal Point in that Vision of Ezekiel was the Throne Leading to the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem Ezek. 4. 3. 7. and Rev. 22. 3. And that there was to be as I have said so long a Delay Soon after the Vision of Ezekiel given There is a Vision given to Daniel c. 2 in Nebuchadnezzars Image and of Four Beasts c. 7. describing Four Monarchies as Four Thrones which should successively reach to the Kingdom and Throne of Christ And then as it is expresly said the Thrones were east down these Counter Thrones to the Throne of Christ and the Throne of the Son of Man Established alone Dan. 7. v. 9 This therefore I lay before me as another Archetypal Vision relating to the Powers of the Gentiles and the Enemies of the Kingdom of Christ And having to do with the Roman Monarchy the last of the Four from the Times of the New Testament I most particularly consider that and Finding that the Evangelist Luke gives an Early Notice of it as an Vniversal Monarchy in Augustus Caesar Commanding a Cense of the whole World as his own Dominion Luke 2. 1 Even before the Birth of our Lord I conclude this must be the Fourth of Daniels Monarchies For though some would have it the Macedonian as Divided after the Death of Alexander the Great I find That cannot be both because the God of Heaven would not have set up a Kingdom in the Days of those Kings as is expresly said Dan. 2. v 44. And also because The Kingdom of Christ Even yet is not that Universal Dominion it was Foretold it should be And Lastly Because I find so Admirable an Haâ—mony beâ—wen the Prophetick Figures in the Revelation and the plain Historical Accounts of that Monarchy and that the Spirit of God hath even to plain Litteralness or more than so Interpreted it to be Rome and its Empire I lay therefore before me this Roman Monarchy in the Pagan Empire in the Antichristian Empire viz. The Papacy which to give publick Notice it is a Throne Assumes so Solemnly and Notoriously Enthroniczation to it self and the European Kings given as Horns of Strength to it as also the Mahometan Saracens and Turks coming as two Woes upon it are adjusted in Time Now
the Flock may be cut off from the Fold and the Heard from the Stall And yet saith he will I Rejoyce in the Lord and Glory in the God of our Salvation For tho I do Acknowledg the World is always so full of Disappointments in all these Kinds that what the Prophet speaks is most suitable to all Times All is full of Labour and Vanity as Solomon speaks Vanity of Vanities All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit All is made subject to Vanity and to Corruption yet as if God would wind up the whole Web of Vanity before the Time of the Salvation of the Restitution of All Things The Prophet thus speaks and goes on That the Lord will make his Feet like Hinds feet and set them upon the high places the Mountain of Spices and that then the Time of Songs shall indeed come in and of Singing to the Stringed Instruments Like David at the Kingdom of the True David the Root and Off spring of David together in comparison of which All songs are but Howling and Lamentation now Now if we were to Judg of Things by the present Aspect of Things and of what is in Prospect we may have Reason to hope That the Change of the World is near and I should Rejoice to be so happily Mistaken that it is indeed nearer than according to the Line of Time I can conclude it There is every where such Labouring in the very Fire and Wearying our selves for very Vanity In the last place to conclude the whole Argument from the sure Word of Prophecy I would in brief present the whole Table of Time The whole ground Plot of Prophecy is the State of Things from the First Creation and Sabbatism under the First Adam to the New Creation and Sabbatism of the Second Adam First Design'd but Remaining to be Accomplished even from the Foundation of the World even when God on the Seventh Day Rested from the Works which He had made according to Heb. 4 5 7. It began to Remain to be Accomplished This Sabbatism Comprehends the Highest and most excellent Temple State or a State of Enjoyment of God and also a Dominion Lordship Throne and Kingdom of the Second Adam and of his Seed over the Creation of God All things being put under the Feet of him and of his Seed in the Sabbatism which remains to the People of God God the Lord of Time hath made and given in his word an exact Line of Time from Sabbatism to Sabbatism of near or to the Evening or between the two Evenings of the Sixth and Last Milenary and allotted a Just Cubical Thousand years the perfection of Time to that Sabbatism it self or Kingdom of Christ This Line is at this Day to be Found in Scripture made up of Historical Time reaching as far as it was necessary to Reach to make up such a space of Time Till by Fair Commissures Prophetic Time came in and joyn'd it and made up the Rest even 5759 years to the great Sabbath To the two great Types of this Temple and Kingdom expiring viz. The Reigns of David and Solomon at Solomons Death This Line of Time is given plainly and Historically Emboss'd only with some Ornamental Resemblances of that Kingdom and Temple-State All which I have made out according to the very Letter of Scripture and Fortified our Hebrew Copy as truly the Word of God by great Evidence as I hope of Argument from Scripture and Scripture-Reason And those several Historical Lines to Solomons Death make 3029 years These I do not particularize because they do not so properly fall under the sure word of Prophecy but the sure word of Scripture-History From thence even at Solomons Death begins Prophetical Time however Historically Supported in many great Branches of it yet the Ministration and Representation of it is All Prophetical and Mystical All and Each of these are of great Consideration to him whoever he be that would understand Prophecy This general Plat-form being now laid according to and in my Line of Time I here present it in brief to View together THE Prophetical Scripture Line of Time As it is Given from the Death of Solomon to the Temple New Jerusalem and Throne of the great Solomon Son of David in purely Prophetical Numbers FRom Solomon's Death when the Types of the Kingdom of Christ in David his Father and himself Ceas'd to Ezekeil's Temple c. The first Time of Sollemn Bearing Iniquity or the Punishment of it in the delay of the Kingdom of Christ the Antitype giving Spring to all Prophetick Time Days of Years 390 Ezek. 4. 5. c. 40. c. In that Ezekiels Temple was but a Visional Temple the former 390 years are made according to the Standard of Seven given by God * Levitic 20. 18 c. seven times three Hundred ninty days of years of bearing Iniquity in the Delay of the Kingdom of Christ to Ezekiels Sanctuary Cleans'd or Expiated and Justified in that Kingdom Days of Years 2340 From Ezekiel's Vision of the Temple after Forty Days of years Bearing the Sin of Judah and stoping any so much as Appearance of a Temple-state to a Faint Appearance of that Vision in Cyrus his Decree for Building the Temple the first 40 of the 2340. Days of Years 0-40 Ezek. 4. 6. From the End of the 40 days of years at Cyrus his Decree to the Sanctuary Cleans'd Days of Years 2300 eves morns Dan. 8. 14. From the Decree of Cyrus the first going out of the word for the Restoring the Temple by the God of Israel and Cyrus King of Persia to the full going out of that word by Artaxerxes Longimanus the first Days of Years 75 Made out by Scripture Argument and Chronology 75 of the 2300 Eves Morns of years a Time of the Treading it under foot this Time therefore is Detach'd from the 2300. From the word fully gone Forth to the Time of Annointing the Sanctuary by the Powring out the Spirit on the Apostolick Church at the Ascension of Christ Represented in the midst of the Half week by the Vision Revel c. 4. c. 5. And so the other Half Week continues the Time of the Confirming of the Covenant a Time cut off from the 2300 of Treading the Sanctuary under Foot Days of Years 490 Dan. 9. 24. Of these 490 years or 70 Weeks seven of them were a Time of Building the Walls and Streets of Jerusalem according to all History Assuring the former 75 with these 49 years to reach ten years within the Reign of Darius Nothus and to be 124 years and therefore the First seven weeks are so cut off from the seventy Dan. 9. 25. Ezr. 6. 14. Fsther 1. 1. Neh. 12. 22. Weeks and so many Persian Princes expresly nam'd in sacred History From the end of the First forty nine years of the Weeks are Sixty two Weeks distinctly nam'd a Time of Vassalage Tributariness Straits and Difficulties under Heathen Princes especially Antiochus
ever but may shine as the Stars and as the Firmament Fix'd in that Firmament of Christianity by the light of which Holy Men are now wise to win Souls and to turn many to Righteousness from which Antichrist by Transgression Fell as a Star from Heaven upon Earth and went down to Open that bottomless Pit and fill'd the World with Darkness and Smoke and shall be cast into his own place at that day the Lake that Burns Rev. 9. 1. with Fire and Brimstone But the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father in the New Jerusalem with God and the Lamb and for Ever If these Things seem hard to be understood let us therefore grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory for Ever THE END An APPENDIX This Prediction I have added by way of Appendix eoncerning Greatest Revolutions in the so near Approaching Year 1698. Found in the Study of that eminent Learned Person Justus Lipsius who Dyed in the year 1606. Transcribed by Dr. Mayer into his Preface upon all the Prophets published 1653. and there to be seen by any who will inspect it Translated and Remark'd upon according to its Agreement with Scripture Prophecy and the Line of it's Time explain'd in several Discourses demonstrating the time times and half time sworn by Christ as the space of the Antichristian Apostasy shall end in the year 1697. And so these so Grand Events appear in a settlement and Consistency 1698. The Original PREDICTION POst Mille Expletos a Partu Virginis Annos Et post sexcentos Rursus ab Orbe Datos Nonagesimus Octavus Mirabilis Annus Ingrueâ— Issecum Gaudia Laeta Feret Corruet hoc Anno Turcarum Invisa Propago Roma Tuum in Libris Fabula Nomen Erit Omnia Tunc â—buâ—t Mundi fursum arque Deorsum Impâ—ria ut Populos Sceptra Novella Premant Utque suâ—m Cunctas Verbum Diffundat in Oras Christus imperitet Nomine Ubique Suo The Translation FRom Virgins Son a Thousand Years when told And after them six Hundred more are Roll'd Then Ninety Eight a year of VVonders Comes And Joyes on Joyes It heaps to Vastest Sums The Hated Stem of Turks that year shall Fall Oh Rome in Sacred Books Foretold men All Shall call thy Name That Lye Earths Empires Move Their upside down a Novel Empire prove The Universal Monarchy Then Christ To th' Everlasting Gospel giving Rist Shall through all Tongues and Kindreds it diffuse And for Imperial Style his own Name use I can Humbly Bless God I have never been subject to be lightly Impress'd upon by any Pretensions to Prophecy Revering only that sure word of Prophecy Scripture Prophecy to which I esteem the word Prophecy in proper speaking to be now only due as the word Scripture to Sacred Writ and the Word to the Word of God yet it is very certain there may be still and there is still vouchsafed by God such Expositions of the sure Word of Prophecy as that his Servants thereby have the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy or some Eminent Servants of God as A. B. Vsher had may have particular Foresights given them or God may providentially Dictate to the minds of whom he pleases the Foretelling of particular Events and their Times and each of these may in general speaking be call'd Prophecy or rather as I choose Prediction All this notwithstanding A Vain Credulity a weak Superstitiousness Fanatick Hears I have through his Grace Far Removed from me and I desire still to Renunciate to them Yet being as I may Account Providentially Directed to this Prediction which I can sollemnly Affirm had so little to do yet with my so constant Fixing on Ninety Seven that I had never Taken the least notice of it before the latter part of the last year Nor had I now minded it in the least but that I found it to Tread the path of Scripture Prophecy in so great and wonderful Events and according to the Line of Time given also by that Prophecy with which I have for several years last past Separated my self to Intermeddle and to make as publick â—â— I could as one Principal Point of Wisdom at this Season now the Day is so near Approaching I have found upon most Assured grounds This Prediction hath fallen upon the Just Time for those Events that commencing 1697 shall settledly appear 1698. Moreover I find This Prediction Formed in the very Phrase and Words which are so Applicable to the sacred Style that considering both the Substance and the Happiness of the very Expression in several Instances I cannot deny my self the Satisfaction and others the Benefit as I hope and desire of making some Remarks upon such an Effort of Providence in giving to whoever it was a Prediction so agreeable to Prophecy a Prediction in undeniable Fact many years before the present Time so consonous to what upon strongest Arguments from the Word of God with the Consent of Undeniable Universal History I have offered to General Knowledge and Observation To Excite to the Pondering of which Substantial Proof I have some Expectation such a Concurrent short Prediction because we are naturally Inclin'd to have some kind of Quicker Thoughts for such may not be unuseful This Prediction is affirm'd by Dr. Mayer to have been found in the Study of Justus Lipsius a Name so known to the World for All Learning and Sagacity of Enquiry into All Things and of the Roman as they will have it call'd Catholic Church I confess I can give no greater Proof It was found there than that Dr. Mayer hath left it so Affirm'd but if it was so It Argues There was some Observation Defer'd to it by him that he â—ave that Paper a place in his Study which Foretold Rome a the Catholick Church should become one of the most notorious Fables in the World and be exposed as one of the greatest Cheats upon it Altho he seem'd to adhere to it I say He seem'd for of so great a Wit I question it However bigotted he appear'd in Writing the Virgo Hallensis But that which is enough to me and will be I suppose to others in thiâ— Kind is That it hath undoubtedly been extant in Print above Forty years and so in the Hands of many persons and that any one may see it at any Time that Pleases Now it must needs be Dr. Mayer knew it a Prediction of â—oâ—e Age in his â—imâ— in Assigâ—ing it to Lipsius his Study who Died near Fifty years before and how long beâ—ore it came into Lipsiâ—s his Study it cannot be said Yet indeed Forty years in this matter is as much as an Hundred and Dr Mayers Preface in this Câ—â—e as much as Lipsius his Study For the whole stresâ— lieâ— here that such Events were Foretold so long before that there was no Train of Causes leading probably to that Ninety Eight more than any other year and that
A DISCOURSE UPON THE Powers of the World to come AND The Great Charter FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE Prophecy of Scripture ADVERTISEMENT THere is an Exposition upon the whole Book of the Revelation Explaining the Sacred Text Word by Word and opening and arguing the Divine Senses of that great Prophesy Sold by Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Pauls Church-Yard and are to be had at Mr. Marshals at the Bible in Newgate-street and of Mr. Salisbury at the Rising-Sun in Corn-hill A DISCOURSE UPON THE Powers of the World to come OR The Miraculous Powers of the Gospel and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ And their Certain Return at the Kingdom of Christ in its Succession To which is Adjoyn'd The Great Charter FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE Prophecy of Scripture And more particularly of the Prophetick Numbers of Time Evincing the Kingdom of Christ in Succession at 1697. And Consequently MIRACLES shall then Return By T. Beverley London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by W. Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street 1694. TO The Right Honourable Sr. John Somers THE Lord Keeper My Lord THAT I take the Boldness to make this Dedication to your Lordship is not that I can make the least pretension to be Known to or to Know your Lordship but as you are on such an Eminence you cannot be hid and as a Luminary of the Nation every Eye is upon you But yet I have made this Presumption on Great Reasons First That the Truths I offer in the ensuing Treatise are so little consider'd or Receiv'd that they are under a Necessity to remove from the Rigor of Prejudicate Opinion and to make Appeal to the Chancery of a most Equitable Review Then that I have much Reason to be perswaded your Lordship hath in peculiar manner in the Greatness of your Apprehension the Noble Freedoms of a solid Judgment and most condescending Christian Temper a truly High Court of Chancery in your own Breast and will allow it to sober Proposals of Truth Analogous to Faith and Christian Morality however Old Bottles and Palates refuse New Wine New to them not so in it self but spoken of by All the Prophets since the World began Another Great Reason I have is That tho I pretend to no Prognosticks except Justified by the Sure Word of Prophecy yet speaking humanely it is very probable your Lordship shall continue in your High Administration till 97. and then I have Great Assurance it will be capable of being made much Higher and more Honourable by the Kingdom of that Great Prince of the Kings of the Earth coming into its Succession Wherein undoubtedly every Character of Humane Honour Appointed and Justified by his Word and seated in Persons ready to Kiss the Son and pay Homage to him will receive unexpressible Additions And hereunto I add That it is most Reasonable so publick a Personage and that bears as is said the Conscience of the Government and so fittest to make Judgment on such a Point should have both the Notices and the State of so great a Thing laid before him and before the whole Nation in him Lastly Although I very well know how Great a Prince I herein serve and do most Freely submit as to my self to his turning your Heart this way or that way as the Rivers of Water yet I think it no way disagreeing to my Duty according to his present Dispose to desire such a Patronage as that of your Lordship that I might rest under your shadow and wait for the mighty Ratifications of All I have writ on so great a Subject by Mighty Power It is now My Lord Ten Years since I first made Publick the Prophetick Calendar of Time and I have not found Reason to Vary from the First Moments on which I Fix'd it but have receiv'd Greater Additions of Light and Assurance as I have continually and publickly Remonstrated and yet I have always and do ftill disown all things Enthusiastick and am upon the plain Principles of Letter of Scripture Scripture Arguments according to the most undoubted Chronology and History and so offer my self Freely to the Attack of All that can bring Contrary Reasons And have now as in a Chancery Proceeding presented the Case to your Lordship Let him that finds Reason in the same Way put in his Answer A Greater Cause than this cannot come before your Lordship Whether the Books of the Prophets of the New and Old Testament have declar'd such a Glorious Visible Kingdom of Christ Whether they have declar'd it shall be First in Succession preparing for its Glory by an Universal Preaching of the Gospel as by a Flying Angel seal'd with the Return of Miracles For All this I affirm And whether they have given a Line of Time Determining that Succession to 1697. For such a Line I affirm also and have produc'd it from the Sure Word oâ— Prophecy by a Charter for Interpretation Now may that Supreme Prince whom I declare who is Essential Wisdom by whom Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice Even the Judges and All the Counsellors of the Earth see in his Light And who is so nigh Coming as I affirm to Reign in his own Name Guide your Lordship in all the things that concern your own immortal Spirit in all the Arduous Matters of so High a Judicature and particularly a Rich and Glorious entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom I now present as My Lord Your Lordship 's most Humble Servant In the Kingdom of Jesus Christ T. BEVERLEY TO My Very Esteemed Auditory at the Lecture at Cutlers-Hall and in them to Every Reader I Have indeed in several Treatises my most Esteemed Christian Friends made publick before this Asserted Things of the same Tendency But I never yet Attempted in a Set and Solemn Discourse to Argue this Grand Point of Miracles that shall so Distinguish and Assure such a Succession of the Kingdom of Christ as I give now before-hand the most Open Notices of God any way enables me to Now if that his Name as King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall be declared by his Wondrous Works at 97. to be so near as that his Kingdom is in Succession If besides the mighty Revolutions in the World that shall bring it into Succession and be brought in by it That Time shall be severed from All other Time by Miracles as Great and Greater than in the Times of the Apostles as the Kingdom that was then was to be under Patience and Delay particularly of the Times and Half Time shall then by the Oath of Christ Allow no such further Time nor Any Delay whatever but the Mystery shall be Finished with all speed I Appeal to All Whether Any One Declaring this can be suspected of an Intention to Deceive and if the Events do not Answer to shuffâ—e under any Plausible Appearances and so to Abscond There are and may be Great Changes in the World by that time and speaking but after the manner of
to all Holiness and Heavenly Conversation are Recollected and Presented p. 94 THE CONTENTS OF THE Charter for the Interpretation of Prophesy THE clearing of the Text for the Founding the Discourse from page 1. to page 8. The great Relation this whole second Epistle of the Apostle Peter hath to the Apostasy and to the Kingdom of Christ after it p. 8. to pag. 14. The Heads of the Discourse laid down p. 14. 15. The Arguments Proving Interpretation of Prophecy is of Free and Open and not of Reserv'd Access from p. 15. to p. 23. The Objections against these Arguments Answered from p. 23. to p. 32. The Standards or Rules to be Observ'd in the Interpretation of Prophecy for giving Assurance to the Interpreter himself and to others his Interpretation of Prophecy is Just and Right and worthy to be Considered from p. 32. to p. 37. The Application of these Standards to the Interpretation of Prophecy in several Treatises by the Author briefly given from p. 37 to 42. The particular Reason of Fixing the Epoch or beginning of the 1260 Days at 437 so as to End at 1697. by way of Answer of an Objection that that year is not remarkable enough to bear such an Epoch From p. 42. to 47. An Humble Enquiry into and Prognosticks upon any Representation Prophecy may have given of the State of Things near the Time of the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ as Now from 1694 and the two last Years before to 1697. by way of Removal of a fear'd mistake in Former Hopes from p. 47. to p. 56. The Table of Prophetick Time presented from p. 56. to p. 67. The consideration of a Prophecy found near 100 years ago in the Study of Justus Lipsius and Transcribed by Dr. Mayer in his Preface before the Prophets above 40 years ago Of great Consent with the Authors Expectation at 97. given as an Appendix to this Discourse from p. 67 to the End A DISCOURSE UPON THE Powers of the World to come OR The Miraculous Powers of the Gospel and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. II. 4 5. God also bearing them Witness with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the World to come whereof we speak CHAP. I. The Opening of the Text and the Heads of the Discourse given THE Apostle had said in the First Verse Therefore we ought to give the more that is the most Earnest Heed that can be given to the Things which we have Heard lest at any Time we let them slip Lest by any means they should Escape or miss our Duest and Deepest Consideration For saith he if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Disobedience received a Just Recompence of Reward how much more shall we not Escape if we neglect so Great Salvation That is the Great Salvation revealed in the Gospel with so great Lustre of Truth and Power of Miracles For This Great Salvation hath a double Evidence and Assurance of its Truth 1. That It began to be spoken by the Lord who so spake that if he had not come and spoken to Them They had had no sin For He was mighty in Word as well as Deed He spoke as never man spake and It was confirmed by them that Heard Him even by the Apostles who went forth in the same Spirit and Power of Truth 2. God bare witness to them with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the greatest Variety and Manifoldness That is God gave Them All the Letters Patents all the Credentials from Heaven that could be desired That Our Lord came from God and that his Apostles were sent by God and by Christ Himself the Lord of All. And in all Thâ—s it is diligently to be observed as having great Influence upon all the After Discourse That as the Works of Christ were Great Evidences of Truth and Testimonies to it so the Words or Doctrine of Christ carry'd their own Evidence For if this be not observed the Doctrine of Miracles will never be rightly not truly understood 3. These Divers Miracles Signs and Wonders were subject to the Wise and Holy Cousel of the Will of God and of the Blessed Spirit So that only where when on whom and by whom This Miraculous Power should be dispens'd was as on many Accounts is after to be observ'd wholly after the Counsel of his own Will 4. The Apostle gives the Reason of these Miraculous Powers being thus dispens'd by his own Immediate Increated Will and Pleasure Because they Closely Appertain to and are Connected with the World to come whereof saith the Apostle we speak That is do now and ought to speak continually and only as of that World so incomparably Great that God will neither trust Holy Angels to have any Administration of but as Commissioned as the Apostles were at any time by a Power given immediately to them and not the Power Resident in and Connatural to their own Beings under the General Divine Concourse and Command or Permission For Miraculous Power truly so God never can Give out of his own Hand much less therefore will he permit Bad Angels to use it and when this World shall appear in Glory they shall be sealed up in their own Abyss That therefore which I propose by the Grace and Assistance of God to discourse on so great a Point shall consist of several Heads whereby our Understandings may be Enlightned and our Hearts Affected with many Truths of Exceeding Moment 1. I would closely enquire into and endeavour to Explain the Nature of Miracles in general and what place there is for any such Appearances of God even peculiarly and as on purpose prepared or left for them 2. I would search after the Great Ends and Reasons why God hath at any Time Appear'd by Miraculous Powers in the World 3. I shall endeavour to make out That though there are indeed other Great Reasons and Ends of Miracles yet there is none so Supream and Soveraign as that they are design'd by God to be not only Pawns and Pledges but Pieces and Portions or Parcels of that World to come And that this will be found to be the most Adequate Reason or End of Miracles upon True and Impartial Enquiry and separation from prejudice and pre-possession of other more Received Opinions 4. I shall consider what Times we read of in Scripture which God hath been pleas'd most of all to illustrate and make Remarkable by Miracles and what Times have been a Dark Place as the Apostle speaks on occasion most agreeable herewith if not absolutely the same viz. in regard of the powers of the World to come not appearing in it and on what Accounts upon a Ballance of one with the other there have been such Differences and so great a Non Appearance of Miracles these Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years 5. I will endeavour to
High Ends to be hereafter assign'd For I have been thus large in this matter it being both so Noble a Point as also because it makes much to the True Consideration of the Chief End of Miracles 2. I come therefore to a Second Consideration of Creation and Providence as giving Space and Room for Miracles to enter and that I shall represent First In the General and then be more particular with relation to Miracles 1. When Man had sinned and forfeited the Glory of that State of the Creation that had Respect to him That all things did not immediately as I may say tumble about his Ears dash in peices upon him or fall into an Universal Hell is owing to the Mediator who therefore is said Heb. 1. to Vphold all things by the Word of his Power even he who purged our sins by his own Blood thus upholds All that the Sun shines and invigorates all the Lower Creation with its Light and Beams that the Fruitfulness of the Earth and the Courses of Water remain All is due to the Glory of the Mediator Else All had return'd to the First Tohu Bohu its first dark and desolate state And yet notwithstanding it is so ordered in the Wisdom and Righteousness of God and by the Counsel between him and the Mediator or as Zachary says between them both that there should be many Interspers'd Appearances of the Curse as we all know by abundant sad Experience which are become so setled and expectable that we call such Appearances of the Curse Nature or are so frequent as we account them at least common to Man or Humane Nature such as Sickness Death Lameness Blindness many Insults of the Enemy or the Diabolical Nature either in plainer Possessions or more secret Impressions upon the Mind and Body Now if such Appearances of the Curse had not been there had been no place for many Miraculous Appearances of God and of Christ in Mercy and Grace and so if there had not been General Judgments and more solemn Appearances of the Curse there had not been such Miraculous Acts of Grace as the Ark was to Noah Zoar to Lot Goshen to the Children of Israel Had not there been such Strokes of the Curse there could not have been such Miracles of Healing Restoring Sight Raising the Dead All these Miraculous Acts of Mercy come in by way of Relief against the Curse There could have been no change â—n Exalting the Creation if it had continued according to the First State Good and very Good Except we suppose any Openings to an higher Advancement of Adam and his Posterity in the Kingdom of the Second Adam of whom the First Adam was but a Type and the First Sabbath a Type of that Great Sabbatism of the Lord from Heaven as the Apostle expresly asserts Rom 5. â—2 Heb. 4. 7. Let us therefore I humbly beseech attend to this very thing that there are such Remains of the Excellent Frame of the First Creation Dâ—e and Acknowledgable to the Grace of the Mediator and yet such Mixtures of the Curse as give Place or Room for Mirâ—cles For if all were Judgment there were no Place for Miracles of Mercy except of a Total Restoration For All had been One Peice of Wrath and so must be wholly Restor'd or not at all Or if All had been in the First State of Integrity there had been no need of Exalting the Creation till that Glorious Kingdom I can suppose of the Mediator of Amity or Conciliation tho not of Reconciliation But as Things are now That All Things do not unite in a State of Wrath and Ruine is because the Mediator purging our sins upholds All with the Word of his Power Else as God said when Wickedness had broken into the World to so great an heighth I even I do bring a Flood upon the World So he had put an End to it at the first coming in of sin had not the Mediator come between in the Seed of the Woman breaking the Serpents Head But when Noah had offered a Sacrifice an undoubted Type of the Sacrifice of Christ God then promis'd he would not Curse the Ground so any more but there should be Summer and Winter Spring and Harvest Day and Night until the very coming in of the Restitution of All Things And God set the Rain-Bow to be a Sign of that Covenant as we find Gen. 9. 13. and Ezek. 1. 28. and Revel 4. 3. The Rain-Ron encirculed the Throne All which shews the great Prevalency of the Mediator in the upholding the World in its present State That though God the Creator be to be acknowledg'd yet Creatorship and Providence are now Vested in the Redeemer But yet still there are such legible Characters of the Curse in innumerable Kinds that they give full place to Miracles in further and higher Grace to relieve against that Curse 2. There being such a State of Mercy and Grace through the Mediator there is place also given to another sort of Miracles viz. Miracles of Greater and more Extraordinary Strokes of Wrath than generally we observe in the World wherein the Mediator so far deserts his Interposal of Mediation and then Miracle of Judgment immediately enters so far also as may appear in several Great Instances to be given And this I desire you would seriously attend to because it will be found to contribute very much to the clearing the Great Point of Miracles I begin therefore the clearing this Matter in that first Judgment of the Flood upon the Old World In which as also in the Judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah the Apostles Peter and Jude instance because as is after to be shewn they have Great Concernment in making it appear That Miracles appertain to the world to come whereof we are speaking I begin therefore with this Flood on the World of the Vngodly for which whatever Preparations there might * According to the most Learned and Ingenious Theory of Dr. Burnet be yet to shew Gods own supreme Hand in it he thus expresses I even I do bring a Flood And to shew how far the Mediator did desert and how far he did not undertake is made more manifest He did undertake for Noah and his Family Noah is therefore said to find Grace in the Eyes of the Lord an Expression proper to the Mediators Undertaking The Rest even the World of the Vngodly not finding Grace were swallowed up Lo here a Miracle of Judgment For this was beyond the ordinary proportion of the Curse upon the Fall as bounded by the Mediator a Curse on the Earth far Greater than usual Again if we consider this in relation to Sodom Gen. 19. 23. The Sun was risen upon the Earth so far the Mediator undertook for Sodom Then Lot entered into Zoar At that very same time God Rain'd upâ—n Sodom and upon Gomorrah Brimstone and Fire from the Lord out of Heaven It could not be done before For says the Angel to Lot Haste thee Escape thither
Scripture speaks made Bare When the Hand and Arm of God have Natural Means or Second Causes to attend and wait on their Motion then his Hand is not stretched out to the utmost Length or Line of Action reaching that Effect but it adds the Line of the Action of those Second Causes though but a Cypher without him yet he being before them in them with them they are of Value and so his Hand and Arm are Cloathed Shrowded with these as we call them Natural Causes and not Naked and Bare There is another Expression whereby also this Immediate Power is made known to us and that is used Dan 2. 34 45. and Dan. 8. 21. Without Hand And so it is used in Cases of Close Connexion with the World to come 2 Cor. 5. 1. and Heb. 9. 11. of that House and State of Saâ—nts and Spirits in Heaven that they may not be found Naked till they are Cloath'd upon with their House from Heaven Glorious Bodiâ—s of the Resurrection in the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven And that House Now in Heaven is the same Tabernacle Christ is entered into So that it is said in regard to Saints even as to Christ but of him as Principal and Supreme It is made without Hands That is It is the Work of the Immediate Power of God In the same manner it is us'd of a Circumcision made without Hands Col. 2. 11. Now in All These it is most Evident This manner of speaking is on purpose chosen by the Divine Spirit to impart to us Immediate Divine and Miraculous Power so it Equally imports Things not of This World not of This Frame not of This Building but that have intimate and undivided Connexion with the Kingdom of Christ and World to come As our Lord Christ therefore when he Opened the Eyes of the Blind when he Healed the Sick when he Restored the Lame when he sent out Apostles to Preach in All Languages he did not call for the Curious Oculist the Learned Physician the Skillful Chyrurgion the Learned Linguists to help him or to hasten to instruct in all Tongues He wrought all without Hands When he works by his Grace in the Hearts of his Servants to make them New Creatures by that Circumcision made without Hands when he prepares the place of his Servants Builds the Palace of his Kingdom when he breaks his Enemies He does All without Hands Now you know as among Men One of the Chief Measures for Every Building is by Fingers and Hands and so on and for Every Enterprise and Undertaking we still account how many Hands are prepared to work in it So the Wars that are carried on in the World They are wag'd by the Hands of the Men of Might They finding their Hands as David speaks the Hands Taught to VVar and the Fingers to fight And they that have Most and Ablest Hands we fore-speak to them the Greatest Success At this Day we are ready to say such a Prince is so mighty has so many Hands who is able to contend with him How Significant therefore is this Expression of Almighty Power working without hands Remember therefore This is One of the Essentials of Miracle It is the Finger of God it is the Hand of God stretched out it is the Arm of God made Bare it is working without Hands or that as some Learned interpret of the Stone cut out of the Mountains is not in any Hands the Managements as to him are not entrusted to any Humane Created Hand he works all by himself without Hand Thus in All these Expressions it appears Miracle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power Naked Power Pure Perfect Power But because I have before urg'd That however we are Blind and cannot see a-far off we cannot see back into the Retiring Room of Things yet if we could we should find that all the Springs of Motion and Action of Life yea of very Being are without Hand and so Miracle is in Every Thing Power is in Every Thing and so here what we call Miracle and no Miracle does not differ till Things come more into the Great Hall of this World where Millions of Hands or Second Causes are at work So that the Difference upon the whole in what we call Miracle and not Miracle is That in Miracle Power without Hand goes all the way In Things not Miracle Created Hands take from God their share of Action and Appearance and hereupon we attribute All through our Stupidity Carnality and Unbelief to Created Hands and God is hidden his Hand Covered and Shrouded God therefore stretches out his Hand in Miracle He lifts up his Hand and makes Bare his Arm and Forces Men to say This is the Finger of God But because God does not this Every Day but seldom hitherto therefore a Second Character of Miracle arises 2. Miracle is properly something that in regard of the Newness and unusualness of it makes Men Gaze and look upon it with Wonder and Admiration and from this Passion it raises in Men it is call'd Wonder or Miracle and because Men are Alarm'd and Expect some Great Event upon it it is call'd Sign or Portent in the Sacred Language of both the New and Old Testament Two Words in the Hebrew denote Signs and another expresses VVonder and so in the Greek sometimes Miracles are remark'd to us by a Word properly rendered Sign and sometimes by a Word signifying VVonder and surprise And though I have before Asserted That herein also the Works of God though constant and perpetual are yet also New and Fresh our Life Health Freedom All we Enjoy are Fresh Mercies and Compassions New Every morning every moment They are not the Mercies we had yesterday but New mercies I desire this Remark may be upon all our Hearts to raise us to Thankfulness Dependence self Resignation and Obedience yet because these Every-days mercies of God we seem to hold by a more constant Tenure of Providence that exerciseth Loving-kindness on the Earth Scripture it self calls Miracles of Mercy or Judgment New Things what God does in Mercy or in Displeasure ordinarily we are so acquainted with and they look so like one another that we look not upon them as new but when God does those great things we call Miracles we are in a Wonder at an Amaze we ask what is this a sign of nay if things unusual fall out and appear although we account the things not Miracles but Wonders as a Comet in the Heavens great Eclipses strange Inundations Earth quakes we are Alarm'd and Mov'd and are ready to look for some extraordinary Things coming upon the Earth And unusual Events in Providence either of Mercy or Affliction make great Discourses among Men as to their expectations And herein so far as God permits him the Devil is as often as he can doing Wonders or strange Things and so are his Ministers either by or without his known help of which sort are all the Antichristian Signs and Lying Wondeâ—s and
hereunto also may be reduced the many Policies and curious Designs of Men of Power and great Motion in the World that amuse ordinary Beholders but all these with the Artifices of men of lower Figure are no moâ—e than greater or lesser Puppet play moving things by Wires unseen and unobserv'd but God does indeed thâ—ngs truly great and New and puts thereby a New Song of Praise into the mouths of his Servants for they are indeed Signs and Wonders and mighty Acts. And they are indeed New because as I have said they are all Peices Parcels Portions of that New Creation the New Heaven and New Earth that New World the World to come the Restitution of All things whereof we speak as is further to be shewn But at the present I rest upon that which hath been already nam'd as the steaddy Representation of a Miracle in strict speaking to us it is the Lords Creating a New Thing in the Earth I only add that proportionably to the New Heaven and the New Earth â—od makes in the Souls of his what he calls A new Creation a new Heart and a New Spâ—rit Old things passing away all becomes New 3. The more proper and Adequate Character of Miracles is that they are Pâ—rtions and Parcels Pledges and assurances of the World to come and of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ of the New Heaven and of the New Earth of the New Creation of God whoever looks closely and Intentively into them shall find that because the Old Creation as under the Curse through Sin and Apostasy of the First Adam will not cannot serve the Ends of the Glory of God of the Creator and of Jesus Christ the Lord and Heir of All by whom and for whom they were all made and of his Body the Church the fulness of him that filleth All in All. Therefore a new Creation is to be brought in and it is to be brought in by a Dissolution of the Old a Total Dissolution of the Old Creation the World of the First Adam and a Restitution of all things and even an Exaltation into a far Higher and more excellent State than the first Now this is to be done by Immediate Power in both Parts of Mercy and Judgment else neither Could be done No Hand but that which put together this Frame can Dissolve it no Hand but that which holds it together can either let it go or stir up those Tumults and Combustions that shall bring it to its End which is a further Argument that Creation and dayly Sustentation are Miracle Effects of immediate Power for else some however unknown to us Disorders and Crâ—ss and Counter Motions of Second Causes had Defeated the Frst Creation or long since brought this Frame to Ruine if there had been none to Guide or Sustain them but themselves And hereby it is also Evident the low State in which the Creation is is Miracle or Immediate Power of Justice for else the Goodness of the Creator had undoubtedly kept it up to its first Being in all things Good and very Good Infinite Immediate Power hath let it down so low and no lower Again on the side of Mercy and Grace so far and so much as the Creation is gone down and fallen from it self through Divine Justice Retiring the Omnipotâ—nt Conserving Hand of Power that would have kept it up or suffering thosâ— Destructive Counter-Motions in the Parts of it or in the Principles of Motion Omnipotency alone can Repair and Fill uâ— those Gaps and Hollows in the Present State and effect a Restitution of All Things and Deliver the Creation now in Bondage from that Servitude under which it hath so long and yet Grones and much more That Almighty Hand alone can Raise it above what it was at First so that Miracle runs through all Now seeing such a Boâ—h Dissolution and Restitution and Exaltation of the Creation is Decreed by God It becomes him by whom are All Things and for whom are All Things and by whom and for whom this very Dissolution and Restitution is to give warning to make Credit and Assurance of These even of Both and therefore as I have already Argued and shall much further Argue in the Part of this Discourse allotted to it That Miracles are Powers of the World to come every way proper and peculiar to it 4. Miracles are therefore Conjoyned with some Eminent and Notable Appearance of the World to Come As at the bringing of the People of Israel out of Egypt and into the Land of Canaan the Promised Land and so when Christ was here in the World and the Apostles so Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom as if it had been immediately to appear and so much more when that Kingdom shall indeed appear For else Miracles would be as Seals to a Blanck This therefore Detects all False Miracles and Lying Wonders that they are not in pursuance of the Kingdom of Christ And this is most Evident as was said before by our Saviours Inference from the Truth of that mighty work of Casting out the Deaf and Dumb Devil and that is was done by the Finger of God that no doubt the Kingdom of God was come upon them as he shews Luke 11. For Miracles cannot be without the Kingdom of God in Eminent Appearance 5. Miracles must being Parts and Peices of the World to come give greatest Assurance of themselves to be the mighty works of God this Assurance must be given to the whole man to the Mind Understanding inward and outward Senses for this is Assurance to the whole Man The Understanding is oft under Error and mistake wherein it is not Serv'd and Ministred to by Sense Sense is oft deluded when the mind does not make a Judgment When both make a full Judgment This is as great Assurance as the Intellectual sensible Being of Man is capable of and therefore Resistance to such Light is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which is Blaspheming against full Conviction of Divine Power and Appearance Mat. 12. 31. Mark 3 18. Luke 12. 10. The Miracles therefore proper to the Kingdom of Christ are Armed at all Points by Infallible Proofs as that grand Miracle of the Resurrection of Christ was Acts 1. 3. And thus they ought to be from their Relation to the Kingdom of Christ which shall give all assurance of it self to the whole Man and for ever remove all possibility of doubt from Saints who shall see then Eye to Eye and from wicked Men who would not see but shall see in that day CHAP. IV. Of the Reasons or ends of Miracles as they are generally Assign'd by those who have Writ upon them I Come now to shew the Ends and great Uses and Purposes of God in Miracles what he intends towards the Children of men by them And I will Argue the thing Freely both on the one side and the other because I know the generality of Christians and of the Interpreters and Teachers of the Doctrine of
c. If any Doctrines then be not according to whâ—â— God hath before spoken in his word and to those main points of the Love and Fear of God and the Rewards he hath proâ—â—â—â—ed and Punishments he hath Threatened Although such a Contrary Doctrin be Confirm'd with such Appearances of a sign or wonder as cannot be Dâ—stinguished by very Judicious observers from a Real Miracle This will not Justify the person that turns aside from the Commands or Doctrines that are indeed from God which ought to be weighed by all the Just Rules and Characters of Trying truth According to this Grand caution thus Given by God The Jews might have been excused in Refusing to withdraw from the Mosaic Law or to receive Christ as the Messiah and Son of God notwithstanding all the Miracles wrought by our Lord and by his Apostles if the Doctrine and Action and high Acknowledgment of God of All holiness if the Excellencies alwaies most Bright and shining from our Lord c. If the Diviness of all his Preachâ—ng His clearest dicovery of eternal Life and everlasting Punishment upon all unholyness had not vindicated and demonstrated it self to be of God Christ therefore says as before observed John 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken to them they had no sin but now they have no Cloake for their sin and so John 14. 10. Christ saith The words I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me He doth the works Certainly our Lord Implyes His very Doctrine was all Miracle All works the works of his Father as well as the very Miracles or Works strictly so called Thus Christ Argues from the Direct â—endency of all his whole Ministry and design so manifestly tending to the Ruine of Sathans Kingdom that he could not be suspected of Acting by way of Collusion with Sathan except Sathan could be supposed to be Divided against Himself and to Destroy his own Kingdom Else the Pretence had been plausible if all the Doctrine of Christ had not been Infinitely Holy and Infinitely pure Destructive to Satan and his Kingdom Matt. 12. Mark 3. anâ— Luke 11. The Apostle Petet Comparing the Miraculous vision of our Lords Transfiguration Prefers the Word of Prophecy as more sure 2. Pet. 1. 19. And the Apostle Paul makes the powerful Preaching of the Truths of the Gospel more Convincing of the mighty presence of God in Church Assemblies then Miracles or miraculous Gifts of Tongues were 1 Cor. 14. 26. For hereby saith he the Secrets of mens Hearts will be Discovered and they will Fall down and worship God and say He is among his Servants of a Truth From all this It is most manifest The Confirmation of the Truths oâ— the Gospel is not the Adequate end of Miracles or a Reason of them Commensurate to them Because they do not sufficiently serve that end nor answer that Reason If therefore They had been supremely to that end or Reason of them There is no doubt They should to the very utmost and last point of effect have produced that Confirmation For such mighty works of God Cannot be once supposed to be in vain as they must be if they do not Attain their End or are-not Principal in Attaining it As it hath been made out They are not CHAP. V. Wherein the Grand Scope of the Discourse is Endeavoured to be truly Fixed viz. That the Chief and Adequate End and Reason of Miracâ—â—s is That they are Portions and Pledges Peices and Parcels and Portions of the Kingdom of Christ or of the World to Come and to Bring it in at Last I Come now to that Part of this Discourse wherein as in a Center All the lines of it meet that is to shew that the Principal and most Adequate Reason of Miracles is that They Bear a strict close and Inseparable Relation to that world to come whereof saith the Apostle we speak And because This world is to come and they have not yet Introduced it Therefore they can be no more then Parts or Peices and Portions and not the entire sum Pawns and Pledges and not the very Kingdom not that very world it self And in the attaining of this It will be found That whatever account can be given of Miracles as if this moving mens Hearts Home to God were an end or Reason of them or as if the Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel were an end by it self worthy of them even That account will be Found to Lye in their Relation Those very effects have to that world to come as will be seen in the Particulars I shall now present in order Argum. 1. If there be such a World to Come as the Scripture hath abundantly declared there is then every thing wherein the Present State of the World is lifted up above it self or the present Course of setled Nature which being by Immediate Power and not in the ordinary manner of Vpholding and merciful Governing the World we therefore call Miracle is in its very own Nature a Pledg and Assurance of such a Restituâ—ion or New Creation or Wâ—rld to Come as we speak of and is a part or portion of it For it is a Specimen and a little part of what we shall see in full and whole And on the other side if there by any thing done in Judgment in such Extraordâ—nary and Miraculous manner breaking the Frame of the Present State either in any more Essential Settlement or in the general Course of Gods Government of the World it is an Assurance to us that he â—ill Dissolve the present World to make room for a new World and to bring in Vniversal Judgment upon the Vngodly on whiâ—h account all Extraordinary Judgments are delivered in the Language of the general Judgment as is most observable in all the Phrase wherein such Judgments are expressed in the Prophetical Parts of the Old and New Testament which are not a high Rhâ—torical or Poetical Language or manner of Expression but have real Reference to what shall be Fulfill'd in the very Letter at last Now in the presenting Particulars and Arguing upon them If the things spoken seem to be new or singular I would only Desire the Noble Temper of the Bereans to search the Scripture whether these things be so or not 1. I would begin more orderly and in the Foundation Jesus Christ is the Second Adam Lord of the World to Come and unâ—â—r Him the present World is put in regard of supreme Adâ—â—nistration of the very Things that are not put under him in the â—ense They shall be put under him I know we will All allow This great Mediator the Redeemer of the World Jesus Christ The Messiah the Prince of the Kingâ— of the Earth the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords He into whose Hand the Father hath committed all Judgment to Execute it even because he is the Son of Man that His coming into the World was supreme Miracle This none of
us that believe in Jesus Christ will deny but own it as an Article of Faith This the Scripture speaks of as a great Miracle For if Jesus Christ had come into the World the ordinary way of mankind It had been a great Argument that there had been no such Relation between Miracle and the World to Come as I now affirm to you But I will make it Evident to you how much though it be a thing we all Profess to believe That Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin The Scripture speaks of it in the High Language of Miracle The Prophet Esay ch 7. v. 11. Commission'd by God proposes to Ahaz King of Judah when there was a Confederacy against him that yet God assured him should have no success To ask of God a sign of it that is a Miracle and God knowing how great a Sâ—gn He intended him a Miracle or Sign Comprehensive of all Signs bid him Ask it as great and wonderful as he could desire either in the Depth or in the Heighth as if God had said I would have thee ask it It shall be a Point of thy Faith and of thy Obedience and thus indeed God offers a Miracle as a Confirmation as hath been allowed of any Declaration of God to man having yet an especial Relation to the World to Come Oh how great is this Goodness of God to Ahaz As if God should say to us in any Extremity or Distress I intend a Glorious Kingdom a World to Come of Grace Mercy and Peace to my Servants brought in by my immediate Hand and Power and you shall have a share of it a Lot in it as God said to Daniel and a part a pâ—wn of it in an Extraordinary a Miraculous Relief of your present Extremity and Distress How great a mercy would we esteem it But Ahaz being of a Perverse Unbelieving Disobedient Temper Oh saith he I will not ask I will not tempt the Lord what do you talk to me of Signs or Miracles I am content with the Even Course of Providence and with the stated Truth of the Word of God And so we are ready to say now What do you talk to us of Miracles They are Fancies and Whimsies of Brain sick Men only Let us keep to the Written Word and to settled Prâ—vidence even thus they will say at a Time when God is giving greatest Proof He will Work and Return on High For else I do acknowledg with all my Heart we must wait Gods Appointed Time But it is great Perversity when we Refuse the Eâ—idence of any thing Written in the Word of God that we might by the Scripture have had patience hope and Comfort in and say We won't tempt God Therefore immediately on Ahaz his Refusal saith the Prophet Esay Hear now Oh House of David Is it too small a thing for you to weary men To weary his Servants the Ministers of these things from God to you but will you weary my God also Tho you are not willing to ask a Sign I 'le single out a Sign for you Behold a Virgin shall Conceive a Son This we know is perfect Miracle It is True This did not appear at that Time to the Senses of Ahaz when it was thus Promised what sensible Symbol God gave of it then I will not now Dispute but This Promise carries our Thoughts on the Very Miracle it self when our Lord came in the Flesh and so we find the Evangelists Matthew and Luke give the History of the Virgin Mary bringing forth the Holy Child Jesus Thus we see in the Person of the Redeemer the very Foundation of the World to Come is laid in Miracle and according to this very Miracle and in Order to that very World he is Emanuel God with us God in our Nature a Miracle beyond all Miracles I 'le give you one Scripture more concerning this very Thing Jerem 31. 22 23. How long saith God wilt thou go about thou backsliding Daughter The Lord hath or will create a new thing in the Eartk a Woman shall compass a Man it is an Expression of the Miraculous Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ his Birth of the Virgin For as I have said the word A New Thing expresses the Nature of Miracle And then it follows They shall use this Speech in the Land of Judah and Mountain of Hoâ—yness which Holy Mount we know is an expression of the World to Come the very Assurance of which satiates every weaâ—y Soul and replenishes every sorrowful Soul and the ground of all this is the Miraculous Birth of the great Redeemer Jehovah our Righteousness According to this Genesis 3. 15. As soon as the present Creation was lapsed and Fallen by the Sin of Man and had sunk utterly intâ— Ruâ—ne if it had not been Shor'd up by the Mediator It is said I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman between her Seed and thy Seed It shall Bruise thy Head and thou shalt Bruise his Heel Here the Woman is taken a part from Adam and between the Seed of the Woman in a Peculiar manner and the Seed of the Serpenâ— is this Enmity Put to express that Miraculous Conception and Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ And indeed if we could lay the thing close to our Hearts God Awakens us to all the great Things of the World to come whereof we speak and shews us plainly that Things shall be lifted up to a far greater and more excellent state he hath given this as a Sign of it A Virgin shall Conceive and Bear a Son Let us consider one Scripture more Esay 9. 6. For unto us a Child is Born a Son is Given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the Increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Vpon the Throne of David and his Kingdom to order it and to Establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this To us a Child is born a Son is Given Herein indeed is not an express Delineation of the wonderfulness of his Conception and birth but it is implied and Included His Name shall be called what shall it be called Wonderful The Man of Wonders That Wonderful Man throughout he is all Wonderful all Miracle the Counsellor and Mighty God and that which we call Everlasting Father is in the Hebrew The Father of the World to come And of his Government There shall be no End Glorious and Great shall be his Kingdom The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this and therefore the greatness of his Power It being all Miracle shall perform this His hand shall be stretched out in it and for the World to Come The Death of our Lord Jesus Christ was stupendious Miracle of Justice and Judgment when the Lord Bruised and put him to Grief and made his
Soul an Offering for Sin This foreshewed the Dread of the Vengeance of God for sin burning upon the wicked to the Neithermost Hell setting on Fire the Foundation of the Mountains Burning up the Earth and the Works of it and the wicked becoming as Bryars and Thorns Burnt on that their own Earth For as Christ said in a Foresight of the Destruction of Jerusalem If these things were done in the Green Tree what shall be done in the Dry This ought to be carried to all Desolations and Destructions the Manifestation of the Righteous Judgment of God shall make in his Holy Indignation against the Posterity and World of the Apostate Adam not Reconciled by the Second Adam The Lord from Heaven and Father of the world to Come whereof we speak The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ the great Miracle as all that speak of Miracle acknowledg is a Glorious Pledg of the World to Come and an entry into the very State of it This World knew no such thing before nor had any such Thing in all its Treasure Riches or Variety He was the First Born the First begotten from the Dead Such was his Ascention his Glorious Entrance into the Tabernacle made without hands not of this Building his sending down the Spirit as the Apostle hath said in the Context I am upon in divers Signs and Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will And all this in Connexion with the World to Come not in Subjection to Angels but the Kingdom of the Son of God All which comes home to this That Miracles are proper to the World to Come as the Reason and end of it Now there is nothing wherein I can more Humbly and earnestly Intreat you that Read these Things and wherein you can yeild a greater Acceptance to what I am now Discoursing than that you would Search these things and Compare them and Argue them to your selves For I know they will and must bear weight with you Argum. 2. The Second Argument I would give you is the Consideration of the way by which God will save All and every one of us whom he will save by the second Adam and fits them for that World to Come for that everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ He saves them he does all for them in a way of Miracle This I will endeavour to make plain to you by considering That God would not save Men by the First Covenant the Covenant of Creation the Law of Creation They cannot be Saved by that They must be saved by a New Covenant a Covenant that is all Miracle This I will shew you in two Parts of it 1. When God Justifies Sinners by the Righteousness of another by the Obedience and by the Suffering and by the Death of another This is Miracle and it is as great Miracle as any of the Things that Men allow to be Miracle and indeed in Regard of the Internal Excellency the Intrinsick worth of the Thing It is far greater than any Miracle except what concerns the very Excellency and Glory of the Person of the Mediator Those Wonders of Miracle if I may so speak Oh therefore that we could consider it If we are Pardoned in Christ if we are Justified by Christ If we are Saved from Hell from Wrath to come by him or from the Curse of the Law This is all Miracle For I would Ask any Man I am sure None of the Men of Reason and that seem to understand Miracle Best can deny it Is not Miracle a Lifting up of the present State of the World above the first Law and Order of the Creation sure this cannot be Denied Now that Law of Righteousness that was given to Man at first Thâ—t Law Do this and Live Be thou Holy be thou Perfect and thou shalt have the Reward of it Thou shalt Live by it This was the First Law and Constitution of God upon Mankind Now if Men were saved any way by this Law of VVorks and Righteousness in themselves Let it be what way it will Here were nothing Answering to Miracle to the Powers of the world to come only God may have Moderated the Point Take a little in the place of a great Deal Sincerity in the place of Perfect Obedience But still that great Point of Doing of Doing that is the Thing For there lies the Point of Miracle of New Creation That it is of Grace and not of Works For the Apostle hath Fixed the Firmament as I may say between Works and Grace He hath Established the two Worlds the World of the Old Adam the World to come of the Second Adam in saying If it be of Wrk s It is no more of Grace otherwise Grace is no more Grace or work is no more work Now Work was the very Foundation of the First Creation Man made in Knowledge Righteousness and True Holiness and then working according to it acting from and by himself according to the Law of his Creation I doubt not indeed that Man was made with the Knowledge of Christ the Mediator of Amity and Conciliation and Sustentation in the state wherein he was made seeing all things were made by and for our Mediator and that Adam himself was the Type of him to come and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and of the Tree of Life pointed to him and the very Image wherein Adam was made was Christ the Image of God But this being not of the present Intention I only intimate and stand not to prove it But Adam not keeping close to the Mediator was wholly upon his own Bottom of Creation and the Self Subsistence he chose out of a Mediator Whatever therefore God does in Grace through a Mediator to Man Fallen is Miracle of Grace and though it may seem in all Spiritual Concernments the Concernments of the Inward Man there is not Miracle because they do not at the present come into sense yet in regard of the present state they are of as Real Inward Deep Sense and Peace of Conscience and External Evidence in the Change of the Life and Conversation and shall in the Future State appear in Glory and illustrious Vâ—sibility and so are now by the Apostle call'd a being chang'd into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by that Spirit who is Jehovah I think This may be most justly called Miracle throughout and so great Miracle that all outward Miracles are but the Outside Case and Representations of them Now then if it come to Grace and to Faith to receive Righteousness by another it must needs be Miracle We are saved by Miracle in the pardon of sin and being accepted through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ I think the Apostle guides us to this very Apprehension For what saith he the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh so that it might not be imputed
and Dishonour under the wrath of God and the Lamb. And of this all the Judgments that have been hitherto in the World have been Parts Peices and Portions also Pawns and Pledges of that State Those Great Judgments therefore on the Fallen Angels on the Old World on Sodom and Gomorrah on Egypt on Corah Dathan and Abiram on Nadab and Abihu have been already instanced in the Destruction of great Armies as most especially in the Valley of Jehosaphat 2 Cor. 20. 24. Joel 3 12. a great Type of that last Result at the Battle of Armageddon is most worthy to be considered and so indeed are All the Judgments we Read of in the Book of God The Book of the Wars of the Lord Numb c. 21. 14. Run down with a strong Stream and Torrent into their Great Sea the last Judgment at the Kingdom of Christ and having all the Nature of Miraculous confirm the Point we are now upon That Miracles and the Kingdom of Christ are closely Connex'd and Joyn'd together Argum. last For a Summary or Recapitulating Argument we may look back on some of the most Remarkable Miraculous Appearances of God in the Old Testament and see what an Illustrious Correspondence they bear to the World to Come or to the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Translation of Enoch that he should not see Death Gen. 5. 22. Heb. 11. 5. That we know was perfect Miracle compar'd with the Present State of Dying Elijah and Elisha's Raising the Dead Types of the Resurrection 1 Kings 17. 17. 2 Kings 4 28. The Dividing the Red-Sea and Jordan Types of the smiting the Egyptian River in the Seven Streams and Destroying the Tongue of it making men go over Dry shod and of a High way for his People as to Israel in the Day he came up out of the Land of Egypt Esay 11. 16. and Like Drying up the Deep and the River and the Pride of Egyptian and Assyrian Departing away when all shall be strengthen'd in God and the people shall walk up and down in the Name of the Lord Zech. 10. 11. c. The giving of Mannah as Bread from Heaven looks to Christ the Bread of Life and the Tree of Life as the Water out of the Rock to the Water of Life But I would especially have Respect to that Standard Miracle of the Sabbatical Year A great Wonder of the Riches and Might and Power of God Every Seventh Year there was a mighty shewing forth of the Power of God For that the Earth brought forth it self so much in the Sixth Year that they might Live upon it without any Plowing or Sowing the seventh Year The seventh Year was to be a Sabbath of Rest unto the Land a Sabbath to the Lord the Children of Israel were neither to Sow their fields nor to Prune their Vineyards nor to Reap nor to Gather but all were to Live alike of what came forth of it self God promised to Bless the sixth Year so that It should yeild meat for three years that so the seventh year might be a year of Sabbath or Rest to them Now let us Consider what the Prophets have spoken concerning this World to Come how exactly suitable and agreeable to this they have spoken of the World to Come From whence I Argue and do appeal to any one whether the Argument be not exceeding great The seventh year among the Jews was a Symbol was a Peice Parcel Portion of the World to Come whereof we speak and of the great Sabbatism of it Amos 9. 11. In that day will I Raise up the Tabernacle of David that it may be Built as in the days of Old That they may possess the Remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen which are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this And then it follows Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that the Plowman shall overtake the Reaper and the Treader of Grapes him that soweth Seed and the Mountains shall drop sweet VVine and All the Hills shall melt The Earth and the Mountains and the Hills shall Flow out with a great Freedom and Spontaneousness into an abundance for the Servants of God Then shall the full Sense and Meaning of the Sabbatical years be understood Then shall the Full Sum of which that was but a Part and Portion be brought into open View Then instead of the Briar and Thorn shall grow up the Mirtle Tree and the Fir Tree And It shall be unto the Lord for a Sign and a Memorial that shall not be cut off When our Lord was here in the Days of his Flesh he gave an Experiment of Divine Power to the same purpose and it was a Miracle he seem'd to delight in For he several Times Repeated it He fed with a few Loaves and small Fishes so many Thousands and the Baskets of Fragments far exceeded the Principal or very first Provision Now these Things are all own'd to be Miracles let us but ask our selves whether these things were not so If we now in this Nation should let Plowing and Sowing alone for a year would we not look upon it as the Introduction of a Famine but now if God should positively command us and Assure us That there should be care taken in any one year for three years and we should Find it so taken Would we not look upon it as Miracle If any one should Set down so great Numbers of People as Christ did to so small a Provision that every one could not take a little should we not look upon it with as great or greater amazement than the Apostles did upon Christs doing so But if the small Feast in the Beginning should Multiply in the Eating and become More after a plentiful Eating than it was before Eating Should we not look upon it as a Miracle Now All this Imports That a Sufficiency of Food and Durable Cloathing shall be in the Kingdom of Christ that his Servants may Eat and be Satisfied Eat and Drink at his Table in his Kingdom and attend upon the Lord without Distraction that is Fulness of Enjoyment Thus the Miracles Christ did in Healing and Recovering the Sick the Blind and the Lame How did these mighty Acts look to that State of the World to come Revel 21. 4. There shall be no more Sickness Sorrow Pain Death nor Curse but God shall wipe away all Tears from his Servants Eyes The Great Readiness of Christ in shewing his Mercy and Power towards the Blind and Lame that they might be so no longer makes me think of that Glory in the Book of Samuel when it is said of David the Blind and the Lame whom David's Soul hated I only make an Allusion not considering the strict Sense Jesus Christ his Soul hated not the I ame or the Blind but the Blindness and the Lameness the Sickness and the Death His Soul had such a sense that this came upon the World upon Mankind by sin That he Laboured and Travailed in Spirit till he
brought forth as you know so many great Instances of the Redemption of Mankind in Carrying our Sorrows and bearing our Sicknesses till there be that perfect Restitution of All Things named before and the Creatures or Creation it self be Delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Manifestation of the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Now these things joyn'd together seem to me so full of Evidence that my heart is while I speak of them so satiated with them that I cannot but hope they will be also most Acceptable and satisfactory to them that read them so as to conclude how close Miracle and the Kingdom of Christ are Related one to another and that the Chief and Adequate End and Reason of Miracle is that they are Portions and Parcels Peices and Pledges of the Kingdom of Christ or of the World to come and shall bring it in at last CHAP. VI. A Discussion of the Times wherein Miracles have been most Illustrious and when there hath been greatest Darkness among the People of God in Relation to them Preparatory to the Asserting That Miracles are not ceas'd but a Return of Them is to be Expected SEeing from All I have Discours'd it appears very undoubted that a Return of Miracles is and ought to be expected because the Great and Adequate End of Miracles is a Connexion with and even an Introduction of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and the World to come which Kingdom and World to come is not yet come and when it shall indeed come it shall have a mighty Power of Signs Wonders Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own Will to appear with it to introduce settle and establish it in the Order and Glory of the New Creation I shall therefore before I come to the down-right Proof endeavour to anticipate or to be before hand with the greatest Objection I meet with to it Object The Great Objection I find in my own Thoughts and which Raises and Confirms I doubt not in others a Resolved Pre-judgment that Miracles shall not Return is Because that now for a Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years or near about Miracles except the Lying and Legendary ones the Antichristian Apostasy hath pretended to there hath been a going off and a Cessation of the True Power of Miracles and the Reason to be assign'd for it hath been thought Because the Doctrine of Salvation in the Gospel and the Canon of Scripture and particularly of the New Testnment hath been so summ'd up finish'd setled and sealed so confirm'd and assur'd by undoubted Power of Miracles that brought it into that Settlement and gave it so large a spread in the World that any further use or service of Miracles seems wholly superfluous and unnecessary For if it were not so it looks very strange and there seems no Reason to be given why God should be pleased to order so long a Parenthesis so Long and Dark an Interval such a long space and as I may call it Gap between the Power of Miracles in the Days of Christ and the Apostles and some space after and the present Time And indeed I would add To give the Objection all the strength I can That the Papists or the Antichristians both pretending Themselves to Miracles and finding among the Protestants and Reformed Churches no such Power nor so much as Pretension to it have been Loud and Clamorous upon it and have hereby assum'd it as a Good Reason to Damn the Reformation because it hath come Naked and Unarm'd of Miracles From whence the Reformed not having considered enough the True Reason of Miracles nor of their Cessaâ—ion have been under a Necessity to Defend Themselves by asserting Miracles are wholly ceas'd and no Return to be expected and that the Popish Pretences have been but so much Counterfeit and Falshdod In which Last Part they have spoken most Evident and undoubted Truth and this Defence hath also in the First Part seem'd so necessary that it could not be but it must sink Deep into the Minds of All the Most Holy Sober Serious Wife Protestants as well as the more General Profession of the Reformation and hath brought All Discourses of a Return of Miracles under Great Disrepute as Wild and Fanatical Altho indeed this part â—f the Defence arose from a not due consideration of the Reasons of the Cessation and of the certain Return of Miracles when the Force of those Reasons shâ—ll expire And I cannot but acknowledge It may seem strange according to the very Reason I am to lay down why there hath been such a Cessation of Miracles And there does arise a Difficulty upon it That there was not any Return of the Power of Miracles with the Reformation But I hope to give Fairest Solution to it In the mean time I cannot but take nâ—tice that the Popish Pretensions to a constant Power of Miracles does very notably not only agree with the Character of Prophecy in their Lying VVonders but also that they make indeed a Counterfeit Kingdom to the True Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ both in Prophecy and in their own Pretences and so far Counterfeit proves what ought to be in the Truth and the Life of That It is the counterfeit of and by Prophecy It was to counterfeit They give a Proof by the By That Miracles do indeed appertain to the Kingdom of Ghrist But to come to the main Answer to this Objection I propose upon it First To observe the State of Miracles or Miraculous Power in all the several Ages or Times Recorded to Us in Scripture and to collect the Light that may from thence be received to shew that Miracles shall certainly Return and Introduce the Kingdom of Christ 2. I will lay down what upon Great Reason I Esteem to be the True Cause of the Cessation of Miracles these Last Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years and why especially since the Reformation Miracles have not return'd seeing as Miracles pertain to the Kingdom of Christ so the Reformation it self was an appearance of that Kingdom Wherein I will consider any Collateral Objections that may spring up from any Discourse in this Answer That therefore which in general I pitch upon is that when we look upon the several Varieties of Appearances of Miraculous Emanations or Flowings out from the Divine Gloâ—y and Power in Miracles according to the Records of Scripture there have been no Times wholly without them of which Any Records of Scripture have given us the Memorials Because there was always a certainty of that Kingdom Coming and the moâ—e Notable and Remarkable Manifestations have been prepared for those more Noble and Remarkable Manifestations of the Kingdom of Christ. The History of Scripture is indeed very short in the Time before the Flood yet we have an Eminent Instance of a Miraculous Power of Grace in the Translating Enoch to Heaven without any sight of Death Enoch walked with God so many years and was not For
God took him Gen. 5. 22 23 24. This was an Eminent Peice of that World to come Enoch was translated without seeing Death As the Apostle saith Some shall not Dye but be Changed and Caught up There were two Miraculous Appearances of Judgment The Lapse and Curse upon the Creation and Death upon mankind that Came in upon the Disobedience of the First Adam the grand Proâ—unciation of Judgment upon the whole State of the World of that First Adam and this compar'd with the First Glory of the Creation on which it Brake in is most justly to be esteemed Miracle tho now not so The so universal and general Judgment upon the Old World by the Flood of which was spoken before and how closely it Relates to the VVorld to Come as also of the Peculiar Miracle of Grace towards Noah and such a Remnant of the Creation with him as should give a present Restitution of all things and how Representative was that also of the World to Come in which the Servants of Christ shall be Saved from the Deluge of the Vials and of that Fire of the last Vial Now it was very Agreeable even to that Beginning of the World That it should not be left wholly without a Testimony of that Kingdom signified in the Promise of the Womans Seed wherein there is given the History of that Seed propagating it self as the almost whole History of that Time tho it was so very far off at that Time from Coming and was to pass through so many several Changes of Representation ere it came into its Glory The Confusion of Languages and the Division of the Earth in the Time of Shem the great Melchisedec and Eber the Holy Patriarch through whose Loyns the Holy Seed Ran and whose Son Peleg in an especial manner bore the Character of that Division had this Remarkable Relation to the Kingdom of Christ That it carried the Face of a Miraculous Judiciary Driving asunder the Nations and made the great Distinctiâ—n of Mankind That Kingdom hath made all along in the World and shall make For hereby the Oracles of God were so long committed to that particular Seed of the Hebrews of whom Christ God over All Blessed for ever came And hereupon arose that Temporary and present Remedy or Divine Expedient of the Gift of Tongues shewing the Miraculous Power of Christs Kingdom making way for its enlargement in the World and Foretelling also that Reunion of Languages At Pentecost in his Kingdom Thus the Time of the second Patriarchal Roll of Generation is Illustrated with a Miracle separating the Hebrews from all the Nations of the Earth The Time of Abraham with his Call to the Going out of Egypt was Enlightned with the continual Appearances of God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob which were indeed of the Naâ—ure of Perfect Miracle besides what was Miraculous in the Birth of Isaac of Jacob and that Miracle of Judgment on Sodom before spoken of Thus we see No Time hitherto to the Going out of Egypt hath been a Dark Place in Regard of Miraculous Appearances of God to his Servants because of the Great Son of Abraham according to the Flesh in whose Right of Inheritance as the Prince of the World to come Abraham is call'd Heir of the Worlds Rom. 4. 13. The Time of the Going out of Egypt from the Multiplication of the Children of Israel there to the very settlement in Canaan was one Continued Train of Miracles Nor was the Time of the Judges or of the Kings of Judah Un-illustrated by various Irradiations of the mighty Power of God towards his People in Fore-Assurances of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which is much to be Remark'd Because the Law of God by his Servant Moses had Receiv'd the full settlement and Establishment by as high Testimonies from Heaven as serv'd not only the necessariness of its Sanction but the Glory and Grandieur of it And if only Prophets without any Power of Miracles had been Rais'd up in Addition to it There had been yet a Measure of Truth Shaken Down and Running Over For besides those Extraordinary Prophets there was the Standing Ministry as in Ordinary of the Priests Lips preserving Knowledg But that which is most Wonderful and Deserves particular Enquiry is That even in the Apostasy of the Ten Tribes besides the Communication of whatsoever great things God did in the Kingdom of Judah There were Those two Prophets Elijah and Elisha like two Witnesses after Moses and Aaron set out and Credential'd with a Mighty Power of Miracles to be as a Light shining in the Dark place of that Apostasy that was so great a Type of the Antichristian Apostasy and the Types of one are made by great Wisdom of the Divine Spirit Correspondent to the Types of the other even to so undoubted clearness and Certainty that I make no doubt to Assign it as one Reason Why there was such a Miraculous Presence there even that It with those witnesses at the Deliverance out of Egypt might be a Prophetical Plat-fotm of the Witnesses Appearing in the Twelve Hundred Sixty Days against the Antichristian Apostasy But besides that There was with Regard to Joseph of whom the Prophetick Benediction of Jacob and Moses spoke so great Things and who was so great a Type of Christ in his High Administration in Egypt and whose was as the Spirit of God Testifies the Birth-Right 1 Chron. 5. 2. There was a Type I say of the Kingdom of Christ necessarily to be Erected in his peculiar Posterity whereof he himself Foretold in Ephraim so that tho the Kingdom was Judah's and no one Good King of the House of Joseph over the Ten Tribes yet God being pleased to have some Representation of the Kingdom of Christ tho in so continued an Apostasy he was pleased also to Honour it with so peculiar a Prophetical Ministry and that so Illustrated with Miraculous Powers till he gave them a Bill of Divorce under the Name of those three Children of Whoredom Jezreel Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi Hosea 1. Yet because it was still a Type of the Kingdom of Christ There was an Eminent Type of the very Kingdom of Christ Elijah carried up to Heaven even above the Translation of Enoch in a Chariot of Fire without Dying Some years after the Captivity of the Ten Tribes when they were come under the very Perpendicular Influences of that Dreadful Lo Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi The Miraculous Power of God shone out with very Bright Rayes upon Hezekiah King of Judah a most Excellent Reforming Prince First in the Destruction of so great an Assyrian Army which threatn'd him with the Lot of the Ten Tribes and Immediately after with that Miraculous Sign in the Shadow that is as the Learned make manifest The Sun going so many Degrees back to assure his Life restor'd Then came on the Babylonish Captivity during the Time of which besides the Grandieur of the Spirit of Prophecy during that Time in Jeremiah Ezekiel and
the Kingdom therefore continued notwithstanding those Miracles so long as God intended But after he Removed it as he saw good But if the Antichristian Apostasy had or should Fall before the Time the Papal Kingdom must fall with it Now the Power of Gospel Doctrine of Miracles of Powring out the Spirit must needs have Broken it without Remedy which had been contrary to the Oath of Christ There were yet Spiritual Miracles as is to be shewn together with the Doctrine of the Witnesses But they being not visible and so not Forcible on the Sense nor Joyn'd with the Spirit powr'd out as it shall be in the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ the Antichristian both Kingdom and Apostasy have stood notwithstanding Object Why had not the Reformation a proportionable appearance of Miracles with the Revival of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Retrenchment of the Papal Kingdom in so many States and Kingdoms Ans It hath been already Intimated The Antichristian Potentacy and Apostasy were to continue not only Time and Times but the Half Time also the 180 as well as the 1080 Days of years Now at the beginning of Half Time the Reformation appear'd yet the Beasts Half Time was Remaining due Christ therefore Seales the Thunders Rev. 10. 4. Gives out no Miraculous Power nor Gifts of the Spirit in Extraordinary or according to his Kingdom but stays till the Expiration of Half Time also For if the Revival of the Doctrine only with ordinary Gifts of the Spirit hath so far prevail'd without these Mighty Powers How much more must These Joyn'd with Miracle and extraordinary Effusions of the Spirit have prevail'd even to the Ruine of the Papal Kingdom and taking away the Apostasy before the Time sworn by Christ And so I have settled what I had to say on the Various Times and the various appearances of Miracles in all Times CHAP. VII The Direct Proof of the Power of Miracles Returning by the following Arguments for it I Now Address my self to the Immediate proof That Miracles are not so Ceas'd notwithstanding an Interruption of 1260 years but that they shall yet Return when the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ and the service of that Kingdom shall Require it Argum. 1. The general Argument I give for it is this That Miracles have not perfected the End and Intention of God in that whereunto they are appointed Now all the Works of God are Perfect and shall attain their End If then they have not done it it is certain they must return to do it For God cannot be Disappointed or Frustrated in what he Designs There are two great Ends of Miracles which have not yet been Answered by them which are Assurances to us Miracles shall and must Return Partic. 1. Miracles are Appointed by God to Attend the Gospel in its motion to the Ends of the Earth as the Gospel is the Rod of Christ's Strength by which he is to Rule so Extensively to the Ends of the Earth That hath not yet been Done Therefore Miracles must Return to do it as I shall now Argue First I say the Gospel was and is to prevail to the very Ends of the Earth This we see is not yet done The Gospel is to Establish the Glory of Christ the Glory of his Sacrifice of his Righteousness of his Intercession the Greatness of his Kingdom These Things we know how Imperfect they are as yet both in the Clearness of their Knowledg in the Extensiveness of them and in the Vniversal Communication of the Gospel to all the World Now if any one will say why may not a mighty Pouring out of the Spirit of Christ together with greater Light and more Abundant Evidences of the Gospel and of the Truths of it serve in the place of Miracles seeing it is an Affirmation almost General God works no Miracles except upon Necessity I Answer It is True If it pleased God It might be so but then so It might have been in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles Do we not certainly know that the Power of Christ could in the Days of his Flesh and by the Preaching of his Servants with the Presence of his Spirit have done all He and they Did without Miracles and wrought yet even to the utmost Effect If he had not pleased and thought fit to make Miracles the Convoy and as it were the Triumphant Chariot in which That Power should Ride For when the Apostle saith God bare them Witness with Signs and Wonders and Divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit He yet adds According to his own Will He saw no such Necessity of Miracles but all was according to his own Will his own pleasure It is most certain If he had not Freely chosen to Work by Miracles his Spirit would have immediately Reach'd any Heart without them we find it did so If Christ spake to any Person In the very moment he Rose up immediately and Followed him As Matt. 9 9. He saw Matthew sitting at the Receipt of Custom and he saith unto him Follow me and Immediately he made no more words of it but Rose up and â—ollowed Him He Conferr'd not with Flesh and Blood He was in a Profession that required much Intention He was in the Very Business of it and warm as we say in it and it was in such a Kind of Profession as Men do not use easily to be call'd off from to mind Things of a Religious Concernment For Publicans and Sinners often in the Gospel Joyn'd together were Men of no Tender or Scrupulous Consciences Yet when Christ Commanded and no Miracle was wrought he was Obeyed If a Man among us were waiting upon his main Business his way of Gain and Profit and one should come to him without such a Power as the Spirit of Christ Acts by and say to him suppose on any Gospel Account when the Man was a Stranger to it Leave that you are waiting upon tho it be your Office and your Interest and attend the Gospel of Christ what a Scorn would such a one make of such a Proposal But the Power of Christ can where he pleases Touch a Heart Bow a Heart without the outward conveyance of a Miracle But even a Miracle tho It may Amuse and Startle yet if the Power of Christ come not along with it it could not do more than amuse and possibly move for a while In Zaccheus it was the very like Case To Andrew and Peter Christ first gave his Commands and his Promise to make them Fishers of Men and they left their Nets and Follewed him without any Miracle at first because his Spirit wrought Effectually in all things But then on the other side as I have shew'd abundantly Miracles did not prevail when the Spirit came not For how many saw the Miracles of Christ and yet Believed not Indeed in the Conversion of the Apostle Paul Jesus Christ saw fit for the great purposes for the Honour and for the Manifestation
him a Kingdom of New Heaven and New Earth and before the State of Eternity I will endeavour to make out and that this being not yet accomplished There cannot be yet such a Cessation of Miracles but that they must Return to serve so great an End That hâ—s Providential Kingdom or Spiritual Kingdom if any should think of That have not brought all things under him is most Evident by two places of Scripture Heb. 2. 8. Thou hast put all Things in subjection under his Feet For in that he hath put all Things in subjection under him He left nothing that is not put under him but yet in the sense wherein All things are put under him It is my positive Doctrine saith the Apostle All Things are not yet put under him It was in the Time when Christ was Risen the Apostle said this when he was Ascended when he was Crown'd with Glory and Honour For this saith the Apostle we do see viz. by an Eye of Faith thus he Distinguishes between what we do see and what we do not see so much as by the Eye of Faith I am sure If All Things were not put under him then They are not put under him Now For there was a far greater Appearance of All things put under him at that Time Than of All things being put under him at this Time even in regard of his Providential Kingdom and much more in regard of his Spiritual Kingdom and that his Kingdom in Eternity is not the Kingdom wherein All things shall be put under him is most Evident For when All Things are put under him even the last Enemy Death then he delivers up the Kingdom to God and the Father that God may be all in all which surely If we can have any Apprehensions of the Eternal Kingdom must needs be that Kingdom of Eternity Before the Kingdom of Eternity therefore All Things must be put under him And seeing the last Enemy that is to be Subdued is Death The Spirit of God hath given us the exact Time of the Subduing the Last even Death And it is not till after the Thousand years of the Kingdom of the first Resurrection For then the Devil All the Dead and Death and Hell are cast into the Lake so that as it is so far Subdued in the beginning of the Thousand years as that the Dead Saints are rais'd the Living Saints Chang'd So at the End of the Thousand years it is utterly Abolish'd and can never again make the least appearance or possibility of Entrance any more for ever upon any of the Saints who are secur'd in an Eternity of Life so it remains shut up with its own Dead for ever And this is that Second Death oppos'd to the First Resurrection Rev. 20. 14 15. The second Scripture I Rely upon for the Proof that the Kingdom of Christ wherein All things shall be brought under him is not yet so Accomplished as that All Things should be indeed under him till the Time Appointed by the Father is that Evident one Heb. 10. 13. where the Apostle speaking of Christs sitting down on the Right Hand of God says He sits expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool Expecting Now as the Apostle saith what we see fulfill'd and accomplished why do we yet hope for there is no more work for Hope If the thing be seen and Fullfilled so to what End is Expectation of a Thing already come to pass why should any one sit expecting for what he hath already in Hand It is as if a Man should say when the Sun is up and hath Fill'd the Air with Light and spread his Beams upon the whole Earth I am waiting to see when the Sun will Rise You know that Man would be counted a Fool or a Madman of any one that should hear him say when the Sun is in his Eye and its Rays spread on the Mountains about him I am waiting to see when the Sun will Rise so if Christ should sit in Heaven Expecting that his Enemies should be made his Footstool and they are already his Footstool would it not be to impute the greatest Folly to Christ Seeing therefore in this ordinary way of Gods Government of the World The Enemies of Christ are no more probable to be made his Footstool than they have been these so many Hundred Years now past There must be Miraculous Appearances of God for the bringing this great thing to pass and therefore they cannot be ceased so as not to return For All the Scripture Witnesses God will do this great Thing with great Wonders of Power He will be rais'd up out of his Holy Habitation when his Enemies shall fall before him Thus we find in the Revelation in the very beginning of the Kingdom of Christ or for the making way to its Succession there must be a Raising those Witnesses from the Death under which they had long lain and under which they continue to Lye Till a Spirit from God enter into them like a Resurrection which we all acknowledg Miracle even as the Ascension to Heaven in a Cloud Following upon it there must be a Dreadful Earthquake a Mystical Earthquake wherein the Powers of Nature have nothing to do and so it must must be immediately from the Power of Christ wherein that Gabalistick as I may call it or Figurative Tenth of the great City Falls that is all the Kings that now give their power to the Beast which Prophecy so often gives by the Number of the Toes of the Feet of the Image the Feet of Iron and of Clay These Ten shall Fall off from the Beast and that Roman Woman they call Holy Church sitâ—ing upon it whom then They shall hate Seven thousand Names those many Orders of Antichristian Founding from the Pope that sits on the Throne to the meanest of that Hierarchy the poorest Fryars that profess Mendicancy or Beggary All these shall lie like the Witnesses slain wholly dispirited but shall not as they ever any more be Visited with any Spirit of Life The Remnant shall be Affrighted and give Glory to the God of Heaven that is multitudes of the Proselites of Popery shall be Affrighted and give Glory to the God of Heaven The Second Woe that is the Tyranny of the Turks that hath hung like a Scourge over the Christian as we call it World and particularly lain with a full weight upon those we Stile Greek and Eastern Christians This shall pass off All these when we come to see them what Wonders will they appear when we see them we shall Account them Miracles and they shall bring in greater Works than these even the Kingdom of Christ in Succession proclaim'd by those Loud Voices in Heaven sounding down to Earth The Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ So while these things are to be done and yet are not done Miracles tho suspended are yet not ceased Argâ—m 2. The second Argument I give Miracles are
not Ceas'd However suspended is That Scripture Acts 2. 17. For there the Apostle Peter is giving an account of the same Things as in this Text Heb. 2. 4 Those Divers Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Spirit so says the Apostle out of Joel And it shall come to pass in those days I will powre out my Spirit on All Flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall Prophecy c. before that Emphatical that Illustrious day of the Lord come Indeed the Apostle does say This is that was spoken of It began then God gave a very bright show of it then It looked out upon the World with a great Glory at that Time But an Eclipse came upon it it is yet notwithstanding due to that great and Notable Day of the Lord that Day which he calls by a word that signifies Illustrious Apparent Glorious and so as we Translate Notable Day How Notable and so Illustrious but by many Wonderful Magnifyings of Divine Power upon it in so Immediate a way So indeed none can deny that Miraculous Powers must needs introduce that Day of Judgment according to the general Notion or Doctrine of it But saith the Apostle further Before that Notable and Illustrious Day of the Lord Come Now to have spoken this only of that Thing that was seventeen Hundred years ago already or very near it and we don't know how many more it may be if we have not a True Judgment upon Time by the Scripture Line of Time and the Exposition of the Sure word of Prophecy concerning the nearness of that Day we don't know how much longer how many years more it may be to it and yet to call this pouring out of the Spirit before it that was so long ago as if it were but just before it seeing God speaks to us as to Creatures of Time is a very unexpected way of speaking in any and not easy to be Allowed to be the way of the Divine Spirits speaking considering how often Scripture speaks of Great Things just upon that day and not so long before it This indeed seems so unreasonable to very sagacious Interpreters that they cannot acquiesce to before that Day so long before it and therefore have found this way to salve it to understand this Notable Day of the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the day of the Vengeance of God upon the State of the Jews I do not deny but that is made every where a Type of the very Day of Judgment But that Day of Desolation however on many accounts very great is not yet great enough to Answer as a Reason of so great a Thing as before that Day only nor will it be adjusted to the things spoken of in the Prophet Joel nor to the great Things every where spoken of in Scripture as coming near that day It cannot therefore in just Reason be understood only of that Day of the Judgment of God upon that City and Temple nor indeed at all of it but as of a Type and Symbol of that Day and yet if be not so understood except another powring out of the Spirit be understood before that day as near we make a wide breach and Gap of Inconsequence in the Apostles Discourse and yet still the general Opinion even of Christians and their usual way of Discourse makes that Notable Day of the Lord no nearer than it was a Thousand and more years ago So far are we from what the Apostle Requires of hastning on to that Day of God Argum. 3. I Argue from the great Truths that are yet to be Preached in Declaration of and order to this Kingdom of Christ For Miracles are to give Testimony to Truth when God hath great Truth to Communicate to the World and that Universally to be given As the great Things of the Gospel had such a Glory of Miracles to Seal them even so the Truths that are given proper to that Time shall be Witnessed and Sealed with mighty Power of Miracles The great Masters of Discourse concerning Miracles are herein Agreeing that one great Reason of Miracles is to recommend some Manifestations of God that had not been before made at least so far known or so plainly known or so convincingly known I doubt not therefore every One will be ready to say hath not God made known all Truth already In these last days hath he not spoken all Truth by his Son and by his Apostles that heard him hath he not Seal'd up as we say the Canon of his Word the Treasury and Standard of Truth What Truths therefore can there be expected that will need or require the presence of Miracles to give Honour and Assurance to them Is not this very thing a sufficient Argument against any Further Expectation of Miracles that there are no such New Discoveries of Truth to which they can be proper I will therefore give three Instances of the Truth that at least in the further more Glorious Manifestation of especially after the Time of the Apostasy God will grace with Miracles I. The first great Truth that shall be in a wonderful manner Preached is The Freeness of the Grace of God in Christ the riches of Redemption in his Blood I do acknowledg This is Preached now so that there is a very high measure as I may say of yea yea yea and Amen concerning it among the Servants of Christ both as to Conversion and Calling according to his purpose and as to the Justification of Sinners Freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ But it must needs be confess'd also there is a great deal of Cloud and Darkness concerning it It is much Contested and Encountred on all Sides This was the New Song that was Sung Revel 5. saying to the Lamb Thou art Worthy to take the Book of the Kingdom and to open the Seals thereof For thou wast slain and hast Redeemed us by thy Blood out of every Tongue People Kindred and Nation And this Redeeming by the Blood of the Lamb that was slain was the most especial Truth that Miracles at first gave Testimony unto in the Apolical Times Now in the Deep Times of the Apostacy this New Song was lost alltogether and tho at the Reformation it was in some measure Recovered yet even as â—he Reformation hath sunk as almost all Considering Men allow so hath the high and Lofty Ayres of this Song been Lowerd So that at the Time of the Witnesses coming out of their Sackcloth and when the Servants of God who have all this Time bore a Seal of Concealment on their Foreheads shall appear with the Fathers Name on their Foreheads in open legible Characters made so plain that he that Runs may read them This Song therefore shall be as it were a New Song I lay great stress on this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were a New Song It is not a New Song For it was Sung in the Days and Times of the Apostles but yet it hath
been so much lost that it is as it were a New Song And the Hundred forty four Thousand that bare the Seal of the Living God in their Foreheads shall now bear his Name openly on their Foreheads Now the Spirit of God hath assur'd us It is the Law of the Name of God that when that Name is Near His wondrous works shall declare it So then These Hundred forty four Thousand singing this though but as it were New Song shall sing it with the Fathers Name on their Foreheads That is with an open Manifestation of Miracles And it being as a New Song It calls for a Power of Miracles to make the manifestation of it Honourable in the Restoration even as it was in the first manifestation or singing of it by the Apostles and None then shall be able to open their mouths against it The Harpers Harping so sweetly and These Sweet Singers of Israel Taking this Song from them shall drown and overcome All other sounds And that this may be most Evidently The Fathers Name with his wonderful Works declaring it shall be on their Foreheads And so it shall go along with them in the propagation of that Doctrine or that Song And as the Sealing on the Forehead was an interruption and stop put on Miracles that there could be no Miracle wrought during the Time of that Sealing with which the Witnesses Sackcloath was concurrent So when the Seal is taken off and the Name Written on the Forehead Miracles cannot but be and then shall that New Song be Sung as one Principal Point to which Miracles shall give Witness And then shall no Dog move his Tongue against this Truth as the Apostle calls them Doggs that were of the Concision cutting short the Robes of the righteousness of Christ to the Dishonour of Christ and of his Saints for thereby the Saints shame is seen In that their own Righteousness is worse than Filthy Raggs Now such cut short I say the Robes of the Pure and Perfect Righteousness of Christ that they may find room and space for the Works of men And as Dogs they bark at the Free grace of God But then none shall so much as move their Tongue against that so Glorious Righteousness of Jesus Christ 2. The Second Truth to be Sealed and Witnessed to by Miracles shall be the Free Declaration of the Immediate Appearance of the Kingdom of Christ We know Any that now speak of it speak of it with greatest Disadvantage we are as the Jews to the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ they could not believe that So we cannot Believe this Spiritual Kingdom that hath been now in the time of an Adulterous and perverse Generation kept so low as to all Glory of Appearance that it shall now shine out and be seen in Glory the Kingdom of the great Son of Man that hath been spoken of by all the Prophets and by the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when therefore that Kingdom shall come into its Succession in the Days of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound and that Mystery of God be Immediately to be Finished a Miraculous Power shall Cleave this present World so that through the Clefts and Breaches of it we shall see the World to come on every side These Miracles Attending that Swift Ministry of the Flying Angel will make all indeed know that the Hour of his Judgment or Kingdom and Government is come For that is undoubtedly the great Truth of the Everlasting Gospel that the very Hour of his Judgment is come and if the Gospel in its First Preaching when that Hour of his Judgment was not come had Miracles to Seal it how much more when that Everlasting Gospel is Preached and the very hour of his Judgment is come shall Miracles certainly wait upon that Everlasting Gospel not only as the Gospel and as then more Admirably Appearing to be the Everlasting Gospel but as it Brings that great Truth that the Hour of his Judgment is come This Power of Miracles shall Exalt that Voice and make it a Loud Voice sounding through the midst of the Heavens of the Lord. Argum 4. A Fourth Argument that strongly perswades me There shall be a Return of Miracles is that Scripture Jerem. 16. 16. A place I desire we may often Meditate upon because the Time of its Fullfilling is very near and even at the very door Oh let us Pray that Prayer of Jeremy joyn'd with that great Assurance Oh Lord my Sâ—rength and my Fortress my Refuge in the Day of Affliction the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the Ends of the Earth and say Our Fathers have Inherited Lies and things werein there is no Profit Nothing will make God appear a greater Refuge in the day of Afflictipn than to be deeply apprehensive of this For God that can do this can be a Refuge in the most Extreme necessity How shall this Work on Men to hear such Gentiles saying Shall a Man make himself Gods and they are no Gods How will this Affect all that Hear and draw them off from their Idols of Silver and of Gold Or these words may be look'd upon as Gods words by the Prophet shall a man be so unreasonable or bruitish as to make Gods to himself of them that are no Gods And so they are rather to be taken but which way ever we take them Therefore or Because of this so great Misprision of me saith God I will this once cause them to know my Hand and my might and they shall know that my Name is Jehovah Now the Hand of God and Might and Power of God are every where in Scripture expressions of Miracles And they shall for this once know my might It is an expression to be paralell'd with that Heb. 12. 27. Yet once more I shake Heaven and Earth So once more the Nations shall know my Might God hath oftentimes in one way or other made the Nations know his might especially in the Days of Christ he made them know his might in a sense of Miraculous Power above any time before it but the making the Nations know for this once is the making them know for once that they shall never need to be made to know any more That Once shall be so Efficacious a making to know For so the Apostle hath Taught us to understand This Once or yet Once It is taking away or removing every thing that is to be moved out of its place by such shaking so the making the might to be known this once is the utmost removing all the Pagan Ignorance or Bruitishness of making Gods to themselves that are no Gods Now seeing the Gentiles have not yet been so made to know it is manifest It was not this Once that God here speaks of For it must needs have produced the Effect so that it never should have needed to be produced any more It must therefore be the last making known and consequently the Miraculous Power must Remain
to that last making known which is therefore great Proof the Power of Miracles is not so ceas'd but that it shall Return Argum. 5. Another Argument I would give for the return of Miracles is that Prayer Acts 4. 29 30. Lord grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word and that Signs and Wonders may be done by the Name of thy Holy Child Jesus I desire to know what words of Limitation are to be found in this Prayer or where any place of Scripture can be found where the Servants of God are Discharg'd from expecting Miraclâ—s any more Where is it said Hitherto shall Miracles go and no further Where is it said they shall cease here or here They are ceased here are the Bounds I have given Leave They shall reach unto this Point but no further There was a Sealing up Scripture from the Day of Malachy the Prophet until John the Baptist his Times With him Scripture began again by the Evangelists There is a sealing up Scripture again by the Apostle John in the end of his Gospel c. 20. 39. c. 21. 25. These things are written that ye might Beleive and if All things were written the World could not contain them It seems order'd by Peculiar Disposes of Providence that the Books of Scripture should be clasp'd up with that End of the Revelation c. 22. 18 19. But there is no bound set to Miracles or Miraculous Power It is true it hath ceased but by no Act cutting off as I may say the Entail tho there is a suspension This Prayer therefore altho it hath had a long Interruption in its effect yet it hath no cessation put upon it but It shall prevail unto the Kingdom of Christ from the Promise of which Psal 2. it was taken The Hand of God we know is not shortned that it should work no more Miracles but the Apostasy fallen upon the Profession of Christianity hath brought forth this long Interval yet the Lords Hand shall be again stretched out and shall not be called back till he hath accomplished the thoughts of his Heart and whatever he hath spoken concerning the Glory and Kingdom of Christ and of that World to Come whereof saith the Apostle we speak when we speak of the various Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will there being so close a Connexion between the one and the other CHAP. VIII Of that Power of Miracles that always Accompanies the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and hath Rested upon the Witnesses and yet Rests upon them During the whole Time past and to the end of the Twelve Hundred and Sixty Days of the Woman in the Wilderness and the Witnesses in Sackcloath and the Forty two Months of the Antichristian Apostasy IT may seem that by giving such Accounts of the Cessation of Miracles and such Arguments for the Return of Miracles that it is the Intention of this Discourse to deny all Miraculous Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ now with his Gospel I shall therefore to clear that Part spend this Chapter in the Stating and Vindicating so weighty a point in these following Particulars shewing the Constancy of Spiritual Miracles 1. Those Mighty Miraculous Spiritual Powers of the Gospel never remove from it wherever the Gospel comes they come wherever the Gospel-Styl'd the Kingdom of God Removes being taken from any they Remove also And tho these are not accounted Miracles because they do not assure themselves to sense yet the Intrinsick Inward excellency of them is such that they are indeed the true Miraculous Nature if I may so speak both as they are Effects and Emanations of Immediate Power from Heaven and as they are so many essential Parts and peices of the World to come And First The Gospel is its own Miracle so rich a Manifestation of Truth that had been Hid from Ages and Generations and now manifested in these last Times But besides It is Truly Miraculous in its Effects 2. The Acceptance of Believers in Jesus Christ to Righteousness before and with God through Free Pardon and Justification by the Blood and Obedience of Jesus Christ. 3. The Renovation and change of the Whole man and of the Action and Conversation by the Spirit of Jesus Christ mortifying the corrupt Lusts Inordinate Affections and filling the Soul with every Grace to Newness of Life and Obedience 4. Dying or Sleeping in and by Jesus Christ when Saints Spirits call'd out of the Body go up to God and Christ 5. When any one is Assured in his own mind hath full Evidence when he Finds all he ever did is brought under Conviction and Confession as in the Woman of Samaria and that the Heart and Life are chang'd why should Miracles be narrowed so much to sense while thus there is surmounting Evidence to the whole man Now altho the Working and Actings hereof are Invisible and Indiscernible by Sense yet they are as Spiritual greatest Realities every way above the Power of Nature or its Comprehension Asserted in all Scripture to be the mighty Power of God and giving a Rich or abundant Entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord und Saviâ—ur Jesus Christ and therefore wanting only the Externe Appearance and Assurance but giving greatest Inward Assurance For they are Acknowledged and Comprehended by All Saints even this Heighth Depth Breadth and Length of which the Apostle speaks Ephes 3. 18. As if he hereby intended Mathematical Assurance They are Inwardly Seen Heard Tasted and Felt and they have the Odours the Flavours of the Kingdom of Christ causing the Triumphs of his Servants the certain Observation of all by standers who cannot but acknowledg their good Conversation the Holy Lives and Comfortable Dying of the Saints of Christ and many have been wrought upon hereby to Faith in Jesus Christ the acknowledged Principal End of Miracles But besides these which are always Inseparable from the Gospel There are those the Spirit of God hath told us are proper to the very Time of the Apostasy as a Counterpoison to it manifested in and by the Witnesses of that Time I would therefore open as I have before shewn Miracles are to be Divided into Miracles of Mercy and of Judgment How far Miracles continue even all the Time of the Antichristian Apostasy in each way or manner of Exercise But it is Heedfully to be Remembred They were not Represented and Counterparted with those open and sensible Miracles which are indeed the Miracles that more properly we are now in Discourse of such as force the Sense and call upon men Universally to say Here is the Finger of God For the Witnesses and their Miracles were under the Seal of the Living God as I have already Reason'd and so were not seen and acknowledged but by comparing Spiritual Things with Spiritual and therefore not by Natural Men even Men of Sense great Reasoners as they are Reputed without the help of the Divine Spirit 1. It was truly a Miracle to
a Spiritual Eye and wherein the Power of God appear'd That He held up a pure and sincere state of Christianity in the midst of all the Roman Apostasy altho it was so dark and Dangerous a Time or Place as the Spirit of God calls it by the Apostle Peter 2 Pet 1. 19. And as he assures it must needs be because the Witnesses were in Sackcloth and War made upon them and they were kill d and the Woman or the Witnesses Collectively taken were in the Wilderness Rev. 11. c. 12. or as Daniel speaks the Power of the Holy People was scattered Dan. 12. 7. God was pleas'd to keep it up not only since the Reformation but throughout the whole Time or space of the Time and Times from 437 to 1517. the 1080 as well as the 180 of the 1260 Days when by the Reformation there was a Party-Rising of the Witnesses and Party-Retrenchment of the The Fresh Memorial of Christs Kingdom Papal Power and Apostasy at the Half Time according to the two Oaths of Christ Dan. 12. and Rev. 10. Allowing it as I have made out in a Discourse wholly to that purpose 2. For this is that which is spoken of Rev. 1â— 3. And I will give Power to my two Witnesses and they shall Prophecy in Sackcloâ—h a Thousand two Hundoed and Threescore days cloath'd in Sacâ—cloth I will give them Power but yet that Power shall be hid they shall be Cover'd or Cloath'd with Sackcloth So a place shall be prepared for the Woman the Church where she shall be nourished but it shall be in a Desert State not known or acknowledged it shall be in the Wilderness But saith God I will give Power to my Witnesses Now Power is one of the Words expressive of Miracles They are call'd Power and by that we have had the Great Truth of the Gospel Continued so as to be Restor'd to us in the Reformation by their Constancy of Declaring and Maintaining Professing and Teaching the Truths after Godliness the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ And this in Regard of the Darkness of that Time is call'd Prophecy and Power to Prophecy in regard of Miraculous Virtue in so doing For there hath been a Connexion a linking between Witness and Witness between one Age of Witnesses and another Age and with the Reformation it self which we are All so willing to acknowledg It hath been from the Power God gave to his Two Witnesses in the midst of all the Barrenness and Darkness of the Papal Apostasy These are the Two Olive-Trees the Two Green Olive-Trees Emptying their Oyl into the Two Golden Candlesticks that stand before the God of the Whole Earth not by might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts These were the worthy Witnesses of Christ throughout that Dark Time when no man could any sooner look out with any of the purest Truths of the Gospel that stem'd that Apostasy but presently Heretick Heretick was cryed out upon him or â—ince the Reformation among those who hold of the part of the Synagogue of Sathan some Finer parts of that Apostasy venerated as purer Antiquity Schismatick Schismatick was as vehemently Fasten'd on any one if he broach'd any thing as they call it against the Hierarchic Church They have been Anathematised Excommunicated Prosecuted with Corporal or Pecuniary Punishments even to the most cruel Deaths and Imprisonments Fire hath been call'd down from Heaven and fetch'd up from Hell against them yet notwithstanding a Miraculous Power hath been given to them to Prophecy for the 1260 Days I know Many cannot understand how these Witnesses could be said to Prophecy while they lay Dead Three Days and an Half But I have endeavour'd in a peculiar Discourse to Assoyle that also in the Vision of the Witnesses and to shew that as it is said of Abel the first Martyr Being Dead he yet speaketh so of these his Successors although Kill'd they yet Prophecy And it is much more plain on their side For their Death however Violent-Natural also yet is chiefly Mystic They were Kill'd as Witnesses Hateful and Cursed Hereticks being the Sambenito the Disguise whereinto they were presently put but still they Prophetied tho they were slain And in this Sense also they continued Prophecying because as any were Naturally Killed others still rose up in their Room and which is great Miracle They were Dead yet they could never be Buried The People Nations Tongues and Languages would not suffer them to be Buried because their Doctrine however Condemned before hand was still kept above-ground as we speak in several parts of this Universal Roman Empire under the Pope and his Ten Kings the Princes of Europe notwithstanding all their Fury against it their Joy in hopes they had suppressed their Prophecy and their sending Gifts one to another for it yet it hath and shall continue to the Kingdom of Christ in regard of which to Come till it comes Their Doctrine is call'd Prophecy also And All this may be most justly Styled Miracle because it is not in the Train and Connexion of Things according to the general Order and Government of the World For so when Men Dye even all the Living World is in hast They be Buried what way soever it be But these Witnesses were not suffered to be Buried Their Doctrine their Slain Testimony must Remain Above to Annoy and Nusance the Papal and half Reform'd World And with these Gospel Witnesses Those Gospel Miracles before Named were Deposited all this Time the Turning and Changing Men from Sin and Sathan to God which must needs be Miracle For in the Train and Order of Things a wicked Man will go on in his Wickedness and Lewdness and not be purged from it till he Dye All the Justifying Sanctifying Grace of the Gospel the Dying and Sleeping in and by Jesus tho by Violent Deaths under the Rage of Persecutors was all in the Tenure in the Conveyancings of these VVitnesses Churches are Candlesticks Fed from these Sons of Oyl Ministerily Originally from Christ and his Spirit Consider then Spiritual Inward Miracles Miracles apprehended by Faith and Scripture-Reason never ceas'd For if they had the Everlasting Kingdom given to Christ must have Ceased And this is an Infallible Argument there shall be a Return of Miracles in an outward and Glorious Appearance because inward Miracles to which the outward as an externe Transparent Air are Due have never ceased The outward shall whenever the Reasons of State as I may say in that Kingdom shall Require it appear greater than ever yet and this I propose to Universal Consideration but more especially of the Wise Judg you what I say 2. In the Second Place I will propose the Judiciary Miraculous Power The Spirit of God affirms the Witnesses to have had and this consists of several Particulars 1. Fire proceeds out of their Mouths and Devoureth their Enemies And if any one will Hurt them in this manner must he be Killed Rev. 11. This was
shall be your Judges as in a Conneel The Miraculous Efficacies were also of greater Disposition and freer Distribution Accordingly we may suppose The 144000 with the Fathers Name writ on their Foreheads who learn the New Song First and those who are In structed by Them in it shall very Universally yet according to his Wisdom and Will who is the Supreme Donor be Endued with Power from above as Ministers of State in the Kingdom of Christ and Receiving Gifts for it 3. These Miraculous Powers were Dispens'd in a Frequency in a Continued Dayliness in an universality we find our Lord on all occasions dispens'd these Largesses of Heavenly Bounty and Compassion He never denyed any He extended them to his very Enemies the High Priests Servant onely he was as it were Repuls'd in his Grace by the Vnbelief of some He could do no mighty Works because of their Vnbelief that is he declar'd himself so that he might leave a Testimony against that Sin and Warn all of it Else He went about doing good He Healed all manner of Sickness and diseases And so by the Apostles This Miraculous Power was carried throughout the several Circuits of their Ministry as the Apostle Paul Witnesses concerning his own round about from Jerusalem to Illyricum He Preached the Gospel with mighty Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Spirit Rom. 15. And without doubt in the same manner shall this Miraculous Power Compass Sea and Land in the Preaching the Everlasting Gospel to every Tongue Nation and Lauguage And till this be I would Require none to believe Miracles are Return'd and then indeed it will be undeniable 4. As there was thus a Power of Miracles given to the Commission'd Officers of Christ and to his Gifted Servants So there was a Faith of both doing Miracles and a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of those Miraculous Efficacies For as the Apostle speaks of All Faith 1 Cor. 13. 1. Viz. Miraculous or Wonder working Faith So that I could saith he remove Mountains c so there is a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of Miracles For Peter and John and Paul are said Acts 2. c. 14 To perceive a Faith to be Healed a Faith of Receiving And our Lord took notice of the Faith of the Centurion and others altho it is True In many Acts of Grace there was no Regard we can Find to the Faith of the Receiver but the mighty Power and Mercy of God Sallyed out upon Persons by the Faith of the Ministers of the Miraculous Power Having Mercy because he would have Mercy And it gives us an Emblem of the Grace and Power of Christ in Conversion and bringing home to himself sometimes as it seems in a way of Preparation sometimes wholly without but however it seems it is certain Divine Power and Grace Drawing near did Erect that Faith that is in the Wise Ordination necessary to Receive Christ Grace Pardon Justification Sanctification even as the Miraculous Power of Christ being abroad and Drawing Nigh Raised so generally a Faith in that Miraculous Power so general and the particular Dtawing Nigh of Christ excited it in the particular Persons on whom the Benefits were bestowed And thus in the Return of Miracles the Servants of Christ both in Ordinary and Extraordinary Commission'd to Work Miracles shall be Cloath'd with a Faith to that End that those who can by no means Believe now such a Power shall Return will by Feeling that very Power comming upon them and the Hand-writing of the Fathers Name by the Spirit on their Foreheads will be fully perswaded of his wondrous works being as near as his Name to Declare it and these effects flowing out from it upon others There will be a Rousing the Senseless sleepy World that knows not yet the Blessings near it to wait for the Graces to be bestowed by this Power Till these things are No Opinions or best Fram'd Discourses No Essays Beginnings or Scatterings of such a Power can perswade I know none would have it so that Miracles are Returned But when these are none will be able to perswade the contrary and in the mean time the Hopes Expectations and Prayers of Christians are hereby rais'd 5. There arose then and there will arise at the Return of Miracles such full Assurance such Plerophory of Persuasion concerning the Truth of Things that they can be no more doubted than the Assurances of the Light and of the Day and indeed as Cartes Argues Rational Intellectual Assurance surmounts all Sensible even so Spiritual Surmounts both Sensible and Intellectual and this both as to matter of Fact that indeed such things are wrought and that they are wrought by God by a Divine Power and that herein is the Finger of God 6. Herewith a mighty Stream and Torrent of Truth pass'd along and Fill'd the World with the Light and Glory of it in very wonderful manner then and shall much more do so at the Return of Miracles that the Isles shall wait for the Law of Christ his Name shall be great from the Rising of the Sun to the going down of the same The Knowledg of the Lord and of his Glory shall Cover the Earth as the VVaters do the Sea The Light of one Day shall be as the Light of Seven For so hath the mouth of the Lord spoken He hath spoken and he will do it He will VVork and none shall let it He the Lord will hasten it in his own Time No one of these things shall want it's Mate and tho it be wonderful in our Eyes yet shall it be so in his 7. There was a mighty Power of Converting Grace a change of the Hearts Tempers purpose manner of Life and Conversation of men as appears by the 3000 Converted at one Sermon of the Apostle Peters Acts 2. a Real and Sincere and Sound Conversion as the Spirit of God Implies to us saying the Lord Added to that Number then of his Church and to his Church Daily such as should be saved The Five first Chapters of the Acts plainly shew us what the State of Christianity and of the Churches of Christ was before the Apostasy made some Inroads upon it c. 6. How they walk'd in singleness of heart all Spiritual Joy and Gladness of Heart in the Fear of the Lord and had all things Common a Heavenly Spirit and Temper prevailed in them And so shall it be at the return of Miracles a Spirit of Holiness Heavenly Mindedness Love Charity Singleness of Heart and all Purity shall come back with them For these inward Powers of Grace and Divine Presence are the Life and Spirit to Miracles when the one returns so shall the other also and nothing will indeed so convince the World of a Divine Power and Presence as to find it self thus Chang'd and quite other than as now it Criminates and recriminates upon it self as it now perpetually complains of Accuses and Condemns it self 8. As in the Miracles of Christ and of the Apostles there
was a great Offer of the Kingdom of God and of Christ at that Time to have Appear'd as Christ says Be sure the Kingdom of God is come upon you and Christ Commands the Apostles to Preach the Kingdom of God in the Doing of Miracles as I have fully shown And it did indeed then come in the Spiritual State of it so at the return of Miracles that Kingdom shall indeed without any further Delay come in the Highest both Spiritual Glory and outward Manifestation of it in which regard Miracles as I have manifested through this Discourse shall be most Universal and to the highest Efficacy Because the world to Come which is the Kingdom of the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven shall be prepared for and effectually brought in thereby so that till the Time of that Kingdom be in its Succession There can be no such return of Miracles expected and that as I have shewn cannot be till the Four Monarchies are fully Expired For the Kingdom of Christ and of this Monarchy cannot mingle As therefore the Miracles proper to this Kingdom have been more Interrupted by the Course of those Monarchies and especially the Three Times and Half of the Last State of the Last Monarchy than at any other Time so they must be fully ended and the Kingdom of Christ be Proclaimed according to Rev. 11. The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he hath taken to himself his great Power to Reign and then shall Miracles the mighty Powers of the VVorld to come Return again to Huisher it in even a Stated Power of Miracles as in thr Days of Christ and of the Apostles as our Lord says I work Cures to day and to morrow c. A continuity a Connexion of one Miracle with another a Miraculous Power waited at his Hand at his Right Hand a state of Miracles there was that God was Magnified who had given such power to men a settled Power the Account he sent to John the Baptist of himself was The Blind receive their Sight the Lame walk the Lepars are Cleansed and that great Spiritual Miracle running along The Poor are Evangeliz'd and under the Power of the Gospel Messiah and his Kingdom and the Power of Miracles are always joyn'd mighty in word and deed in doing good Full of Compassion because he himself took our Sickness and carried our Sorrows and so heal'd as in Mercy to himself that it might be truly said Physitian Heal thy self The Apostles as Ministers of State in his Kingdom were Ministers of Miracles Freely Received of this Power aâ—d commanded Freely to give and so we find they did and with that Power that the Shaddow of Peter and the very Linnen touch'd by the Apostle Paul conveyed Cure insomuch that the very Pagans in sense of Divine Power said The Gods are come down among us Acts 14. 28. And surely when that Kingdom of the Restitution of all things shall actually appear then in all things It shall be fulfilled that our great Prince hath Received Gifts for men even for the Rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell among them Miracles shall Husher it in and Miraculous Powers shall Found and Settle it CHAP. XI The Inferences from the whole Discourse of Miracles Tending to make Wise to Sobriety concerning Them and to all Holiness and Heavenly Conversation are Recollected and Presented Inference 1. MIracles indeed from Divine Power are able to bear the severest Tryal and Examination because they give Evidence of themselves to the whole Man not always to the outward Sense For as hath been before remarked the Words of Christ are Works Now Words of Great and Supernatural Efficacy are Miracles to and before the sense of Mind but not to the Outward Sense So they were to the Woman of Samaria Behold a Man saith she that hath told me All that ever I did Is not this the Messiah or the Christ John 4. 29. and the Samaritans said to the Woman We believe not for thy Words or saying but we have heard him our selves and know that This is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World v 42. And yet here was no Miraculous Appearance to the Outward Sense and so our Lord says Blessed are They who haâ—e believed and yet have not seen Now whatever produces Faith is Miracle before the Mind For it is the mighty Power of God that works in all them that believe Even as Miracle before the Eye is sensible Miracle Yet generally Miracles did commend Themselves to both the Inward and the Outward Sense and so that their most obstinate Opposers could not Resist their Evidences They could bear the severest Scrutiny sustain the uttermost Test and Tryal When the Enemies of Christ of his Doctrine and Miraculous Power at any Time sate in Judgment on Christ and his Miracles They were Confounded and Amazed They were forced to lay their hands upon their mouths and to keep silence This is the Excellency of the Miracles of the Gospel when the Juggles and Cheats and Tricks of the Devil and of All Deceivers may be easily found out if they are but search'd into They must be swallowed in silence and believed in the Dark or they vanish What an Abundance of the Popish Miracles have been Trac'd and Tracked Like their Story of Bell and the Dragon that they Fathally put in their Scriptures or Bible the very semblance of their Miracles to the Juggle and Cheat that lay under Them But the Miracles of the World to come and of the Kingdom of Christ are the Greater the more they are Eyed They have no Enemies but Ignorance Stupidity and Vnbelief or Counterfeit We have an Admirable Instance of this John 9. in the Cure of the Blind Man The Neighbours had it in question and were convinced first the Pharisees emptied it from Vessel to Vessel They Examin'd it at all Lights the Man being Blind himself his Parents were every way sifted and the Matter canvass'd and all they could do was to drop the Cause as they say and in their own defence to Excommunicate the Person on whom the Miracle was wrought They cast him out Juridically v 34. Again We shall find the Jews sitting in Judgment upon a Miracle wrought by the Apostles And what was the Great Effect of it Acts 4. 21. The people Glorified God seeing the miracle of Healing that was done The Apostles Peter and John had by the power of Christ heal'd a man Lame from his mothers Womb c. 3. v. 1 c. Now They beholding the man which was healed standing with them They could say nothing against it Observe They fain would have Remonstrated unto it but could say nothing against it and the Result was What shall we do with these men For that indeed a Notable Miracle hath been done by them v. 16. is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it So that here was the Great Excellency of the Miracles
Diversities of Miraculous Operations were but the outward Counter point And therefore herein we may understand the Supernatural Excellency of Grace and Salvation by Christ Even as we Acknowledg Miracle far above Nature so the Salvation of the Gospel being most Perfect Miracle is in every Thing above Nature VVorks of Righteousness we have done is Nature If we are sav'd by them It is then indeed no other than Nature but if by the Free Grace of God Pardoning and Accepting through the Righteousness of Christ This is Miracle Works done by Free VVill is Nature Works done by the Grace and Power of the Divine Spirit is Miracle Oh! how great a Tryal is this of Doctrines whatever enters into that VVorlâ— to come whereof we speak with Acceptanee is Miracle a part of that VVorld to Come And though what we call Nature now is indeed Grace from the Mediator yet It is so mix'd with the Apostasy that if it is not sublimated Raised to the Height by Grace it will subside sink down to the very Bottom of the Apostasy Lastly Miracles Rightly considered shew the Order even the Primary Oorder of Grace For as Miraculous Power was first in Motion and Manifestation of it self ere there could be particular Application and not only so but there was a particular Approach of such Grace ready to Work which excited the Faith of the Person that was to Receive the Benefit of the Miracle and so the Miraculous Power Entred where Miraculous Power had no Place there Unbeleif prevail'd and no mighty Works were or could be done Even so in all the Spiritual Miraculous Powers The Grace given and Working Faith and Repentance and Obedience first Enâ—er and then the Graces Themselves For Grace even as Nature Fabricates and Raises its own Habitation or Reception Even by it Self So it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God who sheweth mercy Yet it is our Duty to pray earnestly for Grace in ourselves and others even as it is our Duty to wait upon All Means to wait especially on Grace it self Infer 4. How admirable is the Gift and Grace of God in Removing out of the World that Diversity and Strangeness of Tongues that both in different Words and Sounds as well as different Pronunciations of the same Words came in by a Miracle of Judgment on the Builders of Babel and hath continued a certain Diagnostick or Brand of the State of Confusion whose Base and House is in the Land of Shinar the Antichristian Babylonian Kingdom most contrary to the Kingdom of Salem and to the True Melchisedec Jesus Christ King of Righteousness King of Peace Now therefore at his first Appearance in his Kingdom and the Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel by the APostles in an Offerture of it at that time and a Pledg of what shall be There was a very Illustrious Specimen of the Babelism or Confusion of Languages Removed Yet it shall be much more illustrious at the utter Faâ—l of Babylon and its Kingdom For then the Lord shall shall turn to the People universally a pure Language They shall All speak the Language of Canan And this must needs be so when the Everlasting Gospel shall be Preached to Every Tongue and Language under Heaven Then must there be either one Vniversal Language spoken and understood by All to Preach it in or else there must be an Immediate Passing out of one Language into Another both in Speaking and Understanding Either of which is most undeniably the Work of that Infinite Power that made mans mouth that gave it speech and then Activity of Reason Turning every way and guiding that Speech This alone can Conciliate those both Different Voices Sounds Accents and manners of Pronunciation that are found in Different Languages or Tongues and the Different Formings of the same Language and Frame all into one Universal Character or Sound and Expression of Truth of the Gospel most suitable to the Glory of that Vniversal Monarch King of Kings Lord of Lords Then also shall all that Babelism or Confusion of Opinions so proper to Babylon concerning the Truths of the Gospel be Reconcil'd into Speaking one Thing being of the same Mind and Judgmen tand that perfectly or to Perfection Infer 5. And to conclude this Discourse Seeing the Messiah the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven and his Kingdom his World to come and these Miraculous Powers even to the bringing forth the New Heaven and the New Earth are always together Oh that moved by the Blessed Spirit who says Come and Joyning with the Bride which says Come we also Hearing and Sympathizing or moved Alike may say Come Oh let it be said Oh Zion Thy King cometh The Flock of Saints the multitude of Them Come The Lord our God shall come and all the Saints with Thee The Breaker shall come up before them They have broken through They have passed through the Gate and are gone out by it and their King shall pass before them the Lord even Jehovah on the Head of them Mic. 2. 13. Even so Come Lord Jesus Come quickly And thus I have Finished the Proof of the Return of Miracles I shall in this following Discourse Essay a Full and Satisfactory Proof by the Sure Word of Prophecy That The Return of Miracles shall be in the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ 1697. THE Great Charter FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF ALL Prophecy of Scripture AND OF The TIMES Defined by it PLEADED In Justification of what hath been Written thereupon against the several Imputations of Curiosity Groundless Presumption Phantastry or Enthusiasm 2 PET. I. 20. Knowing this first That no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private Interpretation IT is very Notorious there is nothing Learned and good Men are more Scandalized at or give slighter Regard to throughout all that is offered to them from the Word of God than the Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy especially if Any come to the Interpretation of those Prophecies that Define Time Now this arises from a strong Pre-judgment or Pre-possession of Mind That such Prophecies and most particularly concerning Time are not possible or hardly Lawful to be Interpreted and that it is presumption to offer at it and that all that is drawn from such Interpretation is no other than Groundless Phantastry I have therefore Resolved since the Lord as I Trust hath Himself engaged my Labours in this his Vineyard to make it my Humble endeavour to Explorate and to Find out by this Scripture How far such Attempts of Interpretation are Justified and the Success assur'd by the Word of God Now this Text and the whole Context seem even at the first sight to give Highest Countenance and Favour hereunto for it expresly affirms No Prophecy of Scripture not of Daniel or of the Revelation or any other Scripture Prophecy nor of the Numbers relating to Time in those Prophecies and wherein the preciseness of Times is Deposited and Lay'd up is of Private Interpretation I
assurance of which Enlightens 3. The Apostle according to other Scriptures distinguishes between the day dawning and the Day-Star arising one signifying the succession of the Kingdom of Christ the other the glory of that Kingdom So the Mystery of God is to be fulfilled in the days of the Seventh Angel and then Christ appears in his Glory So the Apostle distinguishes between Christ blasting the man of sin with the Breath of his Mouth which is by the mighty power of the Everlasting Gospel and then utterly consuming and annihilating Him with the Brightness of his Coming or Appearanee 4. The Apostle describes the Apostacy that should so long delay the Kingdom of Christ in mystical Terms under the shade of Nicolaianism and Gnostiscism so fit to type out the Idolatry impurity of Manners and all the Abominablenesses of the Antichristian State of which Antichrist the little Horn in Daniel whose representation Daniel gave as thinking to change Times and Laws until the time of the Kingdom of Christ Now of this very changing Times and Laws is the Second Chapter of this Epistle a delineation and most prophetically and at greatest advantage after the mention of Prophecy it is given 5. His Third Chapfer most plainly and exprsly refers to Time for he answers not as some think the Atheists but the Antichristians Objection those great Burlesquers of Christianity into Fables called therefore Scoffers who say That all things from the Flood having continued as they were there is no such change as of the Kingdom of Christ to be expected and so all that which concerns the Kingdom of Christ hath passed with them for Millenarian Heresie The Apostle hath therefore laid down the Rule and Standard of Time accounting the six-Six-days of Creation each as at a Thousand Years and in the Evening or as between the two Evenings of the sixth Millenary begins the Sabbatical Milenary or the Seventh Thousand which is with the Lord that is with relation to the Lord or the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to his Kingdom but as one day often called the Day of Judgment and that Sabbath Day in which Saying of the Apostle That a Thousand Years is as one Day there is a manifest foresight of the Diâ—ine Spirit what it would make known by John even that number'd exactly Numbered Time of a Thousand years which the Apostle Peter affirm'd to be with the Lord viz. as Time designed and set out to the Lord as his own Times That one Day Now as this view of this Epistle gives us a clear apprehension how full to the purpose of Prophetical Scripture this Epistle is written how it simpathizes and is contemporate with the whole Scope and Spirit of it so the Words and Sense of Interpretation is exactly fitted to all and no other can fit it For there were two things all the Hebrews both unbelieving and believers were fully agreed in 1. That the Prophecies of Scripture were of Divine Inspiratien that Prophecy of Scripture came not by the will of man but was from the Holy Spirit This the Believing and Unbelieving Jews were both most zealous of 2. That Messiah had a Kingdom assured to him in the Propheâ—ies of Scripture This even the Unbelieving Jews were all in â—ighest expectatâ—on of at that very time and the Believing Jews also were earnestly at that time in expectation of To these the Apostle therefore cannot be supposed to direct the force of his Discourse But that Jesus Christ was not to be owned as the true Messiah the Son of God and the King of Israel notwithstanding his Kingdom did not immediately appear was a Point the Unbelieving Jews are to this day scandalized at even to their rejection of Christ the True Messiah and the Christian Hebrews were very tender in Therefore that Jesus Christ was the True Messiah and that great Prince the Apostle gave first the pâ—oof of the Transfiguration as hath been shewn And that he with James and John were Eye and Ear-Witnesses Three Witnesses in the Mouths of whom it was establish'd and no Cunningly devised Fable to shift off the Scandal of the mean Appearance of our Lord in the days of his Flesh But saith the Apostle We have a more sure word of Prophecy as hath been opened to which you do well to take heed But the Objection still remains That the Prophecys run all upon a Glorious Kingdom of Messiah at that time to appear as the Unbelieving Jews thought and therefore the Scribes Pharisees Chief-Priests Elders their whole Sanhedrim determin'd against him with a high hand that he was a Deceiver The asserting therefore the Divine Inspiration of Prophecy could not be to the main purpose but that it is not of Private Interpretation but that serious Christians may find the sense and meaning of it and that it is not within the Enclosure or Embarasse of any Sanhedrim Council or Infallible Breast This is indeed highly to the purpose and that according to the Sense and Meaning of the Divine Spirit in it one part compared with another by the Assistances of the same Spirit it would appear that as Daniel's Seventy Weeks brought down Time to its fulness viz. at the Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ that a dark place or Interval of delay and patience for that Kingdom must needs be for a long space but that yet that all Takers heed to prophecy Prophecy leads through the dark place with the Illumination of that Course of Time and how long it shall be until the dawning of the day and the shining of the day Star into the hearts of all his Saints by the glorious appearance of Christ and in the fulness of times or all Times Now all this is very evidently to a great and admirable end purpose and â—ffect in the Apostle's Discourse in this Context and whole Epistle viz. to settle the hearts of the Believing Hebrews and of all Christians in the comfortable Expectations of that Kingdom in the midst of the greatest Darkness of the worst Times and it is with the greatest Wisdom of the Divine Spirit of Prophecy that at this very Advantage the Apostle goes on to set out this Apostacy at this very Joint of Discourse of the dark place which that very Apostacy was to create and at naming of prophecy and tells them that there shall be false Prophets among Christians as there were among the People of Israel of old So the Apostle John in the Revelations joins the Antichristian Beast and False Prophet in several Particulars opposite to the Apostles Doctrine concerning Prophecy and Interpretation of Scripture wheâ—ein they have Antichristianiz'd as the Pharises at that time had Prevaricated 1. In that insolent Pretence to Infallibility of Interpretation by a Pope and Council and their Clergy would engross Interpretation and the Power of Interpreting Scripture as their own Propriety Right and Dominion 2. In their Locking up Scripture from the people under this very Pretence They cannot interpret nor have right to interpret it
so they cannot a tend to the sure word of prophecy as they are commended here for doing 3. In their peculiar Enmity to the searching the Prophecy of Scripture and denying even to the most Learned to intermeddle with it seeing their own Condemnation in it contrary to the Apostle's most peculiar Commendation of those who give heed to Prophecy 4. In their setting up Tradition a thing dependent wholly on Human Will above Scripture whereas the Apostle commends Scripture and its Prophecy that it came not by the Will of man but by the Spirit 5. In their allowing to their own Votaries the Credit and Honour of their pretended Inspirations above the Close attendance to Scripture Prophecy and its Interpretation which the Apostle hath here so recommended to every Christian and without the least signification of Inspiration Given to All and his plain making former Scripture the Test of All following 6. By exalting their Fabulous Legendary Miracles above Scripture or the Prophecies notwithstanding even to the Transfiguration The Apostle prefers the sure Word of Prophecy Although That was no Cunning devised Fable and of so great an Excellency by which the Apostle seems prophetically to Glance most severely upon those Cunningly Devised Fables that should arise in the Christian Profession 7. The Apostle Foretelling those Scoffers in the last days who should set up the Mock Fifth-Monarchy so earnestly recommends the Words of the Prophets and the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour the Great Messiah and Jesus whereby he hath also given a very damning Predictory Admonition of the Grand Antichristian Apostacy Now in all these it may be said to those Antichristians as it was to the Jews and their Rulers of old while they read these Scriptures and the Prophecys of Scripture in their ownway they not understanding the Voices of the Prophets are most justly condemned in fulfilling them For thus ought the Antichristian Apostacy to do though most wickedly they do so that these Scripture Prophecys may be fulfilled All that hath now been spoken being by way of premisal and preparation I lay down these Propositions 1. That Scripture Prophecy is given by God for a Light that must shine in the dark place of the Antichristian Apostacy till the end of which the Kingdom of Christ is in delay 2. Christians do well to take heed to it as so shining and giving the time when the day of that Kingdom shall dawn and the day Star of it shine into the hearts of all Saints 3. Such heed cannot be given except there be a Right given to Christians and a power of interpreting Scripture Prophecies 4. It is a First Principle to Christians of the Apostle's setting and fixing that all and every Prophecy of Scripture and particularly of Time relating to the Kingdom of Christ is Open and Free and not a Private Record or of any way an Enclos'd Impropriated â—or Appropriated Interpretation For the more clear and illustrious arguing the Grand Proposition That all and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of a private or secret but of an open free and publick Interpretation I will first proceed by direct and down right proof and Argument that of all Scripture except that which lays down the Truths precisely and absolutely necessary to Salvarion The Prophecy of Scripture is in its Interpretation most Free open and most certain I will in the second place give Answers to the great Objections against this Proposition so prov'd I will in the Third Place consider what Standards according to Reason and Scripture-understanding may be given whereby we may judge whether any one hath given a true Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy viz. whereby the person giving such Interpretations may know himself he hath given such true Interpretation and whereby Any other may judge of it and find it so In the Fourth Place I will draw out in most publick view the Evidences I my self have within my self and have offered to others that I have given a True Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy All this I will do with most particular relation to prophetical numbers of Time I will Super-add a Judgment upon the state of Time Intermedious from hence to the Kingdom of Christ and shew that the Kingdom of Christ shall be very sudden and as Lightning And this I shall do by way of retractation and correction of Any thing wherein I have err'd in this matter and what will be as an Answer of an Objection that Glories in the present appearance of Things to Sense as if no such Kingdom were near I will recollect the whole in some very Brief Reflections for the settlement of the Judgment and practice in relation to Scripture Prophecy concerning Time I begin with the First The arguing the Proposition which shall insist upon these Four Heads or Topicks 1. I argue from the Infinite Ability of the Divine Spirit so to give Prophecy that the Interpretation may be Free and Publick 2. I argue from the necessity That whatever is written with sense and coherence of the things written and with the Harmony of Truth if the parts of such Discourses are diligâ—â—tly compar'd and sagaciously intermedled with by persons separating themselves thereunto a certain Interpretation must needs fly out to them 3. I argue from the gracious Assistances and Promises that the Holy Spirit will as the Spirit of Truth lead into all Truth shewing things that are to come and give the key of knowledge leading into the Sectets of Prophecy even wherein our Dulness and Slowness of Heart makes them so notwithstanding the Provision of the Spirit for their Interpretation Argument I. The Divine Spirit hath an Infinite and Infallible Prescience of things that are to come to pass Known to him are the Works of God from the very Foundation of the World to the end of it with every particular Accident to the very least Circumstance and therefore he can foretell all things as clearly as he pleases and so that they may be interpreted and understood He searcheth all things even the deep things of God whose Counsels of old are faithfulness and truth who calleth the End from the Beginning and can declare it For he worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will which Will he knew from Eternity within himself This Prescience of the Divine Spirit is acknowledg'd by All Christians except some few who least deserve the Name of Christians who deny the Actual Determinations of Free or what we call Fortuitous Agents to be Scibilia or Knowable I make not therefore here any dispute concerning the High Mystery of the Supreme Prâ—science how or in what manner God foreknew when the things fore known depend on causes acting so freely that what they will choose seems impossible to be known before hand or so fortuitously that if it could be foreseen how they would be cast the Fortuitousness seems destroyed But that God does foreknow I take for granted even as it is much the more generally agreed and
this be the not Receiving the Truth in the Love of it on which God gives up the â—postacy to strong Delusions and to believe a Lye and because of the Few and Small Things he hath against his Suffering Churches of Pergamus and Thyatyra and the Sardian State of the Reformation that hath a Name to Live and yet is dead Upon all these Accounts Prophecy is so little understood saving the Glimmerings of Light given by a very Few and those very Little Acceptable Interpreters that do inlighten and shew by a Little how this dark place would be inlightned by taking heed to the Sure Word of Prophecy But I am about to say if Prophecy were as Fully and Truly Interpreted as the Publickness of its Constitution for Interpretation would give Leave to it would especially now so near the End foâ— inlâ—gâ—ten the dark place that there would be no Room found for the Darkness of the Apostacy but it would fly away like Shades of the Night at the Morning Appearance But as the Apostle says God hath concluded All under Sin so under the Apostacy either in Full as in the Antichristian World or in Part as in the Reformation-Part that in his own Time he might have mercy upon All. Oh the Heighth and Depth of the Riches of both the Wisdom and Knowledge of Goâ— How unsearchable are his paths and hù ways past finding out For of him and by him are all things to him be glory for ever 2. The Disagreement among the Interpreters of Prophecy and more particularly the Great Mistakes they have fallen into in â—oint of Time seems a more formidable Objection against the Freeness and Publickness of the Interpretation of Prophecy and most as to Time For when Wise Learned Sagacious and very Diligent Zealous and Holy Persons have set themselves to inquire and find out the Mind of the Spirit and have not found it but have disagreed among themselves and so some must be in mistakes For they cannot differ and all be in the Right This is much more against the Interpretation of Prophecy being not privâ—te than if none had attempted For were it not under Reserve why have they not been more successful in finding that have so tryed and put themselves forth to the utmost therein Answ 1 We ought to be very wary to urge either Mistakes or Differences of Interpreters in interpreting Prophecy of Scripture left we shut our selves out of all Interpretation of Scripture in General yea even out of Great Points of Faith and Trnth of the Gospel Because in all these there are Great Differences of Explication and therefore Mistakes on some side Should we therefore Reason These are so Dark and Reserv'd as not to be medled with This would be an high Dishonour to our Chrâ—stian Profession Let us much rather make our Attendances to Reading and Meditation more Inward Constant Sâ—rious Deep Humble with more earnest Supplications for Divine Assistance and Free Communications of his Spâ—rit the Author of all Knowledg in the Truths making wise to Salvation and so in Interpretation of Prophecy Answ 2 Whensoever Any have fallen short or are mistaken in the Interpretation of Prophecy we must conclude there was a want of Due Attendance and God Left even Good Men and his Servants so to themselves that they have miss'd in what they have seem'd to themselves or even to others to have attain'd But in the mean time nothing is to be charg'd upon Prophecy of Scripture or the Nature and Constitution of it as to Interpretation as if it were dark and incertain and we could ne're be sure whether we had it aright or not so contrary to the Apostles Doctrine concerning it For as no Weakness or Indisposition of the Eye or Disadvantage in Avenues or Entrances of Light are to be charg'd on the Light it self so none of the Hallucinations or over sights or Stumbles of the Interpreters of Prophecy are to be imputed so much to the Difficulty of Interpretation of it as in it self but to our Dullnefs of sight or hearing what the Spirit hath therein said to the Churches Nor is any one therefore to be discouraged but only cantioned not to be high minded but to fear Even as the many Miscarriages in persons seeking Eternal Happiness should not deter us from walking in the way of Life but oblige us to do it with an holy fear and trembling lest we should so much as seem to fall short Object 3 It will be said It is true Nothing is to be laid to the charge of Prophecy it self or to the Constitution of it for such Interpretation as God intended for it But it may hence be collected God intended Prophecies should be kept secret until either they shall be opened in such a glorious state of the Church as is signified by the Kingdom of Christ or till each Prophecy shall be fullfilled or at least till as near the Time of fullfilling as it was when Daniel by Beoks understood concerning the End of the Seventy Years Captivity Answ 1 Nothing of what is mentioned in this Objection will satisfy what the Apostle Peter hath here affirmed For that Prophecy should be a Light shining in a dark place can by no means be accommodated to the state of the Kingdom of Christ That could ne'r be styl'd by the Apostle a dark place although it is most True Prophecy shall lye open as a Volume most clearly and fully understood in the Hall as I may say of that Palace of the Kingdom but not as in a dark place but as Light uniting with Light unto perfect Brightness Then it is the Day shall dawn and the Day-star shine in the very Hearts of all the Servants of Christ and the Light of one Day be as the Light of seven Nor can the Apostles sense be made good by Prophecy being understood when fullfilled For indeed the Disputes are as Great concerning the Time at which Prophecies that undoubtedly have been long ago fullfilled were fullfilled as concerning Prophecies yet to be fullfilled And though it may well be allowed that there have been some Bruits and Noises of the Things foretold by Prophecy that they were coming to pass at the time they did come to pass yet there are Two Things evidently intended by the Apostle as the Great Scope and End of his Discourse much to be considered by all that would find the Purpose of the Holy Spirit by him 1. That there is one Glorious Day and Day-Star to break out and shine in the World which is the Great Point at which Prophecy aims and into which it shall uniâ—e as a Lesser Light with a Greater and more Glorious which is indeed the Kingdom of Christ and to which the Apostle had respect as is to be shewn throughoâ—t this Epistle This is that Time of the Restitution of All Things of which all the Prophets have spoken since the World began as that same Apostle Peter spoke Acts 3. 21. This is the Mpstery to be
nearer to their End yet the Time of his understanding was undoubtedly earlyer The Time of his Prophecy was designed to be close upon the very end of the Seventy Years and that so sollemn Prayer for else it is Evident The Time of his praying was every Day towards the Desolations of Jerusalem with his Windows open'd Three Times with foresight of the very time Seeing then the very Time of Ninety Seven I have now for some years pitch'd upon as the very Time when the Desolations of the Sanctuary shall be Accomplished and the Kingdom of Christ be in Succession of which I find dayly new Confirmations and Assurances as the Time Approacheth Therefore I hope I shall be Enabled and many Servants of God with me to set our selves dayly by Supplication and Prayer and so much the more as we see the Day approaching Obj. 1 It may be said what is the Good or Advantage of Knowing the Secrets of Prophecy or the Times more especially Defined by it have we not such plain Doctrines and Rules of Scripture that are every way sufficient to take up our Time and Thoughts that are more sure and certain in their tendency to God and have less of Scruple and Dispute in their Sense and Importance Ans 1 Whatsoever is vouchsafed to us by God as a Manifestation of and Revelation from himself to us in his Word not to regard receive and improve it is in the Scripture Phrase a wearying of God Isa 7. Ahaz made a fair and plausible Pretence of Trusting God without a Sign when God so Gratiously offered it to him he said He would not Tempt God and yet this his Refusal was called a wearying of God God understanding much better what is necessary for us and to our advantage than we do our selves and if he hath given us a Rule of Times it will be found to be our great Sin and Neglect if we do not search and enquire every one in our places What of the Night and also how near the Morning is Comming Esay 21. 11. Ans 2 Let us ask what Good it was to Noah that God told him The Old World should have only the Reprieve of an hundred and Twenty years before the Flood What Good was it to Abraham when God told him It should be Four Hundred years ere his Seed should be brought back What Good was it to the Church of the Jews to be assured the Babylonish captivity should be but Seventy VVeeks and that there should be but Seventy weeks of years from the full Restoring Jerusalem to the comming of Messiah Such as was the Good of these Manifestations to the Servants of God such is the good that arises from the Knowledg of Time Times and Half Time the 1260 1290 and 1335 days of years given as the measure of the Antichristian Times as the Measure of the Preparation for the Kingdom of Christ till the Glory of it such is the Knowledg of the 2300 Eves Morns from the Babylonish Captivity ending to the Justification of the Sanctuary in the New Jerusalem according to the Vision of Ezekiels Temple And Lastly such is the Good of the Knowledg of the 1000 years Glory of Christs Kingdom manifested to us and then of the Kingdom Delivered up to God and the Father the Last end and Consummation of All. I have thus far argued the Grand Assertion that All and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation and therefore not prophetick Numbers of Time but that there are Standards of Interpretation inlaid into Prophecy it self and such Assistances from that publick Spirit vouchsafed to All that wait for them that it is justly to be stiled not private but publick Interpretation I have also counter-argued all the Objections I could discover I come now to the Third Head Head 3d. The Third Head shall be to consider What Standards according to Scripture-Reason and the Ballance of the Sanctuary there are by which the Interpretation of prophecy may be judg'd to be a True Interpretation when it is offered us by any one that hath made it or whereby the person that hath himself made it may know it to be Just and according to the Sense of the Holy Spirit of prophecy and his Conduct into that Sense The Standards of Tryal for the True Interpretation of prophecy I would lay down are These 1. When the Types and Symbols of prophecy in the Old and New Testament are taken All as under One intire View and Consideration and so Analogized and shewn in their Agreement one with another as to make up a Full and perfect Portraicture and Table each Part appearing in its proper Symetry and Proportion in its own Scituation in its Lively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beauty and Lively Air of prophecy This is like a philosophick System of the Creation solving All Phenomena But if we take some single Parts only though there may be handsome and fine plausible and probable Descants upon them as they stand by themselves and if they alone were to be answered for Yet when they come to be examined by the rest of prophecy and it be considered how one part answers another in the whole Frame of prophecy and one single part under such or such a Descant Those Descants will be discovered to be only worthy of Rejection This therefore I have endeavoured and most closely and diligently attended to in the Scheme of prophecy I have given viz. to make a Just and Full Agreement and Correspondency between All parts of it and a Conciliated Harmony in the whole Frame of prophecy 2. In the point of prophetick Numbers the Standard is 1. That All the Prophetick Numbers are made to meet also in One full and intire Consideration and Computation of them one with another and not any of them single and by themselves only And that they be so both distinguished and yet so joyned and so concerted that they stand fair one with another Else the application of them will be precarious incertain and contingent only 2. That when they are thus both Distinguished and Harmonized they can be applied and ascertained by that Application to such Events as are witnessed to and acknowledged by the most known agreed and general Records of History and Chronology providentially prepared by God to Gibeonite as it were to Sacred Prophecy to give both Testimony to the Truth of Prophecy as also to be Helps to the Interpretation of it if Interpreters take care to compare one with the other or would be perswaded to do so Furthermore these being so sâ—ttled by Compare and so Testified enable the Interpreter himself and those to whom his Interpretation is offered to Judge whether the Interpretation be True and whether it be Just and Right Whereas if either there be no Concord of Supporting History or that if it be not as a City on an Hill History universally Known and agreed the Interpretation will be but Dark and Lubricous and the standing upon it not firm
and stable 3. When the Prophetical Numbers being by Fair and Just Commissures Joyn'd to and United with the Plain Historical first Part of the Scripture-Line of Time Run on together in a strait even progressive Motion from the Creation and first Sabbatism so as to Run upon a Last Issue and Event Great enough to be that Last and to constitute a Fullness of Times or of All Times the New Creation and its Sabbatism the Apocatastasis or Restitution of All Things to the First State and much above it the Anacephalaiosis or Bringing All under Christ as the Head And all This as I said in a Strait Even Progressive Motion Taking in at their Just and Proper Seasons All other Great and Cardinal Events Embossing the Line of Time and principally that Great and Soveraign One the Coming Dying Rising and Ascension of our Lord Jesus into Heaven styl'd by the Apostle the Fullness of Time the greatest Honour of Time except the Forenamed Fullness of All Times These Two The Fullness of Time and the Fullness of Times or of All Times stand thus Distinguished Gal. 4. 4. and Eph. 1. 10. and Fix all Time Now This Constant Even Progression of Time keeps All Interpretation at a Gauge and at a Certainty from a Fugitive or Arbitrarious wandring hither and thither and is the greatest security for the Truth of it both to the Interpreter himself and to All that would put his Interpretation to the Test that can be For thus Nothing can be taken in nor thrust out at pleasure nor can there be Any Other Events shuffled in but what are found in that very Just and Natural Order of Time according to all History Thus Interpretation comes to the same Certainty as the Progresses of Time it self from Day to Day Month to Month Year to Year and Century to Century or as the parts of the Body in their True Situation one to another Whereas any other way of Interpretation hath its Starts and Leaps its Subterfuges and Evasions without Certainty or Fixedness 3. Another Standard of Interpretation of Prophecy is when there are found in the Interpretation some surprizing Transcendencâ—es in the Contrivances and as one may humbly say Artifices which the Spirit of Prophecy hath inlaid the Prophetical Frame with and engraven upon it as upon the Stone that hath seven Eyes throughout Perspicuous as well as Perspicacious And these falling in with the more Essential and Substantial Parts of Prophecy and the Events Answering in not only those Substantials but those Extraordinaries as it were Peices of Art in the Frame of Prophecy They must needs give sometimes even Ravishing Transports of Satisfaction and Assurance That one hath the True Key of Interpretation of Prophecy by the Becomingness of the Work to the Great Artist when Materiam fuperat Opus The Curiousness of the Work excells the very Materials wrought upon Even as besides the main Pillars and Rafters of the Creation and the more Bulky Parts of the Animal Creatures such Exquisite Curiosities are found herein They as much as is possible give Scientific Proofs of the Supreme and Divine Workman and when any one hath found them he cannot but break out into a Kind of Ecstatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Galen I have Found into an Hymn to the Creator upon beholding the Admirablenesses of his Divine Hand in the Animal Contextures For both in the Works of God and in his Prophetick Word such Wonders plainly discovered give greatest pleasure both in regard of the Beauties of the Hand of God and in regard of the Joy that we have receiv'd the Key of Natural or Prophetick Knowledge For these are Great Things we looked not for and meeting with them unexpectedly we become more than Assured even Triumphantly Assured For thus it becomes him whose Vnderstanding is Infinite both in Creation and Prophecy to abound to us beyond All we could Ask or Think and though our Assurance might be solid without these yet it would not be vivid and so high 4. A Fourth Standard of True Interpretation of Prophecy is When there is Found in All Parts of the Interpretation of Prophecy a perfect Agreement between Prophecy Interpreted and the Grand Principles of Scripture which the Apostle calls Prophecying according to the Analogy of Faith When Prophecy is so Interpreted concerning the Kingdom of Christ that it be not Represented as a Carnal Sensual Kingdom but like it self Holy and Spiritual That it Agree with the Apostles and our Lord's Doctrine concerning the Resurrection both as to the Saints dead and sleeping in and by Jesus Incorruptibly Raised and the Living Remaining Saints Changed and as to the wicked Rising to Condemnation to Shame and Contempt that Prophecy is not made to call the Proud happy or to make sad the Souls whom God would not have made sad that Darkness is not put for Light nor Light for Darkness That those Black Names in Scripture-Prophecy as Beast False Prophet Whore Horns Giving their Power to the Beast be applied to such Persons and Things as the Constant and most Avowed Doctrine of Scripture makes worthy to be so Character'd however call'd by Great and Glorious Names in this Dark place of the Apostasy And on the other side that Persons and Things be Cloathed with the Honourable Names Prophecy hath put upon them as the Woman Cloathed with the Sun Witnesses Martyrs of Jesus to whom the same Constant and Allowed Doctrine of Scripture will Allow them although in this Thick and Gross Atmosphere they are Bandenitoe'd with other Names as Hereticks Schismaticks Factious or Fanaticks 5. The Crowning and Topping and most Assuring Standard for the Interpretation of Prophecy is when a Thread and Line is Laid from some Plain and Litteral Interpretation of Prophecy by the Holy Spirit of Prophecy it self in one Place to such Litteral Interpretation in another place till we come at last to that Issuing Point of All Prophecy The Glory of the Kingdom of Christ We have the Beginning of the Four Monarchies in Nebuchadnezzars Image by very Litteral Interpretation settled in Nebuchadnezzar himself For Daniel said to him Thou art this Head of Gold Dan. 2. The Persian and Grecian Monarchies are in the same manner by Littteral Interpretation of Prophecy assured Dan. 8. In the same manner the Epoch of the Revelation is Assured by the Apostles being in the Spirit on the Lords Day of the Resurrection Rev. 1. c. 5. By the Mention of the Lamb Newly Slain The Fourth Monarchy is Assured to be Current in the Time of the New Testament by Augustus Caesar Censing all the World Luke 2. By the Litteral Interpretation of the Great Whore to be the City Reigning then or that at that present was Holding the Kingdom over the Kings of the Earth which could be no other than Rome For no other had then the Kingdom besides the Seven Mountains on which she Sate is Litteral The Seven Successions of Government are given Litterally And that under the
finding the Iconismes or Images of Prophecy every way Agreeing herewith both in the Freest Analogical and even Litteral Interpretation as I have shewn all parts squaring one with Another I cannot but be thus far assur'd The Interpretation of the sure word of Phrophesy must needs be Fair Just and Right or seeing no other Interpretation can be Found thus to Square Prophecy must be indeed of Private Interpretation altho the Apostle assures it is not so More particularly with Relation to the Prophetical Numbers of Time I Found the purely prophetical Time on that Basis or Ground of it the Three Hundred Ninety Days of Years of Ezekiel his Bearing the Iniquity of the House of Israel These I make Sevenfold according to the Standard of Seven God so often fixes in the punnishment of Iniquity Leviâ— 26. And so they comprehend in that Seven foldness which makes the 390 2730 the Forty Days of Years of Ezekiels Bearing the Iniquity of the House of Judah and the Twenty Three Hundred Eves Morns of the Sanctuary Troden under Foot until the Sanctuary Cleansed or Justified according to Ezekiels Vision in the Glorious Kingdom of Christ These Twenty Seven Hundred Thirty Years making Seven Times Three Hundred and Ninety is one of the Transcendents I find in the Scripture-Line of Time according to my Computation of it and the Third Standard now given In this Grand Portion of the Line viz. Of the Twenty Three Hundred Eves Morns Fall Evenly and Justly All the Numbers of Time given after in Daniel and the Revelation or that can be supposed necessary to fill up any Spaces according to History or that are necessary to make up the 2300. although the Numbers are not in Lesser or Collatteral Lines to the 2300 Named in Prophecy which Yet must be and are Seventy Five before the Weeks and Four Hundred Years after the Weeks For all others are expresly named in Scripture-Prophecy But however as I have often shewn All Agree in their Just Order and Agree among themselâ—es and Agree with the Notes of Discerning them Scripture hath given and lastly Agree with History and General Chronology All which make as great Assurance as can be of a True Computation and Account seeing neither Chance nor Art can Tune Thinâ—s to such a Manifold Agreement For as They say Res nolunt Decipi Things will not be deceived nor imposed upon so they cannot be Forc'd Compell'd nor Flatter'd into an Agreement and so manifold an Agreement when the Natural Mutual Respect they have one to another does not incline them That particular Portion of the Line of Time given to measure the Time of the Apostasy by so often and so variously given viz Time Times Half a Time Twice Forty Two Months Twice Twelve Hundred Sixty Days and Three Days and an half and so the Last Thirty and Forty Five most Evenly and Justly according to the Line of Time take hold of and succeed one another in their Just Places The 1260 concert with the Ten Kings Receiving Power at one hour with the Beast The Beasts Supremacy the Mahometan Times So as to give all the Assurance that can be Fall in One with Another All according to the Justest Configurations of Prophetical Images and Historical Events And herein I observe Four Transcendencies which most unexpectedly and surprizingly meet the Considerer herein according to the Third Standard here given and would make the Meditative upon them cry out I have found I have found 1. That as Scripture-Prophecy gives the Time by Moons to the Gentiles and to the Beast and Days of the Sun to the Witnesses and the Woman and that these Days of the Sun and Moons are to Agree one with another as Lunar and Solar Time do I find according to my Calculation they do Agree according to the so celebrated Rule of the Golden Number and that thereby the Succession of the Beast or the Antichristian Papacy according to the Exact Laws of Succession to the Christian Emperor as Seventh Head and Eighth King Revel 17. 10 11. is fix'd at 475 or 6. as it ought according to all History to be and determin'd to its End or Going into perdition at 1697. Lunar Time and Solar Falling in Exactly according to all Chronology with this Prophecy 2. According to my Calculation by the Time the so known Character of Time Indiction or accounting by Fifteens of Years was well known and settled after Constantine the Spirit of Poophecy hath Adopted it to Enter into its Own Computation of Time For the Time Times and half Time beginning accordingly at 437. are in the whole and in each Division cast into Indictions or Fifteens of Years viz. the Three Times or Thrice Three Hundreds and Sixties and the Half Time or the One Hundred Eighty and for their sakes the Thirty making 1260 1290 by Two Fifteens and the Forty Five making 1290 to be 1335. Dan. 12. 11. 12. is evidently by Three Indictions or Fifteens And to All this may be added the Observation that the Words chosen out by the Spirit of God in the Chaldee Hebrew and Greek to express Time Times and Half Time so Sworn by Christ as to be Determinate Time may be Emphatically Translated Indiction or Indicted Time Now what can this mean but that Over-Ruling Providence so Disposes All that such Notations of Time should be found out and come into Use as when it self hath Occasion for them to Ascertain its own Calendar of Prophetick Time and who also would Direct and Guide his Servants into the Observation of and most Assured Distinction of Prophetick Time by Them according to the fit Seasons appointed by himself to make them so known to them so that it is no wonder they have not been known before or that they are made known to some and not to others when they are made known 3. It is even of Transcendent Remark that the Reformation at that so Agreed Epoch of it should be at 1517. as the just Point of Half Time beginning that necessarily casts the beginning of the Time and Times upon 437. according to my Fixation of it before I can Truely Appeal I had made a Reflection upon the Wonderful Service it does to assure the Line of Time and the beginning of those 1260 days at 437 but according to the Natural Progress of the 2300 Eves Morns in the Assignation of Each to their Proper Points of Time Adorn'd with their Suitable Events Each I say of the Collatteral Lines so Assign'd Led me to 97. Now all these Transcendencies of Evidence eoncerning the just Interpretation of Prophecy I have from Time to Time fully opened declar'd and argued in their Proper Treatises according to further and further Light Euidence and Assurance given in by the Father of Lights and which are in many Hands 4. That which it hath pleased the Lord further to open and manifest to his Unworthy Servant by way of Transeendency is That whereas I was led to fix upon 437. as the Beginning of the
not come to his End so soon but must do at last as is intimated concerning the Turkish King of the North Dan. 11. ult Now to keep France so within its own Figure is a Service so considerable to Providence according to Prophecy that it should make Princes and Nations Patient under the inconveniency of War to such an End And it may Answâ—r for a Confederacy of Protestants with Popish Powers so far as that it may be made use of by Providence to such an End as Restraining France Agreeably to Divine Determination And it may justly call us to the Observation of Providence in Ballancing Things so as this Last and former Years it has done so that while as with one hand God is pleased to keep the French Power at such a Height with the other he so Ballances that it should not exceed its Figure So we see it in all the Disposes of Things to this Day So in the Wonderful Preservation of the Kings Person when danger was so every way about and Death so near him Because he hath raised Him up as so peculiar an Instrument to that purpose to give a stop to the Exorbitant Power of France as also to be an Interposer against the Return of Papal Power on these Protestant Nations of England Scotland and Ireland 3. As it was said to Barak This Journey or Expedition shall not be for thy Honour because God would fell Sisera into the Hands of a Woman Judges 4 9 So the great Success of Finishing the War upon France in Conjunction with the Turks God hath reserv'd for the Stone cut oâ—t of the Mountains who is not in any Human Hand No Greater nor more Victorious Atchievements have been therefore Granted to the Confederate Armies nor any gradual Appearances of the Kingdom of Christ because the Glory is reserv'd to Christ so that all shall be done by him in an instant on the sudden at the very Time Appointed by God viz. in the year 97. so near Approaching These things shall be done The French Grandieur as it now stands in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ shall be ground to Powder The Witnesses both the Vaudois and the French Protestants at this Time under his Power and Tyranny shall see the Morning Star Dawning They shall be with Christ when he Breaks the Nations with a Rod of Iron They shall feel a Spirit of Life Entring into them and Causing them to stand on their Feet and they shall hear a Voice from Heaven saying Come up hither The Turkish Woe shall be clear Remov'd But then together with this The Confederate Princes as giving their Kingdom yet to the Beast or Papacy and even the Protestant Princes so Far as they enter into the Constitution of a Nebuchadnezzars Image the Papal Hierarchic Clay where ever it is Found with iâ—s 7000 Names shall all be Ground to Powder also 5. The Supreme Sovereign Event of Events shall then come to paâ—s The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ He shall Reign in his own Name take to himself his Great Power and send out his Everlasting Gospel as on the Wings of Angels and Blessed is he who is not offended at these Things but Loves and Waits for them But indeed if God should please any way to bring down the French Power or Cause it but so much as to Lye still and to Dissolve the League between him and the Turkish Potentacy sooner my Hopes and Expectations might be that God were sooner also working by such Beginnings to much greater Things for the Change of the World In the mean Time I cannot but Represent things as Prophecy Represents them and I presume no further And that I find not to be till 97. Another Prophetical Note The Lord hath been pleas'd much to imprint upon my Spirit is that Habac. 2. 13 14. where the Prophet beholds in Litteral Babylon the Mystical Babilon the Town Built â—ith Blood the Intoxicating Soreeress Enchanting the Nations to the Exposing their Nakedness and Shame through Inebriating them with the Golden Cup of Fornication she holds in her hand and makes the Kings of the Earth Drunk with that they may commit the Whoredoms of Idolatry with her and in the beholding of this and the Foresight of the End and Destruction of it The Prophet is made to see in Spirit by the mighty Influence of that upon him while That bore and carried him alought and moved him and not any Created VVill but the Holy Spirit alone He speaks the State and Posture of Things that shall Confine and Border upon the Ruin and Destruction of that Babylon and the Manifestation of the Glory of the Lord Immediately Consequent upon it And this State he declares shall be by the peculiar Ordination and Constitution of the Lord of Hosts of him who has the Government of the whole Host of Heaven and Earth so that nothing shall be able to move to the Contrary The People shall Labour as in the very Fire the pure perfect Fire and shall weary themselves for very Vanity pure and perfect Vanity For so is it ordain'd by God that thus he may prepare for that great change of the World The very Reason why he orders it so is Because the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth The Glory shall cover the Earth that the knowledg of the Glory of God may so cover it also even as the Waters the Sea that even as in the Sea there is nothing to be seen for Water even so in the Earth There shall be nothing to be seen for the Glory of the Lord it shall so take up the whole View througout all the Earth From hence therefore I Argue All kinds of Disappointment and Frustrations of All the Labour Undertakings Enterprizings that are in the World the Expectations from Princes Councels Governments From Trade and Commerce at Home and Abroad From Armies and Navies From Generals and Commanders of them and their whole Force and this not only in one part of the World but in the Nations and People taken together and in the Gross Such Labouring in the very Fire and wearying themselves for very vanity are no Argument against such a Glory of God being near and the Knowledg of such a Glory covering the Earth as the Waters do the Sea Such a Glorious Revolution and Change of the World being very nigh and at the doors so that they are rather an Argument for the nighness of it to us For God hath given us this as a Prognostick In the very same manner This Divine Prophet beholding that Great Vision of the Kingdom of Christ in its last Accomplishment when all his Enemies shall be under the Invasion with his Troops Intimates That even in the Labour and Service of Nature it self There shall be great Fâ—ustrations and Disappointments that the Fig Tree may not Blossom the Labour of the Olive may fail there may be no Fruit in the Vine
Epiphanes a great Type of treading the Sanctuary under foot by Antichrist until the Publick Ministry of Messiah the Prince Days of Years 434 Dan. 9. 25. From Messiah the Prince Appearing in his Ministry to the end of confirming the covenant to the Jews at the last week in the midst of which he Died the other half week by the Apostles and their Beginning Desolations Days of Years 0007 Dan. 9. 27. The Duration of the Force of Annointing the Sanctuary was to continue during the Sealing of Vision and Prophecy viz. That great Vision of Ezekiels Temple which Sealing was both of Reserve from Immediate coming to pass of that Vision and of securing Days of Years 400 Rev. 6. c. 7. it from Antichristian Violation for that Time Therefore this Sealed time is Divided into two halves The First of which was of the Purer time of the Sanctuary when the Annointing was most upon it And this the Wisdom of the Spirit of Prophecy has set out by Ballances in the hand of that Just Emperor Alexander Severus weighout the time of the Purity of the Sanctuary according to the weights of the Sanctuary Days of Years 202 Rev. 6. 6. The Sealing was to secure till there was a Full and Perfect Emblem of Christs Kingdom in the Christian Empire The other half from Alexander Severus his Death till the taking away the Daily Sacrifice when the Annointing pass'd off and the Sealing as to the Security went off from the Outer-court and Rested Days of Years 202 Rev. c. 6. to c. 8. and c. 11. 1. on the Inner-court and Persons Worshiping in it From the end of sealed time began Indicted time or time times half time so stil'd in Chaldee Hebrew Greek so call'd because sworn Time or Time declar'd by Oath Dan. 12. 7. Dan. 7. 25. c. 12. 7. And Accordingly God Provided by Constantine a Character of Time to be an Agreeable Distinction of Time viz. Indictions of 15 y. to Ascertain when the Indicted time times and half time should have place there are therefore twenty four Indictions that make the first Time or Third of 1080 Days Days of Years 360 Rev. 11. 3. c. 12. 16. The two Times or two Thirds of 1080 Days are twice 24 15 of years or 24 Indictions Days of Years 720 The last half of Indicted Time or an 180 years in twelve Indictions making up 1260 y. Days of Years 180 At Rev. 10. Half Time begins as hath been shewn The Epoch or beginning of the Time Times and half Time is to be taken from the 42 Moons of the Gentiles as hath been shewn Beyond the time times and half time or the 1260 days of years are the Thirty days of years of the Voices making 1290 by the Addition of two Fifteens or Indictions Days of Years 30 Dan. 12. 11. Rev. 14. The last part of Time till the Fullness of Time makes the 1290 1335 by the Addition of three Fifteens or Indictions or 45 Days of years and are the time of Powring out the Vials Days of Years 45 Dan. 12. 12. Rev. 16. Now these two last parts of Time are Indicted Time also because they come under the Oath of Christ that in the Days of the Seventh Angel and his beginning to Sound the Mystery of God shall be Finished Then follows the Thousand years the Glorious Kingdom of Christ the Fullness the Perfection of time Stild Rev. 20. Thrice The Thousand Years Days of Years 1000 I am now come to the last Head of this Discourse I proposed Some Brief Reflections by way of Inference upon the whole Infer 1. This shews the great Price God hath put into our Hands in the Profession of Christianity of giving mighty Evidence to the Truth of the Scriptures if the Apostacy that hath come upon our Profession had not Robbed us of the Hearts to make use of it For God hath given us a Sure werd of Prophecy that cannot Fail nor deceive us in any of the great Futurities the things to Come It hath Foretold They shall certainly be Fulfill'd each in their Season For Infinite Wisdom hath disigned and contrived them that cannot upon any Emergent Unconsidered Change its Counsel For it calls the End at the very beginning Infinite Veracity or Truth hath Declared them which cannot deceive it is a sure word and Allmighty Power will bring them to pass Now Prophecy or Declaring things to Come is by God insisted upon as the greatest Assurance of the Divine Being Declare to us says God Things to Come that we may know you are Gods Yea do good or evill viz. When you have Foretold them Let the Things Foretold come to pass by your power Now seeing our Scriptures are full of Prophecies on which these Evidences must be Founded There wants nothing but Interpretation Adjusting what is past to its Just Times of Coming to pass according to Prophecy and History and thereby laying assured Grounds of Interprâ—ting Prophecy concerning what is to come Oh why do we not then concerning Things to Come which Christ hath Promised the Spirit shall lead us into and shew us engage our selves in Interpretation Seeing the Apostle Peter hath assur'd No Prophecy is of Private Interpretation or Reserv'd even as in things past Relating to Christ which we so vehemently Argue upon against the Jews and with so great Reason why not in things to come concerning his Kingdom Infer 2. We have hence Authority to Joyn Interpretation of Prophecy and the Expectation of the Return of Miracles together that when in Daniel c. 12. 6. It is Enquired How long shall it be to the End or to the Perfecting of Wonders Those great Numbers of Time leading to the Blessed Time of the 1335 Days that shall make every one Blessed that Comes to them are Given Certainly therefore Wonders shall be or Miracles Return when the Time of Finishing is And those numbers must Lead to that Time Infer 3. How Earnest and Diligent should we be to be Found of him in Peace without Spot and Blameless not in a state of War when that Prince Comes with his Name written on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings Lord of Lords who in Righteousness Judges and makes VVar and slays with the Sword that proceeds out of his mouth Oh Let us therefore be Diligent we may be found of him in Peace and not in the Army of Armageddon in that Battel with God Almighty this is the coming to the 1335 Days A Blessedness is pronounced upon in Daniel A Coming with Christ with the Armies of Heaven in white Linen on white Horses as his Called Faithful and Chosen with him on his side How looking and considerate should we be upon this Concernment That we be found truly Fix'd in the Firmament of Christianity that neither in Regard of the fowl Antichristian Errors nor the inward Impurities of Heart and Life we are as wanding and Falling Stars for whom is reserv'd the blackness of Darkness for