7. 14 27. And this proves likewise that the three years and half of this Little Horn must bee the last of the one thousand two hundred and threescore years it being the last testimony of the witnesses in the behalf of Christ and the main cause of their slaying by the Beast And here the Reader may understand not onely the Time when the Little Horn shall stand up but one manifest Character to know him by under his government there will bee a large tolleration of Religion for hee will pretend great care to tender consciences as that every one may have liberty to worship God in what form hee listeth onely hee will not allow that any should assert what the Scriptures plainly testify concerning the breaking of the Image and in particular that hee shall bee slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame The Saints shall take away his dominion to consume it and to destroy it unto the end any thing but this but this will not bee suffered no tolleration here of tender consciences any lye rather will be born then this truth and how to suppresse it will bee the great businesse And therefore crafty councel will bee taken against Jehovah and his Christ I have handled the former points the more briefly because I think they lye open to very little exception That which follows next is whether the present State-Apostacy bee the Little Horn I have said often before I undertake not the APPLYING PART I shall onely shew going over all the Characters what this Little Horn will be as to his deportment and carriage when he comes upon the stage to act a sad tragedy Behold there came up among them another little Horn Dan. 7. 8. Though this little Horn bee not one of the Ten yet hee grows upon the body of the fourth beast vers 7. and so is part of the Image Dan. 2. And here I would have the Reader observe which indeed hath not been heeded by Expositors that the little Horn cannot be the persons or states to which most men formerly have applied it for either they have taken it for a person or state which was not upon the head of the fourth beast as Antiochus Epiphanes Mahomet the Turkish Empire Antichrist or one of the ten Horns as the Norman race William the Conqueror Charls Stuart c. And thus both wayes have mis'd the mark For however as I said before this little Horn is not one of the ten yet among them that is upon the head of the Beast as the rest are Hence I think this certainly may bee asserted that if the present state-Apostacy bee not the little Horn it hath not yet risen For Daniels descripttion of it in this place among them and yet another agrees not with any person or State hitherto mentioned by any writer that I have seen Quest But why is he said to bee among the ten Horns on the body of the Beast Ans 1 Though he be none of them yet through ambition hee will seek to be like them in state pompe and all wastful vanities hee will assume their Titles Power Priviledges be as absolute a Monarch as any of them in a word either he will follow the former Horns in all their exorbitancies riot and excess or will strive what he can to have it so 2 That he is said to bee upon the Beast it is to shew notwithstanding his former Declarations and Engagements and warring a long time against Kingship when he comes to bee the Horn hee shall uphold the rotten interest of the fourth Beast as her members namely Priests and Lawyers her moth-eaten customes and Traditions and what else that filthy part of the image viz. feet and toes is compounded of Another Little Horn Junius Piscator and many others translate the last horn being little achari saith Willet signifieth the last as well as another The wisdome of the Holy Ghost is to be minded here in making choice of a word whereby to shew what this little Horn shall be 1 Another here is signified though this horn bee a State or Government as was said before yet shall it not have the constitution and form of a civil State it shall not have I say any stamp upon it suitable either to a kingdome or a Commonwealth as the ten Horns had for howsoever some of them at first were not fairly constituted yet within a while that question was taken off and the government acknowledged by the People to bee just and lawful But this little Horn for all his policy and craft will be Another still never able to wipe off usurpation and Tyranny by gaining a formal constitution of a State And hence I take it hee is said to bee another But secondly That hee is said to be the Last me thinks here I cannot but say with Paul O the depth both of the wisdom knowledge of God As there are two Apostacies the first and the last so there are the first Horns and the last Horn the first Apostacy and the first Horns rise together So saith the Scriptures And the ten Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast Rev. 17. 12. The Kings and Horns I understand to bee all one The Roman Empire broken to peeces that is severall Nations and people casting off the Roman yoke and constituting themselves absolute and free States The Beast to be the first Apostacy or Antichristian kingdom now these two have their rise beginning at one time so the last Apostacy and the last Horn rise together I hope the Reader will heed the sweet harmony of Scripture Prophecies surely it is not for nothing that the little Horn is called the Last for as the first Apostacy first Horns came up at one time so the last Apostacy and the last Horn will bee in one hour But again for great is the mystery of godlinesse here also may bee meant as the little Horn shall not grow upon the body of the Beast till in the last daies when perillous times shall come and the former Horns neer cutting off So he shall bee the last indeed as vers 24. For I think Gods hand will bee so visible and eminently lifted up against him in giving his body to the burning flame that none after him will presume to set up any State or government any more upon the old Beast Before whom there were three of the first Horns I think it would rather darken than lighten the matter to mention the several opinions of men about these three Horns Some understand the Turkish State to bee meant by the little Horn will have Asia Grecia and Syria to be these three Horns Others Egypt Syria and Cylicia Others Siria Egypt and Africa Again such as take Antiochus Epiphanes for the little Horn are various in their account Some number Seleucus his elder brother and Demetrius son to Seleucus and Philopater his sisters
son Others leaving out Demetrius chuse Antiochus the great father to this Antiochus the vile And a third sort leave it indifferent which bee nam'd So for others applying the little Horn to the Pope One takes it for the excommunication of this King and that Emperour another for the deposing of such and such Now that which I shall say to all is this whether wee consider Kings or Kingdomes named by them they were not any of the ten Horns neither were they broken by a little Horn which grew upon the fourth Beast nor in three years and half neither together and at one time Nor doth it appear by any History that so many Horns more nor lesse were pluckt up by the persons named by them nor that it was the last Horn which grew upon the fourth Beast and another from the ten Horns Therefore I shall propound this to the Reader to bee considered and weighed by him whether England Scotland and Ireland are not three kingdomes and these three at one time as to their Priviledges Laws Rights Freedomes c. broken And whether this bee not done by men who have the Characters of the last Apostacy upon them and such as call themselves a State and Government but never could formally put themselves either into a Kingdom or Commonwealth And whither the time in which all this was done were not as probably it may be thought neer or about the period of the forty-two months But it is likely some will question whether England Scotland and Ireland are three of the ten Horns in the division of the Roman Empire To this I Answer 1 All know that are acquainted with Histories and Interpreters such difference there is among them in the enumeration of the ten Horns whether understood of persons or States that nothing from them can be certainly concluded And therefore I may say and as groundedly granting there were ten disstinct divisions that England was one Scotland another and Ireland a third as others who name either this or that Countrey But 2. My opinion is and so is the judgement of most by ten no precise and certain number is meant but an uncertain and indefinite that is the Roman Empire dissolved into several States and Kingdomes And thus was England one Scotland another Ireland another Neither doth the Holy Ghost I think intend any thing further But many Nations and Countries should withdraw from the Power of Rome and become Independents free and absolute in and among themselves So that by ten many are understood as it is often so in scripture Numb 14. 22. Job 19. 2. Pluckt up by the rootes The Angel opening these words vers 24. saith hee shall subdue three Kings Humiliabit saith Rob. Steven and Pagnim bring them low or humble them as if hee should say three Kingdomes which shall arise after the division of the Roman Empire I would have the reader to consider whether these may not bee England Scotland and Ireland being by the mighty hand of God brought off and raised up from a great deal of Tyranny and arbitrary Poner under which they were enslaved and having obtained much of their ancient freedome rights and Priviledges and in a hopeful way to a thorow Reformation at home and to have been instruments abroad of much good us other Nations in suppressing Tyranny and Idolatry Behold on a sudden out of the last Apostacy as the bottomlesse pit up starts the last Little Horn who humbles them and brings them down under the oppression and bondage wherein they were before or rather more hinders them in going on in the work of Reformation and instead of doing good to other Nations makes these three Countries a reproach and scorn every where Now howsoever this Humbling bringing down may largely bee taken Yet I think the holy Ghost chiefly intends religious things that is this last Horn shall be an occasion of rendring the blessed name of God and the cause of his dear Sonne contemptible to the World The which before was not onely mightily cried up and pretended to but gloriously held forth as a burning light before all people and kindreds and Tongues and Nations In this Horn were eyes like the eyes of a man This may bee taken two wayes 1 Of his Carnal Wisdome worldly prudence subtlety policy making an outward shew to bee a great lover of Laws of justice and Equity and the interest of the People hereby the easier and sooner to effect his own design That he is said to have Eyes and no such thing mentioned of the Ten This I understand comparatively For they did see that is they were crafty and politick yet so as blind to what sight this Horn shall have in all cunning devices Hee will exceed all that were before him both for matter and manner of deceits their craft was shewed but now and then and onely in some of their publick affairs and transactions they studied other things besides carnal policy and carried on some of their Actions without deceit simply and honestly In a word their Policies were but rough draughts at the belt Whereas this Horn whosoever hee be will mannage none of his actions without deceit his head and heart will never bee off from studying craft and for all his projects and contrivements they will be most artificial works But 2. And this I rather take to bee the meaning The Little Horn hath Eyes the other none Here is signified that hee will by a subtle Practice cal'd Religion Liberty of Conscience Gods glory the advancement of Christs kingdom c. set up himself and his own Interest A thing which the ten Horns never saw such eyes will bee proper to this Horn for hee shall joyn himself to the people of God and take part with them against Tyranny and Idolatry as seeing it to bee the way for his own advantage As the Pope Mahomet and others brought their designs to pass by such Eyes to wit religious pretences In the same way will this Horn exalt himself It will not bee so much by carnal Policy and the Wisdome of this World for in this respect the other Horns were not blinde but hee gets power place and authority another way into his hands namely by standing up for And with a good Interest and so gains the hearts and prayers of Gods people and afterwards having what hee desired turns his HORN that is his Power Army and Councel against the holy People and the good old Cause by which he was first raised Eyes of a man Not of an Angel this is added to shew that all the time of his Saint-like carriage and when hee appeared most earnestly zealous for the interest of Christ and his people like another John his heart is not upright before the Lord but is a very Hypocrite even that Fool who saith in his heart there is no God For under all his Protestations Oaths Covenants great undertakings c. The Plot and Design which hee will carry on is how to make
The TIME of the END SHEWING First until the three years and an half are come which are the last of the 1260 dayes the prophecies of the Scripture will not be understood concerning the Duration and Period of the FOURTH MONARCHY and Kingdom of the Beast THEN Secondly When that TIME shall come before the expiration the Knowledge of the End or that there shall be Time no longer will be revealed By the Rise of a little Horn The last Apostacy and the Beast slaying the Witnesses contemporizing The Characters Of which little Horn the last Apostacy and Beast as the Scriptures shew them are here faithfully opened And the Application left to the Wise By John Canne Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets Amos 3. 7. Think not that I come to send peace on earth I come not to send peace but a sword Mat. 10. 34. London Printed for Livewel Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1657. To the Reader THat enmity which from the beginning Jehovah Elohim the Lord God did put between the Serpent and the Woman and between their seed as always so now doth work with marveilous earnestness in all those who in every age from their proper spirit are engaged by their principals to maintain the combate to the time of the end The Righteous is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked is an abomination to the Righteous from the beginning to the end of this present evil world For as then even in Abrahams time he that was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the spirit even so it is now in these last days and will be so till the old serpent the Divel and Sathan be cast into the bottomless pit and then according to the scope of the Scriptures of Truth the bond-woman and her son will be cast out and the children of the free-woman shall be the heirs And when I say So it is now in these last dayes I desire it may be well weighed for assuredly the Serpent and his brood will muster all their forces will improve all their policies will come forth with utmost inraged malice to do the most mischief they can against the true spiritnal â—eed The fresh Auxiliaries which are used in this service of the Dragon that old Serpent are the Apostates of the last times who are such Christians in a form of Godliness as the Devil is an Angel of Light when he is so transformed retaining his cursed properties and designs under the pretence of such a glorious transformation Therefore saith the Apostle it is no great thing if also his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness Which words are or may be to the more cautelous Christians a great preservative against the poysonous infection of the present Apostacy for multitudes of careless ones have been beguiled by these deceitful or cheating workers into a compliance with the interest of the Kingdom of the Beast But Blessed be the name of our Lord Protector the Patron of Innocency Truth and Righteousness that these deceitful workers resisters of the Truth Patrons of the carnal worldly Church shall not proceed much farther for their folly in its appointed season shall be made manifest to all men as the folly and madness of other of their brethren before them have been made manifest in like manner And which is matter of great rejoycing to the Lords suffering servants the Prince of the Apostates himself hath bin compel'd by the over-ruling Power of our Lord Jesus to defile his own nest to throw dirt in the face of his own Brat to trample upon his own Government with notable contempt in the presence of his cowardly men of war Oh! what joy of heart is it to us to live to see how in that very thing wherein they dealt so proudly so imperiously the Lord is above them and leaves them to such a degree of folly as to set at nought in such notable language in set Speeches the works of their own heads and hands and that in so short a space of time verily it cannot be treason any longer no not in the sence of the Court it self to imagine speak or write against the Instrument or instruments which brought forth that monstrous Government Ye may all speak treason by authority 〈◊〉 ye Inhabitants of these three Isles of the Sea for your Lord Protector himself hath lately set you a Pattern to pour contempt upon the whole Fabrick both Foundation and Superstruction It is to be ascribed to the preventing Grace of God himself and to no other cause that some few of us have been preserved from that dangerous communion and conformity wherewith many professors well meaning souls like the followers of Absalom of old have been unawares surprised and intangled That Scripture in 2 Tim. 3. the first five verses which by the servant of Christ the Author of the insuing Treatise is opened and compared with two other famous Prophesies concerning the little Horn and the Bottomless-pit-Beast was made effectual to my spirit and conscience to deliver me from those snares wherein the feet of others not a few have been taken faith the Apostle in the forementioned place after he had made a catalogue of Characters whereby to describe the Apostates and Hypocrites of the last time from such turn away And the first and last of those Characters lay with most weight upon my spirit Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous proud lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away And what I spake publikely in a great Assembly concerning the little Horn in two general Observations and nine special Characters whereby to discern it from the other Horns amongst whom it came up is remembred by many then present since which others have likewise given their judgements But this Author by what conduct of providence time will shew hath found cause to make those two Prophesies concerning Daniels little Horn and Johns Bottomless-pit-Beast to synchronise and to bring in the Apostacy of these last times to accompany them in their accomplishments It is remarkable what is told Daniel Chap. 12. v. 10. Mary shall be purified and made white and â—â—yed but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Surely the Apostates and Hypocrites of the last times are some of these wicked ones these will do wickedly but they cannot understand Understanding dwelleth not taketh not up her rest in the Assemblies in the Counsels of the last and worst sort of wicked ones The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him the wise shall understand who is a wise man he that fears the Lord for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom He that is become a fool for Christs sake that he may be wise He who from a principle of saith and love which is in Christ
Jesus can deny himself can take up his Cross daily and follow his prince and his Saviour through the fire and through the water if need be and the cause of Christ call for it The wicked instead of understanding these Prophecies shall do wickedly against those who watch and pray for the accomplishment of them shall secretly wish that the Lord would delay his coming cannot eccho to the voice of the Spirit and of the Bâ—ide saying Come Lord Jesus shall be found smiting their fellow servants conforming themselves to this old evil world eating and drinking with the gluttons and with the drunken the Kings and the Inhabitants of the earth who are made drunk with the wine of the fornication of the mother of Harlots c. They cannot brook the hand-writing of God in the Scriptures concerning the numbring weighing and finishing of their Kingdoms and Governments so well as that Baby lonish Prince Belshazzar did bear the interpretation of the hand-writing upon the plaster of the wall But in stead of doing them honour who forewarn them of their approaching destruction cannot behold them with a cheerful aspect from the moment of such their faithful admonitions and reproofs but the will of the Lord be done I desire moreover it may be understood and remembred by friends and enemies that we have not by our Testimony ingaged our liberties and lives against the Gen. the Apostatizing part of the Army meerly or indeed principally upon the account of the expiration of the time allotted to the litle Horn the Beast as it may be some have done but upon the account of that good righteous and blessed Cause which He and his Officers seemed formerly to have loved better then their own lives though since they have most unworthily preferred Barabbas before Christ and so gratified the humours and the lusts of the children of Belial throughout the Nations whilst the Lords remnant have been weeping and mourning in this day of trouble rebuke and blasphemy for that abominable back-sliding whereof they are guilty before the Lord Let that counsel of Solomon and Paul rake place among those who have not yet fallen before him because there hath been no opportunity of conversing with him but yet through the power of credulity and simplicity are obnoxious to entanglements When he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Avoid those who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple All such upright Christians as are not nor shall be softned by his tears nor intrapped by his spies have cause to reckon those two deliverances in the catalogue of their choice mercies from the Lord the best preservative is to keep out of the sight of the one and out of the reach of the other far enough and safe enough What is written in the few following sheets may be through the Lords blessing of great use to caution many pretious souls for the time to come who having little experience and acquaintance with the spirits and designs of the worldly Powers in their managing the mystery of iniquity the deceivablenes of unrighteousness are very apt to plead their cause and make Apologies on their behalf of whom they will find cause to be ashamed when the hidden things of darkness and of dishonesty shall be brought into the open light The truth is we erre not knowing the Scriptures We erre not being well instructed in the mystery of godliness and in the mystery of iniquity Godliness and ungodliness righteousness and unrighteousness are both of them mysteries they lie very deep they are remote from common understanding We need the candle of the Lord to find out the depths of God and the depths of Satan for each have their deeps as Paul and John have written but those who are light in the Lord are inabled to descend into the depths of God and into the bottomless pit or depth from whence the Beast who slayeth the Witnesses ascendeth and into which the Dragon that old Serpent the Devil and Satan shall be cast and deceive the Nations no more Amen Although we in our preachings and writings may to the present age seem audacious men thus to meddle with these dark prophecies yet the succeeding generations shall bless the Lord for raising up some before their times to forewarn them to flee from the wâ—ath that is to come The Lord give forth such a measure of the holy unction to his people in reading these things that being inabled to distinguish betwixt probabilities and certainties they may receive the Truth and inquire further into that which is but probable and so come to make a judgement of things according to the mind of Jesus Christ I shall not add any more at this time save only that through the rich administrations of Free-grace I am still and hope to continue to the end The servant of Jesus Christ and of all the Saints for Jesus sake according to the measure received CHR. FEAâ—E AN Epistolary Perambulation OR A Word to every one round the World IT was a saying of one who read a Comment upon the Patience of Job That poor Job was more miserably tormented with his Comment then with his Condition of botches and boyls and indeed I was the more doubtful of answering my friends desire in publishing my poor Epistolary thoughts upon so pregnant a piece and profitable as this is lest he should suffer more by so deficient and indigent a Comment as mine then by the whole matter or subject of this discourse so feelingly and faithfully since his exile and suffrings presented to the publike judgement Wherefore I fear to adde to what with so much Evidence and Demonstration he hath produced lest I should diminish and do rather wish that men would proportion Meditation to reading that they may prove them staple Truths and Commodities in their own Souls and Consciences For they can best report them who best relish them and dispirit them into their own Spirits or Breasts When I prepend how perplexable and out of order we are in these times I the less wonder at those high Distempers and burning Paroxysms of Opinion Pride lust and Passion among carnal Church-members and worldly professors who like thirsty Travellers are ready to drink of every puddle let the water be wholesom or hurtful and in their heat will have it though they surfeit for it Such must be purged and better dieted if ever they do well Now I do think as to the venome of the times contracted by taking in things untrue and obnoxious to the things and times of the end these Streams which run from the Rock Christ and glide through the valley of this Book or Brook may be of singular use to expel through the Savour Sweetness Sence Simplicity Evidence and Wholesomness of them to all Souls They are slain and so perhaps not such placentia to the Court-palates that
had rather drink poyson out of their own Golden-cup Rev. 17. 4. then wholesom liquer or sound Doctrine out of an Earthen-cup such poor desposed vessels as we are But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4. 7 8. Whiles we are troubled on every side c. yet indeed I do think I may say as Eccles 12. 10 11. This Preacher sought to finde out acceptable Words and that which was written by this Coheleth or in Arab. Gamiyo gatheror is upright even words of truth yea as goads and nails fixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Centres for other lines to run unto after the masters of Sentences from one Pastor Meroyeh Echad or Shepherd of Souls even Christ The knowledge of the Times begins now to be a Language better understood in these days of the Kingdom Gospel lock'd up in former ages because sealed up for this or the time of the end the last but these that spend their time in getting the knowledge without the practice will be but like the Limner of some fair thing for he draws it out but enjoys it not Knowledge is the Commencement but Obedience the Act the first prepares but this perfects our skill in the times So many shall run to and fro Jeshottetu turn about and knowledge shall increase Dan. 12. 4. that is an active stirring knowledge rather more in Practice then Speculation for the Grace and truth came together by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. whereas the Law or Letter may come another way as Daniel's first knowledge of the times by Books Dan. 9. 2. But his second and special understanding into these times by a better teaching Dan. 9. 22 23. The first prepared the last perfected This Special Teaching or more by inspiration and practical judgement I am perswaded this aged Brother and companion in tribulation hath not onely by his considerations to ballast us with in the first place and his clearness in the time of the end to fraught us with in the next place but in his large sails good tackling fair and constant gales which attend him all the way as he glides into the discovery of this Terra incognita the little Horn whose Characters and Marks are made so plain as he that runneth now may read them and avoid them too if God give grace though mindless-men will never believe the plague iâ— so till they see the Tokens or else Lord have mercy upon us to be written upon their very doors Nor am I without a Witness now from man to the same Truths sealed to me in my Pathmos-Isles and Palmony-Prisons and prepared about two years since for the publike view could they have past the presses upon these very Points Principles of Truths and Characters of the time with the previous signs of the End at hand but to my great affliction they lay defunct and dead till now the Lord hath rais'd up another in a more burning and shining Light much more grave able and acceptable upon this subject so that I am satisfied for present as if I were fully paid both in the Principal and Arrears because as Joh. 5. if I may use my Lords Words as to what I have received from him through grace in these things I have a Greater Witnes then that of John but if I bear witness of my self my witness is not true Therefore I have more reason then another to think the ensuing matter taught of God and to joyn with this Brother this old Sufferer and Standard against the Prelates and Tyrants old and new in Wing and Word seeing without so much as conference or any occasional way of communicating our light in these matters each to other ye when wholly ignorant for my pâ—rt of his Light herein I should hear in publike from him what I received onely from the Lord and him that hath the seven Spirits in my prisons and accordingly had prepared them for the press the very same things Florid Truths Diaphanous and open Assertions and Marks of the Times the little Horn the second Beast and the last Apestacy especially threaded together into one with so sweet and easie clear and compact an harmony both of time and place after the Daniclian and the Apocalyptick accounts conjunct as I was carried by the spirit into it before through the Eye of a Needle which a Shivell d thread could never get through and wherein I knew not of one man of my Light Faith and Judgement before So that as I am by experience perswaded he was awakened of God unto this Work as the Prophet saith morning by morning Isai 50. 4 So I cannot but bless the L rd for this concurrence of light that out of or in the mouths of two or three witnesses every word may be established Mat. 8. and that the nearer the lines are to the Center the nearer they may and must be one to another particularly upon the little Horn in my Chronography of the little time Dan. 7. I did trace the Truth with the same foot and faith and first travers d the trajections and enervate the objections of them that would have it Mahomet Caesar the fourth Monarchy or Antichrist by strenuous Arguments ab ortu tempore modo fine Ratione equilibrio from the Rise of it so long after the Hydra-headed fourth Beast from the time of it as the last limb of this fourth Beast and that a loco too it being but in one dominion though consisting and in the place of three Horns Provinces saith Calvin upon the place and gives this reason for it quia Romani miâ—tere solebant in singulas Provincias quasi Reges because the Roman Empiredom was wont to send men like Kings but not Kings into their Provinces and so they did Constans hither into England for one Province when they conquered it From his manner of coming up to and continuing in it â—sque ad consummationem iâ—ae till the judgement sit and saith Calvin upon the Analytical Cha. 11. 21. he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries or Beshulovah in a quiet way that is applying it to Antiochus Epipha saith he obtendet fallaciâ—er Nomen Tutoris he fallaciously assume or draw over to himself the name of a Protector or Preserver so saith Mayo on Nehemiah he did at the first take the Title of Protector and afterward of King and he must speak great swolling words Sesquipedalia or decempâ—dâ—liâ— verba against the most High or for the most High as our friend here observes only with this further note â—at it is Letzad which is properly in breath whereby he will seem large to take in all that is for God and Christ and not to limit but it is Letzelang not Tzad which signifies in length or far enough So that for all that he shall speak large for God yet he shall fall short in doing what he saith And it further is proved from the end
of these things to forsake the the Churches for Heathens Schools the Bride for the Whore the Whore harnessed too in her old filthy adulterous robes too the very same Popish Statutes up and unrepealed at thiâ— day that were in Q Maries dayes and in the thick of Popery however they refine them a little outwardly yet the same idola ocuâ—orum or feminine Idols and Trumperies Hoods Caps Robes Rings Holy-dayes Musicks Commencements and Divinity-Acts are yet uâ— Conradus Pellican upon his death-bed desired he might not be buried a Doctor for he said he must rise a Disciple and poor Creature O Peter Peter Peter sayes Mr. Tyndal thou wast too long a Fisher-man then if this be lawful for thou wert never brought up at the Arches nor wert thou ever master of the Rolls Chancellor of England nor Vice-Chancellor of Oxford c. 4. For that ye are though untruly called the Schools of the Prophets whereas in truth ye are the Schools of the profane Atheists and Heathens infusing Heathenish principles by heathenish Authors into proud bold fantastical graceless youths and for this reason have the Saints all along ingaged against them Wiâ—kliffe Huss Luther Zuinglius Tyndal and a 100 more yea the Brownists at large to King Iames petition'd that they might no longer continue Heathen but Christian Schools and instead of Aristotle and Plato they might study the Scriptures Prophets and Apostles for those that so do will receive the Truth gladly which we communicate as 1 Thes 1. 6. in much affliction 5. Besides you are accounted the Fountain and Nursery of the Ministry that is not of the Church but Secular Clergy not of Christ's but Aristotle's and the States Ministry that buy what they sell and then sell what they so have bought as Simon Magus be they ever such stories trash Anti-christian Errors or dreams of Predicaments Universals second Intentions Quiddities Hecsiâ—ies and Correlatives c. and what not to amuse the Countryignoramus's Now for as much as all these with a 1000. more appertain to the Beast and false Prophet it is time to warn them that are of them to get from amongst them as fast as they can for the time is neer when this Beast and his whole Body whereof you are a Part must be given to the Burning Flame Dan. 7. 11. 3. To the Cities and Corporations that do yet stand by the Beast's Charter it is the Time of the End too and particularly this where every man is as we say Faber suae fortunae seeking himself and hammering out his own honour but not at God's Anvil buying selling building planting c. as in the dayes of Noah but doth not regard the Day of the Lord O London London thou City and Seat of the second Beast next to Rome mayst thou look for the Wrath upon thee for thy bowing down unto the Beast persecuting the Saints and height of all manner of Sins sound in thee at this day Dost thou think that Latimers Ridleys Hoopers and the Martyrs blood wilt not be called for yea wer 't not thou as Gideons Fleece dry when the floor round thee for many years was wet with the blood of the late Wars and shalt not thou be wet when the floor is dry besides retentio excâ—emenâ—orum est parensâ— morborum thou retainest what will ruine thee and standest upon those Popish Charters and Injurctions that must be rent up by the very Roots nor will the dead Saints the Patrons of your Companies be able to protect you from that Day when the living Saints or judgement begins to sit 4. To such as are in Doubts and Suspence or Darkness either for want of light or through too much light upon weak Orgaâ—s which occasions too much wavering unstedfastness mistakes and dissimulations at this day were Paul alive that reproved his brother Peter so openly Gal. 2. what a terrible thundering Oracle would he be at this Day then which will burn up double-dealing and deceit like an Oven and nothing but true faith in the simplicity of the Gospel will abide by it Surely Pauls care would be to put every man upon the proof of 's own work and spirit that he might have a rejoicing in himself and not in another Gal. 6. 4. knowing the subtlety of the Serpent in this last Apostacy is to set up Truth against Truth grace against grace ordinances against ordinances Saints against Saints Spirit against Spirit and not â—o prophane against Professors to fight rend shake tear distract and divide them with that are to break his head and to catch his kingdom Wherefore see to your standing that it be not upon Bogs or quagmires or with staggering 5. To such as are impatient hoâ— and rash tarry till the Time of the End it will be soon enough and get your spirits well prepared seaâ—oned and sweetened with Gâ—â—ce for it will be bitter enough a â—oâ—e sliding will break thy â—oâ—e though a back-sliding would break thy neck and if thou â—â—â—â—â—st to the Kingdom-work before the Time and Season thou will be drawn out or if thou gâ—est out with a wilde field spirit or common anointing and not with the â—arden flowry spirit or double anointing of the Kingdom which is the blessing of the First-born thou art more capable of being out down with the grass then oâ— cutting down the grass though all flesh be grass Ilay 40. as a field-flower rising up in its own single wilde natural spirit It is another straâ—agem of Sathan to deposite too the like for the thing and so to cheat thee with a counterfeit compounding an anointing like to Gods anointing a persume like to his persume which is death by the Law Exod. 30. 33. or else to put that upon the Stranger which belongs to none but the Lord v. 38. or else to take the Lord's persume to smell upon or to please their own senses and desires with and so to raise up their own spirit which then is hard to get down again or not to call the Spirit of the Lord and with that Christian name to run out into disoorders and without rule or else to conclude us in unbelief as to implicite commands under presence of a perâ—mâ—oâ—y obedience to explicite and like Nadab and Abilâ—â— fall in the fire of our own kindling or else instead of the Angels Reed would measure and model us by another Rule and not with the Kings Cubit which was three singers longer then the common nor weighed with the Sanctuary shekels whereon at first was stamped the print of the Lamb which were twice as much as the common But as Noab's Aâ—k was built with the largest Cubit So is this Work to be that will now go forward Lastly if it be the end then woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the Earth for the time of the third woe is within reach woe to the Lawyers Souldiers Citizens Merchants Messengers Goalers and all that are involved with the Beast at this day from Court to Country from
their Protector to the Beggar Rev. 14 10. woe unto you rich who have laid up treasures for the last days for you have your consolation Jam. 5. 1. yea woe unto you Souldier that fightest under the Beasts Banner because the want of a good conscience will eat out thy valouâ— Jer. 50. â—3 woe unto you that seek great things for your selves Jer. 45. and make not God the Patron of your preferment you might as in the Jewish fields have pluckt and eat what you would but not have pocketted up as ye have done the Kings Deans and Chapâ—eâ—s lands or the accursed thing c. yea woe to you that have deceived others for that ye shall find by your long dissembling ye have most deceived your selves at last Isai 33. 1. and not to you that have been both the Archer and Maâ—k in all your actions shooting at your own Praise and Profit because an Arrow shall come from the Kings hands Psal 45. which must shoot you thorow the very heart Isai 1. 31. Woe woe to you Lyers Dissemblers and False witnesses who believe your own lyes to be true whiles ye turn the truth into a lye for the time will come when few will believe you though you speak true seeing you have set your wits to work on tenter-hooks for artificial Evasions from natural Obligations besides Army-declarations and God will frustrate the tokens of the lyars Isai 44. 45. yea woe to those Foxes who with fire brands at their â—ayles have set us into a flame for they shall burn up themselves in their own mischief and he that teacheth lyes is the tayl saith the Prophet Isai 9. 15. woe to them that are serving themselves oâ— the times for their own ends because yet a little while and they will see the Times to be served upon them for Gods ends And woe woe to the Statists who are now the Centre wherein all the lines of Intelligence meet from forrein parts because the time will come quickly wherein all the lines of most notable intelligence shall run from you and be reported of you into forrein parts woe to you Tyrants and Nimrods of the earth that do now rule over the Saints and make them to howl Isai 52. 5. because the time of the end doth come wherein you shall howl and the Saints shall rejoyce and rule over you Isai 14. 2. and there was written therein lamentation mourning and wo Ezekâ— to even so Amen Dan. 7. 18. but the Saints of the most High shall take Vikabbâ—lun undertakâ— the Kingdom JOHN ROGERS The time of the End Wherein is shewed that until the three years and half begin which are the last of the 1260 days Gods people will not understand the period of the Fourth Monarchy and the Beasts dominion But when that Time shall come they shall have before its expiration the certain knowledge of it by the appearing of a Little Horn the later Apostacie and a Beast The particular Characters of which little Horn Apostacie and Beast as the holy Ghost in Scripture sets them down are here opened and so left for the Wise to understand by application THe great Business of Christs Little Flock at this time is about the understanding of the Times to know what Israel ought to do when Daniel and John's Numbers shall end the Spoiler cease to spoil and the STONE begins to smite the Image Many of the Lords Worthies have spent their studie and much time in the search thereof And no marvel considering how necessary it is that the SET-TIME be understood before any Action can safely be undertaken by the Saints of the most High against Babylon Among others I who am one of the least of the flock according to the measure of grace given me have with a broken and humble spirit sought the Lord and searched diligently the Prophecies to finde out the end of these Wonders Now after much seeking and long waiting upon the great Revealer of Secrets what I finde upon my heart as given in I hope from God to be Truth I shall willingly make it known unto my brethren and companions in tribulation And because the way which I shall take hath not been I think observed before I shall therefore endeavour to express my minde and meditations of my heart the more plainly and will first lay down certain General Considerations to the end what I shall say afterward as more home and proper to the TIME may the better be understood CONSID. I. To understand the Times it is of great use that the Prophetical Numbers be distinguished and rightly applied that is to know what Numbers are proper to the Gentile-Christians and what to the Jews These Viz. Until a time times and the dividing of time Dan. 7. 25. So Chap. 12. 7. It shall be for a time times and half Again the fourty and two months Rev. 11. 2. and the one thousand two hundred and sixty days v. 3. and the Witnesses lying dead three days and an half v. 9. So again the 1260 days Rev. 12. 6. and the time and times and half a time V. 14. these Numbers I conceive concern the Gentiles as proper to their work and time But the two thousand and three hundred days Dan. 8. 14. and the one thousand two hundred and ninety days Dan. 12. 11. and one thousand three hundred thirty and five days vers 12. are to be understood of the Jews onely Again as these Numbers are to be distinguished so they must be kept apart For the Gentiles account and the Jews do not as I take it contemporize The Gentile-Saints will be upon their work how long I shall not say but before there will be any life or visible stirring amongst the dry bones This to me is evident by the order of the Vials if well considered five of the seven are to be poured out by the Christian Gentiles before the Jews awake under the sixth Vial. And as for these Vials or seven last plagues I humbly conceive though many good men are otherwise minded that none of them are yet poured our Besides I take it Moses words Deut. 32. 21. have this meaning that the Jews shall be provoked to rise and seek their own enlargement and liberty partly by the example of the Gentile-Saints when they shall see the Lords work prosper in their hands against the Western Beast and partly by the assistance and help which they shall have from the Gentiles many ways Isat 60. 9. CONSID. II. It will not be known when the fourty and two months and one thousand two hundred and sixty days shall end the Time of the Beasts reign and the womans abiding in the wilderness until the three years and half are come For howsoever these three years and half are to be reckoned in the number of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years yet must this last time begin yea I think well-nigh expire before the Wise will understand that the set and appointed Time is come This to
me seems very clear by the Angel's words to Daniel But thou O Daniel shut up the words and seal the book even unto the Time of the end Chap. 12. 4. Again Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end Chap. 12. 9. Three things are here observable 1. The opening and understanding of the Vision is referr'd to a certain and prefixt time and not to be reveal'd till then 2. In both places it is called The time of the End which methinks must needs be the three years and half for I know no other time but this that periods the number of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years 3. He faith not times but time intimating howsoever the whole account should have several times or periods in respect of the divers actions of the Beast Civil and Ecclesiastical and the various changes and condition of the Witnesses and Woman all the time of his Tyranny yet the unsealing of the Book should not be till the last time of all the several periods So Habak 2. 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time at the end it shall speak and not lye What can we understand by the end and the appointed time but as Daniel hath it the time of the end that is the three years and half then is the vision to speak and not before So Rev. 1. 3. For the time is at hand And Chap. 22. 10. Seal not up the sayings of the prophecie of this book for the time is at hand For my part I cannot conceive what time may be taken as distinct from other times and proper to the places if not the three years and half But that in Daniel seems yet to be more full It shall be for a time times and an half Chap. 12. 7. What shall be for a time times and an half till the end of these wonders that is before they shall be opened As if he should say So far forth as the Christian Gentiles are concerued in these wonders the manifestation of them is reserved till the three years and half and then the wise shall understand Here observe 1. It should be no cause of stumbling unto any person that many good men have miss'd of the time in their accounts seeing in their time the words were closed up and sealed 2. The cause of their mistake was not as some think of an impossibility as if the time of the end were not to be known but because the appointed time or end was not then come in which the vision was to speak 3. Such as are now enquiring into the numbers of Daniel and John to know when the Beasts dominion shall end ought to minde whether they are come to the time of the end in which and not before that great Mystery is to be known CONSID. III. The way which some good men have taken to finde out the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years viz. by beginning at the head of the account is not in my opinion the best nor surest For here we must credit and depend on humane Histories and Records of Nations things so uncertain and disagreeing among themselves as nothing but conjectures and ghesses can be concluded and gathered from them And hence it is that many have been misled concerning the times whereby others have taken advantage to condemn all which search the times and the Prophetical Numbers of the Scripture as medling with things too high and secret If any should ask Why are these Numbers mentioned as fourty and two months and one thousand two hundred and sixty days I answer The Lord would have it known how long the Beast should reign and the woman continue in the wilderness that his people might wait with the more faith and patience till their enlargement came Not that when the time of the end should come he would carry them back to enquire what was done some thousands of years before or search uncertain Stories for the rise of the Beast I take it he hath a neerer and better way to lead them in more free from doubts and mistakes then the other and easier to be found out and known by babes and sucklings The way-faring men though fools shall not erre therein Isa 35. 8. CONSID. IV. So for the Signes of the times which are much spoken of and matter of singular joy amongst Saints everywhere These shew us without doubt that the kingdom of God is nigh and that the great work of the Lord is approaching upon us but as to the set time they come not home And therefore we must have more light then these to order our motions by For example be it granted that the Lord hath a people enquiring after the Numbers in Daniel and John much enlightned in the work of their generation take pleasure in Zion's stones and favour her dust are a willing people and a praying people and such as have their hearts raised up against Babylon to take vengeance on her I say grant all this as blessed be Jehovah it is all true and more too yet it will not follow that the one thousand two hundred and sixty years the time of Antichrists tyranny and the Womans persecution must therefore end this year or the next I confess these are blessed Signes and tidings of great joy and do evidently declare like the tender branches and leaves of the fig-tree that Summer is nigh that the Lord will arise and have mercy upon Zion and that the breaking work of the Stone is not far off But yet they do not tell us how nigh the time is this must be known some other way When the Dove brought to Noah in her mouth an Olive-leaf he knew that the waters were abated from off the earth yet he went not forth of the Ark till the Lord did call him Gen 8. 11 15. Indeed these signes like the olive-leaf do plainly demonstrate that the Antichristian deluge which hath so long covered the face of the earth is towards an end nevertheless we must abide where we are till we hear that great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels Go your ways and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Rev. 16. 1. CONSID. V. So again howsoever Providence is to be observed and followed when people are called forth to their work yet we must take heed that we make noâ— Providence alone our call Moses Gedeon David and others improved providences but it was after they were confirmed that the time was come wherein they were to serve their generation so and so and in such cases we are still to follow Providence When we know the fourty and two months are expired and so the time come in which the Lord God of heaven and earth will set up his kingdom take away the dominion of the little Horn and execute vengeance upon Babylon Here we must in the prosecution of the judgement written eye and follow the leadings
of God in his providential dispensations It hath been the practice of worldly powers to justifie their unrighteous Wars and Murthers by crying up Providence As if their Victories and Conquests must needs be lawful because of the Oportunities and advantages which they had though yet no otherwise then what Thieves and Highway-robbers may pretend to Saul fell twice into David's hands might not this be thought a Providence as leading him to take the kingdom but there was something more in David's eye as he waited for the kingdom namely the Appointed time CONSID. VI. Therefore neer or about the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years that is to say in the last three years and an half of that Number certain most remarkable and wonderful things will come to pass for there shall appear then a Little Horn of which Daniel speaks Chap. 7. the later Apostacie foretold by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 c. and a Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit who shall slay the Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. These things shall be so obvious and plain not onely in respect of the certain time when they did rise but so exactly agreeing in all things with the Scriptures as hereby the wise shall understand that now The Time of the End is come Concerning this notable Time I finde many Writers both ancient and modern to mention it although not agreeing in their Application Some think these three years and an half shall be immediately before the ultimate or last Judgement Others a little before Christ s personal coming to reign on earth Others think of which opinion I am that these three years and an half in which will be the Little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast shall be a long time before the Judgement of the great day yea and many years before Christ's personal appearing But howsoever in application they differ yet in these two great points they agree 1. That these three years and an half do period the forty and two months and one thousand two hundred and sixty days and that there shall be in this Time a Little Horn a great Apostacie and a Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit 2. Immediately after these three years and half there will be a visible and universal change of things thorow the whole world For the little Horn shall be destroyed Babylon fall all earthly powers broken to pieces and the Saints of the most High raised up to a most glorious and blessed estate Neither is it to be thought strange that this hath been the opinion of some men in all ages since the Primitive time even hitherto for if the Prophecies be read with heed and observation so much in my understanding lies open and very clear in them But of this more hereafter CONSID. VII Now for the characters of the little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast this must be heeded Look as the Scriptures set them down so they must have all their full and due accomplishment yea more these Characters at least most of them cannot be applied to any persons or things without force to the Text but onely to THAT little Horn THAT Apostacie and THAT Beast which are to be in the three years and an half Hence I may say though with much tenderness some have very much wrested the Prophecies in applying the Little Horn to this man and that man the Apostacie to be meant of such persons and the Beast to be understood so and so the which applications in many particulars have no ways parallel'd But there is no need of doing so for when the three years and half come there shall appear such a Little Horn Apostacie and Beast as all the Scripture-characters shall fall in altogether and every way with them CONSID. VIII Though we might finde out a littile Horn characterized according to Daniel but no Apostacie or suppose an Apostacie and a little Horn but no Beast slaying the Witnesses This could not be the three years and an half for I conceive all three must be at one time begin and end together Not minding this some have been mistaken in taking the little Horn single and apart from the Apostacie and Beast and would have him to be many hundred years before the two later were in the world Whereas to me the one shall not be before nor after the other but as I said before contemporize Of this likewise I shall speak more when I come to the particulars CONSID. IX But the great Question is Seeing the period of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days shall be as I think in this way and manner made known viz. by a little Horn an Apostacie and Beast appearing in the last three years and half By whom and how will the Lord do it This methinks is shewed in Daniel chap. 12. 5 6 7 c. Two are said to stand by the river the one on this side of the bank and the other on that side of the river These two I take to be Types the one of the Gentile-Churches the other of the Jews to whom Jesus Christ the Man clothed in linen which was upon the waters of the river being ask'd of both for the word one is not in the text How long shall it be to the end of these wonders the Gentile-type is answered first vers 7. It shall be for a time times and an half and so referr'd to the three years and an half as if he should say What concerns you Gentiles as to the understanding of the Visions and Prophecies of this book the words are sealed up for a time times and an half and when that time shall come namely the last three years and an half of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years I will put of my Spirit into some of my servants represented here by one of the two standing on the bank of the river whereby they shall open this great mystery to the Churches of the Saints among the Gentiles Fulfilling herein what is said in the Prophet Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets Amos 3. 7. As for the other carrying the type of the Jews he hath his answer vers 11 12. Again I conceive the Gentile-type in Daniel is the same with Rev. 18. 1. that angel which cometh down from heaven having great power and the earth was enlightned with his glory If the order of things be duly observed enlightning goes before the work I say before smiâ—ing the Image and rendering vengeance upon Babylon It is true the followers of the Lamb are bid to reward her as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double c. vers 6. yet so as to be enlightned first the which enlightning must needs be understood part at least of the set and appointed time when to begin to reward her That none of the seven last plagues are yet poured out I have given some Reasons publikely Now whereas unto John
is shewed in the wilderness the judgement of the great whore by one of the ange's which had the seven vials Rev. 17. 1 3. this may be gathered That neer or about the time of the womans coming out of the wilderness John carrying the type of the Church in that present state the destruction of Babylon as to the set time shall be made known unto some of the Lords faithful servants by whom others shall have it revealed to them and whom he will employ to pour out vials of wrath upon the kingdom of the Beast CONSID. X. The time being known when the three years and half shall end that which follows next and immediately upon the expiration of the foresaid time will be to do what the Lord commands his sanctisied ones Liâ—t ye a banner upon the high mountains exalt the voice unto them shake the hand that ye may go into the gates of the nobles Isa 13. 2. So Jer. 50. 2. Declare ye among the nations and publish and set up a standard publish and conceal not that Babylon is taken The publishing of this war against Babylon will be I conceive by the angels Rev. 14. 6 8 9. and that voice from heaven Rev. 18. 4. These shall gather the Saints together Psal 50. 5. the hundred fourty and four thousand Rev. 14. 1. the called chosen and faithful Rev. 17. 4. at their rendevouz to the Lamb on mount Sion where the Lord of hosts will muster the host of the battel Isai 13. 4. So that the Lords people shall not go forth in haste nor conceal their work or do things covertly but come out in the light and boldly as Israel did out of Egypt They shall have Gods presence so visibly and powerfully with them that the enemies through a dreadful fear shall not know what to do for their own safety nor how to oppose the work of God in the hands of his mighty ones As it is said of Barak Gideon Samson c. that the Spirit of the Lord came upon them and in that Spirit they went forth conquering and to conquer so now the time being come and known the like Spirit will be in the Lambs followers a faith to which all things are possible And in this Spirit and faith I believe those who are now waiting for to see that day of the Son of man shall rise up in the places where they are and joyn together against Babylon and all her helpers Hence the present worldly powers may take notice how plainly that Scripture is fulfilled upon them THEY IMAGINE A VAIN THING Psal 2. 1. Ah poor wretches ye do so indeed in taking counsel against the fifth kingdom For 1. These men which are for that Kingdom will not stir till the set time be come and known Then 2. They will publikely proclaim war against Babylon and say The day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompences for the controversie of Zion is come 3. As it is the Lords cause and work so they are sure whosoever resisteth shall be broken to pieces and become as the chaff of the Summer-threshing-floor Did not the first Monarchy fall before the second so that before the third so again the third before the fourth when their times ended and must not this fourth fall likewise before the fifth in the appointed time The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this But it seems they have no Gamaliel now in their Councels I say unto you Refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Acts. 5. 38 39. CONSID. XI Though I shall here but speak over what hath been hinted before yet because the Consideration is weighty and much to our purpose I will adde a little Howsoever it be true as I am perswaded that the Visions and Prophecies of the Scriptures concerning the period of the Beasts dominion will not certainly be known till the three years and half begin and probably the greater part expir'd As Daniel knew not the deliverance of Gods people to be so nigh till the very year or less in which they were delivered see Dan. 9. 1 2. with Ezra 6. 1. nevertheless when this time comes before it expires the knowledge of it shall be given in to some as they are seeking the Lord by fasting and prayer and searching the Prophecies 2 Chron. 20 13 14. This appears First by Dan. 12. 10. The wise shall understand If the series and scope of the place be noted two great Truths are there set down 1. The holy Ghost speaks not of understanding in a large sense but restrains it to a special and proper understanding that is they shall know the end of these wonders vers 6. As Noah knew the time when the sloud would come before it came of which the world was ignorant so the end of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days before it is finished shall be revealed to the wise but none of the wicked shall understand 2. The wise shall not understand this till the time of the end so much likewise is held forth in the place The three years and half must begin and to know that such a time is come there will be a little Horn an Apostacie and Beast whereby the wise shall have such understanding 2. That the time will be known before the fourty and two months expire I think so much is manifest by comparing Dan. 12. 9. with Rev. 10. 6. The first tells us that the words are to be opened at the time of the end now this must be before the fourty and two months are expired for the other tells us After that there shall be time no longer Besides if the two texts be observed they belong to one matter time The one saith the opening of the Mystery of God is left to the three years and half the other that it shall be opened before that time goes out 3. I finde that one of the four living creatures gives unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God Rev. 15. 7. but these angels are not bid by him to pour them out that is done afterwards by a voice out of the temple Rev. 16. 1. The giving of the vials I conceive is the opening of the mystery of them as to the time when and the work how to be done so to prepare the angels for the execution of the wrath and all this before the end But their call to it seems to be after the fourty and two months are expired He hath shewed his people the power of his works that he may give them the heritage of the heathen Psal 111. 6. CONSID. XII Seeing according to the determinate purpose and counsel of God to the little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast three years and an half are allowed this I would gather
as my own apprehension That the Lord of hosts will not make his worm Jacob a new sharp threshing-instrument having teeth nor Israel his battle-ax and weapons of war with which he will thresh the mountains and break in pieces Nations destroy Kingdoms c. until the foresaid time that is the three years and half are accomplished The saws came not forth from Babylon by the Proclamation of Cyrus till the seventy years were fulfilled Neither were their fathers before them â— brought ouâ— of Egypt till the whole time was run out which the Lord had fore-appointed for their sojourning there And it came to pass saith the text at the end of the four hundred and thirty years EVEN THE SAME DAY it came to pass that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt Exod. 12. 41. So now in the spirit of meekness be it spoken it is not the Lord's minde I verily think that the Stone should be smiting the Image or the little Horn to take away his dominion and to consume and destroy it until the times time and dividing of time be out which by divine counsel they are to have Now whereas some may object that saying of Christ For the elects sake these days shall be shortned Matth. 24. 22. Mar. 13. 19 20. as if this might be gathered from it That the set time mentioned in Scripture viz. the fourty and two months and the three years and half may be shortned and so Gods people go forth before it be expired I answer There is I conceive a great mistake in the understanding of that place For Christ speaks not of any shortning of the set and fixed time allowed the little Horn or Babylon or the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth or their lying slain but the meaning is There would be such calamities and miseries in the world that unless the Lord should shorten the time no flesh could be saved But of what time speaks he not of the fixed time that is he means not the one thousand two hundred and sixty days or fourty and two months or the three days and half but speaks of Time largely as if he should say If the Lord should permit these calamities to continue many thousand generations there would be a consumption and end of all mankinde but for the love he bears to his chosen he hath shortned the time that is in his holy counsel determined the woman in the wilderness and the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth shall not exceed such a time So the little Horn the Beast and Babylon c. So that by shortning the time he means not any set time of years mentioned in Scripture but shortned that is it shall not exceed the years so and so appointed CONSID. XIII But that I may not be mistaken in some things I said before as first Beginning at the head of the account thus I would be understood Howsoever I think it is very uncertain to know exactly the period of the Beasts dominion beginning at the head of the account neither doth the Spirit of God intend to lead his people in such a way viz. through the confusion and contradiction of humane Histories to finde out CERTAINLY the time of the end but in the way here mentioned Notwithstanding if it come to pass that some good men by their labours and studie beginning at the head do period their account with our three years and half or miss not much the blessed truth by this is the more confirmed and the Lords good hand and wonderful providence greatly seen in it Again heretofore both others and my self too have sought to finde out the end of the Numbers by searching the rise of the Beast because then we understood no other way and in that respect following the light we had the Lord no doubt was well pleased with our upright endeavours yea and gave a blessing to it witness the fruit and advantage which many precious souls in this Nation have had thereby So that I am so far from seeking to have the blessed memory of our former Worthies any way darkned as I profess in the fear of God I judge my self to come short of many of them and if any thing delivered by me be clearer in respect of the time it is because THE TIME OF THE END is now neerer then when they wrote So for the Signes of the Times I am for them rightly improv'd as much as any man When these things begin to come to pass then look up saith Christ and list up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21. 28. Indeed these Signes by Saints in all places ought much to be minded Christ blamed the Jews for their neglect of this thing Matth. 16. 3. And I must confess from the Signes of the times I have had much light and encouragement in this present Undertaking Onely my opinion is To know when the set-time is come for the Stone to begin to smite and the last plagues to be poured out we have no Scripture-light to be guided by but the three years and aâ— half And when this time is come it will be as easie to know the beginning and ending of it as to discern the Little Horn the later Apostacie and Beast CONSID. XIV To conclude with an humble and brotherly word â—o all in all places who are for the Kingdom-work and desire to follow the Truth in love and light I have no designe O ye precious ones to weaken your hearts or hands in the work of your Generation and your appearing for your KING and mine but rather to strengthen and encourage you in whatsoever is from him and for him These CONSIDER ATIONS I shall leave with you as a Manuduction to the other Part. All which gathered together speak thus 1. It seems to me as grounded on Scripture until the three years and half begin and are well-nigh expir'd which are the last of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years Gods people will not understand the period of the Time Neither 〈◊〉 may we say that such a time is come unless we see the Little Horn in Daniel the Apostacie foretold of Paul and the Beast slaying the Witnesses all these must appear together with all the Characters specified in the places and contemporize 3. When such a time is come Saints shall certainly know it before it doth expire 4. By all the search and enquiry I have made I do not see any way but this to finde out the time of the End if we take the Word of God for our light and guide 5. Until these three years and half are finished the rod of the Lords strength will not go out of Zion So that to begin war against Babylon or any of the Powers of this world upon the account of the fifth kingdom is not I humbly conceive to follow the Lamb but to go before him I say if the aforesaid three years and an half be not come and ended Lastly seeing we are not
sent back to search the erring Histories of old times and to enquire what was done many hundred years ago it doth therefore behove all such who are running to and fro that knowledge may encrease to STUDIE THE PRESENT TIME whether the things which must be in the last three years and half are already come or not THE CHARACTERS OF THE Last Apostacie OPENED I Know already what the understanding Reader doth expect from me If the three years and an half are begun that I shew him the Little Horn the Later Apostacie and the Beast ascending out of the bottomless pit with all their Characters set down in sacred Scriptures If I do not this and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it let not my Writing be received For I desire no mans belief any further then he see every thing well and fairly proved Now because from the Apostacie as the bottomless pit the Beast ascendeth who with his Horn slays the Witnesses I shall therefore begin with the Apostacie first And here we have two Questions 1. Why the Apostacie in 2 Tim. 3. must be in the last three years and an half 2. How it appears that the present Apostacie of our time is that Apostacie of which Paul speaks should be in the Last day This know also The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise or besides carries the matter back to the former Epistle chap. 4. 1 2 3. and his meaning being opened it is as he should say In thy person I speak to all Saints of future ages and would have them forewarned of two great Apostacies which shall arise in the Christian Church before the time of the end And these distinguished 1. By their Times The former shall be in the later times that is when he that letteth is taken out of the way then shall the wicked be revealed 2 Thess 2. 7 8 meaning the Great Whore or kingdom of the Beast the other will be in the last days neer or about the period of the Beasts dominion 2. The former Apostacie shall be in Doctrine Some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lyes in hypocrisie forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats The later will be in manners and conversation Men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous proud c. Again that by the last days the three years and half are meant I prove it thus The Word of God doth not onely distinguish between Time and Time as there is a set time to every purpose under the sun Eccles 3. 1. but likewise shews that all Prophecies have their due accomplishments in their fixt appointments Thus there was a time for the Dragon to reign in the Romane Heathen Emperours and that Time must be expired before the first Apostacie or Antichristian kingdom could arise 2 Thess 2. 3 7 8. So there is a time for the two Witnesses to prophesie in sackcloth which time must be finished before they are slain in their Testimony Again being killed in their witness they must lie three days and an half unburied which is another distinct time For Application This later Apostacie cannot be carried up to the persecution of the Saints under the Heathen Romane Emperours I think no man holds it so Nor can it be referred to the time of the Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth for then the last days were not come for there was a time after that Neither can it be understood of a time after the sackcloth Witnesses are risen for then there shall be time no longer Rev. 10. 6. to wit either for the first or second Apostacie but both are to be destroyed and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 12 13 15. Therefore I take it neither before nor after the later Apostacie must necessarily contemporize with the last three years and half So that three years and an half is the whole time of the later Apostacie answerable to the time of the slain Witnesses But the other is the great Point How it can be proved that the Apostacie of this age is that Apostacie of which Paul speaks 2 Tim. 3 1 2. The matter being weighty I shall speak the more to it yet with bowels and tenderness sighing for the abominations that are done in the midst of us and mourning for them as the Prophets did for backsliding Israel and Judah First it appears by the Scriptures that the two great Apostacies shall in many things be like each other the former being a Type of the later Concerning the first Apostacie 1. It had its rise in the true Christian Church and among the professors of the Gospel Hence it is called a departure from the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. and a falling away 2 Thess 2. 3. And of this Apostacy I think Paul speaks For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things c. Acts 20. 29 30. Secondly as the first Apostacie had its rise in the Church of Christ so the cause of it was for that men were lovers of their own selves covetous proud c. Through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you 2 Pet. 2. 3. 2 Thess 2. 4. Thirdly this Apostacie being made through self-love covetousness pride c. there was one appointed to be Head or King over it Rev. 9. 11. called That man of sin 2 Thess 2. 3. The lawless one vers 8. The angel of the bottomless pit Rev. 9 11. and typically the Little Horn in Dan. 7. To this King or Head of the first Apostacie it was given to change times and laws as Having all power in his hands and being above all and to be obeyed by all For he is dominus omnium temporaliu◠solus verus Dominus The true and onely Lord of all Temporal things Non potest subjicere se Concilio generali He cannot subject himself to a general Councel Legi non subjicet ulli judicium est pro lege He is subject to no law and his judgement is in stead of law He hath all manner of law and right in scrinio pectoris sui in the closet of his own brest In its quae vult est ei pro ratione voluntas In those things which he will his Will is unto him for Reason His power is absolute and extendeth as far as himself listeth He may do all things suprajus contra jus extrajus Above Law against Law and without Law Facit quicquid libet imo illicita What he pleaseth he may do yea although unlawful Besides as for the Head of the first Apostacie he must not say they be judged by any man for any crime either of murther or tyranny but rather be excused l Si Papa erraret
Officers of true Churches have so fallen in with the world have gotten such riches houses lands moneys have liv'd in such pleasure plenty riot pomp and state I cannot finde that the like hath been before and I hope after this time it will be so no more And indeed I should have thought this thing which is now come to pass very strange had not this Apostacie been foretold that in the last days there should be in the Churches of the Saints and amongst the Ministers Men Lovers of their own selves covetous proud c. 4. If the present Apostacie be that of which Paul speaks the time under it will be perillous hard difficult The Dutch translates Schwertzeiten heavie grievous or troublesome because saith their noâ—e The time will be full of grief and hard for the Godly perillous saith Diodate in regard of the spiritual state of the Church The Reasons why the time will be so hard and heavy under the later Apostacie may be these 1. Because out of this Apostacie as the bottomless pit a beast shall arise headed with a little horn by whom the witnesses shall be slain 2. It will be a hard and heavy time because the Rights Liberties and Freedoms of the people shall be taken from them an Arbitrary Power set up illegal Taxes impos'd and onely force and violence bear sway 3. The prudent now must either keep silence or extremely suffer And so a heavy time 4. Such snares and temptations will be laid as many good men shall be corrupted and drawn aside from their former righteous principles and from faith and a good conscience to pernitious ways Lastly so heavy a time will it be that men shall be at their wits end not knowing what to do nor what course to take for their own safety nor how to keep a good conscience without suffring by this Apostacie For it will be as much as a mans life to appear for the just liberties of the people and to hold forth a publike testimony for the visible and glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ Hence the Aethiopick translator renders it the bad year because Religion and the holy Name of God would suffer more dishonor and reproach at this time then in any age before by reason of the base revolting of eminent and forward professors every where To prove these Reasons that is my part the which if God permit I shall do when I come to open the sins and characters of the little Horn Then I will shew that for these Considerations it will be a perilous time under the later Apostacie The Application that is the Readers part The which of the two I conceive is the least and easiest But fifthly and to come neerer yet to the matter The question is Whether the particular sins set down in 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 c. may be found among the Apostates of this age directly and fully and not appliable since the first Apostacie to any men till now If it be not so without forcing the Text what I have said in the Considerations I shall abide by it viz. This Apostacie is not that which the Spirit of God intends in 2 Tim. 3. but some other is yet to come Now to name the sins and open the wotds with a little Application will be enough for my part Lovers of their own selves The Apostle begins at the Spring-head Self-love as the bitter root brings forth this unblessed weed called THE STATE-APOSTACIE OF THE LAST TIMES Neither indeed can it be otherwise for if men begin to love themselves they will soon be covetous proud boasters c. And what thinkest thou Reader when men shall love themselves more then their oaths vows covenants c. more then truth and righteousness more then the laws liberties and rights of the people more then faith and a good conscience say more then heaven and their own souls yea and more then God and his Christ Whether such may not be thought to be the Self-lovers intended by the holy Ghost who should make the later Apostacie Covetous The word signifies not onely lovers of silver and money but of other things As Lands Houses Castles Parks Courts Titles great Offices and Places c. Besides the word signifies an immoderate desire and appetite to have the possession of such things Hence the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendred studium pecuniae the Study of money How this is made good in the present Apostacie their practice is proof enough neither do I mean to speak much of their doings seeing the same is so obvious and manifest to the world and by many published already For their coveteousness what it is from the head to the tail God sees it and men know it and what scandal and reproach they have brought to the truth by it they themselves will know one day But because the Reader may do his part the better which is Applicative I shall commend three things to him 1. That he take notice These here whom the Apostle saith shall be lovers of their own selves Covetuous Proud c. were men formerly seemingly at lest of other principles and practices for else it could not have been an Apostacie It cannot be forgotten what was laid to the charge oâ— the Bishops for their covetousness pride pomp following the court and what to the King and his party for their excess But now who more covetous of Money Lands Houses Castles Parks Courts Titles great Offices and Places c. then they who condemned these very sins in others see Rom. 2. 1 3. 2. It must be remembred If the Apostacie now be it of which Paul speaks all the sins in the Text must be applied to it for though we should see men to be covetous boasters proud c. yet if they have not the other vices that is if they are not truce breakers false accusers traitors c. it is not that Apostacie Lastly neither can it be the later Apostacie if any having the form of Godliness have formerly walked as these do after such lusts Boasters Crackers or Braggers vain-glorious-men which boast of that they have not Ulpianus Kickerm and others take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be such as arrogate and assume too much to themselves promise more then they can do and more then is truth The word seems to be taken from Quack salvers and Mountebanks who Crack of their great Skill and rare Cures being in the mean time ignorant of the true grounds and principles of Physick and Chyrurgery If it be the last Apostacie great things will be promised the Nation about Reformation of Church and State This shall be talk'd of a long time and in their Books published a ain and again But what will all come too Reader Look about thee and be hearkning if thou doest not hear poor creatures in bitterness make this complaint as having cause enough ye are Physitians of no value ye are Crackers indeed you have taken much
the Duke should be accounted by all men absolute Governour and all men dispenced withal not to hold or observe any Ordinance or Institution made by any others then by him and that all things should be referred to his discretion I would not be understood as if Duke d' Alva were meant in this Prophesie for I think otherwise 1. Because he was no Apostate that is did never vow and promise better things 2. He had no form of godliness Both which must be in the persons here foretold Fierce or unmild not tame wilde savage â— Inhumani seri beastiarum more saith Osiander Inhumane and wilde after the manner of Beasts So Junius Feri Bestiaruns more efferatos Arias Montan. The Dutch Cruel with whom it is perilous to converse The word properly is applied to the rage and cruelty of Beasts Hence some translate Bestiales Memorable is the thing which fell out lately at Abingdon The Souldiers were more wilde and savage then the Beasts they rid upon for the poor Beasts would not do the cruelty upon the Saints though spurd kickt and beaten to trample them under foot being at Prayer as their barbarous Riders would have had them do How will some stamp rage rail threaten and shake their Heads as if they would eat up God's people when they are brought before them But that which I take to be chiefly meant by the word is this Look as Beasts will hear no reason neither is there any stopping of them in their fierceness by speaking to them So to speak to these men meant here in the Text of Reason Law Justice Conscience Right it is to no purpose they are Feri wilde Beasts their Will and Lusts must be satisfied Again as some Beasts having gotten by force or fraud mastery over their Fellows rule them by no Law but their will such a Beast-like Government doth the Spirit of God here intend so that without doubt by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyrants are here meant Now according to Statists and Lawyers there are two sorts of Tyrants One absquetitulo qui Rempub. sibi non commissam sine ullo justo Titulo vel Successionis vel Electionis invadit aut vi aperta aut malis Artibus He is called a Tyrant without Title who invades the Commonwealth not committed to him without any lawful Title either of Succession or Election either by open fraud or wicked designs Others describe him thus Qui sine ullo jure aut iniquo minimè legitimo Titulo Principitatum invadit who without any right or the least lawful Title usurps the Principality The other is Tyrannus exercitio sive â—su id est qui legitimum quidem jus ad Principatum habet sed eum injuste contra Leges exercet A Tyrant by Practice or Exercise who though he have a lawful right to the Government yet administers the same unjustly and against Laws Of this later Tyrant Bartolus and others give Ten Notes Again touching the former Tyrant their judgement is thus Quia Tyrannus absquetitulo nullum habet Fundamentum sut Principatus sive Regiminis ideo eâ— tanquam privato licet sine ulla conscientiae difficultate resistere eumque pellere velâ— medio tollere Quin desensio est juris Naturae A Tyrant without Title having no Foundation of his Principality or Government may as a private man without scruple of Conscience lawfully be resisted and expelled and removed from his place The Reason is because it is the defence of natural right The Conclusion is When the Later Apostacie shall be in the World or rather in the Church Tyrants shall then reign it is not said which of the Two but one of them will be Neither have we ground to think that such an Apostacie is already come unless so much doth appear There may be yet something more in the word Out of this Apostacie as the Bottomless Pit ascendeth the Beast that slayes the Witnesses Now observe it Reader it is a Beast that kills the Witnesses and what are the Later Apostates said to be Feri wilde Beasts Despisers of those that are good or not lovers of good men nor good things for the word takes in both minimè amantes bonorum Beza Negligentes bonorum Pagn If good men are not lov'd it is for the good things which they hold and practice Two ways men are said to be good men either as they stand for the good of their Country against Tyranny and Oppression and for the Liberties Freedom Priviledges and just power of the people Or standing up for the Truths of the Gospel and the Interest and Cause of Christ Now the Later Apostates shall appear against Good Men both these wayes And if this be not so now it is not the Apostacy in Timothy Traytors A name given to Judas Luk. 6. 16. and to the Murtherers of Christ Act. 7. 52. So that there are two sorts of Traytors 1 Spiritual or Gospel-Traytors 2. Civil or Law-Traytors Whether the Present Back-sliders are meant here I shall onely shew what they have said and leave the Reader to be Judge For the first thus they have said We have not onely proclaimed Jesus Christ King of Saints to be our King by profession but to admit him to the Exercise of his Royal Authority And upon this simple account we engaged not knowing the deep policy of Wordly States-men And those things simply were in our eyes namely THE DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST THE ADVANCEMENT OF CHRIST's KINGDOM THE DELIVERANCE AND REFORMATION OF HIS CHURCH IN THE BEST ESTABLISHMENT OF HIS ORDINANCES ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD and the just Civil Liberties of English-men Besides not onely would they have That the exaction of Tythes and all manner of Impropriations removed but all corrupt forms of an outside-Religion and Church-Government Now with this compare their PRACTICE since whether the good things they declared for and the evil things they witnessed against they have not onely declined and most unworthily betrayed as the destruction of Antichrist and the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ but have do most cruelly hate persecute by banishment and imprisonment many of the Lord's people Because they do desire and for no other cause to have such things made good as they themselves pretended sometimes to be zealous and earnest for but now have betrayed into the enemies handâ— if this be not true the Holy Ghost intends them not neither do I. For Civil or Law-Treason besides what was said before in the Case of the King Strafford and the Judges about Ship-money I finde four Acts of Parliament not yet as I know of repeal'd which say thus Be it Enacted and Ordained That whosoever shall declare publish or any way promote any Person to be King or Chief Magistrate of England or Ireland c. without consent in Parliament shall be judged and deemed a TRAYTOR to the Commonwealth and shall suffer pains of death and such other punishments
c. yet do fast prey practice Church-Ordinances and pretend great zeal and conscience for the Interest of Christ and his people Again 3. How can this Later Apostacie be worse then that under Antichrist If understood of Quakers Ranters c. wherein are these men worse then the other it is true the Later Apostacie shall be worse then the Former in slaying the Witnesses The former destroyed good men but not their Testimony It killed the Body but not the Truth This Later shall kill the Truth but not the Body slay in most good men their Testimony and Witness for Christ but leave their persons unkilled True therefore as he saith Of the two State-Apostacies the last is the worse 4. That the Apostle should foretel the Later Apostacie to be heavy and perillous there is little ground to apply this to poor naked and inconsiderable persons Besides what have they done whom have they banished and imprisoned wherein have they been Traytors when did they change Laws and Times All which the Later Apostacy shall do and more too 5. Let the sins in the Text be viewed as I have open'd the words and compare them with Ranters Quakers c. it will appear they hold not parallel almost in any particular whereas the Text as I have said must not be wrested but such an Apostacie found out which agrees with the place altogether and in every thing 6. Seeing Ranters and Quakers err in Doctrine as holding dangerous opinions they come under the first Apostacie rather then the later Lastly If the evils which he mentioneth viz. when men forget all Rules of Law and Nature and break all bonds c. be essential characters of the later Apostacie I shall leave it to the Reader whether he cannot finde such things more visible certain somewhere else then among Ranters Quakers or Levellers Neither doth Paul alone speak of two Apostacies but Peter likewise and sets them down in the same manner the other doth the first of things viz. errors doctrines of devils 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. the later of persons namely corrupt and sinful walkers 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. knowing this first that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation It is worth the heeding how the Apostles begin their Prophesies alike This know also saith Paul that in the last dayes Knowing this first saith Peter that there shall come in the last days c. 1. They would have Saints upon whom the Time of the End is come to observe well the Symptomes and Characters of the Later Apostacie Fore-warn'd fore-arm'd to know when this Apostacy is come will be a special preservative against it and to shun it and not to be parcaker of other mens sins 2. They both pitch upon one Time In the last dayes that is the three yeers and half as I have shewed before and as it is one time so the persons here are one and the same Scoffers When Popery overspread this Nation besides Persecution of tongues and hands the Papists endeavour'd to refute the Protestants by Scriptures Fathers Councels Antiquity c. And so did the Prelates after them the Non-Conformists and Separatists when the power was in their hands But what do we hear now Truly little more then scoffs and jests so that he is no body if he have not a jeer a gird some taunt or other that in their Pulpits against the Fiâ—t Monarchy-men And this I take to be the reason why the Holy Ghost useth the word Scoffers to signifie that besides jesting and mocking at the Assertors of Christs visible and glorious Kingdom little will be done by the Adversaries as to the confutation of them The Truth whereof appears evident at this present Time Psal 124. 3 4. 2 King 19. 3. Walking after their own lusts What these lusts are was shew'd before the sins mentioned by Paul 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5. The phrase walking after them denotes how their affections will be wholly set upon these lusts and so guided and led by them that all their Counsels and Designs shall be for the upholding and maintaining of them Insomuch that not a Soldier in the Army not a Mariner in the Navy not a Minister or Magistrate in the Nation shall be allowed if they be known they are men disaffected to the lusts proper to the later Apostacie Where is the Promise of his coming Had not this been added we should not have known what kinde of Scoffers the Holy Ghost intended But the words do manifestly shew who are meant It cannot be understood of Christ's coming to judgement at the last day For who scoffs at that all generally believe it It being an Article of their Creed Questionless therefore it must be taken of Christs personal coming to reign on earth and of the throwing down of Babylon and all the corrupt powers of the World and the bringing in of the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness This indeed is mockt at both in Court and Country The Promise of his coming which these Apostates are said to scoff at are these and such-like Dan. 2. 44 45. 7. â—4 27. Psal 2. 6 7 8. 45. 72. Rev. 2. 26. 5. 10. 11. 15 17. 20. 4. Luke 19. 12. Zach. 14. 1 2 3 4 c. Hos 3. 5. Isa 53. 12. Act. 1. 11. Joh. 1. 51. Act. 3. 19 20 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 11. Joh. 18. 36. That the Apostle brings in these Scoffers by way of Question where is the promise of his coming He doth it to shew the occasion of their scoffing This great Truth of Christs visible Kingdom and personal Reigning in it being publickly held forth by many and some going so far as to fix the time when the Lord as they thought would begin to Roar out of Sion and to utter his voice from Jerusalem Now nothing by the unbelieving Adversary being seen in order to it O what scoffing and jeering is there now Where is the promise of his coming Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night Where is your Kingdom Where are your reigning Saints where is your 56 and 57 Ha ha say they ye are dreamers indeed For since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were That this later Apostacie may be the better known when it comes The Holy Ghost shews what will be the saying of the Scoffers at that time You talk say they of wonders what great changes there will be in the world what breaking-work and destroying Kingdoms and Powers Nothing but overturning overturning overturning and that strang things and unheard-of will shortly come to pass But this proceeds from the folly and vanity of your hearts meer delusion for there is nothing new under the Sun but what is
done now or shall be the like hath been before and so all things shall continue as they are till Jesus Christ come to judgement Hence it is That these Scoffers putting off the evil day and saying in their hearts Our Lord delayeth his coming will begin to smite their fellow-servants by banishing some and casting others into prison and to eat and drink with the drunken that is leaving their former more sober honest walking will fall into the works of darkness as rioting and drunkenness chambering and wantonness and so lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Hence it is like the men of the old world their mindes will be on nothing but their lusts as pomp pride honor riches great Titles and places c. Hence it is that in their Councels having interwoven their Interest with Babylon much studying there will be how to heal the Beasts deadly wound and what provision to make that this later State-Apostacie may continue to many generations But he that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh they Lord shall have them in derision Psal 2. 4. Mark it Reader they are laughers now and deriders but there 's a day coming and nigh at hand when the Lord also will laugh at their calamities and will mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. And the righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance Psa 58. 10. From such turn aside have no communion with them but flie from them Dutch Eorum conscuitudinem vitare jussit Theop. Desire not saith Baldvin their friendship and if they offer it to thee refuse it The words I take it have this meaning as if he should say You that shall live in the days of this later Apostacie and by the description here given of it do plainly see that such a perillous time is coâ—â— beware that ye withdraw your selves from it and be not one of them neither stand in any relation to them as they are Apostates either by holding any place or office under them neither acknowledge them any way whether by counsel person purse service c. But as Lot left Sodom Gods people are to come out of Babylon so must this Apostacie be left and departed from by all such as expect a hiding place in the day of the Lords wrath What Moses spake to the Congregation is the warning which the Spirit of God gives us here Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins Num. 16. 26 I have been the longer in opening the later Apostacy Because most of our work lies here for if this Apostacy be known I mean as to the Time of it that which concerns the little Horn and bottomless Beast will easily be understood Because where this Apostacie is there the others are for they do all as I said contemporize as I shall shew in their places He that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverâ—eth his ways shall be known Prov. 10. 9. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways Pro. 15. 14. The THE CHARACTERS OF THE Little Horn OPENED HAving ended the latter Apostacy I come now to the Little Horn. And here wee will consider three things 1 What this little Horn is 2 How it doth appear that the raign or rather Tyranny of the little Horn shall bee in the three years and half 3 Whether the present state-Apostacy be the little Horn In handling these particulars I intend to do no otherwise then I did before Explain the matter as I humbly conceive to bee the meaning of the Holy Spirit and leave the application to the judgement of the sober Reader Granting withall if hee finde not all things here set down exactly to agree with the State-Apostacy of our time and never till now fulfilled with so much clearnesse and certainty wee are not yet come to the time and reign of the little Horn. For the first I do not understand by the Little Horn any single person as Antiochus Epiphanes Julius Caesar Domician Mahomet William the Conquerour King Charles c. But a Kingdome or State and so the most judicious generally take it Hence it is vers 11. that his body is mentioned and ver 26. his dominion So then as the ten Horns are ten Governments or States so I think is the little Horn a State or Government which may thus be described A company of men in the last dayes having left their former principles of justice Law and Conscience shall assume unto themselves lastate or body politick appointing one as Head and framing an instrument of Government suitable to it This Horn is said to bee Little 1 Obscuro loco natum et plebium Jacobus Tâ—rin Of his low birth small and mean beginning which shews that this little Horn cannot bee the fourth Monarch Chap. 11. 21. 2 Because The Kingdome doth not by right belong unto him Diodate that is this Government shall bee set up by a few persons without the consent of the people yea against their will 3 Little because it will not have the faithful prayers of the Saints for it nor the hearts or hands of other people but such Apostates as are named 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5. 4 Little because among other Horns or Kingdomes this will not bee allowed for a Lawful State otherwise then to serve their own turn and to make advantage and gain by it 5 Little because the Lord will not suffer him to bee great but will blast his designs and actions both at home and abroad 6 Little because of the short time this State is to continue viz. Three years and an half no longer I know some have thought that by the word Little A younger brother is meant I confesse there may bee something in it for many do read Cornu ultimum parvun a horn the last and little Signifying that this Horn shall arise neer or about the time when the Elder or former States and Kingdomes are going down and ready to be pluckt up by the roots But howsoever it be Little in such considerations yet it is said to be a Horn that is a State or Government 1 Because it shall have the name and Title of a civil power or Government given to it 2 It will push as hard as other Horns have done against the Laws and Liberties of the Nation yea and against the interest of Christ and his people 3 This State will make Laws and Ordinances which shall bee as duly kept and observed by the Apostates under it as if they had been enacted by the greater Horns that is by a more Lawful and just power Touching the second point viz. that the Tyranny of the Little Horn shall bee in the three years and half To prove this the Text saith untill a time and times and the dividing of times Dan. 7. 25. The sense I conceive is thus From his rise hee shall have so much time allowed or he shall so long
continue by the Lords sufferance to exercise the cruelty and wickednesse mentioned in the Vision That the meaning is so appears by the Question and Answer Dan. 12. 6 7. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders for a time times and an half As if hee should say For the vision of the little Horn it shall bee for a time times and an half so long hee is to continue to scatter the power of the Holy People and when that time shall bee expired the words of the Prophesy are fulfilled concerning him For soon after the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion c. Qu. But by a time and times and dividing of time what time is there meant or how much is this time The common received opinion is three years and an half These persecutions saith Diodate shall last one year two years and halfe one year that is to say three years and half I confesse in the application I finde few to agree with me yet for the time tobee three years and an half neither more nor lesse few writers which I have seen but take it so as I do And for these few which understand it otherwise as making first a time times and dividing of time to bee three years and an half and then out of the three years and half to reckon each day for a year this I conceive neither agrees with Daniels manner of reckoning the time nor with other Prophets That three daies and an half should be taken for three years and an half So forty two months for so many years as there are dayes in the months Again One thousand two hundred and threescore dayes for so many years this is right and according to the Scriptures Numb 14. 34. Ezek. 4. 5. But by a time to understand a year by times two years and dividing of time an half year and afterward from these three years and an half to number years by daies There is not for this I think any ground in the word of God Besides why should not Daniel when hee useth words and terms alike be alike understood in chap. 4 25. it is said seven times shall passe over â—hee here it is not questioned but by seven times seven years are meant no raising of another number from daies to years Now I see no reason why the Prophet in one place should bee understood by Time strictly a year and in another as many years as a year hath daves especially seeing it is familiar with Daniel to set down his account in this manner as ch 11. 13. in the end Haghiâ—tim shanâ—m of the times of years see chap. 7. 12. and 8. 17. and 11. 14 35 40. and 12. 4 9. I might add how three years and half was the term of Christs persecution in the flesh the which being expired immediately begunne upon his resurrection the setting up of his spiritual kingdome all the world over So three years and an half is the time of the sufferings of his witnesses under the little Horn the which being ended they shall rise and stand upon their feet again and then beginnes that which you have Rev. 11. 13 14. the great earth-quake and the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and the kingdomes of this world becomming the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Quest But how doth it appear if by time and times and dividing of time three years and half are meant that these are the three years and half which period the number of one thousand two hundred and threescore years and contemporises with the latter Apostacy and slaying of the witnesses Answ 1 Graserns against Junius gives many reasons that the Vision shewed Daniel concerning the Little Horn is to have its accomplishment in Novissim diebus in the very last times toward the end of the world and judgement shall not passe upon him usque ad consummationem irae untill the indignation bee accomplished Dan. 11. 36. that is unt ill the forty two months are expired Histor Antichrist pag. 115. 119. c. If this bee so as I see nothing against it then must this little Horn be before the rise of the witnesses and the forty two months are expired for hee shall have no Dominion or Power after that time 2 Upon the destruction of the Little Horn the Saints possesse the kingdome but this they do not neither is the Kingdome theirs till the witnesses rise and the time of the Beasts Tyranny is expired Hence I gather that the three years and an half allowed the Little Horn and the three years and an half in which the witnesses lye slain must needs contemporise I would have the reader observe this for I think there is some weight in it If the taking of the kingdom by the Saints bee upon the ruine of the Little Horn and the rising of the witnesses as clearly it is so to me then it must follow necessarily that the three years and half given to the Little Horn and the three years and half spoken of the slain witnesses are all one see Dan. 7. 25 26 27. compare Rev. 11. 8. 11 12 13 15 c. 3 Another Argument I lay down thus the book is not to bee opened untill the time of the end which is in the three years and half and the understanding of it will bee partly by the Characters of a little Horn. Now it is the Lords usual manner not to lead his people back to things past but to teach them the understanding of Prophesies by what is present and doing in their own time when yee shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy place c. Again when yee shall see all these things c. Mat. 24. 15. 33. So the little Horn must be seen before the wise will understand the end and this is proper to the three years and half 4 It seems by Daniel that the cause and ground of the Little Horns making warre against the Saints wearying them out and scattering their power will bee for bearing witnesse to Christs visible and glorious kingdome so that the controversy now will not bee as formerly it was about the Church Ministery worship and discipline but about the whole Rule Dominion and government under the Sunne that is whether the kingdoms of the world shall continue as they are in the hands of Tyrants and oppressors or they shall bee Christs and the Saints of the most high according to that promise And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdome that all People Nations and Languages should serve him and his Dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdom that which shall not bee destroyed Again And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdome and all power shall serve and obey it Dan.
For it is expresly said that this Horn must bee stouter than any of the ten I shall open the words in three things 1 Howsoever wee read of many stout Horns among the Ten which were very Tyrants and for their oppression and cruelty some of them were deposed others banished some imprisoned some put to death as Charls Stewart in our time yet hee cannot bee the little Horn who doth not in an arbitrary and lawless way exceed them all how tyrannical soever their Government was And therefore unlesse wee see a State that hath more violated and broken the Laws of the Nation destroyed the priviledges of Parliaments and Rights of the People more than ever Charls Stewart did yea than ever was done since the Conquest or since the rise of the Beast the Holy Ghost acquits it here from being the little Horn. Nay I say more for God forbid I should condemn the righteous if since the rise of the Ten Horns it can appear that for plucking up by the roots the Laws Liberties and Freedome of the people and ruling according to will and lust there hath been done by any of the Ten what hath been done in our Time wee are not yet come I speak as I think to the daies of the little Horn. 2 That hee is said to have his looks stoâ—â—ter then his fellows here I think the spirit of God intends the likenesse between the heads of the two Apostacies how stout the first was wee have shewed now much more might be added As thus No man saith hee must dispute or doubt of my actions Those that will not obey my Decrees are to be dispossessed and sequestred of all Honours and Estates without restitution My power is greater than all created powers I can aispense with Laws Vows Oaths Covenants c. What I say that must bee reverenced and received for Truth And whosoever speaketh against it is forthwith an Heretick yea a very Pagan a Witch an I do later an Infidel In a word I cannot bee judged by any Prince or Prelate upon the Earth Neque ab omn bus simul in Concilio congregatis not by all the Princes and Prelates in the world though in Councel together And such as I take to bee my enemies others are to take their enemies and forthwith to withdraw from them and not so much as to look upon them I would have all men very carefull whom they make the Little Horn For I am perswaded what person soever he shall bee for Stoutnesse hee will bee like the head of the first Apostacy that is what the former hath said the latter will attempt to do 3 It is observed by some Expositors that in verse 8. there is no mention made of his Stunt looks But afterward verse 20. Hence they conceive that hee will bee worse at last than at the beginning grow more fierce and tyrannous against the interest of Christ and his people towards his end than hee was before Indeed Evil men and seaueâ—rs shall wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. And the same Horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them â— As the Characters of this Horn are proper to him so in opening each particular if the meaning of the spirit bee understood wee must finde out such things to bee done by him as were not done before by any other Touching this war 1 The ground of it will bee as hath been said about Christs interest and right to the Kingdome For in the dayes of this Horn the Saints will bee raised up very high in bearing witnesse for the son of David against the Rulers of the World that the Time is at hand in which all their Power and Dominion shall bee taken from them But more especially will they stand up against the Horn as taking him to be the little Horn and the first Enemy that must bee destroyed as the subject of the first vial and the greatest obstructer to the work of the last times in execnting the vengance of the Lord and of his Temple upon Babylon whereupon hee will use all the Policy and Power hee hath to keep his body from the burning flame by persecuting the Saints many ways in appearing thus for the Lamb. That such a Controversy shall be before Christs Personal comming is manifest But those my enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before wee Luk. 19. 27. I know the place is usually interpreted of Christs spiritual reigning in the hearts of Beleevers But the scope and series of the Parable carries it otherwise read vers 11. 12. and foreward The meaning I take thus towards the end of the forty two months in the three years and half the dispute will grow high about Christs visible Kingdome Some will assert it others oppose it and here beginnes the warre between the Horn and the Saints which was never before in the world 2 Though the warre bee raised upon this occasion yet will the Horn so palliate the same with pious pretences as it may well have the name of the Holy War For here the Persecutors Smiters of their Brethren and who cast them outâ—t these must bee Saints and the well affected and the good people And they that are imprisoned banished and overcome these Malignants Traitors Fools Beasts not worthy to live in Church or Common-wealth So that for Hypocrisy the like was never shewed before 3 For this War Iâ—o not conceive that the Saints shall come forth into the field and fight the little Horn and so bee overcome by him For till his three years and half are expired The Lord of Hosts will not muster the Host of the battle against him But by making warre is meant hee shall oppresse them many wayes for bearing witnesse to Christs Kingdome against his power and standing See Jam. 4. 1. Quest But why is it called a war if nothing bee more intended than the Horn persecuting the Saints they making no resistance I answer the Holy Ghost I conceive calls it a making war because this Horn shall have his greatest aid and help by an Army These kinde of men will principally do his Commands against the Saints bee they never so unrighteous and cruel For other men in Civil places as they will not care to serve him in such a way so hee will not make use of them as of Souldiers under him These will bee most for his turn whether it bee to banish or imprison or to put a Saint to death Truely for this Reason I think though the Saints are meer Patients yet it is called a war To signifye if it bee this little Horn Then 1 The instruments which he shall chiefly imploy against Gods people will bee Army-men 2 His Souldiers will bee so degenerate and mercinary as they will not spare any of the Lords pretious ones but whomsoever hee bids them to banish imprison murder they will do it though they know no
offence or fault they have committed Reader the Application is thy part And prevailed against them How this is done is shewed chap. 12. 7. hee shall scatter the Power of the Holy people the which place hath reference to Moses words when hee sees their Power is gone Deut. 32. 36. Not onely may the slaying of the Witnesses bee here meant but this Horn shall proceed and prosper so farre in this war as all hope will bee taken away from Christs cause ever to rise again I shall give the Reader my thoughts of the thing As the darkest time of the Night is about the dawning so a little before the expiration of the three years and half The interest of Christ and his People will bee at the lowest ebb and the Horn-State at the highest spring of glory and greatnesse For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Thus Moses and Daniel speak of one thing that the Horn will not bee to the height of his persecution till his body bee ready to bee given to the burning flame and therefore whosoever shall live under his Dominion must expect that hee will bee most fierce and cruel when the period and end of his time is come And shall wear or tire out the Saints of the most high Here wee have the Angels explanation of the words before how hee shall prevail namely weary out the Saints that is by keeping some of them under bonds and banishment as thinking thereby to yre them out and so compel them to deny Christ as himself had done before Others by poverty and outward wants being forced to leave their former imployment and maintenance that they might not be partakers of his sins Re. 13. 16 17. This makes mee think that the Lord will not suffer him to shed much bloud for howsoever hee will not fear God nor man and bee most wrathsul specially towards the end of his time Neverthelesse hee shall but fulfil the Councell and purpose of God as did Pharoah Judas Herod and Pontius Pâ—late that is not put the Saints to death but â— eary them out no further or very little shall hee go in spight of his Stont looks But again they are not onely Saints but of the most high which seems to import that some Saints shal do well enough under this Horn as to their peace liberty and worldly enjoyments onely those who are not for him but for the most High he will make war against And in this his Hypocrisy and other wickedness will bee â—he lesse seen and noted In honouring some Professors of Religion promoting them to great places and offices in his Councel Army Colledges and making them his familiar friends such I mean as will have fellowship with him in the works of darknesse and justifie his unrighteous wayes howsoever in the mean time hee shall persecute others who are in truth and really for the cause and interest of Christ I would have the Reader likewise to observe this as a special thing whereby to know the time of the Little Horn. There will bee then two sorts of Saints the one hee will hate the other seem to love the one he will take into his Palace the other cast into Prison the one shall be raised from one degree of preserment to another the other thrown out of all And the Reason is because the former are Saints of the most high The latter are not according to the meaning of the text The former like Moses will esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt The latter like Demas will imbrace the present world and not care what becomes of the Kingdome of the most high so they may reign as Kings themselves in Pomp Pride and Pleasure c. with the HORN And think to change times and Laws To know what is here meant it must bee observed what the Holy Ghost speaks of this Horn as to bee his great work and businesse and this is set down in two things viz. making warre against the Saints of the most high and plucking up by the roots three Kingdomes so that as he takes twosorts of people for his greatest enemies The fift Monarchy-men and the Common-wealth-men so hee is fallen upon a design whereby he thinks to keep up his Power and Dominion in spight of both Parties that it by changing times and Laws where note how in the first hee shews himself a very Atheist in the latter a deep Polititian We will speak of both distinctly By Times in this place I understand the set Time in which the father hath promised to give his son and the Saints with him the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven Psal 102. 13. Isa 14. 31. Hab. 2. 3. Rev. 10. 6 7 and 22. 10. Dan. 8. 19. and 10. 1. and 11. 27 29 35. As the Israelites after four hundred and thirty years were set free from the Egyptian bondage And afterward delivered from the Captivity of Babylon the seventy years being expired So the forty two months and the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and the three years and half being sulfilled it is Gods purpose to begin the deliverance of his people from Tyrants and Oppressours and to make them his battle Axe and rod of his strength to break the Image to peices and take the Kingdome Dan. 7. 18. Now the little Horn reading such prophesies and what great things are promised the Saints after a Time Times and dividing of time and when three dayes and an half are ended And perceiving what encouragement some take from such places as intending to follow the call of God when that Appointed time shall come What doth he I not beleeving the holy Prophesies bee thinks to change the Times that is wheras after three years and half the Saints make account the Times will bee Christs and Theirs he on the contrary THINKS to have it his still and to continue the Little Horn as he was before Yea and to have his son a Horn after his decease That the Reader may clearly understand what my meaning is This I think When the dayes of the Little Horn are almost expired the Wise shall understand that hee is the Horn and God will put in their hearts to fulfill his Will upon him which is to take away his Dominion to consume it and to destroy it unto the End Dan. 7. 26. This being perceived by him hee shall perswade himself to frustrate what the Scriptures testify and the Saints beleeve concerning him by some crafty devises which he hath thought upon As Herod a Type of this Horn when hee heard of the birth of the King of the Jews gathered all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people together to know of them where hee should be born Though hee intended onely the death of the Holy Child Jesus yet hee seeks to know
ordinary I will not say directly what it is nor declare at present my own thoughts yet this I shall say it being a truth I think when this Horn shall reign whosoever shall be the Inventers and setters up of his Power and Government they will not dye the death of all men not bee slain or dismembred as the former were but some extraordinary punishment will bee inflicted upon them If these men dye the common death of all men or if they bee visued after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent mee Numb 16. 29. And so much the word signifies And they shall take away his dominion As the former respecteth persons so this doth things that is the State and Government it self The meaning I conceive to bee thus After the Army is destroyed and many put to death by a Judicatory for justifying the Horn in his unlawful actions and himself and his MAKERS given to the burning flame Such a stink will that HORN leave behind him as some speedy course shall bee taken to have the very remembrance of him blotted out under the whole heaven It remains now to shew how and in what manner it shall bee done To take the Scripture for our light It seems thus When the three years and half are fully expired the wise shall understand that hee is the Little Horn foretold in Daniel and to bee destroyed and this light shall spread it self among the Saints of the Most High yea so clear and certain will the thing bee they having the word of God and his spirit for it providence likewise leading the way that they shall publikely declare what they intend to do The work beginnes with an Earthquake Rev. 11. 13. And it shall bee such an Earth-quake as will shake the Horn to purpose in his Councel Guards Army and relations every where Insomuch as hee will bee miserably forsaken and left by most people Few abiding with him unlesse desperate men and such who are so deeply ingaged with him as have no hope to save themselves from bodily punishment by Repentance The Saints knowing the set Time is come that the Lord will have mercy upon Zion and being called out of the Temple to pour out the Vial upon the Earth-Apostacy being ready go forth in the Name and strength of the Lord. And though they may have some opposition at first yet I think they will be Conquerors at last without much losse I say fighting for the Lamb For so wonderfull will the presence of God bee with them and so dreadful to the enemy that this warre will bee short and none of them after once broken to peices will durst lift up their hands any more in the Horns behalf Thus I have ended with the Little Horn. And in the close this I can truely say what I have written is my Conscience bearing mee Witnesse no otherwise than I understand the Prophesy neither have I said any thing but what I conceive to bee the Truth in Jesus And further I have all along with Sighs and Groans besought the father of Light That I might bee lead by his Spirit into the way of Truth The meek will hee guide in Judgement and the meek will hee teach his way Psal 25. 9. Call unto mee and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not Jer. 33. 3. Job 20. v. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Knowest thou not this of old since man was placed upon earth That the triumphing of the wicked is short and the Joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment though his excellency mount up to the heavens and his head reach unto the clouds Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung they that have seen him shall say where is he He shall flee away like a dream and shall not bee found yea hee shall bee chased away as a vision of the night The eye also which saw him shall see him no more neither shall his place any more be hold him THE CHARACTERS OF THE Beast Slaying the Witnesses OPENED THAT Generall Head which remaines is The Beast slaying the Witnesses In the opening and handling whereof we shall propound four things 1. What this Beast is 2. Who are the Witnesses and how they are slaine by the Beast 3. How it doth appeare the Witnesses slaine by the Beast lying three dayes and an halfe unburied are the three years and an halfe contemporizing with the latter Apostacie and little horne 4. Whether the Prophesie of the Beast slaying the Witnesses be fulfild in our Time First I would have the Reader take notice Howsoever I handle these things distinctly and a part yet I understand the Ap stacie and the little Horne and the Beast that slayes the witnesses to make up but one Government or State The Apostacie part is the Body Relly out of which comes the other Two The Beast is that Pert by whom the witnesses are kild and it hath the Name of a Horn for its Sovereignty and kinglinesse So that as I said in the beginning it cannot be the three years and halfe unlesse there be all three to make the lâ—st Dominion And when they shall have finished their Testimony Rev. 11. 7. That is Near or about the time of finishing their Testimony And so the words are rendred by many Interpreters It is true some think the three years and a halfe are not to be reckoned with the 1260 years but apart from that account But methinks this cannot be For the 42 months being expired the Saints take the Kingdome And so I understand Rev. 10. 6. There shall be time no longer But when is that When the 1260 years are ended the mysterie of God is finished as to the reign of the little Horne and Tyrannie of the Beast not to scatter the Saints and kill the Witnesses any longer But the Woman comes out of the Wildernesse and the Witnesses ascend up into Heaven and fire comes forth from the Lord to devour the Adversary But whether we take the three years and an halfe in the number of the 1260 dayes or a part it is all one to the matter here Howsoever I think it periods the first account The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse Pit rather depth or gulfe for pit is not in the Text nor in Cha. 17 8. but Chap. 9. 1. it is It is to be observed the Beast here cannot be that Beast Rev. 13. 1. which is said to rise up out of the Sea for he is to continue 43 months that is 1260 years v. 5. But this riseth not till that terme be near expired onely three years and halfe remaining And so much the Text plainly holds forth When they shall have finished their Testimonie a Beast ascendeth out of the depth c. Not the Beast which was risen before but a Beast now comes forth Intimating that purposely and for no other end as it were he ascendeth out of the gulf then to slay the Witnesses