Kingdoms but these ten here mentioned have no Kingdoms nor any Crowns on their head 2. Neither are they real Kings they only have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power as Kings they write we inact and be it inacted as if they were Kings but they are not really Kings 3. These rise and reign with the beast which beast cannot be meant the Pope for v. 1. the whore is the Pontifick state that sits on many waters this beast is called verse 33. the scarlet-coloured beast because he slayes the witnesses he is as the heathen Emperors red with blood therefore they are called the red Dragon Chap. 12. 3. he is full of names of blasphemy because he is the tolerator and supporter of blasphemies he hath seven heads and ten hornes because he beares up Rome with 7. heads and 10. horns Rome had fallen by the hands of the witnesses had not he slaine them v. 7. This beast bears up the woman with 7. heads and 10. horns v. 8. The beast is called he that was and is not and ascendeth out of the bottomless pit this can be no other but that beast that slayes the witnesses Rev. 11. 7. This beast v. 11. is called the eight and of the seven now this cannot be the Pope unless wee 'l make Rome have 8. heads which is ridiculous and by the learnedst irreconciliable v. 12. These Kings receive power an hour with the beast if these 10. horns should be meant 10. Kings or Kingdoms subject to the Pope 't is known they had Kingdoms before there was a Pope but these rise with this beast which is he that slayes the witnesses 4. These 10. Kings have but one Dominion or Kingdom amongst them all therefore v. 17. they are said to give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Kingdom and how do they give it the Text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they make one vote the former part of the verse translated from the original runs thus â—for God hath given to the hearts of them that they fulfill the sentence of him and that they make one vote and give their Kingdom to the best so that t is clear these 10. Kings sit and vote together in one Kingdom by which 't is manifest that they are not the 10. Kingdoms subject to the Roman Empire But here we must be careful to avoid one mistake that is not to take these 10. horns Rev. 17. 16. for the same persons v. 12. but only the same Office in distinct parties hands this is clear for those v. 12. rise and fall with the beast but those v. 16. give their Kingdom to the beast therefore they had a Kingdom before the beast was in being 2. Those in v. 12. go to reign with the beast but these v. 16. bring the Pontificality to ruine Those in v. 12. are that faction that the beast sets up as Kings these are said to be ten because they are poliarchia senatorum as Alcazar calls them for 10. is but indefinitly as 10. Virgins and 10. Husbands for many Virgins and many Husbands so here 10. Kings that is many men exercising the Authority of Kings who have voted themselves the supreme power of the Kingdom hi decem Reges erunt tempore Antichristi unde dicuntur nondum accepisse potestatem saith Alcazar the 10. Kings shall be in the time of Antichrist he means this beast of the earth therefore they are said not as yet to have received power and they receive power one hour i. e. a very short time cum bestia saith E. lapide quia bestia primariam habet potestatem Reges autem abea sunt secundi because the beast hath the chief power but the Kings have but a secundary power from them The beast may well have the primarypower for by his sword-power they were set up and upheld by it so that it is evident who the beast is and what the Image of the beast is his giving life to the Image is by putting Authority into their hands to act and inforce the people to subject to their Taxes edicts and Commands and to out-law every man that will not engage to be true and faithful to them Thus the Reader may perceive who this beast is and what kind of Government he sets up and the tyranny and cruelty of this beasts Government when 't is set up Before it was set up they pleaded nothing but liberty for tender Consciences they shewed nothing but the horns of a Lambe and the tongue of a Dragon speaking smoothly pleading for brotherly love and tender bowels over the Saints until they were got into the Throne and then nothing but treason and high treason to be laid to their charge who should dare to question any of their actions or not subject to their power so as to subscribe to be true and faithful to it thus you may perceive his Government in the form of it Now followes the Subjects of this new Government v. 16. And he made all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their foreheads so the English and many Latine Translations read it The Subjection is universal 't is a Catholique tearme as well as design all men of what rank or condition soever must submit and subject Their manner of subjection is set forth by giving a marke I am inforced here to vindicate the Text not in the Copy for I find no difference worth troubling the Reader in the Greek Copies but both the Latine and the English Translations I humbly conceive may be corrected The vulgar Latine the complutence reading and others render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habere and learned Beza which I wonder at renders it accipiant as they give no reason so I see no reason why it should so be read the Greek Copies reade it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a word it is read thus That they should give a marke to them upon their right hands or upon their foreheads so the Siriack Interpreter reads it and Montanus Now I conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which to a word is read upon because it properly signifies super or in should be rendred in this place cum my Reasons are scriptural for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture signifies Revel 7. 15. with he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell with them There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies with this is not only usual in the Greek Language but also in the Hebrew saith Drusius 't is frequent to put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies super for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth cum so that I conceive the verse may well be translated thus And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free that they give a mark to them with their right hands or with their forehead so that this Text clearly holds out as the former the kind of Government erected the kind of worship and subjection that people shall be inforced to give to it Other Kings make
that exerciseth their faith and patience whiles he raigns the Saints shall have little else to live upon his Government also is the same for in Dan. 11. 38. he sets up the God Mauzim the sword-power and in Revel 13. 12. he inforceth people to subject to the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed that is to a packt party of Rebels to the Common-wealth such as the Senate of Rome was when Caesar forced away all the honest men out of the Senate and set up his own party to govern this was upheld by the sword and set up by the sword he is also the same in the matter of duration for that in Dan. 7. 25. continues a time times and the dividing of time and this in Rev. 11. riseth and triumphs over the slain witnesses three dayes and a half which is both one time both making three years and a half Lastly He is the same both in Daniel and Revelation in his ruine and in the time of his ruine The time of this Beasts ruine is set-forth in Dan 7. 11. the Beast was slain and his body was destroyed this the Fathers call the 11. King because he is divers from any of the Kings that were before him under the western Empire he being the last and this was at that time v. 13. when the Son of man came in the Clouds of Heaven and v. 14. there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages might serve him these phrases we shall see Christ borrows in Mat. 24. 30. 3â— immediately after those dayes what dayes the dayes of tribulation how verse 24. there shall be false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great wonders see Rev. 19. 20. the false Prophet was taken that wrought miracles before the Beast Mark how Matthew goeth on insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. In Rev. 13. 13. and he did great wonders so that he made fire come down from Heaven on the earth By the signes which were permitted him to do in the sight of the Beast who doth not see that these expressions are all to set out this one Beast Immediately after these dayes of tribulation which are dayes of blasphemy and heresie and separation from the true Church v. 30. ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with power and great glory and v. 31. he shall send his Angels with the sound of a great Trumpet and gather the Elect those that belong unto the election of grace from one end of Heaven to the other this is the same with that forecited place in Rev. 11. great voyces in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of the world are our Lord and his Christs and when was this this was when the witnesses were risen and stood upon their leggs v. 11. v. 13. near that hour when the great Earthquake is which time of shaking Heaven and Earth is foretold in Luke 31. 24. immediately after the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled now the time of the Gentiles is 42. moneths Rev. 11. 2. which is according to the Doctors account 1260. years which being up then the signes in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Starres that is the Antichristian state shall be shaken down and then the Son of Man shall appear in the Clouds with glory and great power and then the elect redemption draweth nigh the great voices Matth. 24. 31. allude to Christs passion when he yielded up the Ghost he cryed with a loud voice it is finished and after three dayes he arose and called his Disciples to a mount in Galâ—lee where he appeared to them and proclaimed all power in Heaven and in Earth was given to him and then the Disciples were made Apostles such are the effects of the rising of the Witnesses Oh how do I adore the infinite wisdom of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures how clear might this truth be made to the weakest capacity were there but a worthy pen about it The time of the beasts reign is expressed in Dâ—â— 7. 22. to be when the ancient of dayes come â— when the Kingdom becomes the Lords Rev. 11. 15. and the Saints possessed the Kingdom that is the witnesses stand upon their feet Rev. 11. 11. 12. and they i.e. the godly Magistracy and Ministry did ascend up to heaven that is they possess that place of dignity from which they were cast it cannot be otherwise understood in Dan. 7. for v. 25. the Saints of the most high are they that he tyrannizeth over three years and a half so he doth in Rev. 11. 7. 9. which Saints of the most high are the Magistracy and Ministry the two witnesses principally meant There is one notable place more in Dan. 12. 45. which points at time and the place of the ruine of the Beast This Beast of the earth or this King as Daniel calls him shall plant the Tabernacles of his pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy Mountains yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him this holy Mountain learned men on all sides conclude is some eminent Kingdom for holiness therefore the Independent Pulpit-men say 't is England this day eminent in exalting the Saints and holiness certainly 't is that Kingdom which hath kept its Garments clean from spiritual fornication and hath not received the marks of the Beast nor bowed down to his Image that is engaged to be true and faithful to his unlawful new Government And of all the Kingdoms in the world I think it is Scotland where the Beast of the earth hath placed his Tabernacles where he now is where I believe he shall come to ruine But mark what imediately follows this Dan. 12. 1. And at that time shall Michael and Christ stand up and it shall be a time of trouble as in Mat. 24. and Luke 21. And at that time the elect shal be all delivered that is as much to say as all the Kingdoms in the world shall become Christs both Jews and Gentiles shall be brought to Christ this glorious day is in several places called a day of Resurrection it shall be to the Jews as a day of Resurrection now all this is to be at the 7. Trumpet sounding and therefore the ruine of Daniels Beast and Johns Beast are at one and the same time and therefore 't is but one and the same Beast that they both mention As for those that affirm this Beast is Antiochus who raigned in the time of the Grecian Monarchy was destroyed before the Roman Monarchy was in being it is so wide from the Text that 't is impossible to be true for this little horn ariseth not only after the Grecian Monarchy but after the Roman Monarchy became ten horned he riseth the last distinct from them all and therefore I will say to such men as Aquinas saith to Porferrius upon the same text holding the same opinion haec interpretatio tam fatua est ut
publick prayers unto God to blesse him in his undertakings for him and his cause after which he proceeds to act the highest murther treason and rebellion and succeeding well in it he câ—yes out to the people behold providence behold a return of prayers we fasted yesterday and to day we have had success this is the fire which comes down but observe it 't is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be made fire Observe that 't is fire of his own making he plotted the design and then fasted he conveies the fire under his own sacrifice 't is false fires that he makes I conceive it alludes to that in 1 Kings 18. 36. 38. where Elias that eminent Servant of God proved himself to be a true Prophet and all the rest to be but Baalls Prophets by the fire which God sent from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men so doth this Beast of the earth endeavour by his signes to prove himself as prevalent with God as Elias and as true sincere a worshipper of God as Elias and all that oppose him or crosse his designs to be put Baalls Priests and thus he proves it I fast saith he and my enemies fast they fast to preserve the ancient Government I fast to throwe it down after I have fasted I prevail but though my enemies fast God hears them not they have no fire comes near their sacrifice though they cry and weep day and night but so soone as I fast the things I fast for is presently accomplished and this his success in this audacious villainy murther rebellion against Gods Law natures Law and his own solemn Vows and Covenants he makes the silly people believe is the return of his prayers the fire of Gods sending from heaven upon his sacrifice This notes that this Beast in his slaying of the witnesses shall pretend to act eminently for Christ and make the world believe he is an eminent Saint and that all the godly faithful Ministers are but Baalls Priests as they are now termed to him But observe the next verse v. 14. And be deceived them that dwell on the earth he for all his signes is but a cheater therefore he is called Rev. 19. 20. the false Prophet He pretends to be such as Elias who was a true Prophet but he is a false Prophet and only cheats the people therefore Mat. 24. 24. he is said with his company of seducers like himself to seduce if it were posible the very Elect and for this end he cheats them to submit to his Government which he hath set up by the power of his sword that 's the meaning of these words saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an Image of the Beast which was wounded with the sword and did live This is the end of all his pretences and pious acts it is to subject the people to that Government which he sets up he fasts and prayes and humbles himself but 't is to cheat the people and all this he doth in the sight of the Beast that is the Pope for there is no other beast in being but the Pope that the Holy Ghost intends now to do it in the sight of the Beast saith the Roman Glossary is to do it with the beasts good liking so that what he doth the Pope approves of and likes well of Indeed I believe the Pope will never frown at the beheading of a Protestant King and blowing up of a Protestant Parliament who resolved and were agreed to unhorse his â—surped holiness power in the three Kingdoms The Pope cannot but look on with great content yea and triumph in this year of Jubilee which falls out according to the Prophesie Rev. 11. 10. when they give thanks for the removing of the witnesses it shall be a year of rejoycing with the enemy to see a King and Parliament utterly broken who covenanted to break Rome and to see an Assembly of Divines battered and broken and their labor in a reformation utterly frustrated this cannot but rejoyce the Pope and his Conclave What To have that accomplished now which Digby Faux Catesby Winter and Garnet and all those Gunpowder-Saints could never accomplish to have it now accomplished by his new canonized Saints This cannot but be well liking to the Pope V. 15. And it was given to him to give life to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast should speak and should cause that whosoever would not adore the Image of the beast should be slain This Image of the beast hath allusion either to that Image which Nebuchadnezer set up in the plain of Dura enjoyning all men upon pain of death to fall down and worship it which the consciencious godly Jews refusing great and extraordinary provision was made for their destruction but when the Souldiers had bound the three consciencious Saints and all the great men of the times came to see their destruction behold they that threw them into the fire were destroyed and the poor Saints stood upon their feet Christ appears amongst them in the Furnace forthwith they are released and immediately after all the Kingdoms in the world are made to know that the persecuted Saints God is the true God by sound of Trumpet so shall 〈◊〉 be with the Saints in this beasts Raign he that will not adore this beasts Image that is subject to his Government subscribe to be true and faithful to his usurped and unlawful Government shall be killed or in a civil sence he shall be out-lawed and made incapable of bearing Office in Church or State Nebuchadnezers Image was 60. Cubits high and 6. Cubits broad a high Image but the number of this beast who sets up this Image is 666. he is exceeding in cruelty and wickedness all the enemies of the Church that went before him at least 600. times Or else Image alludes to that in Dan. 11. 38. where the King there is said to honour the God Mauzzim that is a sword-power And this Image here is the same for 't is a sword-power such as Cesar erected by the sword and supported by the sword until he had compleated his Conquests There in Daniel he makes his God Mauzzim to rule over many and here in the Revelation he causeth that as many as will not submit to this Image of the beast should be killed I conceive that these two Texts agree with each other And it was given him Observe this beast is one single person that sets up this Image I am very prone to believe that the Image that this beast sets up is that mentioned in Revel 17. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which yet have received no Kingdoms but receive power as Kings one hour with the beast 'T is absurd to say these ten Kings are the ten Kings under the Roman Emperor which denominate Rome the beast as they say with ten horns 1. Because the ten Kings subject to Rome they were distinct
the Eastern Gentiles destruction but glorious conversion A remnant onely of the Antichristian Faction shall be converted Rev. 11. 13. Secondly This Battel cannot be fought after the Vialls are powred out for the Vials produce the utter ruine of the Enemies of the Church Now if the Battel should be after the Enemies of the Church are overthrown it must necessarily be a Battel with the Ayr as we say there are no Enemies to be subdued all 's finished when the Vials are powred out Therefore by necessary consequence it is cleer that the great Battel and the Vials are one and the same thing Now then put all together if the Vials and the Battel be the same and this Battel must be fought by the Witnesses and their Army with whom Christ by his mighty power will eminently go forth for in no other sence is Christ coming on a white horse to be taken and these must appear in fine and white linnen which is contrary to sackcloth which in till then they were and at this Battel the Beast and the false Prophet and the Dragon must be ruined Then I prove that this Battel is not far off and that from the Doctors own calculations in his Thanksgiving Sermon There he proves to my hand from Rev. 13. 5. that Antichrist began his 42 Moneths Raign which makes up 1260 years which is the time of the Witnesses abiding in the Wilderness and in Sackcloth Now saith he Antichrist began to work and act vigorously about the year 390 after Christ I do believe this of the Doctors to be a reall truth and for confirmation of the same I will add one word or two I do affirm that about that year 390. the Bishop of Rome began to be formally Antichrist for then they began to claim an independent power as unto the Magistracy and Ministery He claimed a priviledge of being exempted from the censures of Councels as being above them for he made the Eastern Councels but his Sons and he their Father and Sons have not power to censure their Father and then they began to overlook Emperours to excommunicate them to depose them and to free themselves from their censures Hereupon the Magistracy and Ministery were in a short time brought under the Popes feet and made to wear sackcloth and then the Church fled into the place prepared of God for her Reâ— 12. 6. which place is England as shall be proved The Devils stratagems of setting up Independency in the Chair of Rome was the Key of the bottomless pit which the Devil put into the Popes hands and it is indeed the formalis ratio Antichristi for Independency set the Bishops of Rome above Magistracy and above Ministery above mans Law and above Scriptures and Gods Law as their Decretals manifest therefore Paul 2 Thess 2. sets him out to the life ver 4. He opposeth himself above all that is called God above every Magistrate and then he as God sits in the Temple of God that is in the Church of God for Rome was for a long time the purest Church Now in this Church the Independent Prelate sits as God making Laws like a God None but God hath an Independent power but the Pope he takes upon him an Independent liberty and authority and priviledge of himself and by himself alone and without any other he takes upon him to alter Scripture add to Scripture and detract from it in this he sets himself even above God and so is the true Antichrist Now this Independent power the Bishop of Rome began to put in practice about the year 390. to which add the just measure of the time of this Antichrists raign which is 1260 years and it makes compleatly 1650. The other pertinent place which the Doctor alledgeth is Dan. 12. 11. from the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away there shall be 1290 dayes that is years now about the year 360. that destructive abomination of ruining their Temples foundation overturning their Altars and destroying their Sacrifices and burning their Utensels and so putting to an end their Sacrifices began now add to 360. 1290. and it makes 1650. Now this year 1650. saith the Doctor must be the great year of doing great things against Antichrist pag. 17. He calls wise men to consider how here in England there hath been a King bound and some Nobles he means beheaded and how Kingdoms have been changed into Common-wealths and how Scotland hath been beaten over and over he leaves wise men to consider whether these are not high acts of throwing down Antichrist These acts he calleth pag. 18. the making good of his Doctrine and upon that account exhorts the people to praise God for cutting off the King and throwing down the House of Lords and from pag. 25. to pag. 27. or thereabouts he sets up a tone of rayling in the most ridiculousest style and weakest way of arguing against the Protestants of England for not keeping the Thanksgiving day that I am ashamed our English Nation should be so much disgraced as to have the Title of Doctor set before it In pag. 32. he tells the Lord Major and the rest of the Companies That they must not onely as Saints give thanks but as people considered in opposite distinction to Kings Monarchy being turned into Democracy Kingdoms into Common-wealths This Democracie he highly commends and in the same page with a Whores or rather with a Whore-masters fore-head affirms this most andacious and notorious untruth That this government was anciently among the Jews in the time of the Judges I have already proved this Doctor to be a Teacher of false Doctrines therefore I pass by these things onely I would intreat the Reader to take notice how under the pretence of crying down Antichrist there are subtill deceivers not onely crept in but rushed in and by authority maintained allowed and ushered in to depress and destroy the true Saints and Church of God by stigmatizing them with the mark of Antichristianism and to exalt and extoll the actors and actions of these whose design is wholly to exalt Antichrist Was it ever heard before that Protestants made a day of rejoycing for the fall of a Protestant Nation and a Protestant King Who truly rejoyceth at this but Rome and the Romish Factors I l'e say no more to this but return to the Doctors Calculations and out of his own mouth by Gods grace I hope to make it cleer that what he calls the throwing down of Antichrist is the sâ—aying of the Witnesses and these which he calls the Saints and Holy Ones are they that are the slayers of the Witnesses The Doctor is strongly conceited that this year 1650. shall be a year of terrible things against Rome his grounds for it are plausible I do confess it and I am upon the same grounds as confident as he That Rome shall have a fatall blow immediatly after this year I know many are ready to laugh at this opinion and say Was Rome ever in
greater pomp then now When did ever Rome's Designs prosper more then now throughout Europe Is it not a year of Jubilee a year of feasting and rejoycing with Rome how then can it be imagined that Rome should have a fatal blow about this year To this I answer briefly Rome's prosperity is that great Sumptome of her ruine for Rev. 18. 7. Her ruine shall come in that day that she thought her self most secure How much she hath gloried her self and lived deliciously so much torment give her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire In these two verses the Holy Ghost useth this as a strong Argument to perswade us that Rome's ruine shall be when the World least expects it Observe what the Lovers of Rome say in vers 9 10. They shall weep and cry Alas Alas thou great City for in one hour is thy judgment come By all which 't is manifest that Rome's ruine shall be suddain and unexpected and therefore 't is an argument that Rome's ruine is nigh because of her pomp and great prosperity I 'le bring another proof for it in Rev. 11. 9 10. It shall be a time of merry making and feasting I am almost perswaded that the Holy Ghost points at the year of Jubilee that is now at Rome to note to us That when the slain Witnesses shall be dead in the streets and unburied then Rome shall keep a year of feasting and rejoycing which year of feasting is this present year 1650. Now they are making merry that a Protestant Parliament a Protestant King and a Protestant Ministery are overthrown but mark what follows on a suddain those Witnesses that Protestant Magistracy and Protestant Ministery stand on their feet and then comes the Earth-quake which shakes their Enemies to the ground So that the day of Rome's rejoycing doth but usher in Rome's ruine And therefore prosperity and success so much cryed up by this Antichristian Doctor is an argument to me of their speedy ruine Would but the Doctor read Rev. 11. 7 15. wisely he might see himself with shame acting the part of one of Antichrists Ministers I perceive he knows well that Antichrists raign is neer at an end he that knows that cannot if he search diligently but see in Rev. 11. 7. that three years and an half before the Pope's ruine a Beast shall arise and slay the Witnesses that have finished their Testimony that is a godly Magistracy and Ministery when they had agreed to root out Popery and establish uniformity in Doctrine Discipline and government this Beast that doth these things against the Witnesses he cannot but see is he that riseth after the ten Kings subject to Rome he riseth say Interpreters in the end of the Roman Monarchy and throwes down three of the Kingdoms and changes lawes and times and wears out the Saints three years and an half the self-same that slayes the Wintesses Rev. 11. 7. and after that he and his crew keep thanksgiving days that they that hindered them in their designes they say obstructed justice are removed one of this crew and one of these Antichristian Beasts the Doctor proves himself This Beast I have already proved is an Independent and pulls down the lawfull Magistracy and Ministery and sets up his own Preachers and his own government We have shewed his government in Rev. 13. and in Dan. 11. 37. 't is the god Mauzim that is a government that he sets up by the power of his sword a sword force Now I prove that this power of forces was set up in or about September in the year 1647. for then did the Beast of the Earth get the Navie into his hands and all the Land Forces throughout the Kingdom either to disband them or command them he got all the strong Holds and Castles in the Kingdom under his command and about the same time he laid violent hands on the Kings Maj. and clapped his royal person up in prison suffering no man to come neere him and about that time made an assault upon the Parl. imprisoned some of the Peers some of the chief Citizens of London and some of the House of Commons inforcing others of the most noble of the House of Commons to flie and set up his own ingaged Party in the House to over-top the others Here began the Beast to reign and here began the slaughter of the Witnesses all which was about September or October 1647. By which account we shall bring it almost even with the Doctors that this Beast that riseth out of the bottomlesse pit and slayes the Witnesses the time of his reigne must be consummate soon after the end of this yeare 1650. for then his three years reign is up and then the time of the Witnesses lying slain is up and then they must rise and then the Vialls must be poured out and the earthquake will come upon the enemies and then the Beast and the false Prophet shall be cast alive into the burning lake I verily believe that we are near to that prophetick great day prophesied of in the old Testament In the old Testament 't is called a great Day and so 't is called in the new Testament Rev. 16. the battell against the enemies of the Church is called the battell of the great day of God almighty that is of the great year of God God will do great things for the Hebrews this year both for the ten Tribes and the two Tribes Great things will he do for the Gentiles this year and terrible great things will he do against his enemies This day is called Hos 1. 10. the great day What day is that the Context tells us 't is the day of the conversion of both Tribes and uniting them under Christ In Obadiah 15. 't is called the day of the Lord upon all the heathen God will plague the enemies of the Church verse 16. but verse 17. on mount Sion shall be deliverance to note this day is the day of rendring vengeance on Rome Rev. 18. and of saving mount Sion deliverance shall be there Rev. 14. 1. for the Lamb stands on Mount Sion and all his sealed Ones with him in Zach. 14. for I can multiply proofes from every one of the Prophets which illustrate this day I mean to sit down and give the Reader a view of this Day of the year 1650. by the Doctors and my account as Zach. 14. describes it he gives us a full view of this Day He calls it the Day of the Lord ver 1. But what shall be done in that day in general the spoil meaning the Churches spoyl should be divided in the midst of her ver 2. For I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem to battel and the City shall be taken and the houses rifled and the women ravished and half of the City shall go
himself judgment and everlasting destruction Therefore Brightman reads it thus He shall plant the Tabernacle of the wroth of his judgment between the seas in the Mountain of holy delight and there shall he come to his end and none shall help him He shall pitch his Tabernacles in the Mountain of delight that is in that part of Mount Olivet to the North On that Mountain that is in Scotland there he shall pitch his tent that is lead an Army into that Kingdom against the Covenanters and he shall pitch betwixt the seas in Scotland This seemeth to tell the place where this Beast shall be destroyed it is betwixt the seas some where in that Kingdom and there shall he come to his end and none shall help him Observe how this illustrates and confirms Zach. 14. 1 7. the time of the Rent betwixt the North and the South shall be but one day that is one year and in the evening of that year it shall be light Now I am fully perswaded that this is the year I argue à posteriori from events this year the tydings out of the East and the North fetched him out of Ireland and made him march into Scotland which made the great Rent between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland This year is that year which is neither dark nor light to the Church it is a gloomy day no sun nor stars appear to direct or comfort the Church They know not whether the sun be rising or setting upon them paleness is in all faces 't is a cloudy sad melancholy day therefore we wait hoping and longing for the fulfilling of the promise that in the evening of the day that is in the latter end of the year it shall be light though the year speaks terrible things against the Church yet the end of the year shall speak comfort and salvation to the Church Or else it shall be in the Evening that is when all is still and quiet when the Enemies think all is their own and when the Church thinks the Evening of dark and sad desolation is coming on her In the Evening when the Enemies of the Church are lying down have drawn the Curtains of security over them when like the glutton they begin to say soul take thy rest eat drink and be merry thou hast enough laid up for many years then their unexpected desolation and utter ruine cometh then on a sudden the seventh Trumpet sounds and the dreadful cry is made behold the bridegroom cometh then shall Christ come with deliverance for the Saints when they were even ready to dispond with swift destruction against his Enemies who were in deep security Observe how both Daniel and Zachary agree in this for in Dan. 12. 1. there Michael stands up that great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and then shall follow the time of great trouble to the Enemy and in Zach. 14. 5. the Lord shall come and ver 9. the Lord shall be King over all the earth the same with Rev. 11. all the Kingdoms at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet in the world shall be the Lords so that all these places of Scripture prophecying of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and the things that shall immediatly precede the powring out of the Vials seem to tell us that God will mightily appear in the raising up of a distressed persecuted despised Magistracy and Ministery in Scotland and give them unexpected success against their Enemies to the overthrowing of Popery and Independency and the establishing of the three Kingdoms speedily in a Covenant-Reformation Confident I am that Scotland is the place where the Enemies of the Church shall be gathered together to destroy them and most confident I am that there the Enemies that go against them shall be broken there will Christ appear for his Churches deliverance and his Enemies confusion and this is one great argument with me viz. the great distresse and sad affliction that the Church at this present time is in In England the very foundations are cast down and the righteous know not what to do their eyes are onely up to God the poor Church is drove up into a dispersed corner of the world it hath lately had a sore and deadly wound in the defeating of a stately Army they have lost their chief City they are banished from their habitations they have lost one of their chief Sea-Port Towns and the chief Castle and strongest Hold in that Kingdom they have a potent a bloudy a subtil and a resolved Army to encounter withall they every day grow stronger and stronger and by their power and policy infeeble and weaken the poor Church in Scotland by their policy they have bred division among the Scots they are but a little number that are called and faithful and chosen and that little flock are like to be surrounded with Enemies for if the Pope and his party can possibly incite any of the great family against the Kirk they will and in great measure the Scots this day have experience of it now when they have enemies and dangers round about them and are but feeble and weak and in the eye of the world and of their Enemes utterly lost Then is the time yea then the set time is come for their deliverance and this I prove from Rev. 15. 2 3. When the Church was delivered which is spoken of this time of deliverance from the Beast of the Earth for they ver 2. got the victory over the Beast and his Image and his Mark and the number of his name Now this is none other then the Beast that goes to pull down Kingly Government and set up his Image or Government and make that Nation receive his mark i.e. subscribe to his Ingagement Now when this victory is gotten over the Beast v. 3. they sang the song of Moses Exod. 15. which was a tryumphant song after their deliverance from a potent malicious resolved Enemy that had the Church of God at the greatest disadvantage that might be for he had them all in a valley on one hand the Forts and strong Holds of the Egyptians on the other hand an unpassable Mountain before them the deep sea and behind them◠furious Enemy compleatly armed and fully resolved utterly to ruine them Now in this distress the Lord looks upon them and visits them with a cloud there was the visible power of God seen and after that cloud came the Sea was divided the Church was preserved and the Enemy drowned and then Moses composed his song which is altogether to magnifie the glorious and magnificent power of God in the deliverance of his Church in so great a straight and destroy the proud and potent Enemy with so terrible and swift destruction Now this song the Church must sing when God gives her victory over her Enemies therefore her deliverance shall be glorious and her Enemies destruction terrible that is that new song the Saints of God shall sing Rev. 14.
Saints untill Constantine came Revel 12. And then after Constantine the Devil was not chained though he were cast out of the Romane Throne For Revel 12. 13. 15. 17. after his casting down he persecuted the Church and cast a Flood of Arrian Heresie after her and he was wrath with the Church and went to make war with her so that after Constantine he was not chained For in Rev. 13. 2. there the Devill gave the Pope his power and great Authority Neâ—ther was the Dâ—vill chained up nor sealed in the bottomlesse pit afterwards for if we look downward into Histories we shall see the Popes the Devils familiars or the devill their familiar how many of them were Conjurors and how frequently was the devill called to their greatest enterprises the devill was as t were sole Monark throughout the world a great while from the year 500 to 1000. how did Ignorance raign throughout the world and afterward when the sight of the Gospel began to look through the Clouds again how did the devill and his Instruments bestir them to suppresse that light by cruell persecutions and so they have continued untill this day Germany France Holland England and Scotland at this day know how busie the Devill is to overthrow the Church by heresies to seduce them by temptations of all sorts to insnare them and by his inhumane Butchers with a potent hand to murther the poor Church so that I suppose no man will say that since the Incarnation of Christ the devill hath been bound a 1000 years no scarce a thousand dayes so that neither History nor Scripture hold out any such thing as that Satan since Christs incarnation hitherto hath been bound a 1000 years they are so far from it that they absolutely prove the contrary so that now it falls happily in my way to discourse of that 6th proposition which long since I laid down viz that the 1000 years binding of Satan and the 1000 years Raigning of the Witnesses doth not begin untill the great Battel be fought against the Beast and the false Prophet It is cleer from the Text that Satan is not bound untill the Battel be fought against the Beast and the false Prophet Rev. 19. 20. And at that time Sathan is bound for Rev 20. 1. 2 3. is coupled with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the former to shew that the Beast the false Prophet and the Dragon go to destruction at one and the same time Indeed Beza translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deinde after that I know no reason for it but in Bezas sence I have this advantage that he proves the Devill is bound after the Beast and the false Prophet are destroyed not before but the Beast and the false Prophet are not yet destroyed therefore the Devill hath not as yet been bound but I shall follow the vulgar translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and read it and Rev 20. 1 2 3. In the first verse you have the Angel that binds him who is discribed by his power he hath the key of Hell and a mighty chain that is irresistable force this is none other but the Lord Jesus he that fought the Battel against the Beast and the false Prophet and destroyed them irrecoverably the same binds the Devil with an inviolable chaine for a 1000 years this binding with a chain is an expression setting forth the glorious Conquest that Christ shall get in the fight over all his Enemies the Devill shall be bound in a great chaine and cast into Prison and sealed up there and an inviolable lock shall be hanged on the Prison door for a 1000 years v 3. You have the end of his shutting up it is that he should deceive the Nations no more untill a 1000 years be expired and after that he must be loosed a little season hence you may know that the devils kingdom is where it is it is amongst the kingdoms professing the Gospel t is that of heresie and blasphemy and hipocrisie and lies and deceit Observe now what immediately John saw after the binding of Satan v 4. And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were cut off with the Ax for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God and some certain Souls which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image neither had received his mark upon their forheads or in their hands and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand years Three things this Text cleerly holds out 1. The seventh Trumpet sounding 2. The slain witnesses rising 3. The Church her happy state on earth after the seventh Trumpet sounding and the witnesses rising And I saw Thrones and then sate upon them and judgement was given unto them This John saw after observe the time the Beast and the false Prophet and the Dragon were overcome The same we shall find in Dan. 7. 14. 22. and 27. There the little horn that v 27. speaks great words against God wears out the Saints and thinks to change times and laws all which are given into his hand a time times and the deviding of times after which the Judgment shall sit v 29. and shall take away his dominion this Judgment v 22. is given to the Saints in v 27. the kingdom and dominion and greatnesse of the kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high this is the immediate consequence of the destruction of the little horn which we have proved is the same with the Beast of the earth Rev 13. 11. and Rev 11. 17. in Rev 11. you find the same thing expressed that hower that the Beast that slew the witnesses was with his party destroyed v 13. 7000 that is many thousand men of name that is of those that were numbred by their name or accounted Saints for their good successe and great repute that they have gotten by their Victories or men that received the number of the beast name in their hands and foreheads the ingagers when those were destroyed the same houre the Witnesses v 12. arose were called up and ascended into Heaven in a Cloud though the expression differ yet the thing intended in the expression is the same for it sets forth the high degree of exaltation to which the slain Witnesses should attain they shall be above the reach of their enemies both in glory and power throughout the world at the same time when all the kingdoms of the world are become the Lord and his Christs ver 26. The 24. Elders sit in their seats and rejoyce that Chriâ—â— hath received his kingdom and at the same time Rev 19. v 4 5 6. You have the same song from the Throne and the Elders the meaning is they keep Thanksgiving dayes for the rising of the Witnesses this is all one with Dan 7. 14. which is the immediate consequence of the little horns destruction for there the kingdoms of
which Banner he leads his troops of Traitors and squadrons of blasphemers and Hereticks how shall all these be overthrown at one set battell about this yeer 1651. since t is impossible all these three Enemies shall be at the battell in person The Question is somewhat hard to be determined positively yet this is clear from the Scripture that this great battell Revel 19. 19 20. is that battell that shall be fought by the Witnesses after they are risen from their slain condition and this battell is fought against the Beast that slays the Witnesses that is the Beast of the Earth that little Horn in Dan. 7. 26 27. and Dan. 11. 4 5. and against the Beast of the bottomlesse pit and his company which makes merry Rev. 11. 10. for the destruction of the Witnesses now how can it be said that when this Beast and his party are overcome that then the Beast and the false Prophet and the Dragon are over-come A. 1. To this we answer in two words 1. They may virtually and potentially all three fall when one fals so the whole hosts of the Philistines fell when Goliah fell 2. Then when this Beast of the Earth fals all the three begin to fall and from that day never rise more their chief plots and devices shall be discovered and broken and their villanie shall be discovered to the whole world which shall make the ten Horns to hate the Whore and burn her with fire Or who can tell but that at this battell the cheif strength of the Pope the grand Hereticks who are the devils Esquires and the cheif and grand Traitors against the Laws and Religion of England may be all in that battell overcome Or thus at three Kings in one person by the Beast of the earth were overthrown so the three grand enemies of the Church in that one person of the Beast of the earth may be overthrown And to me it is very probable in Revel 17. where John saw Rome in that year when she was to go to destruction in v 3. He saw the last Beast that did bear up Rome and uphold her in her pomp the Beasts is called v 8. the Beast that cometh out of the bottomlesse pit to let us know that that Beast which slaies the Witnesses bears up Rome when she is going to damnation this Beast v 3. is called the Beast bearing up Rome because he slays the Witnesses that would have pulled down Rome he is called therefore a scarlet coloured Beast because of his bloody cruelty against the true Church and then he is said to have seven Heads and ten Horns because he supports that City Rome with seven Heads and ten Horns Popery by the Covenanteers had long â—ince been in the dust but that he broke the Covenanteers and their Reformation by his bloody treason and his blasphemous troops So then as this Beast is said to bear up Rome though he be far distant from Rome by his slaying Romes enemies so Rome may be said to fall and the Pope may be said to fall and the Devil who is said to be the father of Hereticks and blasphemers may be said to fall when he that hath supported them fals And in this sence at this battell when this Beast is overthrown the Beast and that false Prophet and the Dragon may be said to fall and be sure of it when the Witnesses have got their victories over this Beast down goeth Popery and blasphemie and heresie so that though in the downfall of this Beast of the earth it cannot be said that the Pope and the Devil shall personally and universally in their power be overthrown yet it may truly be said that virtually they are overcome it may well and truly be said that the Pope and the Devil are overcome when this Beast is overcome because the Beast is the support of Popery by which Romes pomp is supported and the support of Hereticks and blasphemers by whom the Devils kingdom is upheld hath he not caused those to fall who went about to overthrow Rome and hath he not granted a toleration to all Hereticks to lord it over the orthodox Christians Who is so blinde as doth not see that he doth support this day the state pomp and Religion of Rome and of the Divels kingdom there Satans throne is where the Witnesses are slain Rev. 2. 13. In a word it may truly be said when the Beast of the earth is overthrown that then the Popes cause and interest and the Devills interest will with him be overthrown in these three kingdoms for who is it but he that hinders the Covenant-reformation and if he shall by the Covenanteers as I do undoubtedly believe he will when his three years and a halfs Raign is up be overcome be assured that the rising Witnesses prosecuting the ends of the Covenant will be the ruine of the Popes and the devils Kingdom in England Indeed the Tenor of the Covenant is nothing else but to establish the Witnesses and throw down Popery and Heresie that is the Pope and the Devils kingdom Shall I yet go a little further I am confident that when this Beast of the earth is overcome his cursed Hellish conspiracies with the Court of Rome and the Court of Spaine to overthrow the Kings of Europe that acknowledg not the Popes supremacie will be made so apparent that all the Kings in Europe especially France and Portugall and these thre Kingdoms England Scotland and Ireland will both abominate and utterly reject the Romish Court as a den of abominable Theeves and Murtherers And I trust utterly forsake that accursed Religion which can change it self into any shape and pretend any interest on purpose to overthrow kingdoms and murther Kings Now put all these together consider but from the time of the Popes rising when he got to be the head of Rome to be independent which as on all hands is concluded was about the yeer 390. and consider but the time of the Beasts of the earth who riseth out of Independency and slaies the Witnesses in the yeer 1647. consider how cleerly the holy Ghost holds out the Beast in his rising in his government in his time of duration and in the manner and place of his ruine compare but Scripture with Scripture compare Dan. 7. and 11. and Matth. 24 Mark 13. Luke 21. Rev. 11. the 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Chapters and Zach. 14. together with severall other Texts in Ezek and Isiah I say compare the severall texts as we have set them one with another and compare with these texts the occurrences of these three yeers last past in England Scotland and Ireland and from all it may be concluded I would fain say positively probably that immediately after 1650. is ended when the Beast of the earth hath â—aged a Prophetick day that is one year in Scotland then comes the ruine of the Church her enemies for then the Church of Romes time of keeping the Witnesses in Sackcloath is expired and the three years and an half of the great Independent Beast that shall slay the Witnesses is expired then he and his Poliarchy of Senators who Raign as Kings must go to their eternall graves and then the Witnesses must rise and take possession of their seats from which they were thrown and the Covenanted-reformation by them must be carried on to the utter destruction of the Pope and his faction and the binding of the devil and utter casting of him out of the Church with his faction All which the Lord of his infinite mercy through Jesus Christ for his elect sake both of Jews and Gentiles unconverted and alreadie converted hasten Even so come Lord Jesus Come quickly Amen FINIS
of people know that he was a malicious blood-hound of the persecuting Prelates one that prosecuted honest Christians at the Bishops Courts with most inveterate hatred and how suddenly did this man put off his Paritors Bagge and put on his Prophets Mantle how soon did he that pleaded for Crucifixes Cringings surplices crossings and Popish ceremonies that prayd for Bishops by what names or titles soever distinguished that prayed for our gracious Soveraign King Charles King of great Brittain Defender of the faith and supreme head of the Church in all causes and over all persons how soone did this man turn and how strangely was he altered that in 1642. he should foretell the ruine of his gracious Soveraign and now count the day of his ruine and his Peers that glorious day which literally fulfills the Doctors prophetical Text the young King and the Nobles may by this perceive what good friends the prelatical Bratts are to Monarchy but we proceed from page 20. to p. 27. He takes pains to the purpose to perswade the people to praise God since such glorious wonders are effected this day in these times and he layeth at the Presbyterians with all his might rayling at them that they wil not come in to make up the choice with his holy people he tells them 't is 〈◊〉 defect in their Consciences and if they be Saints they are in the dark or else they are full of prejudice or under some strange temptations nay a little after he saith they are no Saints for it is a contradiction in Adjecto to say a man is a Saint and will not be thankful nay in page 2â— he saith they are wilfully obstinate and page 23. miscomplexioned and in page 27. they are weak in judgemeâ—t and distempered in spirit From the Presbyterians he turns away and betakes himself in his use to his holy people and in page 32. he exhorts them to praise God in opposition to Kings Monarchy being turned into Democracy and Kingdoms into Common wealths here he turns States-man and takes upon him to tell what 's the best Government in the world a regular Democracy saith he assisted with an occasional Aristocracy in trust is the safest Government here he goes about to put his holy Councel of State above his holy Parliament he goeth on and most falsely and most unjustly slanders the Government of the Jews saying that this Democracy that he desired was the ancient Government of the Jews here he doth abuse both Moses and Joshua and all the Judges of Israel which were absolute Monarchs he proceeds and tells us that the first degenerate King was Nimrod observe here how the Dr. insnâ—res himself First He acknowledgeth the Office of a King to be lawful why else doth he say degenerate King for if a Kingly Government be not lawful Nimrods Office was enough to make him degenerate Secondly He acknowledgeth there were lawful Kings before Nimrod therefore he calls this Nimrod not the first King but the first degenerate King here the Dr. spake truth not at unawares but premeditatively for in page 9. He acknowledgeth that there was a holy King before Nimrod and that was Melchizedeck King of Salem Priest of the most high God Heb. 7. This Melchizedeck he saith was Sem the Sonne of Noah mark then how this wicked perverter of the wayes of truth even against his Conscience contradicts himself for in page 32. he stirs up the people to praise God for the Destruction of Kingly Government and Monarchy that Kingdoms are turned into Common-wealths and Monarchy into democracy and in page 39. brands all those with the mark of Antichristian which go about to uphold Kings or Kingly Government and yet confesseth that Kingly Government is lawful Government can any sober-minded man give credit to such a self condemned wretch he proceeds in page 32. to rayse at Kingly Government saying that God is angry at the peoples asking a King and God gave them a King in anger the 1. Sam. 8. the Doctor never considers it was their manner of asking a King that provoked God neither doth he consider how that God gave them only a King in wrath for God continued the Office when he destroyed the person of the King and God himself those David King after Saul which Government continued unremoved for â—4 Generations together Mat. 1. and at last it was as a grievous punishment for their sin removed But the Doctor forgets or conceals this he proceeds to exclaim against the lives of Kings thereby to defame their Office he calls them ambitious blood-suckers asks what Kings have done since Christs time until now for Christ but even much against Christ true Christians he forgets that the first Christian King in the world was he that subdued this Kingdom of England to the profession of the Gospel he forgets what Constantine that Monarch did in turning all the Empire the most of the world from Paganisme to Christianity I 'le only aske this question of the Doctor what glorious reformation in the world was ever wrought without a Monarch but the Dr. proceeds and tells us page 23. that there is divine reason why States should incline to Democracy one reason is because God did create us not Kings but people take this reason of the Doctors one way it is ridiculous non-sence take it another way it is an absolute untruth for Adam the first man created by God was created a Monarch God put all things under him to be subject and serviceable to him but his chief reason against Monarchy is because God hath setled his decree against Monarchy Dan. 2. Here the Doctors jugling is discovered for it is not Monarchy but degenerate Monarchy that God threatens to throw down this the Dr. doth as good as confess in page 32. where he confesseth that the Monarchy of Nimrod was a degenerate Monarchy because a tyrannical one now to argue because God will overthrow tyranical Monarchy therefore he will overthrow all Monarchy holds no more true in the consequence then because God will damn all reprobated men therefore hee 'l damn all men Thus have I given you a summary view of the chief things in the Doctors Sermon whereby it may plainly appear to every eye that the drift of this fellow as of the rest of his Jesuited fraternity is to prove the Protestants of England their civil Government to be Antichristian and that those that have blowne up the lawful Parl. are the Saints of the holy people whom God hath set apart for such a work and honoured them withall that they have bound Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron this he calls the throwing down of Antichrist which eight years agoe he foretold would come to passe about this year 1650. which is a year that the Independent-time-servers much haâ—p upon and this Dr. in special alleaging many Texts of prophetical Scripture to make good what he affirms in this explication of some Texts of Scripture I do acknowledge
their enemies round about now the Ark was fetched home to Jerusalem that had long lyen in obscurity And after David Solomon built a most sumptuous and rich Temple unto God he placed the Ark in it where it remained in its resting place he builded Altars ordained Sacrifices made the Sea the golden Candlesticks the Trumpets and all the holy vessels of gold and silver he ordered the Priests and maintenance for the Priests and the Singers and the Porters this was the second glorious day above others in the world this day far exceeded Moses his day for beauty and lustre but Moses his day was the standâ—ng rule all was writ by Moses his copy though it was writ in a far fairer hand by Solomon this day was the noon-time of Reformation with the Saints under the old Testament and this day God made a Monarch to be the instrument of effecting it The third glorious day in the world which was the day of all dayes was the day of Christs coming in the flesh to perfect a Reformation he was Luk. 3. a Monarch by succession from Adam and of the Royall family of Judah he was the mighty King long looked for and long before promised he was and is really the King of the Church he made null and void all Moses his Ceremoniall shadows he pulled down the Temple-worship and set up Laws and Ordinances of his own never man spake or did like him he was Monarch not only over the souls of all men in the world but is by right of succession conquest and compact with his Father Monarch of the whole nations of the bodies as well as the souls of men this Monarch hath gotten him a true right by his conquest as well as by his naturall prerogative and therefore he truly may bear that name and title which others usurp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of Kings ruling over Kings Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords he hath absolute power over the bodies and souls of all men and expects obedience from them all 't is he that gives all the men in the world protection and gives them wealth and honours he is never a jot the lesse King over the body because he is a spirituall King and King of the soul for as the rich man that commands the gold is master also of the cabinet that holds it so is Christ of the body which is but the cabinet of that precious Jewel the soul Christ refusing to be made a King and saying his Kingdom was not of the world deprived him not of his due for he was born Monarch of the world as descending from Adam and King of the Jews as descending of David and when he was on earth he gave Laws to all the world both Jews and Gentiles to be observed on pain of damnation herein he exercised the power of a Monarch This Monarch is in his being independent and in his power independent he hath voluntary commands which he will have his subjects to obey though he give no reason for it This independent power is only in him no man is independent but only this mighty Monarch and therefore the Protestants rightly call the Pope Antichrist because he makes himself absolutely independent in his power which is to make himself equall with Christ nay in this he sets himself above Christ for Christ when he was on earth subjected himself to the Scriptures and referred himself to the Jews to be tried by their own Prophets whether he were not the Christ but the Pope usurpes a power over the Scriptures and herein I may truly say that Independency is the formalis ratio Antichristi because it sets up man equall with Christ yea above Christ This Monarch the Lord Jesus set up new Laws Statutes and Ordinances in the world the which we finde in the new Testament this day was a glorious day to the Gentiles but through the Jews obstinacy and unbelief was a black dismall day to them for they pulled his blood on their heads to their bane which blood was appointed for their salvation The rules that this Monarch gave from his own mouth and the mouthes of his Ambassadours the Apostles are appointed for standing rules unto the end of the world before which there is a fourth glorious day to come This fourth day the Prophets have prophecied of and Christ hath prophecied of and the Apostles have prophecied of and especially John in the Revelations had a sight of this day shall subscribe in matter of fundamentals and substantials to the day of Christs being on earth but it shall as far exceed that day in lustre and in glorious effects as Solomons day exceeded Moses and my reasons are because the Jews and Gentiles shall be united this day in one faith and if Christs day of rejecting the Jews were the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fullnesse 2. There are more glorious promises made to this day in the Prophets then any day for this day now coming was the day that the Prophets chiefly prophecied of when they prophecied of a good day to Judah and Jerusalem 3. This day shall procure the destruction of the three grand enemies of the Gospel the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet 4. And all the Kingdoms in the world shall become Christs which since the Creation hath not yet been effected of this day I am to treat We have seen the three other daies effected by Monarchs this glorious day shall also be effected by a Monarch so far as I can perceive for it must be done by the rising of the slain Witnesses which is a lawfull Magistracy and a lawfull Ministry which we shall prove in the ensuing discourse where we shall treat of the things immediatly preceding this great day viz. 1. The Witnesses slaying and the Beasts of the earth tyranny over the Saints 2. We shall concur with the Doctor in the time and say that in the end of this year 1650 or neer about that time this glorious day of the Witnesses rising and Antichrists ruine shall begin but we shall absolutely deny and disown the Doctors signs of Antichrists fall for he saith That the beheading of the King and the casting off the Lords and the beating of the Scots is the glorious beginning of Antichrists fall and hereby is his text liberally fulfilled herein we shall uncase the Doctors weaknesse or wilfull wickednesse it may be both The which I will endeavour to do by laying open the manifest truth as it lieth in the Scriptures many of which texts the Doctor quoteth We are both agreed that the time of Antichrists fall shall be near 1650. this present year or presently after it therefore wee 'l passe that both of us concluding That the great day of Reformation is to begin this year or within twelve moneths of this year 1650. as the Doctor Learnedly proves in Pag. 15 16 17. But now the difference that will arise betwixt the Doctor and I will be about what
gets to his Kingdom not by open force but by pretences of peace to settle the Kingdom in peace this Party must be disbanded and the other Party thrust out of the Kingdom and another Party must be supplanted and all under pretence of Peace the King must be taken off and the Nobles degraded and the Commons secluded and all for the settling of peace his motto is Pax quaeritur bello I have read it in his Standart all his pretences are peace and restoring the Free-born people to their Liberties Two things discover him clearly First he succeeds in the room of a King which is destroyed neither in wroth nor battel v. 20. how then if neither by wroth nor battel then certainly he must be destroyed by a deliberate act of pretended Justice against him and so destroyed by cutting off his head as a malefactor Now that King so destroyed this vile fellow must succeed Nay v. 22. he shall proceed to overthrow the Prince of the Covenant Now we see how it hath succeeded with the Covenant-keeping Party at the stern of government The like Paraphrase may run in the following verses setting out this beasts designes against the King of the South but I will not be too bold since the times are comments on these texts let this be sufficient to make us know that the Beast of the earth and the little horn and this vile fellow are none and the same Beast even he that slayes the Witnesses and his two horns and his Dragons tongue are but to set forth his hypocriticall pretences as the Serpents tongue beguiled Eve so this fellow beguiles innocent persons to their ruin His two horns signifie his power his Army they are like Lambs horns Rev. 13. 12. 't is not said the horns of the Lamb but horns like a Lamb that is harmlesse he pretends that his Army shall lay down Arms whensoever the Parliament will command them they are Conscientious men who professe it s against their Principles to fight but to suffer for their Religion This Beasts Army are all innocent Doves and harmlesse Lambs all Saints persecuted Saints forsooth that count all men bitter-spirited men that beleeve not every word they say but he hath the tongue of a Dragon It alludes to the Serpent in Paradice that deceived Eve and so overthrew Adam the only Monarch of the world So doth this Beast with his Lambs horns through his lying cheating swearing forswearing and cheating of effeminate silly people overthrow the only true Christian Monarch in the world I wish it be not proved that they have had a hand in Adams ruin through the subtilty of Jesuits those Christian-State Serpents therefore this horn is said to have Dan. 7. 8. the eyes of a man that is aboundance of humane policy saith Theodoret and much dissimulation saith Maldonatus and then he speaks like the Dragon that 's another note of this beast like unto which you have that Dan. 7. 8. he hath a mouth speaking great things observe this beast hath not the Teeth nor the Tayl nor the Sting but the Tongue of the Dragon so that Fabritius Hectors comment on those words seemeth to me very good Os loquens injentia i.e. eloquens Superbus malledicus jactabundus fallax mirax divinitatem sibi arogat he is eloquent proud an evil speaker full of boasting a deceitfull fellow and a threatner and he arrogates divinity to himself this is something near the matter for he akes upon him to preach divinity this puts me in minde of their interpretations who by the Beast of the earth understand the earthly power of Antichrists Preachers which shall be excâ—eding numerous towards the later end of the world when Enoch and Elias are by them to be slain by Enoch and Elias they mean the two Witnesses this is the opinion of Haymo the ordinary Glosse Viega Rodolphus Richardus Beda Ausburtus Pannoâ—ius Rupertus and others it is very much for these Authors so long ago to foretell us that in these dayes we should have an army of Preachers rise up and slay the Witnesses I am sorry that I must be so tedious but I cannot let passe the words of Petrus Bullingerus upon the two horns of the Beast of the earth Scripturas in hypocâ—isin gerunt faciuntque faciunt ex ejus Cornua bestiae dum adulterant verbum Dei non nisi ad confirmanda Satanae mendatiae illis utantne they professe the Scriptures saith he in hypocrisie and out of it they make horns for the Beast while they adulterate the word of God and make no use at all of the Scriptures but only to confirm the lies of Satan in an ancient manuscript which I found in Bibliotheca Bodliana I found this passage in it speaking of the Horns of the Beast saith he he hath two Horns either to note that he pretends to be the defender of the two Testaments or that he would seem to be the protector of the Gospel-Church amongst the Gentiles and the great friend to the Jews this he pretends to in the sight of the world said Sybillâ— frandulentia Enoch et Elias preditet but under that deceit he shall slay the Witnesses believe it these passages are not to be sleighted for my own part when I consider the times we live in and see how exactly the ancient writers words are fulfilled I rather count them Prophets then Dâ—eamers Now because we will if possible inforce the Dr. to see his mistakes we will yet make out this Beast more clearly by his Horns take but that of E Lapide Josephus A Costa C. E Lapide saith that Cornu â—ignum erat Regni so that belike these two Horns must be two Kingdoms that this Beast shall wear Josephus Acosta l. 2. de novissimis Temporibus Cap 17. thinks that these two Horns signifie Episcopal dignity which is the Miter that Bishops wore which Miter hath two parts like two Horns upon the Head crit ergo quispiam Apostata â—t simulator religionis ecclesiae honoris proditor that these two â—eâ—uites may not fall together by the eares wee 'le reconcile them would Cornelius E Lapide have this Beasts two Horns two Kingdoms wee 'le grant it would Josephus A Costa have it a Myter like to Horns wee 'le grant that also England and Ireland are the two Kingdoms that the Beast hath gotten by his policy and power take the Harp and the Crosse as they are now joyned by the Beast that hath joyned them and put them on his head they make a perfect Miter and thus I have reconciled these two learned Jesuites which I hope none will judge but that 't is a work of charity in real truth Oh! but that Beast in Daniel subdueth three Kings how then hath he but two horns Sol. he shall cut off the King of three Kingdoms and in that sence he shall pluck up three Kings in one person or he shall defeat the power and forces of three Kingdoms he shall cause them to fall and fly
upholding Rome by slaying the witnesses for otherwise Rome by the witnesses had been shaken I have not 〈◊〉 enough to vindicate this 17. Chapter from the false glosses put upon it it shall be the work of a longer day only I hint this by the way that this Beast is he that was that is as Junius saith in the Caesarian head and is not that is in the same Family 't is not but yet is that is in the same Government for the likeness and for the kind it is the same Governnest and the qualities of the Beast are such this very Beast Daniel describes after the self-same manner Dan. 11. 36. 37. 38. And the King shall do according to his will and he shall exalt himself and magnifie himself above every God and shall speak marvelous things against the God of Gods and shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished for that that is determined shall be done Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers nor the desire of women nor regard any God for he shall magnifie himself above all But in his estate he shall honour the God of forces and a God whom his Fathers knew not shall he honour with gold and silver and precious stones and pleasant things This King Hierome conceives is Antichrist this King as Cothiâ—s on Rev. 1. 3. calls him the eighth there mentioned in Rev. 17. because he is the last great enemy of the Church which by slaying the witnesses bears up Rome which stands tottering in the 7. head the Pontificality so he is called by Hierom Dan. 7. 8. the eleventh King because he is the last uâ—start usurper which erects a new Government amongst the ten European Kingdoms formerly belonging to the Roman Empire so that by the Fathers confession this King must not arise until the end of the Roman Monarchy now 't is concluded by all learned men that the Roman Monarchy is now near its end and what little horn that is which is now started up and hath pulled down tres Reges Christum purè profitentes for so Viega saith he must do I give all this world leave to judge that are sound in the principles of this present Religion it is well known that only England Scotland and Ireland were the three Kingdoms in the world that of late professed the principles of the Protestant Religion purely and that is to profess Christ purely Ireland might justly whiles it was subjected to the English be called one of the three Kingdoms purely professing the Gospel though since it may justly be called Egypt for that bloudy cruelty to the true Church now who it is that hath usurped these three by distroying the lawful King of the three Kingdoms every Child can tell Observe but Bright mâ—ns Comment upon this Text he calls this King Antichrist Hiâ—râ—m calls him Antichrist and so do many of the Fathers indeed Brightman applies it to the Pope but I see no reason for it I do not deny but that the Popedomâ— is that state under which the Church shall be afflicted 1260 years but it is questionable whether the Popedom be the Antichrist exclusively I do acknowledge that it is that Antichristian state out of which Antichrist shall arise but I huâ—bly conceive yet not I alone but all the Fathers that the man Antichrist is he that slayes the witnesses I do not deny but that the Pontifick state since it got the Key of independency is that man of sin spoken of 2 Thes 2. 4. who opposeth himself to all that is called God The likeness of the expression here in Daniel and this made Brightman conclude that it was the Pope but it is no wonder if the Holy Ghost use like expressions to set forth the Beast of the earth which all the Fathers and most of the Papists call Antichrist because there is a neer relation betwixt the Pope and him the Pope made the Keys of the bottomles pit and this Beast of the earth Rev. 11. 7. comes out of the bottomlespit the Pope is the 7. head of Rome and this is of the seven he doth all that the Pope did before him the Pope rose by lying cheating forswearing rebelling against his Soveraign deposing of him and sitting in his seat tolerating blasphemies and setting up Hereticks upon design yet professing much holiness and Saint-ship and so doth the Beast of the earth he treads in the path of Roman policy doing the same things in the presence or with the good liking of the Pope The Pope set up a strange Government in Rome and so doth this Beast of the earth in the Kingdoms that he threw down his usurpation is set out by his magnifying himself above all Gods that is Magistrates the strange Government he shall set up is the God Mauzzim that is the Government of force the sword-Government such a Government as his Fathers never heard of he shall honour it with gold and silver that is he shall make his Officers rich and his packt party he shall make them rule over many his word shall give them power to write as the Popes did volumus et mandamus we enact and be it enacted and the next thing they shall do is to divide the Land for gain yes that 's it We have a large coÌ„ment upon this Text already written in large Characters upon the Kingdoms burthened back so that by this you see how the Holy Ghost agrees both in Daniel and Revel in the describing of this Beast by his Government In Revel 13. he sets up a Government of his own forcing by his sword and in Daniel he sets up the God Mauzzim which is the Government of force If any should doubt whether the Beast in the Revelations and this in Daniel which we have so often quoted be one and the same I prove it thus if Daniel agree with the Revelation and the Revelation with Daniel in the identity of time of action of rule and ruine of the Beast then most probable that Daniels little horn and Johns Beast of the earth are one and the same but the time of the Beast in both is one and the same for that in Daniel riseth in the end of the Roman Monarchy and that in Rev. 7. riseth when the witnesses have finished their Testimony that is at or near the end of the 1260 years raign of the Beast of the Sea Rev. 13. after which immediately John saw the Beast of the earth arise and her actions are the same in Dan. and Revel for in Dan. 25. he wears out the Saints of the most high and thinks to change times and Lawes and Rev. 1â— 7. he shall make warre with the witnesses overcome them and slay them and in Rev. 13. 10. 11. when he that led captivity is to go into captivity then the faith and patience of the Saint is tryed then their two suffering graces shall be eminently exercised and then v. 11. shall the other Beast the Beast rising out of the earth appear this Beast is he
shall this beast cause sore prosecution to fall upon the Saints of God yea this beast shall be farre more cruel then any of the enemies of the Church before him he shall be more monstrous in his attempts against the Church and he shall reach higher then ever any enemy before him the tallest we reade of before was but 66. but this is 666. all the enemies the most hellishest Traytors could never yet root up the Protestant Government in England they could never blowe up King Lords and Commons by their most secret plots but this beast doth it at noon-day in the face of all the world Oh that I had but room here to write his History I should make the eares of all that heard it tremble to remember these horrid unnatural villanies that this beast of the earth whose nummber is 666. hath committed all the conspiracies of Rome and Spain though they have not now been idle could never yet do the tenth part of that mischief to the Magistry and Ministry of England as he hath done how hath he overthrown them even when they had finished their Testimony how miserably is our covenanted Reformation broken in pieces by the prevailing Treason and rebellion of this beast As for those who seek to find the beast in the number of his name I conceive they stumble upon these two grosse mistakes they take the word number in a literal sence which is to be interpreted in another sence it signifying there the due proportion of the beast in number weight and measure thereby shewing he is an usurper a thief and a robber none of Gods appointment 2. There is another stumbling-block at which Interpreters not a few fall they go about to find the number of this beast in his name whereas the Holy-Ghost doth not bid us number his name for that the fooles of the world do but he bids them count the number of the beast count him in his rising he rose by his Lambs horns and Dragons tongue by flattering and hypocrisie blasphemies and deceits count him in his acting he acts by the Devils and the Popes Commission count him in his power he sets up his Sword-power a tyranical unlawful power count him in his means of obtaining that power and 't is his signes and wonders whereby he cheateth the people into a compliance with and subjection to his Power and Dominion Look upon him and count him in his several Acts of power and he is extreme tyranical he makes it death speak against the new Government and then he forceth men even against their own Consciences to subscribe to his new Government or publickly to own it by observing his publick edicts and keeping and solemnizing his Fast-dayes and Feâ—st-dayes and if not to deprive them of the priviledge of buying and selling to out-law them and God only knowes what worse thing thus count the number of the beast and his number is none of Gods but the Devils number he is full weight no where but in the Devils scales In plain truth he is a hydeous monstrous Tyrant against the Church exceeding all that went before him for the Popes they only drove the witnesses into Sackcloth but this beast slayes them Thus have I tediously though not impertinently shewed thee Reader the beast that slayes the witnesses and the time when he doth slay them and by this time I doubt nor but thou seest that those whom the Dr. my Antagonist makes the holy ones are those that slay the witnesses and those for whose destruction he impudently gave thanks are the slain witnesses I meane the lawful Governours and Government in the State and the lawful Governours and Government in Church for 't is the Offices of both which being destroyed may justly be called the slaying of the Witnesses all rational sober-minded Protestants may easily find the slain witnesses if hee 'l but look to the casting down of the Covenant-Reformation and the Instruments of that Covenant In the Covenant he may find their testimony the which both Magistrate and Ministers having finished that is fully agreed upon and resolved effectually to put in practice up comes this beast of the earth and with his Sword-power slayes them and their reformation and this is the time of slaying of the witnesses now this as we have proved he did when he set up his God Mauzzim Dan. 11. 38. that is his Sword-power the which was set up in Anno 1647. about August or December when he got the strength of the Kingdom by Sea viz. the Navy into his hands and 〈◊〉 Cinque-ports Castles Strong-Holds and fortifications of the Kingdom Together with the general Command of all the forces in the Kingdom of England and Wales at which time he seized on the royal perâ—on of the King of England marched up in Arms against the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament charged illegally persumptiously and unjustly the chief of the Members of the House of Commons with Treason put them to flight imprisoned divers of the Lords and several of the Commons and the chiefest and honourablest of the Magistrates of the City of London and by his Sword-power set up his packt party of fagitive Members which fled from the Parliament and openly subscribed to live and die with this fellow whose designs were to blow up King and Parliament as since all the world hath seen it true I humbly conceive we may reckon the name of this beast to begin then and the slaying of the witnesses then to begin so that the next conclusion or proposition for me to prove will be this That the beast of the earth that did slay these witnesses shall be destroyed the witnesses that he slew shal rise again about this year 1651 by slain witnesses rising again I do not mean the same persons that were slain but the same Offices that were pulled down shall rise again the lawful State Government and lawful Church-Government shall rise again for the more plain and clear demonstration of this we must lay down some few Propositions to be premised 1. That as the former part of the Revelation sets forth the enemies of the Church and the Church her sad condition under those enemies especially these 3. enemies the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet so from Rev. 14. to the end you have the vision of the Raign of the beast the Dragon and the false Prophet and the rising of the Church to a glorious State 2. That the beasts distruction that slayes the witnessests and the witnesses rising again are at one and the same time for as the beasts rising and the witnesses ruine were at once Rev. 11. 7. so the witnesses rising and the beasts ruine shall be at once as the cause and the effect The beasts rising was the cause of the witnesses falling and the witnesse rising again is the cause of the beasts ruine 3. That those witnesses are a goodly Magistracy and a goodly Ministry which are called Rev. 4. 4. 6. 7. 24. Elders
Iudgment come this the world hath warning of in v. 8. the next Angel follows saying v. 9. Babylon is fallen is fallen then the third Angel follows with a loud voice as the others do observe now is the time of loud voices in the Church which are heard untill the 7th Trumpet sound he forewarns every man of the danger of worshipping the Beast and his Image for saith he v 10. If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drink the wine of the wrath of God v 11. Yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb. v 12. And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and receive the mark of his name there is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Iesus These words are but once used before and that is in Rev. 13. 10. immediately before the rising of the Beast of the Earth Now here they are repeated to shew the cause of the Saints sufferings it shall be for opposing this Beast of the Earths new Government and not subscribing to be true and faithfull to it which is here set down by worshipping the Beast and his Image and receiving his mark this shall be one great cause of the Witneses slaying therefore in vers 13. there is a heavenly voice that says Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and the Spirit gives two reasons 1. Because they rest from their exceeding pressure of calamity for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which coms from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 2. Their works follow them To read it according to the Greek copie 't is but their works follow them to note though the Witnesses be slain and that Reformation which they so laboured in be for a time plucked out of their hands so that they are forced as Nehemiah to cease from their labors yet that work shall follow them the work of Reformation shall follow the slain Witnesses Blessed are the dead this is either to set out the horrible tribulation of these times as in Matth. 24. Mark 13. and Luke 21. they are called so that he shall be blessed that is taken to God from out of these troubles or rather for incouragement to the godly Magistracy and Ministery which are persecuted imprisoned and banished and in danger of their lives for keeping their Covenant and their integrity and not breaking Gods commandements either the first or the second Table Therefore Ver. 12. it is added Here are they that keep the commandements of God it seems it shall be a time of trampling Gods Law under foot so that they that keep Gods commandements shall be rare and eminent men it shall be a rare thing to find a faithfull man When Christ comes 't is spoken of this time of his coming in the white cloud as followes shall he find faith on the earth 'T will be a rare thing to find either faithfull Magistrate or Minister or men of a strong faith most men will comply and ingage through the weaknesse of their faith Observe what followes this time of slaying the Witnesses vers 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one like the Son of Man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle After the slaying of the Witnesses immediately followes Christ in the cloud with his sickle in his hand Observe that in the 14 15 16. Chapter they all make one vision and every verse from the 14. Chapter to the end of the 16. begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except when the sense is continued in two Verses or a reason in one is given of the former which is not above thrice throughout the three Chapters there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be found the matter in the three Chapters is copulative In the first part of this Chapter you have the Witnesses finishing their testimony the Church coming out of Babylon having made a progresse in reformation the chief instruments are slain the Magistrates and the Ministers who had taken infinite pains had thrown down Superstition Prelacy and Popery and covenanted to establish the Gospell in its purity these on a suddain when they had finished their testimony are cast out of their Offices imprisoned banished and beheaded In Rev. 20. 4. there is the manner of the Witnesses punishment and the cause of their sufferings For the cause of Christ and for the Word of God for going about to establish the truth of Christ according to the Word of God for so the Covenant runs they were cut off with the axe There 's both the Magistrates punishment and the cause plainly set down And which did not worship the Beast neither his image neither had taken his mark on their foreheads or on their hands that is they refused to acknowledge or own the authority of the Beast of the Earth 't is certain that this can be meant of none but the Beast of the Earths government for this power of setting up an Image and inforcing men to worship it is attributed to none but him And whether the punishments prescribed be not now inflicted upon the Covenant-keeping Ministery this day let all the world judge There hath nothing been so clearly fulfilled in the eyes of the world this thousand years as this of the slaying of the Witnesses this day in our eyes Oh that we had hearts to conceive aright of it Vers 4. But now followes the glorious day Christ in a white cloud Here two Propositions must be cleared First Here begins the seventh trumpet to sound Secondly The seventh sounding causeth all the vialls to be powred out on the Beast of the Earth on the Beast of the Sea and on the Prince of the Ayre Then begins the seventh trumpet to sound when Christ begins to take the Kingdoms of the world and make them his own and reigne over them Rev. 11. 15. But in Rev. 14. 14. then Christ is crowned with a golden crown when he sits on his white cloud therefore the time of Christs coming in the cloud is the time of the seventh trumpets sounding and for this cause saith the Holy Ghost lest men should mistake the time Rev. 11. 14. The second woe is past and the third woe cometh quickly when the two Witnesses stand upon their feet and are called up to heaven then the seventh trumpet coms swiftly and without delay for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies therefore Rev. 16. 15. in the very middle of the narration of the great battell that the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet shall fâ—ght against the Lamb when they gather together to that great battell Christ gives this warning to the Church that when
Nature which was glorious as the Curtains of Solomon which was of most rich stuffe and curiously wrought this they looked not on but ver 6. on the blacknesse of Christ because the wrath of Gods hot displeasure scorched him on the Crosse therefore his mothers children i.e. the Jews were angry with him and this was all the reason because he neglected his own safety and comfort and ease and life to give them safety and comfort ease and eternall life he was the Keeper of the Vineyards but his own Vineyard he had not kept He was the Churches keeper though he kept not himself from Gods wrath This day of Christs coming in the flesh the Jewes thus by their blindnesse and unbelief lost and therefore that day is not the day that the Prophets mean in their Prophecies shall be the glorious day to the Jewes but as the Rabbins say and that as to that truly it is some glorious day of restoring the twelve Tribes again in the end of the Roman Monarchy this day was the day that the Jews that believed in Christ when he was on earth looked for therefore said some of them Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel Acts 2. They did look for a restoring of the kingdom of Israel to its former lustre as in Davids time This will be at the sounding of the seventh trumpet and of this mystery at this time to be revealed he Prophets have prophesied as in Isa 11. there you have a Prophesie of the Gospell day and from Christs incarnation to the end of the Roman Monarchy for the three other Monarchies were past and only the Roman Monarchy in being when Christ was born In the eleven first verses there is set forth the excellency of Christ the Author of the Gospell and the glorious effects of his Gospell Now in this Gospell-day God will recover the second time the remnant of his people that is Israel from Assyria and Egypt and from the Islands of the Sea This day of redemption must of necessity be the day of redeeming the Jews from under the Roman Monarchy for Paul Rom. 15. 12. quotes Isa 11. 10. to shew that Isaiah prophesied of Christs coming and the Gentiles believing in him Now this of the Gentiles conversion was under the Roman Monarchy therfore Isa 11. v. 11 the recovering again of Israel and Juda must be meant of their redemption by Christ and conversion under the Roman Monarchy this no rational Textman can deny v. 11 12 13 14. you shal find these expressions quoted by Christ Matth. 24. their flying on the shoulders of the Philistims of the West v. 14. is to expresse the great advantage the Jewes shall have in their conversion to Christ by the destruction of the Western Roman Empire which are their spirituall Philistims who allow them not to search the Word they keep all spirituall weapons from them and by their spirituall wickednesse and superstition harden the poore Jewes in unbelief therefore the Pontisick State is called Revel 7. in Hebrew Abaddon i.e. a destroyer In Isa 11. v. 12. 13. there is another Argument For God promiseth here to gather Israel and Juda Ephraim that is the Royall Family of the ten Tribes shall not envy Juda nor Juda vex Ephraim the twelve Tribes shall be united but they were never yet gathered together since the Babylonish Captivity nor were they ever united as yet therefore this is to be fulfilled Now in that day when these things shall be accomplished v. 14 15. Edom Moab and Ammon that is all Heretikes who are the worst of enemies to the true Church for Edom came of Esau the apostate v. 14. and Moab and Ammon were the sons of Lot begotten and born in incest Now all these in after-ages pretended that they were the true begotten sons of the Church the Edomites said that their father Esau was the first born of Jacob and therefore they were the true Church The Moabites and the Amorites they said that Lot was their Grand father therefore they are the true Church Now these three were the basest maliciousest and cruellest enemies that the true Chruch had and so are heretikes and Apostates which the world shall be full of Mat. 24. 26. 29. before the conversion of the Jewes but these shall be trodden underfoot as David when he came to the crown subdued them round about so will God v. 15. and God will destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea that is the Popedome which is the tongue of the Roman Church which is spirituall Egypt and smite it in the seven streames that they may go over drie-shod this Christ quotes Rev. 16. 12. there is the river which God will smite in the seven streames and drie it up that Israel may come to the Gospell Romes accursed doctrine pomp and tyranny shall come to ruine not only at Rome but in the West and East India's there God shall break the Popish Religion and the Tribes shall take notice of Gods mighty hand and give glory to God the like expression we have in Zacharia Zach. 10. from v. 6. to v. 9. the Jewes conversion is declared This Cornelius à Lapide conceives is meant of the Jewes conversion this was begun saith he by the Apostles but shall be perfected by the two Witnesses I like well the words in some sense they are doubtlesse most true but v. 11. when he doth this what will he do he will passe through the Sea with affliction the Septuagint reads it He will passe through the narrow Sea and shall smite the waves thereof and the deeps of the river shall drie up and the pride of Ashur shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart away Compare these places with the Vialls and they are all one as in time so in expression but I am too tedious In Mat 24. Mark 13. and Luke 21. we may find all the Vialls there mentioned I will touch upon one for all Luke 21. 24. there begins the Jews woes and sorrowes from the time of Jerusalems destruction downward untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled what 's the meaning of that Look in Rom 12. 25. there is repeated that blindness in part is hapned to Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in 't is all one with that expression Untill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled but when is the time of the Gentiles fulfilled look in Rev. 11. 2. there the time of the Gentiles that is the time of Antichrists raign say all or the most Interpreters is 42 moneths Salary moneths which make 1260 dayes dayes being put for years the meaning is the full time of Antichrists Raign is 1260 years and when these years are expired then the fulness of the Gentiles is come in and then all Israel shall be saved by Jesus Christ as Esay 59. 20. the place that Paul quotes where had we time it were easie to give the Reader an exact view of these times in the precedent
forth into captivity and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the City Here is a particular Narration of the Churches affliction in this day This must be understood saith Diodate of the spirituall and corporall Wars which Antichrist shall make against the Church I do believe this Exposition to be really true for as he saith God shall suffer a great part of his Church to be discomfited and subdued Rev. 11. 7. as Diodate is excellent in his Annotations so on this text he is most excellent for he turns us to the right place to find out the Enemy that afflicts the Church with this sore affliction and that is in Rev. 11. 7. the Beast that slays the Witnesses Dan. 7. 25. wears out the Saints he makes war with them and overcomes them Cornelius è Lapide in one sense understands this in Zachary of Antichrists tyranny over the Church so that this verse gives a description of the Beasts tyranny that slayes the Witnesses Indeed some of the Rabbins understand it literally of Antiochus rifling Jerusalem but their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore we pass them of all men Oecolampadius comes neerest the sense of this text in the explication he paralels the first verse with Matth. 24. which speaks of the great tribulation of the Church towards the end of the world per Antichrist ver 2. By Jerusalem he understands the visible Church of true Believers by all Nations or Gentiles He chiefly understands Antichrist who subdues poor soules by the insnaring of their consciences in his Trap of Deceit and Fetters of Tyranny so he understands the taking of the City Sicut enim milites domus devastant virgines stuprant ita Antichristus Christi sponsas animasque vitiat This text agrees with that kind of Government the Beast sets up Rev. 13. 11 17. and with the actions of that King Dan. 11. 36 37 41. He shall enter into the glorious Land and many shall be overthrown by him and ver 39. He shall divide the Land for gain There 's the spoyl divided this is a type of the affliction the Gospel-Church shall be in when she is going out of Babylon to a Reformation It shall be a day wherein all these Vipers of Hell shall appear which Paul tells us of 2 Tim. 3. 12. 3 4 5 6. Rebels and Traytors Hereticks and Blasphemers who assault Government as a Town and rifle the glory of a Kingdom as a City taken by storm They commit spiritual Rapes by leading silly women captive after their heresies Therefore Christ tells us Mat. 24. it shall be a time of tribulation with the Church for false Christs and false Prophets shall deceive many the Church of God shall be miserably torn as a City taken by storm but what follows Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of battel and his feet shall stand in ver 3. that day upon the Mount of Olives in eo loco saith Oecolampadius ubi pseudochristi pravaluerunt ibi veniet Dominus in majestate So that we must look for the rising of the Witnesses in that Kingdom where false Christs and false Prophets prevail this learned man is mistaken in that he applies it to the Day of Judgment Observe how this suits with Rev. 13. 11. to the end and Rev. 14. 1. After the Holy Ghost had described the Tyranny of the Beast in Rev. 13. immediatly follows Rev. 14. 1. Christ standing on Mount Zion with his sealed Ones and here you see him standing on Mount Olivet This is that day which the Church of the Jews I mean the godly Jews longed to see These feet of Christs Solomon in his Song commends and Isa 52. 7. There the Church admiring saith How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tydings that is Christ I conceive by feet are meant the Witnesses which Rev. 10. 1 2. are called Christs right foot and left foot for they are the Instruments that Christ makes use of for the propagating the Gospel It cannot be meant literally of Christs feet but of a godly Magistracy and Ministery which the Lord shall eminently promote Rev. 11. 11 by restoring them to that condition they were in when they finished their Testimony immediatly before the Beast of the Earth slew them yea to a far higher state God shall set the Magistracy in the Throne again and Ministery in their places again they shall stand on their feet again they shall be higher in power and greatness then ever they were therefore ver 12. they are said to be called up to Heaven Observe as the Beast that slew the Witnesses and his party brought the Witnesses into as much disgrace as might be ver 9. in not suffering their dead bodies to be buried that is using them with the highest acts of insulting cruelty For the expression as I conceive is taken from insulting Warriours whom in a vaporing bravado to shew how much they disdain their Enemy and how basely they esteem of him tell him they 'l give his body to the Fowls of the Ayr that is disdain to give him the honour of a burial thou shalt die as a Dog In the great Duel fought betwixt David and Goliah before they fought you shall find these insulting expressions proceeding from each of them to the other in the 1 Sam. 17. 44. said the Philistin to David Come to me I will give thy flesh to the Fowls of the Ayr and the Beasts of the Field The self-same saith David to Goliah ver 46. They could not throw more indignominious expressions into the face of each other then these Now this is practised against the Witnesses by the Beast and his party that slayes them but as their cruelty towards them is exceeding so shall their honour in their exaltation be exceeding and their enemies repayed with the same ignominy and reproach Rev. 18. 6. Reward her as she hath rewarded you How is that Why he gave their carcasses to the Fowls of the Ayr and the Witnesses must now give the Beast and his Army's carcasses to the Fowls of the Ayr and therefore Rev. 19. 11. When Christ rides on his white horse and ver 14. his Army followes him on white horses these are the Witnesses risen and when the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gather together as in Zech. 14. 2. they do for 't is one and the same battel then Christ ver 17 18. calls the Fowls to a great Supper even to the carcasses of his Enemies Here Christ payes them home in their own coyn they would not suffer the Witnesses to be laid in grave and God will not suffer them to be put in grave for the Fowls shall eat them this Battel in Zech. 14. 3. and Rev. 19. is one and the same because 't is fought by the same person Christ and the same Army and in the same place and at the same time
commerce or trade with them they shall be at as great distance in Opinion Judgment and practice as the Covenant is at a distance from the Engagement or the Engagement from the Covenant Covenanters cannot pass to the Engagers without perjury and the Engagers cannot pass to Covenanters without forfeiting their allegeance to their acknowledged Masters This I conceive is the Valley that shall be made towards the East and West which must needs be Eastward and Westward when the Mount is divided and half removes towards the North the other towards the South The Fathers many of them mis-interpreting this text by giving a bare literal explication of the words differ therefore in the application some apply this text to Titus and his Army's Exploits upon Mount Olivet Others faign that 't was then when God with his Angels fought for the Maccabees on that Mount against Antioches Others think that 't was then fulfilled when Constantine fought against the Arrians at which time on this hill the sign of the cross appeared Hence it may be Theodoretus and Hierom conceive that this hill was divided into four parts like a cross but these have but fabulous grounds for their opinion Zanche Vatable Lycanus and many others say 't was divided but into two parts but I humbly conceive that in a literal sense Mount Olivet was never divided into two Therefore the text is not to be understood literally but figuratively and parabolically under these tearms and Expositions setting forth some eminent place in the world which is eminent for holiness and unity in Doctrine and Government but unexpectedly rent and miserably divided into two grand parties which shall be at so great and vast a distance in opinion and practice as 't is impossible to reconcile them one to the other the one shall swear to maintain King Lords and Commons and the other shall swear to suppress King and Lords the one shall swear to maintain true Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Worship and the other shall practice the destruction of Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Worship by a toleration of all Religions and supporting Popery by taking away all Oaths offensive to Popish Tenents and all Statutes offensive to their persons and estates and striving to destroy sound stedfast principled Protestants by imposing Oaths upon them against their consciences and by taking away their priviledge of the Law from them so laying them open to all manner of misery By this you may see I am strongly induced to believe that the Mount of Olives is England and Scotland formerly united under one King and Religion and under one solemn League and Covenant That part of the mountain divided to the North I conceive is Scotland That part to the South I conceive according to its situation from Scotland is England betwixt these there shall be a great Gulf a Gulf betwixt their principles so deep and wide that all the World shall take notice of it If any man should doubt of Scotland being part of the Mountain of Holiness in regard of the base reproaches of late cast upon them I 'le desire that man to read Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs opinion of Scotland in a speech made at Guildhall London Octob. 6. 1643. Scotland saith he is a Kingdom beloved and honoured of God by whom God will do great things in the latter Age of the World 't is a Philadelphia 't is more deeply ingaged to God then any Nation in the World by Covenant 't is the most reformed Nation under Heaven 't is the greatest Enemy to Antichrist in the World and the most successefull with whom God hath most eminently appeared they are exceeding wise exceeding just and full of Christian love This was Mr. Jeremiah Burrough's opinion of the Kingdom of Scotland and if he say it I hope honest Independents if there be any will believe it V. 5. And ye shall flee into the Valley of the Mountain for the valley of the Mountain shall reach unto Azal yea ye shall flee like as ye fled from the Earth-quake in the dayes of Uzziah King of Judah and the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee This time shall be a time of great terrour Hunc terrorem dominus praedicit Luke 21. saith Oecolampadius where mens hearts shall fail then for fear of the commotions which in this age shall come and ye shall flee into my Mountains So Hierom reades it For the Valley of the Mountain shall reach unto Azal Many of the ancient Interpreters read Azal as a proper name and so pass it by So doth Pagnine Aquila Vatible and the Chaldee but Soman renders Azal usque adproximum to some place neer at hand Others as Tygurine and Arrias Montanus conceive 't is meant some secure place where God did hide his Church from Antiochus his fury but Hierom and Lyranus expound it thus That ye may flee into the Valley which lieth betwixt Moriah and Mount Zion that was a secure place for it was betwixt the City wall and the Temple But others more neer the Hebrew text interpret Azal usque ad separatum so Deodat speaking of Azal saith it signifies a separation So that the plain sense of the text seems to be this Ye shall flee into the Valley of my Mountains that is Yea that are the sealed ones of the Lamb that refuse to worship the Beast or his Image or receive his mark that is subscribe his Ingagement Ye shall flee into the Valley of my Mountains that is that place or Nation which keeps my Covenant and observes my statutes to do them there God will dwell where his Laws are observed and his Ordinances maintained in purity but that Nation onely in the World this day is Scotland and the reason why God will have them to fly to his Mountains is in the next words For the Valley of the Mountain shall reach unto Azal that is The breach betwixt the two Kingdoms shall reach unto a separation It shall separate true Subjects from Traytors sincere Professors of Religion from Apostates and Hypocrites Covenant-keepers from Covenant-breakers Sheep from Goats Thus the breach betwixt the Kingdoms shall make a separation in Persons in Prayers in Sermons in every thing there shall be a separation In Cant. 2. 27. the Church prayes thus Return my well-beloved and be like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether this word Bether seems to match Azal for Bether signifies a separation or division Now on a Mountain of Separation the Church Praies Christ to appear it seems to me a prayer made for this day for verse 4. 'T is when the Jews that are obscured shall be converted and ver 15. when Herericks shall spoil the Church then in such a straight the Church prayes that on the Mountains of Bether that is In the divided distracted Kingdoms he would appear for the Churches deliverance it shall be a time of flying a time of hot persecution but the onely place for safety for the Saints
will be the Valley of Gods Mountains ye shall flee is either Gods admonition to the people that are on the South part of the Mountain to flee into the North part of the Mountain assuring them that in that Kingdom onely safety will be found for the Saints Or else 't is spoken by way of discrimination to shew which way the true Saints of God will take They will flee in their affections to the other side they will be on the Covenant side and on their side which keeps Gods Ordinances pure and resolve to adhere to their Covenant you shall in this day know a Saint by his prayers and his fasting and his thanksgiving A true Saint will die rather die then keep a day of rejoycing for the overthrow of the Saints but the other party that slay the Witnesses 't is their duty they owe it to the Devil therefore Rev. 11. they send gifts one to another and make merry and why Because they that would have prosecuted the ends of the Covenanted-Reformation are overthrown Nothing but a sincere Reformation is a terrour to Apostates Hypocrites and carnal professors but now they being overthrown the Ingagers the Worshippers of the Beast make merry and send gifts one to another that is keep Thanksgiving days But you may know a true Saint he abhors it he mournes and covers his face with sackcloth he flies in his prayers to the other side of the Valley to the Valley of Gods Mountain his heart and affections shall be there Yea ye shall flee like as ye fled from the Earthquake in the dayes of Uzziah King of Judah 2 Chron. 26. 16. There Vzziah after his good success in the War apostatized from his former good life his good success made him self-conceited and turn Independent that is take upon him the Priests Office as well as the Kings He would be the onely Saints in the Kingdom by usurping the Priests Office the Priests being godly bold men protest against him and his proceedings as against the written Law of God against the Scriptures but that 's all one to him the impulse of his spirit was such upon his good success in his late Wars that notwithstanding the Priests protest he was resolved to carry on his Design Hereupon there grows a civil war as 't were betwixt the Covenant-keeping Priests and the Covenant-breaking King the King hereupon resolved to murther the Priests that stood in his way and crossed his Design Et mox ut Rex minatus est mortem Sacerdotibus saith Josephus lib. 9. cap. 11. Antiquit. as the King was breathing out the threatnings of death against the Priests God from Heaven smote the King with a leprosie in his face whereby it appeared that the new-created Saint was an unclean creature fit to be cast out of the Temple and to be banished the society of men This mans wickedness brought a terrible Earthquake upon the Kingdom such a one as was for its terrour never before known in Judea it cleft the Temple in twain saith Josephus and before the City in a place called Eâ—ogie the half of a Mountain that stood to the Eastward brake and fell and removed for the space of four stadia so that the high-ways were stopped up and the Kings gardens of pleasure were wholly ruinated and disfigured this Earthquake could not choose but amaze and terrifie the people and make them flee out of their houses Such a time of tribulation and terrour it shall be when God comes to destroy the Beast of the Earth that takes upon him the Office of a Minister of the Gospel to teach and preach publickely Divinity this Usurper that goes on and persists in his wickedness and bloudy attempts against the true Church and the godly Ministery Therefore 't is said at the destruction of this Beast Rev. 11. 13. That there was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and at Rev. 16. 18. the pouring out of the seventh Viall there was a great Earthquake This cleerly shews us at what time we must expect these things 't is at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet where are Earth-quakes and the next words make it more cleer And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Oecolampadius thinks that when God hath ruined Antichrist then the day of judgment shall be but saith he Quidam dicunt intercessurum tempus quoddam inter regnum Christi Antichristi mille Annos so that this is no new Opinion Of this opinion am I for I believe before the Day of Judgment and after the ruine of Antichrist there shall be 1000. years as I shall make appear saith Deodat He shall come to destroy Antichrist this is the time of the seventh Trumpet when Christ shall come on his white horse and all his Saints clothed with white linnen and riding on horses shall come along with him Rev. 19. and Rev. 14. 1. After the Beast of the Earth is measured numbered weighed and found too light then follows Christ standing on Mount Sion with all his Saints with him so in Dan. 7. 9. after Daniel saw the little horn which is this Beast of the Earth immediatly follows the Lord Jesus his Throne is set up and thousands and ten thousands ministring to him and in Dan. â—1 45. When this Beast of the Earth for 't is the same pitcheth his Tents in the Mountain of delight of holiness that is that part of the Mountain to the North which is Scotland there God shall ruine him and then immediatly follows Dan. 12. 1. in the next verse Michael that is Christ shall stand up who standeth for the people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation at that time the Jews shall be called out of the grave of sinne and unbelief to the lively knowledge of the Gospel These things are so cleerly spoken of one and the same time and persons that he that reads them seriously cannot but see they are all Prophecies foretelling the things that shall come to pass in this age of the world V. 6. And in that day that is say many Interpreters when Christ shall come to destroy Antichrist there shall be no clear light but dark Others read it better the light shall not be clear nor dark to a word it is the light shall not be precious nor thickness it shall neither be a time of precious light and Gospel-knowledg nor a time of thick darkness It shall be a time of the strangest uncouths condition to the Church as ever was Magistracy shall be laid aside Ministers shall be persecuted out-lawed banished and all this by the Saints the men that pull down Antichrist as they say there 's the mystery there 's the sadness men that hold the same principles of Religion that were baptized with the same baptism that have fasted with the Saints who are reall Saints that have communicated with them at the same Table they shall persecute the Ministery
god Mauzzim that he sets up both these are one and the same thing and signifie a sword-power that this Beast shall set up I have many learned Expositors on my side in the interpretation of both texts and some of the Fathers with whom I fall full jump in the explication for they say that the Beast in both places is that Antichrist that shall arise when the Roman Monarchy shall be destroyed and slay the Witnesses and reigne three years and an half Now we must reckon the beginning of this Beasts reign the time that he set up his god Mauzzim and exalted himself above all other government and this was when he got the ships at sea the Forts Castles Forces Magazines whole power of the sword into his own hands at land This was done in the year 1647. and about September or October In the same year so that near about that time we must begin the Beasts raign and then about the evening of the day that is the latter end of that year when he divides the two Kingdoms the Beasts three years an half wil be out but mark what shal come to pass immediately before this year of division Dan. 12. 40. At the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him and the King of the North shall come up against him like a whirlwind with Chariots with Horsemen with many ships In Zach. 14. 14. there you have the Mountain divided into North and South Here you have in this verse the North and the South joyned together to overthrow the Beast of the Earth which hath set up his God Mauzzim his Sword-power This was cleerly fulfilled in the Northern Invasion and the Southern Insurrection I will not inlarge here in so plain a thing but what shall be their success they shall be overthrown by him and he shall enter into the Countries and shall overflow and pass over He that is he that sets up the God Mauzzim he shall overtop both the Northern Invaders and the Southern Insurrections neither the King of the North nor the King of the South shall overcome him he shall pass over them v. 41. He shall enter into the glorious Land I am of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs opinion that Scotland is the gloriousest Land in the world for holiness therefore I think it is meant Scotland that he should enter as he did after he had defeated Hambleton's forces he entred the Kingdom of Scotland and many shall be overthrown Some read and many Countries shall be overthrown but there is no such word as Countries in the Hebrew Therefore I humbly conceive 't is better read and many shall be overthrown that is many noble families many great persons and many people shall but these shall escape out of his hand Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Amon the ancieut and the latter Expositors have mistook this text in allowing it onely a literal sense which the Holy Ghost intends not for by Edom and Moab and Ammon are meant the Enemies of the Church who plead the same priviledges that the Church pleads as Esau was the eldest son of Isaac by birth but he sold his birth-right and became an apostate and so did his posterity who were from him called Edomites But these Apostates pretended as the Church of Rome doth that they were the true Church because they came from the eldest son of Isaac and so Moab and Ammon though most abominable Idolaters yet said that their father was Lot and they were the true Church though they were begotten in incest as all Heresies and Hereticks are gotten by corrupting the Holy Word and Truth of God so that by Edom and Moab and Ammon that escape this Beasts clutches may be understood Hereticks and Apostates if so how cleerly doth this point out of the Beast to us or if by Ammon and Moab may be meant those murtherers of the King Traytors for in 2 Chron. 24. 46. a Moabite and an Ammonite one of the chief of the children of Ammon conspired against the King and slew him so that Apostates Covenant-breakers Hereticks and Traytors conspirers against the King shall escape him wheresoever he comes you may know this beast by his followers for none but such are protected by him and beloved of him By Moab may be meant the malicious party who pretend religiously to curse the Church of God by their hypocritical hirelings such as Balam who for a good place or office will vilifie that cause which they once professed to be a righteous cause V. 42. And the Land of Egypt shall not escape that is Ireland which were more bloudy to the people of God then Egypt to Israel Egipt that is a Kingdom full of abominable Idolatry therefore Rome is called spirituall Egypt V. 43. He shall have power over the Treasures of gold and silver and the precious things of Egypt that is He shall be Governour of Ireland for who hath power over the Treasury but the Governour By Lybians and Ethiopians are meant the common sottish and slavish sort of people which will bow to any body these shall subscribe to him But when he is in Ireland what follows next V. 44. But tidings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him Holland is East and Scotland is North from Ireland now the Treaty in Holland with the King by the Scots shall trouble him V. 45. Tydings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him Ireland the place where the Beast of the Earth shall be that Witness-slaying Beast hath Holland on the East of it and Scotland on the North of it Now tydings from the North and East shall trouble him that is the King of Scotland shall be in Holland that 's to the East of him and the Scots in the North call a Parliament and send Commissioners from Scotland to treat with the King in Holland and so tydings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him This Treaty shall trouble him and call him out of Ireland into England from whence he shall go with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many He shall go with an Army resolving to destroy and utterly to make away the Covenanters in Scotland and this is plainly set down in vers 45. V. 46. And he shall plant the Tabernacles of his palace Some read The Tabernacle of the wrath of his judgment so Brightman reades it Others read it And he shall plant his Tabernacle Aphadno keeping the Hebrew word intire Others there are that translate Aphadno and read the text thus And he shall spread the Tabernacles of his stables This word Aphadno which is read Palace though I know not why Brightman very learnedly unfolds This word saith he is compounded of three words Aph and Din and the affix of the third person Daleth the wrath of his judgment as if he should say He shall plant the Tabernacles of wroth whereby he shall procure to
which alludes to the prophetick Psalm Psal 98. where you have every thing runs parallel with John's Vision for there you have a new song and the cause of it 't is for a marvellous great victory gotten by Gods own Arm in an eminent manner in the sight of the Heathen ver 2. and then at that time the house of Israel and the ends of the Earth see the salvation of God as the Angel Rev. 4. 6. preacheth it and then ver 4. there is a Hallelujah ver 5. with the Harp which the Harpers have ver 7. the sea roars and the earth and the flouds clash one against another but ver 19. the Mountains of holiness rejoyce because he is come to judge the earth Read the next Psalm it gives great light into these texts to be fulfilled in these times Be not therefore discouraged O ye Saints of God be patient be constant be couragious be not faithless but believe when your affliction and distress is greatest then is your deliverance nearest when your Enemies are most cruel most confident most strong most malicious and most secure then will Christ come in the cloud then will he appear on the white cloud with the sickle in his hand to cut down your Enemies blessed are you in this day that watch and keep on your spiritual garments for Christ will assuredly come and he will come as a thief at unawares unexpected behold the time is at hand your temptations are great the Devil is sifting you and winowing you as wheat it is a day of tribulation of great sorrow it is a day wherein your Enemies rejoyce and make merry it is a day of great rebuke and shame to the Church the enemies say ah ha so we would have it Edom's sons cry down with the walls of Zion down with them to the ground It was never a sadder day with the Church of England and Scotland since the Gospel was preached amongst them then now I dare appeal to all the Historians in the world whether ever the Gospel was so desperately persecuted and so neer to ruine as now it is Look in England and the very foundations of the Gospel are rooting up I mean the Doctrinal-foundation Do I say onely Doctrinal nay but I do affirm the personal foundation of the Gospel is rooting up Are not the Scriptures which are the spiritual foundation of the Gospel denyed to be the Word of God and do not men set their accursed lusts above the Holy Scriptures in maintaining that no more is Scripture then what their spirits close with and is not the Lord Jesus denyed to be God and the Son of God and the second person in the Trinity and do they not affirm that he is not the Purchaser of salvation for the Elect And to go a little further are not the Ministerial foundations viz. Magistracy and Ministery thrown down was there ever more open villanies committed against the persons and offices of Magistrates and Ministers then at this day How is the Magistracy trampled in the dirt and their spoyls divided How are Ministers imprisoned banished sequestered and silenced How grievous and intolerable are the burthens that they lay on the poor Ministers bodies and souls They have taken away their estates and so expose their poor families to ruine they impose a most unjust and unconscionable Oath upon them directly contrary to those lawful Oaths they took before and for the not subscribing of it which no consciencious Protestant will do or can do they are out-lawed shut out of protection out of their livelyhoods and exposed to utter ruine at the pleasure of any of the sons of violence and what condition have they put the Papists those bloudy and inveterate Enemies of the Protestants What becomes of the Laws in force against them Are they not all repealed What 's become of those discriminating Oaths that molest the Papists peace in this Kingdom Are they not all taken away and is not onely the sincere consciencious Protestant the man whose estate office person and family lyeth at the mercy of bloudy Papists and Gunpowder traytors Who is so blind as not plainly to see these things and what consciencious Protestant so secure as not to feel it And as for Scotland though blessed be the Lord there be a godly Magistracy and Ministery as yet standing yet how neer are they to their fall How great a blow have they received already How many enemies have they against them The Pope and all his politicians in England Holland Ireland Spain France are active against them in England the whole wealth and strength of it is imployed to ruine the Kingdome of Scotland in Holland and France the same Popish Politicians are imployed to raise rebellion against Kingly Government in Ireland the arch Rebells are in a League with the Common-wealth of England they having renounced Kingly Government long before were the first that owned the Common-wealth of England and gave them a Title whereupon Collonel Monk made a peace with them This Collonel Monk is now as Major Generall of the Foot under Cromwel in Scotland Spain hath owned this present power that cut off the King for a Free-State and Common-wealth and drives the same design to throw down the King of Portugal and France with England yea the Popes Agents in Scotland are active in stirring up those Papistical Families in Scotland against the Kirks party who are the Covenanting party It would be too long to tell how the Spanish Faction to say no more prevaileth this day throughout Europe the King of France who denies the Popes temporal power is like by the Jesuited-State-commotions to be overthrown the King of Portugal is in a probable way to be overthrown by the King of Spain the Hollander which was the supply of Scotland for Ammunition since the Prince of Orange's death is like by their own civil jars to become a prey to the Spaniard after designes betwixt England and Spain are ripened and poore England overflow with the Spanish Faction who cannot see all things cutting out against the Protestants acording to the Spanish Model who cannot see that perfected which was intended long since who sees not those dismall attempts against Magistracy and Ministery now compleated and accomplished which were intended 1588. by the King of Spain's Armado against Queen Elizabeth and by the Gunpowder Traytors against King James Something 't is that makes the Spanish Court triumph 't is because they have drave the Royal Family of England and Scotland into great distress it is helpless throughout the world no Kingdom nor Nation lends that distressed Family their helping hand the Prince of Orange the great comforter of that Family is taken out of the World and the Queen of Sweadland snatched from him by the Emperor The English Nation are divided into Independents Prelaticall men and Presbyterians for the most part the Independent and Prelaticall Party are ingaged by Oath against the Magistracy and Ministery of Scotland for they all
the force of the Enemy then God ariseth Q. But after what manner or by what means will God convert the twelve Tribes A. The Holy Ghost tells us Esay 49. 21 22 23. the whole chapter is a description of the glorious Gospel-day when Christ shall deliver both Jews and Gentiles from the Devils bondage and Antichrists yoak in v. 6. there 's Christs Commission to raise up the Tribes of Jacob God hath appointed him for that end that he may call the scattered Tribes from the North and from the west from the land of Sinim but the Jew shall say in his heart Who hath begotten me these seeing I am barren and desolate a captive and a wanderer to and fro and who hath nourished them Behold I was left alone whence are these This is the question that the Jews ask at the time of their beginning to be converted and brought from the North and from the West and from the Land of Sinim But observe the Answer the Holy Ghost gives v. 22. Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standart to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their armes and thy daughters shall be carryed on their shoulders The meaning is God will command the converted Gentiles the Ministers of the Gentile Church and they shall hold out the white flag of the Gospel of reconciliation by Jesus Christ for that 's Christs Standart and this shall be the way of their conversion but that 's not all for in the next verse v. 23. and Kings shall be thy nursing Father and Queens shall be thy Nurses converted gentile-Gentile-Kings shall invite the Jews into their Kingdome and give them leave fairly to bring in their scruples they have against Christ and appoint men to satisfie their doubts give them leave which the Pope will not do to read the New Testament and compare Christians principles with the ir principles For so the Prophet saith They shall be converted they shall see eye to eye that is by the Eye of the Old Testament they shall see into the New and by the Eye of the New they shall see into the Old Testament-prophecies fulfilled so that the godly Magistracy those are Kings and the goldy Ministery amongst the Gentiles shall be instruments of converting the Jews Hereupon my hopes and grounds are that God will by affliction so mould and frame the heart of the King of Scotland and then raise him to so great a power as that he will not only be the great instrument of throwing down Antichrist but also a great instrument in converting of the Jews in the West-Indies and East-Indies where the people thirst abundantly after the Word but there are few to deal the bread of life to them I have great hopes that God will yet again by an English Monarch do mighty things against Rome-Antichristian and for the propagating of the Gospel and my reasons are Because God chose the first Monarch in the world to be a Christian and a Defender of the Faith in this Kingdom Lucius was King of England and he that God chose to make the Vicar as Elutherius Bishop of Rome styled him this was Anno Christi 180. Abou 120 years after God raised up out of this Kingdom a Christian Emperour Constantine who was the Son of Hellena that beautiful Brittish Princess This Constantine God made the great Instrument of throwing down the Heathen Emperours turning the whole Empire from Paganism to Christianity He freed the Christians from their prisons and saved them from being any more tortured for Christ Since that time Religion was never quite extinguished but the Brittish people notwithstanding their afflictions kept their Religion amongst them after Rome apostatized from its primitive purity so far as from Rome-Christian to become Rome-Antichristian We shall find in History that the English Monarchs were the first that opposed the Popes Tyranny William the Conquerour was one that shewed himself an Enemy to the Popes pomp and tyranny and usurpation It may truly be said that the Normans despised and abhorred the Popes wicked usurpation The Plantaginets curbed the Pope's insolency The Tudars likewise unhorsed the Popes Observe here how the Tudars came in Henry 7. married Elisabeth the eldest daughter of Edward 4. and hereby unites the two Houses of York and Lancaster In the person of this King saith Sir Robert Naunton in his book called Fragmenta Regalia the royall scepter fell back into the current of the old British bloud which by the invasion of the Saxons and afterwards by the conquest of the Normans had discontinued almost a thousand years so that all the German Norman Burgundian Castalian and French atchievements with the intermarriages which eight hundred yeares had acquired and incorporated were all brought back into the old royall line of the ancient British Christian Kings This being so which I verily believe as 't is one of the remarkablest passages in the world so 't is that which makes exceedingly for my purpose viz. That the Kings of England are the lawfull Magistracy of England and that they are no usurpers and therfore one of the Witnesses This Henry 7. married his eldest daughter Margaret to the King of Scots The Tudars expiring in Q. Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret who was matched into the royall Family of the Stuarts succeeded Q. Elizabeth in the English throne by a title cleer and unquestionable Now as the Tudars unhorsed and banished the Pope so the Stuarts stabbed the Pope so that as England had the first King that subjected this Kingdom to Christ and the first Emperor that subjected the Roman Empire to Christ and the first Kings that opposed Antichrist And as King Iames was the first that proved the Pope to be Antichrist so his son was the first King that ever was openly put to death for finishing his testimony against Antichrist Hence it appeares that as Monarchy before Christ was visible in the Church from Adam untill Christ so it hath been visible in this Kingdom since Christ from Lucius in a Christian line of unquestionable succession unto this distressed King of Scotland now persecuted by Antichrist This King was begot by a Protestant King baptized by a Protestant Mininister a Bishop he was born the heire of three Protestant Kingdoms and is the successor of a Martyr who laid down his life for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion and this King hath covenanted to maintain the Protestant Religion all which could never be said of any King before and therfore my hope and trust is that King Iames his Grandchild shall be the King that shall throw down Rome Antichristian and be the great Instrument of making both Jews and Gentiles bow down to a reall reformation especially when in all probability these three Kingdoms are the Kingdoms where the Witnesses shall be slain by the usurpation of a mean fellow who shall arise and set up a new government and take upon him to be
Lord of the three Kingdoms this all the Fathers have told us from Dan. 7. 24 25. and we see it fulfilled in our eys Now they say this vile fellow shall reign but three years and an half and then he shall fall with an utter ruine I have proved that in all probability 't is this year that he shall fall and have shewed from Scripture what probability there is of his fall in Scotland it being the mountain of delights and no other Kingdom in the world maintains such a lawfull Magistracy and rightly constituted Ministery and so reall right and glorious a reformation as Scotland doth It hath been shewed also what probability there is from the time alotted to Antichrist the Pope the Beast that keeps the Witnesses in sackcloth to reigne which is 1260. years which time is up about 1651. and then from the time of the Beast of the Earth the Beast that coms out of the bottomlesse pit his reign which began in 1647. and continues three years and an half so that 't is probable his reign will be expired in 1651. about the middle of this year then 't is probable from his actions for he throws down a lawfull and unquestionable Magistracy and then he most bitterly and violently persecutes the Ministery which lawfull Magistracy and Ministery shall have a mighty victory over him and so rise up to their former dignity again but immediately before this victory they must be in an exceeding low condition and in the eyes of the people of the world past recovery All this we have made out clearly from Scripture and how clearly and manifestly these Scriptures are in part fulfilld hastning to be accomplished I leave to every sober-minded man to judg so that my merry Dr. that is so confident of his holy Democracy and holy Army unlesse he can prove them to be the slain Witnesses that were slain and persecuted by the Beast arising out of the bottomlesse pit and thrown down and worn out by the little horn Dan. 7. that riseth and reigneth over three kingdoms where the Gospel is purely professed three years and an half in which time he changeth their Lawes and Customs unlesse he prove them so out of his own mouth we shall clearly overthrow him for p. 33. 34. there he undertakes to prove from Dan. 7. 14. v. 27. that Monarchy shal be thrown down and now 't is on the tragicall stage for that end and all to make way for Christs visible Kingdom on earth This honor of throwing down Monarchy and exalting Democracy is given he saith to his holy ones according to that text Dan. 7. 27. the kingdom and Dominion and greatnesse of the kingdom under the heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high Let me intreat the Reader to observe but the time when the kingdom shall be given to the Saints in Dan. 7. it is at that time v. 8. when the little horn that riseth after the other states subject to Rome and plucks up three of the first hornes or kingdoms observe this the Doctor confesseth is in the end of the Roman Monarchy if so which is undeniable then let all the world judge what little horn is lately rose to usurp three kingdoms is not this text visibly fulfilled in the sight of all Europe But then observe v. 9 10. Christ comes is in Rev. 10. 1 2. and in v. 11. this little horn was slain and given to the burning flame 't is the same with Rev. 19 20. where he was cast into the lake burning and then v. 13 14. Christ set up his Kingdom which is both a glorious and everlasting kingdom and v. 24 25. this little horn is cleerly described to be the Witnesse slaying Beast who shall continue three years and an half and then immediately followes Christ v. 26 27. coming forth to destroy this Beast and then as in Rev. 11. all the kingdoms in the world become Christs Rev. 20. 4. thrones are set then the Saints i. e. the Witnesses sit upon them so that the meaning is not that Christ will throw down Kingly Government or Monarchy in the Church but that he will raise a godly Magistracy and a godly Ministery to a higher degree of power then ever before and thereby the reall Saints of God shall have greater freedome then formerly The two Witnesses shall goe no more in sackcloth but put on white linnen 'T is true Usurpers and Tyrants shall bee throwne downe the Tyrannicall Independent Monarcy of Rome shall be thrown down and the tyrannicall usurped Democracy of England shall be thrown down who give the Beast of the Earth their power and strength Rev. 17. 13. and with that strength go forth against the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the King of kings and Lord of lords that 's his Motto in Rev. 19. 19. When he fights against this Beast and overcomes him 't is one and the same battel these shall be overcome and overthrown for ever but the Witnesses though they are slain and the Doctor and all the Antichristian Rabble make merry and keep Thanksgiving days yet they shall arise again stand upon their legs and ascend in power and authority and glory above their Enemies But why do I stand to confute the Doctor when he confutes himself in his own book in p. 9. He approves that there was Kingly Government from Noah for Sem he saith was King of Salem and yet in p. 39. of the same book he accounts of Kings as Antichristian and saith that they that uphold Kings uphold Antichrist so that by this account as p. 22. confirms it for there he useth this as a motive to prase because Monarchy is turned into Democracie it seems Antichristian power was in the World as soon as Abraham if Kings be Antichristian in the Church But why do I say so much when I have heard the man within this these two years in a publick Auditory profess himself no Enemy to Kingly Government or Monarchy but onely to the excess of Monarchy and tyranny of Kings and yet here he puts on with all vehemency the people to praise God for the destruction of Kingly Government and the promotion of Democracie But why did I meddle at all with him who knoweth not what he saith For if we begin with him we shall find him in a gross mistake he saith in p. 2. that we are now under the sixth Seal and sixth Trumpet of that Seal and under the end of the fourth Viall of that Trumpet or the fifth Whereas the sixth Seal was opened Revel 6. 12. when Constantine the great overthrew the Pagan Empire and cast out of office all the persecuting Tyrants both in Rome and throughout the Romane Empire which was at least 1300. yeers since and yet we are but under the opening the sixth Seal whereas none of the Trumpets sounded untill the sixth Seal was past and the seventh Seal was opened as is manifest
the earth became Christs and here in the Text John saw Thrones and Judgment was given to them rhat is to the Saints now what Saints these are to whom those Thrones are given John in the next words declares and I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded or as Beza reads it smitten with the Ax for the testimony of Jesus here are two infallible marks whereby to know that those that sit on these thrones are the slain Witnesses 1. By their sufferings they are beheaded 2. By their actions which was the cause of their sufferings It was for the testimony of Jesus for finishing their Testimony Rev. 11. 7. that the Witnesses were cut off this gives us a wonderfull clear Character of the slain Magistracy which by the Ax and the Sword were removed cut of the way when they were resolved to root out Popery and to establish true Religion then comes the fatall Ax and Sword and removes these Witnesses this is so cleer that he that will not be obstinately blind must of necessity see it fulfilled in his sight this day and positively conclude That the Magistracy of England is that Witnesse that was thus cut off but then the Ministry you shall see in the next clause And which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Imagt nor received his mark in their foreheads or in their hands As the precedent clause sets forth the Magistracy by their doings and sufferings so this clause seems to me to describe the Ministers doings and sufferings Indeed the English translation seems to joyn it with the other because they leave out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or translate it not right few of the Latine Translations render it full enough for it may well be rendred as I conceive thus and certain some who have not adored the Beast nor his Image nor receives his Mark These are those that suffered for not acknowledging the Beasts of the earths God Mauzzim his sword power his new erected Government they would not submit to his Government nor subscribe to his Ingagement nor pray for them nor Preach for them These suffer for not subscribing to the Government set up as the Magistracy suffered for opposing the setting of it up here is a cleer discription of the two Witnesses by their suffering under the Beast of the earth for this Image and number and mark can be attributed to nothing but the Beast of the earths new Government and way of establishing it so that this Text cleerly tels us 1. Who shall possesse the Throne viz the Witnesses riâ—ing 2. When it is when the Beast the false Prophet and the Dragon are overthrown by Christ and when the Witnesses arise up and ascend above their enemies that slew them This time is called v 5. The first resurrection for two reasons first to distinguish this time from the day of Judgment the last resurrection for that shall not be untill a thousand years after this resurrection if in v 7. by a thousand years be meant a definite time which is disputable 2. It is called a resurrection because this is the time of the Witnesses rising from their slaine condition and standing upon their legs again Rev. 11. 11. A Covenant reformation of Covenanting reformers shall stand up again to the terror of all that oppose it this resurrection of the witnesses alluds to that of Christ for as the Witnesses must be conformable to Christ in their sufferings so â—he dâ—y of the resurrection of the Witnesses shall produce such like effects for as after Christs great and unexpected loud voice on the Crosse there was an earth-quake and the Vale of the Temple rent that the holy of holies might be seen of all and the day was also a dark day so at the slaying of the Witnesses Rev 11. 13. there shall be a great earthquake and loud voices crying It is finished it shall be a dark day and the Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven shall be opened and the Jews shall rise out of their spiritual graves of unbelief as the fore-cited texts tell us And as at Christs resurrection an Angel appeared like lightening and his raiment as white as snow and Christ appears on the Mount with his disciples Math. 28. 16. And makes known his monarchicall power making his Disciples Apostles and sending them forth to conquer the world so shall it be at the Witnesses rising the glorious Angel shall appear the earth shall quake the Soldiers that slew the Witnesses shall quake the Lamb and his sealed ones shall stand on Mount Sion and Christs power by his Witnesses successefull progresse against his enemies shall be manifest to the world And to this I might adde another Reason why t is called a resurrection because at this time God will call the Jews out of their graves of unbelief unto spirituall life by subjecting them to the Gospel As Ezek. 37. 12 13. in those two verses he promiseth foure times to call them out of their graves v 9. from the foure winds And Dan. 12. 1 2. after the Beast that sets up the god Mazzim is destroyed in the mountain of holinesse that is the Beast that slâ—ys the Witnesses is destroyed in that kingdom where the Gospel Magistracie Gospel Ministery Gospel ordinances and Gospel purity is preserved then immediately follows the seventh Trumpet where Christ stands up for the people and at that time the Jews shall be delivered and they that sleep in the dust shall awake the Jews that have long lyen in the dust shall awake they shall be brought from unbeleif to make profession of the Gospel Though all shall not be internally called to everlasting salvation yet they shall all be called into an externall profession so that in these respects I conceive this time of the Enemies overthrow And the Church her rising may well be called the first resurrection after these three grand Enemies destruction within the Church the Church shall have a large time of freedome from spirituall enemies as from Hereticks and Idolaters and blasphemers which are the proper subjects of these three Arch Enemies And after this large time of tranquillity both to the Jews and Gentiles v 7 8. Satan shall gather both open and secret covered and uncovered Enemies Gog and Magog in infinite numbers against the Saints And then v 10 11 12 13. comes absolutely the day of judgement And then the state of the Saints in perfect and eternall blisse and happinesse is set forth in Revel 21. but of the day of judgement and the state of blisse I le daily meditate and forbear to write at this time There is onely one Question that I intend to answer and then I le shut up this Discourse and that is since the Beast of the Sea is at Rome and hath his râ—sidence there and the Beast of the earth is now in Scotland and the devill is reigning thorowout the world either by Paganisme or Mahomatisme or Popish Idolatry or by Independencie under
shall be done in this great day This I do affirm yet not I but the Scriptures 1. That the Witnesses shall arise in this day 2. That the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet shall be overcome in this day 3. The Jews shall begin to be converted both the two Tribes and the ten Tribes and all the Kingdoms in the world shall become Christs In the generall as I have delivered them I think the Doctor and I do not much differ unlesse the Doctor differ from what he hath formerly delivered which is no strange thing if he do I affirm That the glorious day of destroying the Beast and this false Prophet and chaining the Dragon and of the Jews conversion shall be begun when the Witnesses arise from their slaying Now this implies two things when the Witnesses arise from their slaying Now this implies two things 1. That the Witnesses shall be slain immediatly before this day 2. That some enemy of the Church shall slay them So that it will not be amisse to enquire 1. Who slaies them and 2. when they are slain we shall do both together exceeding briefly In Revel 11. 7. and Daniel 7. 25. there is both 1. The Beast that slaies them 2. The Witnesses that are slain and 3. the time when this shall be in Revel 11. 7. when the Witnesses have finished their testimony that is when their 1260 daies i. years of prophesying in sackcloth is out v. 3. Then the Beast ascending or that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make warre with them overcome them and kill them After three daies and an half i. three years and an half these Witnesses must rise v. 11. and immediatly after the seventh Trumpet soundeth and then the Kingdoms of this world became the Lords and his Christs v. 15. This all men will grant is the beginning of the great day of Reformation which immediatly follows upon their rising And this is worth the noting also v. 13. the same hour the eminent enemies of the Church are slain these men of name who are numbred by their name those painted outside Saints but inside devils they shall fall and then v. 19. the Temple of God is opened and the vials are poured out this you have in Revel 11. Now mark how that in Dan. 7. answers to this Daniel in this chapter had a vision of the four Monarchies the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman Monarchy After these four Monarchies are extinguished Christ will set up his Monarchy v. 18. The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possesse it for ever and ever that is untill the day of Judgement this is the beginning of the glorious day of Reformation which shall be when the Roman Monarchy shall be destroyed which is the last of the Kingdome or Monarchies this is to be done at the sounding of the seventh trumpet Rev. 7. 15. when all Nations and Kingdoms shall become Christs But mark how inquisitive Daniel is when he comes to the Roman Monarchy Dan. 7. 9. he would fain know the truth of this Beast and of the ten Horns and of the other mark that which came up after the ten Horns before whom three fell even of that Horn that had eyes and a mouth that spake great things whose look was more stout then his fellow v. 20. I beheld and the same horn made warre with the Saints and prevatled against them Here is the Beast that slaies the Witnesses for 't is one that riseth in the end of the Roman Monarchy Quando râ—gnum Romanorum est distruendum saith Hierome Fabritius Paulutius Hugo Cardinalis Theadoretus and Hector Pintus with others and he shall throw down three of the ten Kingdoms subject to Rome he shall throw down three Kings that is saith Viega tres reges purè profitentes evangelium three Kings purely professing the Gospel But Theodoretus puts this question Quomodo tres superiores â—odem tempore humiliabit how will he throw down three Kings at one time Certainly we of this age can give the best answer to his question for thus he shall cut off Regem trium Regnorum ita tres Reges in una persona humiliabit or thus by pulling down at once the three Estates of King Lords and Commons who make the supream Power of the Nation where he usurps this Power but this question is needlesse and therefore we passe it by The main thing we intend to prove by Daniel is That this Beast is he that slaies the Witnesses and the same with that in Rev. 11. 7. because he is of the same time for that in Daniel riseth when the Roman Monarchy is going to destruction and that in Rev. 11. 7. ariseth when the raign of Antichrist is drawing to an end which Antichrist is the last head of the Roman Monarchy the Pope as this beast is of the same time so he doth the same things with that in Rev. 11. 7. for there he makes war with the Saints prevails against them and slayes them and in Dan. 7. 24. this other little horn that riseth after the ten Kings belonging to the Roman Monarchy this little horn that is an upstart base fellow say the Fathers a man of no repute amongst the Kings of the earth shall subdue three Kings this horn must necessarily be some new upstart fellow who riseth in the western Empire distinct from other Kings this horn shall speak great words against God and shall wear out the Saints of the most high and think to change times and Laws These words need no comment since the times we live in are a sufficient comment on them and they shall be given into his hands untill a time and times and the dividing of times that is three years and a half say all Interpreters which is just that space of time in which the Beast that starteth up out of the bottomlesse pit domineers over the slain bodies of the Witnesses so that these places do but explain one another and both set forth one and the same Government and bloudy enemy But this that makes it most cleer of all other is that which immediatly follows the horns raign an exercise of Tyranny over the Saints Dan. 7. 26 27 the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end and the Kingdom and dominion and greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high here begins the glorious day after the horns tyrannicall government and dominion is destroyed this answers to Rev. 11. 13. where the men of name are destroyed and then as in Daniel the Saints possesse the Kingdom under the whole Heaven So the seaventh trumpet soâ—nds and all the Kingdoms in the world become the Lords and his Christs that is they all submit to his scepter and become Christians bating their old profanesse so that here in both places you have cleerly discovered the Beast that
slayeth the Witnesses and the time when together with the length of his raign and what immediatly follows Note Observe also whence this Beast ariseth 't is out of the bottomlesse pit this bottomlesse pit is Independencie I will prove it can be nothing else Aleazar and many other learned men do not take bottomlesse pit to be meant hell but some say it is meant confusion and others the sea but I affirm that 't is meant Independencie in Rev. 9. 1. When the fifth Angel sounded there fell a Starre from Heaven that is a Bishop from the true Church to the earth from a Pastor to become a Prince from Ecclesiastick affairs to Civil state affairs and to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit The Pope was the first that unlocked the door of Independencie Mark it and it will appear that Independencie is the formilis ratio Antichristi for untill the Pope of Rome got to be Independent in respect of the Emperour his Lord and Soverâ—ign and Independent as relating to the Councels he was not Antichrist but herein in his exalting himself by Independencie above all Magistracy which is called God in Scripture in making himself Independent he made himself Antichrist for reduce the Pope but to his due obedience to the Roman Emperour whose power he usurps and to Counsels to bring him under their censure and the Pope will be reduced to his primitive institution that is to an honest plain Pastor which is all his due and all that the primitive Bishops of Rome were The Pope had the key of Independencie for by making the Dukes of Italy free States i.e. Independent as to the Emperor he shut the Emperor out of Italy his proper dominion and thus as he continues Independent he continues Antichrist who sitting in the seat of God exalts himself above God for he saith he is Independent as to the holy Scriptures and that the Scripture is dependent upon him and herein he exalts himself above God by this power of Independencie the Pope let into the world all manner of ignorance heresie and profanesse by the Power of Independencie the Pope drove a godly Magistracy and Ministry into the wildernesse for 1260 years and now by this last beast rising out of Independencie and setting up Indepencie I say by that Independent beast the Witnesses the Magistracy and Ministry that had finished their testimony that is had finished their Directory cleared and vindicated their Doctrines and had agreed to cast out Independencie and Popery out of the three Kingdoms even then when they had finished their testimony this beast breaks them in peeces by making war against them and killing them thus you have the Witnesses slaying and the Beast that slayes them immediatly before the glorious day of Reformation in the world A further description you have of this Beast by his Government that he sets up in Heb. 13. 11 12 and 18. and in Dan. 11. 36 37 38. You have heard already when he riseth 't is in the end of the Roman Monarchy when the 1260 years of the Popes raign draws towards an end and you have heard out of what this Beast that slayes the Witnesses ariseth 't is out of Independencie for mark it as Antichrist the Pope arose by the key of Independencie out of the purest Church viz the Roman Church and drove the Witnesses which undoubtedly are the Magistracy and Ministry into the wildernesse so this Beast riseth out of Independencie rising out of the bowels of the purest reformed western Church and slay these Witnesses who had finished their testimony against Antichrist the nature of Independencie amongst men is to destroy Magistracy and Ministry But that you may know this Beast more diststinctly Rev. 13. 11 12 18. sets forth his actings against the Church observe how like the expressions oâ— Daniel and John are in the discovering of this Beast and his actings in Rev. 13. 11. I beheld another Beast rising up out of the earth he is called another because distinct from the Beast of the sea ver 1. so saith Bishop Cowper and then out of the earth to shew also that he is not the same with the Beast of the sea as some would have it Cottherus speaks plain truth against all his opposers this Beast of the earth saith he is Rex octavus incipit quando prima bestia destinet incipit cum bestia ascendit ex abysso he is the eighth King meaning that â—ev 17. and begins when the first Beast the Beast of the Sea goeth out and he begins when the Beast ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 11. 7. So that he understands by the Beast of the earth the eighth King Rev. 17. 11. and the Beast arising out of the bottomlesse pit one and the same beast only the one text sets out his rising the other his raigning and the other his ruin First He ariseth out of the earth which notes to us that he is a Lay man for earth is here put as contradistinct to sea to note that as he that drives the Witnesses into sackcloth riseth out of the Clergy in the Roman Church for Rev. 13. 1. he usurpt the throne with seaven heads and ten horns that is the Roman Emperiall seate so the beast that slay the Witnesses though he rise by Independency as the Pope did yet he shall be a Lay man no Clergy man but a Layick Secondly Or by earth may be meant as oft it is in Scripture a mean and low condition to note that this terrae filius that slayes the Witnesses shall be a fellow of low discent This well agrees with Daniels expression of the same Beast Dan. 7. 8. he calls him a little horn Cornu parvulum quia in principio nullius momenti reputabitur in occulis Regum terrae saith Hugo Cardinalis he is a little horn because in his beginning he shall be of no esteem or repute amongst the Kings of the earth he shall not arise out of any Kingly stock but out of some obscure private broken family This Beast of the Earth is therefore called Dan. 11. 21. a vilde Fellow I confesse this more immediatly belongs as say interpreters to the transactions of affairs in the end of the Macedonian Empire but Thâ—odoretus imboldens me whose opinion is that the likenesse of things acted in the end of the Macedonian Empire immediatly before the coming of Christ to the things to be acted in the end of the Roman Monarchy before the great day of Christs coming to convert Jews and Gentiles made Daniel to comprehend both under one expression this is very probable for as the Rabbins say an Iota of Scripture hath a mountain of sense depending on it mark therefore how in the end of the Roman Monarchy Dan. 11. 21. a vile fellow shall stand up he is an upstart an usurper he shall not have the honour of the Kingdom given him but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the Kingdom by flattery Mark how he