height the Heavens and in breadth the corners of the Earth Likewise the other Kingdoms aâ—…e semblanced to a Ram and to a Goat Buck and both in sundry Horns And now all the Nations be named that be therein contained Answer First For the great Tree it is not so much a figure of the Babylonian Kingdom as of the King Nebuchadnezzar in his own personal greatness For when the Tree was cut down and Nebuchadnezzar fell the Babylonian Empire stood Foâ—… the Kingdoms of Persia and Greece it is not needful that these two should be all the Nations which Daniel doth Number after the Babylonians First How doth this distinguish the Monarchies after the Scripture-difference The Scripture distinguisheth them according to the change from People to People chap. 2. vers 44. chap. 7. vers 27. If therefore the Babylonians Persians Graecians be all the People how shall we make Four Monarchies of Three People Secondly That of Persia and Greece are again repeated chap. 8. because they were more summarily described in the former Chapter For if we look narrowly to the matter the Seventh Chapter is for the most part taken up in the descrption of the Fourth Kingdom Mr Broughton The Legs of the Image are the Successors of Alexander in the mightiest Kingdoms Syria and Egypt Answer Piscator doth build much upon this Reason and therefore to avoid repetition we will defer the Examination thereof till we come to him Mr Broughton Daniel chap. 7. vers 13. One like to the Son of man c. The Iewes grant Christ here to be meant and if we had not deceived them by forging a general Fourth Monarchy by refusing the plainness of Daniel they would have come to the Faith long ago Answer This is a good Caution in the general and Christian men ought to take heed how they turn all into nice Disputes Atheistical and gainsaying people will soon take Advantage Yet for all this we have sufficient matter to convince the Jew that their Messiah is come that he is cut off that the â—…0 weeks of Daniel are at an end because Ierusalem hath been destroyed long ago and the 70 weeks do lead us to that fatal destruction For our Interpretation that the Roman is the Fourth Monarchy it is not this that keepeth the Jew in his blindness and unbelief but rather it would be a greater stumbling-block in his way to take the Seleucian for the Fourth Monarchy Mr Broughton who affirmeth this to be a Fourth Monarchy how can he make it good That the Kingdom of Christ was set up in the times of the Seleucian Suppose a Jew should read in the Gospel written by Saint Matthew that our Saviour was Born in Bethlem in the times of the Romans and as the other Evangelists do expresly say in the times of Augustus Caesar who caused all the world to be taxed c. Here then if a Jew should be of the judgement of these Learned men That the Roman is none of the Four Monarchies and that there was a total dissolution of the Four Metal-Kingdoms before the coming of Christ and the beginning of the Roman In this method and way of Interpretation how can they possibly make good that Scripture forementioned In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. If the Lord will raise up the Kingdom of Christ in the dayes of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms and the Evangelists all with one mouth do say That the Kingdom was raised up in that time when all was under the power of the Romans we may safely Conclude That the Roman must needs be one of the Four Kingdoms and in particular the Fourth and the last Kingdom And whereas it is alledged One like the Son of Man came in the clouds of Heaven vers 13. We do willingly yield when the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian state thereof shall be brought to a final destruction then in those times the Kingdom of the Saints shall be set up upon the Earth in the last dayes and there shall be a Union betwixt Jewes and Gentiles under Christ their King according to the Scriptures And though we do not press the strictness of the Letter for a Personal and visible Reign of Christ as many have done and many now do yet I trust that the Jew and the Gentile shall find it true That both People shall come under the Reign of Christ when his Gospel shall be the regent Law in the latter dayes But of this matter somthing more largely afterwards Mr Broughton I will shew thee what shall be in the latter end of wrath chap. 8. vers 21. This place strongly overthroweth their Error that seign the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom meant by the Legs of the Image seeing the Greeks are the Dealers in the latter end of wrath And it had been a strange thing that this last vision repeating the former should neglect the Romans if they had been spoken of before Answer We have shewed how the former Kingdoms 〈◊〉 repeated in the latter Vision we yield that there is a repetitiâ—…n of the Monarchical Kingdoms but not a repetition of them in the full Number For what a way of Reasoning were this The Babylonian is not reckoned chap. 8. therefore he is none of the Four great Empires mentioned in the Chapter going â—…efore Let us come to the main Reason which Mr Broughtâ—… saith strongly overthroweth their Error who feign the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom His Argument is drawn from that Expression I will shew thee what shall be in the last end of indignation â—…ll that may be gathered from hence is this That the Greeks may be Dealers in the latter end of wrath if we compare them with the times of Daniel yet according to this sense the Romans may be latter than they Secondly If we look to the true translation of the word as Iunius and Piscator have it the Interpretation must run thus I will make known to thee what shall be in the extremity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that indignation when Antiochus shall afflict the Church And therefore the Angel doth expound what is meant by these words In the latter end of their Kingdom when transgressors are come to a full end a King of fierce countenance shall stand up vers 23. So then according to the true sense the Greeks are not so much the Dealers in the latter end of wrath as Antiochus in particular is a Dealer against the Saints in the latter end of the Graecian tyranny Here then is a plain fallacy à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simplicitur Mr Broughton Chap. 12. vers 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up that standeth for the Children of thy people When Antiochus going to War against Parthia left Lysias behind him to have rooted out the Iews then Michael stood up Here the terms of Daniel's People must needs mean the Iewes and not the
times must consume the Roman Kingdom in the Antichristian state thereof as it is cleer by the whole Book of the Revelation Object But whereas Piscator doth alledge That the Kingdom of Christ did begin to fill the whole Earth when the Gentiles far and neer were brought to the Faith by the Preachiâ—…g of the Apostles Sol. I do not Deny but that the Kingdom of Christ in the Apostles time did then begin to fill the Earth For the bounds of his Spiritual Kingdom were much enlarged by their travel But what is this to the purpose The text speaketh plainly of a Monarchical Kingdom of such a Kingdom opposed to the Four Monarchies that shall subdue and fill the whole Earth The Apostles Preached the Gospel among all Nations and by name Saint Paul filled all places from Ierusalem to Illyricum with the Gospel of Christ. Yet nevertheless for all this large spreading of the Gospel there was no destruction of the Roman Kingdom In those times the Romans continued their Power and Tyranny though the Gospel of Christ was Preached everywhere But when the stone shall become a Mountain and fill the whole Earth before this can be done the Stone must strike the Image upon the Feet and Toes thereof The Tyranny of the Roman Kingdom must be broken by the Power of the Gospel before the Kingdom of Christ can be set up in the Throne Now if we apply these things to the times we shall find that the Church was in perpetual conflict with the Empire of the Romans for 300 yearâ—… together in all the times of the Ten first Persecutions Now it is said of the Primitive Mareyrs That they overcame him to wit The Persecuting Empire by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12. 11. By the scope of the place it is clear That the Lord Christ by his Power and his Martyrs by their Sufferings both together did break the Tyranny of that Persecuting Empire It is said of them That they overcame him to wit the Dragon with Seven Heads and Ten Horns The Saints by their Sufferings did overcome him and so the Gospel was set up as the regent Law The Woman brought forth a Man-Child that should Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron This is meant of the Reign of Christ upon the Earth and there were some beginnings thereof in the times of Constantine the Great as appears by the scope of the text vers 9 10 11. Now whereas it came to pass afterwards That the Christian Empire was broken to pieces by the coming down of the barbarous Nations out of the North and Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire aforesaid Then also according to the Prophecies a New Persecuting Empire was Erected to try the Faith and Patience of the Saints This in the whole Prophecie is called The Antichristian Empire or The Roman Kingdom in the last Edition thereof Now this Kingdom also shall be broken in pieces by the Preaching of the eternal Gospel the Nations shall be undeceived and the Gospel shall be set up as the regent Law as it began to be set up in the times of Constantine the Great but was hiâ—…dered afterward But now it shall be far otherwise The Kingdom of Christ shall be so set up after the breaking in pieces of the Toes and Feet of the Image after the wearing out of the Antichristian Tyranny that he shall Reign 1000 years From all that hath been said it is clear That we must look after the Monarchical beginning of the Kingdom of Christ according to the Prophecies Of this we shall have some occasion to speak more largely afterward Now let us consider what is Alledged by Polanus Polanus The Scope of Daniel is To speak of those great Empires only that should stand up one after another till Christ in those Territories where the Babylonian began Now the Roman had nothing that the Babylonian had but only Syria and Egypt He had nothing that the Persian had more than the Babylonian but Asia the Less Therefore the Roman is not to be accounted one of the Four Empires Answer It is true that the Roman went no further Eastward than the River Euphrates neither did he possess many of those Eastern Countries which were formerly under the Babylonian and Persian Monarchies But what of all this It is enough for our purpose That he possessed all those Countries on this side Euphrates which were the Continent of the Church In the Churches Continent the Roman was the Successor of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires For look what Monarchy the Babylonian began over the People of the Jews the same was continued by the Romans when their time came to have the Monarchy over the Church If this be a truth we may quickly Answer the Objection of Dr Willet which is much to the same effect These are his words This Vision of an humane Image signified one united Body consisting of divers Kingdoms one succeeding another as the parts of the Body do joyn one to another the Beginning and Head of which was Babylon And then he addeth The Roman Monarchy being distant at least 1200 miles could not make one united Body with it Therefore that Monarchy cannot here fitly be understood By the same Reason he might Argue The Graecian Kingdom being distant many miles from the Babylonian and Persian therefore it cannot be compacted into the same Image of Persecuting Empires But this is not the Point which we are on For we are not to measure the Monarchies by the Longitude Latitude and Distance of place but by the same Succession of Monarchical Dominion over the Churches Territories In this sense the Roman may be placed in the same Image of Monarchical Empires as long as he did continue the same Sovereignty over the Church which the Babylonian began And therefore when the Scriptures do call the City of Rome by the Name of Babylon it is a very proper Expression for she did continue the same Tyranny over the Saints which the Babylonians began And it is clear also That the same Empire did Devolve and Descend upon the Romans in the Fourth Alteration and Change of State But let us proceed Polanus At the Coming of Christ the Kingdom represented by the Feet and Toes was ruined but so was not the Kingdom of the Romans which was not compleat till the time of Trajan Therefore the Roman is not the Fourth Kingdom Answer I have already touched this Point in my Answer to Piscator but because I see many Excellent Expositors build upon this Principle That the Kingdom of Christ Beginneth at the Dissolution of all Four Metal-Kingdoms and that this Dissolution was at his Incarnation Because they build strongly upon this we will bestow the more pains to enquire into the matter To the clearing of this let us look to that which the text naturally affordeth and then let us make Application From
Such a sense may be admitted For we read in the Scripture That the Davidical Kingdom should be destroyed for the sins of Manasseth King of Iudah 2 King 23. 26. yet the destruction was many years after his death Though such a sense may be admitted yet it will not stand in the present case for in this Chapter the little Horn is said to continue till the destruction of the Fourth Kingdom It is said in express terms in the 26 Verse That the Iudgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it to the time of the end Here I demand Whose Dominion is it that they shall take away Is it the Dominion of the Fourth Beast Hornless and harmless No This is immediately spoken of the little Horn that should wear out the Saints of the most High and should change Laws and Times a time and times and half a time Touching this little Horn it 's said That the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Kingdom They shall bereave him of his Dominion Therefore it is clear That the times of the little Horn shall continue to the end of the Beast's Kingdom and to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Saints And yet further Daniel did desire to know the truth of the Fourth Beast and of the Ten Horns of the little Horn that came up after them I beheld saith he and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them until the ancient of dayes came and judgement was given to the Saints of the most High the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom vers 22. From these words also it is manifest That the times of the little Horn do extend to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Saints Now how this should be verified in Antiochus Epiphanes it is not as yet made so clear to me But if you apply this to the Papacy all things will agree for it is manifest That the Two-Horned Beast in the Revelation must wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time Rev. 12. 14. Rev. 11. 7 8 9. Now when this time is once fulfilled the Beast and the false Prophet shall both of them be cast into the Lake of fire and the Reign of Christ and of his Saints shall begin upon the Earth Rev. 19. 20. Rev. 20. 1 2 3 4. But by the way because some stand for a Personal Reign of Christ at the end of the Fourth Kingdom because then the Son of Man is said to come in the clouds of Heaven I Answer That they have no Reason to take that strictly which we can prove from the Harmony of Scripture ought to be construed with some kind of Latitude These things are shewed to Daniel who saw afar off as joyned together and yet in experience they do not meet in the same juncture of time As for example A man that traveleth in Wales or some such-like hilly Country while he is yet at a long distance he may see the tops of two great Mountains as though they were near together yet when he cometh to look upon them with a more distinct view the one may be ten or twelve Miles beyond the other in the distance of place It is well known also That when the Apostles made mention of the coming of Antichrist they also spake of the end of the world 2 Thess. 2. What then shall we argue as many do That the Discovery of Antichrist will not be till the end of the world This cannot be We that live in these times may see more clearly That Antichrist hath been revealed many hundred years ago and the end of the world is not yet come If therefore a Reason be demanded why these two The Revelation of Antichrist and the End of the World are coupled together we may say That the Apostles who saw afar off spake of these things because they should happen in the last times though in the particularity of time the one might be before the other In like manner the Prophet Daniel who lived very remote from the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom from the glorious Kingdom of the Saints and from the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of Heaven to him all these things in the general and in the lump may be represented together when in a more distinct and particular consideration the one may be before the other The consuming of the Kingdom of Antichrist with the word of his mouth and the establishment of the Kingdom of the Saints may be before the Personal appearing of the Son of Man in the Clouds of Heaven But now it is not to our present purpose to meddle with this Difficulty That which we have to say is only concerning the Fourth Beast That either he must signifie the Seleucian or the Roman Kingdom But we have proved by many Arguments against Dr Willet and others That the Seleucian cannot here be meant Therefore we may safely conclude That the Fourth Beast with Ten Horns is the proper Embleme and Type of the Roman Kingdom From whence also we gather That Daniel in his Prophecie and Iohn in the Revelation so far as this Point is concerned do speak of one and the same matter And by the Interpretation of the one we may finde out the sense of the other Prophecie There is no Principle that can be more useful and demonstrative than this To discover the Truth by the Harmony of the Prophecies Now let us go to the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom and so let us see how there is a Chain of 666 years from that beginning to the Universal Headship of the Beast This shall be the Subject of the Chapter following CHAP. VI. That the Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom is not from the time of Julius or Augustus Caesar or from any other vulgar Beginning but precisely from that instant when the Church of God came under the Dominion of the Romans 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the going forth of the Decree That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all the Churches THere are in this Proposition Two Parts that need special Confirmation First That the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came under the Dominion of that People Secondly That from this beginning there is the space of 666 years to the Universal Headship For the Beginning of the Dominion of the Romans according to different Relations men may differently state the Epocha thereof But laying aside all other considerations we are to note in what sense Daniel doth begin it as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And here I stand upon it That we are principally to look to the state of the Church How the Church and the Continent adjoyning came under the Dominion of that People For the clearing of this we will also demonstrate two things First That the Beginning of
the latter dayes Dan. 10. 14. From all which we gather That the Monarchies are specially Numbred according to Church-relations And therefore the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came first under the Obedience of that People Let us now proceed to the Second Argument ARGUMENT II. Where the Graecian Kingdom Typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast made an end there did the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal and the Fourth Beast begin But at the overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom in Asia and at the Conquest of Judea the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast did make an end Therefore at the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom and at the Conquest of Judea the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal and the Fourth Beast began The Major is evident it being a ruled case in the Body of the Metal-Kingdoms That where the former ceaseth the latter doth begin All the Question is concerning the Assumption Whether the Graecian ended as the Third metal-Metal-Kingdom at the destruction of the Seleucian Here I finde that Interpreters are greatly divided They agree in it That the Graecian is the Third Kingdom but they are divided about the particular time when that Empire ended For all the Successors of Alexander came not under the power of the Romans at one and the same time His Successors in Greece ended when Macedonia was made a Roman Province by Aemilius the Consul 166 years before the Birth of our Lord. His Successors the Seleucidae in Syria and Iudea ended when all that tract of Land was brought under the power of the Romans by the means of Pompey the Great this was done about 60 years before the Birth of our Lord. His Successors the Lagidae in Egypt were made a Roman Province by Augustus Caesar this was done 28 years before the Birth of the Lord. So then it is plain That all Alexander's Successors fell into the hands of the Romans yet all fell not under the Roman Obedience at one time The great Question is Where we shall set the Ending of the Graecian Kingdom as typed by the Third Beast and the Brass-Metal And this I say must needs be at the overthrow of the Seleucian 60 years before the Birth of the Lord. First In the Original distribution of Alexander's Kingdom Iudea is pleaded to belong to the Seleucian Polyb. lib. 5. And therefore the Seleucian is that Successor to whom the Title of the Monarchy doth principally appertain I do not Deny but the Lagidae somtimes made their Incursions into Iudea as may be seen Dan. 11. But in the Original Constitution of the Kingdom Iudea was allotted to the Seleucian And that which may strengthen our Argument if you reade Iosephus the Book of the Macchabees and such-like Stories you shall find That the Sufferings of the People of the Jews have been wholly in a manner from those Successors of Alexander that were of the Seleucian line And this to me is a great Reason wherefore the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal is rather to end at the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom Secondly At the Overthrow of the Successors of Alexander at several times the Fall of the Seleucian was only at that time when Iudea Ierusalem and all that Continent of Land fell under the Power of the Romans Mr Mede and some Historians do look principally when Greece the Head-Province was brought into subjection to the Romans by Aemilius the Consul they look here more specially to the ending of the Greek and beginning of the Roman Empire But at this very time Iudea was under the Tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes and the true Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast in great vigor and sulness of strength For though in those times Greece their Native Country was taken away from the Graecians yet nevertheless that People had still the sovereign Dominion in and about the Borders of the Church And this continued for the space of 106 years till the time of Pompey the Great then the Selcucian Kingdom and together with it all the Lands of the Jewish Church fell under the Dominion of the State of Rome And that which may adde to the force of this Reason let us Consider First The limits of the Land of Promise Secondly The Governments that there should be erected For the limits of the Land of Promise the Seat of the Church for 2000 years these are the words of the Charter to Abraham Unto thy Seed have I given this Land from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates Gen. 15. 18 19 20. This was performed in the dayes of Ioshua who brought Israel into the Possession thereof Secondly For the Governments here erected The Scriptures do take notice that these Countries were under the Government of the Judges and then after that under the Kings of the Line of David to the times of the Captivity And then it was revealed to Nibuchadnâ—…zzar in the Image of Persecuting Empires what Succession of Tyrannies should be in and over those Countries For as somtimes the Kings of the Line of David did bear Rule in the Land of Promise so they continued the Government till the People of Babel got the Dominion So the People of Babel carried on the times of the Golden-Metal till the People of Media and Persia did take the Kingdom And after that the People of Media and Persia did continue the times of the Silver-Metal till they were subdued by the People of Greece under the Conduct of Alexander the Great And after the Victories of Alexander the People of Greece went on with the sovereign Dominion over all the Territories of the Church from the River of Egypt to the great River Euphrates till the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom by Pompey the Great And then all that tract of Land came under the Dominion of the People of Rome So then we may conclude As the Seleucian is the immediate Successor of Alexander in and over the Continent of the Church So where he ended as the Third metal-Metal-Kingdom over the Church there the Roman did begin as the Fourth Object But some perhaps may Reason That the Lagidae the Successors of Alexander in Egypt were not made Subject to the Romans till the times of Augustus Sol. Grant this to be true That Augustus did extinguish the last Successor yet the Monarchy was taken from the People of Greece before when the Romans came into Asia and brought all those Eastern Countries about Iudea within the compass of their great Empire It is one thing for the People of Greece to have a Fragment of the Kingdom of Alexander remaining and another thing for that People to have the sovereign Dominion over the Continent of the Land of Promise And this they had till the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom by the Roman State But Helvicus in a little Treatise intituled Chronologia Universalis doth stiffly argue the Point That the Graecian Kingdom did not end as long
as the Lagidae one of the Successors of Alexander did remain These are his words Quatuor Regâ—…aunam Monarchiam constituunt non per se separatâ—…m considerata sed conjunctim hoc axioma mereri haud secus ac de mortuo Principe omnes Praefecti Conjunctim repraesentant Principem Adeo si pars Ditionis ab extero quodam avellatur illa non Praefecto sed toto Principatui decedat Ita Romani ereptâ Asiâ Occupatá Macedoniâ diminuêre quidem Monarchiam extinxisse vero ad se transtulisse dici non potuerant antequam ultimam partem Aegyptum subegerunt pag. 50. From which words of his it is clear That the Graecian Empire was diminished only at the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom and it was extinguished at that time only when the Lagidae were brought under the Power of the Romans But herein he is greatly deceived for if we must Affirm That each metal-Metal-Kingdom doth continue as long as any Fragment thereof doth remain what shall we say by the meaning of this Scripture As for the rest of the Beasts their Dominion was taken away but their Lives were prolonged for a time Dan. 11. 12. This plainly sheweth That after the Imperial Dominion was taken away there might be some prolongation of life some inferiour Dominion as long as any Relique remaineth This is true in some sense after the death of Alexander the Great when his Kingdom was divided among his Successors there was some diminution of the Monarchy because these Successors did not stand up in his strength And yet for all this the Empire of that Nation did still abide And further when Aemilius the Consul subdued Perseus there was a greater defalcation yet nevertheless The Graecian Monarchy continued the most prevailing about the Borders of the Church But afterwards in the times of Pompey when those Eastern Countries were brought under the People of Rome then there was not only a diminishing but a plain abrogation of the Empire of the Graecians For then the Graecian did not only lose the Imperiality in a more general sense but the Imperiality here principally intended about the Borders of the Church And therefore where the Seleucian made an end there the Roman began Thirdly The Seleucian of the Four Successors of Alexander was the most prevailing and the most eminent Priâ—…ce Therefore at the Ruine of the Seleucian we do rather place the end of the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal and the Third Beast That the Seleâ—…cian was the most notable of all Alexander's Successors we prove First From the Testimony of the Scriptures For it is expresly said That a Mighty King scil Alexander the Great shall stand up but when he shall stand up his Kingdom shall be broken Dan. 11. 3 4 5. Now this came to pass after his death his Kingdom was divided to Four Successors the Kings of Syria Egypt Asia Greece For the Kingdom of Asia that â—…oon vanished and the Kingdom of Greece or Macedonia was very remote from the Confines of the Church All the description is limited to the Two Successors Syria and Egypt and of these Two that of Syria was the more Potent The King of the South meaning Egypt shall be strong and another of his Princes shall be stronger than he vers 5. that is The Seleucian Prince in Syria called the King of the North shall be stronger than the other Succesâ—…or And further Concerning the Seleucian it is added His Dominion shall be a great Dominion This plainly sheweth That the Seleucian is the most eminent and the most notable of all the Successors according to the Testimony of Scripture Secondly This is clear by the Testimony of Historians For the Stories of the times plainly shew That the Seleucidae did possess Syria Babylon and part of Asia and as some will have it they possessed all from Phrygia to the River of Indus Thirdly It may be confirmed by Reason for the Antigonidae in Asia that were one of the Four Successors were subdued by the Seleucian and therefore by the Addition of this the Seleucian must needs be the greater Dominion Fourthly Here is the Consent of Modern Expositors for Iunius Broughton Rolloc Piscator Wâ—…llet and other Interpreters of this way do pitch upon the Seleucian as the principal Successor I do not say That their Position in the particular Application is true but that which I stand upon is The ground of their Reasoning in a more general sense For if they Affirm the Seleucian to be the fourth Kingdom in their judgement there must be somthing more eminent and remarkable in that Potentate above all the rest of the Successors Wherefore else should they appropriate the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to him only Lastly We are to have special regard unto this rather than to any of the other Successors because whatsoever is spoken in the Prophecie of Daniel concerning the Graecian or the Third Metal-Kingdom is specially meant of the Seleucian Kings As for Ensample A great part of the description chap. 8. and chap. 11. is concerning Antiochus Epiphanes his rising greatness cruelty against the Saints and his polluting the Sanctuary Now out of which of the Four Successors did he spring Was not his Original out of the Seleucian stock And did he not Reign as a Seleucian King For the Angel speaking of the Fall of Alexander and the Rising of the Four Successors proceedeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and out of one of them came forth another little Horn. Now if you enquire which Successor was that One from whom Antiochus Epiphanes did spring Did he not arise out of the Seleucian Family By all that hath been said it is clear by the Testimony of Scriptures by the authority of Historians by the weight of Reason by the consent of Interpreters and by the sufferings of the Church That the Seleucian is the most eminent and notable Successor of Alexander Therefore we do conclude That we have more special Reason to end the Third Metal-Kingdom at the destruction of the Seleucian rather than at the destruction of any other successor If we must end at the the destruction of the Seleucian where he endeth the Roman must begin as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT III. When all things needful to the being of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom began first to be applicable to the Roman State at that instant of time did the Roman begin as the Fourth Kingdom But at the time of Pompey's Victory over the Seleucian and his reducing of the Territories of the Church all things needful to the being of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom began to be applicable to the Roman State Therefore at the time of Pompey's Victory over the Seleucian and his Reducing the Territories of the Church the Roman did begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom For the Major none will Deny That the Roman did then begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when it did receive all things necessary to the being of that Kingdom Things do then begin when they receive
Story of the Gospel and particularly the entrance of Christ into his Ministery he hath these words In the fifteenth year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Governor of Iudea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee and his Brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the Region of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene the Word of the Lord came to Iohn the Son of Zacharias in the Wilderness Luk. 3. 1 2 3. Here I demand What hath the Evangelist to do with the times of the Romans being a Government so alien to the affairs of the Church I Answer There be Two Reasons wherefore he Numbreth the times according to the Roman accompt The First is To shew the Truth of Daniel's Prophecie in the Image of Persecuting States For there it is expresly said That in the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. Now the Evangelist expoundeth this to be the Kingdom of Christ and that the Roman in particular is the metal-Metal-Kingdom in whose times the Kingdom of Christ did begin And he doth leave it upon Record That the Lord Christ had a solemn Inauguration into his Office in that part of time when Tiberius was Emperor in the fifteenth year of his Reign when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Iudea c. Now if it be the scope of the Evangelist to shew That the Lord did begin his Office in Preaching the Gospel when the Romans did beaâ—… Rule there must be a particular instant of time also when all in Iudea fell under the Dominion of that People and that in the sense of the Gospel must be the Epocha or term of the Roman Kingdom Secondly The Evangelist doth so punctually Number the times according to the Roman Government because then Iudea where the Gospel began to be Preached was under the Command of the People of Rome And the Evangelist doth no more in the times of the New Testament than what the Prophets and ancient Writers had done in the times of the Old As for Ensample Those Prophets that lived in the times of the Kings of Iudah and Israel as Isaiah Ieremy Hosea dated their Prophecies from the Reign of those Kings And from that time that the Kings of the Line of David were taken away it was the use to reckon by the times of the Four Monarchical States So Daniel and Hezâ—…kiel who lived in the times of the Babylonian Empire do reckon their Visions by the times of the Babylonian Kings And after them Ezrah Nehemiah Haggie and Zachary who lived in the times of the Persian Monarchy dated their times by the Reigns of the Kings of Persia. And as for those Ecclesiastical Writers that lived in the times of the Graecian Kingdom as the Author of the Book of the Macchabees they accounted by the years of the Kingdom of the Greeks In like manner the Evangelists living in the times of the Romans date the Story of the Gospel by the Roman account In all which they do secretly imply That the Roman is the Fourth Metal-Kingdom and it began so to be when the Church of the Jews became subject to the People of Rome So long the Stories of the Church were Numerable by the Roman account But let us adde another Testimony out of the same Evangelist where he telleth us chap. 2. vers 2. A Decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed 〈◊〉 this taxing was first made when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria Now whereas he saith That all the world should be taxed this is meant only of the world under the Roman obedience And here we Affirm When Iudea and the Countries near Bordering became Members of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Roman world then did the Roman begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms The Evangelist being to speak of the Birth of the Kinâ—… of the Jews his special purpose is to shew how that particular Continent was under the sovereign Power of Augustus Caesar at that time Object 1. But here it may be Objected How could Augustus tax Iudea when it was under the Power of Herod the King Sol. This matter is solidly Disputed by the learned Spanhemius in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 2. pa. 157. The sum of that which he doth deliver cometh to this issue Though Herod was King he had not jus summum the supreme Dominion he had only jus subalternum a Right and a Power meerly by the courtesie of Augustus And therefore he citeth a passage out of Appianus That as Darius was the King of Pontus and Polemon of Cilicia so Herod was King of the Jews that is meerly by favour and courtesie Secondly He sheweth That there were often Appeals from Herod to the Romans and therefore he was compelled to pleÌ„ad for himself before Antonius at Laodicea and before Augustus after the Battel of Actium at Rhodes Many more Arguments he brought to prove that his Government was meerly Precatious and at the will of the Romans Now for that particular time when the Romans began to have the sovereignty over the People of the Jews this was at the times of Pompey the Great These are the Authors own words pag. 160 At a sane erat conditio populi Iudaici tempore Macchabaeorum qu indo à Iudâ Macchabaeo foedus primò cum Romanis initum ubi Iudaeâ—… vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populi Romani rescripto Sena us ad Deâ—…ctrium à quo premebantur 1 Mac. 8. Sed quamâ—…rimum à Pompeio Magno subacti fuere societatis nomen in servitutem abâ—…r illi aequè ac aliae gentes dâ—…victae Romanis vectigales facti eorum imperio accessêre Ab eâ—… tempore Iudaeorum gens in Clientelâ Romanorum fuit à quâ—…bus Reges pro arbitrio instituebantur vel destituebantur tales quidem quibus precarium limitatum erat imperium à nutu eorum suspensum qui Romae rerum potâ—…ebantur In these words of his he doth plainly distinguish what the People of the Jews were before the Conquest of Judea by Pompey and what they were after Before the Conquest they were Friends Allies and Auxiliaries and after that their society was turned into servitude and as other Conquered Nations so the Jews were made Tributaries to the Empire From that time the Nation of the Jews was alwayes under the Dominion of the Romans by whom their Kings were either set up or plucked down at pleasure And for the manner of their Rule it was meerly limited hanging upon the good will of them that had the supreme Command at Rome Now if this be so I leave it to any man to judge when the Roman did begin as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom According to these Principles he must needs begin at the times of Pompey when the Church was brought under the Power of the Romans Object 2. Why is it said That the taxing was when Cyreneus was Governor of Syria and not rather
when Herod was King of the Iews Sol. The Answer is clear That though Herod was King of the Jews yet Cyreneus was the principal Agent of the Romans in the Tax and Iudea was but a Member annexed to the Province of Syria Maldonate upon the place to my apprehension speaketh satisfactorily For saith he Cyreneus was not the Governor of Judea but of Syria but because Judea did then belong to the Province of Syria as all Authors do deliver it was his Office to tax not only Syria but Judea also And in very deed much is spoken in the Roman Story That Iudea was a Member annexed and Iosâ—…phus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apendix or the Additament of Syria If we go to the Original we shall find in the Stories That when the Seleucian Kingdom was destroyed Syria and Iudea both together came under the Power of the Romans by the means of Pompeâ—… the Great And here we set the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom But because Spanhemius doth seem to go another way and doth stand upon it That Iudea was not a Member annexed to Syria till the time of Archelaus when Iudea was made a Province Let him now give his Answer Why the Birth of Christ is recorded by the Evangelist to be in the times of the Oecumenical Tax of the Roman World His Answer is this Ut non tantum res tam illustris Charactere temporis illustri consignaretur sed tali qui responderet vaticiniis Propheticis not only that so famous a matter should be decyphered by so famous a Character of time but by such a famous Character of time which should Answer the Predictions of the Prophets And then in particular he citeth those words of the Prophecie of Daniel In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed chap. 2. vers 44. And then he concludeth upon the Premises in these words Descriptio enim Iudaeorum sub Augusto erat publica servitutis professio tessera Obsequii quod debebatur Principi Extero adeóque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advenisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo Messias nasci debuit lapis sine manibus è monte excindi The Tax of the Iews under Augustus was a publick profession of their Servitude and a Badge of that Homage which was due to a Forreign Prince and therefore a clear Demonâ—…ation that that fulness of time was come in which the Messiah should be born and in which the Stone should be cut out of the Mountain without hands From these words of his we do conclude That in the sense of the Evangelists the Roman is the Fourth and last metal-Metal-Kingdom For when the Lord Christ was born the Jews did yield their Homage and Obedience to the Romans as to those that were set over them But if we do enquire after the time when they came to be Homagers it was at the time of Pompey the Great Therefore in the sense of the Evangelists we must there set the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT V. That which doth necessarily spring from theâ—…r Principles who do most authentically expound the Monarchies that is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom But the beginning of the Roman at the time of their Free-state when the Church came first within the Verge of their Dominion is such Ergo. The Major is plain For we cannot reject that beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom which doth necessarily spring from the Principles of the most Authentick Expositors We do in substance take that for truth which is implyed as that which is plainly expressed But for the Minor That the beginning of the Roman Monarchy was at the time of their Free-stare and that this doth spring from the Principles of the most Authentick Expositors This is proved by the enumeration of Singulars First The most approved Interpreters do hold That all the Four Tyrannical Empires are compacted into one Image and though they differ in some particulars yet they all agree in the greatness of Dominion In this sense nothing doth exclude the Roman from being one of the Four Secondly They agree That all these Tyrannical Empires compacted into one Image continue a succession of that Lordship which the first scil the Babylonian did take from the People of the Jews If this be so the Roman must begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms at that time only when the Church of the Jews came under their Dominion For though the Romans were a mighty State and had gained to themselves a great Power in the West yet they were not the sucsessors of Nebuchadnezzar in that Monarchy which he had begun till they had taken in the Eastern Countries and brought the Jewish Church within the Power of their Kingdom But when this matter was once effected then did the Roman begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And this doth necessarily arise from the Principles and Foundations of such as have best Expounded the Metal-Kingdoms Object But some perhaps may alledge You have formerly taught That the Metal-Kingdoms do not only respect the People of the Iews but the People of the Gentiles also when the Gentiles come to be the Church of Christ. Sol. This I confess to be a Truth Yet withal in the right stating of the beginning of the Four Kingdoms we must have only respect to the Nation of the Jews For when all these Kingdoms began and in particular the Fourth and the last there was no other Church in all the world but that of the Jews only Afterwards by the Preaching of the Apostles the Church did greatly encrease and the whole Empire in its just Latitude from East to West from North to South was the Seat and the Place of the Church And hence it is That the Spirit in the Revelation doth discover her State according to the changes of time in the Empire of the Romans But yet however The Doctrine of the forementioned Interpreters will strongly inforce the beginning of the Roman when Iudea came under the Power of that People seeing there was no Church in all the world but that of the Jews only Object But if it be further Alledged Why do you call this a Principle of the most Approved Interpreters seeing you your self do not Allow their Exposition in some Particulars Sol. So far forth as the Exposition is Approved I do build upon it and it doth strongly inforce the Conclusion And for the kinds of Interpreters I will shew who are the most Approved and why they are so called After such times as it pleased the Lord to Reveal to Daniel the Four Ages of the Church under the Type and Similitude of Four Metals in the Image this Discovery hath been variously received Some only having a glaring light of the Truth have turned it into Fables and it is very probable That Ovid in his Metamorphosis
Monarchies must come to bear Rule over those Countries where the Kings of the Line of David had the power before And therefore it is mentioned That a Rod shall come out of the stock of Iesse and a Branch shall come out of his Roots Isa. 11. 1 2. A Lapide upon the place speaketh very well Christo enim nascente regia Davidis familia ad pauperes redacta When Christ was born the Kingly Family of David was brought very low To this accordeth the Prophet Daniel In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed chap. 2. vers 44. In these words he doth insinuate That when the Kingdom of Christ beginneth it shall be as it were a new-erected Kingdom raised up out of the rubbish To me therefore Baronius in his Apparatus seemeth to deliver a strange Exposition of this Prophecie For he speaketh to this effect That the Kingdom was specially foretold to the Tribe of Iudah above any other To which when that tribe had once attained in David by a long race of Kings it held out to the Captivity of Babylon And after the Captivity of Babylon where there was some intermission for a time the Empire recovered again in Zorobabel And then from him being derived it held in his Posterity without any absolute interruption to the second year of the 184 Olympiad when Calvin and Pollio were Consuls Then Herod an Idumaean a Gentile at the first and after that a Proselyte by the courtesie of the Romans took the Kingdom in Iudea and so the Government was translated from the Natives to a Forreigner This is the sum of that which is more largely delivered Where Three Errors are to be noted First That he maketh the davidical-Davidical-Kingdom to last to the times of Herod Which cannot be For the Kingdom was taken from the Kings of the Line of David by the Babylonians And by them it was transmitted to the Persians and Graecians And so last of all it came to the Romans in whose time Christ was Born Neither did Herod a Forreigner Reign any more by the courtesie and favour of the Romans than did Hyrcanus his immediate Predecessor A Second is this That he maketh the Scepter to continue in the time of Zorobabel which is not so For they that plead for an inferiour way of Rule in the High Priests the men of the Great Sanhedrâ—…m do not affirm That all these came of Zorobabel no nor of David neither Thirdly He erreth in this That he maketh the Scepter to depart from Iudah in the times of Herod for the Jews had some form of Government some Laws of their own which did continue to the destruction of Ierusalem When the Lord Christ had provided him a People amongst the Gentiles then Ierusalem was destroyed and the Jews were cast away according to the Prophecies Object You will say then What is the true meaning of Jacob's Prophecie Sol. This is the meaning thereof That there should be a Succession of Kings in the Line of David till the Captivity of Babylon And though the other Ten Tribes should be cast away yet that Tribe should remain And after the Captivity though the supreme Power should be taken away from them yet still among that People there should be a continuation of some Laws and forms of Government under the Persians Graecians and Romans till the coming of the Messiah When the Messiah shall be born he shall raise up the Tabernacle of David which hath fallen down he shall set up that Kingdom that never shall be destroyed And at the end he shall destroy all the Metal-Kingdoms and fill the Earth And so by consequence the Kingdom of David shall continue for ever This is the full sense and the meaning of Iacob's Prophecie Piscator in his Scholia upon this text doth confirm what we speak Gubernatio plena cujus princeps pars est potestas judiciorum capitalium adempta fuit Posteris Iudae per Pompeium qui Iudaeam in formam Provinciae redegit imperioque Romanorum subjecit Post quam gubernationis ademptionem paulò post natus est Christus sub Augusto Quod autem potestas illa Iudaeis per Romanos fuerit adempta fatentur ipsi Joh. 18. 31. Gubernatio vero imminuta ademptâ scilicet potestate Iudiciorum capitalium relictâ Potestate Iudiciorum civilium Religionis duravit usque ad tempus illud quo natus est Christus immo etiam quo patefactus est in orbo terrarum per praedicationem Apostolorum Quippe Iudaeos adhuc tempore passionis Christi habuisse potestatem aliquam judiciorum patet ex verbis Pilati ad illos In which words of his there is a plain distinction betwixt the Sovereign and Supreme Power and that which is subordinate For the Sovereign and Supreme power in Capital Crimes he faith this was taken away from the Jews by the means of Pompey the Great who first brought that Nation in subjection and made it Tributary to the Romans And so that speech of the Jews is to be expounded It is not in our power to put any man to death Joh. 18. 31. For the subordinate Power which he calls gubernationem imminutam a regulated or limited power in Civil Causes and in matters of Religion this saith he did continue to the destruction of Ierusalem And so those words are to be expounded Ye have a Law and judge ye him according to your Law Joh. 18. 31. By this then we may understand how Iudea may be made subject to the Romans before the coming of Christ and yet some form of Policy might continue among that People to make good the Prophecie of Iacob But if we must needs stand upon the words That the Scepter was taken away by the means of Pompey the Great this hath excellent ground in the Stories and it doth make exceedingly for our purpose For the ground in the Stories we shall finde That the Jews that were in Bondage first to the Babylonians secondly to the Persians thirdly to the Graecians that after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes they did assert their Liberty against the Graecians of the Seleucian Line And some Kings did Reign in Iudea of the stock of the Macchabees But after such time as Pompey the Great brought Iudea under the power of the Romans they never recovered their Liberty again Now then I leave it to any to judge Whether here is not the beginning of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image This we have confirmed by Reasons and have Answered such Objections as might be alledged to the contrary Now let us go to the second Point to shew the Order of the times that there is the space of 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And for the time we cannot easily be deceived because the words of Iosephus are so plain That this
we account it but a curiosity to finde out the meaning of Christ in these things in which also the precious Souls of many thousands are so deeply hazarded and that for ever to their eternal perdition if they repent not Our Saviour fore-seeing the great Calamities that should befal the Church and People of the Iews at the Destruction of Ierusalem had great tenderness of heart toward them At the instant of his Suffering he said Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children For the dayes are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the barren that do not bear and the Papps that never gave suck Luk. 23. 28 29 30. Even so at this present day though the friends and followers of the Church of Rome are the greatest Enemies that we have yet nevertheless had we the heart of Christ and did we see the greatness of their sin and the grievousness of the wrath to come we would have tender Affections towards them we would mourn over them with many tears But how shall we do this if we our selves do not understand what this sin is and what judgment the Lord will bring upon them for these things Therefore it is no idle Speculation to meditate on this subject which concerneth the sin of the world and the great judgment of God because of the sin Fourthly If we consider the special Cause of the Martyrdom and the Sufferings of the Saints it was specially for these things And therefore in the beginning of the Beasts Kingdom and Edict was made That all who would not worship the Image should be put to death chap. 13. vers 15. The Victory of the Saints also that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire was of them that had overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name chap. 15. v. 2 3. At the beginning of the thousand years also those Souls saâ—…e upon Thrones and judgment was given to them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God that had not worshiped the Beast nor received his Mark. We may conclude then That these were the special Causes of the Martyrs Sufferings in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom and were the eminent object of their Victory and Crown in the end of the Kingdom Now shall we think the knowledge of these things to be a nice Speculation I think that there is nothing more seriously to be thought of and I believe also that it is the minde of Christ that we should so judge of the matter Fifthly If we consider the object of the Vials upon what kind of persons they are poured out They are poured out upon a People that are distinguished by such Badges and Cognizances as these That had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 1 2 10 13. Now then if we would know what the Vials are and wherein the justice of God doth appear in his pouring forth of them in these times for these are the times of the Vials it would be a Point very necessary and material to the opening of this Doctrine to shew what is meant by the Image of the Beast and the Mark of his Name for the Vials full of the wrath of God have their several and respective operations upon these kind of men Therefore it is no matter of light curiosity to discover what these things are and what kind of persons are deciphered and set forth under these Characters Sixthly Considering the Promises that are made to the Church That after the time of the Beasts Kingdom then the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. v. 3. That wherein the Nations have been deceived in all the times of the Beasts Kingdom is in the matter of worshipping the Beast in adoring his Image and in receiving his Mark as may appear chap. 13. v. 13 14. chap. 20. v. 3. Further whereas it is said that the two-horned Beast did deceive them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles he had power to do Here we must not think that this deceiving of the Nations was only at that instant but he hath deceived them and doth deceive them and will deceive them in all the times of his Kingdom And it is particularly said of the Kings of the Earth to wit The deluded Kings that they shall agree to give their Kingdoms to the Beast till the words of God shall be fulfilled When those times are once fulfilled the Dragon shall deceive the Nations no more For though he and the Beast are two yet in this business they are but one The Dragon deceiveth the Nations by the Beast the Beast is the Dragons Vice-gerent in deceiving the Nations When the Beast is destroyed the Dragon also shall be bound up that he shall deceive the Nations no more If we descend to particulars and enquire wherein the Nations have been deceived the whole Scope of the Prophecie doth direct us to the worship of the Beast and to the receiving of his Mark. It is no frivolous study then to dive into the Sense and to search into the Meaning of these things seeing they are the subject-matter of such an universal Delusion And who can tell when these things shall come to be more clearly known to the Consciences of them which have been formerly seduced When they shall come also more perfectly and fully to know what the Spirit meaneth by the Name of the Beast his Mark and Image and how they have greatly sinned against Christ in yielding to these things Who can tell what a mean this may be of their undeceiving We may probably suppose that the States and Governments of this world may more easily be brought off from their subjection to the Beast when we shall define the true natural meaning of the Spirit and lay the definition before the Conscience In the great Controversies betwixt the See of Rome and other States it is remarkable what the Champions of that Church do usually propound they speak much of the stability of that Seat grounded upon the Promise Tues Petrus c. And in very deed if we look to experience how many Kingdoms how many Churches in the East and in the West have totally perished and have come to nothing when that Church and See hath continued in the greatest Glory and that for many Ages Now this being laid as a Foundation is not here great reason alledged to the Conscience that the States of Christendom should yet continue their Obedience to the Catholick Apostolick Romane See as they call it None can deny but That Authority hath been wonderously and miraculosly preserved in all times and in all changes of time And for mine own part I do openly confess That to me it is a great wonder to see a State oâ—… Government to continue so many Ages and yet to abide one and the same still But when I read the Scriptures I find that the
or Intercision of that sovereignty before the Roman Dominion in the last the reâ—…aired and Antichristian state thereof In the 13 Chapter it is said That the Ten-Horned Beast had a wound in one of his heads vers 3. What is this wound but an intercision or cessation of all Roman Majesty in the world at the rising of the Ten Kings The Two-Horned beast by his Deâ—…es did cure the wound vers 14 15. What is this cure but the renovation of the same Sovereignty in the Popes which was formerly lost in the Caesars So in the 17 Chapter it is said That all the world worshipped the Beast When they beheld the Beast that was is not and yet is v. 8. What is meant here by the Beast that is not This noteth the total cessation abrogation of the Roman Majesty at the Fall of the Empire And by the Beast that is This â—…eth the reâ—…ing of the Roman Majesty from the Dead when it was formerly lost in the Caesars Both Scriptures then do plainly shew and so doth S. Paul in the Thessalonians That the Empire must first Fall before the Antichristian times can begin They therefore that set the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom at the time of Victor or at Constantines removing the seat of the Empire to Constantinople or at the Reign of the Emperor Iulâ—…an or at any other time before the Fall of the Empire To my understanding they do anticipate the true beginning of the Beast's Kingdom and do go against the Grounds and Foundations of all true Apocalyptical learning The Second Branch of this Principle is this also That the time of the beginning of the Beast with Two Horns must be after the rising of the Ten Kings or the Ten-Horned Beast out of the Sea chap. 13. vers 1. For though the antient Commentators take the first Beast to be the Old Empire yet the latter Interpreters such as Brightman Peraeus Mede and others do more rightly understand this to be the rising of the Ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire And in very deed if we consider the time of the Beginning of this Beast it was presently and immediately after the Dragons Flood scil after the Inundation of the Barbarous Nations Secondly The Manner of the Rising The Beast had Ten Crowns upon his Horns at the time of his Rising out of the Sea which noteth the Division of the Roman into Ten inferiour Kingdoms in that notable change of State Thirdly The time of his Continuance He was to continue 42 Months and this is the exact time of the Sufferings of the Church under the Antichristian Persecution These and many such-like Reasons do strongly prove That the Beast with Ten Horns and his rising out of the Sea doth Note and decypher The standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And here then The beginning of the 42 Months the time of the Reign of this Beast is set forth by a true Demonstrative Character and we may not doubt of the certainty thereof Further then If we look to the scope of the Text the rising of the Beast with Two Horns must needs be after the rising of the Ten-Horned Beast and so consequently after the standing up of the Ten Kings out of the Ruines of the Empire And so the Visions will be rightly applyed to their true times I know nothing of moment which doth contradict this Assertion but only that which is spoken by Mr Mede in his Apocalyptical Key Synchronism the second Where he endeavoureth to shew That the Ten-horned Beast and the Beast with Two Horns are exact Contemporaries in all their times These are his words A se invicâ—…nt neque ortu suo neque interitu separantur quinetiam altera alterius potestatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est in praesentia ipsius administrat And then he concludes Quis non vidit illas omni aevo suo necessariò contemporare But saving the great respect I bear to this Author I cannot see first how this can agree with the scope of the Scripture Secondly With the event of things Thirdly With the Tenor of his own Doctrine as he delivereth it elsewhere Fourthly With the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have spoken most Proâ—…atively concerning the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom First I cannot see how he agreeth with the Scripture For Iohn saw first a Beast come out of the Sea with seven Heads and ten Horns and ten Crowns upon his Horns and after that he saw another second Beast which came out of the Earth with Two Horns From whence we may easily collect That the rising of the one is in order of time before the rising of the other and therefore they no not ad amussim contemporare ortu suo they do not exactly agree in the time of their Original Secondly I cannot see how he agrees with the event of things For at that time when the Ten Kings arose out of the ruines of the Empire there was no Roman Sovereignty in the whole world For as we have formerly mentioned The Beast had a wound in one of his Heads and therefore there was an intercision and a cessation of that Potency for a time We yield that the Two-Horned Beast is the Restorer of the Ten-Horned Beast he cured the wound and made the Image to speak and live It is true that he revived the Roman Sovereignty from Death to Life but this reviving was not assoon as the Ten Kings rose out of the Ruines of the Empire Thirdly I cannot see how this agreeth with Mr Mede's own Doctrine For he saith Apost pag. 83. That the Fourth Beast is the Roman Kingdom the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings that arise out of the dissipation of the Empire and the little Horn he saith expresly that it must arise after them pag. 74. For so he will have the Chaldee word to be all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 70 to wit That the little Horn must arise behind the Ten Horns Now then if the Papacie must arise after and behind the Ten Kings it is plain That he doth contemporate with them ortu suo in his beginning and that according to Mr Mede's own Principles Fourthly I cannot see how he can agree with the Body of the best Protestant Expositors who have demonstratively written of the beginning of the Beast's Kingdom For as many almost who have spoken of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth have applied this beginning to the Bishop of Rome in the times after the Fall of the Empire when the Decree went forth That he should be Head over all the Churches All the Circumstances of the Text laid together prove the truth of this Interpetation We come now to the Third Principle Princ. 3. The time of the rising of the second Beast must be so stated That all the circumstances of the Text may agree to such a beginning We must not leave the times of the Fall
clear but the times in the 7 of Daniel also will be much illustrated if we parallel them with the times of the Revelation Only here will lie the weight of the business Whether the matter is one and the same in both Prophecies And it must necessarily be one and the same if we can solidly prove the ten-horned Beast in Daniel to be the Roman Kingdom All do agree that the ten-horned Beast in the Revelation is the Roman Kingdom and if we can make it appear that one and the same Kingdom is described in the seventh of Daniel this will be as it were a band or ligament to couple both Prophecies together and a mean to expound the one by that conformity which it hath to the other But because Iunius and his followers and by Name Dr Willet do so strongly insist upon the Point That the ten-horned Beast in both Prophecies is not one and the same Roman Kingdom but one and the same only in Analogie and similitude of expression If they can make their words good I confess that we shall be liable to a great mistake when we shall take that for really the same which is only the same in some similitude Interpreters have gone too far this way as it is clear by experience For Paraeâ—… in the beginning of his Commentary treating of the Method of the Revelation doth draw three Observations out of Augustine's 20 Book of the City of God cap. 17. First saith he There are many things darkly delivered in the Prophecie to exercise the mind of the Reader Secondly There are some things delivered more clearly by the understanding of which we may discover the other that are more dark if diligence be used Thirdly It doth exceedingly conduce to the unfolding of the Mysteries of this Book that the same things are repeated in a different way of expression We do acknowledge that these Observations are of good use but that some Interpreters as Paraeus himself in his Commentary and Lampadius in his 〈◊〉 upon Sleâ—…d in de 4 Imperiis and some others have gone too far this way There is some similitude between the seven Trumpets and the seven Vials but the Authors aforenamed have much disturbed the true course of the Apocalyptical times when they take the Trumpets and the Seals for the same in matter though they differ in manner To avoid thâ—… Rock we will first prove the Identity of two Scriptures and then expound them by way of Parallel Upon this Consideration we do now fall upon the Work to prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom And if this can be made good then it will be one and the same Kingdom with that which is mentioned in the Revelation And so we shall parallel the one by the times of the other Prophecie Now let us hear what Iunius Broughton Piscator and other Learned men can alledge to the contrary Junius There is none that is ignorant how variously the Fourth Kingdom is interpreted For some think this place to appertain to the four Monarchies to continue to the consummation of the world Others will have the Monarchies here meant to continue to the Kingdom of Christ only in which Number they have placed the Roman their Free-state and their Empire being united in one And truly the former Opinion all the Fathers have followed being moved as it is probable with this expression There is a God in Heaven that maketh known to the King what shall be in the latter daies chap. 2. 28. But they have not well observed the meaning of the text for the Hebrew word doth not signifie that which is last but that which is latter or that which cometh after though it be not simply the last of all Answer If we observe the Rules laid down by Dr Willet 1. That the Kingdoms here described are Monarchical Kingdoms 2. Monarchical Kingdoms about the Borders of the Church 3. Such Monarchical Kingdoms where the latter do build themselves upon the ruine of the former If we observe these Rules it will be no difficult matter to define the Monarchies what they are where they begin and where they make an end There need be no variety of Opinion in a matter of such common Experience And in particular the same Experience sheweth That the Roman must be the fourth particular Kingdom As for those Interpreters who will have this Kingdom to expire at the coming of Christ they do not erre in taking the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom nor in joyning the Free-State and the Empire in one but they erre in this That they end that Monarchy at the Coming of Christ. For this is contrary to Experience and the Testimony of the Scriptures For what shall be the Ten Horns or the Ten Kings What shall be the little Horn What shall be all the other Properties of the Fourth Beast chap. 7. How shall all these be attributed to the Roman Kingdom if it End at the Coming of Christ For the former Expositors it is true that all Antiquity in a manner have followed this way To take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom To which I may adde Many of the Interpreters of these times and some eminent in the Knowledge of the Prophetical Scriptures as Brightman Grasserus Mede and others But that this should be the principal Ground that moved them to take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom because the Lord shewed to Nebuchadnezzar what should come to pass in the last times this I cannot take to be the prime foundation on which those Expositors do build To my understanding this phrase in the latter dayes or as it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the extremity of dayes or as Piscator Polanus and others will have it temporibus consequentibus in the times following This expression nakedly considered inforceth nothing at all Whereas Iacob assembled his Sons together to tell them what should happen to them in the latter dayes I do in this matter agree with Dr Willet That he did not assemble them together to tell what should befall them in the end of the world but in the times immediately following Yet this Expression is sometimes used to foretel what shall be done in the end of the world And therefore the Prophet Hosea saith That the Children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes or as it is in the Original in the extremity of dayes There is no doubt to be made but that the Prophet speaketh of the future Call of the Iews that shall be and of their living under the Reign of Christ which things are to be finished in â—…e end of the world And I see no reason but that the Lord might reveal the same things to Daniel at least the whole order of them he living after the times of Hosea being also a man specially chosen of God to be acquainted with the greatest Mysteries concerning the times of
the Church To let pass the ambiguity of the phrase let us seriously ponder the circumstances of the text The Lord did reveal to Nebuchadnezzar things that should come to pass in the latter times But the great Question is in specie What latter times are here intended It is confessed by all That the Monarchical Kingdoms were to continue to the Coming of Christ and the words of the text are clear that the Kingdom of Christ shall begin in the times of these Kingdoms Now our Saviour was born his Gospel was preached and his Kingdom began when the Earth and particularly that part of the Earth was under the Sovereign Dominion of the Romans To me therefore it is an infallible Reason That the Roman must be one of the Monarchical Kingdoms and the Fourth in particular because the Kingdom of Christ did then begin when the Earth was under the Authority and Dominion of that People But let us go on Junius They which follow the latter Opinion do well to end Daniel's Prophecie at Christ. But this they ought to consider that the Lord doth not declare the State of the world universally but only so far as it concerneth the Iewes and the People of God And therefore in our judgement we cannot approve it that the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom Answer For the Maxime That the Four Monarchies are described only in relation to the Iewes I do yield it to be a truth so far as the Jewes were the only people of God But when the Gentiles also became his people the Monarchies are described in relation to them So then the Metal-Kingdoms are not related to the Jewes only nor to the Gentiles only but to the People of God both of Jewes and Gentiles Among many this one Argument may be sufficient to clear the Truth of that which we affirm At the end of these Kingdoms it is mentioned That the Kingdom and the Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High chap. 7. vers 27. Who are they that are the People of the Saints of the most High Shall we say That they are only the People of the Jewes Then it will follow That the People of the Jewes only shall Constitute and make up the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints And how contrary is this to all colour and shew of truth Secondly Admit it should be granted that in the description of the Metal-Kingdoms the Lord should only have respect to the People of the Jewes this doth not exclude the Roman from being one of the Four Kingdoms For as the Jewes were somtimes under the Babylonians somtimes under the Persians somtimes under the Graecians so sixty years before the Birth of our Lord they came under the Dominion of the People of Rome who were the particular Nation and State of whom the Prophet speaketh The people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and Sanctuary Dan. 9. 26. If you Number the times from that instant when the Dominion of the Romans began you shall finde that there were 130 years to the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespasian So long the Jewish Church and Nation were under the Roman Obedience So then we Conclude If the Monarchies be Numbred only in relation to the Jewes the Roman may be one of the Four as well as the Babylonian Persian oâ—… Graecian what should hinder Junius They that so Number must of necessity confound the popular State with the Sovereign Command of one which is here only mentioned Neither did the Romans any wayes afflict the Iewes till the times of Cleopatra or Herod Answer This is most true That the Jewes came under the Dominion of the Romans in the times of their Free-State And therefore in these times we begin the Roman as the Fourth Kingdom Now whereas it is alledged that in so doing we do confound the Popular State and the Government by One To this I Answer We are not here so much to look after the several forms of Roman Dominion as upon one whole Roman Kingdom opposed to one Babylonian to one Persian to one Graecian going before The Scripture looketh to Four kinds of People who in their respective Seasons and Successions should have absolute Dominion over the Earth and specially about the Confines of the Church according to this Difference we ought to distinguish each Monarchy as the Dominion pass'd from one people to another and not by the particular forms of Government observed by one people Therefore it doth fully Answer our purpose That the Church of the Jewes came under the Dominion and Lordship of the people of Rome 60 years before the Birth of the Lord. Now what Form of Dominion the Romans then had is not to our purpose Further Whereas it is said That the Romans did not afflict the Church of the Jewes till the times of Herod Give me leave to Argue after the same manner Cyrus did not afflict the People of the Jewes Therefore the Persian tyranny did not then begin Alexander the Great did not persecute the Jewes Therefore the Graecian Monarchy did not begin in his times This way of Reasoning is contrary to Scripture and Experience For to speak positively Though Cyrus did not afflict the Church of the Jewes yet he brought that Church and People within the Verge of the Persian Dominion which in all its times was a Tyrannical State So Alexander the Great did not persecute the Church yet he was the Founder of the Graecian Empire which in the whole time thereof did more or less afflict the Saints of the Jewish Church The like may be said of the Romans though there was no eminent Persecution in the time of their Free-State yet then the Church was brought within the compass of that Kingdom in which under which and by which there were the sorest Persecutions that ever were as appeareth by the Stories of the Evangelâ—…sts the Acts of the Apostles and the whole Book of the Revelation Now let us Consider what is spoken by Mr Broughton Mr Broughton The Book of Daniel handleth principal points of the Iewes thraldom in Babylon for 70 years and seven times that space unto Christ's Ascention and the destruction of the City and Temple So that Ierusalem surprized by the Chaldâ—…an and razed by the Roman is the limit of the Story Answer If it could be proved That Ierusalem seized by the Chaldaean and razed by the Roman that this is the limit of some of Daniel's Visions and namely of the 70 weeks it doth not follow that this is the boundary of all his Visions and particularly of all the Four Kingdoms typed in the Metals of the Image I shall endeavour in the process of this Discourse to make it appear that these Kingdoms do continue to the time of the glorious Kingdom of the Saints Rev. 20. But let us go on Mr Broughton The Kingdom of Babel is figured by a Tree touching in
troubles of the Christian Church Now it is evident That the Holy Iewish Nation was never troubled in their whole State but in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes And therefore it is clear that the Angel speaketh of those dayes And this one speech might have kept Daniel in his true meaning that we should not draw him beyond Christ. Answer If â—… may speak what I find by Experience there is not any one place either in Daniel or the Revelation that seemeth to me to be more intricate than the Number of time mentioned in this Chapter It may be the Lord will have the time to lie doubtful and to be sealed to the time of the end vers 4 9. However it be though I cannot positively prove the meaning of the text yet we may firmly conclude That the periods of time do lead us to the end of the world and that they cannot possibly be restrained to the Persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and to the times of the suffering of the Jews under that tyranny But let us look to the Text By the Children of thy people we do willingly acknowledge That the People of the Jewes are here meant But we do not yield that Mr Broughton doth make a true Deduction from the meaning of these words He doth infer That in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes his persecuting the Church Michael may stand up because the whole Nation of the Iewes suffered more eminently for Religion in those times Now here I say This cannot be the time of the great Tribulation of the Jews nor the time of the standing up of Michael seeing the Tribulation here spoken of is after the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom For I would gladly know what the Angel doth mean by these words He shall come to his end and none shall help him vers 45. Is it not clear by the whole tenor and scope of the text That he speaketh of the King of the North or the Seleucian Kingdom That this Tyranny shall come to its end without help or remedy And then afterward the Seleucian Kingdom being destroyed the great Calamity shall fall upon the Nation of the Jews in the following times Secondly Our Saviour himself that best knew the meaning of Daniel's Prophecie doth expresly speak of the standing up of the Abomination of Desolation mentioned by Daniel the Prophet he doth speak of the greatest wrath that ever was from the foundation of the world that it should fall upon the Nation of the Jewes and that for the Elects sake only those dayes should be shortened Now then how doth he apply these Predictions not to the times of Antiochus Epiphanes which Mr Broughton here speaks of but as all the Evangelists do agree to the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans Matth. 24. 21 22. Mar. 13. 14 15 c. Luk. 21. 20 21 c. Now whereas Daniel did put the Question partly out of a desire to pry into these Mysteries and partly to give information to the Church he received an Answer sutable to the Question which he did propound The Question is this Then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things vers 8. And the Answer of the Angel is this From the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the Abomination that maketh Desolate shall be set up there shall be 1290 daies Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes But go thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the daies vers 11 12 13. From the scope of these words if we take it for granted That the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation was at the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem for so our Saviour doth expound the words of Daniel then we do infer from the destruction of that City there will be 1290 dayes and then again 1335 dayes to the time of the end And so we may conclude That this period of time will not extend only to the times of Christ but very far beyond his times toward the end of the world But it may be alledged seeing that I undertake to shew the length of the period How long it shall continue and the beginning from whence it shall commence why do not I speak Determinately concerning the time where it shall end I do only so far undertake to speak of the length of this period to shew that Daniel's Prophecie containeth a great Number of years beyond the destruction of Ierusalem And this is enough to Confute Mr Broughton and other Interpreters of this way though for my part I am not able to determine the Question why it is said 1290 dayes and then after that 1335 dayes There is a special reason of doubling the Number but yet for the accommodation of the time I must confess my ignorance Only for the present purpose it is enough to say in the general That there is a great Chain of years to begin after the destruction of Ierusalem and that the times of Daniel and the times of the Revelation do both run parallel together to the glorious Kingdom of the Saints But for the true concord of the times I do profess that I lie in the mire Whereas the holy Prophet is commanded to seal and to shut up the Vision we are not to take this simply as though there shall be a perpetual inclosure and an absolute concealment of the sense for ever but only that the disclosing is referred to the time of the end They that shall live neer upon the accomplishment of the Prophecie upon the borders of the glorious Church at the times of the Calling of the Jewes perhaps they shall see that which hath lain hid in the Scriptures for many Ages Though Daniel was to seal up the Vision for the time present yet in the latter dayes many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased vers 4. Object But if it shall be said That the great Question doth lie in this From what beginning are we to fetch this period of time or where is the date thereof Some place the beginning of these years in Antiochus Epiphanes some in the Abomination of the Desolation set up by Iulian the Apostate Sol. For the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation there is no question but that this is meant of the Calamity under the Romans for so our Saviour doth expound the meaning of the Prophecie And there is good reason wherefore we should rest in the Authority of such an interpreter As for the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation by Iulian the Apostate I marvel that such a judicious Interpreter as Mr Brightman should rest upon so groundless a conceit But as groundless as it is I find that many men are carried away with his Authority But first of all how was Iulian a taker away of the daily Sacrifice He rather countenanced the Jewes against the Christians Socrat. lib. 3. Secondly how
1290 dayes the time of the dispersion doth run from that begiâ—… 〈◊〉 We haâ—…e good reason to take this for an authentick 〈◊〉 because Danâ—…el in the 12 Chapter doth more largely repeâ—… 〈◊〉 Desolation by the Romans which he had more briefly 〈◊〉 chap. 9. We cannot be perswaded but that the Propâ—… 〈◊〉 last Vision went farther into the times than he did iâ—… 〈◊〉 going before at least he went as far For 〈◊〉 is expresly said concerning this last Vision that the time was long and for many dayes The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Mr Broughton doth well render it the Army-like-ordered time was great Piscator upon the place also doth well observe the same propriety of the phrase Vide â—…r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essâ—… Metaphora quod in tempore determinaâ—…o partes convenienti ordine à Deo sunt dispositae sicut Milites in exercitis Tâ—…e sâ—…emeth here to be a 〈◊〉 the parts in this determinâ—…te time are so disposed of Gâ—… Souldiers in an Army We may then safely conclude 〈◊〉 in this last Vision Daniel doth go many 〈◊〉 deep into the times and much deeper than he did in the former Visions And therefore we may necessarily affirm That he doth lead us far beyond the times of Christ. On the contrary If these times end with the Persecutionâ—… under Antiochus Epiphanes for so Mr Broughton and others will have it how is the time long and how doth the Lord speak of such notable events that should befal Daâ—…iel's People in the last and utmost Rere-ward of time The destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans was 230 years after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes And therefore the Vision of the 70 weeks if Mr Broughtons interpretation be good must go farther than this last Vision by such a Proportion and Number of years Now who can possibly believe this to be true that readeth the three last Chapters of the Prophecie Must the whole Narration of all the things there declared end at Antiochus his death Now then to gather all into one sum we may safely collect That Daniel in this Vision doth not only lead us to the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans but he doth speak also how long the Jewes shall remain under that fatal Dispersion These things our Saviour the Apostle St. Paul Isaiah and Daniel all of them do speak First of the scattering of the Nation after the destruction of Ierusalem and of the time of their Dispersion till their Calling again If any shall then require me to make good the Chronologie of 1290 dayes and of 1335 dayes I must confess that I am here at a loss and it may be that they who shall come in the Rere-ward of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Army-like-ordered time shall see more Then perhaps many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased If I may to use the words of Mr Fox vent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Conjectures I should be willing to proceed in this manner First To speak of the time in a Latitude Secondly To speak of it more particularly If we speak of it in some Latitude and begin the 1290 daies at the destruction of Ierusalem this period of time will bring us precisely to the year of the Lord 1359 And here as Alstedius well observeth in his Chronologie cap. 6. the Saints did begin more vigorously to testifie against the Antichristian Idolatries And in very deed if we diligently observe the times with some subtilty of consideration we shall find That from the taking of Constantinople and the destruction of the Greek Empire in the East the Languages have been revived and the Witnesses of Truth have been more effectually raised up in the West and the light of the Gospel doth more and more encrease And it is very probable that these things will go on and never cease till the Kingdom of Christ be set up in its full glory and Monarchical power over Jews and Gentiles This I take to be the meaning of the Prophecie in the general accommodation thereof But for the more distinct and particular Application of the times this as I have said before I must leave to them that come after Now let us proceed to the words of Piscator in his Preface upon the Prophecie of Daniel Piscator The third Kingdom is not here rightly extended to the Successors of Alexander the Great so far at least as he is stated the first King of that Kingdom For though this is done chap. 8. vers 21. yet nevertheless that Prophecie differeth much from this For the Kingdom of the Greeks figured by the He-goat is there expresly Named and is divided into the Kingdom of Alexander who is resembled by the notable Horn which the He-goat had between his eyes and the Kingdom of his Successors So that this of Alexander is clearly to be distinguished as different from that of the Successors For it is said When that Horn was brâ—…ken four stood up for it or in the place of it and afterward those four are expresly called one Kingdom vers 23. Likewise it is spoken concerning the Kingdom of Alexander That it should be plucked up and that it should come to others and not to his Posterity Dan. 11. 4. Answer I do not deny but in some sense the Kingdom of Alexander may be distinct from that of his Successors But 〈◊〉 Whether in the present case it ouâ—…ht to be 〈◊〉 distinguished The Kingdoms of Media and Persia are two distinct Realms Dan. 8. yet both these make but one silver-Metal So the Kingdoms of Alexander and his Successors though they be distinguished yet in the Notion Relation and Distribution of the Kingdoms in the Image they make but one Brass-metal or one Empire typed by the third Beast with four Heads In this case every Metal signifieth a distinct Kingdom in the fulness thereof And therefore as the Golden-Head doth signifie the Babylonian-Kinâ—…dom and the Silver-Breast the Mede-Persian So the Brazen-Belly and Thighs do signifie the whole Graecian Empire And as in this Acception the distinct Kingdoms of Media and Persia do not make two but one Silver-metal So the Distinct Kingdoms of Alexander and his Successors do not make divers but one third Kingdom of Brass But yet further If we should ask how every Metal-Kingdom comes to be divided it must be in relation as each People cometh to have the sovereign Dominion over the Earth and therefore it is expresly said concerning the Kingdom of Christ That it shall not be left to other People chap. 2. 44. And in the end of the seventh Chapter v. 27. these words are recited The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High From whence we collect That the Monarchies are to be distinguished as the Dominion doth devolve and descend from one People to another till at last it cometh to the turn of the Saints of the most High
to be the Monarchical people This being laid as a ground we may say in the particuâ—…ar case alledged by Piscator That though the Kingdom of Alexander was plucked up by the Roots and the Kingdoms of his Successors were set up upon his ruines yet for all this there was no change of Dominion from People to People There was only a change from Alexander to his Successors still one Graecian People had the Empire over the Earth And to put all out of questiâ—…n That the Spirit doth principally point to the Flux and Passage of the Sovereignty from one People to another and thaâ—… in this case he doth not distinguish the Kingdom of Alexander from that of his Successors the ground which we have to buiâ—…d upon iâ—… The resemblance of the He-goat chap. 8. Now under this similitude the whole Graecian Empire both of Alexander and of his four Successors they are all comprehended together as they were formerly set forth under the Type of the Third Beast with four Heads Now whereas 〈◊〉 alledgeth That the He-goat is different from the Third Beast and that the Prophecie chap. 8. Habet rationem diversam a different way of Interpretation I Answer The He goat and the Third Beast are all one so farforth as both are Types of the same Empire under one and the same People And for the Partition of the Greek Kingdom between Alexander and his Successors this doth no more hinder the Type of that Kingdom by one Third Beast then it doth hinder the delineation by one He-goat But now to produce some Reasons that Alexander divided from his Successors cannot be the Third Kingdom Typed by the Brass-Metal or the Third Beast First All the Kingdoms were persecuting States such that did afflict the People of God But Alexander if you divide him from his Successors did not afflict the Church of the Jews neither were they Persecuted in all the times of his Empire Secondly The Metal-Kingdoms are so constituted that the latter are of a more hard and Tyrannical disposition against the Saints Now take Alexander in sensu diviso take him several from his Successors how was his Kingdom of more hard disposition against the Saints than was either Babylon or Persia going before His Monarchy was but for a few years and there was no Persecution of the People of the Jews in all his time Thirdly The Beast that came up our of the Sea after the Persian Bear is expresly said to have four Heads vers 6. Now take Alexander severally from his Successors what four Heads or what four Divisions were there in his Kingdom For in his time the Beast was so far from having four Heads that it had no Heads or Divisions at all Therefore we must necessarily conclude That the Third Beast doth represent and figâ—…re the Graecian Kingdom which in a famous revolution of State became divided into four Parts Now whereas the learned Interpreter doth distinguish the Kingdom of Alexander from the Dominion of his Successors I do yield this to be true For Alexander being broken off four Kingdoms did stand up out of that Nation But this is nothing to the purpose For these several Fractions and Divisions do not hinder the Unity of the Greek Monarchy If it had been the plot of the Spirit to make a Third Monarchy of Alexander and a Fourth of his Successors why doth he use the similitude of one He-goat for the representation of two Monarchies Why are two Empires set forth under one figure And whereas he strongly bindeth upon this That all Four Successors are expresly called One Kingdom vers 23. Saving the great Worth and Learning of the Author he is deceived in this Point For when it is said In the latter end of their Kingdom when transgressors are come to the full a King of fierce countenance shall stand up Now in these words In the latter end of their Kingdom this is not only meant of the Kingdom of the Four Successors contradistinct to the Kingdom of Alexander but the expression is concerning the whole Kingdom of the Greeks opposed to that of the Persians In the description of the He-goat Four Kingdoms are said to rise up out of that Nation and in the latter end of their Kingdom meaning the Greeks when that People shall have the Sovereignty over the Earth a King of fierce countenance shall arise Therefore we conclude That Alexander and his Successors together make but one Greek Empire under the similitude of one He-goat Now let us proceed Piscator By the Fourth Kingdom which was prefigured by the Ironthighs of the Image we must understand the Kingdom of the Successors of Alexander the Great This I have already cleared by comparing it with the Fourth Beast chap. 7. To which I now adde another evident collation of chap. 2. vers 43. with chap. 11. vers 6. concerning the Feet of the Image which pertain to the Fourth Kingdom Daniel speaking to Nebuchadnezzar thus saith Whereas thou sâ—…west the Iron mixed with miry Clay they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men but they shall not cleave one to the other even as Iron is not mixed with Clay Now this very same thing the Angel Gabriel doth declare concerning the Successors of Alexander to wit The Seleucidae and the Lagidae chap. 11. And in the end of the years they shall joyn themselves together for the King's Daughter of the South shall come to the King of the North to make an Agreement but she shall not retain the power of the Arm neither shall he stand nor his Arm. From hence it is manifest by the Fourth Kingdom Represented by the Feet of the Image this cannot be understood of the Roman Empire seeing it was diverse from that of the Graecians Answer The Character of the mixture of Marriages drawn from that collation between chap. 2. vers 43. and chap. 11. vers 6. This of all others seemeth to be the grand Argument But to say the truth and that upon tryal I here find that Interpreters do usually build upon Three notable False Principles First They take the Fourth Kingdom as divided in all time and therefore they look after the interchangable marriages of the Seleucidae and Lagidae to make up the Union But in this they erre For the Fourth Kingdom as long as it is in the Iron-Legs it is not diâ—…ided at all It is one intire Dominion and therefore needeth no Uniting by mixture of marriages The Division beginneth not till you come to the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay But let us hear the words themselves Aâ—…d the Fourth Kingdom shall be strong as Iron forasmuch as Iron breaketâ—… in pâ—…eces and subdueth all things and as Iron that breaketh all these shall it break in pieces and bruise So then the Fourth Kingdom so long as it is in the Iron-Legs is more strong than any going before There arose first a Kingdom of Gold in all fulness of powerâ—… anâ—… then afterwords a Kingdom of Silver and
a third 〈◊〉 Brass that should rule over all and then last of all a Kingdom of Iron which should break in pieces and suâ—…due all the former Metals But how is this verified in the Fourth Kingdom The strength and power of the Kingdom was chiefly in the Iron-Legs when it came to the Feet and Toes it then became divided and was partly strong and 〈◊〉 broken If we look narrowly to the words there is a description of the Fourth Kingdom in the 〈◊〉 â—…ate thereof First It iâ—… described as one intire Kingdom ruâ—…ing over all the Earth and so it was in the first times when it was in the Iron Legs Secondly It is described as a divided Kingdom into many parts and so it was in its last times in the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay If this be so How far doth Piscator and other Interpreters of his way depart from the Truth First They make the Fourth the mightiest Kingdom to consist meerly of the Fragments and broken pieces of Alexander's Dominion Secondly That which is more They make it a Kingdom broken and divided in all its times when it became divided in its last times only Thirdly They plead the mixture of Marriages between the Seleucâ—…dae and the Lagidae in the Iron-Legs of the Image and yet it standeth them upon to prove That the Fourth Kingdom was divided when it was in the Iron-Legs The Scripture saith no such thing but rather the contrary as long as it was in the Iron-Legs it was an absolute intire and undivided Kingdom And therefore where there is no division into pieces what need is there of mingling to make an Union Secondly They usually take it for granted That the Fourth Kingdom is divided into two parts and therefore they mainly insist upon the division between the Seleucidae and the Lagidae We yield that there is a division in the Feet and Toes of the Image but how is it proved That this is a division into Two parts only and no more The words of the text are these The Legs were of Iron and the Feet part of Iron and part of Clay The Chaldee hath it Out of those parts that wâ—…e of Iron and those parts that were of Clay The materials of the Feet were Iron and Clay of these the several parts of the Fourth Kingdom were tempered But how is it proved That the Kingdom was divided into Two parts only and no more They that build upon this as upon an undoubted Principle should first make it appear That it is so For where doth Daniel in his Exposition make mention of any such bipartite State How can this be proved from his words For thus it is in the text Whereas thou sawest the Feet and Toes part of Potters Clay and part of Iron the Kingdom shall be divided or as Iunius rendreth it Râ—…gna erunt diversâ—… There shall be diverse Kingdoms But how is it proved That the Kingdom is divided only into Two parts and that the diverse Kingdoms are only two and no more Let us refer that matter to that other description chap. 7. And is there any thing there spoken to prove the bipartite State of the Fourth Kingdom For if we must suppose That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae are the Two Iron-Legs or divisions of the Fourth Empire why is not this repeated again or somthing to this purpose in the seventh Chapter All agree in it That there is a description of one and the same Kingdom in both texts Now then in the seventh Chapter there is no mention made of this division only there it is said That Ten Kings or Kingdoms shall arise and another shall arise up after them Here it is plainly said what that Number of Kingdoms is into which the Fourth Empire shall be divided scil into Ten inferiour Realms These then are the parts of the Fourth Empire that shall mingle themselves with the seed of men in the latter times of that Dominion There is nothing spoken in the text conâ—…erning the bipartite State nothing concerning the Seleucidae and the Lagidae but that multiplicity of lesser States in the Feet and Toes of the Image are here defined and declared to be Ten in Number the proper Character and print-mark of the Roman Dominion Rev. 17. Object You will say That the two Legs of the Image do signifie the double state of the Fourth Kingdom and these are the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Sol This is but a Fancy as I have formerly proved for if you look to the Exposition of the text in Daniel's own words The Fourth Kingdom was so far from being bipartite that it was not at all partite or divided as long as it was in the Legs the division beginning only in the Feet and Toes But if any stand upon the Analogie and similitude That therefore the Kingdom must be divided into Two parts because there are two Legs in the Body of man I would here know also by the same method of Interpretation what is meant by the Knees the Ancles and other parts of the Legs Must we finde out a signification for all these The Kingdom of Babel is compared to an Head of Gold must we look then what is signified by the Eyes the Nose the Mouth the Beard the Lips and other parts of the Head and so apply several significations to the Babylonian Kingdom This were to trifle in a serious matter It is a good observation of Dr Willets That the Image is no Natural but a voluntary sign and therefore we are not to seek for a signification beyond the intent of the Type The intent of the Type by the Legs of the Image as by the lowest region and part of the Body of Man is to set forth the Fourth and last Monarchical Kingdom and the Fourth and last period of time We can prove no more by the similiâ—…ude than it will signifie and here it is plain That the Two Legs do signifie no more than the Two Thighs the Two Sides and these do not signifie the bipartite State of the Third Kingdom Thirdly They take it for a granted Truth That the twodivided State is the proper Character of the Graecian Kingdom and therefore they look to the Seleucidae or Lagidae as the immediate parts and divisions of that Empire But herein also they are greatly deceived For it is plain from chap. 8. That the Graecian is quadri-partite In a famous change of State that Empire became divided into Four Kingdoms The Goat is the Kingdom of Graecia the Four Horns are Four Kingdoms that shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of that Nation vers 22. And this is the reason wherefore the Third Beast is said to have Four Heads because of the quadri-partite Estate of that Empire From whence we collect That Piscator and other Interpreters that follow his judgement do erre from the Truth when they would have the Seleucidae and the Lagâ—…dae to be the two parts of the Greek Empire To speak properly Neither the
Graecian nor the Roman can be set forth by this Character sith the Graecian is described in the Scripture in the nature of a Tetrarchy or a Kingdom divided into Four parts and the Roman in the nature of a Decarchy or a Kingdom divided into ten inferiour Realms These are the Three False Principles on which Interpreters do usually build and therefore the interpretation cannot be good that standeth upon such a sandy foundation For the mixture of Marriages which Piscator calleth Evidentem collationem an evident collation I do acknowledge that the mixture of Marriages mentioned chap. 2. is again repeated chap. 11. In the one text it is said That they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men And in the other That there is an interchangeable Marriage one or two betwixt the Seleucidae and the Lagidae But what of all this They that are like in some things are not altogether the same If that general rule Omne simile non est idem were observed in the Exposition of Daniel and the Revelation we should have a cleerer sense of some Visions then now we have But this great Fallacy hath imposed upon Interpreters they have taken that for the same which is parallel in some things only There are some that have gone so far in these times as that they have taken the little Horn for some late Princes some for Mahomet and some for this and some for that Here I confess there may be a similitude in some particulars and the Allusion may hold in some few Circumstances But if you go to the whole Body of the notes of the little Horn and to the scope of the text here it will be very hard to make good the Assertion There is a resemblance only between the Marriages mentioned chap. 2. and chap. 11. But if we go to the main scope the whole carriage of the text doth plainly shew That the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom and so consequeâ—…ly the mixture of Marriages and the mingling 〈◊〉 the seed of men must necessarily be in the Roman Kingdom And yet further To satisfie the doubt They who do look more diligently into the sense of the Prophecie they find many things in the Graecian which are but as Types and Figures of some notable events in the Roman Kingdom Let us take for Instance the little Horn mentioned in the Eighth of Daniel Now here all do agree That Antiochus Epiphanes is the little Horn meant in this Chapter yet whosoever he is that diligently readeth the words of St. Paul in 2 Thess. 2. he shall find that the Apostle doth apply many things to the Roman Antichrist and so doth Iohn in the Revelation that are here ascribed to Antiochus Epiphanes To salve the matter Interpreters tell us That Antiochus is the Figure of the Antichrist to come We may proceed in the same Method and so we may say That the interchangeable Marriages between the Seleucâ—…dae and the Lagidae are but Figures of the future mingling with the seed of men and of all other means that shall be used to the keeping up of the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian State thereof But let us proceed Piscator The same thing also may be cleerly demonstrated from the words vers 34 35. where Daniel among many other things doth speak unto the King Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon the Feet that were part of Iron and part of Clay and brake them to pieces And the stone which smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth This Stone Daniel doth expound vers 44. to be the Kingdom that never shall be destroyed and is the Kingdom of Christ for the Kingdom of Christ began then to fill the whole Earth by the preaching of the Gospel after the overthrow of those Four Kingdoms as it is evident from the text And truly about the beginning of the Roman Empire Christ was Born when Augustus did bear Rule c. In the 35 year from his Birth he sent the holy Spirit from Heaven into the Apostles with whose Power they being endued did Preach the Gospel first at Ierusalem to the Iews and then afterward everywhere in the whole world to the Gentiles as the Book of the Acts doth testifie Therefore sith at the Rising of the Kingdom of Christ and at his filling the whole Earth the Fourth Kingdom prefigured by this Image was already destroyed and seeing also that the Roman Empire did continue at that time it doth necessarily follow That that Fourth Kingdom cannot any way be understood of the Empire of the Romans Answer That the Stone cut out of the Mountain is the Kingdom of Christ to this we freely Assent But whereas Piscator doth alledge That all the Four Metal-Kingdoms did expire at the beginning of Christ's Kingdom this we Deny Let us consider the words of the text for they must govern in this case First It is said concerning the Kingdom represented by the Stone cut out of the Mountain That in the dayes of these Kingdoms will the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed If this be so it will necessarily follow That the Roman must be one of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms because our Saviour was Born his Gospel was Preached the Gentiles were brought to the Faith in those times when the Romans had the Sovereign Dominion over the Earth and particularly over those parts where the Church was seated The Seleucian Kingdom was destroyed and all that tract of Land from Euphrates to the Border of Egypt was wholly brought under the power of the Romans Therefore sith the Kingdom of Christ began in the times of the Roman the Roman must necessarily be the Fourth and the last Kingdom Secondlâ—… It is said That the Stone became a great Mâ—…untain and filled the whole Earth Now when did thiâ—… come to pass The Kingdom of Christ was weak and small at his Inâ—…arnation and in the times immediately following But after that the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes after that he had broken the Roman Kingdom in the last and Antichristian state thereof then and not till then it became a Mountain and filled the whole Earth Now this was not at the Incarnatioâ—… but we look for the performance thereof at the setting up of the Majestical Kingdom of Christ as it is plainly discovered in the whole Book of the Revelation Thirdly It is said That the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes that were part of Iron and part of Clay This sheweth plainly That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae cannot be the Fourth and the last Metal-Kingdom For the Kingdom of Christ did never so much as touch these Kingdoms They were all utterly destroyed by the power of the Romans before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh. Now if you apply this to the Roman as to the last of the Four Persecuting Empires the Kingdom of Christ in these last
the Second Chapter of Daniel we gather these Four Observations First Concerning the time of the Beginning of the Kingdom of Christ it must be in the latter times For though it is only said That in the dayes of these Kingdoms speaking indefinitely shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed yet in the scope of the Vision it is implyed to be in the times of the last Metal-Kingdom For according to the Order of the Vision Nebuchadnezzar first saw the Head of Gold then the Breast of Silver the Belly and Thighs of Brass the Legs of Iron the Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay And then after some consideration he saw a Stone cut out of the Mountain that smote the Image upon his Feet Therefore the Beginnings of the Kingdom of Christ were in the latter times when the Image was in its last and lowest Region At leastwise the eminent operation of Christ's Kingdom was upon the Feet and Toes of the Image Secondly We are to observe That the Kingdom of Christ was small in the beginning it was a little Stone cut out of the Mountain For look what difference there is betwixt a little Stone and a great Mountain so the same difference is betwixt the Kingdom of Christ when it began and that Kingdom when it self became a Mountain and filled the Earth Calvin upon the place speaketh very well Propheta admonet exordia Regni Christi fore contempta The Prophet doth well admonish us the beginnings of the Kingdom of Christ to be weak and contemptible Thirdly We are to Note also That the progress of this Kingdom was from small beginnings First it was a Stone cut out of the Mountain and then by degrees in time though the space of time is not expressed in the text it became a Mountain and filled the Earth Fourthly Concerning the means of the encrease how it came to that plentitude or fulness of Power It smote upon the Feet and Toes of the Image and so the Iron the Clay â—…he Brass the Silver the Gold were broken all together and the Stone became a Mountain and filled the Earth vers 34 35. These are the Four Observations drawn from the Second Chapter Now let us apply our selves to Polanus and other Interpreters of that way And here we agree That the Kingdom of Christ did in some sense begin at his Incarnation And this is one chief Argument to prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom because the Lord Christ came in the Flesh and his Gospel was Preached and many Churches were gathered when the Romans did bear rule But our Question is Whether did the Kingdom of Christ begin as the Fifth Monarchy as a Mountain that did fill the Earth In this sense he cannot be said to begin in that fulness and amplitude of power at the Incarnation For from the scope of the text it is plain That the Kingdom of Christ was small in the beginning Secondly That it grew by degrees Thirdly That the means of the encrease was by wearing out the Fourth Kingdom The Stone smote the Image upon the Feet and Toes and so became a Mountain and filled the Earth If we apply this to the event The Kingdom of Christ began when the Romans did bear rule His Kingdom was small in the beginning but by degrees first by wearing out Rome Imperial and after that by wearing out Rome Papal this Kingdom of Christ shall come to the fulness of all Monarchical power over the whole Earth Now on the contrary Let us suppose That the Seleucidae and the Lagidae joyntly or the Seleucidae alone do make the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom For so Iunius Broughton Piscator Polanus Hayne Willet and others will have it Upon their Grounds I Demand First How did the Kingdom of Christ begin in the times of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms if the Seleucidae and the Lagidae do make the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom Secondly Seeing the Kingdom of Christ did begin as a little Stone cut out of the Mountain How do they prove that this Kingdom did come to that small beginning in the times of the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Thirdly Seeing the Kingdom of Christ did encrease by decrees in the duration of the metal-Metal-Kingdoms How did it encrease in the duration of the times of the Seleucidae and the Lagidae Fourthly Seeing the means of the encrease was by the wearing out of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom the Stone smote the Image upon the Feet How did the Kingdom of Christ wear out the Dominions of the Seleucidae and Lagidae Were they not totally destroyed some years before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh by the means of the Romans All these things put together do weaken that Principle of the Dissolution of all the Four Metal-Kingdoms at the Coming of Christ in the Flesh and that the Kingdom of Christ did begin at the Incarnation in the fulness of Monarchical Power Now because Mr Hayne hath laboured very much in this Point we will take his Arguments into Consideration Mr Hayne When Herod Pilate and the Iewish Rulers rose up against Iesus Christ God set him to be his King on Mount Sion and gave him so Eminent a Kingdom that to it all Kings Iudges and People must submit or else be crushed with an Iron-Scepter But Herod Pilate and the Rulers of the Iews rose up against Iesus Christ 1500 years ago and more Therefore God set up Christ his Kiâ—…g on Mount Sion and gave him a Kingdom so Eminent 1500 years ago and more Answer For the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ 1500 years ago I yield that this is true according to the right meaning of the Scriptures But the great Question is Whether the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ when the Saints of the most High shall become the Monarchical People whether did that Kingdom begin 1500 years ago yea or no I do call that the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ to speak cleerly in the Point not when he hath a power in himself greater than any Earthly Dominion not when by the merit of his death and donation of his Father he beginneth to have right to all Earthly Kingdoms for this was given to him at his Ascension But by the Monarchical Kingdom I understand when the Lord Christ after the several and respective times of the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world according to the free Dispensation of his Father doth actually take into his Possession the Sovereignty over the Earth and that his Gospel cometh to be the regent Law over the Nations Now this Monarchical Kingdom I deny that it began 1500 years ago It is not fully begun as yet though we have some beginnings thereof by the Preaching of the eternal Gospel by Luther and those that follow The scope of the Spirit in the Revelation is to shew that this Kingdom must begin at the end of the Dominion of the Beast or the Roman Kingdom of the latest Edition But to come to particulars It is mentioned Rev.
19. vers 1 2 3 4 5. That when the Saints did sing their Halelujah at the Judgement upon the great Whore then a voyce was heard The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth vers 6. Here I demand Did not the Lord God Omnipotent Reign before He did not Reign before in the sense of that text For the great Whoâ—…e had Ruled all the world and had corrupted the Earth by her Fornications all was under her Power and she spilt the Blood of the Martyrs at her own pleasure But at her destruction the Lord Christ did begin to Reign and that was the time of the marriage of the Lamb of the glory of the Gospel-Church when the Lamb's Wife had made her self ready vers 7. So it is said Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Here I demand Were not the Kingdoms of this world the Kingdoms of Christ before the sound of the Seventh Trumpet before the fall of the great City before that time when the Kingdom of the Beast began to be destroyed I Answer They were his Kingdoms jure by Right they were his by vertue of Purchase 1500 years ago and more but he entered not into the actual Possession till the destruction of the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world He received Institution jus ad rem above 1500 years ago but he had not Inâ—…uction jus in re till the destruction of the Beast's Kingdom And therefore these words are specially and Emphatically added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast taken to thy self thy great Power and hast Reigned In which words the holy Spirit doth insinuate That before the sound of the Seventh Trumpet the Lord Christ by his own free and voluntary permission did suffer the Beast and other Monarchical States to encroach upon him and to detain his Power for 1260 years At the end of this time he doth resume and take the Power to himself alone This is the scope of the Prophecie And for the Argument of Mr Hayne That Christ was an established King upon Mount Sion when Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired against him I will further adde That in those times when the Beast ruled over all and when all worshipped his Image and received his Mark in those very times the Lamb stood upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having their Fathers Name written in their forehead chap. 14. vers 1. Now I believe none that understand the scope of the Prophecie will affirm That Christ was stated in his Monarchical Kingdom in all the times of the Reign of Antichrist upon the Earth To speak properly These were rather the times of the Patience of the Saints and of the Exinanition and concealment of the Glory of Christ's Kingdom The Kings did agree to give their Power to the Beast and must do so till the Word of God be fulfilled When this is done the Beast shall be destroyed his Body shall be given to the burning Fire and then the Lord Christ shall begin to Reign Mr Hayne It must be granted That Christ's Kingdom when it was set up was more powerful than Romes which to this day never could though assisted by the Gates of Hell either by Might or Policy prevail against Christ's Kingdom Answer It is true That the Kingdom of Christ is in it self stronger than any Monarchical Kingdom whatsoever But the great Question is Whether it be his mind at all times to eâ—…ert and put forth his Power If this had been his mind why did he not dash in pieces the Babylonian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman Powers as soon as they had any Being Why had they any liberty given them to Afflict the Saints In these Variations and Changes of Empire the Lord Christ would not put out his Power till the times of his Reign upon the Earth should begin Again We do not absolutely and simply affirm That the Lord Christ did not exert and put out his Power in the times of the Metal-Kingdoms For he armed his Saints with Faith and Patience and made them able to Suffer But this we affirm He did not put forth his Power to the destruction of these Kingdoms in their Tyranny and Rage against the Church When the Babylonian stood in all greatness of Power it could not overcome the Spirit of Christ in the Three Children And when the Ten Horns did agree together to give their Power to the Beast The Lamb did overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful chap. 17. vers 14. It is manifest then That the Lord Christ did put out his Power to hold up the Faith of the Saints and to make them able to Suffer But for the present he did not break those Tyrannical Empires in pieces to make them submit to the Laws of the Gospel He did not nor will not exert and send forth that part of Power till the time and season doth come when his Monarchical Kingdom shall begin The Apostle saith 1 Tim. cap. 6. vers 15. In his times he will shew who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only Potentate the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords He will set forth his Monarchical Sovereignty and Potency but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own times in that season which the Father hath appointed for his Sovereignty and Dominion Now that time according to the Scriptures is at the end of the metal-Metal-Kingdoms and more particularly at the end of the Antichristian Kingdom But let us proceed Mr Hayne Christ in S. Iohn's time was the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1. 5. Had all things given him by his Father Luk. 10. 22. All Power in Heaven and Earth was given him before his Ascension Matth. 28. 18. So that he was the Head of the Church his Body and in Place far above all Principalitie and Power and Domination and every Title and Name that is Named not in this world only but in the world to come Eph. 1. 21 22. Therefore at Christ's being here on Earth or near unto that time he had an absolute and boundless Sovereignty far above all Monarchs that hereâ—…ofore lived or shall ever live hereafter Answer To this matter I have spoken before scil That the Kingdom given to the Son at his Ascension was far greater than any Earthly Kingdoms whatsoever But the Question here is Whether did he enter into the Possession of that Kingdom yea or no There was a Power given to Christ at his Ascension by vertue of which he was able to destroy the Beast the false Prophet the Dragon Gog and Magog Death and Hell and all other Enemies yet we see that he doth not nor will not execute and put forth his Power in their destruction till the time appointed of the Father till the Saints have passed the time of their Patience and Sufferings
under these Tyrants But in this matter let us Answer Mr Hayne with Mr Hayne In the first Page of his Book he speaketh of the Eternity of Christ's Kingdom and of its extent to the end of the world And afterward in the second Page he speaketh as followeth Of this Extent saith he is Christ's Kingdom yet in regard that God hath soâ—…etimes permitted Satan and wicked men in extraordnary manner to domineer and to exercise their worldly and ungodly Power and that at other times he hath made his own Sovereignty by remarkable Mercies and Iudgements to appear God and Christ upon this more glorious expression of their more Over-ruling Might are then especially said to have a Kingdom and to Reign Because in such times their Glory and Majesty doth more manifestly shew it self Exod. 15. 18. 1 Sam. 12. 12. Obad. vers 21. Rev. 12. 10. In like manner I may say Though at the Ascension of Christ there was given to him a Kingdom far greater than all the Kingdoms of the world yet in regard that it hath pleased God the Father for many Ages together to permit Rome Imperial and afterwards Rome Papal in an extraordinary manner to exercise their worldly Power And seeing also it is his pleasure after some Ages to make his Sovereignty known in the destruction of the Tyranny of these States and in setting up the Gospel as the regent Law in this respect the Reign of Christ may be said to begin at the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom in the last and Antichristian State thereof But a little further to open the meaning of the Scriptures When Michael and his Angels i. e. Christ and his Primitive Martyrs had conquered the Dragon presently and immediately upon the Conquest this Acclamation was heard I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down Rev. 12. 10. Here I demand what is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that Kingdom of God and Power of Christ You are to Note That the scope of the place is concerning the Fight between the Lord Christ and his Primitive Martyrs on the one side and the Powers of the Persecuting Empire of the Romans on the otherside After a long and terrible Fight the Dragon was overcome by the Faith and Patience of the Martyrs by the Prayer of Faith grounded upon the Promise of God And in the times of Constantine the Great when the Christian Faith as the best Expositors will have it became Religio Imperii the Religion of the Empire then at that time the Kingdom of God and the Power of his Christ was revealed to the world The Deliverance and Salvation of the Church from under the Ten first Persecutions was much desired before but it was not effected till the dayes of Constantine the Great To his times then that notable expression the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ is come is more immediately â—…o be applyed By that which the Church hath had Experience of already we may learn what is the meaning of the Spirit when he speaketh of her Deliverance from under Antichristian sufferings and of the future Reign of Christ upon the Earth for 1000 years And though there was some beginning of his Monarchical Reign in the dayes of Constantine yet that was but radiatura vel specimen Regni Christi a glympse or a handâ—…el as it were of the Kingdom of Christ and of the future liberty of the Church that shall be For that glory was Eclipsed and the Church fell under Persecution in all Antichristian times When those times shall be fulfilled the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And so they shall continue and remain for many years when Jews and Gentiles both together shall make a glorious Church under Christ their Head and King in the latter dayes After the destruction of the Fourth Beast it is expresly said The Dominion under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High and that this Dominion is to continue for ever Dan. 7. 27. Now then If the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ did begin at the Incarnation and so forward to continue for ever what shall we make of the Reign of Antichrist for so many Ages together Christ hath Reigned but a little if we look to an exteriour Reign Mr Hayne The Reign of Antichrist and of other Tyrants is no impeachment to Christ's absolute Sovereignty The wickedness of Sons taketh not away the Fatherhood and Authority of Parents Nor a Debauched Servant's ill carriage argue his exemption from the Master he is subject to David was and continued a King though Ishbosheth and Saul's House though Absolon his own Son though Sheba a Benjamite and many of Israel rose up against him and submitted not to his Scepter Answer We agree That the Tyrannical States and by Name the â—…ntichristian cannot be such impeachments to Christ's Kingdom so as absolutely and finally to obstruct it in every part and point of Power We yield also That the Right belongeth to Christ to be Universal Head of the Church though Antichrist hath Usurped his Right for many Ages together And further Though his Jurisdiction hath been detained by others a long time yet he hath Power enough in himself to recover it again when the time appointed for the Dominion of the Tyrannical States is once fulfilled But to say for the present That the Antichristian State is no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ this is a marvelous thing When a Usurpet is in the place of Government is this no impeachment to the lawful power All the world did agree together to worship the Beast and to receive his Mark and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ The great Whore corrupted the Earth with her Fornications and the Kings of the Earth agreed together to give their Power to the Beast and was this no impeachment to the Kingdom of Christ Though David was anointed King over Israel and though by vertue of his Unction he had true Title to the Kingdom yet so long as Saul and Ishbosheth did bear Rule the Kingdom was not his In like manner Though the Lord Christ by suffering Death and by his Unction had Title to all the Kingdoms of the Earth yet as long as the Tyrannical States of this world and particularly the Antichristian Kingdom do continue the Kingdoms of this world in that form and manner as they shall be are not his And therefore at the Fall of the Great City this expression is used The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Here is a tacite implication That they were none of his Kingdoms before in that sense which the text intendeth Mr Hayne You much debase and vilifie Christ and his Kingdom in comparing it and counting it Inferiour to
Earthly Monarchies and Kingdoms Answer For the Kingdom of Christ I acknowledge that it is far above Earthly Monarchies in largeness of Dominion in greatness of Power in time of continuance Yet we do not vilifie and debase it by compaâ—…ing it with the Kingdoms of this world We see both in Daniel and in the Revelation That the Kingdom of Christ and the Monarchies are all Numbered together and are set one in Opposition against the other the Kingdom of Christ against the Governments of this world Further We have good Reason to Affirm That this Kingdom is not begun in that fulness and amplitude of Power as it shall have because the Lord Christ hath not yet Ruled Universally over the known parts of the Earth as Earthly Monarchs have done Mr Hayne That Christ hath not so Ruled the Reason is easily given Soloman who excelled in Abundance of all outward and royal Accoutrements found all to be vanity of vanities and vexation of Spirit Answer That Christ hath not so Ruled is because the time of such a manner of Ruling is not yet come to that fulness of Perfection as it shall have The Scriptures do everywhere speak of his Kingdom over Jews and Gentiles in the latter dayes and shall any imagine that there shall be no such Kingdom And though that of Solomon be rightly applied to the Kingdoms of this world that they be all vanity of vanities yet we must take heed that the same things be not spoken of the Kingdom of Christ. For the Nature of this Kingdom we desire that we may not be mistaken We do not plead for a Personal Reign nor a literal Resurrection of the Martyrs nor a confluence of all Sensual Delights as many have done That which we principally stand for is The Universal Subjection of the Nations to the Laws of the Gospel and the rest of the Church from such Persecutions as have been in all Antichristian times when the Governments of this world have been engaged to Afflict the Church For as formerly The Kings of the Earth being deceived did yield a Universal subjection to the Bishop of Rome and to the Laws made by his Authority So the times shall be when the spiritual Excellencies of the Gospel shall be discovered to the world then the Dominations Dignities States and Governments of the Earth shall willingly submit to the Laws of Christ Whole Nations shall come in in the time of the Gospel They that will call such a Kingdom vanity of vanities must needs call many Promises of the Scriptures Vanity of Vanities For many Promises are concerning the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles when that Nation of the Jews shall be called Secondly The Hallâ—…lujah that was sung to the Lord Christ at the burning of the Great Whore was in reference to this The Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth chap. 19. vers 6. For as the Great Whore somtimes Reigned over the Nations when their Laws Statutes Customs Priviledges and all other things were made subject to the Authority of that Church So the Lord Christ shall Reign when the Nations shall willingly yield themselves up to be governed by his Scepter and shall live in subordination to the Laws of the Gospel Be it far therefore from any to think That the Hallelujah was sung to Christ in reference to his Monarchical Reign and such a Reign when all comes to all be but vanity of vanities But leaving this Point let us come to that which is more pertinent to our purpose to the Discourse concerning the Four Metal-Kingdoms and to the Parallel between the Ten-Horned Beast in Dan. 7 and the Ten-Horned Beast in the Book of the Revelation Mr Hayne The Beast Rev. 13. expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom to the Fourth Kingdom Dan. 7. Therefore it is not one and the same Roman Kingdom That the Beast Rev. 1â—… expresseth not the very same but a like Kingdom I thus prove The Chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation having reference to some thing in the Old Testament express some New matter like the Old yet not the same with the Old But the Beast in the Revelation hath in the Figurative and Mystical terms thereof reference to the Old Testament namely to the Fourth Beast in the Propheâ—…ie of Daniel Therefore the Beast in the Revelation expresseth not the same but a like Kingdom to that in Daniel's Prophecie What I Affirm of the chief Mystical and Figurative terms in the Revelation is evident For Egypt Babylon the New Ierusalem the Wilderness Paradise Manna express new terms like 〈…〉 same Answer I can see no Reason but the Fourth Beast with Ten 〈◊〉 in the Prophecie of Daniel is one and the same in substance with the Ten-Horned Beast in the Revelation They are â—…et out by one and the same Character with the same circumstances and both Prophecies do pitch upon one and the same Roman Kingdom And what Mr Hayne doth Alledge to 〈◊〉 contrary in my Apprehension is not of such great moment For what if it happeneth many times That the 〈◊〉 mystical terms in the Revelation having reference to 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament express some New matter 〈◊〉 the Old yet not the same with the Old What if this be true in many particulars as in those aforenamed yet it dâ—…th not follow That it is true in every particular We can shew many Instances to the contrary That the same truth is literally and historically mentioned in both Prophecies First The Kingdom of Christ is described to be an everlasting Kingdom that shall not pass away Dan. 2. And is not this one and the same Numerical Kingdom with that which is mentioned in the Book of the Revelation concerning the Dominion of Christ that he is Alpha and Omega the first and the last which is and which was and which is to come the Lord Almighty Secondly Muâ—…h is spoken iâ—… the Old Prophets concerning the future Glory of the Church of the Jews that shall be at the Call of that Nation and are not the same things Numerically and in terms repeated by Paul in Romans 11 and by Iohn in the Revelation But now let us come more particularly to enquire concerning the Ten-Horned Beast whether he be one and the same in both Prophecies for if Mr Hayne or other Interpreters of his way can make it appear That this Beast is the Seleucian Kingdom and the Ten Horns are the Ten Kings in a lineal Succession we will willingly yield the truth of that which he Affirms But on the contrary if we can make it appear and that by true Demonstration That the Roman is the Fourth Kingdom then we may conclude That one Kingdom is Identically Literally and Historically spoken of in both prophecies and that Iohn doth but more fully declare those things which were more fully decyphered in the prophecie of Daniel This is that which we shoot at to make it appear that both Daniel and Iohn do describe one and
the same time of the Roman Kingdom under the Type of a Beast with Ten Horns This being once explained the Doctrine of the Number 666 and other Apocalyptical Mysteries will begin to be made clear But seeing that Dr Willet in his Commentary upon Daniel and in his Appendix against Grasserus is somthing more copious in this matter we will therefore more diligently enquire Whether the Fourth Beast in Daniel be the Seleucian or the Roman Kingdom The Queries are of Three sorts The First From the Nature of the Fourth Beast The Second From the Ten Horns The Third From the description of the little Horn. The Queries from the Nature of the Fourth Beast are these Querie 1. How can the Seleucidae be the Fourth Kingdom upon the Earth under the Type of the Fourth Beast seeing they are one of the Four Heads of the Third Beast going before chap. 7. vers 6. chap. 8. vers 8 22. If they make one of the Four Heads with the rest of the Successors of Alexander they cannot be the Fourth Kingdom The Fourth Beast must necessarily be the Roman seeing the Third with Four Heads is the Graecian going before But Dr Willet thus replieth Alexander's Four Captains were at the first Regents under him and his Successor Aridaeus but they became the Fourth Beast when they erected the Kingdom to themselves If we put Alexander and his Successors together we can give a cleer Reason why the Third Beast may be said to have Four Heads because in the times of the Monarchy of the People of Greece that Nation became divided into Four Kingdoms as appeareth Dan. 8. 8 22. But if we take Alexander and his Successor Aridaeus asunder from the Four Successors I cannot see possibly how the Kingdom of Alexander in that abstract consideration may be said to have Four Heads or that it may be decyphered properly by such a character The Four Heads do signifie the Four Divisions of the Greek Monarchy and can this be a Character of Alexander's Kingdom which in it self considered had no Heads Parts or Divisions at all The Scriptures speak plainly That the Graecian was one intire Kingdom in him and after his eradication the Dominion began to be divided into Four parts Therefore his Successors quatenus Heads had no being at all in all the times of his Dominion Much less could they be the Characters of his Kingdom at whose only extirpation they were to begin as Heads of the Graecian State Besides it would be a great work to prove out of the Stories That the Kingdom of Alexander was Governed by Four principal Regents in his time And further If it could be made appear still this would be a great Question Whether in the Description of the Monarchies the Scripture would look to such inferiour Administrations Darius the King set over the Mede-Persian Kingdom 120 Princes Dan. 6. 1 2 3. and yet we do not reade that this Number of Regents is set forth as the special Character of that Monarchy We have a clear Reason in the Scriptures wherefore the Graecian State is figured by the Type of Four Heads scil in relation to the quadri-partite Division of Alexander's Kingdomâ—… after his death Therefore the Notion of the Four Regents of Alexander during his life time I take rather to be an evasion than a just Truth grounded upon the Prophecie or the civil Stories Querie 2. How can the Kingdom of the Seleucidae be the Fourth Kingdom upon the Earth that shall be different from the former and shall devour the whole Earth and tread it down and break it in pieces chap. 7. vers 23. How can this be applied to them The Seleucidae were far inferiour to the Kingdom of Alexander Four Kings or Kingdoms did arise out of him but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Strength chap. 8. vers 22. Further The Seleucians were far inferiour to the former Monarchies of Babel and Persia in greatness of Power and largeness of Dominion On the contrary If we apply the Fourth Beast to the Roman all the properties of that Beast will be verified iâ—… him First The admirable condition of the Fourth Beast above the former Secondly His multi-form and various shape Thirdly The greatness of terrour Fourthly The highest degree of strength Fifthly His Iron-Teeth and Brazen-Nayles Sixthly His Actions to devour and to break in pieces Seventhly The object of his Victory to subdue the whole Earth Eighthly The time of the continuance And so the Earth hath longer continued under the Dominion of the Romans than under any nay under aâ—…l the Metal-Kingdoms All these properties agree to the Roman and I cannot possibly see how they may be applicable to the Seleucian Kingdom But Dr Willet replieth That the Kingdom of the Seleucidae make the Fourth Beast not so much in respect of greater strength as in respect of greater cruelty and hardness of disposition against the People of God the Iews And therefore when it is said of this Kingdom That it did devour the whole Earth this is not simply the whole Earth but the whole Earth about the Confines of the Iewish Church If we should grant this Principle of cruel Disposition against the People of the Jews this would strongly prove the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom For the Jews suffered much from the Babylonians much from the Persians more from the Graecians yet most of all from the Romans They were under the Roman Tyranny for the space of 130 years together and then last of all the Nation and Church was destroyed by their means The Sufferings of the Jews under Antiochus were great but they were not to be compared with the last and fatal destruction of Ierusalem Our Saviour himself doth testifie as much when he speaketh concerning the great calamity that should come by the Romans Luk. 21. vers 20 21 22 23. And this also is well observed by a certain nameless Writer in a Tract concerning Antichrist and the Four Monarchies For saith he Quamvis Antiochus graviter afflixit Iuâ—…aeos tamen ea afflictio ad tempus tantum duravit cum illa 〈◊〉 quae a Romanis facta est nequaquam conferenda Therefore if the greatest degree of Cruelty against the People of the Jews doth give denomination to the Fourth Beast the greatest Sufferings of the Jews have been under the Romans Secondly In the case of the Monarchies in the Chaldee Visions I see no reason why the Jews should be called The only People of God In Dan. 2. there is mention made of the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ and how that Kingdom should break the Metal-Kingdoms Now is this verified in the Nation of the Jews Do they only make the Kingdom of Christ Or have they been only used as Instruments to the Dissolution of the Fourth Kingdom Again It is mentioned That the little Horn did wear out the Saints of the most High till the Saints took the Kingdom Now what warrant is there to take them only for the Saints of
ask What and who are they after whom the little Horn shall arise Are they not the Ten Kings signified by the Ten Horns and is not then the litle Horn the Eleventh in the same succession Mr Mede in his Apost pag. 74. thinketh that the words do best run in this sense Out of this Kingdom ten Kings shall arise and another shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them as the 70 translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This plainly sheweth the rising of Ten Horns and the little Horn rose behind them in the order of time Thirdly Let us go to the scope of the words going before For Daniel would know the truth of the Fourth Beast and of the Ten Horns and of the little Horn that came up after them And the Angel's Answer is sutable to the Question The ten Horns are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall arise up after them and shall be diverse from the first vers 24. Now is not here a plain Antithesis or Opposition betwixt the Ten Horns and the little Horn that came up after Upon these grounds we may conclude That there are Eleven Horns mentioned in the text Now if these be Eleven Kings lineally succeeding why is the Beast called and set forth by the Character of Ten Horns Why is the most Tyrannical Prince left out of the Number But on the contrary If you take the Fourth Beast for the Roman Kingdom and the Ten Horns for the Ten Kings that shall arise in a famous change of State all things will agree For though the little Horn be more Tyrannical than any of the Ten yet it is not of that Edition of Horns from whence the Beast fetcheth his proper denomination In the Goat of Graeciae chap. 8. there are Six Horns in all First Alexander the great Horn Secondly His Successors Four notable Horns And then Thirdly Out of one of them Antiochus Epiphanes a little Horn. Yet we do not say That Six Horns but Four Heads and Four Horns are the proper Characters of the Graecian Kingdom For in a famous mutation of State that Monarchy became Divided into Four Realms So likewise though the little Horn scil the Papacie was more terrible than any of the Ten going before yet the Ten Horns give the denomination to the Beast because the Roman in a famous alteration of Government was parâ—…ed into Ten inferiour Dominions There is a delineation of the Roman by the same Character in the Book of the Revelation chap. 17. vers 12. Now whereas Dr Willet maketh the Question How ten Kings may arise out of one Kingdom at one time I Answer As well as Four Kings or Realms may arise out of one Graecian Kingdom at one time The Four Horns are Four Kings or Kingdoms which shall stand up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of that Nation chap. 8. vers 22. So the Ten Horns are Ten Kings that shall arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Regno out of that Fourth or Roman Kingdom chap. 7. vers 24. Querie 2. If the Ten Horns be Ten Kings in a lineal succession and the little Horn is one in the same row or order why doth the Spirit put such a difference between the one and the other According to the text there is a great distance between them they were of a former Edition this of a latter They came up together and were of the same kind this after some pause or interval of time came up after them was diverse from them before whom Three of the former were plucked up by the roots If you apply this to the row of Seleucian Kings I cannot see how this can be true either in the general or in the particular accommodation In the general it is not true for the Seleucian Kings Reigning one after another make but one Dynastie For though some of the Kings were more mighty than others and some more cruel against the Saints of the Jewish Church yet all make but one succession of Kings in the same Kingdom Now if you look to the text there is mention made of a double change or form of State the first is when the Ten Kings arose the second when the little Horn arose up after them which was diverse from them and subdued three of the former Kings and so became Great The scope of this Scripture is concerning the Division of the Fourth Kingdom into Ten Regencies or Divisions at one time and after some space of time it sheweth how the little Horn arose and subdued three of the former Realms We cannot see how this can be spoken so properly of Kings Reigning one after another in the same Policie or Government Neither is it true in the particular Accommodation for they that will have Antiochus Epiphanes to be the little Horn they have not yet cleared the Point First How Antiochus Epiphanes was the tenth Seleucian King Secondly How he was more Potent than his Father Antiochus Magnus or Seleucâ—… Nicanor Thirdly How he did pluck up three of the former Seleucian Kings by the roots Fourthly How he did wear out the Saints of the most High till the Saints did take the Kingdom which should be for ever and ever Fifthly How he did continue his Dominion and Persecution so long till the Beast was destroyed and his Body given to the burning fire All these Particulars have not yet been cleared in Antiochus Epiphanes Somthing hath been spoken in the Commentaries which I take rather to be Evasions than just Answers On the contrary if you take the Roman for the Fourth Kingdom all things will agree For in a famous Revolution of Empire that Monarchy became divided into ten inferiour Realms as it is set forth by the rising of the Ten Horned Beast our of the Sea Rev. 13. 1. After this another rose out of the Earth This in Daniel is called the little Horn which is the Emblem and Type of the Papal Government Now to this last Edition of Roman State all the aforementioned particulars do agree First it is evident That this was more dreadful than any of the Horns going before Secondly That it did eradicate some of the former to have elbow-room in Italy Thirdly That it did wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time Fourthly That the wearing out of the Saints was till the Body of the Beast was cast into the burning fire and the Saints of the most High did begin to Reign with Christ chap. 19. vers 20. and chap. 20. vers 4. Querie 3. If the Ten Horns be Ten Kings and the little Horn the last King why is it said I considered the Horns and behold there came up amongst them another little Horn vers 8. If these be so many Kings in a lineal succession how could the little Horn that came last of all be said to come up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter ea among them to have Being and Existence with them We do willingly yield That Antiochus Epiphanes was one of the Seleucian
Kings and reigned in the same row with Antiochus Magnus and Antiochus Theos Yet we cannot say that he came to reign with them for when he began they had no Being at all This is true in all successions when he that cometh after beginneth to Reign then they that go before cease to be But it is otherwise spoken of the little Horn he came up among them to wit among the Ten Horns he broke three of them in pieces and for the residue they had their Existence and Being together at one and the same time You will say That this is but a similitude and similitudes are not to be pressed in every particular I Answer That Types and Similitudes used by the Holy Ghost ought to be pressed so far as he intendeth If therefore by ten Horns he did intend a lineal succession of Kings why did he not keep the same method which he used to do in the description of such Successions In the former verses he speaketh of the rising of Four Beasts out of the Sea the first like a Lyon the second like a Bear the third like a Leopard the fourth was diverse from the former All these are said to come up out of the Sea one after another by which it is clear That there are so many successions of Monarchy But when he cometh to describe the Ten Horns there is nothing to prove such a subalternation or succession of one Horn after another but rather the contrary The Ten Horns are Ten Kings that shall arise and after them a little Horn shall arise and so all shall exist together But when the Babylonian-Lyon rose up out of the Sea and after that the Persian-Bear and Graecian-Pard it is no where said That these Beasts did arise up inter se invicem and that they had an existence at one and the same time For this were to confound that order succession and subalternation of the Four Monarchies which the holy Spirit intendeth But Dr Willet doth make this Reply The Beast in the Revelation is called a Beast with seven Heads which signifie so many forms of Government in a lineal Succession So the Beast may be called a Beast with ten Horns to wit so many Kings succeeding one another Answer If he could shew as good Reason wherefore the ten Horns are ten Kings in a lineal succession as the seven Heads of the Beast are so many successive forms of Roman Government we would yield up the Cause For it is expresly said There are Seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come chap. 17. vers 10. Now there is not the least iota word or apex in Dan. 7. to prove such a succession but rather the contrary To me therefore it is very strange That the holy Spirit should depart from his usual method in Typical and Periodical Prophecies that he should speak of ten Kings lineally succeeding and yet leave no Character or Mark in the text to know the succession I may say It is not ordinary with him so to do Now take the ten Horns for the ten Kings of the Roman Empire it is clear That these had Existence with the Papacie or little Horn. The Angel thus speaketh concerning the ten Horns These have no Kingdom as yet but receive a Kingdom one hour with the Beast vers 12. Both Scriptures plainly shew That the ten Kings are of one and the same time though in order of succession the little Horn came up after the ten Querie 4. If the ten Horns be ten Kings and the little Horn be the tenth why is it said That only three of the former were plucked up by the roots This implyeth That there was no eradication of the residue of Horns but they had some being with the little Horn. You will say That only three were plucked up by the roots because the little Horn did actually subdue and humble three as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Well be it so still the Question is which three of the former ten were they that the little Horn did eradicate Dr Willet and other Interpreters of his way take it for a granted truth That he did pluck up Three Kings that Reigned immediately before But now do they prove this from the text The words are without any restriction or limitation He shall subdue three Kings vers 24. Before whom three of the first Horns were plucked up by the roots ver 8. Therefore to my understanding when the Scripture saith That the little Horn came up among the Ten and did subdue Three only this is to me an Argument That the residue of Horns were not brought in subjection but had an existence as Kings in the times of the little Horn. Secondly It is said of the little Horn that he shall be diverse from the first and shall subdue three Kings If you take the Three Kings for Three lineally Reigning how could the taking away of such a Number of Kings make the little Horn more powerful than the former In the corrupted State of the Ten Tribes we read somtimes That he that came after did take away the life of the Prince that went before yet this was never judged as a cause of greater power and strength to come to the Kingdom by such Usurpation 2 King 9. 3. Hos. 1. 4. On the contrary If you take the Ten Horns for Ten States or Realms into which the Fourth Monarchy became divided here will be a clear Reason why the little Horn became unlike to any of the former because he brought Three Kingdoms under his Dominion We read that Alexander's Dominion was plucked up by the roots and this was the cause of the greatness of the King of the South and the King of the North Dan. 11. 4 5 6. So in the present case the eradication of Three States or Dynasties before the little Horn is the cause of the greatness of his Dominion Thirdly Let us come to particulars what Three Kings were they whom Antiochus did subdue They say Ptolomaeus Philopater the King of Egypt Seleucus the Brother of Antiochus and Demetrius But it is mentioned Dâ—…n 11. 21. that he shall come peaceably into the Province Now what peaceable coming is this when he shall begin with the extirpation of Three Kings Again how can Ptolomaeus Philopater be one of the Ten Kings of the Seleucian line No Historian did ever reckon Ptolomaeus Philopater among the Seleucians And for his over-running of Syria this doth no more make him one of that Succession than Tamerlains over-running the Turkish Empire doth make him one of the Ottoman line Now on the contrary let us take the little Horn in that sense as the text naturally requireth all these difficulties will be avoided The Beast with Ten Horns is the Roman as divided into Ten lesser Kingdoms The little Horn is the Papacie Now to give elbow-room to this in Italy Three of the Ten Kings lately raised out of the Ruines of the Empire were all
plucked up by the roots By the conquering of which Three and by the voluntary resignation of the rest the little Horn became more stout than his fellows being made greater than they in a triple proportion Object But you will say Which are the three Kingdoms that the little Horn did subdue and how do you prove the truth of this out of the Stories Sol. The First is The Kingdom of the Goths in Italy For the Bishops of Rome were under the Dominion of these Kings they were sent as their Ambassadors and lived under the fear of continual Persecution and there was nothing in the Old Empire to keep back the Papal power in the growth and the increase thereof but there was the same impediment from these Gothish Kings Now it is clear in the Stories That this Government was wholly extinguished by the valiant Narses in the time of the Emperor Iustinian And for the means to procure it we may easily believe That the Bishop of Rome had some hand in the extirpation of these Kings that he might be freed from fear Secondly After the Ruine of the Gothish Kings the Exarchs of Ravenna had some Dominion in Italy Now when the Controversie grew hot between the Bishops of Rome and the Emperors of Constantinople about the matter of Images as Mornay well obserâ—…eth in his History of the Papacie Progress 27. the Popes then called in the Lombards against the Exarchs to the ruine of both Estates And for the Dukedom of Rome for so we must now call it the People of that City upon the Difference concerning Images in Churches being engaged with the Popes in Rebellion wholly shook off the yoke of the Emperor and took an Oath to be subject to the Pope in all Points And here saith Baronius An. 726 was an end of those Dukes and Governors which the Emperors were wont to send to Command in Rome and the Places adjoyning Sigonius also speaketh much to the same purpose That the Dukedom of Rome was translated from the Graecians to the Pope of Rome by reason of their wicked Heresie and Impiety But that which he calls Heresie is no other but Iconomachia or a standing against Image-worship Thirdly The Kingdom of the Lombards growing very Miâ—…hty by the Conquests over the Exarchs these also the Bishop of Rome did subdue humble and eradicate by a Forreign power For he brought in the French into Italy which did willingly hearken to the Motion By these several passages it is clear That the Papacy did destroy Three new-Erected States by means whereof the Temporal Dominion of that Church in Italy was much established And so according to the Story it is made clear That the little Horn did humble and subdue Three of the former Horns and did pluck them up by the roots Querie 5. If the Ten Horns signifie Ten Kings in a lineal Succession Why is it that in Daniel and the Revelation the Beasts their Heads and Horns usually signifie Realms and Dominions and not Persons individually Reigning The Mede-Persian Monarchy is Typed by a Ram and the two Horns are not two particular Kings but the two Kingdoms of Media and Persia Dan. 8. vers 24. So the Goat is the Graecian Monarchy and the Four Horns are Four Kingdoms that shall arise out of that Nation vers 22. Also the Ten Horns of the Beast in the Revelation do not signifie Ten particular Kings but so many Realms and Dominions of the Roman Kingdom Further The Beast which came out of the Earth with Two Horns Rev. 13. 11 signifieth the Papacie and the Two Horns his bi-partite Jurisdiction to wit His Spiritual and his Temporal Dominion There is good Reason to be rendred for this because Persons do change Governments do abide And it is the manner of the Spirit when he doth describe the Tyrannical Kingdoms of this world by Beasts to decypher them by that which is Permanent and Characteristical and not by that which is fluent and changable at every turn To me therefore this is a good Reason considering the Analogie of both Prophecies that the Fourth Beast should be set forth by the Character of Ten Horns and that these Horns should signifie so many Realms and Dominions of the Fourth Kingdom Object But it will be objected in the description of the Graecian State under the similitude of an He-goat That Alexander is the Great Horn that came up and Antiochus Epiphanes is the little Horn. Therefore the Beasts and their Horns in Daniel and the Revelation do not alwayes signifie Tyrannical Empires Dynasties and Governments but somtimes denote particular Persons that Reign Sol. One Exception must not prejudice a general Rule He that can let him give another Example Our Position is built upon the general use of both Prophecies But Dr Willet and the Interpreterâ—… of that way do build only upon one particular Instance exempt from the ordinary Method Secondly We grant That in the description of the He-goat the first Horn is Alexander the Great and the little Horn is Antiochus Epiphanes yet in the Case we speak neither of these are any way to be ranked in the Number of Horns that do Characteristically and specifically distinguish the Graecian from the other Three Monarchies It is expresly said That a Third Beast câ—…me out of the Earth with Four Heads Now these are not such a Number of particular Kings but they are so many Realms States and Dominions that shall stand up â—…ut of that Nation as we have above proved and are the special Notes of that Kingdom If therefore the Ten Horns be the Characters and Badges of the Fourth Beast they are so many Realms Divisions and Regencies of the Fourth Empire The course of the Spirit is to set forth different Empires under different Types and to distinguish Kings or Kingdoms of one and the same time from those that come after one another in a lineal Descent Now they that hold the Ten Horns to be so many Kings in the Seleucian line what Letter or Syllable is in the text to prove such a succession Querie 6. Sixthly If the Ten Horns of the Fourth Beast be Ten Kings succeeding one another rather than one and the same Empire divided into Ten inferiour Realms why should the holy Spirit in the Iron-Metal chap. 2. speak so much of the Division of this Kingdom That in the Feet and Toes of the Image it should be divided into a plurality of States that these should mingle themselves with the seed of men to preserve an Union All this sheweth That the Fourth Kingdom toward the latter times should be divided into many lesser Dominions And if we may interpret one Scripture by another both speaking of one and the same matter the particular Number of Realms is represented by the Ten Horns Now they that will have Ten Horns to be Ten Kings lineally Reigning cannot infer from hence any Division of the Fourth Kingdom nor consequently the need of any mixture of State Kings Successively Reigning need no
mingling one with another to preserve the Union of a Kingdom On the contrary if we take the Ten Horns for Ten Kings or Kingdoms at one and the same time there is nothing more ordinary than to establish Leagues and Confederacies betwixt Kingdoms and States that are contemporary each with other For that which they Alledge concerning the Division betwixt the Seleucidae and the Lagidae we have spoken thereof already and therefore we will not repeate the same things again Let us now in the last place come to those Queries concerning the Collation of the little Horn mentioned Dan. 7. and that little Horn spoken of chap. 8. For they that differ from us stand much upon this That Antiochus Epiphanes is signified in both Scriptures under the same Emblem Here we agree with them in Two Points First That the Prophecie of Daniel doth repeat one and the same thing for the better understanding of the Visions But then there must be some good evidence from the text to prove the things repeated to be the same though the Expression is divers Now what good proof is there to make it appear that the little Horn chap. 7. and that little Horn chap. 8. are one and the same Secondly We agree That Antiochus Epiphanes the Graecian Antichrist doth resemble the Roman Antichrist in many things and that the one is the express Image and Type of the other In these particulars then they do agree and are parallel Antiochus the little Horn Dan. 8. The Papacie the little Horn Dan. 7. 1. Out of the Graecian Kingdom there came forth a little Horn vers 9. 1. After the Ten Kings a little Horn did arise out of the Fourth Kingdom vers 8. 2. He did destroy the Mighty the Holy People vers 24. 2. He shall wear out the Saints of the Most High vers 21 23. 3. He shall magnifie himself in his heart against the God of gods vers 25. 3. He shall speak great things against the Most High vers 25. 4. By him the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away vers 11. 4. He shall think to change Times and Laws and they shall be given into his hand vers 25. In these several Particulars it is manifest That the little Horn mentioned chap. 7. and chap. 8. do both agree But yet whosoever he is that diligently considers the Scriptures he shall finde them to differ in the most remarkable circumstances First They differ in the State or Government where they arose the little Horn chap. 8. rose out of one of the Four Divisions of the Graecian State but the little Horn chap. 7. arose out of the Kingdom Typed by the Fourth Beast which all our Arguments asorementioned prove to be the Roman Kingdom Secondly They differ in the preparation and moulding of the State before the rising of either of them For the little Horn chap. 8. arose out of one of the Four Divisions of the Greek Empire But the little Horn chap. 7. arose after the Division of the Roman Empire into Ten inferiour Realms Thirdly They differ in their Actions For the little Horn chap. 8. is only said to rise out of one of the Four Kingdoms of the Graecian Empire but the little Horn chap. 7. is said to arise after the Ten Kingdoms of the Roman Empire And that he did pluck up Three of the former Kingdoms by the roots This is cleer from the scope of the text Fourthly They differ in the object of their Tyranny For though the little Horn chap. 8. is said to destroy the Holy People vers 24. yet the whole scope of the text sheweth that only the People of the Jews are here intended Now for the little Horn chap. 7. he is said to wear out the Saints of the Most High but there is no circumstance in the text to prove that these are the People of the Jews There is not one word of taking away the daily Sacrifice or of the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation or of Daniel's People or the pleasant Land or any such passages which the Prophet useth when he speaketh of the Jews All that can be said is this That he shall change Laws and times But from hence we cannot infer That these must be the Laws and Times of the Jewish Church For the Apostle when he speaketh of the Great Antichrist doth use such an expression He shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess. 2. And yet he doth not mean the literal Temple in Ierusalem Fifthly They differ in the time of the Continuance of their Tyranny The little Horn chap. 8. shall prevail and the Sanctuary shall be troden down unto Evenings Mornings 2300 vers 14. Now for the little Horn chap. 7. he shall wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time till the Saints themselves take the Kingdom How this time and times and half a time should be all one with the 2300 Evenings Mornings I cannot discern If you apply this to the Roman Antichrist a time and times and half a time is the full sum of the Antichristian Tyranny Rev. 12. 14. Sixthly They differ in the Event For after the 2300 Evenings Mornings the Temple was cleansed vers 14. and after that the little Horn had finished his times he was broken without hand vers 25. All these things were truly fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes But if you apply the little Horn chap. 7. to Antiochus there can be no right accommodation First That little Horn did wear out the Saints till the Son of Man came in the clouds of Heaven but so did not Antiochus Epiphanes Secondly The little Horn did wear out the Saints a time and times and half a time till the Dominion under the whole Heaven was given to the Saints but so did not Antiochus Epiphanes Thirdly The little Horn shall continue till the time of the Destruction of the Fourth Beast But the Kingdom of the Seleucians ended not at Antiochus many of that line succeeded afterwards in the Kingdom And there was a good space of time from the death of Antiochus to the destruction of the Seleucian State by Pompey the Great But Dr Willet replieth Though the Kingdom was not utterly ruined yet the Glory of it was much abated at Antiochus his death By the like Reason I might argue That there was an end of the Babylonian Kingdom at the death of Nebuchadnezzar because the Glory of that Kingdom did afterwards abate in Evilmerodach I might argue also That the Graecian Kingdom ended in Alexander because the Kings that arose after him did not arise in his strength Others there are that do Alledge the words of the Eleventh Verse I beheld then because of the voyce of the great words which the little Horn spake I beheld even till the Beast was slain and his Body given to the burning fire From hence they gather That the little Horn was first broken off and when the Beast was Hornless and harmless then he was destroyed
this Fourth Monarchy is to be stated according to Church-relations Secondly We will shew out of the Stories in whose times and by whose means the Church came first under the Dominion of that People Now That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms when the Church came under the Obedience of that People may be proved by these Arguments ARGUMENT I. Where the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin by the same Analogie we are to proceed in stating the Beginning of the Fourth Kingdom But the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin each of them in their several times when the Church and the Confines adjoyning came under their Dominion Therefore the Roman as the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began when the Church and the Confines about the Church came under the Obedience of that People The Major is clear For none will Deny but that the Roman doth hold Analogie with the three former Empires in their beginning And for the Minor we prove it by Induction of Singulars As for Ensample Example 1. First In the Babylonian Kingdom the first of Daniel's Four there were many Potent Kings that did Reign in that Succession before the times of Nebuchadnezzar for he began to Reign in the 144 year of the Aera of Nabonazzar Now the several Names of the Kings the times of their Reign and the order of their Succession are all set down in the famous Canon of Ptolomy as we shall shew afterwards But not to go far for an Example There is mention made of one Merodach-Baladan in the Canon aforesaid called by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah King of Iudah 2 King 20. 12. There was then a Succession of Babylonian Kings before Nebuchadnezzar You will say Why is he then called the Head of Gold as much in sense as the first Babylonian King I Answer Though he was not simply the first Babylonian King others Reigning before him yet he was the first Prince of the Babylonians that brought the Jewish Church and the Confines about that Church within the Babylonian Empire Example 2. Secondly That Kingdom of the Medes and Persians whereof Darius and Cyrus were the Founders if we go strictly to work the Foundation of these was laid before For it is manifestly plain by the testimony of the Greek Historians and by the Chronographical Tables now in the hands of all men That there was a Potent Race of the Kings of Media down from Arbaces the Mede Yet for all this Darius and Cyrus are the true Founders of the Mede-Persian Kingdom because they first brought the Jewish Church under the power of the Medes and Persians And that which is very remarkable to our present purpose though it be a thing famously known among Historians That Cyrus began to Reign in the 55 Olympiad though he subdued many Nations Propagated the Persian Empire very far yet the Scripture taketh no notice of that beginning but then only when the Church came within the limits of the Persian Dominion And therefore it is well Observed by Piscator in his Scholia upon Ezra chap. 1. vers 2. That the Edict came forth in the first of Cyrus King of Persia. This saith he is the first year of his Reign in Babylon Example 3. The Third Kingdom in Daniel's Image is that of the Graecians of which Alexander became the Head at the overthrow of Darius The rough Goat is said to be the Monarchy of the Graecians and the Great Horn to wit Alexander is expresly called the first King Dan. 8. 21. Now How can he be said to be the first King of the Graecians seeing there were many Mighty Kings before him in and over that Nation To let pass all the other States of Greece in Macedonia it self Philip the Father of Alexander was a Potent Prince But the Answer is as before He was the first Monarchical King that subdued the Territories of the Church There was never any Graecian Prince that extended the Sovereign Rule of that People so far Eastward to the Confines of the Church as he And therefore he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first King of the Graecians From all the forementioned particulars it is clear That the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image began each of them in their several times when the Church came under their respective Dominions And so the Assumption is proved If then we proceed in the same Analogie we must necessarily say That the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Jewish Church and the Continent adjoyning came first under the Sovereign Lordship and Command of the People of Rome But yet for further confirmation of this truth we will produce some new Arguments to prove That the Metal-Kingdoms are Numbred in relation to the Church First The Revelation of these Metal-Kingdoms was specially for the Saints and People of God For though one end was to Discover to Nebuchadnezzar what Successions of Tyranny there should be after him yet this was principally for the Churches sake and the Churches use And therefore it is mentioned This Secret is not revealed unto me for any wisdom that I have above all living but for their sakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King vers 30. Therefore in the delineation of these Tyrannical Empires the Lord doth specially intend to Reveal to the Church those Changes and Vicissitudes of times that she should meet withal In Relation to her then There is primarily a Discovery of these things Secondly These metal-Metal-Kingdoms are also Discovered to shew in what Region or Part of Time the Kingdom of Christ should begin All the Scriptures in the Old Testament point mainly to Christ some point to his Parentage others to the place of his Birth others to the Tribe that he should come of So this in special pointeth to that period of time when his Kingdom should begin These are the words of the text In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed From whence it is manifest That the Monarchies are reckoned according to the alterations which shall be in and about the Borders of the Jewish Church For Where should Christ be Born but in Iudea And hereupon he is called The King of the Jews Thirdly If we go to that Expression so often mentioned Dan. 11. where the Seleucian is called The King of the North and the Dominion of the Lagidae The King of the South Here we must necessarily Affirm That these Empires are said to be North and South in some special relation And the Reason is clear Because Iudea did lie in the middest betwixt them as a Lamb betwixt Two Wolves having the Seleucidae on the North and the Lagidae on the South Now that the People of the Jews are herein principally respected the words of the Angel are clear I am come to make Thee Understand what shall befal Thy People in
and Power But yet further They that stand for such a Beginning of the Roman Empire at Iulius Caesar I desire they would Answer this Question In the Tables of the Consuls it is manifest That there is the space of 17 years from the Conquest of Iudea to the Empire of Iulius Caesar. Now concerning this Number of years it must be either reckoned as a Chasme in the Prophetical Chronologie or else it must be applied to some one of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms But it cannot be reckoned as a Chasme in the Prophetical Chronologie For it is clear from the Scriptures That these Four Monarchical States must continue one after another in a lineal succession and when their times are in flux and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Therefore this portion of time from the Conquest of Iudea to the Monarchy of Caesar must necessarily be reckoned as appertaining to one of the Four Kingdoms If so it must either appertain to the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal or to the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal For none will be so absurd as to apply it either to Babel or Persia which were destroyed long before Now they that apply this term of time to the Graecian Kingdom how can they make their Position good seeing that People were brought under the Power of the Romans But if you apply this to the time of the Roman typed by the Iron-Metal you give up the Cause to wit That the Roman began as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom in the time of their â—…ree-state Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will Reply The Four Persâ—…uting States of the world are compacted together into one Image but the Romans in the time of their Free-State did not Persecute the Church Ergo. Sol. By the like Reason you may argue That Cyrus did not begin the Persian Kingdom nor Alexander the Graecian because neither of these Monarchs did actually afflict the Church But if you shall say Though they raised no actual Persecution in their own persons yet they did first bring the Church within the verge of that Dominion which in its times did notably afflict her I may say the same of the Romans For if it may be supposed That they did not afflict the Church in the times of their Free-state yet then she came first within the verge of that Dominion where were the â—…orest Persecutions that ever were In the Book of the Revelation there is again and again mention made of the Sufferings of the Church under Roman Tyranny And when she was to bring forth her Man-Child that should Rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron when she cried in pains to be Delivered a great red Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns did lie in wait to Devour her Child chap. 12. All do agree That this noteth the Sufferings of the Church under Roman Tyranny There must then be some particular instant of time when the Church first came under that Tyranny and there we must set the date of the Tribulation Secondly Whereas it is Affirmed That the Romans did not Afflict the Church in the times of their Free-state this I do plainly Deny For let us hear what is spoken by Iosephus for he I presume in this matter is able to give us the best information Thus saith he Hircanus and Aristobulus through their Dissentions and civil Broyles were the cause of that Servitude that fell upon the Iews For we have lost our Liberty and have been subdued by the Romans Antiq. lib. 14. ch 8. And further he addeth That which is to be lamented the Romans in a little time have drawn from us more than 10000 talents and the Royalty which before was an Honour reserved to the High Priests hath been bestowed upon men of obscurity Antiq. l. 14. c. 8. But if we go to Particulars it is a thing famously known to all Posteritâ—… how Crassus did rob the Temple at Ierusalem And when all this is done shall we say That the Jews suffered nothing from the Romans during the times of their Free-state If we look to the times of Nehemiah we may well conceive that these were some of the best times of the Jewish Church Yet mark what is expressed in the Confession of the Leviâ—…es Behold we are Servants this day and for the Land that thou gavest unto our Fathers to eate the Fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are Servants in it and it yieldeth much encrease unto the Kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins Also they have Dominion over our Bodies and over our Cattel at their pleasure and we are in great distress chap. 9. vers 36 37. Here was then no publick Persecution for Religion only their Vassalage under the Persian Kings is here noted And may not all things be rightly applied to the Romans when they came to have supreme Dominion in the Land of Promise Were not the Bodies Lives Goods Cattel of the Jews and all that they had at the Roman devotion Nay further if we will compare the times that went before with those that come after we shall find before the Romans came into Iudea that the Jews had indifferently well asserted their Liberty against the Tyranny of the Seleucian Kings as may appear in the Stories of the Macchabees that rose up for the defence of their Country But from that time as the Roman Legions entred Ierusalem and a Conquest was made over the Churches Continent the Jews did totally and finally lose that Liberty to the destruction of their City and Temple And that which is to be noted The Christian Church also hath been under Roman Tyranny more or less to this very day as may appear by the Book of the Revelation and the Stories of the Church Now then if we put all together we may conclude That all things neeful to the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began to be applicable to the Roman State at the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom and at the subduing the Territories of the Church And therefore we do here fix the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom ARGUMENT IV. Where the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be that is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom But the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be in the time of their Free-state when the Churches Continent came first within the Verge of their Dominion Therefore within the time of their Free-state when the Churches Continent came under the Verge of that Dominion is the true beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom The Major is plain for we cannot but think that the Story of the Gospel doth rightly expound the true beginning of the Fourth Kingdom And for the Minor That the Story of the Gospel doth insinuate the beginning of the Roman to be in the time of their Free-state we have these Instances that follow The Evangelist being to write the
received some hints of the Four Metals of Daniel's Image when he spake of the Golden Age under Saturn and of the Silver Age under Iupiter c. We must not think whatsoever is spoken by this Poet to be altogether a Fable That which he saith concerning Deucalion's Flood in many particulars it was a Fable of his own making yet in the general ground we all know that it is a Scripture-Truth that there was a Deluge to drown the world So he speaketh of the Gyants and of their heaping of Pelion upon Ossa we may conceive that in this he had some respect to the Gyants before the Flood and to the building of the Tower of Babel So in the present case when he spoke of the Four Ages of the world of the Golden the Silver the Brass and the Iron-Ages though in this matter to use the Apostles Expression he turned the Truth of God into a Lye yet in the ground it is true That the times of the Church are divided into Four Ages and these Ages are figured by so many Metals of the Image In after times they that lived in the Church and had the right Experience of things did expound the Babylonian to be the Head of Gold the Mede-Persian to be the Silver the Graecian to be the Brass and the Roman to be the Iron This is a true Exposition in the main but in some particulars they have gone too much after Ovid in his Metamorphosis It is true that the Babylonian Monarchy is represented by the Golden-Metal but it is a common Error in the Ancients and now generally among the Historians Chronologers and Writers to begin the Babylonian Monarchy at Ninus Upon the front of many Chronological Tables you shall find That Ninus is Pictured as the Founder of the Babylonian Cyrus of the Persian Alexander of the Graecian Iulius Caesar of the Roman Monarchy This distribution though it may take in a greater compass of time yet it doth not agree with the sense of the Holy Ghost in some chief Circumstances For the beginning of the Babylonian at Ninus Historians have taken this out of thâ—…ir own Heads and not out of the Word of God And from hence Bodin in his Method of History ch p. 7. hath taken occasion to Dispute against the Scriptures and to strike out the Truth because some have mingled their own Inventions with the Word of God He hath taken this Advantage upon the private Errors of some who have stood for the Truth in the main But the latter Expositors do decline this Error of Ninus and do pitch upon this That Nebuchadnezzar is the Head of Gold and that the Babylonian Kingdom doth begin from his Monarchy They find by Experience That the Scriptures do chiefly point to those several Empires that were to stand in fulness of Power one after another in those Countries where somtimes the Kings of the Lineage of David did bear Rule These are the most approved Interpreters which I so call because they go according to the minde of the Scriptures Now according to their grounds it followeth by necessary consequence That the Roman must begin as the Fourth Kingdom in the time of their Free-state when the Church and all the Countries adjoyning came under the Lordship and Dominion of the People of Rome And whereas in the Chronographical Tables Iulius Caesar is set forth as the Founder of the Roman Empire this is as false an imagination as that of Ninus First It is clear That every Metal-Kingdom did rise and encrease by the destruction of the Empire that went before Now what part or parcel of the Graecian Empire did Iulius Caesar bring under the Power of the Romans Secondly What part or parcel of the Nations about the Borders of the Church did he bring under the Roman Obedience If we speak in a Latitude Caesar did change the Free-state into the Government by One yet to speak accurately The Roman did not begin then as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom but in the times of Pompey when the Jewish Church came under the Obedience of that Nation And so our Argument is Founded upon the Principles of the best Expositors for the true beginning of the Roman Kingdom Now then to gather all into one sum we may conclude the Roman to begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came under the Dominion of that People This is demonstrated First By the Analogie of the Three former Metal-Kingdoms which did begin each one as the Church came under their Dominion Secondly By the end of the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal Where the Graecian endeth there the Roman beginneth Thirdly By that which is necessary to the Being of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom which began to be applicable to the Roman in the time aforementioned Fourthly By the Testimony of the Evangelist S. Luke which doth insinuate such a Beginning Fifthly By the Principles of the latter and most Approved Interpreters which being rightly laid do necessarily prove such a Beginning also Having thus laid the Foundation I should now proceed to the Building But there are some few Objections that yet remain to be Answered Object 1. Mr Mede standeth upon it That the Roman came up by the same degrees as the Graecian went down Therefore there can be no determinate and set time of the Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Sol. What he speaketh in his Apostacy of the latter-times concerning the gradual encrease of the greatness of the Romans we do yield to be a truth in the main But we here speak of the beginning of the Roman in a more strict sense in that acception as it is in the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom And here as there was a determinate time of the beginning of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires So there must be a determinate beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom Secondly Daniel saw in the Vision the Four Beasts come up out of the Sea one after another and the Fourth Beast last of all There must then be some determinate time of the beginning of the Fourth Empire Thirdly It is the plot of the Spirit by the Four Empires to decypher so many periods of time According to this Rule If there be no certain beginning of the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom there will be a Chasme There will be some part of time which will be long to no Metal of the Image For as Mr Mede himself doth allow The Image doth comprehend Four great Revolutions of time to begin one after another in an orderly succession These are his own words Apost pag. 69. For the true account of the times in Scripture we must have recourse to that Secret Kalendar and Great Almanack of Prophecie The Four Kingdoms of Daniel which are a Prophetical Chronologie of times measured by the Succession of Four Principal Kingdoms from the beginning of the Captivity of Israel until the Mysterie of God should be finished A course of time during which the Church and the Nation of the Iews together
with those whom by occasion of their unbelief in Christ God should surrogate in their rooms were to remain under the Bondage of the Gentiles and Oppression of Gentilism But these times once fulfilled all the Kingdoms of the World should become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. So far Mr Mede In whose words I Note these Three Points First That the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms in Daniel's Image are a Prophetical Chronologie of the times Secondly That this Prophetical Chronologie beginneth at the Captivity of Babylon Thirdly That it endeth at the glorious Kingdom of the Saints And for the Four Kingdoms he Numbreth them in this manner First The Babylonian Secondly The Mede-Persian Thirdly The Graecian Fourthly The Roman And for the beginning of the Roman the Point that we now are upon he hath this Observation In which quaternary of Kingdoms as the Roman being the last of the Four is the last Kingdom So are the times thereof the last times we seek for During which times saith Daniel the God of Heaven shall raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed c. In these words also we do agree with the forenamed Author in Two Points First In the Number of the Four Kingdoms Secondly In the date of the last times from the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom And this is that which we endeavor to prove That assoon as the Church came under the Dominion of the Romans that People became the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom And here also we do set the beginning of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or latter times so much spoken of If therefore we set our selves in this beginning where in Mr Mede's own Opinion the latter times do commence If we Number 666 years we shall come to that particular time when the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began to be set up And so every man may easily observe That we go in the true Scripture-way of account But of this afterward Now let us go on and consider wherein we do differ from Mr Mede about the true beginning of the Roman Kingdom For either saith he we must set the beginning thereof when all Greece came under the Roman Obedience after the Conquest of Perseus or else the Roman Kingdom must begin by degrees In which Opinion of his there are Two Errors For that of the beginning at Perseus we have spoken already And for the Roman Encroachment by degrees let it be what it will be there must be a certain determinate time where the Roman doth begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom unless we will admit of a Chasme or a vacuum in the Prophetical Chronologie And yet further Upon Mr Mede's own grounds we do desire to press this Argument If the Babylonian did begin as the first Metal-Kingdom when the People of Israel came under the Dominion of Babel then the Roman will begin as the Fourth Metal Kingdom when the same People of Israel 〈◊〉 under the 〈◊〉 of Rome But the former is true Ergo the latter The Consequence is clear from Analogie for the Roman doth but continue that Dominion which the Babylonian began And for the Minor our Author saith That the Four Metal-Kingdoms did begin from the Captivity of Israel when that People fell under the power of the Babylonians I say also When the same People of Israel came under the power of the Romans there is the true determinate beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And this is proved by such Principles as Mr Mede himself will allow Object 2. Others do plead That the Roman did begin as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom when it began to be the prevailing Dominion upon the Earth But they were so some years before the Iewish Church came under their Obedience Sol. It is true That all the Monarchical Kingdoms were prevailing when those times came that were appointed of God that they should prevail For Nebuchadnezzar the Scriptures speak very much how he carried all before him And for Cyrus the Founder of the Persian Kingdom Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus his anointed whose right hand I have holden The right hand is the instrument of Action and Conquerors prevail by the Lord 's holding up their right hand I will loose the loyns of Kings When the loyns of Kings are loosed wherein their strength lieth he must needs prevail against them To open Before him the two-leaved Gates It was the Power of God that did go before him and that was the Petard to burst open the Gates of his Enemies Isa. 45. v. 1 2 3 4. And for Alexander the Great the Scripture saith Behold an He-goat came from the West on the face of the whole Earth and touched not the Ground Dan. 8. 5. Livy is of Opinion That if Alexander had turned his Arms against the Western people as he did against the Eastern he would have failed of his Conquests And Caesar objected to Pompey That the Wars waged against the People of Asia in respect of others were rather against Women than Men. But these are only Observations of States-men and Souldiers that look upon second Causes The Scripture yieldeth us the true reason wherefore Alexander prevailed against the Asiaticks carried his victories so far eastward I saw an He-goat come from the West to the East and touched not the ground This is the true cause of the greatness and celerity of the Conquest of Alexander He came upon the face of the whole Earth and touched not the ground It is not the situation of the People in the Western Hemisphere that maketh them prevail over the Eastern but they only shall prevail whom God will set up We may see on the contrary That great Conquerors have come from East to West as well as they have passed from West to East This may be seen in the Victories of Cyrus Belisarius the Saracens and now last of all the Turks which have come from the East too too far but only that God would have it so into the Roman Territories Now if you would know the true Reason of the prevailing of the latter their Commission lieth in these words Loose the Four Angels that are bound in the Great River Euphrates and the Four Angels were loosed which were prepared for an hour and a day and a month and a year for to slay the third part of men Rev. 9. 14 15. For the Four Angels the course of the Prophecie and the best Expositors do plainly shew That this is meant of the Turkish Nation which Originally were divided into Four Families and had power to come over the River Euphrates into the Territories of the Western World And for that famous Instance of Xerxes That a few Graecians in the West did defeat multitudes of People that came out of the East the reason lieth not in the situation of either People in respect of the Hemisphere but in the hand of the Lord that fought against the Persian Empire For from that time that the building of the Temple was hindred
came to pass in that year when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome in the 179 Olympiad in the third Month on a Fasting-day he saith That Pompey entred Ierusalem with the Roman Legions Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 8. And for their subjection to the Romans he addeth That Syria and Iudea and all places from the Borders of Egypt to Euphrates were committed to the tuition of Scaurus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 5. And here I finde That all Historians and Chronologers do agree in the aforementioned year Now for the Number of time That there are 666 years from this beginning to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas this is clear also in all our ordinary Books of Chronology Dr Willet who doth differ from our Judgement about the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom he in his Synops. Papism Quaest. de Antichr part 2. saith That the Scepter was taken from Iudah at that year when Cicero was Consul at Rome which he affirmeth to be 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the setting up of the Headship of the Bishop of Rome And in general he doth approve the truth of our Interpretation as Bale the Historian did before him And whereas it may be Alledged That Calvisius the most accurate Chronologer doth Number somthing more than 60 years to the Birth of the Lord To solve this Difficulty let us say as he doth That Cicero and Antonius did enter their Office about the 20 of October when all was full of troubles at Rome And in the fourth of Iuly following which was the 17 day of the Month Tamuz the Romans entered Ierusalem and Pompey went into the Temple To this if we adde those Acts of his of breaking down the Wall of Ierusalem of making Iudea Tributary to the Romans and delivering all into the Power of Scaurus the Questor till further Order should be taken by the Senate These things must necessarily be done in the latter end of the year when Câ—…cero and Antonius were Consuls or rather in the beginning of the next year which according to Calvisius his account is the year of the world 3889. To which if you adde 666 years the Number of the Name of the Universal Headship of the Beast this will make the year of the world 4554. And this will bring us to that fatal year of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And so this present year will be From The Creation of the World the 4555 Year From The Birth of the Lord the 606 Year From The Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom the 666 Year For the Number of years there is yet one main Objection Some will have the periods of time in Daniel's Image to be a meer Scholastical speculation Sol. We will go to the Scriptures and to the Stories of the Church to decide the Question For the Scriptures Let us first consider the words of Daniel's Thanksgiving upon the Revelation of the Mystery of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms Blessed be the Name of God for ever for Wisdom and Might are his he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Dan. 2. 20 21. The scope of the Vision is concerning the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms and so many changes of time answerable to those Four Mutations of Empire But if we look more narrowly to the text the words in the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are times and revolutions of time For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as tempus statutum determinatum an appointed and determinate time For the Lord having shewed Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel and the substance of the Dream That it concerned a Fourfold change of Empire and a Fourfold change of time upon the Earth Upon this Reason the Prophet breaketh forth into the praise of the Wisdom and the Power of God in a sutable manner to the present occasion And in very deed if we look upon the translation of the Empire from the Babylonians to the Persians from the Persians to the Graecians from the Graecians to the Romans Here is a notable Example of the Wisdom and the Power of God And that which is more considerable The Lord speaketh of the times of the sovereign Dominion of these People many years before they come to have the Dominion upon the Earth For this cause the Prophet breaketh forth into the praises of the wisdom of God in his disposing the changes of times and the changes of Empire and for the communication of this deep secret to him and the other three Children and by their means to the information of the Church And when all this is done shall we say That the Four changes of time in the Image of the metal-Metal-Kingdoms are but a curious speculation Further it is added vers 44. In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed This is spoken of the rising of the Kingdom of Christ in the time of one of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms The Four periods of time then are not a bare Speculation but a plain Scripture-truth For it is the plot of the Spirit to shew That down from Nebuchadnezzar there should be Four Changes of Empire and Four notable Revolutions of time and when these Changes should be in their course and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Now whereas Bodin in his Method of History chap. 7. taketh a great deal of pains in the Confutation of this Let us Consider what he Alledgeth First There be many things he confuteth which we do not allow For as we have formerly said The Babylonian Empire did not begin at Ninus but at Nebuchadnezzar Secondly He taketh it as Granted That only the Amplitude of Dominion maketh a Monarchical Kingdom And hereupon Reasons Why should not the Kingdoms of the Parthians Saracens Turks Tartars go under the account of Monarchical Kingdoms Here he is to consider That not only the greatness of Dominion but the greatness of Dominion over the Churches Continent is necessary to the Being of Daniel's Metal-Kingdoms And therefore look what Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar did begin it did orderly descend to the Persians Graecians and Romans and not to the Parthians as experience sheweth Therefore a Beast in Daniel or the Revelation doth not signifie a State or Government in the General Notion but a State or Government that is Idolatrous and doth persecute the Church Neither doth it signifie an Idolatrous Government in the Latitude but such an Idolatrous Government in and about the Borders of the Church If this distinction were well observed They that are Enemies to Magistracie would not have such harbour in the Revelation as they think they have Thirdly He disputeth against those who stand for a German-Roman Empire And with him we do agree That this is but a Fable For the Empire of the last Edition is the whole Body of
the Kings that make one Catholick Communion under the Pope their Head Rev. 13. and chap. 17. In these Particulars he doth not touch us in his Disputation but them only who do maintain the Truth with some mixtures of their own Secondly For the Points wherein we differ He standeth hard upon this That the Roman cannot be called the Iron-Metal seeing in these latter Ages Learning Civility Religion Discoveries by Navigation have been raised to a higher perfection and therefore the Roman cannot be set forth by a more worthless Metal than the other Kingdoms Sol. But in this matter he doth not Dispute so much against us as against the Scripture it self and the scope of the Spirit For is it not the scope of the Spirit to compare the Fourth Kingdom to Iron because of the strength cruelty and power to break all things in pieces in and about the Borders of the Church What good will Learning Civility Navigation and other such things do when the Church of God is under Persecution But yet further to Convince the Consciences of men That the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms in Daniel's Image are no nice speculation I would willingly put it to men to Resolve me this Question The Faithful that lived in the Iewish Church some years before the coming of Christ whether was it not their practise and some way their duty to search after the time of his coming These are the words of Peter Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who Prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the Sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Out of these words Three Points no necessarily issue First The coming of Christ his Sufferings and the glory that followed this was revealed to the Church of the Jews Secondly It was revealed to them in what period of time Christ should come Thirdly They did diligently search the several periods and changes of time to come to that particular season when the Son of Man should come in the flesh The words in the Original are very Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator hath it Scrutantes inquem cujusmodi temporis articulum Beza In quem aut qualem temporis articulum But I think the words are more naturally rendered Scrutantes ad quam aut qualem temporis periodum Searching to which or to what kind of period of time the Spirit should point as with a finger when he spake of the coming of Christ in the flesh But let the Translation be what it will be all is to this sense That the Believers of the Antient Church did diligently search the periods of time to the coming of Christ in the flesh And our Saviour doth blame the Jews for it That they could discern the face of the skie and yet could not understand the signs of the times that is The signs of the times of his coming in the flesh Matt. 16. 1 2 3. Now for the periods of time to the coming of the Son of Man in the flesh there are none more clear demonstrative in the whole Old Testament than those two in the Prophecie of Daniel The first is that of the Four metal-Metal-Kingdoms chap. 2. and the Second is that of the 70 weeks chap. 9. By these Two the Saints and Prophets in the Old Testament might periodically come to the times of the Messiah and so might discover his coming in the flesh à priori Our Saviour therefore doth blame them that by the changes of State in Iudea First From the Babylonians to the Persians Secondly From the Persians to the Graecians Thirdly From the Graecians to the Romans that by these several Alterations of time they did not discern the signs of his coming nor the beginning of his Kingdom which should be set up when the Image should come to the last and lowest Region to the Fourth and the last metal-Metal-Kingdom In the times of this Kingdom the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Dan. 2. 44. Therefore when the times of the Romans were come the Fourth and the last Monarchical People the Jews by the course of Daniel's periods might easily understand that they were not far from the times of the Messiah And to put all out of doubt if they had Numbred 490 years or 70 weeks of years from the building of the City and Temple in the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah by this period also they might have come to the time of the cutting off of the Messiah and to the preaching of the Gospel among all Nations By the Collation and Parallel of these two periods the Saints in the Jewish Church might have found out in what Article or what period of time the Son of man should come in the flesh And shall we then say That the Four periods of time in Daniel's Image is a Scholastical and nice speculation Thus I have largely insisted upon the Point where Two things are made good First That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church and the Continent of the Church came under the Dominion of that People Secondly That the Number of years are 666 to the setting up of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas if the account be made from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom I have proved also That this Method of Account is no nice speculation but a true Scripture-way to calculate and Number the Prophetical times Let us now proceed to the next Chapter to shew the issue of the Discourse CHAP. VII The whole Process of the Discourse is repeated That there are 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Vniversal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And that this is the meaning of the Spirit in the Revelation when he speaketh of the Name of the Beast and of the Number of the Name FOR the cleerer Demonstration of the Truth it is necessary that I should Repeat the sum of that which I have formerly delivered that we may see the whole Process of the Disputation First I have shewed That the Name of the Beast is not the word Lateinos nor any other Grammatical Name whatsoever but in the Apocalyptical stile it noteth his Universal Headship or Power standing in immediate Opposition to the Name or Headship of the Lamb. Secondly For the time of the beginning of this Universal Headship I have shewed That it had not only a determinate beginning but it began after the Fall of the Empire and not only so but it began after the Fall of the Empire in such a time when the Universal Headship was ascribed to the Bishop of Rome Now this I have proved out of the Stories to begin under the Emperor Phocas when the Decree went forth That the
Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches For the Calculation of the times I have shewed That there is a Chain of 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship aforesaid To the clearer probation of which I have largely insisted upon two Points First That the Roman is the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom against Iunius and his followers Secondly That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom not from Iulius or Augustus Caesar but from that time when the Church came under the Dominion of that People Now from this beginning I do positively Affirm That there is a Chain of 666 years to the beginning of the Papacie set forth by the Type or Emblem of the little Horn Dan. 7. And this is the true Accommodation and Application of Daniel's Visions to the Stories of the Church And whereas Iohn in the Revelation speaketh of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth that the Number of the Name or Universal Headship of this Beast is 666 His meaning is That there are 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast He doth more fully repeat that which was more briefly delivered before And in these Calculations he doth but refer us to Daniel's Chronologie in the Image of persecuting States This is the whole process of the Discourse But before I come to the Point I will remove a mistake in some of our latter Commentaries which will have Mahomet or the Turk to be the little Horn. This is the Opinion of Grasserus and Mr Brightman I have been held with some kind of admiration to see two such worthy Expositors to leave the Common and plain way and to embrace a private Fancy of their own so contrary to the scope of the Scriptures and to the ordinary Reason of men But let us come to Argument First The little Horn and the Ten Horns in the text are set forth as the parts that do integrate and make up the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom But so do neither Mahomet nor the Turk as it is plain by experience For who can say That the Turk or Mahomet are any integral parts of the Roman Kingdom being every way so contrary and opposite having no union or conjunction at all Object 1. But it may be Replied The ten Kings that arose out of the Ruines of the old Empire are reckoned as Branches and Parts of the Roman Kingdom and yet they were the Princes by whom the Empire was destroyed Sol. To this I Reply The forenamed Interpreters may easily give an Answer to this Doubt out of the Revelation Though the Ten Kings did arise out of the Ruines of the Empire yet all of them afterward were united in one Roman Body of the last Edition but neither Mahomet nor the Turk ever came within this union or combination Object 2. But it may be further Alledged That the little Horn did subdue three of the former Horns and this rather agreeth to Mahomet and the Turk than to the Papacie whose part it is to preserve them Sol. Among the many Notes of the little Horn it is possible some few may be applicable to Mahomet and to the Turk but we should also consider the multitude and Evidence of those others that do utterly reject such an Application Now there are many Notes that cannot possibly agree with Mahomet or the Turk if we should come to singulars And for the eradication of Three Horns we have largely proved how the Papacie did humble Three Dominions to have elbow-room in Italy He did cast down some of the former and it is as true That he did preserve the union of the Residue to make a Roman Catholick Empire Secondly For the Blasphemies of the little Horn The Beast was destroyed and his Body given to the burning fire Now what Congruity or colour of Reason is there That the Roman Kingdom should be destroyed for the Blasphemies of Mahomet If you apply this to the Papacy this is fully verified in that which is spoken The Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and they both were cast into the Lake of fire Thirdly In all the times of the Roman Kingdom from the beginning to the end there was the greatest cruelty exercised against the Saints in the times of the little Horn. Now if you apply this to Mahomet and the Turk though they have made great waste in the Christian world yet the War hath not been formerly against the Saints as such neither hath their cruelty been the greatest that ever hath been But if we apply this to the Papacy here hath been a War against the Saints as Saints and here hath been the greatest Persecutions that ever were as appeareth by the whole Book of the Revelation Fourthly The little Horn is said to continue a time times and the dividing of time This will not agree to the duration of Mahomet for what place of Scripture doth once mention such a thing But it is plainly applied to the Papacy Rev. 12. 6. Rev. 13. 5. These and many more Reasons may be produced to prove That Mahomet cannot be resembled by the little Horn and the Reasons for the Affirmative are very weak and feeble On the contrary if you take the whole Body of the Chapter and the whole Bundle of Notes they will be wholly applied to the Bishop of Rome and strongly prove That the Papacy is the little Horn. Now I will try the truth of one Principle on which the forenamed Authors do build when they take Mahomet to be the little Horn. The chief Ground they build upon is this Because the Turk doth hold all those Countries in Asia which were formerly the Continent of the Iewish Church To this I have said before That so long as the Jews were the only People of God the delineation of the Four Metal-Kingdoms was in special reference to that Church But they being cast off the Metal-Kingdoms so much of them as doth remain doth more immediately concern the Churches of the Gentiles If Mahomet be the little Horn who were the Saints of the most High whom he did wear cut Will any man say That they were only the Saints of the Jewish Church Alas the Jews were a People cast away some hundreds of years before the Name of Mahomet was heard in the world and they do remain till this day a People not called again It may be more truly affirmed That the metal-Metal-Kingdoms in Daniel's Image do not concern the Jews only nor the Gentiles only but both Jews and Gentiles in their several times For proof of this we will lay down some special Observations First In the Image of persecuting States it is not the purpose of God only to shew Four Revolutions of Empire but his more special intent is to shew the beginning of the Kingdom of his Son Secondly It is his purpose
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit
doth intend them in such or such a particular Scripture Now that this may appear to be a right Interpretation we will compare it with every Circumstance in the Text. These are the words that follow And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to Receive a Mark in their right hand and in their forehead and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of the Name Here is Wisdom Let him that hath Understanding â—…ount the Number of the Beast for it is the Number of a Man and his Number is six hundred threescore and six In these words we are to Note Four Particulars 1. The matter of the Law which the Beast doth impose he causeth all men to receive a Mark in their right Hand and in their Forehead and that they have the Name of the Beast and the Number of it 2. The maker of the Law soil The Beast with Two Horns He causeth men to receive the Mark by his coercive power 3. The Persons on whom he doth impose the Law He causeth all both small and great bond and free rich and poor to receive a Mark. For though there is great difference in civil Relations between poor-men and rich bondmen and free yet in this matter none are exempted All must receive the Mark one as well as the other there is no difference of Condition 4. The Penalty inflicted on him that will not submit to the Law He must have no civil Commerce with men he must not buy nor sell that hath not these Three Things First The Mark Secondly The Name Thirdly The Number of the Name Now that men might rightly conceive what is meant by these things the same Spirit doth exhort them to Calculate the Number the Point that we are now upon For the Calculation of the Number these Four Particulars also ought to be Observed First The Person exhorted who it is that must make the Discovery And this is every such one as hath a mind given him of God more accurately to search into the meaning of the Prophecies The matter is not easio to be understood at the first sight there must be some Wisdom used to the Discovery thereof Secondly The manner It must be by the way of Reckoning or Numbering Let him that hath Wisdom reckon the Number of the Beast Thirdly The Rule and Method of Account There is some way of Reckoning called The Number of a Man by and through which the Calculation is to be made Fourthly The particular Number it self and in this Method or way of Account it is 666. These are the Natural distributions of the words of the text Now according to this Pattern or Platform let us proceed to shew the truth of our Interpretation and what apt coherence it hath with the Circumstances and with the Natural scope of the text To begin therefore with the matter of the Law It is expresly said That the Beast did cause all to receive a Mark to have the Name and the Number of the Name For the Mark we are not to take it for a material Character but it is the publick Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick by and through which he doth publickly acknowledg his subjection and Allegeance to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome For as in the words immediately following when Iohn saw the Lamb stand upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having their Father's Name written in their Forehead We do not take the Name of the Father written in the Forehead for a literal Character but for the visibility of their Profession that yield subjection to the Commands of God the Father as their Sovereign Lord So on the other side The followers of the Beast the Mark in their Forehead and in their right hand is not a visible brand or print-mark consisting of Letters and syllables but it sheweth the visibility of their Profession that do own the Bishop of Rome's Universal Headship over all Churches and that they are in Conscience bound to be subject to his Laws as to another Christ. Paraeus upon the place speaketh to the same effect Unde secundò liquet cum Bestia Antichristiana sit Papa Romanus exuviis Romani Imperii tunicâ Christi indutus Characterem Bestiae esse Professionem Papistici cultus sicut supra Character Christi non fuit nota materialis sed professio Christiani cultus But that in this matter we may not altogether depend upon Authority we will prove by many Arguments that the publick Profession of the Catholicism or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is the Mark in the Forehead and in the right Hand First This agreeth omni to every Subject in the Beast's Kingdom He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark. And such a Mark is the Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick And though all are not Cardinals all are not Archbishops all are not Bishops yet all are Roman Catholicks all agree in this To profess the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome This is Nota maximè communis Secondly The Mark agreeth Soli only to such a one as is a Subject of the Beast's Kingdom For as Princes have Marks and Cognizances to distinguish their Servants and Subjects So the Beast hath a peculiar Character to discern between those that are his and those that are none of his Now if you apply this to the Profession of a Roman Catholick all that whole Society and Body of men as they are one among themselves in their publick Profession So in this they are distinguished from all other kinds of men in the whole world Here is nota maximè propria Thirdly The Mark agreeth to the Subjects of the Beast's Kingdom at all times For not only at the first beginning of the spiritual Monarchy he caused every man to receive a Mark but in all the times of his Kingdom he did impose this Law upon his Subjects And therefore we reade in the latter end of his Dominion That the first Vial was poured out upon them that had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 2. And those Souls that lived again to Reign with Christ 1000 years were such as were beheaded in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom because they had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark. The receiving of the Mark in the Forehead it must be semper in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom Now such a Mark is the Profession of a Roman Catholick This hath been received in all times There are some things received by that Society of men which are not much more ancient than the Council of Trent which were not established de fide till that time And though in the dayes of Queen Mary the Critical Question was What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar Yet it is well known That Transubstantiation
question was to me how the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast should be 666 Here I mused and often pondered in my minde what is the manner and use of the Spirit in the Scriptures when he speaketh of the riâ—…ng of Governments and their Calculations by Number to discover their beginning And here I found as I believe every man shall do the like who will give himself to observation that the Prophetical Scriptures do very often reckon Governments either by the Number of years to the time of their rising or by the Number of years how long they shall continue Now I was sure that 666 could not be the time of the continuance of the Antichristian Kingdom seeing in the whole body of the Prophecy it is largely shewed That the Kingdom of the Beast must continue 1260 Prophetical days or years and that this time must commence from the rising of the ten-horned Beast out of the Sea or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Therefore Mr. Archer in his book of the Personal Reign is a very fabulous Writer in this as in many other particulars when he will needs have 666 to be the time of the continuance of the Beasts Kingdome All the circumstances of the Text plainly laid together do decypher this Kingdome à priori and therefore the Number must refer to the time of the beginning or the standing up of the Name or Headship But then the great 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 what time I should 〈◊〉 to Number In this caâ—…e I was helped by the practise of Chronologers For theâ—… when they have a Prophetical Number and do not know â—…rom what beginning to compute iâ—… aâ—…k how long it continueth and where it maketh an eno And if they be certain of these two they will finde out the third where it ought to begin It is a sure rule in this as in other kindes of learning By two known things you may come to discover a third unknown And sometimes it so cometh to pass that some diligence must be used before we can come to the knowledge of the two by and through which we may prove the third As for example We reade That the Prophet Ezekiel was to lye upon his left side 390 days which signifie so many years of the patience of God in bearing the iniquity of the house of Israel Again he was to turn and to lye upon his right side 40 days which signifie so many years of the patience of God in bearing the iniquity of the house of Iudah Ezek. 4. 4 5. Now for the application of the times the great Queâ—…ion is Where the 390 years begin and where they make an end and how long they do continue For the continuation there is no doubt to be made and for the time of the ending this must be at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldaeans For the time of the end though it is not set down in express terms yet it may be collected from the whole scope of the Text. For five years before the destruction of Ierusalem Ezekiel was to take a Tile and pourtray upon it the city Ierusalem and laâ—… sâ—…ge against it build a fort against it So then the scope of the whole Vision is to shew That after the 390 years of the patience of God are run out the time should come that the Chaldaeans should destroy both City and Temple In this Ezekiel was a sign to the home of Israel to foretel the destruction of the City and Temple five years before it came to pass Ezek. 1. 2. Upon these grounds Chronologers do reason in this manner If the 390 years do end at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldaeans they must necessarily begin at the Apostacy of Ieroboam For if you take the right vein of Chronologie in the Book of the Kings and number the times interchangably as each King of Iudah and each King of Israel began to reign and to carry on the whole series and order of years you shall find by induction of singulars That there will be an exact line of 390 years from the defection of Ieroboam to the destruction of Ierusalem aforesaid He that desires the particular account of the years and how it is exactly computed let him go to the Isagoge of Calvisius And of the certainty of the account the Chronologer thus speaketh Hunc igitur numerum annorum 390 ex annotatione Historiarum hujus temporis ab initio Ieroboami usque ad excidium Hierosolymae nos colligemus It a quidem ne conjecturas nos Lectori obâ—…rudamus neque etiam sacrae Scripturae vim faciamus Isag. Cap. 40. And in very deed his performance is answerable to the Promise for he doth exactly prove by induction of singulars and that from the words of Scripture That there are 390 years from the Apostacy of Ieroboam to the destruction of Ierusalem But now for the 40 years of the iniquity of the house of Iudah this matter is somewhat more dark But yet nevertheless Chronologers do reason in this wise If 40 years be the time of the patience of God in bearing the iniquities of the house of Iudah and those years must run compleat at the destruction of Ierusalem by the Chaldees then it will follow according to the Scripture-Chronologie and the series of the times that they must necessarily commence from the 13 year of Iosiah Now if a question be made Why these years should begin from the 13 of Iosiah who was a reformer of the Church Though he was these times are to begin there because the Lord did then begin to strive with that people to bring them to Repentance by the Ministery of Ieremy These are the words of the Text From the thirteenth year of Iosiah the son of Ammon King of Iudah even unto this day that is the three and twentieth year the word of the Lord hath come unto me and I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking but ye have not hearkned And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the Prophets rising early and sending them but ye have not hearkened nor inclined your ear to hear Jer. 25. 3 4. From these words it is plain That the 40 years patience of God in bearing the iniquitie of the house of Iudah did begin from the Ministery of Ieremy and when these should run compleat then the Prophet â—…zekiel doth signifie That there shall be the destruction of Ierusalem From this and from some such like passages I was moved to take the like course I argued in this manner If 666 be such a Number of years and if this period of time also must end at the setting up of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas by necessary consequence I did conclude That this time must begin 60 years before the birth of the Lord. Consulting with Chronologers I found that this was much about that time when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome But here to me was the great difficulty
fitly applied to Rome Antichristian which is truly and properly called the Whore of Babylon in the figure But now a little to draw nearer to the Point When was it that the Whore did begin to ride the Beast and where shall we set the date of her Dominion For so the Angel doth expound the words The Waters where the Whore sitteth are Kindreds and People and Multitudes and Nations and Languages ver 17. Her sitting upon the Beast and upon many Waters doth not onely imply an ordinary sitting but a sitting in the way of Lordship Dominion and Supreme Command Such a kinde of sitting we must look after if we will truly know the time when the Whore began to ride the Beast And here I say at that time when the Bishop of Rome did begin to be the second Beast or Universal Head under the Emperor Phocas then at the same time did the Roman Church begin to be the Mother of all Churches or rather the Great Whore that rideth the Beast the Mother of all the Fornications and the Idolatries of the Earth Let us therefore more distinctly consider the times as the Angel doth give the true delineation of them And therefore speaking of the Ten Kings that should carry the Whore that should be wholly at her devotion he doth expresly speak of them They have no Kingdome as yet but receive a Kingdome as Kings one hour with the Beast ver 12. Therefore the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Kings must needs anticipate or go before the Jurisdiction and Dominion of the Great Whore And lest there should be any mistake in the time the Angel doth plainly shew That there must be eight Revolutions of State in the City of Rome and that seven of them must fall before the time cometh that the Whore shall ride the Beast These are his words There are seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goeth into Perdition ver 10 11. From whence it is manifest That the Ten Kings must arise and seven Forms of Government must fall in the City of Rome before the times of the Great Whore can begin But here is a hard question to be decided by the way How can the Beast be said to be the eighth King and yet one of the seven Heads I will the more willingly take it into Consideration because I have been heretofore much puzled with the question And I finde also that the very best and most approved Interpreters do not give a certain sound To let pass how far Brightman and Paraeus have gone aside in the matter Mr. Forbes makes the Kings and Heads of the Beast to be co incident terms but in this he is greatly mistaken For the Beast in the order of Kings is expreslâ—… said to be the eighth King and in the order of Heads he is onely one of the seventh Therefore we may certainly conclude That these are not equivalent terms but that necessarily some distinction must be made betwixt the Heads and the Kings Mr. Mede therefore keeps himself in doubtful terms for speaking of the seventh Change of State to wit The Christian Caesars he saith That this Potentate because he should be of short continuance shall seem to be Dynastes alius another Ruler sed revera non alius in deed and in truth not another So likewise concerning the Beast in which State he should carry the Whore This Beast saith he in respect of the Change of the Caesars seemeth to be the eighth but revera non nisi septimus in deed and in truth no other but the seventh In which words of his so far as I apprehend there are two passages which seem to me to differ from the scope of the Text For when he speaketh of the Change of the Caesareate from the Pagan to the Christian Caesars how can he call that of the Christian Caesars Dynasten quasi alium revera tamen non alium The words of the Text are plain Five are fallen one is to wit that of the Pagan Caesars when Iohn wrote the Revelation and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of the Christian Caesars is not yet come It is clear then that the Governments of the City of Rome are eight in all and not eight in appearance onely and the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another in reality and truth and not another in shew onely as Mr. Mede will have it So likewise for the Beast it is strange that he should affirm him to be quasi octavum Dynasten as it were the eighth Potentate sed revera non nisi septimum but in deed and in truth no other but the seventh The words of the Text are express The Beast that was and is not he is octavus the eighth in reality and in truth and not the eighth in appearance only Therefore the Exposition of Mr. Mede doth contradict the words of the Text and the knot remains Upon much debate I finde that we must go another way to work and here we must distinguish the Roman Governments as they are simply so called from the Roman Governments as they are Heads of the Beast If you look upon the Roman Governments as so many Policies and Forms of Dominion then it is clear That there are eight Forms of Regency to wit The Kings the Consuls the Decemvirs the Dictators the Tribunes the Pagan Caesars the Christian Caesars and after all these seven cometh the Beast as octavus Dynastes the eighth Potentate Now on the other side if you reckon the Heads of the Beast there can be but seven Heads and therefore the Beast must needs be the particular seventh seeing the Christian Caesars from Constantine to Augustus cannot be called an Head of the Beast at all unless we will go against the scope of Scripture For it is not the manner of the Scripture to call Christian Governments by the Title of a Beast or the Head of a Beast This Character doth properly appertain to the Kingdomes and States of this World that persecute the Church and are contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom of Christ. Upon this account the Christian Caesars do indeed make a distinct Dynasty or Policy and yet are no part or Head of the Beast The words of the Text are clear for when the Spirit speaketh of the other that should come to wit the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Head but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another King which sheweth plainly That the Christian Casars are a distinct Form of Government but no Head of the Beast So likewise the Beast of the last edition is not termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth Head but he is simply called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eighth King Touching the Kings it is spoken
of them Five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and the Beast that cometh out of the Bottomless Pit he is the eighth To satisfie the doubt we do pitch upon this sense that the Beast is both the eighth Dynasty and the seventh Head For if you reckon by the order of Kings the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars being included he must needs be the eighth But if you reckon by the Heads of the Beast which are Pagan and Idolatrous Forms of Government then that of the Christian Caesars must be Status exâ—…resimus or exemptilis a State exempted and put out of the Kalendar From whence it comes to pass That the Beast if you reckon him among the Kings his place is to be the eighth but yet among the Heads he is but the seventh And so these words The Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is one of the seventh are plain as I take it and the knot is untied But leaving this scruple I finde That all solid Interpreters do agree in the general sense of the Text to wit That the Antichristian times begin at the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings The words of the Angel are so clear for speaking of the Roman Dominion and the Ten Horns of that Beast he expresly saith These have no Kingdome as yet but shall receive a Kingdome one hour with the Beast which plainly sheweth That their times shall be when the Roman Dominion shall come to the last and Antichristian edition of State The fall of the old Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings is an infallible Character of the beginning of the Antichristian times And this no man can rationally deny that doth look upon the true scope of the Angels Interpretation But our question is concerning the times of the Great Whore when was it that she did begin to ride the Beast We cannot say That it was at that time when the Kings did rise out of the ruines of the Empire For then the Kings of the Earth did not dogmatically and conscientiously acknowledge the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches To the resolution of the case we will consider what Expositors do say to this purpose For in the 17th Chapter though there is mention made of the Beast with Ten Horns yet there is not the least word of the two-horned Beast Now the reason ordinarily given is very solid and it doth agree with the scope of the Scripture For it is plain That the description under the resemblance of a Beast with two Horns Chap. 13. is again repeated under the similitude and type of a Great Whore Chap. 17. Both Scriptures speak of one and the same matter in substance though in a different manner And if need should require we have many Arguments to prove the Parallel Now then in the present case seeing Iohn speaks of the City of Rome that in his days was the great City that ruled over the Kings of the Earth it is to our purpose to inquire when the Church came within the verge of the Dominion oâ—… that great City And here I say if we calculate the times aright and reckon 666 years from that time when that great City came to have Dominion over the Church we shall precisely come to that point and instant of time when the Church of Rome was made the Catholick and the General Mother of all other Churches The Church first came under the Dominion of the City of Rome and then 666 years after â—…hat Church her self was declared Universal Mother of all Churches And here then our Interpretation is one and the same in substance in both Scriptures And whereas the Woman hath this Inscription on her Forehead Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth The Name then on the Forehead of the Woman is not a Grammatical word consisting of Letters and Syllables but it signifieth her Universal Maternity or Motherhood when she began to be declared Universal Mother over all other Churches Now if you apply this to the times it came to pass in the 666th year from that time when the Church and the Territories of the Church came under the obedience of the City of Rome And this is the Number of her Maternity or general Motherhood or of the Name written in the Forehead of the Woman If we apply this to the two-horned Beast in the 13 Chapter his Name is no other but his Paternity or Universal Headship and the Number of his Name is no other but the Number of his Universal Headship from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome And so the sense of one Chapter is clear by the scope and drift of the other But we go on CHAP. X. A List of Fifteen Principles drawn from the main sense of the Prophecy concerning the Beast his Name Mark and Number by the Position of which the present Interpretation is established Also the several Expositions of Mr. Potter and other Writers are brought to Tryall FOr the more full proof of the Point we must take the same method to prove the truth of our Interpretation as Divines do when they would prove the Pope to be Anti-Christ They do infallibly determine him to be so because all the Properties of the Beast do punctually pitch upon that Seat or Succession So in the present case we may say That 666 is such a Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And this we take to be an infallible and undoubted Truth because all the Principles of the Prophecy do pitch and mainly centre upon such an Interpretation We can prove the truth thereof by the accumulation of Notes Wâ—… may further take in the words of the Jesuite Suarez for he himself well obserueth That it is not sufficient to decypher Antichrist by one two or three Notes but by the Concurrence of all the Properties that do appertain to him So I may say for a tight Exposition of the Name of the Beast and the Number thereof we must not rest in a few Circumstances for so many have been brought for the name Lateinos And M. Pâ—…tters Interpretation also seemeth to be very fair But this is that which I mainly stand upon That their several Interpretations will not agree with many Principles The same course then that we take to prove the Truth shall be to disprove their Error But now to the Principles in order Princ. 1. The Name of the Beast his Mark and Number do all agree to the Papall Tyranny by a special application This is proved from the whole scope of the Text. For the Beast is a Tyrannical Empire or Government and not onely so but also a Roman Tyrannical Empire in the last edition thereof Therefore these Characters are specially applicable to that Government and to the Hierarchy thereof and not to any other They erre therefore that seek after the Number in the
Doctrine and in the whole Spiritual Government Therefore there ought to be a temper kept for this disease hath always reigned in Princes to desire to bend Religion according to their own pleasure and lust and for their own profits in the mean time So far he In which words two Points are observable First the lawful exercise of the Power of the Supreme Magistrate as it doth keep its due limits in Causes Ecclesiastical Secondly the redundancy and the excess of the Power when it doth tread under foot the Laws of the Church That which these learned men did speak concerning the Supremacy of the Kings of England in Causes Ecclesiastical and the danger of the excess of the Civil Power hath been too truly verified by some in our days not onely to the total ruine of themselves but also to the destruction of that Soveraignty it self which they did so immeasurably exalt And whereas Calvin in the place aforementioned hath these words Et hodie quam multi sunt in Papatu qui regibus accumulant quicquid possunt juris potestatis And at this day saith he how many are there in the Papacy that heap upon Kings whatsoever Right or Power they can possible So that there may not be any Dispute of Religion but this Power shall be in one King to Decree according to his own pleasure whatsoever he list and that should remain fixed without Controversie So far he But we for our parts may not onely say Quam multi in Papatu How many in the Papacy but how many in the Profession of the Protestant Religion have accumulated this great Power upon Princes that they might do what they list in the Church of God and in the determination of matters of Faith In Daniel and the Revelation these things are set down as the true causes of the destruction of Kingdomes That is a most Divine expression of Daniel and the three Children Chap. 2. ver 20 21. Wisdome and might are his and he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings And for the cause of these Changes it is more particularly expressed Chap. 7. v. 11. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the Horn spake I beheld even till the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning fire All solid Interpreters do understand some State or Government to be typed by the Little Horn. Now the destruction of such a State or Government doth arise immediately from hence because of great words which the Horn did speak against the most High Therefore the exorbitancy of the Power against Religion Christ and his Saints is oftentimes the cause of the eversion of States and Kingdomes But that we may more fully understand how far the Power may go and whither it must not go let us consider the examples of the Kings of Iudah And here it is clear That Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah did great things about the affairs of the Church and had a very large testimony for their zeal in the Worship of God yet I am sure none can say that their Power was so transcendent as to abrogate any thing that was appointed or immediately commanded by God in his Word For when Uzziah the King would offer Incense that appertained not to him but to the Sons of Aaron he was imitten with leprosie and compelled to dwell alone as one that should have no commerce nor society with men So Belshazzar the King when he made a Feast to a thousand of his Lords we reade That in the time of the Feast the fingers of a mans hand did appear and write upon the wall the destruction of the King and the Kingdome And the cause of this Judgement is expounded by Daniel himself in these words Chap. 5. ver 25. Thou hast lifted up thy self against the Lord of Heaven and they have brought the vessels of his House before thee and thou and thy Lords thy Wives and thy Concubines have drunk wine in them Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar both by strong convictions and demonstrations were brought to understand That the God of Israel was the onely true God and that they had their Dominion from him Now when they were not contented with this which the Lord had given them but would insult over the Giver and drink wine in the Bowls of the Temple which they had taken with sacrilegious hands this was the cause of the ruine of the King and Kingdome at last There is a remarkable passage of Herodotus in his second Book where he maketh mention of a Statue that was set up to Sennacherib in one of the Temples of Egypt with this Inscription and Title upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever looks upon me let him learn to be pious This Testimony as it hath the greatest probability of truth so doth it singularly well agree with the Story of the Scripture We reade that 185000 were slain in one night in the Camp of the Assyrians by an Angel sent from Heaven Sennacherib himself was killed by his own two sons and that great Empire did decline and lose its vigour by degrees Now if we look into the cause of all this we shall finde That the insolency of that King against God and his Church was that which broke him all to pieces This was done in the sight of all Asia that the world might know that the insolency of the greatest Powers of the Earth against God will prove the certain cause of their destruction But we will conclude this matter with that Exhortation of the Psalmist for so he speaketh to all Princes and Potentates who do intrench upon the Prerogative of Christ Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way Psa. 2. ver 10 11 12. Now why doth he exhort the Kings and Judges of the Earth to be wise rather then other men They are Gods Vicegerents and there is none greater in Power then they and through the greatness of their place none are more apt to bend Religion according to their own pleasures and lusts then they are Because this is more immediately against the Kingdome of Christ and cometh nearest to Antichristian pride the Psalmist doth advise them to take heed what they do to serve the Lord with fear and to rejoyce with trembling If not he tells them plainly their insolency against Christ and his Church will be a certain cause of their destruction This is made manifest from the beginning of the Psalm The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lâ—…rd and against his anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us ver 2. Now he doth direct his speech to such as these and tells them plainly That the Lord Christ will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them
the other side I conceive That it is too high to call Hen. 8. or any other Supreme Magistrate an Head much more a good Head of the Church the eminency transcendency and sublimity of that Prerogative belonging to Christ alone Our Princes have used such a Title and in the sense of the Statute in a moderate way the people have ascribed it to them to wit a Spiritual Power Authority and Jurisdiction that ever have belonged to Kings and Princes which David Solomon the Kings of Iudah and Christian Emperours have ever exercised in their respective Dominions This no doubt hath been the sense of well-meaning men and so Mr. Bedel doth expound it in the forementioned place and pag. 56. But for my part being inlightned and better informed I pray God such Titles be no more used and let that passage Next under thee and thy Christ in all Causes Ecclesiastical in these His Majesties Dominions Supreme Head and Governour Let the exuberancy of such a Title pass among the iniquity of our holy things Our godly Friends have been offended at it our Enemies have insulted Experience hath shewed much danger in the use of it and the present Treatise I doubt not will shew what an evil thing it is to take away the Prerogative of Christ and to make other Heads of the Church in his room Of all men living the Erastians have greatest cause to look to this For let Princes be once told That there is no Church-Government in the Word of God and that they themselves are the sole Fountains of Church-Power By this means it will be effected That the Name and Power of Christ over his own Church will be plucked down and the Name and Headship of Princes will be onely set up In matters of this nature if you give an Inch men will take an Ell. Rather for acts past we should often think upon that expression of the Prophet I will pour upon the House of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look to him whom they have pierced Zach. 12. 10. Christ is not onely pierced in a literal sense when his body is run thorow with a Spear but he is pierced also when his Name and Headship is taken away from him and given to another So far as a whole Nation have been mediately or immediately directly or indirectly implicated and involved in such a sin so far I believe they ought to mourn If this be not done God perhaps may rebuke us when our Armies go forth against those that Worship the Beast and uphold his Name and Headship in enmity to the Government of Christ. Though not in the favour of the enemy yet we may be chastised for our own faults and the Lord may be provoked to appear against us When the Lamb went forth on his white Horse against the Beast and his Armies the Armies that followed were upon white Horses cloathed in fine linen white and clean Rev. 19. 14. Further also by the process of this Discourse information may be given to certain in these Times who being led by the meer shew and colour of some passages in the Prophesies do think it a part of their duty to level Magistracy abolish Laws and to turn all things up-side down in Church and Common-wealth Of such I may say That they mingle the precious Truths of God with Fables of their own commenting In the Metamorphosis of Ovid we reade of the Beginning of the World of the Chaos of the Giants heaping of Pelion upon Ossa of Deucalions Flood of the Four Ages of the Golden the Silver the Brazen and the Iron Age. These things are not all Fictions because they have some ground of truth in the Scripture neither are they all truths because they are mingled with Fictions of the invention of man Of the same kinde are some Authors who are for the Fifth Monarchy they think that the setting up of the Kingdome of Christ will be the Dissolution of all Earthly Kingdomes But by the purport and whole drift of the present Discourse they may understand That the Kingdome of Christ is not contrary to Governments Powers and Authorities purely as such but onely to Governments as Idolatrous as Tyrannical as contrary to the Laws of Christ and of his Church In the Prophecy of Daniel the Empire of Babel is resembled to a Lyon of Persia to a Bear of Greece to a Leopard of Rome to a Beast of divers shapes All these Monarchies erected and set up on the ruines of the Davidical Kingdome are parallell'd to so many Beasts Buâ—… to what Beast shall we resemble in its right constitution the Davidical Kingdome it self In the Book of the Revelation the Angel doth expresly say That there were eight Kings and yet the Beast had but seven Heads Chap. 17. How can this be I have fully proved That the Dynasty Race and Succession of the Christian Caesars do make the seventh Roman King but no Head of the Beast Therefore the Mediatoriâ—…n Kingdom of Christ is not contrary to Governments as such neither is nor ever shall be built upon the ruines of Governments as Governments but upon the ruines of Governments onely as Tyrannical and opposite to the Laws of the Gospel There is no such cause then why solid and judicious men in these dayes should set aside this kinde of Learning which is so much for the Credit Authority of the Christian Magistrate And for the Government of the Church in some Points if I am not mistaken there is in this Prophecy as strong if not stronger proof then in any other Book of the New Testament As for Example Though Bishops are put down the Service-Book taken away the Ordination of Ministers brought neerer the Rule all this being done men are not pleased What is the cause of the Difference The difficulty lies in the Church-state Robinson and others of that way do plead That we have no Example for a National Church in the New Testament and the bringing in of whole Nations by the power of the Magistrate this is the principal Rock of Offence I confess it is true that we have no Example of a National Church in the Apostles time For how could all Nations come in at that particular instant when the greater part of them did still remain in their Idolatries and the Emperors themselves were the greatest Enemies of the Church Now if we apply our selves to the Book of the Revelation we shall plainly see how the Spirit doth foretel That after the Preaching of the Gospel the Church should fall under grievous Persecutions in all the times of the Pagan Caesars when that time is ended the Empire it self shall become Christian. What else should be the meaning of that expression Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. 10. This doth note no other but the setting up of the Gospel in the Throne in the times of
Constantine the Great After these things he sheweth the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings by the Emblem of a Beast with ten Horns that came up out of the Sea Chap. 13. ver 1. This Beast doth signifie the Roman Tyranny in the last and the Antichristian Edition And he further addeth in the latter times of this Kingdome that the Eternal Gospel shall be preached to every Kindred Tongue and Nation Chap. 14. ver 6. 7. Then also the deceived Kings shall be undeceived and The Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Chap. 11. 15. That is those Kingdomes which formerly were the Kingdomes of the Beast shall become subject to the Laws of Christ and of his Gospel Here is a plain Example though not in the Age of the Apostles of whole Christian Nations in the times of the Gospel I willingly yield That the preaching of the Gospel is that by and through which primarily and immediately Churches are gathered yet by the Authority of the Magistrate the same Gospel also is countenanced Laws are made Parishes are divided Ministers maintained and the Body of the Nation brought to attend to that which is or at least may be the mean of their Salvation I cannot think but with great horrour what would ensue if the Designs of some men should take place It would be the very Abaddon and Apollyon to the Church of God But let us look what is spoken of the Kings of Europe They shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall burn her flesh with fire Chap. 17. If they shall hate the Whore then they shall destroy the Idolatries and Superstitions of that Church which they did formerly so love and admire and on the contrary part they shall countenance the Gospel bring in their People and do as much for the Church of Christ which they did formerly persecute and hate Of the New Ierusalem it is said The Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory to her Chap 21. But lest any should think That this is meant onely of the Glory of the Church in Heaven Let sundry passages of the Prophet Esay be considered The scope of all whiâ—…h is to shew That the Kings of the Earth shall bring their Glory unto the Church There is much spoken also of the coming in of whole Nations of the Conversion of Kings and the adorning of the Church by the bounty of Kings Reade Chap. 60. per totum with many other places If these things were rightly considered men would not have such prejudices against a National Constitution and setting up of the Gospel by the Authority Power and Command of Kings and Princes What shall we make of the Reign of Christ upon the Earth Is it not directly and diametrally opposite to the Reign of the Beast And the Reign of the Beast let the Angel himself together with our own experience shew wherein the formality and the being thereof doth consist So he speaketh The Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast These have one minde and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast These shall make war with the Lamb but the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings Rev. 17. ver 12 13 14. The effence of the Kingdome of the Beast lyeth in the Confederacy of Kings and in their yielding themselves to the Name and Headship of the Bishop of Rome This is the Reign of the Beast upon the Earth So by the Rule of Proportion the Reign of Christ and of the Lamb shall be in the holy association and concurrence of Christian Princes to set up the Gospel of Christ his Name and Headship as the Regent-Law among the Nations From all that hath been said it is cleer That this Doctrine is not contrary to the Authority of Magistrates nay it is most forcible and effectual to establish the Laws and Government of the Church Upon the same grounds I do here desire to speak a word or two and Oh that I could speak it with tears The Reformation in Germany and now lately in England hath been and yet is much deformed by abalienation of the Churches Revenue and in passing away that which former Ages have bestowed I may speak of a great part at least upon the preaching of the Gospel These are Scandals to the Enemy Let our Consciences in the mean while judge Whether this be not a Scandal given rather then a Scandal taken Whether we do not open the mouthes of the Enemies of the Lord to speak evil of the Reformation And whether we are not faulty in this Point Moses went in Gods way and by his Command and it was a glorious work to deliver Israel from the Bondage of Egypt yet withall when he was in the discharge of so excellent a work then the Lord stood in the Way to kill him Exod. 4. 24. Our Armies are going forth against the Enemies and the Proteâ—…ant Armies are like to go forth more and more These are the times or at least do border upon the times of the Suâ—…per of the Fowls of the great Vintage of thâ—… Batâ—…el of Armageddon There are like to be great Commotions of State Army against Army in the times of the end of the Beasts Kingdome And therefore by collation of all Circumstances we cannot be fat off from the performance of all that hath been foretold It is meet for us to see our own sins and specially that which I have hinted before we go on in the Lords work These things I have thought good to annex by way of Appendiâ—… My purpose is not to speak any thing to please or diâ—…please any Party Neither can I tell how any Party will be pleased with me it may be I may displease all However I do desire to please mine own Conscience in delivering that which I conceive to be a Truth of God There is one thing whiâ—…h I think meet more â—…ully to explain my self in I have in the preceding Treatise made it a good part of my work to prove the Roman to be the Fourth and the last Metal Kingdome and that the Roman doth begin in the consideration and notion of such a Kingdome when the Church and the Conâ—…inent of the Church came under the Dominion and Soveraignty of the People of Rome This I know the followers of Iunius will not away with and many learned men in these times do follow this way of Interpretation But because we will not unnecessarily controvert and make our selves more enemies then needs we will be content to say That the Roman doth begin at the end or ending of all four Metal-Kingdomes and where they end in the method order and way of account the Roman doth begin And whereas we have endeavored Chap. 6. pag. 116. to prove the beginning of the Roman as The fourth Metal-Kingdome to be at that instant of time when the Church came under the Dominion of that People the same Arguments mutatis mutandis will prove the beginning of the Roman at the end of all four Metal-Kingdomes And so the followers of Iunius and we shall agree in the substance of the Interpretation Let us compute the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome as Decreed and Enacted under the Emperor Phocas and in that series and way of account it will be 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as that great Empire doth succeed at the end of the four Metal-Kingdomes Here is the Name of the Beast and the Calculation according to the Number of a Man according to the Divisions and Parts of the Body of Man in Daniels Image If we go either way the Account will be made good FINIS Hier. in Levit. Quot verba tot mysteria quot syllaba tot sacramenta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 2. c. 39. l. 3. c. 3. â—…us l. 3. c. 23. Epiph. Haeres 51. Rev. 16. Acts 1. 7. * In his Treatise concerning the Kingdom of Christ upon the Earth Note Note Note Note * And besides the Testimonies of Josephus Dio the Historian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iews 〈◊〉 Taxâ—…d by Gabinius 〈◊〉 3â—… Note
Reproof and Instruction in Righteousness I shall do it the rather because many in these times are preoccupated with prejudice Paraeus in his Commentary upon the Revelation and in the Preface of the Work hath these words Apocalypsin interpretari non est nodos aenigmatum omnium solvere apices omnes aâ—…u fodere nihil omnino ignorare vel quid Imago quid Character quid Numerus Nominis Bestiae quid Bestia ipsa c. By this it is evident what the forenamed Interpreter doth judge concerning these Points to wit The Beast the Name the Mark the Number of the Name He taketh them to be but Punctilio's and Niceties in this kind of Learning But saving the great worth of so judicious an Author I shall now endeavour to make good the Contradictory to his Assertion and shall prove these to be Points very Momentous and much conducing to the knowledge of the whole Prophecie First If you take the Book of the Revelation in the main Scope it is for the most part carried on in the Description of the Kingdom of the Beast in the time of the beginning and continuance of that Kingdom as it standeth in Diametral opposition to the Kingdom of the Lamb and of his Saints The Lord Jesus Christ that sent his Angel of â—…et purpose to sigâ—…e to the Churches things that must shortly come to pass â—…endeth a great part of the Prophetical Narration in the description of the Beasts Kingdom and in the delineation of the Name Mark and Number the essential Badges and Characters of the Kingdom Therefore it must needs be a matter very behooveful to the right understanding of other parts of the Prophecie to define in the beginning what is signified under these Emâ—…ems or typical Expressions Secondly The holy Spirit speaking of the Image of the Beast 〈◊〉 Name Mark and the Number of his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That iâ—… giving worship to the Image and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark the great sin of the world hath consisted in these latter times chap. 13. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Now then if the great sin of the world hath primarily and chiefly consisted in these things it is a most material Point to finde out what the holy Spirit doth mean by these symbolical and figurative expressions I cannot mourn for a sin privately in heart neither can I publickly reprove it in others but I must first know what the sin is But that this Idolatry may more fully appear let us amplifie it by two Circumstances First By the Circumstance of Place where and how far it hath been used And here it is plain in all the parts of the Dominion of the Beast none may buy nor sell but he that worshipeth the Image and receiveth the Mark He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to be subject to his Laws If you look to the Latitude of the Dominion the Scripture speaketh of a very large and ample Dominion that the Beast hath For the Nations were deceived chap. 20. vers 3. All the world worshiped the Beast chap. 13. vers 8. The Kings of the Earth did also agree to give their power to the Beast chap. 17. vers 17. Therefore the Dominion of the Beast must be very great and by consequent the sin must be an Oecumenical sin practised in all the parts and precincts of so large a Dominion Seeing also it is not the sin of one particular Nation City or Church but in a manner the general and the common Apostacy of the times therefore it is of great moment to be considered The sin of Ieroboam is much spoken of in the Scripture that it was a sin of departure from the true God and that it continued long after his death yet for all this it was only practised within the compass of the Ten Triâ—…es so long as they continued a Kingdom But now the worship of the Beast and the receiving of his Mark have overspread all Nations in the Christian world only there have been some faithful Witnesses which have stood for the Truth and have been slain for the testimonies sake Secondly For the Circumstance of time how long shall it be that men must worship the Beast and receive his Mark This must be in all the times of the Kingdom of the second Beast For though I do not fully agree with Mr Mede as may appear by that which I shall afterwards deliver That the ten-horn'd the two-horn'd Beast are exact contemporaries in all their times yet in substance and in the main they are said to be of equal continuance The time of the ten-horn'd Beast is 42 months or 1260 prophetical dayes or ordinary years So then some small proportion being deducted this period will be the time also of the two-horned Beast and of the worlds receiving the Mark and the Image which he made Therefore seeing this sin shall continue many ages together it behoveth us to make the more diligent search into the matter Nebuchadnezzar set up a great Image as the type of the Babylonian Majesty he caused all the States of that Empire to come together to the Dedication of the Image he commanded them all under pain of death to fall down before it He had a note of distinction also to discern between the worshipers of the Image and those that refused that worship Yet all this was done as it were in an instant of time But for the Image of the Beast set up in honour of the Roman Majesty this hath continued many ages Here all Nations Languages and People are required to worship here is a penalty laid upon all that shall refuse to yield Obedience to the Command and here is a mark to distinguish between those that are the Beast's and those that are none of his These Tyrannical and Idolatrous practises have continued by the fore-appointment and counsel of God for many generations Therefore considering the largeness of the place and the long continuance of the time that the world hath sinned and doth yet continue sinning against Christ in these very things we may conclude That it is no nice curiosity to finde what is meant by the Beast his Name Mark and the Number of the Name Thirdly If we consider the grievous Judgements of God denounced against all those that worship the Beast his Image and receive his Mark in their Forehead and their Right hand that they shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation Also that they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and of the Lamb and the smoak of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever chap. 14. vers 9 10 11. The learned Grasserus rightly observeth That in the whole Canon of Scripture there is nowhere a more terrible judgement threatned than that which is here denounced against the men that worship the Beast and receive his Mark. And shall
Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian Edition must continue a long time â—…o the admiration of the world The Caesarean Majesty was to continue some good space of time and that being cut off the Antichristian is to be restored as the wonder of the world And therefore it is said That all they whose Names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world shall admire when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is chap. 17. vers 8. Now then if we can make it appear what is the meaning of the Spirit in these things when the Antichristian Kingdom began and how long it must continue if we can shew what is meant by the Name Mark and the Number of the Name and how all these are applicable to the universal headship of the See of Rome and to the worlds living in subjection to that headship if these things can be cleared as by the Lords assistance I shall endeavour to clear them in the process of this Treatise I hope that this will not any longer be accounted a fruitless inquiry which may be the mean under the grace of God to redeem the Souls of men from such a thraldom For put case you have to do with such a one who placeth a great part of his Religion in yielding subjection to the universal headship of the Bishop of Rome You shall do much toward his Conviction when out of the Scriptures in general you shall be able to prove such an Obligation to be contrary to Faith in Christ. And this many worthy Writers have done already Yet you shall do more when out of this particular Scripture you shall be able solidly to prove the Profession of such an Allegiance to be the Mark of the Beast If they that separate from our Church and cite that Scripture Come out of Babylon my People would first define what Babylon is and that the Church of England is the Babylon that St. Iohn speaks of they would carry on their business more demonstratively and Apocalyptically Till this be done they do but beat the Air. The same Law may be given to us when we charge the Roman Catholicks that they are such that receive the Mark of the Beast To justifie the charge we should define in the first place what the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name do signifie and when this is done we should shew how these things do agree to the head-ship of the Roman Bishop If there be no performance of this how can we accuse them of a sin and we our selves be altogether ignorant what that sin is Therefore the right determination of these things is no trivial matter as some imagine Seventhly If we consider the Reign of Christ upon the Earth for 1000 years to the better understanding of this it is behoveful for us first of all to know what is the Reign of the Beast over those that have the Mark and worship the Image For it is the Scope of the Spirit to set the Reign of Christ in immediate opposition to the Reign of the Beast If therefore we can well understand the nature and manner of the Beast's Reigning over those that have his Mark and worship his Image we shall be the more able to see the nature of the Reign of Christ. For the knowledge of one contrary doth exceedingly conduce to the knowledge of the other specially in that Point wherein the contrariety doth stand and the contrariety between the Lamb and the Beast doth lie in the Soveraignty Now for the clearing of this Truth we can prove it from the Scope of the Prophecie and from the coherence of the Visions For in the former part of the Prophecie from the beginning of the 13 chapt to the end of the 19 it is the Plot of the Spirit to describe the Kingdom of the Beast in its first Institution in the greatness of its power in its cruelty against the Saints in the time of its continuance and in other Adjuncts of that Dominion At the end of the 19 chap. he sheweth how the Beast is cast into the Lake of Fire and when this is done he beginneth to â—…peak of the Reign of Christ and of the Resurrection of the Martyrs From the whole Scope of the Prophecie it is evident That the Reign of the Beast is opposed to the Reign of Christ for 1000 years where the Beast doth make an end at that instant of time the Reign of Christ doth begin And where the death of the Martyrs is fully complete there the Resurrection and emersion out of the Antichristian Death doth immediately ensue Now for the Consequents that follow the destruction of the Beast's Kingdom Iohn tells us I saw an Angel come down from Heaven having the Key of the bottomless Pâ—…t and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon and bound him 1000 years Further he did cast him into the bottomless pit and set a Seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more chap. 20. vers 1 2. Now if the question be put How and wherein were the Nations deceived I Answer It was in the worship of the Beast and in receiving his Mark for it is mentioned in the two last verses of the former Chapter That the false Prophet deceived them that received the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image When the Beast was destroyed then the Dragon was bound up and so an end was put to the deceiving of the Nations By all that hath been spoken it is evident That the Reign of the Beast in all his times is immediately opposed to the thousand years of the Reign of Christ. Therefore if we would know the nature of the Reign of Christ in what manner he shall Reign upon the Earth and how his Martyrs shall Reign with him it is needful that we should understand what is the Reign of the Beast over those that receive his Mark and worship his Image It is needful also that we should understand the whole Antichrisian time to be the season of the Death Sufferings and Beheading of the Marâ—…yrs for the testimonies sake When this time is ended then there shall be a rising or a standing up from this Death The right stating of these things will prepare the way for the discovery of the 1000 years And for ought as I can discern one chief reason wherefore we are so dark in the Apprehension and confused in the Notion of the Reign of Christ is this Because we do not first Expound and make cleer the Reign of the Beast what it is what his Name Mark or Image are nor what is the Number of his Name These and many other Reasons might be brought to prove the Use and Profit of the Discovery But to gather up all into one Sum If any think these things to be a Nicety â—…et them consider First That these are the distinctive Badges of the Beast's Kingdom Secondly That
the great Sin of the Christian world for many Ages hath been in worshipping the Image and receiving the Mark. Thirdly The grievous Judgements of God denounced against men for these things Fourthly The Cause of the Martyrs Sufferings because they would not worship the Beast nor receive his Mark. Fifthly The object of the Vials they are poured out upon a People distinguished by these Characters Sixthly The deceiving of the Nations in the matter of the Mark of the Beast and the worship of his Image Seventhly The Reign of Christ upon the Earth which will be the more demonstratively understood by the right Stating of the Reign of the Beast â—…ver those that worship the Image and receive the Mark All these Considerations laid together plainly shew the Use and Profitableness of the Discovery Now let us proceed to the second Point to the Possibility thereof CHAP. II. Concerning the Possibility of the Discovery and how that there are certain Demonstrative Principles to bring the Truth to light THere are now living in these times many who think that there is no medling with this Prophecie especially in the matter of the Beast and the Number of his Name But I would entreat all such seriously to ponder in their own hearts Whether by this Opinion of theirs they do not secretly accuse the Lord Christ either for want of Truth or want of Wisdom For what man of Truth will call that a Revelation which is no Revelation at all And what man of Wisdom will say Blessed is he that readeth and keepeth the words of the Prophecie when there is no possibility to reade it so as to understand And particularly Shall the Lord Jesus give serious warning to his Church and People shall he shew them so long before-hand the great sin of the world which shall consist in the worship of the Beast and in receiving of his Mark and when all comes to all shall it be presumption to shew what is the meaning of Christ in these things To what end were they Revealed if there be no use of the Revelation at all and there is no use if it be so difficult that it cannot possibly be understood It was a special part of Love in Christ to send and signifie to his Servants things that must come shortly to pass But what part of Love is it to signifie it in that manner that they cannot possibly understand what he meaneth You will say It was revealed to some Select ones I grant that some of the Servants of Christ have a peculiar Gift to understand the Typical Expressions in this Prophecie as every Member in the Church hath his peculiar Gift dispensed to the edification of the whole Body and therefore they are bound to lay out their Talent this way for the common good But what shall we say of them that account it curiosity in any whosoever to meddle with these studies and are absolutely for the concealing of these things from the People But if it be alledged That Experience sheweth how they have been deceived who have bestowed their pains in this kind of study I Answer The same Experience plainly sheweth That they who have come with a sincere mind to finde out the Truth to study the whole Body of the Prophecie to compare Time with Time Vision with Vision and the Prophecies with the Stories have had a good return of their Labours I may say without prejudice to those that went before That Bullinger in his time Brightman in his time Grasserus in his time Mede in his time each of these have made their several and respective Additions to the clearing of the Prophecie If we endeavour to carry on the Work where they left it at least with the same Industry and Fidelity we may by the blessing of God be the instruments of bringing those Mysteries to light that were not discerned in former Ages And for my part I do firmly believe That God will not cease to raise up such in the times following as shall clear the things that have layen dark in the Prophecies and do yet remain hid to us But for the present because many think that the Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name are unsearchable Mysteries let me lay down some Reasons to prove the Possibility and the Evidence of the Discovery First The Name of the Beast and the Number of his Name are the Essential Characters of a State or Government obvious to the view of men It is said of the Writings of S. Paul that there are many things in them hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. There may be good Reason given for this to wit The sublimity and the spiritualness of the matter for a Natural man that hath no Experience in his own heart how can he judge of the meaning of the Apostle when he speaketh of the Life of the Spirit of the leading of the Spirit of the Comfort of the Spirit of the putting off of the Old man and the putting on of the New When a man hath no experience how can he understand these things that are so largely spoken of in the Epistle to the Romans Now it is not so with the Name of the Beast and his Mark these are the Badges of a Government obvious to the Senses of all men If there be any difficulty it lieth only in the typical and figurative way of expression Secondly The Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name are the essential Characters of a State or Government which the Church hath had long experience of for many Ages For the Monarchical Kingdom of Christ that shall be over Jews and Gentiles in the latter times though there are many things spoken in the Scriptures concerning this Dominion yet there are sundry passages hard to be determined because the event hath not yet shewed the meaning of the Prophecie Now there is nothing wanting so far as it concerneth the event to make known to the Church what is meant by the Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name Thirdly The Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name are such Characters that the Church in Being hath the present Experience of Many things are dark in the Old Prophets because the Stories of those times are lost to us The Jews could better understand the meaning of some Prophecies than we can And I believe the greatest Knot in Expounding the 70 weeks of Daniel lieth principally in this To shew precisely and determinately where that Number of Time doth begin There is an excellent agreement between the Greek Historians about the respective times of the Kings of Persia But the Knot lyeth in this Rightly to determine who that Darius was in whose times the Temple was built and the City repaired This thing was better known to the ancient Jews than it is to us But now for the Name of the Beast the Mark and the Number of the Name there is not the like Reason of darkness in these because they
Appellation that consisteth only of Letters and syllables how will this redound to the benefit or perfection of the Beasts Kingdom if men of all Degrees and Orders shall receive a Name meerly consisting of Numeral Letters and such-like trifles But if you take the Name for the sovereign Power and Headship there is nothing more rational and common than for the Kingdoms of this world to make Laws that all should live in subjection to their Power and Authority And Experience plainly sheweth That in all the Kingdoms of the Christian world stricter Laws have been made for the Preservation of the Dignity of the Catholick Apostolick Roman See as they call it and for the maintenance of the Decrees made by that Authority than there have been for the support and Defence of their own Communities Among many take this one Instance of the Statute Ex Officio made here in England in the times of Hen. 4. In which Statute it was provided That all they should be Burned publickly in the sight of the People that did maintain teach inform openly or in secret any thing contrary to the Catholick Faith and the determination of the Holy Church And so in the times following by vertue of this Law the faithful Martyrs under the Title of Lollards have been publickly burned for speaking preaching writing and declaring against the Decrees and Superstitions established by the Authority of the Church of Rome And it is as plain That neither the Scripture nor any Article of the Creed nor any other Point of the Christian Faith is received among them but that which is warranted by this Authority From whence we may easily collect what is meant by the Law and Injunction of the Beast That none might buy nor sell but such only that had the Mark and the Number of the Name We are not to take the Name Alphabetically For to what end should he command men to receive such a Name as this But if you take the Name for the Universal Headship and the Mark for the publick owning of subjection to this Headship there is great Reason given for the making of such a Statute and it is fully proved by the event The Seventh Argument is taken from the Essence of the great Antichrist as he is set forth 2 Thess. 2. For the Pith and Marrow of the Apostle in this description is to express the great sublimity of Power that the man of sin should assume to himself in and over the Church of God These are the words of the Text He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God vers 4. From these words we may gather the Essence of the Antichristian Kingdom lieth in the affectation of a kind of godlike Dominion and Headship in and over the Church of God Now then as the â—…on of God hath merited of his Father to be only Head and only Lord So must our subjection be rendered to him without communicability of such a prerogative to any other For though there be gods many and lords many there is but one Universal Head on whom the whole Body of the Church doth depend In this sense as the Son hath merited of the Father to be the Supreme Lord and Head there is none de jure can be but himself only Now then when Paul in the Thessalonians doth describe the Essence of the Beast's Kingdom he doth shew that it doth chiefly confist in the Headship and Dominion over the Church And this is that which Iohn in the Revelation calls the Name of the Beast And so far we have gone in the Discovery of the Subject of the Number We have shewed by many Reasons That the Name is The Headship of the Beast Now we shall in the next Chapter endeavour to Calculate and Compute the Number CHAP. IV. Concerning the Number of the Name of the Beast where it is shewed That the Name or Universal Headship began publickly to be Established under the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fâ—…th Metal Kingdome FOr the carrying on of this Complicate Proposition we are to make Two things clear First That the Name or Sovereign Dominion of the Beast began precisely at that time of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas Secondly That there is a Câ—…in of 666 years from the begining of the Roman as the Fourth Metal Kingdom to the Name or Universal Headship afcreâ—…aid First Concerning the Eâ—…sion of the two-horned Beast out of the Earth I find a great consent in the Commentaries Controversies and Stories of the Church That the Two-Horned Beast began in the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas Crackanâ—…orp in his Treatise against Spalaâ—… calleth it the Câ—… one of the Building And in very deed though many Authors do stiffly maintain That the Name is the word Lateinos and that the Number is made out of the Numeral Letters of that Name yet if you put them upon it to state the Original of the Beast's Kingdom they do generally in a manner pitch upon the year aforesaid But we will not depend upon Authority Therefore to the right computing of â—…he true Apocalyptical time we will Observe these ensuing Principles Principle 1. There must be some particular instant of time when the Antichristian state Typed by the Beast with Two Horns had its first visible rising out of the Earth This is proved from the words of the Text And I beheld another Beast coming out of the Earth and he had Two Horns like the Lamb and he spake as the Dragon Rev. 13. 11. And therefore as there was a certain and determinate time when the Babylonian Lyon and the Persian Bear came up out of the Sea that is As there was a certain time when the Babylolonian and Persian Monarchies began so there must be a particular and certain term of time when the Antichristian Monarchy must come up out of the Earth also If this be well observed it will cut off a multitude of superâ—…luous Diâ—…putes concerning the Infancy Childhood Middle age and other degrees of the Antichristian state In these points every man may abound in his own Fancy but sure I am according to the true Apocalyptical process there is mention made but of one visible and remarkable beginning of the Two-Horned Beast And this is at the time of his rising ouâ—… of the Earth Princ. 2. Secondly The time of the rising of this Beast must be after the dissipation of the old Empire and the beginning of the Ten Kings Typed and Figured by the rising of the Ten-Horned Beast out of the Sea There are Two Branches in this Principle The First is this That the time of the beginning of the Two-Horned Beast must needs be placed after the Fall of the Empire This is clearly proved from the Scope of the 13 and 17 Chapters of the Revelation Both these Scriptures do pitch upon this that there must be a taking away of the Imperial Majesty and a kinde of Chasm
of the Old Empire behind and so going forward apply the rising of the Two-Horned Beast to what times we please No There is some particular instant of time when the Beast rose up out of the Earth when his Name or Universal Headship began And thiâ—… must needs be at the Decree under the Emperor Phocas when it was determined That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches So then if we lay these Three Principles together First That the Beast had a determinate Beginning of his Kingdom Secondly That this determinate Beginning was after the Fall of the Empire Thirdly That it was after the Fall of the Empire in such times when the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began first publickly and solemnly to be established If we put all these Three together we shall inevitably piâ—…ch upon that time when the Decree went forth That the Bishop of Rome should be the Head over all Churches For if we look to the Stories we shall find that presently after the Fall of the Empire the Bishop of Constantinople was to have equal Priviledges with the Bishop of Rome by the Decree of the Council of Calcedon Nay further The Bishop of Constantinople was in a fairer possibility for the Universal Headship than was he of Rome Only then in the time under the Emperor Phocas the Decree was Enacted That the Bishop of Rome should be the Head of all Churches And from that time downward this hath been a Priviledge perpetually annexed to that Chair And so then we have the true beginning of the rising of the Two-Horned Beast out of the Earth And it is rightly and Apocalyptically applied â—…o the times by the Position of the Three Principles aforenamed But here Bellarmine and Baronius deny That the Universal Headship began in the time of the Emperor Phocas For saith Bellarmine Phocas did not Ordain this by way of a new Institution but only by way of Declaration of a thing ever before Acknowledged in the Church In Answer to this Mornay in his History of the Papacie telleth us That all Historians down from that time as Paulus Diaconus Freculphus Rhegino Anastasius Sabelliâ—…us Blondus Pomponius Laetus and others agree in this beginning Progress 22. pag. 118. And for Baronius he saith An. 606. Therefore what did Phocas bestow upon the Roman Church Nothing truly Only he did Declare by his Sentence That the Name of the Oecumenical Bishop was unlawfully Usurped by the Bishop of Constantinople when it was due Romanae tantum Ecclesiae only to the Roman Church I cannot but admire at the boldness of this great Annalist that he should go so palpably against the Stories of the Church and against some chief Records of their own For if we look a little before in the times of Gregory the Great we shall finde that there was a sharp contest betwixt him and the Bishop of Constantinople about the Primacy For Iohn the Fourth sirnamed the Easter Bishop of Constantinople did begin to assume the Title of Universal Bishop about the year of the Lord 580 26 years before the matter was determined for the Bishop of Rome He was the more imboldened to do this because he saw the Seat of the Empire established at Constantinople and the City of Rome besieged by the Lombards And consequently the Bishop of that City brought to a low ebb Now these attempts of the Bishops of Constantinople they of Rome did most strongly oppose but none more than Gregory the Great as may appear by sundry passages in his Epistles at this very day In them we find every-where that he doth strongly Dispute against the Name and Title of Universal Bishop and doth say in effect That it is the Name of the Beast He doth again and again inculcate That the Title is new prophane contrary to the scope of the Gospel and the Use of the Church And whereas Bellarmine and Baronius have this creep-hole that he did only inveigh against the encroachments of the Bishop of Constantinople he doth again and again repeat That none of his Predecessours did ever use such a prophane Title Nullus decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo uti consuevit lib. 4. Epist. 80. But that which is most to our purpoâ—…e he doth everywhere place the formality of Antichristianism in the Universal Headship And they that affect so to be called he doth expresly term them the praecursors and fore-runners of Antichrist To let pass all others we will recite those words of his as they are in his sixth Book and thirtieth Epistle to the Emperor Mauritius Consider saith he that when Antichrist shall call himself God the matter it self is but small and frivolous yet most pernitious If you look to the quality of the word it consisteth only of two Syllables but if you regard the weight of iniquity the matter is very great For I may boldly say That whosoever calleth himself or desireth to be called by others The Universal Priest or Bishop is in his elation of minde the forerunner of Antichrist In elatione suâ Antichristum praecurrit Because in like pride he preferreth himself before others And in his Fourth Book Epist. 34. he writeth to Constantia the Empress Be it far saith he that your times should thus be defiled with the Exaltation of one man and then addeth In hâc ejus superbiâ quid aliud nisi propinqua jaâ—… Antichristi esse tempora designatur By this Arrogancy what else is portended but that the time of Antichrist is now at hand And more fully to Iohn himself he useth these words lib. 4. Epist. 38. Tu quid Christo Universalis scilicet Ecclesiae capiti in extremi judicii dicturus es examine qui cuncta ejus membra tibimet conaris Universalis appellatione supponere What wilt thou answer to Christ the Head of the Universal Church in the tryal of the Day of Iudgement seeing that by this Name Universal thou seekest to inthral the Members of his Bodie to thy self And that which maketh more to our purpose he telleth him That the times concerning the coming of Antichrist begin to be fulfilled and that there is â—…ow a performance of the Prophecies Omnia enim quae praedicta sunt fiunt Rex superbiae prope est quod dici nefas est sacerdotum est praeparatus exercitus All Prophecies begin now to be fulfilled and that which I dread to speak the King of Pride is at hand and an Army of Priests do attend him Now for these and such-like passages between Gregory and Iohn of Constantinople I cannot think otherwise of them but that they did happen by the singular Providence of God to excite the world to look after the Revelation of the man of sin For as when our Lord Christ was born at Bethlehem there was a hurly-burly in Iudaea the star appeared the wise men came to Ierusalem and the whole City was troubled What was the end of God in all this but to stir them
the Jewish Church True indeed in the Hebrew Visions there is some mention made of the People of God but then commonly you shall see some circumstances in the text to decypher the People of the Jews only As for ensample You shall read somthing spoken of the Tsebi or the pleasant Land of the daily Sacrifice of the Sanctuary of Daniel's People and the like But in the Chaldee Visions there is no such thing mentioned which maketh me to think That the Saints there mentioned are of a more general Nature and concern the People of God both Jews and Gentiles Indeed it is often spoken concerning the Saints of the most High That the little Horn did wear them out and consume them and that at the time appointed they shall take the Kingdom But yet it is not specified in Daniel what these Saints are Whether they be the Saints of the Jews or the Gentiles or both Dr Willet seemeth to me to give a good Reason why they should be called The Saints of the most High scil in reference to their most High Prince the Lord Christ. The words of the text are fair for this Interpretation And the Kingdom and Dominion under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints And then in the words immediately following His Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall obey him vers 27. The Kingdom is given to the Son of man as to the Head and by him it is communicated to his People and Subjects after their Sufferings By all that hath been spoken we may conclude That the Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ the Members of his Mystical Body are the Objects of the Tyranny of the Fourth Beast Thirdly The great Power and Cruelty of this Beast is not only against the Saints but against all the former Metal-Kingdoms for as Iron it shall break them all in pieces vers 40. Therefore this Kingdom is said to be more Mighty than any going before in respect of the exercise and imployment of strength upon the former Kingdoms and not only in respect of the particular exercise of cruelty against the People of the Jews If this be so we cannot say That the Seleucian was such but to the Roman all things agree Fourthly I do yield also that this Expression is used specially for that part of the earth about the Confines of the Church of the Jews yet it is not the whole meaning of the text When the Lord gave Nebuchadnezzar the Head of the Image a Kingdom Power Strength and Glory And wheresoever the Children of men dwelt he gave them all into his hands we cannot say That he made him Ruler over all in Iudea only but he made him Ruler over all the Eastern Countries far and near round about the Confines of that Church and Nation In like manner when the Fourth Kingdom arose and brought the Earth into a more absolute subjection we must not only confine this to the Countries of Iudea but we must also expound the whole Earth by some Analogie to the former metal-Metal-Kingdoms According to this sense when the Fourth Kingdom cometh to the times of its Monarchical Dominion it will be the most potent Kingdom that ever was about the Confines of the Church and it will bring the former Kingdoms into the greatest subjection If you apply this to the Kingdom of the Seleucidae there will be no correspondence at all but to the Roman all things do agree For that Kingdom was absolutely the most mighty and the most powerful that ever was about the Church of the Jews And as the People of Rome had Iudea under their Obedience so they had the greatest Empire about Iudea from East to West that ever was All these Reasons laid together shew plainly That the Fourth Beast is the Roman Kingdom and so consequently the Ten-Horned Beast in Daniel and the Revelation is all one It is not only one and the same in Analogie and similitude of Expression but it is Literally and Historically one and the same The Roman Kingdom is described in both Prophecies by the same Emblems and similitudes And thus much concerning the Queries of the Fourth Beast in the more general Nature thereof We will now descend more particularly to the Ten Horns And here we will shew that they cannot be the Ten Kings lineally succeeding in the Seleucian race but they are so many inferiour Realms of the Roman Empire Querie 1. If the Ten Horns be Ten Seleucian Kings there will be Eleven Horns in all and how can Ten Horns be the Character of the Beast If in the whole succession the Number of Kings be Eleven in all the Beast is more properly called Undeâ—…em Cornupeta the Beast with Eleven Horns The words are plain The ten Horns are ten Kings that shall arise and another shall arise up after them that shall be diverse from the first vers 24. Therefore if in the whole succession there be Eleven Kings first Ten and then another that came up after them why is the Beast set forth by the special Character of Ten Horns The little Horn must needs be the more cruel and more eminent according to the text And yet by this rule that which is more principal shall be excluded from the denomination But Doctor Willet hath this evasion to wit That the little Horn did not come up after the ten but it came up as the last of them And so Piscator rendreth the words Et Cornua decem ex illo Regno nempe decem Reges exsurgent postremus resurget post illos is diversus erit à prioribus And in his Scholia upon the 8 verse he thus speaketh Vox Chaldaica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae versu sexto septimo significat alium hic valet ultimum seu postremum Nam Antiochus Epiphanes qui per Cornu illud figurabatur fuit ultimus inter decem illos Reges qui hîc per decem Cornua figurantur But let it be supposed that the Chaldee word may indefinitely be taken yet it is to our purpose to consider what the scope of the text will admit In the former verses when the description of the Babylonian-Lyon was ended it is there mentioned I beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Beast like a Bear not a latter Beast that came up out of the Sea For the scope of the Spirit is to shew the rising of Four several Monarchies each one diverse from other So in the present case after the description of the Ten Horns the little Horn is said to be another that came up after them to shew the notable diversity between it and the Horns that came up before And so this is the meaning of the text That another Horn much differing from the former Ten in Nature and Condition came up after them in order of time Secondly Suppose we should let this Translation pass Postremum exsurget post illa a latter shall arise after them Here I
all things necessary to their being All the Controversie is about the Minor to wit That the Roman had all things necessary to the being of the Fourth Kingdom and the destruction of the Seleucian This is proved in these Particulars Particular 1. When the Fourth Kingdom beginneth it must exercise sovereign Dominion over many inferiour Kingdoms And so far Melancthon's definition of a Monarchy doth hold true though Bodin doth much deride it in hi Method of History chap. 7. So saith Melancthon Monarchia est summa unius Reipublica potentia quae aliarum opes cop as super are possit A Monarchy is the supreme Power of one Common-wealth which can easily excel the Riches and Plenty of all other Common-wealths whatsoever And so could the Roman State in those times go beyond all the Kingdoms of the Earth when the â—…ewish Church came under the Obedience of that Nation or People Particular 2. When the Fourth Kingdom beginneth it must not only exercise sovereign Dominion over many inferiour States but also sovereign Dominion over many inferiour States in and about the Borders of the Church Now the Roman did first begin to do this at the destruction of the Seleucian Kingdom and at the reducing of Iudea to the Obedience of the People of Rome Particular 3. The Fourth Kingdom did then begin when all the Three former metal-Metal-Kingdoms had fulfilled their several and respective times But the People of Babel of Persia and Greece had then only compleated the times of their Monarchical Rule in and about the Territories of the Jewish Church at the Overthrow of the Seleucian Kingdom Ergo c. If we put all these Particulars into one sum The Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms may be thus described To be the Fourth tyrannical State which in its times at the end of the Three former is to bear Rule over all the Earth but more specially in and over the Churches Continent This is the true definition of the Fourth Kingdom so far as such a matter may be defined For First The thing Defined and the Definition are Convertible Secondly The most Essential Attributes of the Fourth Kingdom are mentioned Thirdly They are all mentioned therefore this is a true Definition Now all these things necessary to the being of the Fourth Kingdom began to be applicable to the Roman State at the Overthrow of the Seleucian and the Reducing of Iudea by Pompey the Great Object But here perhaps some will Reply Julius Caesar was the First Roman Monarch Therefore the Roman quatenus the Fourth Monarchy did begin at the time of Julius Caesar and noâ—… at the time of their Free-State Sol. If you take a Monarchy for a Form of Government in and by One only I acknowledge Iulius Caesar to be the Foundet of that Monarchy For he was the first Prince that changed the Free State into the Government by Oâ—…e But I justly question whether this be Daniel's meaning That everywhere and in every point of time these Dominions must necessarily be under one Head To say the truth This is but a Tradition borrowed from the custom of Speech They take it for a granted truth That these Kingdoms must be so Constituted but this doth not alwayes necessarily hold The Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal was under one Head in Alexander the Great But after that it came to be under Four Heads in the times of his successors Nay in the inter-Regnum in the vacancie it was scarcely under any Head at all The Roman Kingdom was under one Head in the time of the Caesars After that it came divided into Ten inferiour Realms Nay there was a time when there was an intercision of Roman Majesty the Beast was wounded in one of his Heads And last of all when the Fourth Kingdom was destroyed the Dominion and the greatness of the Dominion under the whole Heaven was given to the Saints of the most High Dan. 7. 27. This is expresly said to be given to the People of the Saints in opposition to Four kinds of People that had the Dominion in the times of the Four Monarchies going before All these Particulars shew That it is not alwayes necessary to the Being of Daniel's Four Kingdoms That the particular Form of Administration should be under one Head It is a good and a material Observation of Helvicus in the aforementioned Treatise pag. 3. Quamobrem saith he nihil movemur Aetymologiae Graecâ ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam Bodinus ostendit in Methodo Histor. cap. 7. Cum per Monarchiam nihil aliud intelligan us quam imperium in mundo summum à Daniele praesiguratum quod Deus potentiâ prae caeteris instruit ut caetera illud respiciant And in very deed if we narrowly look to the words of the text though these Kingdoms are familiarly called the Four Monarchies this is meant chiefly of their Latitude and sovereignty of Dominion as they are so many summa Imperia But it is not necessary that these Dominions should be alwayes under one Head and therefore whereas it is said That God gave to Nebuchadnezzar a great Kingdom and a second arose up after him and a Third that should bear rule over all the Earth and lastly a Fourth Kingdom as strong as Iron which shall bring all into subjection From all this we may collect That these several Kingdoms must have supreme Dominion over inferiour Realms but it is not necessary to supreme Dominion That one man alwayes must bear Rule And therefore look what sovereign Dominion Nebuchadnezzar began over the Church the same did descend in as large a way and in as ample a manner upon the Romans in the times of their Free-state when the Church came within the precincts of their Dominion There is nothing then doth exclude but that the Roman might begin as the Fourth Empire in the time of their Freestaâ—…e For then they became supreme Commanders about the Borders of the Church Object 2. But if you Alledge That this is the way to confound the Free-state and the Monarchy of One together which ought not to be done Answ. It is the plot of the Spirit not to look upon the several Forms of Roman Dominion but upon the Roman as opposed to one Graecian one Persian one Babylonian Dominion going before The scope of the Prophecie is to shew That the Earth especially the parts of the Earth about the Territories of the Church should fall under the sovereign Command of Four sorts of People And further It is the scope of the Spirit to shew while these several Dominions are in their flux and succession Christ shall be born and his Kingdom shall be set up If this be so we need not fear the confounding together of Two several kinds of Government into One. It is enough for our purpose that the Roman was Imperium in mundo summum the prevailing Dominion over the Earth at that time when the Church of the Jews came under their sovereign Lordship
by the Persians and Daniel mourned for it full three weeks together the Angel to comfort him telleth him plainly Dan. 10. 20. I will return to fight with the Prince of Persia and then the King of Graecia shall come in The meaning of which words is this That the power of the Empire of the Persians should be overthrown by the Graecians and then he cometh to particulars to speak of the expedition of Xerxes into Greece how that the Fourth King of the Persians should raise up great multitudes of People against the Graecians These are the words of the text for speaking of Darius the Mede he saith In the first year of Darius the Mede I stood up to strengthen him chap. 11. vers 1. And then he addeth I will shew thee the truth behold there shall stand up three Kings in Persia to wit Cyrus Cambyses Darius And the Fourth meaning Xerxes shall be richer than they all and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the Realm of Graecia vers 2 3. If we will go to the true Reason wherefore the Graecians were so couragious at the Straits of Thermopylae and wherefore they did prevail against the Persians the true cause doth lie in these words I will fight against the Prince of Persia and then the Kingdom of Graecia shall come in It was the secret and invisible hand of the Lord that was the cause of the declining of the Power of the Persians in the East and the rising of the Graecian in the West It is true That the He-goat passed from West to East upon the face of the whole Earth and yet it is as true That the Ram of Persia did push to the three several Coasts Westward Northward and Southward chap. 8. vers 4. By these words it is plain If the Victories of the Graecians did pass from West to East then è converso it is as true That the Victories of the Persians did pass from East to West Let us hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah to put all out of question for speaking of Cyrus thus he saith I have called a ravenous Bird out of the East the man of my Counsel from a far Country chap. 46. 11. From hence it is plain When God will Conquerors shall come out of the East And in Allusion to this Story those Kings that shall deliver the Mystical Israel out of the Captivity of Western Babylon are called the Kings of the East in a Figure Rev. 16. 12. It is not in the Climate in the Hemisphere in the temper of the Heavens in the better exercise of Military Discipline in the experience of old Souldiers in the success of fortunate Generals or any other inferiour cause but in the immediate Dispensation of God Therefore to adde the words of the Psalmist as an Epiphonema Lift not up your Horn on high speak not with a stiff neck for promotion cometh not from the East not from the West but God is judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal. 75. 5 6 7. I have staid the longer upon this digression because I set that States-men Souldiers and others of deepest wisdom look to these subtilties Hereupon they trust in an Arm of Flesh oppose the Gospel perfecute the Saints bear themselves more high over those that are made subject to them Make no Conscience of Honesty Truth or Religion when they have the Law in their own hands They should as well look to the invisible and spiritual causes of the Changes of Empire to the Providence of God to the Revelations in the Word to the Angels fighting against the Kingdoms of this world to the power of the Saints Prayers that are offered upon the golden Altar There is nothing more divine nothing more spiritual and nothing more apt to carry up the Soul into an high contemplation of the manifold wisdom power truth and Fidelity of God then to behold in the Prophecie of Daniel and in the Book of the Revelation as in a Map the several Empires of the world where the Church should be seated their times their changes and their causes of the change and this many hundred years before these Empires come to be set up They that read the VVord together with the Stories of the times may see the Fidelity of God and may by this come to know him by the Name Iehovah But so much by the way touching the sudden growth of the Graecian Empire from VVest to East Now we come to the Romans and in the times of their Dominion they must also have the strength of Iron to subdue the whole Earth and break it in pieces And though great Nations and mighty Princes should rise against him as Pyrrhus Hannibal Perseus Iugurtha Sertorius Methridates Tigranes c. yet in their times the Romans must be too hard for them all and break them all in pieces And therefore when Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Cicero and others boast of the Roman Greatness it may be said to them as somtimes it was to Cyrus I have girded thee with strength though thou knowest not me Isa. 45. 1 2. This was the true though the invisible cause why the Romans grew so Great and their Dominion reached to the ends of the Earth But now it is high time to return from whence we have made a digression to shew when the Roman began as the Fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom Some think it was when that Nation was the most prevailing Nation upon the Earth But this cannot be For in the times of Antiochus the Great but more specially in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes they were the more prevailing People yet they did not begin in those times as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image You will say then VVhere shall we set the beginning of the Fourth Kingdom I Answer In this case we must distinguish between the Latitude of the Roman Dominion more absolutely considered and the Latitude of the Dominion in and about the Borders of the Church If you speak of the Latitude of Dominion in a more absolute consideration then the Roman began as the more prevailing Dominion when it became more mighty than any other Empire of the world But if you speak in a more strict sense it began then to be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom in Daniel's Image when it did begin to take in the greatest Amplitude and largeness of Rule in and about the Confines of the Church And this is to our purpose Object 3. Others perhaps may Alledge That we cannot begin the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Iewish Church came under the Dominion of that People For say they it is foretoll in the Prophecie of Jacob The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come Gen. 49. 10. Sol. I Answer We must so expound the meaning of one that it may not dash against the main sense of another Scripture Now it is the manifest scope of other Scriptures to shew That the Four
discovery of this will guide us in the clearing of other things For if we do rightly conceive what is meant by the Mark of the Name we may come to demonstrate the Name it self what it is And when the Name it self is truly and Apocalyptically defined we may be the better prepared for the discovery of the Number All these do mutually depend each upon other And therefore for the subject-matter of the Law of the Beast in the several branches thereof we do thus determine in these three Particulars First The Mark that he causeth all to receive in their forehead and in their right hand is nothing else but the visibility of their Profession that do acknowledge him as Head of the Church And this he compelleth men of all sorts to submit and to yeeld obedience unto Secondly For the Name of the Beast which is also a part of that Law which he did impose upon his Subjects That none might buy nor sell but they that have the Name of the Beast This Name I have formerly proved in the third Chapter of this Treatise That it is not the word Lateinos nor any other Grammatical Name but the Name is the Universal Headship it self The matter cometh to this Issue That none must buy nor sell nor have civil commerce within the Dominions of the Beast but those onely who will acknowledge his Name or Headship Thirdly For the Number of the Name the third part or branch of the Law imposed upon the Subjects of that Kingdom that none must buy nor sell but they that had the Number of the Name I have shewed in part and I shall more fully declare afterward That the Number is not made out of the Numeral letters of the name Lateinos or out of any other Grammatical Name whatsoever but it is the Number of time when that Name or Headship had its first visible and remarkable Institution and therefore it is called The Number of the Name The matter then must come to this Issue That none must buy nor sell but he that doth own the Universal Headship as it was established and set up in the first Foundation and Institution of that spiritual Monarchy Object You perhaps will alleadge That the words are plain That none must buy nor sell but he that hath the Number of the Name Therefore if the Number of the Name be the Number of time when this Name or Universal Headship began according to this Exposition he must not buy nor sell who hath not the Number of time when this Universal Headship began Sol. We must not take the words further then they naturally intend And therefore this is the meaning of the Text That he must not buy nor sell who doth not receive the Catholicism or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome as it was Enacted in the first Institution of that Spiritual Monarchy And if we look attentively to the words we shall finde that there is some difference to be made betwixt the Mark of the Name and the Number For when the Spirit speaketh of the Mark in the forehead and in the right hand and of the Name in relation to the Mark he speaketh of such a thing as is apparent to the sight of every man The Beast's Subjects in their usual buying and selling may discern who have the Mark in the forehead and who have not But now for the Number of the Name and for the Name in reference to the Number it is nowhere said that this is in the forehead or in the right hand for it is of a more secret and occult nature Let him that hath wisdom count the Number of the Beast This sheweth plainly that the Number is to be found out by some subtilty of observation and it is not to be discerned in the ordinary use of buying and selling Object You will say Why are all these joyned together that none must buy nor sell but he that hath the Mark of the Beast the Name and the Number of the Nâ—…me Sol. They are all joyned together by reason of their affinity or relation that the one hath to the other and therefore a man cannot well take upon him the Profession of a Romane Catholick which is the Mark of the Name but he must also profess the Name or Soveraign power it self And he cannot profess the Name or Universal Headship but he must relate also to the first Foundation and Institution thereof in the time when it first began visibly to appear And therefore when the Romane Catholicks do at this day own the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome they do not mean it onely personally of the Pope now living but of the Succession that hath continued many hundred years There must then be some particular instant of time where this Institution did begin In many great Kingdoms at this day it is not safe for a man to live among them unless he will acknowledge the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome Now I say then there must be some particular term and instant of time where this Universal Headship had its first institution where we must set the date thereof And here I say it must be in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdom Thus I have distinctly shewed the matter of the Law which the Beast imposeth upon his Subjects in the three branches thereof And though I have departed in some particulars from the ordinary stream of Interpreters yet I do agree with many Protestant Writers in the main sense and substance of the Interpretation Since the preaching of Luther Bullinger was one of the first that did historically and with Principles expound the Book of Revelation And so Paraeus speaking of Expositors of the last times hath these words Quibus omnibus meo judicio facem praetulit Henricus Bullingerus quam ferè secuti sunt alii Prooeâ—… in Apocal. Cap. 4. Now this Interpreter doth pitch upon the same sense as we do as it is manifest in his Commentary upon the Revelation And so do some other Interpreters as Danaeus de Antichristo c. If therefore a Reason be demanded Why the latter Interpreters have not gone on in this ancient and true way of Exposition There are two Reasons which are usually given as we may see in the Commentary of Paraeus upon the Revelation and of Downham in his Tract de Antichristo and of Dr. Mayer in his Expositions upon the Revelation First they alledge That the Number of the Beast is numerus nominis the Number of his Name and not the Number of the time of his rising Sol. If these Interpreters will consider the truth of that which we have largely disputed to wit that the Name of the Beast is no other but his Universal Headship and Power by the discovery of this they will finde that there is no difference between the Number of the Name and the Number of the time of the rising of the Beast
when that Name or Universal Headship began We reade when our Saviour was born at Bethleem that certain wise-men came from the East to Ierusalem saying Where is born the King of the Iews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we have seen his Star in the East Matth. 2. 1 2 3. Here I demand Why is this Star called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Star The reason is plain Because it did denote and set forth the time of his birth So in the like case the Number of the Beast may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of his Name because it doth characterize decypher and set forth the time when that Name or Universal Headship began Secondly whereas they alledge That there are onely 606 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas I confess this is true if we make our account by the years of our Lord. But what warrant have we to proceed in this method For though the Christians do generally use this way of computation yet the general use hath not been so to reckon For as Martinius an acuâ—…e Grammarian speaketh of the reading of the Hebrew so we also may say the same concerning the computation of the times in the Book of the Revelation We are not in this to follow the modern but the ancient use These are his words We ought not to think the custome of our age to be the rule and direction of speaking Hebrew but so far onely as it doth agree with the custome of the ancient people Further he addeth In every Nation there are skilful and learned men in that language yet they do not all reade after the same manner The Germans pronounce their words one way the French another the Spaniards and Italians another and each of them say they have their proper and peculiar custome But such a custome is not to be accounted a lawful argument Let us hold this therefore for a sound foundation both in reading writing and â—…ronouncing Hebrew Veterem Haebraeorum usum sequendum esse The ancient use of the Hebrews is to be followed Technol p. 45. So I may say in the present case They that take the Name of the Beast for the Universal Headship they that stand upon the beginning of the Universal Headship for so Paraeus Downham and our best Interpreters do at the Emperor Phocas they must not count the Number of time by the year of the Lord or by any such like modern style but they must have recourse ad veterem Prophetarum Apostolorum usum to the ancient use of the Prophets and the Apostles in the days of Iohn And here they may finde that the Name of the Beast which is onely 606 in the years of the Lord will be 666 in Daniels Chronologie And that which may be for a confirmation of this truth let us but remember what hath been formerly proved to wit that Iohn in the Revolation doth largely repeat shat which hath been more briefly mentioned by Daniel concerning the Roman or the fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom Further we reade That when the seventh Angel began to sound it is expresly said That time shall be no more but the mystery of God shall be finished as he hath spoke to his servants the Prophots Rev. 10. 6 7. Here two questions are to be demanded First what did he mean when he saith That time shall be no more Secondly To what Prophets doth he refer us when he saith As he hath spoken to his servants the Prophets By Time we are to take it onely with a restriction for the time of the sufferings of the Church under the Tyrannical Governments of this world as it is set forth in the type of the four metal-Metal-Kingdoms But more specially in the last and Antichristian state of the fourth Kingdom Secondly for the servants the Prophets Mr. Mede Grasserus and others do understand this of the times in the Prophecy of Daniel which do reach to the dissolution and destruction of the Antichristian Kingdom If we put all this together we shall finde that the times of the Beasts Kingdom ought not to be computed by the years of the Lord but by the ancient and Prophetical Chronologie in the Visions of Daniel These two Arguments being answered Paraeus Downham and other Protestant Writers are wholly ours For they altogether in a manner in their Treatises and Commentaries do teach that the formality of Antichristianism doth lye in the Universal Headship and that a thing is Antichristian so far as it doth contribute to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome to put him in the place of Christ who is the onely undoubted unquestionable Head of the Church and there is none besides And so much concerning the matter of the Law that the Beast causeth these three things to be received The Mark the Name and the Number of the Name Onely here is one hard question to be dissolved in which I finde that Interpreters are greatly divided and that is this Whether the Mark Name and Number are so many expressions of one and the same matter or whether are they three distinct several matters Some are of opinion as Alcasar that all these three ought to be coupled together exegeticè by way of explanation Seeing that which in this and the former verse is absolutely called the Mark is afterward expresly called the Mark of the Beast Chap. 15. ver 2. and the Mark of the Name of the Beast Chap. 14. ver 11. Others are of a different judgement as Ribera for they hold that these things ought to be distinguished for they that stand on the glassie Sea are said in express terms to overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name Chap. 15. ver 1 2. Now our answer to this question is this First we say That the Mark Name and the Number of the Name cannot be affirmed to signifie one and the same thing seeing they are in many places of the Prophecy delivered with distinction and the reason of the distinction is laid down in sundry Texts To the second also we answer That these are not three several matters as Ribera Paraeus Abbot and others will have it as though some of the Beasts Subjects should have the Mark others the Name and a third sort the Number of the Name There is no reason that we should put those things asunder which in the Prophecy are always joyned together Therefore to determine the question we will take a middle way between these two extremes We affirm then That in the general these three do agree in one matter for the substance though it be distinguished by three Apocalyptical considerations Let us come to that particular place where Iohn saw the Number of them that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire who had overcome the Beast his Image Mark Name and the Number of his Name Chap. 15. ver 2. All these several expressions set forth one sort
of men that had persevered and held out for Christ against the Power and Headship of Antichrist in all the time of that Tribulation And yet as this matter is one it is branched into several Considerations First If you speak of the Papacy as a State or Government afflicting the Saints so it is called a Beast like to one of the Beasts in Daniel Secondly If you speak of the Universal Headship wherein the form and essence of the Kingdom doth consist this is the Name of the Beast Thirdly If you speak of that Universal Headship as a Representative of that Soveraign Majesty that was formerly lost in Rome Imperial and now repaired in Rome Papal this is the Image of the Beast Fourthly If you speak of the publick profession of this Universal Headship in the society of men this is the Mark of the Beast Fifthly If you speak of the time when this Universal Headship began visibly and remarkably to appear this is the Number of the Beast and more specially of his Name and Headship All these are so many distinct Apocalyptical Considerations which agree in one main Truth in the general And thus having spoken of the Law of the Beast in the three branches thereof we will now come to speak more briefly of the other particulars because they are more easie to be understood Secondly For the Law-maker the Power by and through which he caused all to receive the Mark this is a Spiritual Christ-like efficacy prevailing in the Consciences of men to make them subject to his Laws It is said of the Monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar that the most High God did give to him a Kingdome And for the Majesty that he gave him all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive Chap. 5. ver 18 19. So the Beast in the Revelation hath the same transcendent power he causeth all to receive a Mark whether rich or poor bond or free male or female he compelleth all to yield obedience as they sometimes did that were under the power of Nebuchadnezzar But here is the difference The power of Nebuchadnezzar was more external over the bodies of men this is more internal over their Mindes and Consciences and by consequence over their bodies also Secondly They thaâ—… were under the Jurisdiction of Nebuchadnezzar had they been left to their free choyce they would have been glad to have enjoyed their liberty but now for those that lived in subjection to the See of Rome for the most part the matter was far otherwise with them they would not be free if they might The Kings of the Earth divided in Interests and in many Civil respects all of them could agree in this one thing To give their Power to the Beast Rev. Ch. 17. They thought they could not be saved unless in all Realms there was a Universal subjection to this Headship given by Christ himself as they thought to Peter and his Successors And for the time of the publick Institution of this Universal Headship there were some preparations and previous workings towards the setting up of this Power but there was no publick Establishment thereof till the time of the Emperor Phocas Let us hear what Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments speaketh concerning this matter Pag. 108. Col. 2. But Rome saith he would not so soon lose the Supremacy once given as the giver lost his life For ever since from that day she hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by all force and policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whom by the words of Gregory we may call the Fore-runner of Antichrist For as Gregory brought in the style Servus Servorum So this Boniface brought into their heads first Volumus Mandamus Statuimus Praecipimus that is We Will and Command We Injoyn and Charge you The same is mentioned by Paraens in his Commentary upon the Revelation Chap. 6. ver 12. From whence I gather As the Bishops of Rome have had a Mandatory Power in and over the Church so this first began in the time of the Emperor Phocas in the Decree of the Universal Headship Thirdly Let us consider the persons who they are that are subject to his Power He commandeth all both small and great rich and poor to receive a Mark. The greatness of rich men cannot procure a toleration neither can the meanness of poor men exempt them by their poverty Bullinger upon the place speaketh very pithily We see saith he that Emperors Kings Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons Realms Countreys Cities Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Prelates Doctors Clerks and Lay men obey him And also men of the greatest Power Riches Wisdome together with the poor people There is no such Kingdome and so diversly compact in the whole world no not among the Mahometans And all these are willingly subject to the Seat yea they have perswaded themselves that they cannot well live and that they cannot be saved unless they be subject to the See of Rome So far Bullinger From hence we gather that the event doth fully answer the Prophecy for we see by experience how all the world hath worshipped the Beast and received his Mark. And whereas some to illude this truth have pleaded that the Popish Churches in France do not own the Pope for Head of the Church We will easily grant that they may not be so strictly obliged to the Popes Chair in some temporal respects yet it is too plain that his Authority is set up in their Consciences and that they are subject to his Laws Fourthly Let us consider the punishment to be inflicted upon those that have not the Mark in the Forehead and in the right-hand they are forbidden to buy or sell. Mr. Mede doth take this for Excommunication or casting out of Church-fellowship But rather the words signifie a cutting off from all civil commerce among men Yea if we compare the Scriptures we shall finde that it was present death for any man to refuse to have the Mark in the forehead and in the right-hand Therefore when Iohn saw the Souls of those that were beheaded for the Word of God and the testimony of Iesus that had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark Chap. 20. ver 4. he doth plainly shew that the beheading was for the Non-worship of the Beast and for the not receiving of the Mark We may conclude then when men are exempted from buâ—…ing and selling this is a Synecdoche By this one all other kindes of punishment whatsoever are understood And thus we have seen the matter of the Law the Law-maker the persons subject to the Law and the penalty upon all such as shall refuse subjection Let us now come to the several particulars which concern the right calculation of the Number First For the Person who it is that must make the discovery It is such a one as hath wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
c. Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast c. The discovery then must be by understanding But here we are not to conceive such a kinde of wisdome as lyeth meerly in Mathematical subtilties For how can it be imagined that the holy Spirit and that under the highest penalties should give such serious warning to the Church to beware of receiving the Mark of the Beast the Name and the Number of the Name and these things be onely discoverable to them that have skill in the Mathematicks You will say What wisdome is here intended I answer such a skill and dexterity onely by which men are able to render the mystical and figurative expressions of the Prophecy in their true natural sense and construction The like expression is used Rev. 17. 9. Here is the minde that hath wisdome the seven Heads are seven Mountains where the woman sitteth By wisedome he doth here mean a sagacity and skill to expound the Parables and mystical expressions of the Prophecy in their bare sense and signification And so in the present case when he speaketh of the Name and Universal Headship of the Beast and the Number of the Name it is not to be doubted but that he pointeth to some method of Account famously known in the days of Iohn And whereas he doth not openly and plainly but under dark terms express the matter to wit that it is the Number of a Man and the Number 666 By this he doth imply that some kinde of wisdome is to be used in the true calculation and discovery of the Number You will say If there be 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome why is not this expressed in plain and significant terms By the like manner of reasoning you may argue Why doth the Spirit through the whole body of the Prophecy carry on the description of the state of the Church in a figurative mystical and typical way of expression He might if he had so pleased have said in so many syllables that the seven Heads of the Beast are so many Mountains of the City of Rome and so many Heads of Roman Government But he doth rather use a dark circumlocution of a woman sitting upon a Beast with seven Heads He doth use such an hidden way of expressing these things in Emblems and Figures that pious men might bestow the more diligence in searching the Stories of the Church Paraeus in his Commentary upon the Râ—…velatun Chap. 17. v. 7. speaketh to the same purpose Piis vero interpretatione aenigmatic à aurem veâ—…icare voluit spiritus ut subinde in suorum temporum eventus atque Historias invigilarâ—…nt And if we come to example we shall finde That the â—…even Trumpets are delivered in a very dark and mystical manner For after that the Angel had offered much incense with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar before the Throne then the seven Angels began to sound When the first Angel sounded there followed Hail and Fire mingled with Blood Chap. 8. ver 7. When the second Angel sounded a Mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea ver 8. And when the third Angel sounded a great Star fell from Heaven into the Rivers and Fountains and the Name of the Star is Wormwood ver 10 11. Here it is plain That by these Emblems and Figures so many Judgements of God in a succession are said to fall upon the world for their persecuting of the Saints For after the Prayers of all Saints were offered up on the Golden Altar upon the Throne then the seventh Angel began to sound As in the like case when Eliah fled to Horeb he made intercession against Israel saying I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and killed thy Prophets and I am left alone and they seek my life to take it away In answer to this Prayer the Lord bade him go out and stand upon the Mount 1 Kings 19. 11 12 13. And as he stood first the Lord passed by and a great and a strong Wind rent the Mountaine and after the Wind there was an Earthquake and after the Earthquake a Fire Here if we would inquire after the signification of these three Emblems for we cannot otherwise think but that something is specially intended in Visions of this nature the Lords own interpretation will shew the meaning of this in the words that follow He that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Ieâ—…u sâ—…ay and he that escapeth the sword of Ieâ—…u shall Elâ—…shah sâ—…ay Here then are three Judgements in a succession the Wind the Earthquake and the Fire And for the still small voice that is expressed in these words I have reserved to my self seven thousand men that have not bowed the knee to Baal ver 18. Now if you go to the seven Trumpets it is clear That they are so many Judgements of God that come one after another upon the world for their Idolatry and for their killing of the Saints But who shall assure us what is certainly meant by each Trumpet What is meant by the Hail mingled with fire by the Mountain burning with fire Who shall assure us what is meant by these Types seeing the Spirit doth not set down his meaning as he doth in the Vision represented to Elias We should in this case have recourse to the Body of the Stories of the Church For I am perswaded That the Lord doth on set purpose deliver these things more Aenigmatically and Figuratively that we should attentively consider the way of his dealing in judging the World and in delivering his Church O how far then do they go out of the true way who are Enemies against all secular Learning in the profitable and sober use thereof God doth of set purpose carry on the whole Prophecy so darkly because we should turn every way for the discovery of the truth And this is the reason wherefore he doth speak so mystically concerning the Name of the Beast the Number of a Man and the Number 666. Further also we are to consider That seeing the Kingdom of the Beast was to be set up by deceiving of the Nations it was not needful to speak every Circumstance plainly to the understanding of men How should the Beast have deceived the world if his deceits and pious frauds if the time of his Kingdome and every particular should have been fully discovered There is then a peculiar sort of people to whom the Lord hath given a special desire to look into the things contained in this Book of the Revelation and they have in some measure an ability though others are dark to understand the meaning of the Spirit in his deep and mystical expressions In the several Epistles to the seven Churches in Asia this is added in the close of all He that hath an ear let him hear what
the Spirit saith to the Churches There are many excellent things that he speaketh to the Churches in the way of Reproof in the way of Advice and in the way of Comfort yet onely he that hath an ear to hear will understand the meaning of his words And so in the present case when it is said Here is wisdome let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast This implieth That this matter must be found out by some subtilty of observation The person that doth inquire must be such a one as hath wisdome Secondly For the manner of discovery it must be by calculation of the Number and therefore it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him count the Number of the Beast The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth such a kinde of Numbring as is by Counters or Stones of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapillus Calculus But in the ordinary and common use it doth promiscuously note any kinde of reckoning And therefore it is said concerning the man that went about to build a Tower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he counteth or reckoneth the cost Luke 14. 28. And so in the present case there is a computation or way of account to finde out the mystery of the Number But here is the difference betwixt Interpreters some go to the extraction of the root some to the numeral Letters of the name Lateinos But of these we have spoken in part already and we shall further shew the vanity of this way in the process of the Discourse We will therefore come positively and plainly to set down the meaning of the Spirit And we shall finde That there is nothing more familiar in the Predictions of Prophetical Scriptures then for the Spirit to foretel remarkable occurrences by a definite number of years to every such occurrence Of many Examples that may be given take these few When the Lord would give Noah warning concerning the Flood he told him That such a Number of years should fulfil their course and then the Flood should come My Spirit shall not alway strâ—…ve with man yet his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty years Gen. 6. 3. So when he made a Promise to Abraham that he would give to his Posterity the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance he told him That 400 years should run compleat to the performance of the Promise Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years and afterwards they shall come out with great substance Gen. 15. 13 14 15. Further when the people of the Jews were carried captive into Babylon in the times of Ieâ—…kims Captivity to these the Prophet Ieremy did send a Consolatory Letter in which he did declare two things of eminent note Their remarkable deliverance and the overthrow of the Babylonian Empire Yet withall â—…e did declare That seventy years must first be fulfilled and accomplished at Babylon before their deliverance wiâ—… come And these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years and when seventy years are accomplished then will I visit the King of Babylon Jer. 25. ver 11 12. And again Thus saith the Lord After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return unto this place Jer. 29. 10 11. Last of all when Daniel himself was mâ—…sing on the truth of the Promise of God and gave himself to understand the Times and to pray in faith for the accomplishment of the Promises he had a further discovery of the seventy weeks that should lead him to the times of the Messiah to his Passion to the Preaching of the Gospel among all Nations and to the destruction of Ierusalem Now to the performance of these things it was shewed to him That there must be seventy Sevens or seventy weeks of years or 490 years in all to begin and commence from the building of the second Temple which line of years if he followed it would bring him to that time when all these things should be fulfilled By these Examples it is manifest That it is a frequent thing in Prophetical Scriptures to foretell future occurrences and to shew the Number of years that shall pass before the event If this be so we have a rational ground to build upon when we make 666 the Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome But for the further clearing of the truth That the study and the calculation of the Prophetical years is said to be wisdome we can make this appear by some special Examples out of Scripture We reade in the the Prophecy of Daniel In the first year of Darius the son of Ahashuerosh of the seed of the Medes which was made King over the Realm of the Caldeans in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the Number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Ieremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Ierusalem Dan. 9. 1 2 3. Concerning Darius the Mede there is a great Controversie among Chronologers whether he came to the Kingdome of the Caldeans by Conquest or by free Election But let that point be what it will be all do agree in it That Darius the Mede raigned immediately before Cyrus the Persian And it is as clear also by the stories of the times That the first year of Darius the Mede was upon the very dawning of the Churches deliverance In this year then Daniel gave himself to study by books the Number of years that the Lord would accomplish in the Churches desolations In him then by the way let us note That they who have the greatest fulness of Spirit are chiefly imployed in the meditation of the Scriptures And they who are conversant in the Prophetical Scriptures are many times helped out in the knowledge of these things by the Sacred and the Civil Stories But now let us take notice of the process and order of his meditations First he did lay it as a general ground That seventy years must be expired before deliverance will come But now saith he the seventy years of the desolations of Ierusalem begin almost to be fulfilled Therefore in these times we are almost come to the promised deliverance And thereupon he did pray with great faith in the Promises of God as appeareth by the scope of the Chapter Here now in this Syllogism Daniel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by two known Numbers he did finde out a third unknown His major Proposition was the Prophecy of Ieremy his Assumption was his own experience and the Chaldee Registers of the Time and his Conclusion was the approach of the delivery of the Church And the whole operation in computing the times was by wisdome For these are the words of the Text I Daniel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understood by books Piscator
to himself by Revelation but to some others also by search For how could it be possible that a Government to come might be discoverable by a Number and that Number not extant How great a torment would it be for a man to assay to do that thing that were altogether impossible From which words of his I do conclude That the Number which must discover the Name of the Beast must be some way extant in the days of Iohn If this be so what Number was then more familiarly known then the Number by the four divisions and parts of the Body of Man by and through which Daniel doth number the four persecuting Empires of the world Therefore we may well conclude That this Prophetical Chronologie was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of a Man meant in the Text. Object You will say That the four great Empires in Daniels Image were all destroyed before the coming of Christ in the flesh and therefore no way sutable or apt to number the times of the new Prophecy Sol. By the same reason you may say That five forms of Government were fallen in the City of Rome Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Therefore these several forms of account are not fit to decypher the Beast in the last and Antichristian edition of Roman Government And this were plainly to 〈◊〉 against the scope of the Text Rev. 17. But in the present case we answer It is true that the Babylonian the Mede-Persian and the Graecian Empires were fully destroyed before the coming of Christ but this is not true of the Roman for that stood in fulness of power when Iohn wrote the Revelation If therefore the people living in his times had made their account from the beginning of the Roman as the onely remaining Empire of the four by a line of 666 years they would have come to that particular instant where the Name and Universal Headship of the Beast should begin And so by the Number of a Man by that Prophetical Chronologie they might have discovered the times of the rising of the second Beast a priori Now whereas many learned men in these times are of opinion That all the old Prophets do end at Christ and that none of their Predictions are repeated in the new Prophecy I yield that this is true in part but it is not universally true for there are some things declared in the old Prophets which are more distinctly and fully set down in the Revelation Beza in his Preface speaketh to excellent purpose Spiritum Sanctum in hunc pretiosum librum congerere voluâ—…sse quae ex superiorum Prophetarum praedictionibus implenda supererant nonnulla addidisse quae nos interesse cognovit And this is true in the four metal-Metal-Kingdoms in Daniels Image For what is more briefly and more darkly delivered in that Prophecy concerning the Roman as the fourth metal-Metal-Kingdom is more fully and clearly revealed by the Spirit in the Revelation And therefore had the people that lived in the days of Iohn computed the times from the beginning of the Roman Kingdom for this was the onely surviving and remaining Kingdom of the four by a line of 666 years they had been carried upon the year of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome upon that time when the Name and the Mark of the Name of the Beast did begin Lastly the Number of a Man in the Text must be so expounded that it may also be the Number of the Beast for though ordinarily a Man hath nothing to do with a Beast there being so great a difference in their kindes yet the words of the Text are plain Let him that hath wisdome count 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…r it is the Number of a Man In this sense of the Text thâ—…n the Number of the Beast and the Number of a Man be all one and here is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it may 〈◊〉 â—… to be For aâ—… Daniel describeth the four great Emâ—…es by so many parts of the Body of Man Chap. 2. So he â—…escribeth the same Empires under the type and similitude of â—…our Beasts Chap. 7. In the present case then the Number of the Beast and the Number of a Man are all one And that which may make for the more abundant confirmation of the truth all Interpreters some few excepted do agree That the Little Horn in the 7 of Daniel is the Emblem and Type of the Papacy and that it is all one with the two-horned Beast mentioned in the Revelation And therefore when the Spirit saith Let him that hath wisdome count the Number of the Beast for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of a Man he doth but refer us to that ancient Prophetical way of account by the members and parts of the Body of a Man in Daniels Image Therefore seeing all Circumstances do agree and we finde it true in the event we may conclude that the calculation by the times of Daniels Image is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of a Man meant in the Text. But that this may better take with the Reader we will make a brief Narrative in what order and by what degrees we came to be of this judgement It may be when he shall finde the process of this discovery to be upon probative grounds this will give him the fuller and the surer satisfaction The first thing I builded upon was The subject of the Number For I found by the whole scope of the Prophecy as I have formerly proved that the name of the beast is no other but his Universal Headship and Power And therefore for the discovery of the Number the true work was to finde out the Number of the Universal Headship and here was the first degree of discovery Therefore they who have spent their time about the word Lateinos and the numeral Letters of that or such like Grammatical names have but wasted their time and have erred in the very beginning of the work Therefore I did conclude That the Name was the Universal Headship and that the â—…umber was the Number of the Uniniâ—…ersal Headship and no other And this was the first step Secondly for the discovery of the Number I did observe That in every Mathematica Proposition that is dubious three things are specially observable First the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where both the subject and the predicate are propounded and so here the datum or the subject is the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast The quaesitum or the praedâ—…cate is 666. The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Exposition of the Antecedent that is given or of the subject of the Demonstration and so as I have formerly spoken the Name of the Bâ—…ast I found to be no other then his Universal Power and Headship The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the definition and explanation of the Predicate or of the Consequent And so the great
between this way of writing to the understanding both ways do come but to one sense if you go to the sum of the matter For if you would speak of a thing to be done in one of the years of the Lord as in thiâ—… present year for instance Is not 1654 in figures all one with One thousand 〈◊〉 hundred fifty and four in letters written at length Do not we decypher the years of the Lord in our common way of writing by figures in brief as well as by words in their full delinearion If none can deny this we may conceive the like of the meaning of the Spirit when he saith that the Number of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as much as to say the 666th year is the Number of time when this Government shall begin to be 〈◊〉 up But â—…eeing there have been in former Ages and now there are that are doâ—…ing ripe upon the Numeral Letters I do here seriously put it to them to 〈◊〉 me their opinion concerning the two Letters of the Greek Alphabet α and ω. The question is proper to the purpose in hand for they may well observe as the Lamb standeth in direct opposition to the Beast the Name and Soveraignty of the Lamb to the Soveraignty of the Beast so the Number of the Name or Dominion of the Lamb if oppositio be in eodem must necessarily be opposed to the Number of the Name or Dominion of the Beast But for the Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none that ever went about to find out the Anagram of the Name of the Lamb in the Elements of the Greek Alphabet These Characters do not set forth any literal Name nor the Numeral Letters of any Grammatical word but they do denote and set forth the infinity and eternity of his Kingdom For when he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is all one with that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first and the last which is which was and which is to come the Almighty Chap. 1. v. 8 11. So in immediate opposition to those Characters of the Kingdom of the Lamb the Number of the Name or Headship of the Beast is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666 according to the Calculation of the times in Daniels Image For as the Characters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we take them severally in themselves they may be ascribed to any kinde of Infinity in the Lambs Kingdom he may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in reference to Place Power and time But in the Book of the Revelation it is necessary that these Characters should be restrained onely to the Number of time So in the like case the Number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may many ways be applied to the Beasts Kingdom but in the natural and genuine sense of the Prophecy this doth onely denote such a Number of time to the setting up of his Kingdom Now for the further confirmation of this truth let us call to minde what is written in the Prophecy of Daniel concerning the Ancient of Days I beheld till the Thrones were cast down or more properly I beheld till the Thrones were set and the Ancient of Days did sit whose garment is as white as snow and the hair of his head like the pure wooll Ch. 7. v. 5. In these words why is God the Father called The Ancient of days why is the hair of his head compared to the pure wooll This doth note the eternity of his Kingdom in immediate opposition to the four great Periods of time set forth by the Tyranny of the four great Empires of the World So the same is â—…aid concerning the Dominion of the Son of Man that his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed ver 14 Here then if we demand Why the Kingdom of the Son of Man is called An everlasting Kingdome This is in immediate opposition to the several and respective times of the four Beasts their Kingdoms had an end and they were destroyed but the Kingdom of the Son of Man is an everlasting Kingdome that never shall be destroyed According to this Analogie do we conform the Exposition of the Number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of the Kingdome of the Lamb we do oppose it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of the Name of the Beast And so Iohn in the Revelation and Daniel in his Prophecy do agree in the Numbers and in the same method and way of account For when the Son is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First and the Last in the order of time is not this all one with that passage in Daniel His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion But because many stand upon the Letters we will cite the famous Canon of Ptolomy where the Kings of Babylon of Persia of Greece and Rome are set forth by the Characters of the Greek Alphabet It is useful to illustrate many passages in this Book and therefore it followeth as hereunder written De Epochâ Nabonassareâ Ex Manuscripto libro Graeco Claudii Ptolomaei continente Hypothesâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 54 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 55 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 59 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 67 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 80 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 100 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 122 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 143 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 186 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 188 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Number of his Government is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 193 for in that year he did begin to Reign from the beginning of Nabonassar And so of the rest The like may be said in the present case of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome that from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal Kingdom the Number of his Name or Government is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666 Onely the difference is in the manner of the Computation For when we account the times of Darius Nebuchadnezzar and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Number of Nabonassar But when we account the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome and the beginning thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Number in Daniels Image in the way of the Prophetical Chronologie figuratively called the Number of a Man Let us carry the matter to Antiochus Epiphanes the Graecian Antichrist Of the beginning of his Reign and Government it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he reigned in the 137 year of the Kingdome of the Greeks 1 Mac 1. 11. If we will draw this matter into figures the Number of his Name or Government is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 137. And for the way and method of account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Number of the Kingdome of the Greeks for in such a year of their Kingdome he began to Reign If we apply this to the Roman Antichrist to the beginning of the Universal Headship under the Emperor Phocas we may say that he began that Dominion in the year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For from that time as the Church of God came under the Dominion of the Romans there is such an exact Number of years Many more instances might be brought out of Antiquity to shew how it hath been the manner of the Ancients to reckon the Times and the Changes of Government by the Characters of the Greek Alphabet But these shall suffice Now to gather all into one sum I have compared the Interpretation with all the particulars of the Text. I have shewed what is meant by the Law what by the Beast that made the Law what by the Persons that did receive the Mark in their Forehead and in their Right-hand I have largely discoursed also concerning the Calculation of the Number who the Person is that is to make the discovery what the Calculation is what is meant by the Number of a Man and what by 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Heaâ—…ship of the Bishop of Rome And seeing I finde all things to agree therefore I conclude That this is a true Interpretation For the confirmation of this let us go to the next Chapter CHAP. IX The Truth of the Interpretation is further confirmed from the scope of the Seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation HEre all solid Expositors do agree That the same matter is handled again which was formerly discoursed of in the 13th Chapter The thing is not aliud aliud another and another though it be delivered aliter aliter in another and another manner That which is there spoken concerning the Beast as a King or Potentate is here applied to an Idolatrous or Whorish Church But let us hear the words of the Text So he carried me away in the Spirit into the Wilderness and I saw a woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast full of the Names of Blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Horns v. 3. This Woman is an Idolatrous Church and if we look to the whole scope of the description she can be no other but the Roman Idolatrous Church That this is meant of the City of Rome is clear from the 9th Vers. The seven Heads are seven Mountains where the Woman sitteth Now all Stories do agree That Rome was seated upon seven Hills and was famous through all the world by the title of Septi-collis or The Seven-hilled City And to put all out of question the Angel saith The Woman which thou sawest is the great City that reigneth over the Kings of the Earth ver 18. Now what was the Great City which in the days of Iohn reigned over all earthly Kings but the City of Rome There are such clear Characters in the Text that the Ancients who lived before the fall of the Empire did all agree in it That Rome was the City Babylon And the Jesuits in these days who of all men living are the most active to hide the meaning of this Scripture do yield that Rome is here intended But how Not Rome Christian but Rome Pagan To this we reply Though the Apostle doth make mention of Rome Pagan yet he doth primarily intend Rome Christian or rather Rome Antichristian Let it be considered what Title is given to her and so not onely in this Chapter but in other places she is called The Whore of Babylon In Scripture-language this Name is onely given to Idolatrous Churches We never or at least seldome reade in the Writings of the Prophets of the Whore of Egypt of the Whore of Edom of the Whore of Tyrus or of the Whore of Damascus this Title is usually given to Samaria and Ierusalem to the Churches of Israel and Iudah as they did fall away from the Worship of the true God to serve other gods And therefore Hosea in the Vision was to take a wife of fornications because the land had committed great whoredome in departing from the Lord Hos. 1. 2. So the Prophet Ezekiel being to speak of the spiritual fornications of Samaria and Ierusalem calleth the one Aholah and the other Aholibamah Ezek. 23. 4. From these and many other Scriptures it is evident That the Title is usually given to Idolatrous Churches which have departed away from Christ their lawful Husband So then if the Whore of Babylon doth signifie Rome this must needs be applied to Rome Christian as she did break her Marriage-Covenant with Christ and yield her self up to another Husband For Rome Pagan was never married to Christ and therefore though she might be called Babylon in the figure yet she is not the Whore of Babylon Secondly she is described in the Text having a Golden Cup in her hand By which amorous poâ—…ion she did entice the Kings of the Earth to commit fornication with her Now this doth not appertain to Rome Pagan but to the Romish Church which hath greatly deceived the Kings of the Earth by her Idolatries and Superditions Thirdly it is clear from the scope of the Text That the Woman doth ride the Beast in its last and renewed State in the times of the ten Kings for these shall carry the Whore and shall be wholly at her devotion till the words of God be fulfilled and after that they shall hate her as much and burn her flesh with fire If we apply this to Rome Pagan there is nothing will agree for she had no beeing in the times of the Ten Kings But all things may be
Name of any one particular man as Bellarmine doth in the Names of some Protestant Divines Whereas to speak properly the Name of the Beast is the Name of a Tyrannical State or Government Secondly they also do depart far from the Truth that will have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the Name of the Beast And though indeed the Name doth make 666 according to the Numeral Letters in the Greek Alphabet this cannot be the sense For though the Turks make a Tyrannical Empire and have greatly afflicted the Church yet the scopâ—… of the Spirit is here mainly to speak of a Roman Tyrannical State in the last edition and this is clear from the scope of the whole Prophecy Princ. 2. The Name of the Beast his Mark Image and the Number of his Name ought so to be expounded that all these may have mutual relation each to other This is proved from the Text Chap. 13. ver 15 16 17 18. Chap. 14. ver 9 10 11. For there the persons who did worship the Image of the Beast are also said to receive his Mark in their Forehead and in their Right-hand Now how is it possible that they could receive the Mark but they must also receive the Name sith it is called The Mark of the Name And how can they receive the Name but they must receive the Number seeing it is styled The Number of the Name All these are Homogeneal and have near relation each to other And therefore when Iohn did behold that company that stood upon the glassie Sea mingled with fire and did sing the triumphal Song in honor to the Lamb they are said to overcome the Beast his Image Mark and the Number of his Name Therefore all these have a neer affinity and correspondence each with other From whence we may convince those Interpreters of error who do distinguish the Subjects of the Beast into divers kindes into those that worship the Image into others that receive the Mark into a third sort that have the Number of the Name Whereas according to the Text the same persons that worship the Image receive the Mark and the Number thereof Secondly those Expositors are too blame which do not ground their Demonstration upon these things but do immediately proceed to calculate the Number Mr. Potter in his Treatise endeavoreth to finde out the Number in six things in the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome as they stand opposite to six things in the New Ierusalem But in my apprehension he doth not lay a right foundation for the Number which he is to calculate is the Number of the Name of the Beast and the Number is answerable to the Mark. Therefore the proper work which he hath to do is to handle these matters and not six things in the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome immediately opposed to six things in the description of the New Ierusalem Princ. 3. The Name of the Beast his Mark and Number must necessarily begin at the first Visible Constitution of his Dominion and continue in all times to the end thereof For the first Visible Constitution we reade That as soon as the second Beast came up out of the Earth he made an Image to the Beast and caused all to worship the Image and to receive a Mark in their Forehead Chap. 13. ver 14 15 16 17. Now this was not done onely at the time of the beginning but in all the times of that Kingdome from the beginning to the end For the Vials were poured out upon them that worshipped the Beast and received the Mark Chap. 16. ver 2. And at the ending of the Beasts Kingdome when the eternal Gospel is preached to every Kindred Tongue and Nation then are the threatnings denounced against all those that worship the Beast and receive the Mark Chap. 14. ver 9 10 11. From whence we gather That the Name Mark and Image must be in all the times of the Kingdome of the Beast According to this Rule how can Iunius apply the Number of the Beast to the Canon-Law How can he make it appear that this Law hath been in force all the times of that Kingdome Mr. Potter also when he doth apply this Number to the Cardinals Gates and other circumstances in the City of Rome how can he prove that these have been in all the times of that Kingdom He doth mainly stand upon it That the Cardinals are the very Essence of the Papacy so nearly united to the Pope that they make one Body containing and representing all Ecelesiastical Iurisdiction Well be it so but how proveth he this Colledge to have been in all the times of the Beasts Kingdome I do willingly yield to that solid determination of his I conceive saith he the second Beast mentioned Rev. 13. ver 11. to be that unlawful Ecclesiastical Power which these latter times have setled upon the Pope And I believe that he is the Great Anti-Christ not as Bishop or Archbishop or Patriarch but as he pretends himself Pope and Vicar of Christ having such a transcendent Ecclesiastical Power as is incommunicable to any other upon Earth pag. 55. This Testimony I take to be a plain Scripture-truth and for my part I do believe Though the Mystery of Iniquity was long in working the Bishop of Rome did not begin to be the solemn Antichrist and the two-horned Beast did not rise up out of the earth till the times of the Universal Headship In this I do fully agree with the Author aforenamed But yet with submission to a better judgement I cannot understand how the Colledge of Cardinals or the other five particular Circumstances applied to the Hierarchy of Rome how these began at the time of the declaration of the Universal Headship or how they have continued in all the times of the Beasts Kingdome from the beginning to the end thereof Now it is apparently evident That the Name and the Mark have been applicable to the Kingdome of the Beast in all the times thereof Princ. 4. In submitting to in worshipping the Image and in receiving the Mark the Name and the Number of the Name hath been the great sin of the world in departing from Christ. This may be proved from the whole scope of the Prophecy the great deceiving of the Nations in all Antichristian times hath been in the matter of the worship of the Image and receiving the Mark Chap. 20. ver 1 2 3. Chap. 13. ver 15 16 17 18. From whence I further argue That the Number 25 cannot be proved to be the Number of the Name of the Beast neither hath the Apostacy of the world consisted in the frequent and superstitious use of this Number For how doth a State sin when they use such a particular Number as this The Philistims were a people given to superstitious observations yet I cannot see how they did sin in the observation of the Number 5 when they did send five Golden Emerods and five Golden Mice 1 Sam. 6. 4.
things are most necessary for the Calculation of the Times and for the Exposition of the Prophecies But whereas Mr. Potter doth wholly build upon the extraction of the square-root in a figurate Number I cannot see how this doth agree with the practise of the Spirit in other Scriptures I must needs confess that he speaketh very rationally in these words as they follow I have saith he but beaten made plain the same path which Mr. Forbes and other Commentators have trodden out before But I am now come to the place where they either stood still or turned out of the way They say that the Number 12 is the square root of 144 why then do they not proceed in the same Method to finde out the root of the Number of the Beast seeing they say it is opposed to the Number 144 These learned men cannot be supposed to be guilty of so much nescience as to be ignorant of the square-root of a Number Rather they thought it unbeseeming the Wisdome of God and the Majesty of the Scripture to wrap up such Divine Mysteries in Humane Inventions But be it what it will be it is the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetick it is that also in and through which many famous inventions have been brought to light And the words themselves also do insinuate that the discovery is to be made by wisdome So far Mr. Potter pag. 47. In this I do agree with him That it is the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetick in some good measure to extract the square-root of any figurate Number yet for all that I cannot see when the Spirit either in Daniel or in the Revelation doth speak of Tyrannical States or Empires under divers Emblems and Figures that we should discover and finde out these Governments by calculating the square-root of any Number but rather we should go to the Chronologie of the Times and the Stories of the Church And in this sense we hold That Humane Learning is exceeding necessary And for the invention of the square-root it is very necessary in its kinde Princ. 15. The Number ought so in special to be expounded that it may be in some sort discoverable to the people that lived in the days of John and in the ages immediately following though they lived before the beginning of the Beasts Kingdome Therefore when it is said Let him that hath wisdome count the Number of the Beast S. Iohn in these words speaketh to the people that lived in his days and in the ages immediately following that by this they should understand the signs of the coming of the Man of Sin And he doth yet further shew in what Revolution of Time he shall appear There are seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and the Beast that comes out of the Bottomless Pit he is the eighth In which words of his he doth plainly shew That when seven Forms of Government are fallen in the City of Rome then the Beast shall begin as the eighth Potentate At the same time also he saith That the Roman Empire shall be divided into ten inferiour Kingdomes that these have no beeing as yet but receive a Kingdome one hour with the Beast By the collation of both these Scriptures it is clear That the Number was discoverable in the times of Iohn and not onely to Iohn by Revelation but to others also that would imploy themselves by search From hence then we may clearly discern That they are in an error who would have the Number 666 to be the Number of the time of the rising of the Beast and yet make their account by the years of the Lord. So Danaeus in his Treatise de Antichristo The Spirit of God in that place saith he medleth not with Arithmetical signification of Letters but with the Time and Number of years wherein those things shall be accomplished that are there spoken of and for the particular time he referreth us to the year 666 pag. 13 14. Alstedius saith Denotatur tempus quo Antichristus inchoaturus regnum suum scil anno 666 quo tempore coepit Papa maxime dominari Theol. Polem Part. 4. Controv. 5. pag. 388. The like is said By Eckard the Lutheran and others Though in this matter we do agree with the forenamed Expositors That about the 666th year from the birth of the Lord the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome was set up though this be true in some latitude of speech yet it cannot be the meaning of the Text. For what knowledge had the people that lived in the days of Iohn and in the ages immediately following of the account by the year of the Lord Why should not the Christians that lived in Spain finde out the Number by the Spanish Aera The Christians in Aegyâ—…t and Africa by the Aera of Dioclesian And the Christians under the Emperors of Constantinople by the Indictions These and many other ways of account were anciently used Dyonisius the Less about the year 532 did begin to compute by the years of the Lord and that way of Computation came not into vulgar use many years after It is therefore very strange That men should Number the times of the beginning of the Beasts Kingdome after the account by the years of the Lord and yet certain hundred years after the Church should be wholly ignorant of that way of Computation And thus laying all things together we have proved by the concatenation and connexion of all particulars That ours is the true Interpretation because it doth agree with all the Body of the Circumstances fore-alledged And for other Expositions we have shewed the Reason why we cannot rest in them because in severall Principles more or less they do cross the meaning of the Spirit Now it remaineth that we compare the substance of our Interpretation with the scope of the Apostle S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. CHAP. XI A brief Description of the Doctrine of S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. And how he doth fully agree with the present Interpretation ALl Interpreters and Writers in a manner do agree in this That the Beast his Name and Image spoken of Rev. 13. are all one and the same in substance with the description of the Great Antichrist in the Thessalonians Let us come to the words of the Text. Vers. 1. 2. Now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together to him that ye be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled neither by Spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as though the day of Christ were at hand In these words there is some darkness in our English Translation for whereas the Translation hath it We beseech you Brethren by the coming of the Lord the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the cause of the coming of the Lord. The Apostle in the former Epistle having spoken of the coming of Christ to Judgement of the Resurrection from the
be deluded by the power of Satan What shall we think of the Oracles among the Heathen of the answer of the Gentile gods of the power which the Devil hath in those Countries that lye wholly under gross Idolatries There is no doubt to be made but that Satan had great power to deceive the world by wonders See August in his Book Of the City of God Lib. 10. Cap. 16. The Scripture also is very plain to the same purpose If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder cometh to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet or Dreamer of Dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Deut. 13. ver 1 2 3. In which words it is plain That the Truth may be set up in the Church of God according to the written Word and yet for the tryal of the sincerity of men God may suffer seducers to arise to do great things We have a large experience of this in all the times of the Beasts Kingdome For when our Saviour saith There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Mat. 24. 24. these things are specially spoken of the times of the Kingdome of Anti-Christ when the Devil by the permission of God had great power given to him to deceive the world by wonders and signs and great variety of Revelations From hence I am induced to believe That the answer given by the Crucifix at Winchester was reall and it was done by more then an ordinary power Let us consider the meaning of that place in the Prophecy of Zachary Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give showers of rain to every one grass in the field For the Idols have spoken vanity and the Diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams Chap. 10. ver 1 2. Here I demand How could the Idols speak vanity The word in the Original is Teraphim Idols made after the similitude of a Man With these Idolaters did usually consult in matters of great difficulty And Mr. Pemble upon the place saith It is very probable thâ—…t the Devil used the like feats to cozen the Iews as he did to the Greeks and other simple Gentiles And we may say the same touching the answer of the Rood God in his just judgement might suffer apostatizing Christians to be deceived by the immediate delusions of Satan because they did not receive the truth in the love of it that they might be saved But of all others that place of the Apostle is most proper to the purpose The Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with a hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Seeing the Apostle doth here so plainly speak of the Apostacy of the latter times and of the Prohibition of Marriage Meats and other lawful things all do agree in it That he pointeth to the times of Antichrists Kingdome Onely the great Question lieth here Why the Prohibition of Marriage is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Doctrine of Devils Mr. Mede in his learned Treatise concerning the Apostacy of the later times thinketh that this is Genitivus materiae a Genitive case of the matter because Daemons and the Souls departed are so much worshipped in the Papal Kingdome Though it is true in the general That Daemon-worship as he saith is used in that Kingdome yet it is not the meaning of this Text For here is plainly Genitivus efficientis a Genitive case of the efficient cause for the Doctrine of the Prohibition of Marriage is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Doctrine of Devils because it was brought into the Church by the suggestions of those impure Spirits to cast miserable mortals upon all occasions of sin If therefore we do determine the case that the Devil in the Rood did utter this voice touching the Marriage of Ministers God forbid it should be so it doth singularly agree with the words of the Apostle when he speaketh of the Prohibition of Marriage in Antichristian times that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Doctrine of Devils For to say truly The Prohibition of Marriage as it did continue for many hundred years together so it had its immediate original from the delusion of Satan Now for the fall of the house at Cleve or Calne we may probably believe That God might suffer the Devil to do great wonders for so Spondanus calls it mirandum to deceive the world What else should be the meaning of that place Rev. 20 He layed hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the Bottomless Pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the Nations no more ver 2 3. By this he doth tacitely imply That the whole time of the Beasts Kingdome was a time of the loosing of Satan in which God was preased to give him leave to do great wonders to deceive the world and therefore in the two last Verses of the former Chapter these words are expressed And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him with which he deceived them who had received the Mark of the Beast and them that worshipped his Image These both were cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with brimstone ver 20. When this was done an Angel came down from Heaven with a great Chain in his hand and bound the Dragon the old Serpent that he should deceive the Nations no more All this plainly declareth That in Antichristian times the Devil had freedome to do great wonders to deceive the Nations If therefore at the fall of the house they who stood against the Marriage of Ministers were marvellously delivered and those that stood for it were slain out-right or sorely bruised we must not wonder at these things The Devil can do great things to deceive them who forsake the Scriptures and the known Will of God to hang upon Visions Dreams and Revelations There was a time when the Devil could not touch a hair of Iobs head Thou hast made an hedge about him and his substance is increased in the Land yet we see when God did give leave the Devil could cause fire to come down from heaven to devour his sheep he could blow down
the house upon his Children by a violent wind he could do any thing when he was let loose And so truly the times of Antichrist were the times of the loosing of Satan God did permit him to do great things to deceive that kinde of people who had forsaken the plain way to Salvation written in the Word to look after dispensations of a higher light by Visions Dreams and Revelations Now then to make Application of all these things to our times my speech and exhortation is to them who amongst us have departed from Ordinances and from Scriptures and are now for extraordinary Revelations my earnest desire is to them That they would lay these things to heart If they go on if they build upon such uncertain grounds let them seriously consider whether they may not be deluded by the power of Satan and whether God in his just Judgment may not deliver them over to believe lies I will not make mention of that Sect which goeth under the Name of the Quakers what they are and who they are God knows I do desire to contain my self in such things as I have some experience of There have been some friends of my familiarity heretofore whom I did conceive to be people of good hope these as I have observed have departed first from the Ministery and then have come to slight the Written Word and then last of all to hang upon Revelations and extraordinary Enthusiasms of the Spirit I have seen a Book scattered abroad by these men it beareth the Title of Gerard Winstanley his new Law of Righteousness The argument of the Treatise is That the Propriety of Goods is the Curse laid upon the Creature That all things should lie in common and that the whole earth should be brought to a Publick Treasury For probation of this as he doth make some mention of the practise of the Apostles in the Primitive times and that which shall be in the future glorious estate of the Church so for the more special confirmation of this he doth depend upon an extraordinary Revelation as it is expressed pag. 57. In the beginning of the Treatise he doth distinguish three Ministrations the Ministration of Moses of Christ and of the Spirit And saith he as the worshippers in Moses Ministration envied those that worshipped the Son of Man So those who now worship Christ at a distance in their several Congregations and Forms and are most zealous these are the bitterest enemies to the Ministration of Christ in the Spirit pag. 14. But further when he comes to expound himself concerning the Ministration of the Spirit he slights all outward Forms and doth look onely to inward Teachings Now I will speak a word or two to the followers of this way I will not say in positive terms that they are led by the delusions of Satan neither will I judge of their final estate they stand or fall to their own Master yet nevertheless I may be so bold seeing they have so often in their mouths the Whore of Babylon and Come out of Babylon my people and that every thing is Antichristian not onely in Mâ—…nistery Magistracy but also in the propriety of goods to desire them to look home to their own hearts whether they are not most Antichristian themselves or whether that Spirit which did so strongly deceive the Antichristian world doth not deceive them also when they do believe and profess such things as are directly and diametrally contrary to Scripture For these men though I do desire to speak moderately of them yet in some particulars they are delivered over to deep delusions when they go so palpably against the written Word and pretend extraordinary Revelation It were good in this case that they would judge themselves that they do not prove in the event the greatest promoters of the Kingdome of the Beast I am perswaded that Gregory the Great was in the main a godly and zealous man yet it appeareth by his Dialogues that he did run into foul errors into Idolatry into wil-worship and the like when he left the Scriptures to follow Revelations This is the only word which I do desire to speak to them Secondly here is also a word of Admonition for all those who endevour in these times to extinguish Book-learning For though it is a most certain truth and much to be lamented that men have looked too much to Scholarship and have made an Idol of it for they have not regarded the inward teachings of the Spirit in the heart nor the Spiritual understanding of the Mystery of Salvation which are the principal qualifications to prepare and fit men for the Ministery These things I confess have been too much slighted and the slighting and neglect of them hath been a great cause of hurt to the Church of God and damage to the Souls of men This shall never be denied by me For how may we probably conceive that a Minister will come home with the Demonstration and Evidence of the Spirit so powerfully at least to the Conscience of the Hearer when he himself is altogether a stranger to these inward workings How can he so effectually bring home the lost Sons of men to Christ when he himself never had a true feeling of his lost condition They must needs then run into a great extream who dote so much upon Secular Learning and do neglect the chiefest thing But yet on the other side they go as far out of the way who would have this kinde of learning to be extinguished in the Church of God This I much fear may be one mean to throw the world back again upon Visions Dreams and Revelations to set up the Kingdome of Antichrist once more Now whereas it is alledged That there were excellent Preachers in the Apostles times when there were no Universities nor was there any Humane Learning acquired by study Though this should be granted those extraordinary Revelations are now ceased Therefore we must be contented to go in the ordinary way and not to look for those extraordinary distributions which were in the first times They who are for the dissolving of Universities and for the total cashiering of Humane Learning let them stay untill there be a renovation and a return of these extraordinary gifts unto the Churches Some are of opinion that such times shall come if that be true let them be patient till they do come However as the case doth stand for the present I believe they who take away Humane Learning do what in them lies to reduce the Antichristian times All do agree that in these times the Church was in an eclipse or great darkness Now let us inquire after the time of the emersion how the Church came out and the time of the immersion how she was brought into this darkness For the time of the emersion most do pitch upon it that she waded out of obscurity at the time of Luther when the eternal Gospel began to be preached to every Kindred Tongue and
all Nations to bring forth her Christ-like issue and by the Dragon with seven Heads and ten Horns we must necessarily understand the great persecuting Empire of the Romans which for 300 years did endeavor to devour her Childe When she was delivered the next attempt was to drown her with a stood of Barbarous Nations that came out of the North. After this she fled into the Wilderness and was there fed 1260 days So many years the Church was under Antichristian persecution When these times were ended and the Whore of Babylon burned then began the marriage of the Lamb and the New Ierusalem came from God out of Heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband All these are but Emblems and Figures of so many several changes and varieties that the outward Visible Church should meet withall upon the earth She doth very much resemble the Moon in her several forms and appearances The outward Visible Church is one and the same in substance but she is distinguished according to different relations in sundry changes of time These things are so clearly delivered in the whole body of the Prophecy that no further question may be made But to the Point in hand concerning the future glory that the Church shall injoy in the later days let us compare it with a passage in the Prophecy of Zachary The Prophet in the Vision looked and beheld a man with a measuring line in his hand Chap. 2. ver 1. Men go to measure when they build Cities and Towns and this is spoken in relation to the waste of Ierusalem mentioned in the former Chapter ver 12. How long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and the Cities of Iudah against which thou hast indignation this three score and ten years In opposition to this waste of the Church in all the times of the Babylonian captivity the Prophet in the Vision did see a man with a measuring line in his hand to measure Ierusalem to see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof The same things are spoken in effect Rev. 21. 15. The Angel had a golden Reed to measure the City and the gates thereof and the wall thereof and the City lieth four-square and the length is as large as the breadth And he measured the City with a Reod twelve thousand furlongs All these figurative expressions do set forth the repair of the Church in opposition to her waste in all Antichristian times For in the beginning of these times the Angel was commanded to rise and to measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein but to leave out the Court that was without the Temple and not to measure it for it was given to the Gentiles and the holy City should they tread under foot forty and two moneths Chap. 11. ver 1 2. The whole time of the Beasts Kingdome was the space of treading down the Holy City by Antichristian Gentiles In opposition to the waste and conculcation the Angel doth measure the walls of the New Ierusalem and doth foretel the repair of the Church and the restitution of that glorious state which she shall have in the latter times Much more might be spoken to the same purpose but this shall suffice to shew that the Tenet of the external glory of the Church will not bring us back again to Popery neither is it absolutely so in all although it may be Antichristian in the position of some Circumstances onely What if Rome Antichristian be called The Great City that ruleth over the Kings of the Earth Is not the New Ierusalem the Great City that cometh down from God out of Heaven What if Rome Antichristian be the Woman that is adorn'd with gold and silver and precious stones Chap. 17. Is the Bride the Lambs Wife altogether destitute of these Ornaments Are not the streets of the City all of gold like to transparent glass Rev. Chap. 21 What if Rome Antichristian be the City whose Merchants be the great men of the earth Rev. Chap. 18. Is not the New Ierusalem that City of whom also it is foretold that the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to her Do not all the Prophets specially the Prophet Isaiah speak of the call of the Jews and of the glory of that Church that shall be in the latter days From all that hath been said we may conclude though the outward splendor of the Church may be Antichristian in some cases it may be truly Christian in others CHAP. XV. Concerning thâ—…se things that are not Antichristian â—…ut are onely falsly so called by the Separation VVE will not go over all the Points but insist onely upon those that are of greatest moment to wit Magistracy and Ministery By these we may judge of the rest For the standing of the Magistracy they take it to be Antichristian because they have a power over other men and the Beast his Heads and Horns in the Revelation and Daniel they finde by reading That these do signifie Empires Dominions and the Kingdomes of the world But herein they are greatly deceived For in the Prophecies aforesaid the Beasts and their Horns do not absolutely signifie Empires Dominions but Idolatrous Empires and Dominions and not absolutely Idolatrous Empires but such Empires and Dominions which do Lord and Tyrannize it over the Church of God and do try the faith and patience of the Saints By many passages of the present Discourse we have sufficiently cleared the Point That when Christ shall begin his Reign upon Earth this will not be with the abrogation of all Magistracy Power and Authority onely the Authorities and Governments shall acknowledge him as indeed he is the onely Lord and Head of the Church The Reign of the Lamb is immediately opposed to the Reign of the Beast as therefore the Beast in the times of his Empire did not disannul the Being of Governments though they were under his Power and Headship no more will the Reign of the Lamb abrogate and take away the Governments of this world though they are made subject to his Laws Magistracy is the Ordinance of God they are guilty of a foul error then whosoever they be that shall go about to pluck up Magistracy under the colour and pretence of an Antichristian Encroachment But this engine now a-days is more principally used against the Ministery the great designs to throw the Ministery out of the consciences of the people and therefore they are told again and again That the Ministers are Antichristian in their Titles in their Ordination by Bishops in their Maintenance by Tythes c. For Antichristianism in Title to make this good they reckon up a defamed Catalogue of Names the Pope Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Parsons Vicars Curats But to this abundant satisfaction is given as by others so by the old Non-conformists themselves and specially by Mr. Ball in his Answer to Canne Among many other passages these are his own words pag. 45. To contend about