Beast is Affirm'd to be the Seventh Succession as Head and the Eighth as King The Sixth Succession is Litterally Affirm'd to be then in Being or now is that the Seventh King being the Christian Emperours was no Head It is Litterally Assur'd the Eighth King but Seventh Head call'd The Beast goes into Perdition and the Kingdom of Christ immediately Succeeds Now all these do so lead us in the True Line and Course of Time that we cannot be surer of the Course of the Seasons and Months that run along and fall out between Season and Season then we are of the Things which in Event or Matter of Fact and History run along all this Time from the Resurrection of our Lord and Answer the Symbols and Images of Prophecy Hereby then the Seals the Trumpets with the grand Events Compriz'd under Them are made most certain to Run along the Time of the Roman Empire from the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh at the Fullness of Time to his Appearance in the Fullness of Times or of All Time at the Kingdom of Christ Now if any one should say These Standards of Interpretation of Prophecy of Scripture are not sufficient to secure Interpretation according to them to be also according to the Mind and Sense of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy I should be Bold to say he either Contradicts what the Apostle hath said That Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation or he must suppose the Sense of the Apostle in these very words All Every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation are as or more Dark and more Hard to be Understood than the Darkest Prophecy of Scripture it self and Further That things may be made by Art or by Chance to fall into an Exact Harmony with the Word of Prophecy or that even a Serious well grounded Research of Scripture according to all the Commands and Encouragements of the Word of God and a keeping close to all the Rules of Scripture and Reason in such a Search may be all to no End or purpose we are never the Nearer to the Truth and Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy than if we had never search'd at all which how Opprobrious and how near to Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit It is so to say I leave to every serious Considerer to Judg. Now as to what I have my self done I cannot without Transcribing a Considerable Part of what I have already Written and made Publick shew How close I have kept to these Rules and Standards given by my self for Interpretation of Prophecy Nor will I presume to say any thing in the gross concerning it I will only first make my Humble Petition to any Person able to Weigh and to Consider and to Compare one part of Things with another that if I have been wanting in any one he would please by Free Entercourses to Remonstrate it to me and to allow Liberty of Debate upon it that so a due Care may be Taken to Vindicate Enlarge Strengthen or if necessity should so Require to Retract or Reform I will therefore here subjoyn but some of the grounds I have rested upon in the Interpretation of Prophecy according to a few Notes on these Standards as the Next Head of Discourse Proposed I First according to our General Scripture Account Fix Historical Time For the drawing then into one View the Types and Symbols of Prophecy from the Time the Spirit of Prophecy was pleas'd to Compose it into a Scheme and had prepar'd so to do I have consider'd the Archetypal Vision of Ezekiel's Temple and City c. 40. to the End Representing the Kingdom of Christ in its Glory and the New Jerusalem also having the Glory of God Now when this was once given it becomes a Standard gives Types to the State of the Church of God from that Time among the Jews before Christ and in the Days of our Lord in the Flesh then of the Jewish and Gentile Christian Church in all the States of it either in the Dartings out of the Glory of it or the Stops Stays and Darknings of its Glory because as is Evident both by Scripture and Experience that Glory hath been and yet is under so long a Delay from the Time of that Vision given to this Day Now this I have all along observ'd from Prophetick Vision to Prophetick Vision through the Prophecy of Daniel and of the Revelation in those Express References to that as I justly call it Archetypal Vision from the very giving it to the End And I Account it as a Pole-star like the Star that Led the Wise men to Christ so this Vision shapes an Unerring Course to the Kingdom of Christ And because one Principal Point in that Vision of Ezekiel was the Throne Leading to the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem Ezek. 4. 3. 7. and Rev. 22. 3. And that there was to be as I have said so long a Delay Soon after the Vision of Ezekiel given There is a Vision given to Daniel c. 2 in Nebuchadnezzars Image and of Four Beasts c. 7. describing Four Monarchies as Four Thrones which should successively reach to the Kingdom and Throne of Christ And then as it is expresly said the Thrones were east down these Counter Thrones to the Throne of Christ and the Throne of the Son of Man Established alone Dan. 7. v. 9 This therefore I lay before me as another Archetypal Vision relating to the Powers of the Gentiles and the Enemies of the Kingdom of Christ And having to do with the Roman Monarchy the last of the Four from the Times of the New Testament I most particularly consider that and Finding that the Evangelist Luke gives an Early Notice of it as an Vniversal Monarchy in Augustus Caesar Commanding a Cense of the whole World as his own Dominion Luke 2. 1 Even before the Birth of our Lord I conclude this must be the Fourth of Daniels Monarchies For though some would have it the Macedonian as Divided after the Death of Alexander the Great I find That cannot be both because the God of Heaven would not have set up a Kingdom in the Days of those Kings as is expresly said Dan. 2. v 44. And also because The Kingdom of Christ Even yet is not that Universal Dominion it was Foretold it should be And Lastly Because I find so Admirable an Haâ—mony beâ—wen the Prophetick Figures in the Revelation and the plain Historical Accounts of that Monarchy and that the Spirit of God hath even to plain Litteralness or more than so Interpreted it to be Rome and its Empire I lay therefore before me this Roman Monarchy in the Pagan Empire in the Antichristian Empire viz. The Papacy which to give publick Notice it is a Throne Assumes so Solemnly and Notoriously Enthroniczation to it self and the European Kings given as Horns of Strength to it as also the Mahometan Saracens and Turks coming as two Woes upon it are adjusted in Time Now
assurance of which Enlightens 3. The Apostle according to other Scriptures distinguishes between the day dawning and the Day-Star arising one signifying the succession of the Kingdom of Christ the other the glory of that Kingdom So the Mystery of God is to be fulfilled in the days of the Seventh Angel and then Christ appears in his Glory So the Apostle distinguishes between Christ blasting the man of sin with the Breath of his Mouth which is by the mighty power of the Everlasting Gospel and then utterly consuming and annihilating Him with the Brightness of his Coming or Appearanee 4. The Apostle describes the Apostacy that should so long delay the Kingdom of Christ in mystical Terms under the shade of Nicolaianism and Gnostiscism so fit to type out the Idolatry impurity of Manners and all the Abominablenesses of the Antichristian State of which Antichrist the little Horn in Daniel whose representation Daniel gave as thinking to change Times and Laws until the time of the Kingdom of Christ Now of this very changing Times and Laws is the Second Chapter of this Epistle a delineation and most prophetically and at greatest advantage after the mention of Prophecy it is given 5. His Third Chapfer most plainly and exprsly refers to Time for he answers not as some think the Atheists but the Antichristians Objection those great Burlesquers of Christianity into Fables called therefore Scoffers who say That all things from the Flood having continued as they were there is no such change as of the Kingdom of Christ to be expected and so all that which concerns the Kingdom of Christ hath passed with them for Millenarian Heresie The Apostle hath therefore laid down the Rule and Standard of Time accounting the Six-days of Creation each as at a Thousand Years and in the Evening or as between the two Evenings of the sixth Millenary begins the Sabbatical Milenary or the Seventh Thousand which is with the Lord that is with relation to the Lord or the Lord Jesus Christ in relation to his Kingdom but as one day often called the Day of Judgment and that Sabbath Day in which Saying of the Apostle That a Thousand Years is as one Day there is a manifest foresight of the Diâ—ine Spirit what it would make known by John even that number'd exactly Numbered Time of a Thousand years which the Apostle Peter affirm'd to be with the Lord viz. as Time designed and set out to the Lord as his own Times That one Day Now as this view of this Epistle gives us a clear apprehension how full to the purpose of Prophetical Scripture this Epistle is written how it simpathizes and is contemporate with the whole Scope and Spirit of it so the Words and Sense of Interpretation is exactly fitted to all and no other can fit it For there were two things all the Hebrews both unbelieving and believers were fully agreed in 1. That the Prophecies of Scripture were of Divine Inspiratien that Prophecy of Scripture came not by the will of man but was from the Holy Spirit This the Believing and Unbelieving Jews were both most zealous of 2. That Messiah had a Kingdom assured to him in the Propheâ—ies of Scripture This even the Unbelieving Jews were all in â—ighest expectatâ—on of at that very time and the Believing Jews also were earnestly at that time in expectation of To these the Apostle therefore cannot be supposed to direct the force of his Discourse But that Jesus Christ was not to be owned as the true Messiah the Son of God and the King of Israel notwithstanding his Kingdom did not immediately appear was a Point the Unbelieving Jews are to this day scandalized at even to their rejection of Christ the True Messiah and the Christian Hebrews were very tender in Therefore that Jesus Christ was the True Messiah and that great Prince the Apostle gave first the pâ—oof of the Transfiguration as hath been shewn And that he with James and John were Eye and Ear-Witnesses Three Witnesses in the Mouths of whom it was establish'd and no Cunningly devised Fable to shift off the Scandal of the mean Appearance of our Lord in the days of his Flesh But saith the Apostle We have a more sure word of Prophecy as hath been opened to which you do well to take heed But the Objection still remains That the Prophecys run all upon a Glorious Kingdom of Messiah at that time to appear as the Unbelieving Jews thought and therefore the Scribes Pharisees Chief-Priests Elders their whole Sanhedrim determin'd against him with a high hand that he was a Deceiver The asserting therefore the Divine Inspiration of Prophecy could not be to the main purpose but that it is not of Private Interpretation but that serious Christians may find the sense and meaning of it and that it is not within the Enclosure or Embarasse of any Sanhedrim Council or Infallible Breast This is indeed highly to the purpose and that according to the Sense and Meaning of the Divine Spirit in it one part compared with another by the Assistances of the same Spirit it would appear that as Daniel's Seventy Weeks brought down Time to its fulness viz. at the Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ that a dark place or Interval of delay and patience for that Kingdom must needs be for a long space but that yet that all Takers heed to prophecy Prophecy leads through the dark place with the Illumination of that Course of Time and how long it shall be until the dawning of the day and the shining of the day Star into the hearts of all his Saints by the glorious appearance of Christ and in the fulness of times or all Times Now all this is very evidently to a great and admirable end purpose and â—ffect in the Apostle's Discourse in this Context and whole Epistle viz. to settle the hearts of the Believing Hebrews and of all Christians in the comfortable Expectations of that Kingdom in the midst of the greatest Darkness of the worst Times and it is with the greatest Wisdom of the Divine Spirit of Prophecy that at this very Advantage the Apostle goes on to set out this Apostacy at this very Joint of Discourse of the dark place which that very Apostacy was to create and at naming of prophecy and tells them that there shall be false Prophets among Christians as there were among the People of Israel of old So the Apostle John in the Revelations joins the Antichristian Beast and False Prophet in several Particulars opposite to the Apostles Doctrine concerning Prophecy and Interpretation of Scripture wheâ—ein they have Antichristianiz'd as the Pharises at that time had Prevaricated 1. In that insolent Pretence to Infallibility of Interpretation by a Pope and Council and their Clergy would engross Interpretation and the Power of Interpreting Scripture as their own Propriety Right and Dominion 2. In their Locking up Scripture from the people under this very Pretence They cannot interpret nor have right to interpret it
upon my Thoughts to make a Judgment according to the greatest Light I can Obtain from Prophecy upon these Three Years or till 97 what we may humbly Expect and especially under the great Phenomenon the Blazing Star as I may call it of the French Power here the Doubt Hangs between two Points which should cast the Scale 1. Whether the Progression of Providence in Preparation to the Kingdom of Christ may be expected to be Gradual or whether the Motion may be expected to be sudden whether things may continue much at a Ballance till upon that Time and that then the Divine Power may as all on the Sudden manifest it self and like it self work in an Instant and as it were in one Day I must Acknowledg as I have also publickly Declared I have been much more inclined to Hope tho not without as Freely Professed Fears and Doubts for Reasons as openly given that we should in these years have seen much greater Works of God because I estimated the Pace I thought Providence would choose and the steps it would take according to what hath been generally hitherto in the World But it Pleased the Wise and Holy and Gracious Governour of All things so to Direct that One peculiar Advertisement of Prophecy should even start out to me that tho I do not profess the same Confidence upon it as upon the Scripture Line of Time I have given yet I am Reduced by it to another kind of Expectation till 97 than I have had For in place of the wonderful Progress of Providence for the Pulling down the French Power the Change of the ten Kings and other the great Effects I expect at 97. I have now far greater Reason to Beleive There shall at present be only a Divine Interposition for the staying things much where they are and that there shall be neither a Remarkable going forward or backward VIZ. 1. That none of the Eminent Kingdoms that have Revers'd their Powâ—r from the Beast shall ever be Re-Enthrall'd under that Power or shall Re-exchange their Protestant and as we stile it Reform'd State for a Papal Government which I now find to be the great Account of these so many late Extraordinary Revolutions within the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland and yet the Dawns Appearances and the very so much as Apprehensions of the Kingdom of Christ are so Reserv'd and make so small Offertures to the World or so much as to these Nations 2. That no one of the Ten Kings shall so much Exceed his Figure as to be more than one of Ten However some one may stretch himself every way to Grasp at Vniversal Monarchy and be so far succssful as to draw great Powers to himself that he may answer one Peculiar Note in Prophecy presently to be given in Memorial And this is that most Acquiescible and Satisfactory Resolution of the Mysterious Providence in Twisting a Confederacy betwixt Protestant Nations and so many of the Vowed Tributaries of the Antichristian Supremacy of the Beast whose Interest Lies as Deep in the Extirpation of Protestancy which they call Heresy as that of France and in Pure Bigottry to Rome much deeper and have been and now are as great tho more silent Oppressors of the Reformation within their own Territories and Persecutors of it if any appear for it But thus Infinite Wisdom hath Harmonized this State of the European Nations for his own Wise and Holy Ends according to Prophecy that the French Aspirings to Universal Monarchy may be Embarrass'd These things then being Premis'd I have very great Reason to Doubt and Fear The Protestant Princes and the Reformation under them shall Advance little higher till the Period it self 97 which I ground upon singular Remarks in that Prophesy of the Vision of Nebachadnezzars Image Dan. 2. First I observe in that grand Calendar of Time for the Kingdom of Christ The Descent of Time is by the parts of the Image and so by the Metals Assigned to the several as I may call them Regions or Parts the First or Beginning Point of Time is in the Gold of the Head or the Babylonish Empire Thence it goes down to the Breast and Arms of Silver the Persian Kingdom and from thence to the Belly and Thighs of Brass the Kingdom of Greece and so comes down to the Legs of Iron the First part of the Roman Pagan Empire and lastly To the Feet and Ten Toes part of Iron and part of Clay that is the Ten European Kingdoms into which that Pagan Empire was Divided when joyn'd with the Papacy and Hierarchy the Clay proper to each of those Kingdoms Now the Order and Distinction of the Parts and of the Metals of the Image is so Essential to the Vision and Prophecy is so exact there can be no change without great Reason and even great signification Designed by that Change and no chance in it The Order of the Parts and the Metals is given first Synthetically or Constitutively v. 32. 33. The Image's Head was of Fine Gold his Breast and Arms were of Silver His Belly and his Thighs of Brass his Legs of Iron his Feet part of Iron part of Clay The Conjunction therefore between the Iron and the Clay tho they did not mix one with the other must needs be very close in the Constituting the Feet and yet to make more clear this conjunction and order It is said when the Stone cut of the Mountain came to smite the Image the stroke was upon the Feet that were of Iron and of Clay Again v. 35. when the Method is given as they say Analytically or the Image in the Breaking is Resolv'd from its Bottom to its Top from the Foundation to the Nâ—ck It is said Then was the Iron the Clay the Brass the Silver and the Gold Broken to Peices together and became like the chaff of the Summer Threshing Floor Before the Image was given from Head to Foot Here from Foot to Head But the Conjunction is kept most Inviolate and the Order considering forward First and then backward is the very same Now this Conjunction and order are so Essentially and Substantially Fix'd They can never be unfix'd any more This must be the Conjunction this must be the Order and nothing that Comes after it can Disannual it And yet when it comes to the last Catastrophe in the Interpretation of the Dream and so when the Event is suppos'd to come to its Complement that the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands Falls upon All and Grinds them to powder Then the Iron and the Clay are separated by the Brass that has nothing to do in the Feet but with the Belly and the Thighes only For they only were of Brass This is the very Order given by the Spirit of God in this last part of the Vision I Find upon search no Reason to doubt in the least there appearing no demurr on a Different Reading as it stands in the Chaldee Verity or the Syriac Version as
A DISCOURSE UPON THE Powers of the World to come AND The Great Charter FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE Prophecy of Scripture ADVERTISEMENT THere is an Exposition upon the whole Book of the Revelation Explaining the Sacred Text Word by Word and opening and arguing the Divine Senses of that great Prophesy Sold by Richard Wellington at the Lute in St. Pauls Church-Yard and are to be had at Mr. Marshals at the Bible in Newgate-street and of Mr. Salisbury at the Rising-Sun in Corn-hill A DISCOURSE UPON THE Powers of the World to come OR The Miraculous Powers of the Gospel and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ And their Certain Return at the Kingdom of Christ in its Succession To which is Adjoyn'd The Great Charter FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF THE Prophecy of Scripture And more particularly of the Prophetick Numbers of Time Evincing the Kingdom of Christ in Succession at 1697. And Consequently MIRACLES shall then Return By T. Beverley London Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by W. Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street 1694. TO The Right Honourable Sr. John Somers THE Lord Keeper My Lord THAT I take the Boldness to make this Dedication to your Lordship is not that I can make the least pretension to be Known to or to Know your Lordship but as you are on such an Eminence you cannot be hid and as a Luminary of the Nation every Eye is upon you But yet I have made this Presumption on Great Reasons First That the Truths I offer in the ensuing Treatise are so little consider'd or Receiv'd that they are under a Necessity to remove from the Rigor of Prejudicate Opinion and to make Appeal to the Chancery of a most Equitable Review Then that I have much Reason to be perswaded your Lordship hath in peculiar manner in the Greatness of your Apprehension the Noble Freedoms of a solid Judgment and most condescending Christian Temper a truly High Court of Chancery in your own Breast and will allow it to sober Proposals of Truth Analogous to Faith and Christian Morality however Old Bottles and Palates refuse New Wine New to them not so in it self but spoken of by All the Prophets since the World began Another Great Reason I have is That tho I pretend to no Prognosticks except Justified by the Sure Word of Prophecy yet speaking humanely it is very probable your Lordship shall continue in your High Administration till 97. and then I have Great Assurance it will be capable of being made much Higher and more Honourable by the Kingdom of that Great Prince of the Kings of the Earth coming into its Succession Wherein undoubtedly every Character of Humane Honour Appointed and Justified by his Word and seated in Persons ready to Kiss the Son and pay Homage to him will receive unexpressible Additions And hereunto I add That it is most Reasonable so publick a Personage and that bears as is said the Conscience of the Government and so fittest to make Judgment on such a Point should have both the Notices and the State of so great a Thing laid before him and before the whole Nation in him Lastly Although I very well know how Great a Prince I herein serve and do most Freely submit as to my self to his turning your Heart this way or that way as the Rivers of Water yet I think it no way disagreeing to my Duty according to his present Dispose to desire such a Patronage as that of your Lordship that I might rest under your shadow and wait for the mighty Ratifications of All I have writ on so great a Subject by Mighty Power It is now My Lord Ten Years since I first made Publick the Prophetick Calendar of Time and I have not found Reason to Vary from the First Moments on which I Fix'd it but have receiv'd Greater Additions of Light and Assurance as I have continually and publickly Remonstrated and yet I have always and do ftill disown all things Enthusiastick and am upon the plain Principles of Letter of Scripture Scripture Arguments according to the most undoubted Chronology and History and so offer my self Freely to the Attack of All that can bring Contrary Reasons And have now as in a Chancery Proceeding presented the Case to your Lordship Let him that finds Reason in the same Way put in his Answer A Greater Cause than this cannot come before your Lordship Whether the Books of the Prophets of the New and Old Testament have declar'd such a Glorious Visible Kingdom of Christ Whether they have declar'd it shall be First in Succession preparing for its Glory by an Universal Preaching of the Gospel as by a Flying Angel seal'd with the Return of Miracles For All this I affirm And whether they have given a Line of Time Determining that Succession to 1697. For such a Line I affirm also and have produc'd it from the Sure Word oâ— Prophecy by a Charter for Interpretation Now may that Supreme Prince whom I declare who is Essential Wisdom by whom Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice Even the Judges and All the Counsellors of the Earth see in his Light And who is so nigh Coming as I affirm to Reign in his own Name Guide your Lordship in all the things that concern your own immortal Spirit in all the Arduous Matters of so High a Judicature and particularly a Rich and Glorious entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom I now present as My Lord Your Lordship 's most Humble Servant In the Kingdom of Jesus Christ T. BEVERLEY TO My Very Esteemed Auditory at the Lecture at Cutlers-Hall and in them to Every Reader I Have indeed in several Treatises my most Esteemed Christian Friends made publick before this Asserted Things of the same Tendency But I never yet Attempted in a Set and Solemn Discourse to Argue this Grand Point of Miracles that shall so Distinguish and Assure such a Succession of the Kingdom of Christ as I give now before-hand the most Open Notices of God any way enables me to Now if that his Name as King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall be declared by his Wondrous Works at 97. to be so near as that his Kingdom is in Succession If besides the mighty Revolutions in the World that shall bring it into Succession and be brought in by it That Time shall be severed from All other Time by Miracles as Great and Greater than in the Times of the Apostles as the Kingdom that was then was to be under Patience and Delay particularly of the Times and Half Time shall then by the Oath of Christ Allow no such further Time nor Any Delay whatever but the Mystery shall be Finished with all speed I Appeal to All Whether Any One Declaring this can be suspected of an Intention to Deceive and if the Events do not Answer to shuffâ—e under any Plausible Appearances and so to Abscond There are and may be Great Changes in the World by that time and speaking but after the manner of
us that believe in Jesus Christ will deny but own it as an Article of Faith This the Scripture speaks of as a great Miracle For if Jesus Christ had come into the World the ordinary way of mankind It had been a great Argument that there had been no such Relation between Miracle and the World to Come as I now affirm to you But I will make it Evident to you how much though it be a thing we all Profess to believe That Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin The Scripture speaks of it in the High Language of Miracle The Prophet Esay ch 7. v. 11. Commission'd by God proposes to Ahaz King of Judah when there was a Confederacy against him that yet God assured him should have no success To ask of God a sign of it that is a Miracle and God knowing how great a Sâ—gn He intended him a Miracle or Sign Comprehensive of all Signs bid him Ask it as great and wonderful as he could desire either in the Depth or in the Heighth as if God had said I would have thee ask it It shall be a Point of thy Faith and of thy Obedience and thus indeed God offers a Miracle as a Confirmation as hath been allowed of any Declaration of God to man having yet an especial Relation to the World to Come Oh how great is this Goodness of God to Ahaz As if God should say to us in any Extremity or Distress I intend a Glorious Kingdom a World to Come of Grace Mercy and Peace to my Servants brought in by my immediate Hand and Power and you shall have a share of it a Lot in it as God said to Daniel and a part a pâ—wn of it in an Extraordinary a Miraculous Relief of your present Extremity and Distress How great a mercy would we esteem it But Ahaz being of a Perverse Unbelieving Disobedient Temper Oh saith he I will not ask I will not tempt the Lord what do you talk to me of Signs or Miracles I am content with the Even Course of Providence and with the stated Truth of the Word of God And so we are ready to say now What do you talk to us of Miracles They are Fancies and Whimsies of Brain sick Men only Let us keep to the Written Word and to settled Prâ—vidence even thus they will say at a Time when God is giving greatest Proof He will Work and Return on High For else I do acknowledg with all my Heart we must wait Gods Appointed Time But it is great Perversity when we Refuse the Eâ—idence of any thing Written in the Word of God that we might by the Scripture have had patience hope and Comfort in and say We won't tempt God Therefore immediately on Ahaz his Refusal saith the Prophet Esay Hear now Oh House of David Is it too small a thing for you to weary men To weary his Servants the Ministers of these things from God to you but will you weary my God also Tho you are not willing to ask a Sign I 'le single out a Sign for you Behold a Virgin shall Conceive a Son This we know is perfect Miracle It is True This did not appear at that Time to the Senses of Ahaz when it was thus Promised what sensible Symbol God gave of it then I will not now Dispute but This Promise carries our Thoughts on the Very Miracle it self when our Lord came in the Flesh and so we find the Evangelists Matthew and Luke give the History of the Virgin Mary bringing forth the Holy Child Jesus Thus we see in the Person of the Redeemer the very Foundation of the World to Come is laid in Miracle and according to this very Miracle and in Order to that very World he is Emanuel God with us God in our Nature a Miracle beyond all Miracles I 'le give you one Scripture more concerning this very Thing Jerem 31. 22 23. How long saith God wilt thou go about thou backsliding Daughter The Lord hath or will create a new thing in the Eartk a Woman shall compass a Man it is an Expression of the Miraculous Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ his Birth of the Virgin For as I have said the word A New Thing expresses the Nature of Miracle And then it follows They shall use this Speech in the Land of Judah and Mountain of Hoâ—yness which Holy Mount we know is an expression of the World to Come the very Assurance of which satiates every weaâ—y Soul and replenishes every sorrowful Soul and the ground of all this is the Miraculous Birth of the great Redeemer Jehovah our Righteousness According to this Genesis 3. 15. As soon as the present Creation was lapsed and Fallen by the Sin of Man and had sunk utterly intâ— Ruâ—ne if it had not been Shor'd up by the Mediator It is said I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman between her Seed and thy Seed It shall Bruise thy Head and thou shalt Bruise his Heel Here the Woman is taken a part from Adam and between the Seed of the Woman in a Peculiar manner and the Seed of the Serpenâ— is this Enmity Put to express that Miraculous Conception and Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ And indeed if we could lay the thing close to our Hearts God Awakens us to all the great Things of the World to come whereof we speak and shews us plainly that Things shall be lifted up to a far greater and more excellent state he hath given this as a Sign of it A Virgin shall Conceive and Bear a Son Let us consider one Scripture more Esay 9. 6. For unto us a Child is Born a Son is Given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the Increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end Vpon the Throne of David and his Kingdom to order it and to Establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even for ever The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this To us a Child is born a Son is Given Herein indeed is not an express Delineation of the wonderfulness of his Conception and birth but it is implied and Included His Name shall be called what shall it be called Wonderful The Man of Wonders That Wonderful Man throughout he is all Wonderful all Miracle the Counsellor and Mighty God and that which we call Everlasting Father is in the Hebrew The Father of the World to come And of his Government There shall be no End Glorious and Great shall be his Kingdom The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this and therefore the greatness of his Power It being all Miracle shall perform this His hand shall be stretched out in it and for the World to Come The Death of our Lord Jesus Christ was stupendious Miracle of Justice and Judgment when the Lord Bruised and put him to Grief and made his
brought forth as you know so many great Instances of the Redemption of Mankind in Carrying our Sorrows and bearing our Sicknesses till there be that perfect Restitution of All Things named before and the Creatures or Creation it self be Delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Manifestation of the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God Now these things joyn'd together seem to me so full of Evidence that my heart is while I speak of them so satiated with them that I cannot but hope they will be also most Acceptable and satisfactory to them that read them so as to conclude how close Miracle and the Kingdom of Christ are Related one to another and that the Chief and Adequate End and Reason of Miracle is that they are Portions and Parcels Peices and Pledges of the Kingdom of Christ or of the World to come and shall bring it in at last CHAP. VI. A Discussion of the Times wherein Miracles have been most Illustrious and when there hath been greatest Darkness among the People of God in Relation to them Preparatory to the Asserting That Miracles are not ceas'd but a Return of Them is to be Expected SEeing from All I have Discours'd it appears very undoubted that a Return of Miracles is and ought to be expected because the Great and Adequate End of Miracles is a Connexion with and even an Introduction of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and the World to come which Kingdom and World to come is not yet come and when it shall indeed come it shall have a mighty Power of Signs Wonders Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own Will to appear with it to introduce settle and establish it in the Order and Glory of the New Creation I shall therefore before I come to the down-right Proof endeavour to anticipate or to be before hand with the greatest Objection I meet with to it Object The Great Objection I find in my own Thoughts and which Raises and Confirms I doubt not in others a Resolved Pre-judgment that Miracles shall not Return is Because that now for a Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years or near about Miracles except the Lying and Legendary ones the Antichristian Apostasy hath pretended to there hath been a going off and a Cessation of the True Power of Miracles and the Reason to be assign'd for it hath been thought Because the Doctrine of Salvation in the Gospel and the Canon of Scripture and particularly of the New Testnment hath been so summ'd up finish'd setled and sealed so confirm'd and assur'd by undoubted Power of Miracles that brought it into that Settlement and gave it so large a spread in the World that any further use or service of Miracles seems wholly superfluous and unnecessary For if it were not so it looks very strange and there seems no Reason to be given why God should be pleased to order so long a Parenthesis so Long and Dark an Interval such a long space and as I may call it Gap between the Power of Miracles in the Days of Christ and the Apostles and some space after and the present Time And indeed I would add To give the Objection all the strength I can That the Papists or the Antichristians both pretending Themselves to Miracles and finding among the Protestants and Reformed Churches no such Power nor so much as Pretension to it have been Loud and Clamorous upon it and have hereby assum'd it as a Good Reason to Damn the Reformation because it hath come Naked and Unarm'd of Miracles From whence the Reformed not having considered enough the True Reason of Miracles nor of their Cessaâ—ion have been under a Necessity to Defend Themselves by asserting Miracles are wholly ceas'd and no Return to be expected and that the Popish Pretences have been but so much Counterfeit and Falshdod In which Last Part they have spoken most Evident and undoubted Truth and this Defence hath also in the First Part seem'd so necessary that it could not be but it must sink Deep into the Minds of All the Most Holy Sober Serious Wife Protestants as well as the more General Profession of the Reformation and hath brought All Discourses of a Return of Miracles under Great Disrepute as Wild and Fanatical Altho indeed this part â—f the Defence arose from a not due consideration of the Reasons of the Cessation and of the certain Return of Miracles when the Force of those Reasons shâ—ll expire And I cannot but acknowledge It may seem strange according to the very Reason I am to lay down why there hath been such a Cessation of Miracles And there does arise a Difficulty upon it That there was not any Return of the Power of Miracles with the Reformation But I hope to give Fairest Solution to it In the mean time I cannot but take nâ—tice that the Popish Pretensions to a constant Power of Miracles does very notably not only agree with the Character of Prophecy in their Lying VVonders but also that they make indeed a Counterfeit Kingdom to the True Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ both in Prophecy and in their own Pretences and so far Counterfeit proves what ought to be in the Truth and the Life of That It is the counterfeit of and by Prophecy It was to counterfeit They give a Proof by the By That Miracles do indeed appertain to the Kingdom of Ghrist But to come to the main Answer to this Objection I propose upon it First To observe the State of Miracles or Miraculous Power in all the several Ages or Times Recorded to Us in Scripture and to collect the Light that may from thence be received to shew that Miracles shall certainly Return and Introduce the Kingdom of Christ 2. I will lay down what upon Great Reason I Esteem to be the True Cause of the Cessation of Miracles these Last Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years and why especially since the Reformation Miracles have not return'd seeing as Miracles pertain to the Kingdom of Christ so the Reformation it self was an appearance of that Kingdom Wherein I will consider any Collateral Objections that may spring up from any Discourse in this Answer That therefore which in general I pitch upon is that when we look upon the several Varieties of Appearances of Miraculous Emanations or Flowings out from the Divine Gloâ—y and Power in Miracles according to the Records of Scripture there have been no Times wholly without them of which Any Records of Scripture have given us the Memorials Because there was always a certainty of that Kingdom Coming and the moâ—e Notable and Remarkable Manifestations have been prepared for those more Noble and Remarkable Manifestations of the Kingdom of Christ. The History of Scripture is indeed very short in the Time before the Flood yet we have an Eminent Instance of a Miraculous Power of Grace in the Translating Enoch to Heaven without any sight of Death Enoch walked with God so many years and was not For
of his Kingdom of the New Creation there should be a Miraculous Appearance A Light therefore shone round and other Manifestations of the Powerful Visible Presence of Christ were given at it All this shews then another great Reason why God is pleas'd to make Miracles the Conveyance as I have said the Chariot of his Mighty Spirit and what End but that God would give Testimony That a New Creation a New Heaven a New State of Things a World to come shall be when the Gospel shall attain its Glory Then shall be a Visible Representation of the Inward Spiritual Glory The Case and outside to the Inward Glory shall be the outward Glory the outward Glorious State of all Things some Parcels and Portions of which are according to the Word of God shewn with the Gospel at such Times and in such Cases on such occasions as the Lord sees meet For this is Demonstration If without Miracles Christ drew Souls when he pleased even whole Cities as that of Samaria John 4. without any Miracles we Read of And if notwithstanding Miracles he left many to the Blindness and Hardness of their Heart It is then Evident There is no necessity of Miracles but the Spirit powr'd out from on High is Enough and only Enough with Miracles or without for Conversion It follows then Miracles are wrought chiefly because God would give Pledges and as I said Parts and Peices of the World to come before hand that shall be a Visible Glory over and upon the Spiritual Invisible Glory of the Gospel at its Height and Perfection Tho it may Collatterally serve for Confirmation and a Testimony to it now Yet still Miracles duly attend the Gospel in the World in the Days of Christ and of the Apostles in All its Grander Appearances in the World as is allowed and agreed on all sides I Argue then seeing the Gospel is yet in a very Imperfect State of Acquist or of getting the whole World into its possession therefore when ever the Gospel is to come out again in that Glory and Power as to bring the uttermost Ends under it Then even in Course there must be there shall be a return of Miracles Tho as I shall Argue much more because the Gospel shall then Introduce the Kingdom of Christ and the World to come It must be attended by Miracle But to Argue first according to the Allowances of Men with whom we now deal let us look on the second Psalm v. 7. saith Christ I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son This Day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathens for thy Inheritance and the uttermost ends of the Earth for thy possession This shall indeed be done by Angry Power by a Rod of Iron where the Gospel does not prevail but yet it is to be done also and principally too by the Gospel For Psal 110. When the Lord shall send the Rod of Christs strength out of Zion That he shall Rule in the midst of his Enemies and even as other Scriptures say to the very Ends of the Earth His People shall be willing in the Day of his Power and through the Power of Converting Grace he shall as in regard of Abundance of Converts have the Dew of his Youth the Children of his Youth Renewed at that Time Like the Eagles as numerous as the Drops of Dew from the dawn of the Morning His People perswaded by the Gospel shall come in as Free-will Offerings in so great numbers When this Day of Christ's Power therefore shall be and the Effects of the Gospel Preaching so mighty then according to all Rules of Proportion Miracles shall return to attend the Gospel But I Argue further from positive and Express Scriptures beyond Contradiction and indeed I do not find many that are so unreasonable as to disagree however they may think that Miracles shall not Return that the Gospel must have yet a greater Publication to the ends of the Earth than it yet hath had For we know what vast parts of the Earth there are now that are without the Gospel not only without the Belief of it but without the very Sound of it or at least a Sound that is at all Considerable if any at All Yet few think it shall be so to the very End Few think God hath done what he intends to do that God hath gone over the World with the Gospel as far as he hath any purpose to go and that he intends to go no further But whoever may think so Christ Discoursing concerning the End hath told us Matt. 24. 6 14. There shall be Wars and Rumors of Wars but yet we must not be so shaken in Mind as to think therefore The End must needs be For saith he The End is not yet It is True saith Christ I have been Prophecyed of as the Prince of Peace and that under my Government Wars should be made to Cease to the Ends of the Earth that the Nations should learn War no more but beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning hooks That I should Break the Bow and Cut the Spear and Arrows Asunder and Burn the Chariots in the Fire And therefore when ever you have Wars and Rumors of Wars you may think that it must needs be I must Come and put an End to all Things as in this State of the World that I may put an End to Wars But saith Christ These things must be yet the End shall not as yet be And therefore I freely profess though we see the World at this Day almost All in a Combustion in a Flame Every one knows what an Universal State of War there is at this Time yet I should not look on this as an Argument of the near Approach of the Kingdom of Christ if there were not more Assured Arguments from the Scripture Line of Time For Christ hath told us that there shall be such Things all along and we may see by the History of All Nations There have been Wars and Rumors of Wars all along and yet this is no Argument The End shall yet be But v. 14. Christ tells us what shall be an assured Argument The End shall be that is The End of this State of the World For saith he v. 14. This Gospel This very Gospel of the Kingdom it is very Remarkable It is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ It shall be Preached in all the World for a Witness unto all Nations and then shall the End Come Surely there can be nothing more Express and Full to the purpose That there must be just upon the End a Preaching of the Gospel in all the World Take what Preaching of the Gospel you will that hath been before if the End hath not Followed upon it That is not the Preaching of the Gospel on which the End Follows that is here spoken of This must needs be granted For when Christ says such things shall Be
him a Kingdom of New Heaven and New Earth and before the State of Eternity I will endeavour to make out and that this being not yet accomplished There cannot be yet such a Cessation of Miracles but that they must Return to serve so great an End That hâ—s Providential Kingdom or Spiritual Kingdom if any should think of That have not brought all things under him is most Evident by two places of Scripture Heb. 2. 8. Thou hast put all Things in subjection under his Feet For in that he hath put all Things in subjection under him He left nothing that is not put under him but yet in the sense wherein All things are put under him It is my positive Doctrine saith the Apostle All Things are not yet put under him It was in the Time when Christ was Risen the Apostle said this when he was Ascended when he was Crown'd with Glory and Honour For this saith the Apostle we do see viz. by an Eye of Faith thus he Distinguishes between what we do see and what we do not see so much as by the Eye of Faith I am sure If All Things were not put under him then They are not put under him Now For there was a far greater Appearance of All things put under him at that Time Than of All things being put under him at this Time even in regard of his Providential Kingdom and much more in regard of his Spiritual Kingdom and that his Kingdom in Eternity is not the Kingdom wherein All things shall be put under him is most Evident For when All Things are put under him even the last Enemy Death then he delivers up the Kingdom to God and the Father that God may be all in all which surely If we can have any Apprehensions of the Eternal Kingdom must needs be that Kingdom of Eternity Before the Kingdom of Eternity therefore All Things must be put under him And seeing the last Enemy that is to be Subdued is Death The Spirit of God hath given us the exact Time of the Subduing the Last even Death And it is not till after the Thousand years of the Kingdom of the first Resurrection For then the Devil All the Dead and Death and Hell are cast into the Lake so that as it is so far Subdued in the beginning of the Thousand years as that the Dead Saints are rais'd the Living Saints Chang'd So at the End of the Thousand years it is utterly Abolish'd and can never again make the least appearance or possibility of Entrance any more for ever upon any of the Saints who are secur'd in an Eternity of Life so it remains shut up with its own Dead for ever And this is that Second Death oppos'd to the First Resurrection Rev. 20. 14 15. The second Scripture I Rely upon for the Proof that the Kingdom of Christ wherein All things shall be brought under him is not yet so Accomplished as that All Things should be indeed under him till the Time Appointed by the Father is that Evident one Heb. 10. 13. where the Apostle speaking of Christs sitting down on the Right Hand of God says He sits expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool Expecting Now as the Apostle saith what we see fulfill'd and accomplished why do we yet hope for there is no more work for Hope If the thing be seen and Fullfilled so to what End is Expectation of a Thing already come to pass why should any one sit expecting for what he hath already in Hand It is as if a Man should say when the Sun is up and hath Fill'd the Air with Light and spread his Beams upon the whole Earth I am waiting to see when the Sun will Rise You know that Man would be counted a Fool or a Madman of any one that should hear him say when the Sun is in his Eye and its Rays spread on the Mountains about him I am waiting to see when the Sun will Rise so if Christ should sit in Heaven Expecting that his Enemies should be made his Footstool and they are already his Footstool would it not be to impute the greatest Folly to Christ Seeing therefore in this ordinary way of Gods Government of the World The Enemies of Christ are no more probable to be made his Footstool than they have been these so many Hundred Years now past There must be Miraculous Appearances of God for the bringing this great thing to pass and therefore they cannot be ceased so as not to return For All the Scripture Witnesses God will do this great Thing with great Wonders of Power He will be rais'd up out of his Holy Habitation when his Enemies shall fall before him Thus we find in the Revelation in the very beginning of the Kingdom of Christ or for the making way to its Succession there must be a Raising those Witnesses from the Death under which they had long lain and under which they continue to Lye Till a Spirit from God enter into them like a Resurrection which we all acknowledg Miracle even as the Ascension to Heaven in a Cloud Following upon it there must be a Dreadful Earthquake a Mystical Earthquake wherein the Powers of Nature have nothing to do and so it must must be immediately from the Power of Christ wherein that Gabalistick as I may call it or Figurative Tenth of the great City Falls that is all the Kings that now give their power to the Beast which Prophecy so often gives by the Number of the Toes of the Feet of the Image the Feet of Iron and of Clay These Ten shall Fall off from the Beast and that Roman Woman they call Holy Church sitâ—ing upon it whom then They shall hate Seven thousand Names those many Orders of Antichristian Founding from the Pope that sits on the Throne to the meanest of that Hierarchy the poorest Fryars that profess Mendicancy or Beggary All these shall lie like the Witnesses slain wholly dispirited but shall not as they ever any more be Visited with any Spirit of Life The Remnant shall be Affrighted and give Glory to the God of Heaven that is multitudes of the Proselites of Popery shall be Affrighted and give Glory to the God of Heaven The Second Woe that is the Tyranny of the Turks that hath hung like a Scourge over the Christian as we call it World and particularly lain with a full weight upon those we Stile Greek and Eastern Christians This shall pass off All these when we come to see them what Wonders will they appear when we see them we shall Account them Miracles and they shall bring in greater Works than these even the Kingdom of Christ in Succession proclaim'd by those Loud Voices in Heaven sounding down to Earth The Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ So while these things are to be done and yet are not done Miracles tho suspended are yet not ceased Argâ—m 2. The second Argument I give Miracles are
begin therefore with the Consideration of the Direct Terms or Words of this so Full Proposition of the Apostle 1. The Subject-Matter concerning which the Apostle thus affirms is not Scripture in general but most particularly Prophecy of Scripture If his Proposition had been upon Scripture in general it had necessarily included Prophecy of Scripture in particular Because Prophecy is so excellent a part of Scripture but it is Greater and more Emphatical that He particularises upon Prophecy it self 2. The Care the Apostle hath Taken to shew it is the Universality of Scripture-Prophecy He thus asserts concerning All Prophecy of Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports All Prophecy and Every Prophecy All Prophecy in general and Every Prophecy in particular is the subject spoken of and therefore a Word is chosen out by the Spirit of God that may fully Answer thereunto in both regards 3. That to which the Apostle directs his Speech is not with Relation to the Excellency or Certainty or Divine Inspiration of Scripture Prophecy it self although that He does also in the former Verse calling it the Sure Word of Prophecy and by way of proof in the next Verse of what he affirms in this But that which He is precise upon in this Verse Relates to Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy 4. That which He fixes upon as to his Point to consider concerning Interpretation is concerning the Privacy of it Whether it is a Publick Free Open Accessible Self-communicative Thing or whether Private Reserv'd Uncommunicated or under Any ones Propriety and Enclosure so that no other may Presume to Enter into the Interpretation of it but under some Character for such a Propriety 5. The Form of the Apostle's Proposition is a flat and downright Negative Scripture-Prophecy All Scripture-Prophecy Every Scripture Prophecy is so Constituted Framed Descended as not to be of Private Interpretation and that the Negation may be the stronger It is Kept and Reserved to be placed with the Full strength of its Accent upon the Words Is not private The Apostle would not lessen it by setting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for the Force of the Word of Vniversality before Noted as also That the Negative might urge the more being applied to Private And so it amounts to a strong Affirmation on the other side it is of an Interpretation Open Publick Free a Common Good and Right 6. The Apostle lays it as a Foundation as a fitst Principle Knowing saith He this first That All Prophecy of Scripture is not of a Private Interpretation And it comes in as a strong Argument or Motive for what he had spoken by way of Vehement Incitation to the Taking Heed to Prophecy for saying That Every one did well who Took Heed to the More sure Word of Prophecy He goes on by way of Encouragement and Assurance of Good Success Knowing That It is of an Open Ftee Interpretation or being well principled in that first as is after to be urged Now who that Considers these Words of the Apostle thus presented and lay'd out before Him and what The Spirit by his Holy Minister hath spoken thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so expresly can have a prejudice against All utmost Endeavour to Interpret Any Every Prophecy of Scripture and contradict the Holy Ghost saying It is a Dark Retired Reserved Thing not to be presum'd upon or to be medled with But before I proceed upon the main Points arising from this Proposition of the Apostle in Justification of Interpretation of Scripture-Prophecy I am very sensible the very Foundation is endeavoured to be shaken by suppositing or shifting in another word for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Interpretation viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word differing but an Iota an â— for â— and so may seem fair for admâ—ssion and a word that would be had to signify Inspiration or if that be not found so convenient to Change the word yet it is Designed to Bring the Matter to the same Point by giving a sense to it foreign to this Point viz by affixing to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sense the same with Inspiration viz. Dismission or sending out the Prophets that so either way the Apostles Proposition might speak thus Knowing this first That no Prophecy of Scripture is of a private Illaps or Inspiration and so Interpretation should have no place nor any thing to do here I will therefore Argue first against any other word than that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then against any other sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that of Interpretation The Arguments that the word Epilusis and not Epelusis was used by the Divine Spirit are these two 1. There is an Universal Consent and Agreement of All Coppies in the word Epilusis wherein that Providence watchfull over All Scripture hath particularly shewn it self in care over this so that there is no occasion for any one to Change it except He Himself were Given to Change or would make an Interest against it because He would not own the Prophecy at least of Scripture to be of a Free Open Publick Interpretation nor to be Approached unto 2. It is observed by the Learned The word Epelusis is not the proper word to signify Illaps or Inspiration or any thing like it But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it comes something near the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet can never be it or the same so it seems somewhat a-kin in sense to Super or Preternatural Emotion but at so great a distance It can never be Divine Supernatural nor like it but most Contrary to it and Abhorred of it For it is a word of very ill Intention and signifies the Force of Enchantment on the Enchanted Person a sense that can by no means be suffered to Enter into the Tabernacle of the Holy Spirit the Spirits of his Prophets nor Agree to the Sacred scope and purpose of the Apostle But I will yet further Argue against any other word but Epilusis in Arguing against any other sense but that sole and single sense of Interpretation so that by Epilusis shall not cannot be understood as some would have it any kind of Dismission or sending out the Prophets to Prophecy For 1. The very same word differing only as a Noun and a Verb that is used here by the Apostle Peter is used in the very same Sense and in the very same matter and purpose Mark 3. 34. Only what is denied here by this Apostle is affirmed in another Case there viz. Our Lord Expounded his Parables but Apart or Privately to his Disciples There Epelue He Expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Apart Here the Exposition or Interpretation of Prophecy is denied to be Apart This Scripture in Mark therefore is as if the Spirit of God had on purpose provided an Assurance in what manner these same Words are to be understood in Peter viz. by the Certain Undoubted Sense of
them in Mark And it is the more to be Noted if we give heed to the Ecclesiastic Memoir that the Apostle Peter super-intended the Evangelist Mark in his Writing that Gospel Observe therefore The same Divine Spirit by the very same Servant of his the Penman of this Epistle and the Supervisor of that Gospel uses both Words the word so much the same with Epilusis so undoubtedly in the sense of Expounded and of Privately or Apart in the Word Idios and that they are us'd both Affirmatively and Negatively in the same sense For what the Evangelist spoke Affirmatively viz. Christ did Expound or Interpret but Apart that the Apostle in this Text lays down in the Negative or denies concerning the same Exposition or Interpretation viz. That it is not Apart or Private This is so full in this kind of Argument that it seems unnecessary to add It is the word used by the Septuagint for the Interpretation of the Dreams of Pharaohs Officers by Joseph Gen. 41. 82. 2. But that which is indeed above All is The Reason and Scope of the Apostles Discourse require the word Interpretation and no other For the Apostle was not Pressing that the word of Prophecy is a sure Word That He knew was Agreed and most acknowledged between Him and the Hebrew Strangers scattered Abroad to whom He wrote and so the Apostle takes that for a most confessed Thing and that they gave heed to it as such but that which required immediately to be further spoken to was That the sure Word of Prophecy shines as a Light in the dark place in which the Churches of Christ are till the Day of the Kingdom of Christ dawn and He the Phosphor and Day-Star of it shine into the Hearts All His For that is every where the Character of that Kingdom it first dawns and then it shines and it shines into All Hearts possesses All Minds The Day of Gospel-Light and the Day-star of that had already shone for they were Established in the present Truth but that the Apostle intended was to come For He says Vntil it shine which could not be ptoperly said of what is past Besides That could not be come that was yet in Prophecy and needed Prophecy to shine in the place of it which Place had been altogether Dark if it had not been for the Light of Prophecy And the Darkness of it was because that Day did not yet Dawn nor the Day-Star Arise Now to this Light of Prophecy saith the Apostle You do well to Take Heed you do well as it is your Duty so to do and as it is honourably well So it is said Blessed is He that Readeth and They that Hear But to this This Objection might well be made It is a great difficulty to understand Prophecy who or how few are agreed about the Sense and Interpretation of it and especially in what relates to the Time of it and those Numbers relating to Time so particularly in Daniel This therefore the Apostle would prevent and surprize before hand and He does it by laying this as a first Principle That All and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of Private Interpretation If it were so it were indeed vain to Take Heed to it as to a Light shining in a dark place for then it would be as dark as the dark place it self A Prophecy of the Kingdom that cannot be Interpreted can no way enlighten the Dark State of the Non-appearance of the Kingdom But the Apostle assuring the Sure word of Prophecy is not Private Secret Apart but of an Open Free Interpretation is full to the Purpose of Taking Heed or Giving Attendance to it as to such a Light And then the Apostles following words evince the same Thing Prophecy came not of old Time by the will of Man But Holy Men of God spake as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carried Moved Inspired by the Holy Spirit as is further to be Explain'd Now this comes as a Reason of what had been said before as is manifest by the Particle For And it is indeed a great Reason why no Prophecy of Sceipture should be of a private Interpretation because it was given as shall be shewn from the Publick Spirit and not from a Private Spirit as every Created Human Spirit is But if we understand the word us'd for Interpretation to signify either Illipse or Inspiration these following words would be only words of Amplification and not of Proof and to be Interpreted as the opposite to Private by the Adversative But and not Ratiocinative as the Causal Conjunction For assures them to be And the sense must run thus No Prophecy of Scripture is of Private Interpretation But Holy Men of God spake moved by the Holy Spirit and if any one should put in For after Inspiration or Illapse suppos'd in place of Interpretation It is as if the Apostle had said It is not of private Inspiration and therefore of Divine For there can be no opposite to Private but Divine in the Apostles sense and therefore it is not of private Inspiration Because or For Holy men were not Privately but Divinely Inspired which is Amplification and not Probation But if we take as on all Accounts we ought the word to be Interpretation the For comes in most justly as introducing a Great Reason Why Prophecy cannot be of private Interpretation because it is of publick Inspiration as shall be shewn How strong a Reason is this Now seeing Probation or Proof makes a Discourse stronger than Amplification only If there be any doubt concerning a word Whether This or That That ought to be preâ—erred which makes the Sacred Text more Sinewy and strong and so does the word Interpretation here And seeing there is so much for that word and nothing against it it ought to be acquiesced in by All as offering so great a Truth That we ought as in Hearing so in Preaching to give the sense of Prophecy as it is said of Ezra and the other Levites and the People under them Nehem. 8. 7. They gave the sense of the Law and Caused the People to understand the Reading or Preaching that is the inward sense of it and not only the Syllabical Reading lost in Babylon as some may suppose For that is beneath the Holy Spirits notice And thus ought Prophetical Scripture to be Administred Because it is not of private Interpretation It and the Time of it ought to be opened and explained All and every part in all its Divine senses But that further yet This point of Interpretation may be settled and secured and not only so but highly illustrated I will endeavour to clear that the Grand Importance of the Context nay of this whole Epistle is Adjusted and Prepared to Assure That Prophecy of Scripture is not of a Private Interpretation in that greatest Point of Prophecy of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Time of it That Mystery of God to be Fulfilled Evangelized by All his
so they cannot a tend to the sure word of prophecy as they are commended here for doing 3. In their peculiar Enmity to the searching the Prophecy of Scripture and denying even to the most Learned to intermeddle with it seeing their own Condemnation in it contrary to the Apostle's most peculiar Commendation of those who give heed to Prophecy 4. In their setting up Tradition a thing dependent wholly on Human Will above Scripture whereas the Apostle commends Scripture and its Prophecy that it came not by the Will of man but by the Spirit 5. In their allowing to their own Votaries the Credit and Honour of their pretended Inspirations above the Close attendance to Scripture Prophecy and its Interpretation which the Apostle hath here so recommended to every Christian and without the least signification of Inspiration Given to All and his plain making former Scripture the Test of All following 6. By exalting their Fabulous Legendary Miracles above Scripture or the Prophecies notwithstanding even to the Transfiguration The Apostle prefers the sure Word of Prophecy Although That was no Cunning devised Fable and of so great an Excellency by which the Apostle seems prophetically to Glance most severely upon those Cunningly Devised Fables that should arise in the Christian Profession 7. The Apostle Foretelling those Scoffers in the last days who should set up the Mock Fifth-Monarchy so earnestly recommends the Words of the Prophets and the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour the Great Messiah and Jesus whereby he hath also given a very damning Predictory Admonition of the Grand Antichristian Apostacy Now in all these it may be said to those Antichristians as it was to the Jews and their Rulers of old while they read these Scriptures and the Prophecys of Scripture in their ownway they not understanding the Voices of the Prophets are most justly condemned in fulfilling them For thus ought the Antichristian Apostacy to do though most wickedly they do so that these Scripture Prophecys may be fulfilled All that hath now been spoken being by way of premisal and preparation I lay down these Propositions 1. That Scripture Prophecy is given by God for a Light that must shine in the dark place of the Antichristian Apostacy till the end of which the Kingdom of Christ is in delay 2. Christians do well to take heed to it as so shining and giving the time when the day of that Kingdom shall dawn and the day Star of it shine into the hearts of all Saints 3. Such heed cannot be given except there be a Right given to Christians and a power of interpreting Scripture Prophecies 4. It is a First Principle to Christians of the Apostle's setting and fixing that all and every Prophecy of Scripture and particularly of Time relating to the Kingdom of Christ is Open and Free and not a Private Record or of any way an Enclos'd Impropriated â—or Appropriated Interpretation For the more clear and illustrious arguing the Grand Proposition That all and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of a private or secret but of an open free and publick Interpretation I will first proceed by direct and down right proof and Argument that of all Scripture except that which lays down the Truths precisely and absolutely necessary to Salvarion The Prophecy of Scripture is in its Interpretation most Free open and most certain I will in the second place give Answers to the great Objections against this Proposition so prov'd I will in the Third Place consider what Standards according to Reason and Scripture-understanding may be given whereby we may judge whether any one hath given a true Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy viz. whereby the person giving such Interpretations may know himself he hath given such true Interpretation and whereby Any other may judge of it and find it so In the Fourth Place I will draw out in most publick view the Evidences I my self have within my self and have offered to others that I have given a True Interpretation of Scripture Prophecy All this I will do with most particular relation to prophetical numbers of Time I will Super-add a Judgment upon the state of Time Intermedious from hence to the Kingdom of Christ and shew that the Kingdom of Christ shall be very sudden and as Lightning And this I shall do by way of retractation and correction of Any thing wherein I have err'd in this matter and what will be as an Answer of an Objection that Glories in the present appearance of Things to Sense as if no such Kingdom were near I will recollect the whole in some very Brief Reflections for the settlement of the Judgment and practice in relation to Scripture Prophecy concerning Time I begin with the First The arguing the Proposition which shall insist upon these Four Heads or Topicks 1. I argue from the Infinite Ability of the Divine Spirit so to give Prophecy that the Interpretation may be Free and Publick 2. I argue from the necessity That whatever is written with sense and coherence of the things written and with the Harmony of Truth if the parts of such Discourses are diligâ—â—tly compar'd and sagaciously intermedled with by persons separating themselves thereunto a certain Interpretation must needs fly out to them 3. I argue from the gracious Assistances and Promises that the Holy Spirit will as the Spirit of Truth lead into all Truth shewing things that are to come and give the key of knowledge leading into the Sectets of Prophecy even wherein our Dulness and Slowness of Heart makes them so notwithstanding the Provision of the Spirit for their Interpretation Argument I. The Divine Spirit hath an Infinite and Infallible Prescience of things that are to come to pass Known to him are the Works of God from the very Foundation of the World to the end of it with every particular Accident to the very least Circumstance and therefore he can foretell all things as clearly as he pleases and so that they may be interpreted and understood He searcheth all things even the deep things of God whose Counsels of old are faithfulness and truth who calleth the End from the Beginning and can declare it For he worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will which Will he knew from Eternity within himself This Prescience of the Divine Spirit is acknowledg'd by All Christians except some few who least deserve the Name of Christians who deny the Actual Determinations of Free or what we call Fortuitous Agents to be Scibilia or Knowable I make not therefore here any dispute concerning the High Mystery of the Supreme Prâ—science how or in what manner God foreknew when the things fore known depend on causes acting so freely that what they will choose seems impossible to be known before hand or so fortuitously that if it could be foreseen how they would be cast the Fortuitousness seems destroyed But that God does foreknow I take for granted even as it is much the more generally agreed and
the sure Word of Prophecy And if They are Inclin'd and stirr'd up to separate Themselves to Intermiddle with this Wisdom it cannot be but they must make great Discoveries If they faithfully attend and lay the parts one to another and it be the will of that Holy Spirit of Prophecy they should do so Now that it is his Pleasure They should do so is made known by the very Writing and Publication of Prophecy and no Prohibition of Searching it as also by the obligation that lies upon all when he Writes to observe and uâ—derstand This is due in Measure to every Intelligâ—nt and Worthy Writer but without Measure to his the Spirits Writing It is known to be hiâ— pleasure Because there is a General Coâ—mand to Search the Scripture Because All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is Profitable and there iâ— no Interdict upon Prophecy as to the search nor Limitation as to the Profitableness It iâ— known to be his pleasure concerning Prophecy because it is said by our Lord with Relation to the Prophecy of Daniel Let him that readeth Vnderstand Because the Apostle Peter hath said of the more sure word of Prophecy yee do well in Taking â—eed to it because it is written as in Golden Letters on the Porâ—al of the Revelation Blessed is he that Readeth and they that hear the words of the Prophecy of this Book which must needs imply with Understanding Because it is the Epiphonema the Burden of every Epistle of it He that hath an Ear let him hear And if it be thus then all the Locking up the Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy is that he may reserve the Secrets of it for the peculiar Friends I say not of his word in general but of his Prophetick Word and that they may whet up the sharpest Exercise of their Powers of Understanding to find the Golden Taches and Couplings and one Part of Prophecy may be joyn'd to Another and the whole peice be under view in all its Frame and Contexture As soon as ever therefore the Holy Spirit hath once Publish'd and Expos'd his Prophetic Writings and thereby and therein Affix'd them to the Pillars of the Temple They are by his Grace made the Right of his Servants to search into and to Understand For they then cease to be the Secret Things that Belong to God But they being Reveal'd become those that Belong to us and to our Children we enter into that Priviledg of the Israel of God To us belong the Oracles of God every servant of God that hath his Heart stirred up hath very good Right to search and his search is no Sacriledg nor shall be imputed to him as Curiosity or presumption It is his Right to Search even as among Men it is no Violation to Inquire into the Sense of any Author offering himself to the Publick and there is greater Encouragement in Searching the sure Word of Prophecy than in Searching any other Author or Writing as is next to be spoken Argum. 3. I Argue from the Infinite Grace of the Divine Spirit that as he hath Given to Man a searching Mind after all Knowledg so he would not give any part of Scripture as a Torment of wise Inquisitive Persons but give the Key of Knowledg to Them and that he will as the Spirit of Truth so Lead into All Truth and shew his Servants Things to Come with such Uprightness Faithfulness and Sincerity that there shall be no more Secresy or privacy in the Interpretation of Prophecy than is necessary according to the Laws He knows Just and Due and which he hath himself weigh'd out as so Just and Due to Prophetick Oracles even as in All other parts of Scripture he hath in Infinite Wisdom as he weighed out the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance so proportion'd to every point of Scripture-Truth its Exact measure of clearness of Revelation and so consequently of Interpretation the most necessary are the most plain and yet there are Truths of the Grace of God freely Justifying and Accepting sinners in Christ that call for the most Quicken'd and Awaken'd Faculties for the Interpretation of them as also concerning the inward Operations of the Grace of God in the Hearts of Men and yet in all These and such as These The Holy Spirit hath Wisely and Holyly Given out his Oracles in a most Righteous Scale between the Excellency of the Truth he Reveals and the Exercise he knows necessary to the Mind of Man in Searching out the Interpretation and so hath made the Manifestation more Lightsome or Requiring Closer Attendance And thus in Prophecy according to the Vehemency of Search and Enquiry he hath thought fit he hath Dispensed This doth not make it yet Private Interpretation because there are such Lines of Communication between part and part Emblem and Emblem number of Time and number of Time between words in Prophecy and words used in the Time of Prophecy Fullfill'd between Rules of Time in Prophecy and celebrated Rules of Time among Men in Prophecy Fulfill'd between Prophecy and Vniversal History that all may be made Plain But beyond All this Interpretation of Prophecy is not Private because The Spirit of Prophecy who Knowes it because he gave it Even that Blessed Publick Spirit of Wisdom Truth Scripture is present to Assist his Servants Searching into Prophecy Leading them into the Treasures of it Springing Thoughts into them all of the Sudden Bringing Things to their Remembrance that else would not have come theâ—e and so Enabling them to Match and Enterweave All those Foremention'd Indentings one with another and thereby raising in them Assurances equal to Demonstration He also foresaw what Humble Enquirers into these Things he would stir up and Assist in every Time and what measures of Assistance he would Allow them And yet this does not make Interpretation Private to such persons apart because such Accesses to All the Means of Interpretation and to those Assistances of the Spirit are free and open to one as well as another and what is given in Interpretation to any one ought to be freely Communicated and in the Reasons and Grounds of it It lies open to All And they who are thuâ— Assisted are not Assisted for Themselves only but as Lights set on an hill that they may not be Hid. Now this Assistance of that Blessed Spirit as a Spirit Graciously present to the Searchers into Prophecy is an Encouragement beyond what any Author in the World can give to them who search into their Writings For who as he can be so always present to the Minds and Understandings of Those who Read and Meditate upon them Who as he can Recompense the Love Reverence and Diligence of those who wait upon Him Who can as he Prompt to Them summon to their Memory keep them in Doubt and so urge them to further Enquiries refresh their Researches and so make Things further known to Them so settle confirm and assure Them that
nearer to their End yet the Time of his understanding was undoubtedly earlyer The Time of his Prophecy was designed to be close upon the very end of the Seventy Years and that so sollemn Prayer for else it is Evident The Time of his praying was every Day towards the Desolations of Jerusalem with his Windows open'd Three Times with foresight of the very time Seeing then the very Time of Ninety Seven I have now for some years pitch'd upon as the very Time when the Desolations of the Sanctuary shall be Accomplished and the Kingdom of Christ be in Succession of which I find dayly new Confirmations and Assurances as the Time Approacheth Therefore I hope I shall be Enabled and many Servants of God with me to set our selves dayly by Supplication and Prayer and so much the more as we see the Day approaching Obj. 1 It may be said what is the Good or Advantage of Knowing the Secrets of Prophecy or the Times more especially Defined by it have we not such plain Doctrines and Rules of Scripture that are every way sufficient to take up our Time and Thoughts that are more sure and certain in their tendency to God and have less of Scruple and Dispute in their Sense and Importance Ans 1 Whatsoever is vouchsafed to us by God as a Manifestation of and Revelation from himself to us in his Word not to regard receive and improve it is in the Scripture Phrase a wearying of God Isa 7. Ahaz made a fair and plausible Pretence of Trusting God without a Sign when God so Gratiously offered it to him he said He would not Tempt God and yet this his Refusal was called a wearying of God God understanding much better what is necessary for us and to our advantage than we do our selves and if he hath given us a Rule of Times it will be found to be our great Sin and Neglect if we do not search and enquire every one in our places What of the Night and also how near the Morning is Comming Esay 21. 11. Ans 2 Let us ask what Good it was to Noah that God told him The Old World should have only the Reprieve of an hundred and Twenty years before the Flood What Good was it to Abraham when God told him It should be Four Hundred years ere his Seed should be brought back What Good was it to the Church of the Jews to be assured the Babylonish captivity should be but Seventy VVeeks and that there should be but Seventy weeks of years from the full Restoring Jerusalem to the comming of Messiah Such as was the Good of these Manifestations to the Servants of God such is the good that arises from the Knowledg of Time Times and Half Time the 1260 1290 and 1335 days of years given as the measure of the Antichristian Times as the Measure of the Preparation for the Kingdom of Christ till the Glory of it such is the Knowledg of the 2300 Eves Morns from the Babylonish Captivity ending to the Justification of the Sanctuary in the New Jerusalem according to the Vision of Ezekiels Temple And Lastly such is the Good of the Knowledg of the 1000 years Glory of Christs Kingdom manifested to us and then of the Kingdom Delivered up to God and the Father the Last end and Consummation of All. I have thus far argued the Grand Assertion that All and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation and therefore not prophetick Numbers of Time but that there are Standards of Interpretation inlaid into Prophecy it self and such Assistances from that publick Spirit vouchsafed to All that wait for them that it is justly to be stiled not private but publick Interpretation I have also counter-argued all the Objections I could discover I come now to the Third Head Head 3d. The Third Head shall be to consider What Standards according to Scripture-Reason and the Ballance of the Sanctuary there are by which the Interpretation of prophecy may be judg'd to be a True Interpretation when it is offered us by any one that hath made it or whereby the person that hath himself made it may know it to be Just and according to the Sense of the Holy Spirit of prophecy and his Conduct into that Sense The Standards of Tryal for the True Interpretation of prophecy I would lay down are These 1. When the Types and Symbols of prophecy in the Old and New Testament are taken All as under One intire View and Consideration and so Analogized and shewn in their Agreement one with another as to make up a Full and perfect Portraicture and Table each Part appearing in its proper Symetry and Proportion in its own Scituation in its Lively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beauty and Lively Air of prophecy This is like a philosophick System of the Creation solving All Phenomena But if we take some single Parts only though there may be handsome and fine plausible and probable Descants upon them as they stand by themselves and if they alone were to be answered for Yet when they come to be examined by the rest of prophecy and it be considered how one part answers another in the whole Frame of prophecy and one single part under such or such a Descant Those Descants will be discovered to be only worthy of Rejection This therefore I have endeavoured and most closely and diligently attended to in the Scheme of prophecy I have given viz. to make a Just and Full Agreement and Correspondency between All parts of it and a Conciliated Harmony in the whole Frame of prophecy 2. In the point of prophetick Numbers the Standard is 1. That All the Prophetick Numbers are made to meet also in One full and intire Consideration and Computation of them one with another and not any of them single and by themselves only And that they be so both distinguished and yet so joyned and so concerted that they stand fair one with another Else the application of them will be precarious incertain and contingent only 2. That when they are thus both Distinguished and Harmonized they can be applied and ascertained by that Application to such Events as are witnessed to and acknowledged by the most known agreed and general Records of History and Chronology providentially prepared by God to Gibeonite as it were to Sacred Prophecy to give both Testimony to the Truth of Prophecy as also to be Helps to the Interpretation of it if Interpreters take care to compare one with the other or would be perswaded to do so Furthermore these being so sâ—ttled by Compare and so Testified enable the Interpreter himself and those to whom his Interpretation is offered to Judge whether the Interpretation be True and whether it be Just and Right Whereas if either there be no Concord of Supporting History or that if it be not as a City on an Hill History universally Known and agreed the Interpretation will be but Dark and Lubricous and the standing upon it not firm
that just at the Time when the Lord for the Interpretation of Prophetical Time should to Allude to the Need Christ had of the Asse in the Gospel have need of such an Adjustment to be sollemnly brought in and Avowed in the profession of Christianity Antichristianized which is the Outward Court given to the Gentiles viz. the Antichristian Gentiles to Tread under Foot it was so done For then Forty two Months of the Gentiles Precalated to the Forty two Months of the Beast This was very observable 1. Because hereby Providence gave notice that this was the very year that by Prophecy according to the Foundations upon which a setled Time of Easter is Found viz. by Conforming Lunar and Solar Time one to another The Moons of the Gentiles and the Beasts Moons are together made just even to the 1260 Solar Years And which is very wonderful just so many years as the Beasts Moons want to make them equal to 1260 Solar years of the Witnesses and the Woman according to that Golden Number the very Ground of any Cyclus Paschalis viz. 38 years and something more Just so many are Found between 437 when the Paschal Cycle was as I say first brought forth and the Cessation of the Christian Empire when the Beasts Succession and so Time Dated from him as the Supreme or Seventh Head and Eighth King for so it ought to be began viz. at 475 ending or 476. 2. It is very observable Because as hath been also more Fully spoken of elsewhere and as is very well known The Apostasy hath in regard of Shrivings or Confessions Pennances Indulgenceo Pardons the so superstitious Sollemnities of its Good Friday the Idolatry of its High Easter Day Mass such deep Interests in Easter and the Moveable Feasts dependent upon it But altho I cannot but think this very Remarkable when I find 437 the very year Determin'd upon by the Line of Time yet I could not dare to rest upon it without that For some Attempt the Predecessor of Cyril Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria had made this way and Dionysius Sirnam'd Exiguus perfected upon what Cyril had done But when the Line of Time concurs with such a Note of Lunar Time proper to Moons Equated to Solar Time It appears to me very great Event 2 The Barbarians or Goths this year made an Excursion upon the People of the Empire call'd the Arverni with all manner of Calamities This was a Type of the Hail mingled with Fire in the First Trumpet yet so that this is not to be taken but in Conjunction as hath been already said with what went before and followed after For it could not be in one year that the whole third part of Trees and of Green Grass that is the Territories of so great an Empire of which Empire Third part is made by this Prophecy as a Hieroglyphic should be destroyed But a Resemblance of this Any part of the Empire and at what distance soever from Rome the Further the more Lively the Emblem might be of the Hail Dishevelling it self year after year through the whole Empire Yet on this neither dare I rely alone For as great Events of this Kind and much Greater before and after There were yet this however a small Figure coming in its just Place after so great a Figure as the Line of Time Directing perpendicularly upon 437 as the Epoch of the Time Times Half Time is very puissant Assurance of that very year Event 3. As a Resemblance of the Gentiles Entring into the Outward-Court this very year Gensericus the King of the Vandals set himself to Extirpate for the sake of Arrianism the Faith of Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God and Raised in Africk where he had planted himself within the Roman Empire a Cruel Persecution upon it Now as in the Former I do not Lay stress upon this without that principal Figure Testimony and Evidence from the Line of Time But that lying in the Foundation I Reflect in these Observations upon this as Agreeing to this Epoch of this Time 1. That taking the Arrian denial of Jesus Christ the Son of God it was in two Regards a most fit Type to give notice by of the Antichristian Apostasy 1. That tho it be not a plain Point of that Roman Antichristian Apostasy yet in that it is a Denial of Christ being come in the Flesh which the Apostle John saith is the very Spirit of Antichrist â—t is most Fit as a Type to Represent that which in many grand Instances has overthrown Christs coming in the Flesh in the Scripture sense of him as the One Mediator a Point as Fundamental in Christianity as the one God is in Natural Religion 2. It was Fit in this Regard that it might give notice of Antichrist in that Antichristianiz'd Age in a Point wherein they were veâ—y Zealous that is the Eternal Godhead of Christ in other points of Antichristianism found in Themselves they could not discern it 2. There could not be a fitter Type of the Witnesses putting on Sackcloath than the Spread of the persecution and several Excellent Persons Ecclesiastical History makes mention of who suffered even to Death in that persecution though I own it but a Type And this gives also the Fourth Event viz. of the Witnesses putting on Sackcloath and the Church flying into the Wilderness 3. Africk was a very fit place to be used in such a Type both as it was one of the Three Parts of the Knâ—wn World and as it was a worthy and excellent part of the Christian Church where God had setled so great a Light in the Ministry of Augustine Bishop of Hippo who had in his Epistle to Januarius Remonstrated against that Throng of Ceremonies Crowding in upon Christianity in that Time and in that a place was most Fit to be Chosen that should not it self be the Seat of either pretenders of Rome or Constantinople 4. Gensericus being King of the Vandals was a fit Type of the Gentiles coming into the Outer Court and Holy City as he was one of those that came in upon the Christian Empire that had been made an Emblem of the Kingdom of Christ and as those Irruptions Caused great Mourning of all the Servantâ— of Christ from a Sympathy with those Calamities upon their own Country and the Profession of Christianity 2. As the People he brought in were to Coalesce and become Incorporated with the People of the Roman Empire and so to be the Beasts People and to Constitute the ten Kingdoms under the ten Kings that should receive Power with the Beast And tho all these are thus very Worthy to be Consider'd and It Appears when once the Line of Time hath pointed upon them They fall in with great Conformity to the shewing the Epoch of the Time Times Half a Time the Forty two Months and the 1260 days of years to be 437. Having then an undoubted Assurance of 97 as the Period of the 1260 years It lies with some Pressure
the Flock may be cut off from the Fold and the Heard from the Stall And yet saith he will I Rejoyce in the Lord and Glory in the God of our Salvation For tho I do Acknowledg the World is always so full of Disappointments in all these Kinds that what the Prophet speaks is most suitable to all Times All is full of Labour and Vanity as Solomon speaks Vanity of Vanities All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit All is made subject to Vanity and to Corruption yet as if God would wind up the whole Web of Vanity before the Time of the Salvation of the Restitution of All Things The Prophet thus speaks and goes on That the Lord will make his Feet like Hinds feet and set them upon the high places the Mountain of Spices and that then the Time of Songs shall indeed come in and of Singing to the Stringed Instruments Like David at the Kingdom of the True David the Root and Off spring of David together in comparison of which All songs are but Howling and Lamentation now Now if we were to Judg of Things by the present Aspect of Things and of what is in Prospect we may have Reason to hope That the Change of the World is near and I should Rejoice to be so happily Mistaken that it is indeed nearer than according to the Line of Time I can conclude it There is every where such Labouring in the very Fire and Wearying our selves for very Vanity In the last place to conclude the whole Argument from the sure Word of Prophecy I would in brief present the whole Table of Time The whole ground Plot of Prophecy is the State of Things from the First Creation and Sabbatism under the First Adam to the New Creation and Sabbatism of the Second Adam First Design'd but Remaining to be Accomplished even from the Foundation of the World even when God on the Seventh Day Rested from the Works which He had made according to Heb. 4 5 7. It began to Remain to be Accomplished This Sabbatism Comprehends the Highest and most excellent Temple State or a State of Enjoyment of God and also a Dominion Lordship Throne and Kingdom of the Second Adam and of his Seed over the Creation of God All things being put under the Feet of him and of his Seed in the Sabbatism which remains to the People of God God the Lord of Time hath made and given in his word an exact Line of Time from Sabbatism to Sabbatism of near or to the Evening or between the two Evenings of the Sixth and Last Milenary and allotted a Just Cubical Thousand years the perfection of Time to that Sabbatism it self or Kingdom of Christ This Line is at this Day to be Found in Scripture made up of Historical Time reaching as far as it was necessary to Reach to make up such a space of Time Till by Fair Commissures Prophetic Time came in and joyn'd it and made up the Rest even 5759 years to the great Sabbath To the two great Types of this Temple and Kingdom expiring viz. The Reigns of David and Solomon at Solomons Death This Line of Time is given plainly and Historically Emboss'd only with some Ornamental Resemblances of that Kingdom and Temple-State All which I have made out according to the very Letter of Scripture and Fortified our Hebrew Copy as truly the Word of God by great Evidence as I hope of Argument from Scripture and Scripture-Reason And those several Historical Lines to Solomons Death make 3029 years These I do not particularize because they do not so properly fall under the sure word of Prophecy but the sure word of Scripture-History From thence even at Solomons Death begins Prophetical Time however Historically Supported in many great Branches of it yet the Ministration and Representation of it is All Prophetical and Mystical All and Each of these are of great Consideration to him whoever he be that would understand Prophecy This general Plat-form being now laid according to and in my Line of Time I here present it in brief to View together THE Prophetical Scripture Line of Time As it is Given from the Death of Solomon to the Temple New Jerusalem and Throne of the great Solomon Son of David in purely Prophetical Numbers FRom Solomon's Death when the Types of the Kingdom of Christ in David his Father and himself Ceas'd to Ezekeil's Temple c. The first Time of Sollemn Bearing Iniquity or the Punishment of it in the delay of the Kingdom of Christ the Antitype giving Spring to all Prophetick Time Days of Years 390 Ezek. 4. 5. c. 40. c. In that Ezekiels Temple was but a Visional Temple the former 390 years are made according to the Standard of Seven given by God * Levitic 20. 18 c. seven times three Hundred ninty days of years of bearing Iniquity in the Delay of the Kingdom of Christ to Ezekiels Sanctuary Cleans'd or Expiated and Justified in that Kingdom Days of Years 2340 From Ezekiel's Vision of the Temple after Forty Days of years Bearing the Sin of Judah and stoping any so much as Appearance of a Temple-state to a Faint Appearance of that Vision in Cyrus his Decree for Building the Temple the first 40 of the 2340. Days of Years 0-40 Ezek. 4. 6. From the End of the 40 days of years at Cyrus his Decree to the Sanctuary Cleans'd Days of Years 2300 eves morns Dan. 8. 14. From the Decree of Cyrus the first going out of the word for the Restoring the Temple by the God of Israel and Cyrus King of Persia to the full going out of that word by Artaxerxes Longimanus the first Days of Years 75 Made out by Scripture Argument and Chronology 75 of the 2300 Eves Morns of years a Time of the Treading it under foot this Time therefore is Detach'd from the 2300. From the word fully gone Forth to the Time of Annointing the Sanctuary by the Powring out the Spirit on the Apostolick Church at the Ascension of Christ Represented in the midst of the Half week by the Vision Revel c. 4. c. 5. And so the other Half Week continues the Time of the Confirming of the Covenant a Time cut off from the 2300 of Treading the Sanctuary under Foot Days of Years 490 Dan. 9. 24. Of these 490 years or 70 Weeks seven of them were a Time of Building the Walls and Streets of Jerusalem according to all History Assuring the former 75 with these 49 years to reach ten years within the Reign of Darius Nothus and to be 124 years and therefore the First seven weeks are so cut off from the seventy Dan. 9. 25. Ezr. 6. 14. Fsther 1. 1. Neh. 12. 22. Weeks and so many Persian Princes expresly nam'd in sacred History From the end of the First forty nine years of the Weeks are Sixty two Weeks distinctly nam'd a Time of Vassalage Tributariness Straits and Difficulties under Heathen Princes especially Antiochus
ever but may shine as the Stars and as the Firmament Fix'd in that Firmament of Christianity by the light of which Holy Men are now wise to win Souls and to turn many to Righteousness from which Antichrist by Transgression Fell as a Star from Heaven upon Earth and went down to Open that bottomless Pit and fill'd the World with Darkness and Smoke and shall be cast into his own place at that day the Lake that Burns Rev. 9. 1. with Fire and Brimstone But the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father in the New Jerusalem with God and the Lamb and for Ever If these Things seem hard to be understood let us therefore grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory for Ever THE END An APPENDIX This Prediction I have added by way of Appendix eoncerning Greatest Revolutions in the so near Approaching Year 1698. Found in the Study of that eminent Learned Person Justus Lipsius who Dyed in the year 1606. Transcribed by Dr. Mayer into his Preface upon all the Prophets published 1653. and there to be seen by any who will inspect it Translated and Remark'd upon according to its Agreement with Scripture Prophecy and the Line of it's Time explain'd in several Discourses demonstrating the time times and half time sworn by Christ as the space of the Antichristian Apostasy shall end in the year 1697. And so these so Grand Events appear in a settlement and Consistency 1698. The Original PREDICTION POst Mille Expletos a Partu Virginis Annos Et post sexcentos Rursus ab Orbe Datos Nonagesimus Octavus Mirabilis Annus Ingrueâ— Issecum Gaudia Laeta Feret Corruet hoc Anno Turcarum Invisa Propago Roma Tuum in Libris Fabula Nomen Erit Omnia Tunc â—buâ—t Mundi fursum arque Deorsum Impâ—ria ut Populos Sceptra Novella Premant Utque suâ—m Cunctas Verbum Diffundat in Oras Christus imperitet Nomine Ubique Suo The Translation FRom Virgins Son a Thousand Years when told And after them six Hundred more are Roll'd Then Ninety Eight a year of VVonders Comes And Joyes on Joyes It heaps to Vastest Sums The Hated Stem of Turks that year shall Fall Oh Rome in Sacred Books Foretold men All Shall call thy Name That Lye Earths Empires Move Their upside down a Novel Empire prove The Universal Monarchy Then Christ To th' Everlasting Gospel giving Rist Shall through all Tongues and Kindreds it diffuse And for Imperial Style his own Name use I can Humbly Bless God I have never been subject to be lightly Impress'd upon by any Pretensions to Prophecy Revering only that sure word of Prophecy Scripture Prophecy to which I esteem the word Prophecy in proper speaking to be now only due as the word Scripture to Sacred Writ and the Word to the Word of God yet it is very certain there may be still and there is still vouchsafed by God such Expositions of the sure Word of Prophecy as that his Servants thereby have the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy or some Eminent Servants of God as A. B. Vsher had may have particular Foresights given them or God may providentially Dictate to the minds of whom he pleases the Foretelling of particular Events and their Times and each of these may in general speaking be call'd Prophecy or rather as I choose Prediction All this notwithstanding A Vain Credulity a weak Superstitiousness Fanatick Hears I have through his Grace Far Removed from me and I desire still to Renunciate to them Yet being as I may Account Providentially Directed to this Prediction which I can sollemnly Affirm had so little to do yet with my so constant Fixing on Ninety Seven that I had never Taken the least notice of it before the latter part of the last year Nor had I now minded it in the least but that I found it to Tread the path of Scripture Prophecy in so great and wonderful Events and according to the Line of Time given also by that Prophecy with which I have for several years last past Separated my self to Intermeddle and to make as publick â—â— I could as one Principal Point of Wisdom at this Season now the Day is so near Approaching I have found upon most Assured grounds This Prediction hath fallen upon the Just Time for those Events that commencing 1697 shall settledly appear 1698. Moreover I find This Prediction Formed in the very Phrase and Words which are so Applicable to the sacred Style that considering both the Substance and the Happiness of the very Expression in several Instances I cannot deny my self the Satisfaction and others the Benefit as I hope and desire of making some Remarks upon such an Effort of Providence in giving to whoever it was a Prediction so agreeable to Prophecy a Prediction in undeniable Fact many years before the present Time so consonous to what upon strongest Arguments from the Word of God with the Consent of Undeniable Universal History I have offered to General Knowledge and Observation To Excite to the Pondering of which Substantial Proof I have some Expectation such a Concurrent short Prediction because we are naturally Inclin'd to have some kind of Quicker Thoughts for such may not be unuseful This Prediction is affirm'd by Dr. Mayer to have been found in the Study of Justus Lipsius a Name so known to the World for All Learning and Sagacity of Enquiry into All Things and of the Roman as they will have it call'd Catholic Church I confess I can give no greater Proof It was found there than that Dr. Mayer hath left it so Affirm'd but if it was so It Argues There was some Observation Defer'd to it by him that he â—ave that Paper a place in his Study which Foretold Rome a the Catholick Church should become one of the most notorious Fables in the World and be exposed as one of the greatest Cheats upon it Altho he seem'd to adhere to it I say He seem'd for of so great a Wit I question it However bigotted he appear'd in Writing the Virgo Hallensis But that which is enough to me and will be I suppose to others in thiâ— Kind is That it hath undoubtedly been extant in Print above Forty years and so in the Hands of many persons and that any one may see it at any Time that Pleases Now it must needs be Dr. Mayer knew it a Prediction of â—oâ—e Age in his â—imâ— in Assigâ—ing it to Lipsius his Study who Died near Fifty years before and how long beâ—ore it came into Lipsiâ—s his Study it cannot be said Yet indeed Forty years in this matter is as much as an Hundred and Dr Mayers Preface in this Câ—â—e as much as Lipsius his Study For the whole stresâ— lieâ— here that such Events were Foretold so long before that there was no Train of Causes leading probably to that Ninety Eight more than any other year and that
there be sufficient Assurance of this by the Predictions being in well known Hands Now both these are uncontestable concerning this Prediction by being so long ago in Print in Dr. Mayer and Dr. Mayer's Works in many Hands The Sum of the matter is This Prediction was so long before 98 an undeniable matter of Fact in Print and known to be so But I must not conceale There is a Prediction in Sâ—ows Annals p 749. According to which This I am Discoursing most probably was Form'd as appears by several Allusions of the one to the other so plain as not to be Denied It is a Prediction upon that famous year 1588 running thus Post Mille Expletos a partu Virginis Annos Et post Quingentos Rursus ab orbe Datos Octagesimus Octavus Mirabilis Annus Ingruet Is secum Tristia Fata Feret Si non hoc Anno Totus Malus Occidet Orbis Si non in Nihilum Terra Fretumque Ruant Cuncta Tamen Mundi sursum Ibuntque Retrorsum Imperia Luctus undique Grandis Erit There Englished thus When after Christs Birth there shall be expir'd Of Hundreds Fifteen years Eeighty and Eight Then comes the Time of Danger to be fear'd And all mankind with Dolors it shall fright For if the World that year shall not fall If Sea and Land then Perish ne decay Yet States and Kingdoms then alter shall And men to ease themselves shall have no way Now this last Recited Prediction is said to be written by Regioâ—ontanus that most Famous Astronomer of his Time in the year 1475. the year before he died at Rome And the Prediction I now Recommend may seem to be a meer Imitation of it and so to be the Diversion of a Fanciful Poetical and Adventrous Pen wantonizing upon a Former Prediction and Running Counter to it and that therefore there is no Regard to be had to it But I shall argue the contrary and that upon Due Compare of the one with the other That in Dr. Mayer will be much advanced in Repute I do grant That it was written by one that had laid the Prediction of Regiomontanus before him Nay I make no doubt he writ it after the year 1588. when the Remarkable Events of that Famous Year had given Reputation to the Prediction upon it Whoever therefore writ the Prediction before us Coasted and Glanced along upon that of Regiomontanus grown into Esteem by Things Answering it and grafts a far greater Prediction upon so much as would serve his main purpose and Leaves the Rest And this he did to give it some Remarkableness by appearing in some of the Garb of what had obtain'd a Degree of Honor by the Effect Following it But it indeed far exceeds its Copy and since I know it is so Truly according to the Sure Word of Prophecy I am assur'd whoever writ it writ it either from a Judgment enlightned by deep Enquiry into Scripture Prophecy or by some Divine Impulse and far above the Copy And as Reasons of my Assurance herein I make these Observations upon it 1. In the other Prediction there is nothing but what falls within an ordinary Human imagination supposing the world in an Hurly Burly and Confusion but such a Series of Events known only to Scripture and its Prophecy not to be Read in the Stars nor in the Book of Nature but the Book of God only shews a much higher Original than Human Imagination taking Copy from one much lower than it self but either a mind Divinely Taught by Scripture Prophecy or at least Providentially Impell'd as Caiaphas's was John 11. 51. and not speaking of it self 2. Whereas in the other Prediction The Events though signified to be great yet are but General and Confused and no one Express In this Prophecy all is very great each Event is of the greatest that can be Thought of with in the state of the whole present World each is Distinct Firmly declared Like one that knew he spake on great ground this Poetry and Fancy do not use to do 3. Whereas a mere Fancy or Humor of Foretelling would have chosen some nearer Time than above a Century beyond that 1588 to raise a quicker Expectation and thereby a greater Amuse this Prediction carries steddily to 1698 so far off 4. A Naked Fancy or Incertainly guided Arrogancy of Foreâ—elling if it had born so Aloft and at a Distance from the Time of the Former Prediction would have hardly miss'd of the Câ—imâ— of 1688 Answering 1588. For we see common Expectation hath of it self run upon that year and has not been greatly mistaken in Regard of the Revolution in this Nation wherein All the European World hath been so much concern'd also to carry therefore the Prediction as from one 88 and not to stop and quarry as one may say upon the next 88. but to fall Perpendicularly upon 98. is a higher flight than of a Fancy 5. The words chosen out by whoever was the Predictor so susceptible of so ready to Fall into and to Cope with the words and Images of Scripture Prophecy are a very great Argument and Assurance He either from Great Acquaintance with Scripture Prophecy and Assistance from it in that mediate way or some more immediate Inspirings of that Holy Spirit of Prophecy or at least from a Providential Impulse or Motion of Mind was Enabled to use words which the Holy Spirit Teacheth comparing Spiritual Things with Spiritual 6â— That which above All Assures me there was a Divine Extraordinary either Explorating and searching out of the Testimony of Jesus in the Written word or from some Emotion of the Spirit of Prophecy in some Holy and Sanctified Person or at least from some Providential Impulse of that Spirit upon the Person that writ the Prediction is that he hath fallen upon that very time I have by exact Calculation found to be the very Time for the Coming of these great Events to pass in a settlement in 98 after their beginning 97. FINIS