in pieces like a Potters vessel The scope of the Text is chiefly concerning the exorbitancy and exaltation of Earthly Powers against Christ. And these we say do more nearly and immediately symbolize with the Great Antichrist Secondly they come also in the nearest resemblance to Antichrist and to that which is truly Antichristian who forsake the Scriptures to hang meerly upon Dreams and Revelations For as the true Believers who take Christ for the Head of the Church have the Word of the Gospel applied to their hearts and sealed to their Consciences by the inward working of the Spirit So on the contrary they who mis-believe and take Antichrist for the Head of the Church have his Superstitions Laws and Decrees rooted and grounded in them by Visions Dreams and Apocryphal Revelations This is clear from the scope of the Scripture And here is the esâ—…igies and lively pourtraicture of Antichrists Kingdome But before I come to the point it is necessary that I should premise one Caution in the beginning And here let it be noted That I do not speak of Revelations absolutely and in their full extent but of Revelations restrictively and in a sense onely If we take Revelations in the first sense I do easily agree That not onely in the first 2000 years from Adam to Abraham but also in the last dispensation since the coming of Christ God hath wonderfully revealed himself to his People as it is clear by the Scriptures and by the Stories of the Church And in my own experience I can avouch it to be true as I have had occasion to converse in several places so I have met with some good Christianâ—… whom it hath pleased the Lord to bring home by an admirable way of Conversion And some select persons also I know whom it hath pleased the Lord to chuse out for himself to bear witness to his Truth both in dark and troublesome times I have found that they have spoken great things concerning the last troubles and divers events thereof which experience hath confirmed to be true But concerning this kinde of people that a distinction may be made between true and Apocryphal Revelations I have ever noted three things in them First they have diligently waited upon the publick Ordinances of God and have broke through all difficulties through perswasions of Friends through oppositions of Enemies through threatnings of Tyrannical Courts that they might enjoy the means of their Salvation Secondly I have observed that they have always adhered to the written Word and have spent very much time in the meditation of the Promises Commands and other Passages desiring nothing more in all the world then that they might know the minde of God that they might save their own the Souls of other people Thirdly I have observed this in them That though they have been under extraordinary teachings yet they have had great darknesses in which they have always begged of the Lord that he would not leave them so and that he would carry them on further Now in praying waiting and using the means they have first or last had assured help from the Lord by the immediate supply of his Spirit There is much spoken by the School-men concerning the harmony betwixt the Grace of God and Endeavor of Man Suarez hath his way Alvarez bath his Penottus seemeth to draw a threed betwixt both and Cajetan saith In hoc ego non possum quietare intellectum meum In this I cannot satisfie my understanding But for my part I never found better grounds of resolution any-where then from the experiences of some Christians whom it hath pleased the Lord a long time to exercise in the Schoole of Temptation As they have had sundry changes of trouble and fear so they have had interchangable supply of Spirit and of auxiliary Grace to direct help and comfort them in all their fears There hath been a sweet parallel betwixt Gods grace and their endeavor as they did work under the grace and by the help of grace received By their experiences I do finde That it is the manner of God in dealing with a Soul to break it all to pieces and then wholly to make it up by the continual help of his Spirit Now this doth not any way drown the endeavor of man but doth onely put him upon the work of his Salvation with fear and trembling and upon an humble dependance upon the Lord for the supply of his grace This I have found from the experiences of such as have lived by Faith in the Promises and have prayed much by Faith in the Promises With some of these the Lord hath dealt by peculiar Revelations But these are particular priviledges which he doth vouchsafe to certain persons extraordinarily whom he doth set apart for special services either to himself or to his Church I do acknowledge That some Believers in this last dispensation may be partakers of such extraordinary workings of the Spirit therefore I will not absolutely and peremptorily conclude against all Dreams Visions and Revelations in these last Times And I think it very expedient that men should be moderate in their censure But yet for the ordinary course of Visions and Revelations which men do make boast of in these days it is very much to be suspected that they do proceed from no good Spirit Especially when they are carried so high as to live above Ordinances and to slight the Scriptures which God hath appointed as the way and means to Salvation Nay when they shall go further and maintain things apparently contrary to Scripture and the analogie of Faith and rest wholly upon the proof of extraordinary Revelation there is great cause why we should have this way in deep suspition that the power and working of Satan is here And they who call every thing Antichristian in the Ministery in the Ordinances in the Worship in the literal expressions of Scripture if they would be pleased to examine themselves and lay their hands upon their own hearts they would finde That by their slighting of the Scripture by their hanging upon extraordinary Revelations in matters contrary to Scripture they themselves are the most Antichristian men and do come in the nearest resemblance to the Great Antichrist as he is described by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Thessalonians and by Iohn in the Book of the Revelation But let us come to particulars these are the words of the Apostle Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with miracles signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they did not receive the truth in the love of it that they might be saved Chap. 2. ver 9 10. In which words the Apostle doth plainly shew and foretell That not onely at the coming of Antichrist but also in all the time of his Kingdome the Devil shall have power given him to do great things to deceive the world that they may believe the lies of Antichrist
doth intend them in such or such a particular Scripture Now that this may appear to be a right Interpretation we will compare it with every Circumstance in the Text. These are the words that follow And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to Receive a Mark in their right hand and in their forehead and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the Mark or the Name of the Beast or the Number of the Name Here is Wisdom Let him that hath Understanding â—…ount the Number of the Beast for it is the Number of a Man and his Number is six hundred threescore and six In these words we are to Note Four Particulars 1. The matter of the Law which the Beast doth impose he causeth all men to receive a Mark in their right Hand and in their Forehead and that they have the Name of the Beast and the Number of it 2. The maker of the Law soil The Beast with Two Horns He causeth men to receive the Mark by his coercive power 3. The Persons on whom he doth impose the Law He causeth all both small and great bond and free rich and poor to receive a Mark. For though there is great difference in civil Relations between poor-men and rich bondmen and free yet in this matter none are exempted All must receive the Mark one as well as the other there is no difference of Condition 4. The Penalty inflicted on him that will not submit to the Law He must have no civil Commerce with men he must not buy nor sell that hath not these Three Things First The Mark Secondly The Name Thirdly The Number of the Name Now that men might rightly conceive what is meant by these things the same Spirit doth exhort them to Calculate the Number the Point that we are now upon For the Calculation of the Number these Four Particulars also ought to be Observed First The Person exhorted who it is that must make the Discovery And this is every such one as hath a mind given him of God more accurately to search into the meaning of the Prophecies The matter is not easio to be understood at the first sight there must be some Wisdom used to the Discovery thereof Secondly The manner It must be by the way of Reckoning or Numbering Let him that hath Wisdom reckon the Number of the Beast Thirdly The Rule and Method of Account There is some way of Reckoning called The Number of a Man by and through which the Calculation is to be made Fourthly The particular Number it self and in this Method or way of Account it is 666. These are the Natural distributions of the words of the text Now according to this Pattern or Platform let us proceed to shew the truth of our Interpretation and what apt coherence it hath with the Circumstances and with the Natural scope of the text To begin therefore with the matter of the Law It is expresly said That the Beast did cause all to receive a Mark to have the Name and the Number of the Name For the Mark we are not to take it for a material Character but it is the publick Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick by and through which he doth publickly acknowledg his subjection and Allegeance to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome For as in the words immediately following when Iohn saw the Lamb stand upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having their Father's Name written in their Forehead We do not take the Name of the Father written in the Forehead for a literal Character but for the visibility of their Profession that yield subjection to the Commands of God the Father as their Sovereign Lord So on the other side The followers of the Beast the Mark in their Forehead and in their right hand is not a visible brand or print-mark consisting of Letters and syllables but it sheweth the visibility of their Profession that do own the Bishop of Rome's Universal Headship over all Churches and that they are in Conscience bound to be subject to his Laws as to another Christ. Paraeus upon the place speaketh to the same effect Unde secundò liquet cum Bestia Antichristiana sit Papa Romanus exuviis Romani Imperii tunicâ Christi indutus Characterem Bestiae esse Professionem Papistici cultus sicut supra Character Christi non fuit nota materialis sed professio Christiani cultus But that in this matter we may not altogether depend upon Authority we will prove by many Arguments that the publick Profession of the Catholicism or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is the Mark in the Forehead and in the right Hand First This agreeth omni to every Subject in the Beast's Kingdom He causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark. And such a Mark is the Profession of the Faith of a Roman Catholick And though all are not Cardinals all are not Archbishops all are not Bishops yet all are Roman Catholicks all agree in this To profess the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome This is Nota maximè communis Secondly The Mark agreeth Soli only to such a one as is a Subject of the Beast's Kingdom For as Princes have Marks and Cognizances to distinguish their Servants and Subjects So the Beast hath a peculiar Character to discern between those that are his and those that are none of his Now if you apply this to the Profession of a Roman Catholick all that whole Society and Body of men as they are one among themselves in their publick Profession So in this they are distinguished from all other kinds of men in the whole world Here is nota maximè propria Thirdly The Mark agreeth to the Subjects of the Beast's Kingdom at all times For not only at the first beginning of the spiritual Monarchy he caused every man to receive a Mark but in all the times of his Kingdom he did impose this Law upon his Subjects And therefore we reade in the latter end of his Dominion That the first Vial was poured out upon them that had the Mark of the Beast and worshipped his Image chap. 16. vers 2. And those Souls that lived again to Reign with Christ 1000 years were such as were beheaded in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom because they had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark. The receiving of the Mark in the Forehead it must be semper in all the times of the Beast's Kingdom Now such a Mark is the Profession of a Roman Catholick This hath been received in all times There are some things received by that Society of men which are not much more ancient than the Council of Trent which were not established de fide till that time And though in the dayes of Queen Mary the Critical Question was What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar Yet it is well known That Transubstantiation
of them Five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and the Beast that cometh out of the Bottomless Pit he is the eighth To satisfie the doubt we do pitch upon this sense that the Beast is both the eighth Dynasty and the seventh Head For if you reckon by the order of Kings the Dynasty of the Christian Caesars being included he must needs be the eighth But if you reckon by the Heads of the Beast which are Pagan and Idolatrous Forms of Government then that of the Christian Caesars must be Status exâ—…resimus or exemptilis a State exempted and put out of the Kalendar From whence it comes to pass That the Beast if you reckon him among the Kings his place is to be the eighth but yet among the Heads he is but the seventh And so these words The Beast that was and is not he is the eighth and is one of the seventh are plain as I take it and the knot is untied But leaving this scruple I finde That all solid Interpreters do agree in the general sense of the Text to wit That the Antichristian times begin at the fall of the Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings The words of the Angel are so clear for speaking of the Roman Dominion and the Ten Horns of that Beast he expresly saith These have no Kingdome as yet but shall receive a Kingdome one hour with the Beast which plainly sheweth That their times shall be when the Roman Dominion shall come to the last and Antichristian edition of State The fall of the old Empire and the rising of the Ten Kings is an infallible Character of the beginning of the Antichristian times And this no man can rationally deny that doth look upon the true scope of the Angels Interpretation But our question is concerning the times of the Great Whore when was it that she did begin to ride the Beast We cannot say That it was at that time when the Kings did rise out of the ruines of the Empire For then the Kings of the Earth did not dogmatically and conscientiously acknowledge the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches To the resolution of the case we will consider what Expositors do say to this purpose For in the 17th Chapter though there is mention made of the Beast with Ten Horns yet there is not the least word of the two-horned Beast Now the reason ordinarily given is very solid and it doth agree with the scope of the Scripture For it is plain That the description under the resemblance of a Beast with two Horns Chap. 13. is again repeated under the similitude and type of a Great Whore Chap. 17. Both Scriptures speak of one and the same matter in substance though in a different manner And if need should require we have many Arguments to prove the Parallel Now then in the present case seeing Iohn speaks of the City of Rome that in his days was the great City that ruled over the Kings of the Earth it is to our purpose to inquire when the Church came within the verge of the Dominion oâ—… that great City And here I say if we calculate the times aright and reckon 666 years from that time when that great City came to have Dominion over the Church we shall precisely come to that point and instant of time when the Church of Rome was made the Catholick and the General Mother of all other Churches The Church first came under the Dominion of the City of Rome and then 666 years after â—…hat Church her self was declared Universal Mother of all Churches And here then our Interpretation is one and the same in substance in both Scriptures And whereas the Woman hath this Inscription on her Forehead Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth The Name then on the Forehead of the Woman is not a Grammatical word consisting of Letters and Syllables but it signifieth her Universal Maternity or Motherhood when she began to be declared Universal Mother over all other Churches Now if you apply this to the times it came to pass in the 666th year from that time when the Church and the Territories of the Church came under the obedience of the City of Rome And this is the Number of her Maternity or general Motherhood or of the Name written in the Forehead of the Woman If we apply this to the two-horned Beast in the 13 Chapter his Name is no other but his Paternity or Universal Headship and the Number of his Name is no other but the Number of his Universal Headship from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome And so the sense of one Chapter is clear by the scope and drift of the other But we go on CHAP. X. A List of Fifteen Principles drawn from the main sense of the Prophecy concerning the Beast his Name Mark and Number by the Position of which the present Interpretation is established Also the several Expositions of Mr. Potter and other Writers are brought to Tryall FOr the more full proof of the Point we must take the same method to prove the truth of our Interpretation as Divines do when they would prove the Pope to be Anti-Christ They do infallibly determine him to be so because all the Properties of the Beast do punctually pitch upon that Seat or Succession So in the present case we may say That 666 is such a Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And this we take to be an infallible and undoubted Truth because all the Principles of the Prophecy do pitch and mainly centre upon such an Interpretation We can prove the truth thereof by the accumulation of Notes Wâ—… may further take in the words of the Jesuite Suarez for he himself well obserueth That it is not sufficient to decypher Antichrist by one two or three Notes but by the Concurrence of all the Properties that do appertain to him So I may say for a tight Exposition of the Name of the Beast and the Number thereof we must not rest in a few Circumstances for so many have been brought for the name Lateinos And M. Pâ—…tters Interpretation also seemeth to be very fair But this is that which I mainly stand upon That their several Interpretations will not agree with many Principles The same course then that we take to prove the Truth shall be to disprove their Error But now to the Principles in order Princ. 1. The Name of the Beast his Mark and Number do all agree to the Papall Tyranny by a special application This is proved from the whole scope of the Text. For the Beast is a Tyrannical Empire or Government and not onely so but also a Roman Tyrannical Empire in the last edition thereof Therefore these Characters are specially applicable to that Government and to the Hierarchy thereof and not to any other They erre therefore that seek after the Number in the
Beast is no other but his Universal Power and Headship over the Church of God then I will leave any man to consider Whether one and the same thing is not here spoken by S. Paul in the Epistle to the Thessalonians He as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And hath not the Bishop of Rome for 1000 years put himself in the place of Christ as the Head and Law-giver to the Church of Christ But the Apostle goes on Vers. 5. Remember you â—…ot when I was with you I told you these things We reade in Acts 20. when the 〈◊〉 sent to Ephesus he called for the Eâ—…ders of the Church he told them that grievous Wolves should come and that they should not spare the stock The same things in effect he spake among the Thessalonians when he did foreshew the decay of the Christian faith and the revelation of the Man of Sin Now for the time of his coming and the knowledge they had oâ—… that time he hath these words Vers. 6. And now ye know what with holâ—…eth 〈◊〉 he may be revealed in his time â—…y the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing that doth withhold all Interpreters for the most part 〈◊〉 understand the Great Empire of the Romans For as long as the Mâ—…jesty of that Empire did stand it would keep 〈◊〉 the dominion of Antichrist who should ariâ—…e What knowledge the 〈◊〉 Thessalonians had of this is doubtful yet there iâ—… nothing more â—…ure then that the Ancient Writers 〈◊〉 as lived before the fall of the Empire did believe That when this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come then the Man of Sin should be revealed Among many others when Hierom heard of the taking of Rome by the Râ—…me he did make application of this Scripture that then the Man of Sin was at the doors Now whereas some Interpreters think that we cannot shew any precise time of the coming of Antichrist they divide themselves into sundry opinions And therefore some speak of his Conception some of his Birth some of his higher advancement into the Throne and some of the full Perfection of his Power Others there are that take all these together and tell us That he was conceived in the Primitive Times born about the times of Constantane set up in the Throne under the Emperor Phocas and raised to the high pitch when he did assume the Power of both Swords But all these are but conceits of mens own Commenting For the time of the revelation of the Man of Sin must not be as every one will feign it at his own pleasure but as it is positively and plainly set down in the Word of Truth Now if we go to the scope of the Context the Great Empire of the Roman the impediment that hindred must be taken away and then after that the Man of Sin must be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite and determinate time There is then a precise definite and determinate time for the revelation of the Man of Sin and this must be after the fall of the old Empire Nâ—…w according to these grounds there can be no other time intended but when he was installed Oecumenical Bishop under the Emperor Phocas It is clear by the Stories of the Church That the Empire fell and the Kings arose in the fifth Century And after that in the year 606 from the birth of the Lord and in the year 666 from the beginning of the Roman as the fourth Metal-Kingdome the Bishop of Rome was declared Universal Head over all Churches in the times of the Emperor Phocas In this year he was revealed and declared to the world in such a manner as the Apostle doth describe him for in this year he did begin to sit in the Church or in the Temple of God as in Cathedrá as Oecumenical and Universal Bishop and Head of the Church And so we have the particular time when Antichrist was revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his definite time This we take to be the natural sense of the Text for if these two things be supposed First that the beeing of the Man of Sin lies essentially in his Headship over the Church and Temple of God Secondly that he did appear in his proper time after the fall of the old Empire What other thing can here be signified or decyphered but that which we speak of to wit that the Number 666 in the Revelation doth point out the time of the rising of this Spiritual Monarchy For as we have formerly shewed the year 606 according to the calculation of the times in Daniel is the Number 666 the Number of the Name or Universal Headship of the Beast And thus we see how the scope of the Apostle in this Scripture doth fully answer our Interpretation concerning the Name of the Beast and the Number of the Name Now let us go to the words of the Apostle as they follow Vers. 7 8. For the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work onely he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked one be revealed Here Interpreters do inquire what is meant by the Mystery of Iniquity Some do think that the Apostle doth refer to those Heresies in the first times that were previous to the bringing in of the Man of Sin But how could those gross Heresies be so called The Mystery of Iniquity did incroach upon the Church and upon godly men under the appearance of the greatest holiness Secondly suppose that in those first times there were some beginnings of Free-will Justification by the Merit of Man yet these things are not to our purpose for we are here specially to look after such a working of the Mystery of Iniquity as makes way for the Papacy or the Papal Government or the Universal Headship of Antichrist that he shall sit as Lord or chief Ruler in and over the Church and Temple of God The question is What previous workings were there in the Apostles days and so downwards towards the setting up of the Universal Headship For this is to the scope of the Text and this doth answer the matter in hand Let us therefore consult with other Scriptures S. Iohn saith Ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even so the spirit of Antichrist is already in the world 1 Joh. 4. 3. What doth he mean by this that the spirit of Antichrist was already in the world He doth explain himself in his third Epistle and the 9th verse I would have wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the pre-eminence suffereth us not It appears from hence then that in those first times men did affect that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Primacy or Headship in and over the Church of God Here then the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work in those first times But lest any man might alledge that these incroachments were too gross and that the Mystery of Iniquity must be carried on with greater shews
in the Name of the Lord the trusting upon the Lord himself This doth make good that former rule What the Name of God is that God himself is And so by way of Opposition what the Name of the Beast is that is the Beast himself If he be described as a Mighty King we have cause to take his Name for his Monarchical Power and sovereignty Secondly We often reade in the New Testament of believing in the Name of the Son of God c. we do not then look to the Name Jesus or the Name Christ as though there were any Vertue or Efficacy in the Letters and Syllables of these Names but in this case the sense of each Scripture must govern And therefore when the Apostles do Exhort us to believe on the Name of the Son of God in their sense we are exhorted to believe on the Lord Christ for pardon of sin for help in temptation and for supply in all our wants We must not look to Letters and syllables but to the main sense of each Scripture In like manner when we reade of the Name of the Beast and the Saints overcoming his Name Mark and the Number of the Name we are not here to look to the word Lateinos or any such Grammatical Name but according to the sense of the Prophecie the Name must be taken for the Potency of the Beast as he is Opposed to the Lamb. But let us come more largely to shew some particular Instances out of the Book of the Revelation where the Name of a thing person or state is to be expounded according to the Analogie of the text We read that there were with the Lamb 144000 and that they had their Fathers Name written in their Forehead chap. 14. vers 1. Now these 144000 are set in direct Opposition to the followers of the Beast and their Father's Name written in their forehead is contradistinct to the Mark of the Beast in the forehead and the right Hand Now here sâ—…th there is mention made of the Name of the Father and of his Name written in the forehead of all the followers of the Lamb shall we think therefore that it is made out of the Alphabet or that it is a literal Name Not so we must look here to the main scope of the text and accordingly we must render the meaning of the words They that have their Father's Name written in their forehead are such who in all the times of Antichrist had consecrated dedicated and given themselves up to God the Father to live in subjection to his Commandements and to take him as their sovereign Lord this was the Badge of their outward Profession By the rule of Opposition they that had the Name of the Beast were such as did resign their Obedience to him as to their sovereign Lord And the submission to this Lordship was the Badge and Livery of their outward Profession this is clear from the scope of the text Further We read chap. 2. vers 17. To him that overcometh will I give a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written that none can read but he that hath it Now what is here meant by the Name written shall we say that it is a Name consisting of Letters and syllables If we so affirm we shall have as good foundation for such a Position as they who take Lateinos to be the Name of the Beast But this is to trifle in a serious matter Therefore we must have recourse to the forementioned Principle to wit The scope of the text When the Lord Christ promiseth to give to him that overcometh a white stone and in the stone a Name written this is nothing else but the inward testimony of the Spirit by and through which he sealeth extraordinary Consolations to his Martyrs and Witnesses in the middest of their sufferings under the tyrannical States and Governments of the world Many worthy Expositors take this for the seal of the Spirit that followeth Justification as may be seen in several late Treatises But I take it That the Promise in the text and so commonly through the whole Prophecie is immediately made to him that overcometh in the times of Persecution And therefore these things do more immediately concern the Martyrs the in-coming of Christ into their hearts and the divine Consolations which they feel in the Name written which none can read but they that have it Let us go to the meaning of that Promise Rev. 3. 12. He that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is the new Ierusalem which cometh down from Heaven and I will write upon him my new Name In these words when the Lord Christ promiseth to him that overcometh That he will write upon him the Name of his God doth he intend here a writing by Letters and syllables This cannot be But according to the scope of the place this is the meaning of Christ That they that overcome shall have this peculiar testimony given into their hearts That the Lord is theirs and that they are his Further Whereas it is said I will write upon them the Name of the City of my God By this he doth mean The true Catholick Church represented Rev. chap. 21. The scope of the words is this That he will inroll them into the Number of Citizens and count them as Members of the true Church his Mystical Body And for the truth of the Interpretation we do chiefly build upon the scope of the text But now let us go to other Scriptures where usually the Name of a thing is taken according to the Analogie of the text It is said concerning the Church of Sardis Thou hast a few Names which have not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3. 4. Here then when it is said Thou hast a few Names shall we understand this to be meant of Grammatical Names This cannot be The drift of the text is concerning the persons of men and women which did not defile themselves in the times of general Pollution And so at the destruction of Rome Antichristian there was a great Earthquake and there were slain of the Names of men 7000 chap. 11. vers 13. Now for the Names of men shall we understand Names consisting of Letters and syllables What a kind of slaughter would this be According to the scope of the text and the manner of the Hebrew expression we may say That such a Number of persons were slain in the Earthquake Adde moreover to this That the Beast which did carry the Whore was full of the Names of Blasphemy chap. 17. There is none so void of understanding to imagine That the Spirit speaketh of such Names that do consist of Letters and syllables We must here go to the sense of the text which speaketh of his
up to attention to look after the Messiah of whom so much was sooken in the Prophecies So in the like case many things being foretold in the writings of the Apostles concerning the coming of Antichrist when that time should begin to draw near the Lord was pleased to suffer such a dust to be raised between Constantinople and Rome to rouze up the spirits of men to examine those things which were foretold in the Scriptures In the Book of the Revelation there is much spoken concerning the Name of the Beast and the Mark of the Name Now when this Name or Headship was come to the beginning thereof Gregory did plainly declare That the formality of Antichristianism did consist in this Title and that the Man of sin was then at the doors And I wish one day his sayings do not strongly witness against all his Successors who with one joynt consent down from the year of our Lord 606 have appropriated this Title to themselves to the great dishonour of Christ the true Head of the Church But if they alledge That the Bishop of Rome is only a Ministerial head as Christ's Vicar To this I Answer However they may evade by subtilty of words indeed and in truth they have taken for many Ages together the Dignity of Christ and have made him only the titular Head of the Church For is it not clear by the Stories That all doth depend upon the Authority of the Romane See The credit of Scripture the interpretation of Scripture the making of Laws the abrogation of divine Laws and all things in a manner have depended upon the Authority of the Roman Bishop What he would he hath set up what he would he hath plucked down And when all this is done is he only a titular Head Indeed and in â—…uth the Headship of Christ hath been made but a cypher and the words of Gregory have been found too true in the event But for the passages out of him two things are briefly to be observed First If we go to the 600 years immediately after the birth of Christ there was then no Oecumenical Bishop For though the Man of sin had gone very far and had made many progressions in the Mysterie of Iniquity yet the Authority it self was not publickly established in all that time If it were so we may believe that Gregory would not have inveighed against that Headship as he did Secondly In the year of the Lord 606 the Decree was Enacted That the Bishop of Rome should be Head over all Churches which Dignity the whole Succession have enjoyed now above this 1000 years And that which Gregory did call Antichristian in others that all his followers have assumed to this very day Therefore Thuanus in his 67 Book doth speak very pithily Phocas Bonifacio tertio insignes Episcopi Universalis titulos quos nuper Gregorius in Iohanne Constantinopolitano improbaverat prolixè attribuit Phocas did largely ascribe to Boniface the third those eminent titles of Universal Bishop which Gregory did lately inveigh against in Iohn of Constantinople Now then to gather all into one sum we may see how the Prophecies and the Stories of the Church do agree First That the two-horned Beast had a determinate time when he rose up out of the Earth Secondly That this time is after the rising of the ten-horned Beast or the ten Kings out of the ruines of the Empire Thirdly It is to be applied to such a time only when the Name and the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome began publickly to be set up All these three laid together do necessarily bring us to the Decree of the Headship under the Emperor Phocas And so we do Conclude that this is the Number of the Name of the Beast as it is mentioned in the Prophecie Now by what Accompt the Number is 666 we will shew in the Two Chapters following CHAP. V. That the Roman is the Fourth and Last Metal-Kingdom in Daniels Image and the truth of this is proved against the Positions of Junius Broughton Piscator Dr. Willet and others FOr the carrying on of our matter we need not imbark in that great Question Whether the Roman be the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Or Whether the Opinion of Junius and his followers be received We are sure both wayes to make the Accompt good That the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome is 666. The matter is so firmly grounded upon the event Let us then proceed according to Iunius his Method let us say that the Babylonian is the first Metal-Kingdom that the Mede-Persian is the second that the Macedonian in Alexander is the third that the Seleucian is the fourth Here according to this Analogie there must be an end of all the four Metal-Kingdoms at the destruction of the Seleucian when Syria Iudaea and all that Oriental tract came under the Obedience of the People of Rome Now then if you reckon from the final Conclusion of all the four persecuting Empires and from the beginning of the Roman as that Nation did succeed in the Rule over the Church there will be an exact period of 666 years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And so we do concord with the Principles of Iunius But we do not say That there was a dissolution of all four Metal-Kingdoms but only a dissolution of the third and a beginning of the fourth Now from the beginning of the Roman or the fourth Kingdom we make the accompt And for the clearer manifestation of the truth we will Debate this Point more fully for it is a ruled case in Daniel and the Revelation That one and the same thing is variously repeated for clearer explication As for ensample The Antichristian Kingdom is more obscurely delivered Revel 11. Now if we compare it with the description chap. 13 and chap. 17. all three Scriptures will exceedingly illustrate one and the same truth And so in the present case if it can be solidly proved that the fourth Beast in Daniel is the Roman Kingdom we may safely conclude that the same matter is repeated more largely in the Book of the Revelation Mr Medâ—… speaketh to very good purpose concerning the description of the ten-horn'd Beast Rev. 13. These are his words Toâ—…a autem haec descriptio petita est ex Propheâ—…iâ Danielis cap. 7. ubi de eâdem agitur quâ hic Bestiâ Romanâ status novissimi sed quae ibi Danieli ab Angelo succinctius narrantur ea hîc Iohanni interjectâ quasi explicatione fusius deducuntur Comment Apocal. pag. 190. From which words of his it is clear that one and the same Roman Dominion in the last and Antichristian State thereof is the subject matter of both Scriptures And so we have a certain and a demonstrative Principle to build upon For not only the Book of the Revelation it self will be cleared by comparing one part with another that which is more dark with that which is more
can we apply the taking away of the daily Sacrifice to the times of Iulian and how can we make the accompt by the Abomination of Desolation set up by Iulian when our Saviour doth speak so plainly of the desâ—…ruction of Ierusalem by the Romans He speaketh in this wise These be the dayes of Vengeance that all things that are written may be fulfilled And there shall be great distress upon this People and they shall fall by the edge of the Sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Ierusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Luk. 21. 22 23 c. Here observe First our Saviour speaketh of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the scattering of the Jewes and of the time of their dispersion He doth speak of these things as they were foretold in the writings of the old Prophets That all that is written might be fulfilled Now where may we conceive these things are written but in the Prophecie of Daniel more briefly chap. 9 and more largely chap. 12. St. Matthew therefore when he speaketh of the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans doth plainly shew that this is but the fulfilling of that which was formerly mentioned in the Prophecie of Daniel Mat. 24. vers 14 15. If this be so why then should we look after the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation in the times of the Emperor Iulian when in the Evangelist it is so strictly limited to the destruction of Ierusalem But let us come to the things themselves and here in the first place concerning the wrath that shall be upon the people of the Jewes it is expresly said That they shall fall by the edge of the Sword and that they shall be carried Captive into all Nations This is the scope of our Saviours words as we may see in the Story Now then doth not Daniel speak of the same things of a time of trouble for the Children of his People such as never was since it was a Nation vers 1. And doth he not speak of the scattering of the Holy People and of the continuance of their dispersion to the time of the end Secondly for the time how long the dispersion shall continue our Saviour saith That the Jewes shall be carried Captive into all Nations and Ierusalem shall be troden under foot till the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled It is plain then That the dispersion of the Jews and the conculcation of the literal Ierusalem shall last to the fulfilling of the times of the Gentiles Now then If we apply this to the Prophecie of Daniel doth he not speak of the destruction of Ierusalem and the dispersion of the Holy People and of the time of the dispersion how long shall it be to the end of these things vers 6. Thirdly The Evangelist doth begin the time of the dispersion from the destruction of Ierusalem as from the Epocha and term thereof And doth not Daniel do the same Doth he not Number 1290 dayes the time of the dispersion from the destruction of Ierusalem Fourthly The Evangelist saith That Ierusalem shall be troden under foot till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled In which words he doth secretly imply That after the compleating of those times there shall be a glorious Restoring of that Church and Nation The words of St. Paul are much to the same effect When the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 25. He speaketh of the Church of the Jewes that shall be in the latter times And for the particular time he doth restrain it in this wise When the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in that is When the Fulness of the Nations shall be brought in to own Christ the Head of the Church then the Nation of the Jews shall be Called And so Jewes and Gentiles shall make one People under Christ their Head in the latter dayes And are not the words of Daniel much to the same purpose Doth he not say Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes to the glorious Restauration of that Church and Nation But yet for a further amplification let us consider what is spoken Dan. 9. 27. And here we shall find that this doth parallel the two former Scriptures and that all three together do speak of the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans and the continuance of the dispersion of that People after the destruction These are the words He shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease and for the overspreading of Abomination or as it is in the Margine with Abominable Armies he shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate In these words Note First the Agent who it is that shall make desolate The People of Rome or the Prince of that People who shall come Secondly The Action it self he shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease and shall bring in the Abomination that maketh Desolate Thirdly The time when this Action shall begin to wit After the cutting off of the Messiah Then the People of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary And so they did as appeareth by the event â—…ourthly For the time of the continuance of the Desolation it is said He shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate He doth not speak of the desolation of Ierusalem only at that 〈◊〉 â—…nstant but of the continuance thereof as the Lord had determined and Decreed it upon that City and People Iâ—… is said to be determined because 〈◊〉 is precisely cut out deâ—…ned limited and circumscribed as was the period of the 70 weeks vers 24. Further The Prophet Isaiah 〈◊〉 of the casting away of the Jewes useth the same expression as is herâ—… used in the text of Daniel For saith he though thy Peoâ—…le of Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 shall return For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the consumption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pâ—…ecise consummation shall overflow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 10. vers 22 23. This is spoken of the 〈◊〉 fataâ—…â—…cattering of the Jewish Nation and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that dispersion as the Apostle himâ—…elf 〈◊〉 exâ—…ound Rom. 9. 27 28. So then the text doth not only speak of the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans but of a certain determinated time of the desolation of that People how long it shall continue Now let us apply all these things to the controverted place Dan. 12. 11 From tâ—…e tâ—…me that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away and the Abâ—…nation that maketh Desâ—…late be set up there shall be 1290 〈◊〉 What is more natural and consonant to the text anâ—… 〈◊〉 is more congruous to other Scriptures than to take the 〈◊〉 up of the Abomination of Desolation for the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romans And that the
this Fourth Monarchy is to be stated according to Church-relations Secondly We will shew out of the Stories in whose times and by whose means the Church came first under the Dominion of that People Now That the Roman doth begin as the Fourth of Daniel's Kingdoms when the Church came under the Obedience of that People may be proved by these Arguments ARGUMENT I. Where the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin by the same Analogie we are to proceed in stating the Beginning of the Fourth Kingdom But the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image did begin each of them in their several times when the Church and the Confines adjoyning came under their Dominion Therefore the Roman as the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel's Image began when the Church and the Confines about the Church came under the Obedience of that People The Major is clear For none will Deny but that the Roman doth hold Analogie with the three former Empires in their beginning And for the Minor we prove it by Induction of Singulars As for Ensample Example 1. First In the Babylonian Kingdom the first of Daniel's Four there were many Potent Kings that did Reign in that Succession before the times of Nebuchadnezzar for he began to Reign in the 144 year of the Aera of Nabonazzar Now the several Names of the Kings the times of their Reign and the order of their Succession are all set down in the famous Canon of Ptolomy as we shall shew afterwards But not to go far for an Example There is mention made of one Merodach-Baladan in the Canon aforesaid called by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah King of Iudah 2 King 20. 12. There was then a Succession of Babylonian Kings before Nebuchadnezzar You will say Why is he then called the Head of Gold as much in sense as the first Babylonian King I Answer Though he was not simply the first Babylonian King others Reigning before him yet he was the first Prince of the Babylonians that brought the Jewish Church and the Confines about that Church within the Babylonian Empire Example 2. Secondly That Kingdom of the Medes and Persians whereof Darius and Cyrus were the Founders if we go strictly to work the Foundation of these was laid before For it is manifestly plain by the testimony of the Greek Historians and by the Chronographical Tables now in the hands of all men That there was a Potent Race of the Kings of Media down from Arbaces the Mede Yet for all this Darius and Cyrus are the true Founders of the Mede-Persian Kingdom because they first brought the Jewish Church under the power of the Medes and Persians And that which is very remarkable to our present purpose though it be a thing famously known among Historians That Cyrus began to Reign in the 55 Olympiad though he subdued many Nations Propagated the Persian Empire very far yet the Scripture taketh no notice of that beginning but then only when the Church came within the limits of the Persian Dominion And therefore it is well Observed by Piscator in his Scholia upon Ezra chap. 1. vers 2. That the Edict came forth in the first of Cyrus King of Persia. This saith he is the first year of his Reign in Babylon Example 3. The Third Kingdom in Daniel's Image is that of the Graecians of which Alexander became the Head at the overthrow of Darius The rough Goat is said to be the Monarchy of the Graecians and the Great Horn to wit Alexander is expresly called the first King Dan. 8. 21. Now How can he be said to be the first King of the Graecians seeing there were many Mighty Kings before him in and over that Nation To let pass all the other States of Greece in Macedonia it self Philip the Father of Alexander was a Potent Prince But the Answer is as before He was the first Monarchical King that subdued the Territories of the Church There was never any Graecian Prince that extended the Sovereign Rule of that People so far Eastward to the Confines of the Church as he And therefore he is expresly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first King of the Graecians From all the forementioned particulars it is clear That the former Three Kingdoms in Daniel's Image began each of them in their several times when the Church came under their respective Dominions And so the Assumption is proved If then we proceed in the same Analogie we must necessarily say That the Roman began as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Jewish Church and the Continent adjoyning came first under the Sovereign Lordship and Command of the People of Rome But yet for further confirmation of this truth we will produce some new Arguments to prove That the Metal-Kingdoms are Numbred in relation to the Church First The Revelation of these Metal-Kingdoms was specially for the Saints and People of God For though one end was to Discover to Nebuchadnezzar what Successions of Tyranny there should be after him yet this was principally for the Churches sake and the Churches use And therefore it is mentioned This Secret is not revealed unto me for any wisdom that I have above all living but for their sakes that shall make known the Interpretation to the King vers 30. Therefore in the delineation of these Tyrannical Empires the Lord doth specially intend to Reveal to the Church those Changes and Vicissitudes of times that she should meet withal In Relation to her then There is primarily a Discovery of these things Secondly These Metal-Kingdoms are also Discovered to shew in what Region or Part of Time the Kingdom of Christ should begin All the Scriptures in the Old Testament point mainly to Christ some point to his Parentage others to the place of his Birth others to the Tribe that he should come of So this in special pointeth to that period of time when his Kingdom should begin These are the words of the text In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed From whence it is manifest That the Monarchies are reckoned according to the alterations which shall be in and about the Borders of the Jewish Church For Where should Christ be Born but in Iudea And hereupon he is called The King of the Jews Thirdly If we go to that Expression so often mentioned Dan. 11. where the Seleucian is called The King of the North and the Dominion of the Lagidae The King of the South Here we must necessarily Affirm That these Empires are said to be North and South in some special relation And the Reason is clear Because Iudea did lie in the middest betwixt them as a Lamb betwixt Two Wolves having the Seleucidae on the North and the Lagidae on the South Now that the People of the Jews are herein principally respected the words of the Angel are clear I am come to make Thee Understand what shall befal Thy People in
received some hints of the Four Metals of Daniel's Image when he spake of the Golden Age under Saturn and of the Silver Age under Iupiter c. We must not think whatsoever is spoken by this Poet to be altogether a Fable That which he saith concerning Deucalion's Flood in many particulars it was a Fable of his own making yet in the general ground we all know that it is a Scripture-Truth that there was a Deluge to drown the world So he speaketh of the Gyants and of their heaping of Pelion upon Ossa we may conceive that in this he had some respect to the Gyants before the Flood and to the building of the Tower of Babel So in the present case when he spoke of the Four Ages of the world of the Golden the Silver the Brass and the Iron-Ages though in this matter to use the Apostles Expression he turned the Truth of God into a Lye yet in the ground it is true That the times of the Church are divided into Four Ages and these Ages are figured by so many Metals of the Image In after times they that lived in the Church and had the right Experience of things did expound the Babylonian to be the Head of Gold the Mede-Persian to be the Silver the Graecian to be the Brass and the Roman to be the Iron This is a true Exposition in the main but in some particulars they have gone too much after Ovid in his Metamorphosis It is true that the Babylonian Monarchy is represented by the Golden-Metal but it is a common Error in the Ancients and now generally among the Historians Chronologers and Writers to begin the Babylonian Monarchy at Ninus Upon the front of many Chronological Tables you shall find That Ninus is Pictured as the Founder of the Babylonian Cyrus of the Persian Alexander of the Graecian Iulius Caesar of the Roman Monarchy This distribution though it may take in a greater compass of time yet it doth not agree with the sense of the Holy Ghost in some chief Circumstances For the beginning of the Babylonian at Ninus Historians have taken this out of thâ—…ir own Heads and not out of the Word of God And from hence Bodin in his Method of History ch p. 7. hath taken occasion to Dispute against the Scriptures and to strike out the Truth because some have mingled their own Inventions with the Word of God He hath taken this Advantage upon the private Errors of some who have stood for the Truth in the main But the latter Expositors do decline this Error of Ninus and do pitch upon this That Nebuchadnezzar is the Head of Gold and that the Babylonian Kingdom doth begin from his Monarchy They find by Experience That the Scriptures do chiefly point to those several Empires that were to stand in fulness of Power one after another in those Countries where somtimes the Kings of the Lineage of David did bear Rule These are the most approved Interpreters which I so call because they go according to the minde of the Scriptures Now according to their grounds it followeth by necessary consequence That the Roman must begin as the Fourth Kingdom in the time of their Free-state when the Church and all the Countries adjoyning came under the Lordship and Dominion of the People of Rome And whereas in the Chronographical Tables Iulius Caesar is set forth as the Founder of the Roman Empire this is as false an imagination as that of Ninus First It is clear That every Metal-Kingdom did rise and encrease by the destruction of the Empire that went before Now what part or parcel of the Graecian Empire did Iulius Caesar bring under the Power of the Romans Secondly What part or parcel of the Nations about the Borders of the Church did he bring under the Roman Obedience If we speak in a Latitude Caesar did change the Free-state into the Government by One yet to speak accurately The Roman did not begin then as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom but in the times of Pompey when the Jewish Church came under the Obedience of that Nation And so our Argument is Founded upon the Principles of the best Expositors for the true beginning of the Roman Kingdom Now then to gather all into one sum we may conclude the Roman to begin as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom when the Church came under the Dominion of that People This is demonstrated First By the Analogie of the Three former Metal-Kingdoms which did begin each one as the Church came under their Dominion Secondly By the end of the Graecian Kingdom typed by the Brass-Metal Where the Graecian endeth there the Roman beginneth Thirdly By that which is necessary to the Being of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom which began to be applicable to the Roman in the time aforementioned Fourthly By the Testimony of the Evangelist S. Luke which doth insinuate such a Beginning Fifthly By the Principles of the latter and most Approved Interpreters which being rightly laid do necessarily prove such a Beginning also Having thus laid the Foundation I should now proceed to the Building But there are some few Objections that yet remain to be Answered Object 1. Mr Mede standeth upon it That the Roman came up by the same degrees as the Graecian went down Therefore there can be no determinate and set time of the Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Sol. What he speaketh in his Apostacy of the latter-times concerning the gradual encrease of the greatness of the Romans we do yield to be a truth in the main But we here speak of the beginning of the Roman in a more strict sense in that acception as it is in the Fourth Metal-Kingdom And here as there was a determinate time of the beginning of the Babylonian Persian and Graecian Empires So there must be a determinate beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom Secondly Daniel saw in the Vision the Four Beasts come up out of the Sea one after another and the Fourth Beast last of all There must then be some determinate time of the beginning of the Fourth Empire Thirdly It is the plot of the Spirit by the Four Empires to decypher so many periods of time According to this Rule If there be no certain beginning of the Fourth Metal-Kingdom there will be a Chasme There will be some part of time which will be long to no Metal of the Image For as Mr Mede himself doth allow The Image doth comprehend Four great Revolutions of time to begin one after another in an orderly succession These are his own words Apost pag. 69. For the true account of the times in Scripture we must have recourse to that Secret Kalendar and Great Almanack of Prophecie The Four Kingdoms of Daniel which are a Prophetical Chronologie of times measured by the Succession of Four Principal Kingdoms from the beginning of the Captivity of Israel until the Mysterie of God should be finished A course of time during which the Church and the Nation of the Iews together
came to pass in that year when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls at Rome in the 179 Olympiad in the third Month on a Fasting-day he saith That Pompey entred Ierusalem with the Roman Legions Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 8. And for their subjection to the Romans he addeth That Syria and Iudea and all places from the Borders of Egypt to Euphrates were committed to the tuition of Scaurus Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 5. And here I finde That all Historians and Chronologers do agree in the aforementioned year Now for the Number of time That there are 666 years from this beginning to the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas this is clear also in all our ordinary Books of Chronology Dr Willet who doth differ from our Judgement about the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom he in his Synops. Papism Quaest. de Antichr part 2. saith That the Scepter was taken from Iudah at that year when Cicero was Consul at Rome which he affirmeth to be 60 years before the Birth of the Lord and 666 before the setting up of the Headship of the Bishop of Rome And in general he doth approve the truth of our Interpretation as Bale the Historian did before him And whereas it may be Alledged That Calvisius the most accurate Chronologer doth Number somthing more than 60 years to the Birth of the Lord To solve this Difficulty let us say as he doth That Cicero and Antonius did enter their Office about the 20 of October when all was full of troubles at Rome And in the fourth of Iuly following which was the 17 day of the Month Tamuz the Romans entered Ierusalem and Pompey went into the Temple To this if we adde those Acts of his of breaking down the Wall of Ierusalem of making Iudea Tributary to the Romans and delivering all into the Power of Scaurus the Questor till further Order should be taken by the Senate These things must necessarily be done in the latter end of the year when Câ—…cero and Antonius were Consuls or rather in the beginning of the next year which according to Calvisius his account is the year of the world 3889. To which if you adde 666 years the Number of the Name of the Universal Headship of the Beast this will make the year of the world 4554. And this will bring us to that fatal year of the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome under the Emperor Phocas And so this present year will be From The Creation of the World the 4555 Year From The Birth of the Lord the 606 Year From The Beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom the 666 Year For the Number of years there is yet one main Objection Some will have the periods of time in Daniel's Image to be a meer Scholastical speculation Sol. We will go to the Scriptures and to the Stories of the Church to decide the Question For the Scriptures Let us first consider the words of Daniel's Thanksgiving upon the Revelation of the Mystery of the Four Metal-Kingdoms Blessed be the Name of God for ever for Wisdom and Might are his he changeth the times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Dan. 2. 20 21. The scope of the Vision is concerning the Four Metal-Kingdoms and so many changes of time answerable to those Four Mutations of Empire But if we look more narrowly to the text the words in the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are times and revolutions of time For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as tempus statutum determinatum an appointed and determinate time For the Lord having shewed Nebuchadnezzar's Dream to Daniel and the substance of the Dream That it concerned a Fourfold change of Empire and a Fourfold change of time upon the Earth Upon this Reason the Prophet breaketh forth into the praise of the Wisdom and the Power of God in a sutable manner to the present occasion And in very deed if we look upon the translation of the Empire from the Babylonians to the Persians from the Persians to the Graecians from the Graecians to the Romans Here is a notable Example of the Wisdom and the Power of God And that which is more considerable The Lord speaketh of the times of the sovereign Dominion of these People many years before they come to have the Dominion upon the Earth For this cause the Prophet breaketh forth into the praises of the wisdom of God in his disposing the changes of times and the changes of Empire and for the communication of this deep secret to him and the other three Children and by their means to the information of the Church And when all this is done shall we say That the Four changes of time in the Image of the Metal-Kingdoms are but a curious speculation Further it is added vers 44. In the dayes of these Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven raise up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed This is spoken of the rising of the Kingdom of Christ in the time of one of the Four Metal-Kingdoms The Four periods of time then are not a bare Speculation but a plain Scripture-truth For it is the plot of the Spirit to shew That down from Nebuchadnezzar there should be Four Changes of Empire and Four notable Revolutions of time and when these Changes should be in their course and succession then the Kingdom of Christ shall begin Now whereas Bodin in his Method of History chap. 7. taketh a great deal of pains in the Confutation of this Let us Consider what he Alledgeth First There be many things he confuteth which we do not allow For as we have formerly said The Babylonian Empire did not begin at Ninus but at Nebuchadnezzar Secondly He taketh it as Granted That only the Amplitude of Dominion maketh a Monarchical Kingdom And hereupon Reasons Why should not the Kingdoms of the Parthians Saracens Turks Tartars go under the account of Monarchical Kingdoms Here he is to consider That not only the greatness of Dominion but the greatness of Dominion over the Churches Continent is necessary to the Being of Daniel's Metal-Kingdoms And therefore look what Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar did begin it did orderly descend to the Persians Graecians and Romans and not to the Parthians as experience sheweth Therefore a Beast in Daniel or the Revelation doth not signifie a State or Government in the General Notion but a State or Government that is Idolatrous and doth persecute the Church Neither doth it signifie an Idolatrous Government in the Latitude but such an Idolatrous Government in and about the Borders of the Church If this distinction were well observed They that are Enemies to Magistracie would not have such harbour in the Revelation as they think they have Thirdly He disputeth against those who stand for a German-Roman Empire And with him we do agree That this is but a Fable For the Empire of the last Edition is the whole Body of
of men that had persevered and held out for Christ against the Power and Headship of Antichrist in all the time of that Tribulation And yet as this matter is one it is branched into several Considerations First If you speak of the Papacy as a State or Government afflicting the Saints so it is called a Beast like to one of the Beasts in Daniel Secondly If you speak of the Universal Headship wherein the form and essence of the Kingdom doth consist this is the Name of the Beast Thirdly If you speak of that Universal Headship as a Representative of that Soveraign Majesty that was formerly lost in Rome Imperial and now repaired in Rome Papal this is the Image of the Beast Fourthly If you speak of the publick profession of this Universal Headship in the society of men this is the Mark of the Beast Fifthly If you speak of the time when this Universal Headship began visibly and remarkably to appear this is the Number of the Beast and more specially of his Name and Headship All these are so many distinct Apocalyptical Considerations which agree in one main Truth in the general And thus having spoken of the Law of the Beast in the three branches thereof we will now come to speak more briefly of the other particulars because they are more easie to be understood Secondly For the Law-maker the Power by and through which he caused all to receive the Mark this is a Spiritual Christ-like efficacy prevailing in the Consciences of men to make them subject to his Laws It is said of the Monarchy of Nebuchadnezzar that the most High God did give to him a Kingdome And for the Majesty that he gave him all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive Chap. 5. ver 18 19. So the Beast in the Revelation hath the same transcendent power he causeth all to receive a Mark whether rich or poor bond or free male or female he compelleth all to yield obedience as they sometimes did that were under the power of Nebuchadnezzar But here is the difference The power of Nebuchadnezzar was more external over the bodies of men this is more internal over their Mindes and Consciences and by consequence over their bodies also Secondly They thaâ—… were under the Jurisdiction of Nebuchadnezzar had they been left to their free choyce they would have been glad to have enjoyed their liberty but now for those that lived in subjection to the See of Rome for the most part the matter was far otherwise with them they would not be free if they might The Kings of the Earth divided in Interests and in many Civil respects all of them could agree in this one thing To give their Power to the Beast Rev. Ch. 17. They thought they could not be saved unless in all Realms there was a Universal subjection to this Headship given by Christ himself as they thought to Peter and his Successors And for the time of the publick Institution of this Universal Headship there were some preparations and previous workings towards the setting up of this Power but there was no publick Establishment thereof till the time of the Emperor Phocas Let us hear what Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments speaketh concerning this matter Pag. 108. Col. 2. But Rome saith he would not so soon lose the Supremacy once given as the giver lost his life For ever since from that day she hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by all force and policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whom by the words of Gregory we may call the Fore-runner of Antichrist For as Gregory brought in the style Servus Servorum So this Boniface brought into their heads first Volumus Mandamus Statuimus Praecipimus that is We Will and Command We Injoyn and Charge you The same is mentioned by Paraens in his Commentary upon the Revelation Chap. 6. ver 12. From whence I gather As the Bishops of Rome have had a Mandatory Power in and over the Church so this first began in the time of the Emperor Phocas in the Decree of the Universal Headship Thirdly Let us consider the persons who they are that are subject to his Power He commandeth all both small and great rich and poor to receive a Mark. The greatness of rich men cannot procure a toleration neither can the meanness of poor men exempt them by their poverty Bullinger upon the place speaketh very pithily We see saith he that Emperors Kings Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons Realms Countreys Cities Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Prelates Doctors Clerks and Lay men obey him And also men of the greatest Power Riches Wisdome together with the poor people There is no such Kingdome and so diversly compact in the whole world no not among the Mahometans And all these are willingly subject to the Seat yea they have perswaded themselves that they cannot well live and that they cannot be saved unless they be subject to the See of Rome So far Bullinger From hence we gather that the event doth fully answer the Prophecy for we see by experience how all the world hath worshipped the Beast and received his Mark. And whereas some to illude this truth have pleaded that the Popish Churches in France do not own the Pope for Head of the Church We will easily grant that they may not be so strictly obliged to the Popes Chair in some temporal respects yet it is too plain that his Authority is set up in their Consciences and that they are subject to his Laws Fourthly Let us consider the punishment to be inflicted upon those that have not the Mark in the Forehead and in the right-hand they are forbidden to buy or sell. Mr. Mede doth take this for Excommunication or casting out of Church-fellowship But rather the words signifie a cutting off from all civil commerce among men Yea if we compare the Scriptures we shall finde that it was present death for any man to refuse to have the Mark in the forehead and in the right-hand Therefore when Iohn saw the Souls of those that were beheaded for the Word of God and the testimony of Iesus that had not worshipped the Image nor received the Mark Chap. 20. ver 4. he doth plainly shew that the beheading was for the Non-worship of the Beast and for the not receiving of the Mark We may conclude then when men are exempted from buâ—…ing and selling this is a Synecdoche By this one all other kindes of punishment whatsoever are understood And thus we have seen the matter of the Law the Law-maker the persons subject to the Law and the penalty upon all such as shall refuse subjection Let us now come to the several particulars which concern the right calculation of the Number First For the Person who it is that must make the discovery It is such a one as hath wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
hath it Consideravi in libris Iunius Fui considerans ex libris All cometh to one sense That whether he did consider these times in books or by books or out of books he laid the times together to wit the times in the Prophecy of Ieremy and the times that had past in the Churches experience and accordingly did argue the approach of the deliverance that should come This act of his was by wisdome or understanding for so the word doth signifie the inward contriving or plotting of any thing in the minde as Artificers do cast the frame of a building Thus Kirkerus doth render the meaning of the word in his Concordance Iunius upon the place doth very significantly express the meaning of the word Fuit intelligens ex libris Prophetiarum Hieromiae quibus annorum numerus fuit praefinitus tum Historiis temporum quae à deportationis initio effluxerant In Danielâ—…hen â—…hen we have an example of computing the times and of his wisedome in numbring the seventy years of Ieremy before the event And this Daniel did do not by extraordinary revelation but as an ordinary believer might do by search Let us now go to another Instance When the Disciples came privately to our Saviour upon Mount Olivet they asked him concerning the time of the destruction of Ierusalem and in order to their question he made them this answer When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place let him that readeth understand Mat. 24. 15. Here I demand What is meant by him that readeth Secondly what is meant by the book that he must reade By him that readeth is meant any one to whom God hath given a minde to search and to look into the meaning of the Scripture And for the Book that must needs be the Prophecy of Daniel concerning the seventy weeks Dan. 9. And whereas it is said Let him that readeth understand the words must go in this tenor Let him that readeth know and understand how many years the 70 weeks of Daniel must contain and where they must begin And from the knowledge of these two if he reckon well he shall come to that time where they shall make an end and that will be the time of the destruction of Ierusalem And so we have an answer to the Disciples question But yet further concerning the time when the period of the seventy weeks are to be studied and that is when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place In that particular instant it is said Then let him that readeth understand As for the standing of the abomination of desolation in the most holy place our Saviour doth expound his meaning more plainly in another Evangelist When ye shall see Ierusalem compassed about with Armies then know that the desolation thereof is nigh Luke 21. 20. Here some man may object It is not always a necessary truth that when a City is compassed with Armies therefore it shall be taken and when it is taken it is not infallible that it shall be brought to utter desolation What doth our Saviour then mean by this speech His meaning is not that from such weak principles men should draw a Conclusion of that weight but this is the drift of his speech When ye shall see Ierusalem compassed about with Armies then let him that readeth fall upon the calculation of the times in the Prophecy of Daniel Let him consider where they begin how long they shall continue and where they make an end and then by the joynt consideration of all these together they shall finde they be not far from the destruction of Ierusalem and that the years of the patience of God are run out And yet further our Saviour would not have men calculate the times to satisfie their curiosity but meerly for use and practise and better information He saith Let him that readeth understand But to what end These words are immediately added ver 16. Then let them which are in Iudea flee to the Mountains c. Now the understanding of the Prophetical times is no common matter but there must be much study and meditation used to finde out the meaning of the Spirit The words of the Text are most emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that readeth ponder and consider the times by some subtilty of observation Now then to apply all this to the present Text and so we have many examples out of Scripture to warrant us That the Number 666 may be such a Number of years to the setting up of the Name or Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome And for the computation of these years before the event this in the Scripture-language is called by the name of Wisedome Having then such a multitude of Examples out of the Old Testament where pious men have calculated the Prophetical years before the accomplishment why by the like reason may we not conceive That Iohn spake to the people in his own times to the ages immediately following but most specially to those who should live upon the borders of Antichrists rising that they should calculate 666 years to the beginning of his Kingdom The coming of Christ in the flesh and the glory that should follow was revealed to the ancient Prophets though under dark and figurative expressions Now mark what the Apostle S. Peter speaketh of the practise of those wonderful men Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently searching into what manner of time the Spirit did point to when he spake of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. The times of the ancient Church were divided into many periods Now it was shewed them though darkly in what period of time Christ should come And accordingly they who had his Spirit in them made no spare to search when that time should be In like manner the times of the New Testament are divided into many regions or parts and it was revealed to the Apostles in mystical terms how Antichrist should come in what particular period of time he should come and what should be the signs of his coming Now seeing these things are revealed in the Prophecies of the New Testament as I think none can well deny was it not the duty of men immediately after the Apostles time and so downward to calculate the Times And for the actual rising of the Kingdom of Anti-Christ there is no one place doth speak more of his pedigree and genealogie then the Text we now are upon If this be so it will quickly appear of what nature the Number 666 is seeing it is put in the close of the Chapter There is then the greatest probability as can be supposed that this must be the Number of years to the first Institution and Foundation of that Spiritual Monarchy and the person who hath wisedome is to make up the account Further if we take 666 for the Number of time and particularly for the
things are most necessary for the Calculation of the Times and for the Exposition of the Prophecies But whereas Mr. Potter doth wholly build upon the extraction of the square-root in a figurate Number I cannot see how this doth agree with the practise of the Spirit in other Scriptures I must needs confess that he speaketh very rationally in these words as they follow I have saith he but beaten made plain the same path which Mr. Forbes and other Commentators have trodden out before But I am now come to the place where they either stood still or turned out of the way They say that the Number 12 is the square root of 144 why then do they not proceed in the same Method to finde out the root of the Number of the Beast seeing they say it is opposed to the Number 144 These learned men cannot be supposed to be guilty of so much nescience as to be ignorant of the square-root of a Number Rather they thought it unbeseeming the Wisdome of God and the Majesty of the Scripture to wrap up such Divine Mysteries in Humane Inventions But be it what it will be it is the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetick it is that also in and through which many famous inventions have been brought to light And the words themselves also do insinuate that the discovery is to be made by wisdome So far Mr. Potter pag. 47. In this I do agree with him That it is the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetick in some good measure to extract the square-root of any figurate Number yet for all that I cannot see when the Spirit either in Daniel or in the Revelation doth speak of Tyrannical States or Empires under divers Emblems and Figures that we should discover and finde out these Governments by calculating the square-root of any Number but rather we should go to the Chronologie of the Times and the Stories of the Church And in this sense we hold That Humane Learning is exceeding necessary And for the invention of the square-root it is very necessary in its kinde Princ. 15. The Number ought so in special to be expounded that it may be in some sort discoverable to the people that lived in the days of John and in the ages immediately following though they lived before the beginning of the Beasts Kingdome Therefore when it is said Let him that hath wisdome count the Number of the Beast S. Iohn in these words speaketh to the people that lived in his days and in the ages immediately following that by this they should understand the signs of the coming of the Man of Sin And he doth yet further shew in what Revolution of Time he shall appear There are seven Kings five are fallen one is and the other is not yet come and the Beast that comes out of the Bottomless Pit he is the eighth In which words of his he doth plainly shew That when seven Forms of Government are fallen in the City of Rome then the Beast shall begin as the eighth Potentate At the same time also he saith That the Roman Empire shall be divided into ten inferiour Kingdomes that these have no beeing as yet but receive a Kingdome one hour with the Beast By the collation of both these Scriptures it is clear That the Number was discoverable in the times of Iohn and not onely to Iohn by Revelation but to others also that would imploy themselves by search From hence then we may clearly discern That they are in an error who would have the Number 666 to be the Number of the time of the rising of the Beast and yet make their account by the years of the Lord. So Danaeus in his Treatise de Antichristo The Spirit of God in that place saith he medleth not with Arithmetical signification of Letters but with the Time and Number of years wherein those things shall be accomplished that are there spoken of and for the particular time he referreth us to the year 666 pag. 13 14. Alstedius saith Denotatur tempus quo Antichristus inchoaturus regnum suum scil anno 666 quo tempore coepit Papa maxime dominari Theol. Polem Part. 4. Controv. 5. pag. 388. The like is said By Eckard the Lutheran and others Though in this matter we do agree with the forenamed Expositors That about the 666th year from the birth of the Lord the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome was set up though this be true in some latitude of speech yet it cannot be the meaning of the Text. For what knowledge had the people that lived in the days of Iohn and in the ages immediately following of the account by the year of the Lord Why should not the Christians that lived in Spain finde out the Number by the Spanish Aera The Christians in Aegyâ—…t and Africa by the Aera of Dioclesian And the Christians under the Emperors of Constantinople by the Indictions These and many other ways of account were anciently used Dyonisius the Less about the year 532 did begin to compute by the years of the Lord and that way of Computation came not into vulgar use many years after It is therefore very strange That men should Number the times of the beginning of the Beasts Kingdome after the account by the years of the Lord and yet certain hundred years after the Church should be wholly ignorant of that way of Computation And thus laying all things together we have proved by the concatenation and connexion of all particulars That ours is the true Interpretation because it doth agree with all the Body of the Circumstances fore-alledged And for other Expositions we have shewed the Reason why we cannot rest in them because in severall Principles more or less they do cross the meaning of the Spirit Now it remaineth that we compare the substance of our Interpretation with the scope of the Apostle S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. CHAP. XI A brief Description of the Doctrine of S. Paul 2 Thess. 2. And how he doth fully agree with the present Interpretation ALl Interpreters and Writers in a manner do agree in this That the Beast his Name and Image spoken of Rev. 13. are all one and the same in substance with the description of the Great Antichrist in the Thessalonians Let us come to the words of the Text. Vers. 1. 2. Now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together to him that ye be not soon shaken in minde nor be troubled neither by Spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as though the day of Christ were at hand In these words there is some darkness in our English Translation for whereas the Translation hath it We beseech you Brethren by the coming of the Lord the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the cause of the coming of the Lord. The Apostle in the former Epistle having spoken of the coming of Christ to Judgement of the Resurrection from the
give them a Mark as if the intent of the Beast were by this that they should give testimony that they are his They are also said to receive a Mark Chap. 14. To have the Mark Chap. 16. Now then we are sure that to give receive or have the Mark of the Beast is no other but that Act by which the Consciences of men are obliged to the Authority of the Pope and his Church When also they do prosess That by their Swords Wits Goods Lives and by all that they have they will maintain the Decrees and Laws made by that Authority The Mark in the Forehead is the publick Profession of the Universal Headship in the view of men and the Mark in the Right-hand is the solemn Resolution and Obligation to defend and maintain the Authority of the Beast against all that do oppose it And truly the event of things doth notably answer the prediction For we see by plain experience That the Papists such is their zeal to the Catholick Cause do out-strip us by many degrees The Jesuiâ—…es are never idle they compass Sea and Land they â—…urn themselves into all forms and are still animating of Princes and People against the Protestant Cause Yea they have so wrought that almost no man among them seemeth to spare either Labour Wealth Counsel or Life it self to uphold the Name and Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome God grant that one day they do not rise up in Judgment against us for we do not come near them in the least degree in promoting the Kingdom of Christ or in setting up the Gospel as the Regent-Law among the Nations But the Papists will not hear that they are enemies or that they go against the Lord and his Word They hold That the Bishop of Rome is the Vicar of Christ and that he hath all his Authority by delegation from him These are specious shews But in deed and in truth they are real enemies against Christ For the Scriptures and the words of the Gospel they can do nothing but meerly as the Pope and the Church of Rome do give life vigour and authority to them and as they do interpret them which always they do to their own advantage There is no truth more clearly delivered in Scripture then the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ and yet the Pope saith on the contrary That there is a Purgatory after this life and that the souls there detained are freed by Masses Indulgences Pardons and such like means God and his Word say Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Pope on the contrary saith Thou shalt worship Saints Images Crosses Reliques and the like God and Christ have commanded all men to search the Scriptures and to try the Spirits of what nature they be Now the Pope on the contrary commandeth that men should forbear the doing of this and that they should depend upon him alone God and Christ say Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed undefiled The Pope on the contrary forbiddeth Marriage to the Ministry By these and sundry such-like instances it is apparent That the Name and Soveraignty of the Beast is every way contrary to the Name and Soveraignty of the Lamb. For what the Lamb doth command the Beast doth countermand for the most part From hence it is clear then say the Papists what they will when they leave Christ to follow the Laws of the Pope in sense and substance they make him their Christ their Spiritual King Head and Governour and so in effect are no true Christians Now on the contrary seeing the Lord Christ is given as a Leader and Commander to his people they who refuse the Laws of the Pope to yield subjection to Christ in the times of the greatest persecution are every where mentioned in the Revelation to have the Name of the Father written in their Forehead Chap. 14. ver 15. To be the remnant of the seed of the woman that keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Iesus Christ Chap. 12. ver 17. The Papists then in receiving the Doctrines and Decrees of the Bishop of Rome under that formality as they do believe him Universal Head of the Church are positively directly and immediately Antichristian This Truth being laid down a stream of excellent Uses do naturally flow from it First We may here contemplate and behold the truth and infinite Wisdome of God speaking in the Scriptures It is now above 1500 years since that Iohn wrote the Revelation in which he spake of the Beast his Name Mark Image and the Number of his Name Now if we go to experience What have all ages for this thousand years last past but verified and fulfilled the truth of that which he spake of long before He that shall diligently reade the present Treatise will finde it to be true as we have said Secondly here is matter for our prayers and tears yea for our bowels to yern over those great Countries Kingdomes and Commonweals which do as yet own the Universal Headship of the Bishop of Rome They do continue in a great sin against the Kingly Office of Christ their profession is no other but Apostacy from the true Head of the Church and unless they repent they will one day feel the great Plagues contained in the words of the Prophecy Thirdly here is cause for the Protestant Churches to be thankful to the Lord For did they rightly understand it he hath delivered them from a bondage and slavery which far surpasseth the bondage of Egypt or Babylon For in the present case if men under this Government refuse to Worship the Beast and to receive his Mark the penalty is that they shall have no liberty to buy nor sell they shall be killed with the Sword they shall have their blood spilt they shall be subjected to sundry kindes of death On the contrary if they do worship the Beast and receive his Mark the Lord Christ doth threaten on the other side that they shall be tormented day and night and the smoke of their burning shall ascend for ever and ever Rev. Chap. 14. ver 7 8 9 10. The day of the deliverance of the Churches from Romish Tyranny was a day of deliverance from a Tyranny over their Souls over their Consciences over their Bodies over their Estates But all Treatises are full of Uses of this kinde We will proceed â—…o that which is Antichristian by Analogie and Reduction for this is more immediate to our purpose CHAP. XIII Concerning that which is Antichristian by Analogie and 〈◊〉 IN the progress of the Discourse we have shewed That the formality of Antichristianism is in the Headship of the Beast By this Standard of the Market we may prove all other things that do more remotely symbolize and agree with the Great Anti-Christ First the power of the Magistrate when it hath no bounds or limits but he doth all by his Will and Prerogative in
the house upon his Children by a violent wind he could do any thing when he was let loose And so truly the times of Antichrist were the times of the loosing of Satan God did permit him to do great things to deceive that kinde of people who had forsaken the plain way to Salvation written in the Word to look after dispensations of a higher light by Visions Dreams and Revelations Now then to make Application of all these things to our times my speech and exhortation is to them who amongst us have departed from Ordinances and from Scriptures and are now for extraordinary Revelations my earnest desire is to them That they would lay these things to heart If they go on if they build upon such uncertain grounds let them seriously consider whether they may not be deluded by the power of Satan and whether God in his just Judgment may not deliver them over to believe lies I will not make mention of that Sect which goeth under the Name of the Quakers what they are and who they are God knows I do desire to contain my self in such things as I have some experience of There have been some friends of my familiarity heretofore whom I did conceive to be people of good hope these as I have observed have departed first from the Ministery and then have come to slight the Written Word and then last of all to hang upon Revelations and extraordinary Enthusiasms of the Spirit I have seen a Book scattered abroad by these men it beareth the Title of Gerard Winstanley his new Law of Righteousness The argument of the Treatise is That the Propriety of Goods is the Curse laid upon the Creature That all things should lie in common and that the whole earth should be brought to a Publick Treasury For probation of this as he doth make some mention of the practise of the Apostles in the Primitive times and that which shall be in the future glorious estate of the Church so for the more special confirmation of this he doth depend upon an extraordinary Revelation as it is expressed pag. 57. In the beginning of the Treatise he doth distinguish three Ministrations the Ministration of Moses of Christ and of the Spirit And saith he as the worshippers in Moses Ministration envied those that worshipped the Son of Man So those who now worship Christ at a distance in their several Congregations and Forms and are most zealous these are the bitterest enemies to the Ministration of Christ in the Spirit pag. 14. But further when he comes to expound himself concerning the Ministration of the Spirit he slights all outward Forms and doth look onely to inward Teachings Now I will speak a word or two to the followers of this way I will not say in positive terms that they are led by the delusions of Satan neither will I judge of their final estate they stand or fall to their own Master yet nevertheless I may be so bold seeing they have so often in their mouths the Whore of Babylon and Come out of Babylon my people and that every thing is Antichristian not onely in Mâ—…nistery Magistracy but also in the propriety of goods to desire them to look home to their own hearts whether they are not most Antichristian themselves or whether that Spirit which did so strongly deceive the Antichristian world doth not deceive them also when they do believe and profess such things as are directly and diametrally contrary to Scripture For these men though I do desire to speak moderately of them yet in some particulars they are delivered over to deep delusions when they go so palpably against the written Word and pretend extraordinary Revelation It were good in this case that they would judge themselves that they do not prove in the event the greatest promoters of the Kingdome of the Beast I am perswaded that Gregory the Great was in the main a godly and zealous man yet it appeareth by his Dialogues that he did run into foul errors into Idolatry into wil-worship and the like when he left the Scriptures to follow Revelations This is the only word which I do desire to speak to them Secondly here is also a word of Admonition for all those who endevour in these times to extinguish Book-learning For though it is a most certain truth and much to be lamented that men have looked too much to Scholarship and have made an Idol of it for they have not regarded the inward teachings of the Spirit in the heart nor the Spiritual understanding of the Mystery of Salvation which are the principal qualifications to prepare and fit men for the Ministery These things I confess have been too much slighted and the slighting and neglect of them hath been a great cause of hurt to the Church of God and damage to the Souls of men This shall never be denied by me For how may we probably conceive that a Minister will come home with the Demonstration and Evidence of the Spirit so powerfully at least to the Conscience of the Hearer when he himself is altogether a stranger to these inward workings How can he so effectually bring home the lost Sons of men to Christ when he himself never had a true feeling of his lost condition They must needs then run into a great extream who dote so much upon Secular Learning and do neglect the chiefest thing But yet on the other side they go as far out of the way who would have this kinde of learning to be extinguished in the Church of God This I much fear may be one mean to throw the world back again upon Visions Dreams and Revelations to set up the Kingdome of Antichrist once more Now whereas it is alledged That there were excellent Preachers in the Apostles times when there were no Universities nor was there any Humane Learning acquired by study Though this should be granted those extraordinary Revelations are now ceased Therefore we must be contented to go in the ordinary way and not to look for those extraordinary distributions which were in the first times They who are for the dissolving of Universities and for the total cashiering of Humane Learning let them stay untill there be a renovation and a return of these extraordinary gifts unto the Churches Some are of opinion that such times shall come if that be true let them be patient till they do come However as the case doth stand for the present I believe they who take away Humane Learning do what in them lies to reduce the Antichristian times All do agree that in these times the Church was in an eclipse or great darkness Now let us inquire after the time of the emersion how the Church came out and the time of the immersion how she was brought into this darkness For the time of the emersion most do pitch upon it that she waded out of obscurity at the time of Luther when the eternal Gospel began to be preached to every Kindred Tongue and
not to reveal this only to the Jews but to the People of the Gentiles also This latter may be proved from the person of Nebuchadnezzar to whom this secret was revealed For if it had only concerned the National Church of the Jews That the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that never shall be destroyed Why was this delivered to Nebuchadnezzar an Heathen Man and an Enemy of the Church When the Lord did reveal to Pharoah the Dream of the seven fat Kine and after the Dream of seven lean Kine this was not only discovered for the good of the Church but for the preservation of mankind So the Succession of the Four great Empires and the beginning of the Kingdom of Christ in the times of the last Empire these things were not revealed only to Nebuchadnezzar that the Jews might understand the truth but that the whole habitable world under Nebuchadnezzar's Dominion might take notice of that which God did intend to do Secondly This appeareth by the manner of the Revelation to Nebuchadnezzar which was to this end That the whole world might observe it First If you consider the Person Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a Dream Secondly The way of God's dealing with him he forgat the Dream and therefore a great trouble fell upon his Spirit Thirdly His calling for the wise-men of Babylon which City in these times was the Eye of the world and the seat of the Empire Now it is not to be imagined but all that lived within the Verge of so large a Dominion would be apt to hearken after such a thing Specially when they should hear of the trouble of the King and of the Edict to kill all the wise-men of Babylon Here was a matter set out in the view of all Asia as it were to prove Three Particulars First That the God of Israel was the true God Secondly That he would set up Four great Changes of Empire in the world Thirdly That in the last Succession of Empire he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed These things were propounded not only for the Church but for the Observation of the whole habitable Earth under the Babylonian Empire that then was and for the Ages following Thirdly If we look to the Story of the Evangelists we do read that the Evangelist S. Matthew doth tell us That when the Lord Christ was Born in Bethleem in the dayes of Herod the King wise-men came to Ierusalem Matth. 2. 1 2 3 4. Here Interpreters upon the place do raise many Questions First Who these wise-men were Secondly Why was it Revealed to them by a Star Thirdly Why did the Star guide them to Ierusalem and then vanish out of 〈◊〉 These Questions are propounded by Interpreters and they do give very learned and solid Answers to them Only there is a Question to which I do not yet finde a satisfactory Answer and that is this Why was this matter Revealed to wise-men in the East rather than to any other Nation Profession or Sect among the Gentiles Spanhemius doth handle this Point in his Dubia Evangelica part 2. dub 31. pag. 326. and he doth come to this issue in the close Concludimus itaque causum vocationis Magorum nequaquam in illis suisse sed in solâ Dei vocantis bonitate illos ex merâ ejus gratiâ vocatos sive absolutè eorum vocatio consideretur sive comparatè Quod enim vocati vocati prae aliis Dei miserentis fuit illorum potius quam aliorum Et haec causa causarum est summa ratio pag. 329. Here I do agree That the Call of the wise-men doth chiefly depend upon the Grace and Mercy of God This is the Cause of causes and the chiefest Reason why they were called and why they were called before any other But yet with submission to a better judgement I think there lies a plain reason in the Scriptures why the Birth of the King of the Jews was revealed to the wise-men of the East rather than to any other Gentiles For when the Lord had a purpose to Reveal Four great Changes of time to the world and particularly the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son he had appointed in his Providence that the wisemen of Babylon whose Profession it was to understand the changes of time that they should come to take notice of these things but more specially of the time when the Kingdom of Christ should be set up But because they could not know this by their own strength the Lord did Reveal it to them by the Ministery of Daniel That he would set up Four Kingdoms over the Earth whereof the Babylonian in Being was the first and then in the latter end he would set up a Kingdom that never should be destroyed In a word This is the Cause wherefore these changes of times were revealed to the wise-men of the East because it did suit with their Profession to take notice of such things And the Lord having once revealed in particular the time of the setting up of the Kingdom of his Son to the wise-men of the East when the Lord Christ was born at Bethleem in Iudea in the days of Herod the King he did Call that sort of men in special to take notice of that which was foretold Because these things were revealed to them they were called in a special manner to take notice of the Birth of the Messiah and of the beginning of his Kingdom From all that hath been said we may conclude That the Vision of the Metal-Kingdoms doth concern both Jews and Gentiles Therefore there is no necessity that Brightman Grasserus and other learned men should take the little Horn for Mahomet because the Country of Iudea is now under the Turks Many other Arguments might be brought to prove That neither Mahomet nor the Turk can possibly be resembled by the Type of the little Horn. The scope of the text and the whole collection of Circumstances do altogether pitch upon the Papacy which arose after the division of the Roman Empire into ten inferiour Kingdoms in the time of the Emperor Phocas 666 years from the beginning of the Roman as the Fourth Metal-Kingdom This is the true Application of the times to the Stories of the Church and this is the natural sense of Iohn in the Book of the Revelation That the Number of the Name of the Beast is 666. Now for the truth of this Interpretation we will prove it First From the whole scope of the text Rev. 13. Secondly From the drift of the Spirit Rev. 17. Thirdly From the whole Harmony of the Prophecie in the chief and remarkable Circumstances Lastly From the scope of the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. And of these in their Order CHAP. VIII The Truth of the Interpretation is proved from the remarkable Circumstances of the Text it self Revel 13. 16 17 18. THere be many excellent and precious Truths in the general which we cannot alwayes avouch That the Spirit