GOD, the Lord of the World, and especially of his Church, who hath reserved Times and Seasons in his own Power, and changeth them as he pleases; hath in preserving the Accounts of Time, and his own Go­vernment upon it, excell'd the wisest Princes, and States.

1. In Certainty, and Infallibility.

2. In Lastingness, and Perpetuity.

3. In Universality, and Extensiveness, so that what hath not yet come into Act, and History, he hath, as he pleased, fore-dated by Prophecy.

Whatever Calendar of Time therefore can be truly derived from his Word, controuls all other appearances whatever.

There is a Line of Time drawn out by Sacred Writ from the Creation of the World, to the glorious Kingdom of the Mes­siah; called the New Jerusalem; or from the first Heaven and Earth to all things made New, or from the seventh day Sabbath of Creation, to the first, or Lords day Sabbath of the Resurrection, and from that to the Sabbatism of the New Jerusalem.

From Paradise in Eden, to the Paradise of God.

From the first Adam, in whom all dye, to the second Adam, the Seed of the Woman, the first begotten from the Dead, and his ever­lasting Dominion.

From the first Death, to the first Resurrection.

From Satan, that old Serpent appearing loose in deceiving the World by the first Parents, to Satan bound, that he may deceive the Nations no more for a thousand Years.

Of this Line of Time, God hath pleas'd to be so careful, that it is exactly drawn in Words at length, in History, or precedently to any dark Times, to come upon his Church, he hath supplyed the Calendar, by Prophesie, but from Ezekiels first Vision, to the thousand years, onely using the prophetical Figure of Days for Years, of which he first gave a Key, before he used it, that we might know how to un­derstand prophetical Dayes ever after.

In the Sacred Book there is one main, or principal Line of Time, which is corroborated with one, or more collateral Lines, that thereby there may be a more critical distinction, and also a more certain assurance of Time, and Times.

There are three things observable throughout the whole Line.

1. That the parts of it are always fixed upon the begin­ning of the Year, or very near it, as most certainly the very Season of the Worlds Creation, but especially for the sake of the Redemption, or Resurrection of our Lord at that Time; as also to prevent confusion in Computes.

2. That it is very often remarqued with sabbatical Indi­cations, and Respects, in Honour of the Rest of Creation, of Redemption, and of the New Jerusalem, which, when it is, will be understood to be the true sabbatism of the World, both in exact calculation of Time, as also of holy Rest.

The Jubilees, though not noted in Scripture, (and so I un­dertake them not) will undoubtedly concert, when the whole Table of Time is opened, and that to admiration.

3. That its principal Epochs are adorned, and made il­lustrious with the Deliverances of the Church of God, and Ruine of its Enemies, or with some peculiar Favors to the one, and Judgments on the other: and so are they the most noted Periods and Determinations of each part also. But if [Page 3]not so, the Epochs or Beginnings are cardinalis'd by some notorious Defection from God; Affliction, or Judgement upon Gods Church, and the endings are Reformation, Res­cue, and Deliverance most certainly.

The first part of the principal Line runs through the Patriarchs Ages, before the Birth of the succeeding Patriarch, and ends in the Death of Terah, and not five years sooner: as I humbly conceive, notwithstanding the Judgment of some great Chronologers.

1. Because the Command was to Abraham, to leave his Fathers House, and to come into a Land God would shew him; which was not done till he came into Canaan, and his Father dead, tho he had moved towards it, Terah being yet alive, and accompanying him.

2. The four hundred and thirty years of the subsequent Line, is dated by the Apostle from the Promise, which is re­corded to be after his Fathers Death, just at his departure from Haran, when he was seventy five years of Age.

3. The four hundred years Affliction in Egypt may be with every good Remarque dated from the Son of the Egyptian Woman his mocking, which the Apostle calls Persecution of Isaac the Seed, and so was not only symbolick, and prophe­tick, but a very beginning of the great Affliction in Egypt, at the fifth year of Isaac, and not at his Birth; which five years of Isaac joyned to Abrahams twenty five, after the Pro­mise, make the 400 and 30, and subducting the 30, the 400.

4. In expounding the principal Line, we are always to choose the most easie, and intelligible Sense, seeing one great use of that is to reconcile all doubts in the collata­ral Lines: Now the plainest and most obvious account of Time is to draw evenly to Terahs Death that principal Line: seeing Scripture expresses not his Age, at his leaving Ʋr of the Chaldees, nor how long he tarried in Haran be­fore he died: those five years are then but conjecturally placed, and the Account of Time thereupon, but precarious, but most certain to his Death, and from thence the 430 [Page 4]years of the succeeding principal Line certain also, and all collateral times are to be concerted by them both.

But yet this is not all we have, not only to assure us, but to direct us to be most exact, and critical in this Time.

For Moses tells us, the Sojourning of the Children of Isra­el who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years; And it it came to pass in the end of the four hundred and thirty years,Exod. 12.40, 41.the self same day it came to pass, that all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt.

The same Moses had told us before, that when Abraham was come by Gods command into Canaan. It was was so or­dered by Providence, that there was a Famine in the Land, and Abraham went down into Egypt to sojourn there. Gen. 12.10.

Now the Apostle hath taught us how to interpret the Children of Israels sojourning by Abrahams sojourning; when he assumes, to say Levi by being in Abrahams Loyns paid Tyths. As Levi then paid Tyths, so the Children of Isra­el sojourn'd in Abrahams Loyns. Heb. 7.9.

The first day therefore of Abrahams sojourning in Egypt must be the tenth day of the first Month, answering to the very self same day of the Israelites going out of Egypt, four hundred and thirty years before.

Terah then dying, the preceding year gave time for Abra­hams going out of Haran to Canaan; for Gods appearing to him in that great promise, on the tenth day of the first Month, the year following, for his moving up and down in Canaan for the best Forrage; but sinding a general Famine, he went down to Egypt, the same year, to begin Israels dwelling in Egypt at the very first of the 440 years.

So the Law was four hundred and thirty years after the promise, being just at the sojourning: and the Children of Israels going out of Egypt at four hundred and thirty years end, answers to the very self same day of the sojour­ning in Abraham; and from Term to Term there was four hundred and thirty years sojourning, though it was not the whole time throughout, that they sojourned in Egypt.

So we have from the Creation to the Flood dryed up in the beginning of the year, the first day of the first Month; Anoble Type as appears Esa. 54.9. 1 Pet. 3.20. Apoc. 10.1. Gen. 8.13. from that to Abrahams sojourning, necessarily at the same beginning also (else it could not answer) to the Children of Israels going out of Egypt the self same day of the yet be­ginning year, two thousand five hundred and thirteen years.

The third part of the principal Line is, from the going out of Egypt, to Solomons beginning the Temple, which sacred Record emphatically assures us was in the four hundred and eightieth year after, 1 King. 6.1. and as near the beginning of the year, as the second day of the second Month; 2 Chron. 3.2. Thirty six years after this Solomon reigned, as is plainly expressed.

Thus far our principal Line proceeds without any con­siderable remaining scruple. That doubt of the forty five years space of the Judges must certainly be reconcil'd by the principal Line, that being only a collateral, Acts 13.20.21. and the seem­ing variation either imputed to the Error of Transcribers, or that the Apostle enhansing the Dignity of David's King­dom, the Type of our Lords Royalty, set out the Mise­ry of former times by accounting the years of the Oppres­sors, as if they lengthned out that tedious space of the Judg­es, under the Kings, (as it were) even as their Story is of­ten darkned with this, There was no King in Israel, &c. on account of which Sauls reign is also mentioned, and computed to that length under Samuel's prefecture that sup­ported it, while he lived.

In the succeeding parts of the Line, I acknowledge, I have presumed to beat out a Path untroden, so far as I know, by any, but I hope not without safe conduct of Scrip­ture. I therefore undertake to joyn to the four hundred and eighty, and Solomons remaining thirty six till the re­volt of the ten Tribes from Davids House, Ezek. 4.4. the three hun­dred and ninety dayes, Ezeckiel lay visionally or emblema­tically upon his left Side, bearing the Iniquity of the House of Israel, a Day for a Year, and ending on the very self same tenth day of the first Month, in the Vision of the New Jerusalem: [Page 6]As then after the four hundred and thirty years of sojourn­ing ended, ensued speedily the raising of the moveable Temple or Tabernacle, and after the four hundred and eigh­ty years the building the magnificent Temple of Solomon, that had Foundations, but such as might be raz'd; so after the three hundred and ninety dayes, or the very self same day of the tenth Month (as it is most observably dated) the Vi­sion of the New Jerusalem and its spiritual Temple, Ezck. 40.1. that Foundations that cannot be moved, whose Builder and ma­ker God is, was exhibited to Ezekiel in the thirty third year of Nebucadnezzer, fourteen years after the City smitten, which was in his nineteenth year: Jerem. 52.12. of which Cyrus his Temple might be a thin shadowy Type.

And to these are to be added the forty dayes Ezekiel lay on his right side, bearing the Iniquity of Judah, making up four hundred and thirty years, and they reach to the end of the Captivity, Ezck. 4.4. &c. or Cyrus his first year: so that Time looks back historically upon the Kings of Israel and Judah, and that part of the Captivity before the Vision, and forward to the end of the Captivity after the Vision.

Now in thus dissenting from the whole stream of Inter­preters, I here present several (as I understand them) for­cible Reasons.

1. It is expresly said, when the three hundred and ninety dayes were accomplished on the left side, the Prophet should yet lye on his Right side forty dayes, without the least Inti­mation, that the one part, the forty dayes, should be in­cluded within the other part, the three hundred and nine­ty dayes: so that by all that is said by the holy Writer, the time is to be drawn out four hundred and thirty dayes at the full length.

2. The severe and unpleasant Diet is indeed said to be provided for the three hundred and ninety days in the strait­ness of the Siege, but it is withall said, They of the Captivi­ty should eat their polluted Bread among the Gentiles, mean­ing the whole time of the Captivity, which is on all hands [Page 7]agreed to exceed many dayes or years, the three hundred and ninety.

3. Let us allow a Contraction of fourteen years in the Reigns of some of the Kings of Judah, for they being as­sum'd into a Partnership of Government with their Fathers, some of the Sons Years of Reign fell under the Fathers, and so many are to be detach'd, as did so run under; This seems necessary by a commensuration of their Times with the Kings of Israel, and most Chronologers allow fourteen years and more; There will be then a great agreeableness of four hundred and thirty years, from Solomons Death and the Revolt after it to the end of the Captivity, as also with the years given by Scripture to Nebuchadnezzer in the mean space.

4. The Line of Scripture Time, of which it hath been so careful as to date the exact Time of the Patriarchs, and to express the very year after the Flood, Shem begat in. Also the tenth day of the first month, the self same day ending the four hundred and thirty years of Israels sojourn­ing, which must needs constitute the Spring, the Beginning of years from the Creation to the sojourning (and so on­wards to the end of Time) else it could not be the self same; all this, I say, argues such an Exactness, as the perplexed Ac­count of this Time of the Kings of Judah, their Reign, as also of the Beginning of the Captivity could not comport with, without this so express and ascertaining Line, which answers the very beginning of the Year, in both the three hundred and ninety, and the forty dayes, as shall immedi­ately appear, and so must sit most exactly: and then fills out the whole space from Solomon to Cyrus.

5. It serves no other purpose with a like Exactness; It is indeed probably a literal Measure of the dayes of the Siege, if we knew the History of its interruption and vi­gorous pursuit; but that it was not intended for that chiefly, is arguable, in that it takes no notice of such an In­terruption in them, which not allowed, the Time the Scrip­ture [Page 8]allows to the Siege, exceeds the 390 dayes, with the 40 dayes added.

Further, It concenters not with the Time of Gods pa­tience to the Israelites or ten Tribes; for they were carri­ed captive above an hundred Years before; and if they are considered in the union of some of them with Judah, yet the same Patience of God had so far deserted the House of Judah, as that they had in great part, been in Captivi­ty some years before the 390 dayes expired, and Jerusalem twice taken: besides, the very Bulk of the Vision suppo­ses Israel one House or Kingdom, and Judah another, and so not to be confusedly joyn'd in these years. What then shall we sind to match this Vision with a fuller Correspon­dence. This (if I much mistake not) will do it:

Each Term of the 390 and the 40 ends in a signal Vision proper to each.

1. At the end of the 390 Dayes, exactly in the beginning of the Year, the very self-same day, the very tenth day of the Month, Ezek. 40.1. answering that self-same tenth day of the Israelites going out of Egypt, Ezekiel had the Vision of the New Je­rusalem (as I have already said) in Prophetick Schemes, after the so long and foul Idolatry of the ten Tribes, with­out any the least Lucid Interval, a certain Type of the same dark and much longer dated Idolatry, and Defection of the Christian Church, removed by the Appearance of the New Jerusalem; not in Prophecy, but Event, or its Grand Ef­fect: as now it was after Ezekiels Typical bearing that Ini­quity, by this visionall Jerusalem. And as Ezekiel's Pro­phecy is Dated from Josiah's Reformation or Famous Pass­over, viz. in the thirtieth year after it, so about 49 years after it, as in a day of Jubilee, it ends in the Vision of the Holy City.

2. The forty Daies end in that most blessed Vision and Evangile vouchsaf'd to Daniel, as a man greatly beloved, and brought to him by the Angel Gabriel, which disco­vered the true Expiation of the whole 390 and 40 Years [Page 9]Iniquitie, which Ezekiel bore in Vision, but the Messiah in greatest reality bore, and quite took away by the sacrifice of himself; and as it were on purpose to connect with the Vision of Ezekiel's Bearing, such a plenitude of Expression is us'd to set out its efficacy: To finish Transgressions, to make an end of Sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquitie, and to bring in everlasting Righteousness; Upon which immediately followed, (at the beginning of the year also) the Redemption of Cyrus, called in that respect Messiah, though a Pagan, as a great Type of him, the True and Great Redeemer.

And as the 40 daies are taken out of the worst, and most idolatrous Years of Manasseh's Reign, whose Iniqui­ty God would not pardon in general, but decreed for it to stretch over Jerusalem the Line of Samaria, and the Plum­met of the House of Ahab, and to wipe it as a man wipeth a Dish, turning it upside down, which was accomplished in the Siege, and what followed it; so the same Manasseh was in his own Repentance, and particular Pardon, and Release from his Captivity in Babylon, set forth as a Pattern of all long Suffering and Mercy to all them that should af­terward believe in that Redemption of Christ, visionally presented to Daniel, at the end of the 40 dayes, and so be immediately set free from their Captivity by Cyrus.

And in prospect of this Vision of Christs Redemption, Ezekiel at the end of the 390 dayes had the Vision of the New Jerusalem, and immediately after the City smitten, when the Intention or Signification of his lying on his Sides and bearing Iniquity was accomplished, he had the opening of his Mouth for the most part in Gospel Promises.

The sum then is, from the Idolatry of the ten Tribes, im­mediately after Solomons Death, to the Vision of the New Jerusalem at Nebuchadnezzers 33d year, near the midst of of the Captivity, are 390 years, and from thence to the Vision of Messiah given to Daniel, the first of Darius, are 40 years, where the Captivity ended. Which 430 years in [Page 10]sum Ezekiel represented, in a Day for a Year, by lying on each side, and bearing the Iniquity of Israel and Judah, till taken away by Messiah, as in the end of the Captivity.

And to conclude this matter; This Vision of Ezekiel establishes to us the Use of the great Key of Prophetick Time, intimated before, a day for a year, and by Propor­tion, Weeks, and Months of Days for Weeks, and Months of Years; and agreeably it teaches us to expound Time, Times and half a Time, and three days and a half, without which we can never unlock the secrets of Prophetick Time, since God is pleas'd to use this Cyphar of abbreviated Time, ever after he had settled the Interpretation of it, till he comes to the 1000 years of the New Jerusalem, when no­thing shall any longer remain under Shades, Parables or Seals.

The next generally acknowledg'd Line of Time, though it be not indeed the next, is the 70 Weeks.

But between the 70 years ending, and the 70 weeks beginning, both according to Scripture, and Foreign Chronology, an intermedious space of Time is to be found.

That this may not be a void space, we are taught by in­spired writing how to fill it up.

First, by a Principal Line, then by Collateral Lines, disentangling those infinite Perplexities of Foreign Chro­nology, concerning the Persian Times.

Upon the third year of Belschazzar, his undoubted last, was the Evening of the 70th year of Captivity, whose Even­ing and Morning may be reckoned as one Prophetical Day. Dan. 6.8.

The Morning, or Day to which Evening was Darius the Mede his first and only year; in which Messiah, the man in Linnen, strengthned Michael (the Jews Benign Angel) for a gracious Answer to Daniels Prayer, Tim'd on pur­pose to that year of Darius.

On the fore-named prophetick Evening, the third of Belschazzer, Dan. 8. did Daniel receive the Vision of 2300 prophe­tical Evenings and Mornings (notnatural Nycthemers, as hath been generally interpreted, but) so called in resemblance [Page 11]of Moses his six dayes, and the seventh day Sabbath follow­ing; because the first day of them was to open into the Redemption of the Jews, as a first day Sabbath by Cyrus his Decree; who as a grear Type of Christ herein is cal­led (as before noted) Messiah: and on the end of the 562d day or near it, into the Redemption of Mankind, de­clar'd by Resurrection of Christ in the first day, or Chri­stian Sabbath, a new Epoch of a collateral Line of the same Time; and a great Pledge of the Sabbatism of the New Jerusalem, and the first Resurrection upon that; And the last of them into the very Sabbatism of the New Jerusalem, of which the first, a Lords day Sabbath, and a new Epoch of the 1000 years, a Time beyond this; wherein is to be observed, in agreement with Scripture principal Epochs of Time; that both Cyrus, the Typical Messiah, and our Lord the True, appeared at the years beginning.

Thus as the Destruction of literal Babylon, on the last Day Sabbath, and the Redemption of Israel, as a first day Sabbath, begin the Epoch of this Vision; so the destruction of mystical Babylon will be found to end this Vision, as the last day Sabbath, and the New Jerusalem begins, as a first day Sabbath, and a new Epoch of the 1000 years, as was said, which seems a very fair account, why the Holy-Spirit was pleased in this Vision to make use of evenings, mornings, and not of dayes, though alike prophetical.

This Vision immediately respects Antiochus Epiphanes, and his taking away the daily Sacrifice, or service and set­ing up the Abomination, that maketh Desolate; and after that he is destroyed, and the Sanctuary cleansed.

He is the Type, and every thing had a literal Com­pleion in him, so far as was necessary to a Type: Yet he was but a Type (as many great Reasons perswade) but by more general consent, a most lively Type of the man of Sin, or Antichrist.

The Reasons that perswade he is but a Type;

[Page 12] 1. The Vision, and not so much the things contained in it, is dated: The Vision of the sacrifice taken away shall be unto 2300 Evenings, Mornings, (not the taking away of the Sacrifice, and the giving the Host, &c.) but the Vision shall extend to 2300, but the Vision, if Antiochus only be intended, begins sooner, for it begins in Belschazzars 3d: and so must extend to more dayes then 2300. But accor­ding to the Sense I intend, viz. that it should be the time of 2300 prophetick Evenings and Mornings, the Vision shall begin and end with them; for which the manner of speaking being singular (The Vision shall be, &c.) seems on purpose chosen.

2. Without this Line of Times from the 70 years, the Scripture Chronology would fail, which by the great care of the Holy Spirit, so far as to the end of the 70 years, before observed, and thence to the Messiah, by the 70 Weeks, and after that by a Line of 1260 Dayes often gi­ven, and with additional numbers, first of 30, making 1290: and then of 45, making up 1335 dayes to the end, when Daniel should stand in his Lot. It is not reasonably to be supposed, he hath not provided for the interval be­twixt the 70 Years and the 70 Weeks, as also another in­terval betwixt the Messiahs Resurrection and the 1260 dayes (as is after to be observed) which can be only by these 2300 Evenings Mornings, as a principal Line.

3. We shall find this Line of 2300 years, agreeing in so admirable an exactness with the whole space of Time, betwixt the 70 years and the New Jerusalem, according to other prophetical Measures, and the suffrage of best Histo­ry, that it is a great Argument, it was so intended.

4. Whoever compares Daniels Vision of the little Horn on the fourth Beast: the Vision of the King, that does accor­ding to his Will, to whom Antiochus just tends, as the Type to the Antitype; and the defining of the Times for the end of these Wonders, and all things being sinished, shall find so many Correspondences in the Phrase, and manner of speak­ing, [Page 13]as cannot but assure, they all are directed to the same point.

5. Particularly the so often mention of the End, and at that end the Vision shall be; Dan. 8.17. just as it was at the be­ginning of the 2300 the Vision was then, and at the end the very same Vision shall be found too: and the Times after mentioned, Dan 12, at the same End, do all strongly infer the Vision determines to the same End.

And I know no reason of remarquing the end of Antio­chus his Reign, as such a Chronical End, for it was the End of nothing but it self; the Jews Troubles still continued, and renewed afresh after him: The Messiah was a far off still: what end therefore could it be, if the Vision did not glide over him to a further and more monumental End.

Add hereunto Daniel's deep Sleep at the Vision, which seems to be symbolical of so long a Time, and is therefore renewed at the Vision of the same importance and date.

This Line then thus interpreted, reaches to the 577th year of the World; which will be the vulgar year of our Lord 1772. And therefore it reaches to the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven, seeing this Line of Time is the longest we can find in Sacred Chronology, and the New Je­rusalem is the furthest off Object of Prophecy, and there­fore these two must unite one to another, and joyn as close as the just preceeding point of Time does does to the next succeeding.

When, I say, the furthest off Object of Prophecy, I ex­cept the Day of Judgment, which yet is rather Doctrine, and an Article of Faith, than Prophecy, and to that there is no Line of time drawn; for of that Day and that Hour knoweth no man: No not the Angels in Heaven, nor the Son, as Man, before his Resurrection, but the Father only.

This Calendar, calculated for the longest space of Time, comprehends within it self several other Calendars, greater and lesser within themselves, as greater and lesser Circles within this Undulation of Time, and all within this prin­cipal [Page 14]one, and it is the gage of them, both as to their Com­mensurations with it self, and within one another, that they neither swell beyond, or do not fill out their just spaces.

As this great Circle of Time carries all the other along with it, so on the other side they distinguish that to the several points of Time, and the Events fix'd upon them; by which this measure of Time is adjusted to those Points, and is as it were guided, and inform'd to make Rests upon those nobler Events with which that Time is charg'd.

The longest collateral Line of Time, most express and most noble, in which Interpreters most agree, is nearest to the Epoch of these 2300 Evenings, mornings, and is the seventy Weeks of years, or 490, to the Resurrection of the Messiah, or half one of these Weeks beyond it from the beginning of these Weeks.

The next longest collateral Line is the Beloved man Da­niel's 1335 dayes, first proposed in a Time, times, and half a time, and that as two several Times, and is after expoun­ded by the beloved Disciple and Apostle John, to be 1260 Daies, and compendiously three dayes and a half, and ap­plied to the Beasts forty two months. And in the same Pro­phecy of Daniel, it is taken and joyn'd first with 30 Dayes, and then with 45 more, making up 1335, to the last End of all.

Seeing then 490, and 1335 measur'd upon the Line of 2300, leave room still for 475, and that they cannot be seituated before the 2300, which begin the Epoch, or af­ter the 1335, which together with the 2300, end all; their place must either be before the 490, or continuously next to them, or some in the one place some in the other, as need requires: But that they must be some, and they a lesser number before, we have great Accounts of Scripture-Reason.

And that they must be some, and a much greater part after, we have also as good and as great Scripture-Ar­guments [Page 15]joyn'd in both of them with solidest Chrono­logy.

So then these 70 Weeks, or 490 Years, in which most (at least) Christian Chronologers agree, stand as a most con­spicuous Boundary or Index betwixt the end of the 70 years, and the beginning of the 1335 dayes, and adjust each side of them to the 2300, or principal Calendar of Time.

For the Time before the Weeks, we shall find is to be just 75 years, to be assign'd to the Persian Monarchy, e're the Angel Gabriels Epoch (the Word or Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem) had its true Exit, or Effect to begin the 70 weeks.

For the time after the Weeks, we shall find it to be 404 Years, but because there will be an excess then of 4 dayes above the 2300, we must therefore consider; The true Epoch of the 404 Years is the Resurrection of Christ; so that these 404 Years joyn the Resurrection of our Lord most contiguously, and 4 years or thereabouts of the 490, shooting beyond his Resurrection, are cut off from being any part of the Calendar of the next succeeding time upon this our general Line, as the years of the Patriarchs Lives beyond their Paidopoia, or Procreation of Children, are all plainly lopp'd off from the Calendar of that Time, which is continued in the following Patriarch.

There are besides the bare Lines of Time, very signal and notable concurrent Events, that make these Lines, as surer, so much more conversable, and worthy of Remarque.

For if Scripture had given us these principal and colla­teral Lines of Time, and no Indications of Matters of Fact, as Instances of his Government of the World in relation to his Church, they might look like imaginary Lines to us, but when we find them cloathed, or incarnate in Action, they will appear more substantial to us.

I will therefore endeavour in the following of these Lines, to observe the Accounts of things themselves, grafted upon them by the Word of God, that may most consolidate them.

The first part then of this Line of Time carries the Per­sian Monarchy along with it, not in the whole Duration of it, but as it reaches to the 70 weeks. And this, as I shall give it, may, I confess, seem not an imaginary Line, but an Imagination upon that Line; For I derive it from just so many years, as are nam'd of the Persian Monarchy in Scri­pture.

And just 75 Years will be found betwixt the last rising of the Witnesses, at the seventh Trumpet, and the New Jerusa­lem. Yet I should not have introduced this as a Chro­nological Line, but for these Reasons.

1. That it is agreed by the generality of Chronologers, there was a space betwixt Cyrus his Decree, and the seven­ty Weeks commencing, and yet it is of almost indetermi­nable Controversie, what space it is.

2. That I make it but a collateral Line, assur'd and strengthened by the principal; which determines its just Bounds by a compare with after Times; and just so much as by that Compare is necessary.

3. That the Times thereupon affixable, and the Reign of each Persian Prince in that space, are such as agree with soundest Chronology, except in the allotment of ten years [Page 17]of Persian Monarchy to Cyrus, which yet some Learned men give him:

For in that his 7th the Weeks set out; and so we have that Parabolical Sum the Scripture gives us, truly made up, while it did not please the Wisdom of the Holy Spi­rit to give an exact Chronology of a Pagan Monarchy.

4. But especially I observe, Sacred Writing assumes to it self, while it preserves infallibly the truth of Things, and their Chronology, so far as it is pleas'd to intermeddle in them, yet where it is necessary to its purpose, it does in a figure prune off for its own Service, what really was, and represents it as if it was not. So it does Melchisedek's Genealogy, Birth, and Death, as if they had not been, al­though in due place it assign'd them all to Sem: So in establishing the Four Kings in our Lords Genealogy, it cuts off Joash and Amaziah as if they had not been, and yet writes their Reigns in its History.

Now this part of the Principal, and collateral Line, is charged with these occurrents recorded in Holy Story.

1. Cyrus his Decree to build the Temple, and its Effect, Ezr. c. 1, 2, 3. as far as setting up the Altar, and laying the Foundations of the Temple.

2. The Prohibition of any farther progress, Ez. c. 4. in the ab­sence of Cyrus in his Wars (as may be well suppos'd) and the ill influence of Or Aha­suerus. Ezra 4.6. Cambyses, during his Fathers Ab­sence, and his, and Or Arta­xerxes. Smerdis, or Magus, their Countermand [Page 18]during their own Reign. So that it was not finish'd till the 6th of Darius Hystaspis, nor indeed till: Artaxerxes his 7th. Dan. 10. The Presence of Christ, the man cloathed in Linnen, as the High Priest of his Church, overseeing the Building, was so necessary all that time, first, as by way of Contest against the Persian Prince, or Angel, till Darius his second Year; then by Encouragement to his sixth, that all that time of 21 prophetick Days, he could not come to give Daniel an answer, though his words were heard from the first day he chasten'd himself.

3. Cap. 10. Christ, immediately after he had given Daniel that long Vision, before which he fell again into the former pro­phetical deep sleep, as at the 2300 Evening-morning-Vision return'd to the Persian Court, to fight with Xerxes, the then great, Dan. 11. and of all the most Rich Monarch of Persia, but in the time of his going forth, the King, or Power of Grecia, would have defeated Xerxes his Expedition into Greece. Immediately after which, in his Thirteenth year, the beginning of it, the Letters were sign'd for the Jews Destruction on the twelfth month; upon which Christ fought with him and overcame him, so that all things were turn'd into another Channel in favour of the Jews: And Christ had no farther Contest with that Monarchy, till it was broken by Alexander the Great: on which Account Xerxes is so particularly describ'd, in the Prophecy, as lay­ing the foundation of that Quarrel, Alexander so long af­ter avong'd, in the Ruine of the Persian Kingdom.

4. Next follows the beginning of the Weeks, when the Command by Artaxerxes for the restoring and building Je­rusalem, Ez. 7.11. had its perfect and compleat Exitus, or going forth. For by going forth is not intended its Initial Going forth, as it were the first or half sound, but its effective comple­mental Going forth, so that it needed to go forth no fur­ther; And that this was in Artaxerxes his 7th Year, Scrip­ture-History hath given us many assurances.

[Page 19] 1. Else if we account the Initial, or first going forth, we must account from Cyrus, which very few do, and against all consent of History is it, that the 490 Years to Christ should begin so high.

2. It is most probable this Artaxerxes Longimanus was the Son of Esther, under the good Education and Influence of Mordecai, who sought the Peace of his Seed. This Ar­taxerxes at his manly Age of 21, falling in the 7th Year of his Reign from Xerxes (or Ahasuerus) his Father's Death, sent forth this Literal Extensive Decree to all Things that might restore Jerusalem, and make it answer­able to it self, even to the utmost of Ezra's desire; at the beginning of the Year also corresponding with all Scrip­ture Epochs.

3. It was the most solemn Decree, the Scripture re­cords, for it joyns the King and his seven Counsellors in it, with the Complacency of all the mighty Princes, before whom Ezra found favour.

4. Scripture unites the Commandment of the God of Is­rael, the Command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the, Ez. 6.7. or that Eminent King of Persia; (and it may be inquir'd, whether by the God of Israel is not to be understood, the Son of God, the man in linnen, who was present in Persia on the Jews behalf;) Now it is observable, Artaxerxes his Decree makes a continual mention of the Law, and Will of God, by which All things were to be squar'd; so that it looks like that principal Command, that interlock'd it self thus with the Divine Command, which Command Cy­rus acknowledged first, and the Angel to Daniel assures at his first praying, and Ezra names first, and till this the Temple, the principal part and Glory of Jerusalem, is not finish'd; so that Artaxerxes his Reign is anticipated as to the Time, but not as to the great Effect of Finishing the Temple.

5. That which lastly confirms us, the Weeks begin at this Decree of Artaxerxes his 7th Year, is, Neh. 2.1. That in his Twentieth [Page 20]Year, in the Month Nisan, the beginning of the Year, He sent Letters for the building the Wall, Letters in pursuit of the Decree, not a new Decree; Ezra's modesty by reason of the great Charge, might stop his proceedings in build­ing, though the Decree extended to all his desire; besides the slowness of People in Publick Undertakings; for that the private Houses were building with the Temple from Cyrus his first Decree, is plain from Haggai's reproof, in Darius his second Year. Is it time for you, oh ye, to dwell in cieled Houses, while this House lies waste? But this particu­lar will be farther observable under the next Account of Time.

We pass therefore upon the principal Line of Time, from the Epoch of the Weeks, to the Division of the Weeks them­selves on that most Noble Line of Time, though Collate­ral to the Principal, viz. the 70 Weeks.

And it is first given intire; To Messiah the Prince; writ­ten so at his Death by Pilate, consecrated so by God at his Resurrection and Ascension: The Kingdom God sets up in the dayes of the Roman Kingdom, that is to destroy all others, and to endure it self for ever, begins at the end of this Line, which is divided,

• 1. Into 7 Weeks.
• 2. Into 62 Weeks.
• 3. Into one Week.

1. Into seven Weeks, assign'd to the Building of the wall and street, and settling the whole Defensive Polity of Jerusalem by Nehemiah; for which, after some pause from the going forth of the Command, viz. from Artaxerxes his 7th to his 20th, It is said, The street and the wall shall be built; a distinct member from the going forth of the word to build Jerusalem. Within seven Weeks then from the Epoch, or beginning of the Weeks, shall the wall and street be built, that is, the whole strength and order of the Jewish Affairs, be settled by Nehemiah; accordingly, that there might be space for it, these seven weeks are let into [Page 21] Darius Nothus his Reign, Nehem. 12.22. which again secures us of the begin­ning of the weeks: For if they had begun at Darius Hysta­spis his second or sixth (much more if at Cyrus his first) there had been room for the 7 Weeks or 49 Years without the mention of Darius Nothus his Reign, above 60 years inter­vening betwixt Darius Hystaspis his Sixth and Artaxerxes his Twentieth.

On the other side, if they had begun at Artaxerxes his Twentieth, the mention of Darius Nothus, his Successor's Reign, had not been large enough to entertain these seven weeks, for allowing (at the most liberal rate) twenty six to Artaxerxes beyond his twentieth, and at most twenty to Darius Nothus, there was room only for forty six, not for forty nine: but from Artaxerxes his seventh to Darius Nothus his Reign, there is large Receipt, and to spare, for difference of Accounts, that can probably be: so that this short mention of Darius his Reign, gives us great light in stating this Time: for the sake of which it is mention'd, and but onely mention'd.

2. After the seven Weeks run out, by a short propheti­cal dash (Times of Trouble) the whole History of the 62 weeks is compriz'd, which are more at large describ'd in Daniel's last Vision. After the Demonarchizing of Persia by Alexander and Alexander's Death, and the Division of his Kingdom to four, Christ appears no more as fighting for the Jews, but, offended at their Sins, so severely reprov'd by Malachi, de­ferts them, and so Troubles succeed: For in the Conflicts betwixt the Successive Kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, the Jews were never secure: For their sakes therefore concern­ed in them, there is so large an Account of their Commo­tions betwixt one another: as also to give some general Prospect of the Time till the Prophecy comes down to Antiochus Epiphanes, who is more largely describ'd:

1. As a Minister of Divine Vengeance upon the Jews Transgression, and Transgressors come to the fall.

[Page 22] 2. As a Salvage Persecuter of the Church, and People of God, to be broken without Hand, that is, by an immediate Divine Vengeance, and therein a Type of Antichrist.

Upon him therefore, as a Bridge, does the Divine Pro­phecy pass first to the Roman Imperial Power; of which there had been a former Intimation under Antiochus the Great, whose Reproach (the Romans taking the Reproach offered to their Allies, as if to themselves) cast back upon him without their own Reproach, signifying their uncon­troulable Victoriousness. But more expresly does it pass to the Romans by Antiochus Epiphanes in the Ships of Chittim, or the Romans comming against him, and causing him to desist from his enterprize against Egypt; and yet more ex­presly by the Description of a King that shall do after his Will; in which the Roman or 4th Monarchy is in brief comprehended, as if it had been more largely in Nebuchad­nezzars Image, and Daniels Vision of the four Beasts in the first year of Belschazzar.

Upon the principal Line then we have;

1. The setting of the Babylonian Monarchy, just at the beginning of the Line, as was before described.

2. The rising of the Persian Monarchy, and its conti­nuance to the 70 Weeks and an Age or more after.

3. Within the 70 Weeks, we have upon both the prin­cipal and collateral Line, the Persian Monarchy falling un­der the King of Graecia, and the Graecian rising to its great height in Alexander, and after his Death divided to the four Winds.

4. We have the Roman Monarchy declared to be risen in their Arbitrarious Controll of Antiochus the Great, and Antiochus Epiphanes his son. And so there remains the ri­sing of the Kingdom of Christ in the dayes of the fourth Monarchy; for which this noblest of Lines is chiefly ex­tended, as was before noted, to Messiah the Prince.

In the mean time it is to be observed,

The chief Eye of Daniels Prophecy is upon the Roman Monarchy, as wherein the Kingdom of Christ was to rise.

And in that, upon the little Horn with Eyes, and a mouth speaking great things; to whom it immediately passes from the King doing according to his Will, even to the Antichri­stian King, whom all the rest of that Description touches, and him only: and so goes along to his end, in the end of Dan. cap. 11th and 12th, as is after to be shewn.

And therefore the extraordinary notice taken of Antio­chus Epiphanes is, because in his Action in the World; in his Time 2300 evenings mornings; in his Destruction; and even throughout every one of these; he is an extraordinary and express Type of Antichrist, as is further to be shewn.

3. We are thus come to the third Division, the one or last Week, before which, in the latter end of the 62 Weeks our Lord is born, and his private Life shaddowed under a a Veil of secresie. At the beginning of the last Week he is baptized, and begins the confirming the Covenant with many for one Week in his publick Ministry. In the midst of it he causes Sacrifice to cease by the oblation of himself, and leaves the confirmation of the Covenant to go on by the Apostles: at the end of which the Jews are finally re­jected to a Curse.

On the third day after Death, our Lord rises again from the Dead, in the beginning of the Year also, and fixes the new Epoch of the Resurrection, the true Epoch of the whole Time of the Book of the Revelation, from which every particular Time is to be measured; so that though there is a half Week remaining, that runs under the time from this new Epoch, yet still the measure of Time is ta­ken from the Epoch it self, that is, the measure of any Times in that Book is taken from thence.

And though the calling of the Gentiles was not imme­diately after the the Resurrection of Christ, yet Christs ri­ding on conquering and to conquer is to be dated from thence, because that of the Epoch of the Apocalyps and the Epoch [Page 24]also of Christs Commission to the Apostles, to go into all the World, and to preach the Gospel to every Creature: To teach all Nations, because all Power was given to him in Heaven, and in Earth.

And though the Churches of Asia were not gathered at this Time, nor, as Epiphanius tells us, was Thyatyra at the very Time of giving the Revelation, founded, yet still they are visionally described, and the Time they denote is from the Resurrection of Christ; for that they are re­presented as in Being, when one at least was not in Being, is an Argument they are chiefly made use of, as prophe­tick Schemes.

At this Time God set his King upon the Holy Hill of Zion, saying to him, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee: Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for an Inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the Earth for a Possession. And because the Roman Empire did then in a manner embrace the World, and was that fourth Monarchy, in the days of which God would set up a Kingdom: There was a particular Aim of Christ, at being the King and Head of that Empire, as he did become at the Reign of Constantine: Of this as an Epoch there are these Assuran­ces.

1. St. Johns being in the Spirit on the Lords Day; that is, not only on the Christian Sabbath, though that be in­cluded, but the very day of the Resurrection is visionally recalled, and placed as the Epoch of the whole Apocalyp­tick Time.

For in that Book, a mystical, prophetick figurative Sense (which is the first Rule of interpreting the Revelati­on, I would give) is as the litteral Sense to all other Scrip­ture, and therefore to be preferr'd, when it can possibly be chosen. Now St. Johns being in the Spirit on the Lords Day, as it gives Honour to that Day, as a Christi­an Sabbath, and the first day of the Week is of no drift, or avail, as to the Prophecy, though its certain that ex­cellent [Page 25]moral sense of the Holiness of the Lords Day; Yet the primary and of greatest Force in such a pro­phetick Book is, that it fixes the Era, or Epoch of the whole, and so undoubtedly it does, as on the Day of the Resurrection of Christ.

2. In the first presatory Vision to the Revelation; Christ, as eying this Epoch, styles himself the Faithful Witness, the first begotten from the Dead, and Prince of the Kings of the Earth. And whether his calling himself the faithful Wit­ness at the same Time, may not have some Relation to the securing the Duration of his Kingdom from that Epoch, in Allusion to Psalm 87. As the Sun the Faithful Witness in Heaven does the whole course of Time, may be inquired.

He charactarizes himself, I was dead and am alive, and live for Evermore.

When in the second Visionall preface, he comes to re­ceive the sealed Book, and to open it, it was in the truth of the Matter to receive the Kingdom, and Dominion fore­told to him in Daniel, out of the Hand of him that sat on the Throne; In the midst of which, He stood as a Lamb newly slain, even just at his Resurrection, or Ascension, be­fore sitting down; Then they brought him nigh to the Anci­ent of Days, and he asked of his Father, and he gave him, &c. As in the Psalm before; which may assure us, his very Re­surrection is the very Epoch of the Prophecy.

Thus we have brought our principal Line from the Cre­ation down to Apocalyptick Time, and from Cyrus with its collataral Line, and both in Union one to another, so as to add strength to each.

Now because what is done, is done chiefly for the set­ling true Apocalyptick Time, it is necessary that we make Reflection upon what is past, that we may see what will from thence be contributed, to what is now to be under Consideration.

1. Let us make due observations upon all the Line foregoing, and we shall find the Joynts of its Continuati­on [Page 26]remarqued by Rescues of the Church of God from some great Oppression of their Enemies general Defection from God, and his Judgment upon it.

It must needs then confirm us in the belief there is such a Line drawn out by God: if we can find at the end of it Characters of such Dignity and Glory, as are equi­valent to the Care of God over it, from the very first to the last in these Regards. And it must increase the Confir­mation very much, if we can observe all along such Ima­ges, and Types upon the Line, as that end hath in a por­traicture, to the Life, and of full Dimensions upon it self: Let us then lay our Eye directly to the end of Apocalyptick Time, and we there shall find the fall of Mystical Babylon, together with the Pagan Cities, and the Abolition of their Apostasie from God, and Tyranny over his Church; And the coming down of the New Jerusalem, the highest Estate of the Holiness, and Happiness of Gods Servants below the Supream Heaven. Both at the end of this Line.

And that we may know, Apoc. 16, 17. c. 21.6. these two are the Butts, and utmost Pillars, as it were, of all Prophecy, They are both of them engraven with [...], It is done, It is done.

Even as at the Lords-Death he Solemnly declared [...], or It is finished, remonstrated his Death, and the Sacrifice of himself, as the end of all Prophecy, and typi­cal History, so far as concern'd his Humiliation, and Re­demption.

So these two are the Ends of the same Prophecy, and History, in what is collineated to his Exaltation, and King­dom in this World; And each of them in their kinds wor­thy to be such Ends.

And again, if we look back upon all parts of the Line, either in the several Joynts of the Principal, or the Collate­rals, we shall find them full of Images, and Adumbrations si­milar to these Ends; especially the parts of the Principal are always so ennobled.

And the Son of God, the Lamb continually present all [Page 27]along, and upon each part of this Line, and therefore is peculiarly styl'd in Relation to it, the Alpha, and Omega; the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last.

The signatures of the Beginning of the Line at the Crea­tion, coming out of the Darkness of nothing, and confu­sion, I have already observed.

The Flood upon the Ʋngodly, and the World rising, as a new Heaven, and Earth out of it, represent these final new Heavens and new Earth,

The Covenant of God to drown the World no more, Types the no Sea of that State.

The second and third Chapters of Peter's second Epistle seem to make a compare, and I have before pointed to Esaia's 54.9.10. Apoc. 10.1. alluding to it.

Egypts enslaving Israel rescued by successive Plagues, as so many Vials poured out on spiritual Egypt, and Pharaoh like the Beast cast into the Red-Sea, as into a Lake of Fire, under the Ministry of Moses and Aaron, two Witnesses, on whom the Spirit of Life from God enter'd, are too manifest to need any more then their mention: upon which fol­lowed the Tryumphal Song, and the Erection of the Taber­nacle of Testimony.

Solomons illustrious Jerusalem, and magnificent Temple, after the ignoble Times of the Judges, and the Israelites con­tinually trodden under Foot of the Gentiles, are plain prefigura­tions of the new Jerusalem, and its richesse after so black a state.

Ezekiels Visional Temple, and Jerusalem, and Cyrus, and the Kings of Persia restoring Jerusalem, and the Temple, are more then Types, as will appear.

Our Lords Rejection by the Jews, his Death, Resurrecti­on, and Ascension were Prophetick of his long Humiliati­on in his Members, and his glorious Kingdom after.

And what should I speak in the collaterals of Enochs Translation to Heaven.

Of Sodom burnt, and Gods declaring it to Abraham, the grand Promissee of the new Jerusalem: and Lots Testimony [Page 28]against it in resemblance of spiritual Sodom, and the Wit­nesses lying dead in the Street.

Of the slaughter at Megiddo of the Kings, and Deborahs Song of Victory.

Of Elijah, and Elisha prophecying in that long Idolatry of Israel.

Of Jehoshaphats Valley.

To all which, and many more the Apocalyps hath such frequent Reference.

By all which we may know, what renowned ends of Prophecy these two are, and that in them the Mistery of God declared to his Servants, the Prophets, is to be finished, in Symbolism with our Lords [...].

And this I think a valuable Reason; we may expect a principal Line in the Scripture, drawn out to these Ends, and Collaterals as parallell, as equal Lines are to equal.

But yet further to confirm it, let us duely enquire the true sence of Apocalyps or Revelation; Why such a Title is given to a Book, we justly account so obscure.

Far it is from the Sense of it, that the things contained in it are made plain, as other Scriptures, necessary to Sal­vation; that every diligent Mind, though but of ordina­ry Capacity, may understand; but it hath these two great Senses.

1. That it is by Jesus Christ signified, or imprinted in such Types, and prophetick Schemes, as are much fuller and clearer, then those of the Old Testament, and wor­thy of the greater Light of the New.

And such as in the State of the new Jerusalem shall ren­der it the Contemplation, and Admiration of all the happy Servants of Christ, who shall then fully compre­hend the wonderful Contrivance, and curious Artifice of it.

And in the mean time, those whose Hearts God stirs up, and inables to search into it, may humbly derive Light from it, as far as they can, for the Instruction, and Con­solation [Page 29]of the Church of God, though they take in but a little of it, and are often in mistakes.

Even as the Book of Creation and Providence shall in Eternity be fully understood, and now we may endeavour to know all we can, however we fall short.

But still as the Gospel in all the parts of it, is the last Revelation of God to Man, so is this Book of the last end of things, and so the Lines run into it certainly to the end.

2. It is indeed the real sovereign conduct of things into their last Events, and Results by Jesus Christ, the Media­tor, who therefore appeared in the middle of the Throne, and especially, it is the Production of those two great ends, so often aforenamed.

Thus to shew to his Servants things that must shortly come to pass, is to begin to derive them into effect, even as God is said to shew Christ at last, that is to give him Glory and Power before all the World, and as Christ is revealed, when he indeed comes.

The receiving the Book therefore out of the Right Hand of him that sat on the Throne, was the receiving a Kingdom, and Dominion never to be destroyed, extending to that glo­rious Kingdom of Christ.

So it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, that is, Sovereign Rule of all to the end of the World.

And none else could so much as look on the Book; that is, It was an incommunicable Authority given to Christ, and a Greatness above any meer Creature to sway such a Re­velation, or Government intended by it.

From both which it is evident, that in this Book are to be found Lines, running out of the Prophecy of the Old Testament into it, and to the ends in it; and Lines in it self, with which those other unite at its Beginning, and Epoch; and so run together to the end and period of it, if not in express numeral Lines of Time, yet of History, Fact, and Event.

Or if but partial Lines, they fall in at the just point with the same Lines, as given in the Apocalypse, and continue with them, as far as they goe,

And according to these, the supream Power of Christ produces, gives Being and Event to all things, to the end,

And proportionable to the Sense of Revelation, is that of Reading, and Hearing it, and the Blessedness pronounced upon them that Read and Hear.

For it is not the Intention of the Holy Spirit, to con­fine and restrain the Blessedness from very many, that both Read and Hear it in the true Sense, though they never made an attempt to expound it, or receive Expositions of it; nay, it may be thought a presumptuous Attempt so to do: But it means,

1. That the Lord Jesus does guide, and manuduct his Servants, that sincerely Love and Fear him, to Teach, Worship, Pray, and Practise, and also to Suffer according to the true Apostolical measures of that Book, though they dare not assume to understand it: so multitudes have read, and heard it, that never proceeded farther in it: And such wise shall shine as Stars in the Firmament, and be blessed in Reading, and Hearing.

On the other side, many by contrary Action have ad­ded, and taken away, and so forfeited their part in the Blessings, and drawn upon themselves the Plagues of it, that never intermeddled any way with the Text,

2. It is a figurative Expression of Christs Allotment to his Servants, and certainly leading them that look for it, into the Fruition and Happiness of the New Jerusalem, though we cannot yet apprehend the various Methods, and Degrees of his so doing: Thus, blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 dayes, that is, to the enjoyment of that State, and to read, and hear by enjoying: on the other side without are Doggs, &c.

3. This does not exclude the due Recompences of all humble, sincere, and holy Researches into this Book, to un­derstand, or to make others understand it.

Nor exempt them from its Anathema, who wilfully, and with violence endeavour to force it from its True sense, by wresting Interpretations: Hating that, they sus­pect its meaning, they deride all wise and prudent At­tempts for the Explanation of it.

This therefore being Prefac'd, we shall find Apocalyp­tick Time ascertain'd to us three ways.

1. By Characters of Time of its own, and which lye within it self, and that these should be concerted, none can deny.

2. By the so often Commemorated principal Line of 2300 Evenings and Mornings, and allowing it to be such a Line, it must be necessary to seek Counsel and Aid of it.

3. By a right we have of comparing these with Daniel's Times, seeing they point directly to the End: and that very End of Days, wherein Prophets, Apostles, and Mar­tyrs, with all other the most Eminent Servants of God shall stand, all in their own Lot, as Daniel is assur'd as to his own.

And in all of these kinds of Time, their Exact Agree­ment one within another, do assure they were all intend­ded as Lines of the same Calendar, either Principal or Collateral; seeing Numbers do not use fortuitously (throw them which way you will) to jump constantly into an exact Harmony one with another.

Seeing then the Time, Times, and Half-Time in Dani­el, or the 1260, into which it is varied in the same Da­niel, with the Addition of first 30, viz. 1290, and then with the addition of 45, viz. 1335 Days, will be found most exactly to agree with Apocalyptick Time in the prin­cipal Line, and in that History that stands also as a Col­lateral Line in the Apocalyps. And that it is the Incom­municable property of that Book to produce the Finishing of Wonders, and the Last End, it cannot be doubted they are the same with the 1260 Days In the Apocal. and in [Page 32]the 30 and 45 additionals, to run along with the History after, and so one and the same Time to the End.

Even as it cannot be doubted, the Time, Times, Half-Time in Daniel are the same with the 1260 in Daniel, though joyn'd with 30 more, then that the 1290 are the same 1290 in the 1335, though joyn'd to 45 more; as they were, when by themselves.

The Characters of Apocalyptick Time within it self are,

1. The Prophetick Church-History, for so I will be bold to call it, extending it self from the Apocalyptick Epoch; in Six Churches to New Jerusalem. The Seventh Church joyns with a short Appendix, Apoc. 20. after the 1000 years to the Day of Judgement, of which the Apocal. does not so professedly treat, being the Doctrine of all Plain Scripture.

The second Character of Apocalyptick Time is of the Seales and their History, beginning at the same Epoch with the Churches, but making only a Collateral Line to that general period aforenam'd, viz. the 1260.

3. The third is of the Six Trumpets, a second part of the same Line, which is distinguish'd within it self, into the first 4 Simple or Plain Trumpets, and after them the 2 first Woe Trumpets, and the History of each.

And with the six together concurs most evenly that Collateral Line of Time, viz. 1260 Days; call'd al­so Time, Times, Half a Time, and 3 Days and a Half, and 42 Months, all Styles of the same Time, and a History pro­per to them in each of those Styles.

4. The fourth Character of Apocalyptick Time is the se­venth Trumpet.

The Time of the sound of that is measured out by seven Voices, beginning as Thunder, and drawn out according to the utterances of the seven sealed Thunders.

And by the Pouring out of 7 Vials, which touch the end it self.

But this is not all we have to guide us in the setling Apocalyptick Time.

For, if we closely observe, we shall find, That Daniel's Prophecy; so much of it as was clos'd, shut up, and seal'd; and the Revelation contain the same things.

The one in darker and more antique Figures;

The other in newer, and, as it were, more modern Emblems:

The one in fewer, and smaller;

The other in more various and larger Sculptures:

The one clos'd, shut, and seal'd up to the End, as not yet in an order of coming to pass.

The other (though, but gradually) unseal'd, and opened; the Epoch of that end being come, and fixed, and things being on a Line, and in a Series of passing into Event; though that Line being long, and of many Years, the end was at first far off:

As then, the Beginning of the Gospel of the Evangelist Mark, conjoyns it self with the end of the Prophet Malachi; Elijah in the one, being John the Baptist in the other.

Even so does the Revelation concert it self with Daniels closed and sealed Book.

And just at that very Crisis of Time, when the Revela­tion opens, there did Daniel first begin to seal; For Sealing and Revelation so strictly correlate one another.

And that was even at Messiah, the Prince, and his Resur­rection, the Epoch of the last Times, and of the Ends of the World.

So much of the Descriptions of the Throne, and the An­cient of Dayes sitting upon it; of the Son of Man, his Glory, and Kingdom, as are given in the Apocalyptical Prefaces, so much was sealed up in Daniel.

So much Time of the Empire, and of the Autocratorical Power of the Emperors, as remained just at Messiah, the Prince risen, so much was shut up, and sealed in Daniel.

Even in every one of Daniels Visions, particularly that of Antiochus, his taking away the daily Sacrifice, the Type of the End, and therefore shut up; whatever was not ful­filled before the Resurrection, was sealed, and then opened in its Time, in the Revelation.

And indeed from this very point of Time the Resurrecti­on of our Lord; all Apocalyptical Time is created, and hath its original.

For just then was the Kingdom under the whole Heaven due to the Great Son of Man, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, newly risen from the Dead:

But he, according to his Fathers Counsel and Decree, gives with a most folemn Oath, Dan. 12.Time, Times, Half a Time to the Kingdom of the Beast; and accepts instead of it a Spiritual, Evangelical Kingdom, and this Apocalyptick and Providential Supremacy, untill the Expiration of this Tri­ple Time; Apoc. 10. when he swears again, There shall be no more Time, or Delay, but his Kingdom shall come.

Hence, even from this Delay, arises the Patience joyned to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Apoc. 1.9.

Now when this Time, Times, Half Time, were thus gi­ven to that earnest and early working Antichristian Kingdom, in which Sathan hath so great an Interest and Efficacy; It was necessary to embarr it, that it might not start out be­fore its Time, and so seven Seales foreclose it.

These Seals are seven spaces of Time, granted to the Roman Empire, before which the Beast should not rise into the Power, nor Account of a Beast before God.

Yet were even these spaces, speedily after the Evangelick Kingdom of Christ begun in the World, granted to the mysterious working, or Conception of Antichrist in secret, as it were in the lowest Parts of the Earth.

But because, assoon as ever the last half Time had in any Moments of it been enjoyed by the Beast, the Lord, even as he rose from the dead early in the Morning of the third Day, might have entred on his Kingdom, notwithstand­ing [Page 35]his Oath, and that his Servants earnestly hoped and desired, he would do so.

He is pleased after some claims of his Right, and Pro­mulgations of it by a Cry as the Roar of a Lyon, the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, and seven Thunders attendantly uttering their Voyces; His Ministers declaring his Kingdom; He is pleased, I say, to seal down all again, and to make this Half Day, excepting that partial Reformation begun Anno 1517. a Time of Delay, and all things continuing as they were.

Thus the words are again declared sealed in Daniel, Dan. 12.9. Apoc. 10. and the Thunders utterances in the Apocal. and the Beast is like to have his Half Day, though in a more contracted Domi­nion, it being now near its End also.

And whether some Provocation from the Reformed Chur­ches concurr'd not herein, we may have Reason to suspect;

But the seventh Trumpets sound is near, and then his Oath obliges him to hasten his Kingdom.

First, by seven Voyces preparatory; of 30 D. space.

Then by seven Vials consummative of the Mystery of God in the Fall of Babylon and the comming down of new Jerusa­lem at the end of the 45 D. added more.

Hence therefore, and thus hath arisen the whole Dani­elian and Apocalyptick Time:

And the date of the 1335 Dayes, from the taking away the daily Sacrifice, as by Antiochus, Dan. 12.11. can be no objection to him that considers Antiochus, and his taking away the Daily Sa­crifice, or Service, (for that it may not be restrained to Sa­crifice, the word continuall is only used, without any word signifying Sacrifice, Oblation or Offering, as generally, if not always in other Scriptures.) This taking away, I say, was but Typical of the taking away the True, constant, publick, divine Worwip by the [...], the King, that does after his Will.

For first Antiochus, as a wicked one, was conceived in se­cret Intelligences with wicked Men; Then grown into Power by smiting Egypt, he ravag'd Jerusalem, from which [Page 36]Time his taking away the daily Sacrifice was dated; Then about two years after, he actually took it away; and set up the Abomination that, &c.

Even thus, the Beast was first conceived in secret Trea­ties: then in Power, yet as an Infant King, but of much longer and so slower growth, then Antiochus. Then he open­ly commands one Pagano-Christian Idolatry, and so takes away the Daily Service or Worship.

But from his being a King, though but in a Cradle, the daily Service is accounted taken away by Him, because much polluted then, and He was born the King of that Pollution.

And from this taking away only, can a term worthy of that Pronuntiation be found; Blessed is he that waiteth, &c. or of Daniels standing in his Lot at the End of it. Dan. 12.

We have then whole Apocalyptick Time standing before us.

In the Apocalypse it self.

In Daniels Numbers.

In our general principal Line.

In humane History, grown more certain, since our Lords Era undoubtedly by Divine Care; and exactly ad­justable to Events, and Times, as made famous by Sacred Account; and that beyond the Force of Controversy.

And by all Accounts both of Time, and History Sa­cred, we shall sind Apocalyptick Time is a Line of 1739 years, from our Lords Resurrection; of which have alrea­dy run out with this year current 1651; and so rest 88.

To which, that we may see how they have been ex­pended according to Scripture Prophecy, we shall now apply the Dates of Time, and Events of History foretold in Scrip­ture, and verified by general Chronology and Story,

If it may add any thing to our Understanding the or­der of the Prophecy, and its Revelation, to consider the Book it self, its Seales and opening; we may thus conceive it.

Let us suppose a Book of single Leaves, written within, and on the back side, as comprizing all the Apocalyptick Visions.

Then this Book rolled up in a Cylindrical Form, un­der seven Labels fastned with seven Seales.

Then suppose the first Seal opened, and the Label remo­ved; according to the first draught upon the Roll, and un­der the first Label, John had the Vision of the first Rider, and so on to the seventh opened: each of the Sculptures being inlarged with Visions and Voyces, and illustrated, so as was necessary to John by the Lord himself.

The seven Seales being opened, the Book might be unroll'd, which could not be till the last opened.

It being then unrolled, the six first Trumpets, and their Visa appeared on the back side of the Book.

After the Vision of the sixth Trumpet, the Book, eased of the Labels and Seals, became a little Book, was opened, and visionally eaten, and according to it the Visions given in their Order; which order had, as we shall see, its great signification; For in so curious and exact a draught of things, there is not the least Word, Repetition, Reference, nay, not so much as the Order of giving the Visions, without its great Importance, Design, and Highest Artifice.

That the Beasts Kingdom, after it was unsealed into Event, was yet visionally placed within the Book, so as not to be given, till the Book was opened, and some time after, under the seventh Trumpet, is not without its Mystery (as is to be shown when we come to it) because in that Or­der was the Prophecy received and believed.

There is yet one thing more to be added, to clear our following Application of History and Events to their just Time, and that especially in Relation to the Church-Hi­story, and of very great moment it is to it, as we shall see.

And that is to concert a true Sense to the four living Creatures, inconveniently renderd four Beasts, because of [Page 38]the branded Apocalyptick Beast, differing as much from these, as [...] from [...], but because the Translation hath prevailed, we may promiscuously use either.

They are a Representation of the Apostles, the great Ministry of the New Testament, posted at the four Angles of the Throne, as an universal Ministry, diffusing the Gos­pel into all Parts of the World: even as the pure Israelitish Ministry is Typed by the twenty sour Elders, or Heads of Davids Courses of Priests.

This appears in the living Creatures being employed in all the Services of the New Testament-Time; as in these first Seales; saying, Come and see; while in that Time the Gospel was spread all over the Empire.

And the twenty four Elders are used in explaining the Prophecies of the old Testament, as an Elder informed John of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah prevailing to open the Seals, and of the Glories of Christian Martyrs after Suf­ferings, even one representing the Beloved Man Daniel, who had prophecyed of both before, informed John the Beloved Disciple.

Now of how great moment, the right apprehending the four living Creatures, and twenty four Elders is to the Church-History, I will very briefly present in these Parti­culars.

1. They are placed about the Throne, that their Service sometimes, sometimes their Approbative Audience may be Testimonies of the Churches Purity, as Universal, and Catholick, or in that particular matter, they are conver­sant about; And their Retirement, and non-Appearance may be an Indication of its Impurity, as in that conside­ration of Catholick and Universal: And the appearance and Service of the twenty four Elders alone, without any of the four Beasts, is a more lively Emblem of the Church of the New Testament, not being universally pure, though it was in part; Apoc. 11.16. seeing in a Song of Praise one alone could not with the Decency of the Type, appear without the [Page 39]Rest; Apoc. 15.7. while within the same confines of Time one of the four Beasts delivers the Vials.

2. The order of their Service is first of the four Beasts, and then of the twenty four Elders, till just upon the new Jerusalem; then that order is inverted, Apoc. 5.9. and the twenty four Elders begin first; Apoc. 19.4. And this undoubtedly indicates first the Jewes Rejection in their Body, and then their Re­ception at last into their Primogeniture, as one Body with the Gentiles.

And this I conceive will much illustrate the History of the seven Churches, which is so inlaid with the History of the whole Apocalyptick Time; that though it cannot be un­derstood alone, yet it cannot be separated without Vio­lence, and Deformity to all Parts; but compared, is a great assurance of Time, and History.

How natural, even Native a soil of Prophetick Schemes relating to the Churches Purity, Apostasy, Recovery, are Churches themselves: so that if any thing in the whole Prophecy pertains to the Church, sure this most of all.

Nor does it appear condecent to so August a Prophecy, that seven of the obscurest Christian Churches, and none of the longest Survivers, and one at the time of their be­ing written to, not as yet existing, should receive the Ho­nour singled from all the rest, of the Supreme Apocalyptes walking in the midst of them, as seven golden Candlesticks, and holding their Angels particularly as Stars in his Right Hand, and directing so majestique a Book by Name to them only.

Their Names (for Names make every where a great part of Prophetick Scripture) besides what other circum­stances we know not, undoubtedly made them fit to sustain Prophetick Schemes above others.

Sure if Rome had not been too much a Subject, to be made use of only, as a Scheme; or Schemes not at all in­tended, It might have lookt to have been preferred, and would, if possible, have made advantage of it.

And though indeed the True Church, as Catholick, be but one, yet as it is always in the New Testament di­versisied by Places, so may it well, yea, and must be, as we see here it is, diversified by Times, and its various states; if there was first an Apostolical Purity, then a Gradual Apostasy, then a Recovery, and that in parts, not all of a Degree, and Elevation in Reformation.

And if there were any Vertues, or Errors of any of these Churches, that gave them a greater meetness for these Epistles, as I do not know any reason to suppose, besides what was common to all the Churches; I should only from thence esteem them fitter to bear the Prophe­cy laid upon them.

Let us then, having thus premis'd, take a view of Apo­calyptick Time, and History, in Concert with the Prophe­cy of Daniel, as it hath been set before us.

And first of the Space of the Seales before the Beasts Time, Times, and a Half, which by the Principal Line, by the Private Mark of Time in the midst of the Seales, by the best Evidence of General History, we affirm to be 404 years to greatest Exactness granted to the Romane Imperi­al Power, first Heathen, then Christian, before Bestian; as the upper side of the Prince that does after his Will in Daniel.

The first Space of it is most justly peculiar to the Spiri­tual Kingdom of Messiah, the Prince, purely and per­fectly Divine, and Apostolical, and like it self.

Jews and Gentiles are summon'd by the first Living Creature, speaking in the deep note of Thunder; Come, and See.

It was with our Lords Half-week of Confirming the Co­venant, near 40 years; a Time of Calling to Repentance; but from the Resurrection to Vespasian about years 36.

Christ went out on his White Horse, with his Bow, making an offer first to the Jews, but to found a King­dom among all Nations, and his Bow return'd not empty.

The Woman, the Church was now cloathed with the Sun, Apoc. 12.1.crowned with twelve Stars, and the Moon, that after had the Ascendent in the 42 Months, under her Feet.

The Church of Ephesus was the Type of this Apostolick Church, while she tried those that said they were Apostles, Apoc. 2.1.and were not, and found them Liers.

This Tryal is by the Scriptures, into which the Apo­stles consigned all truly Apostolical, without which, Anti­quity is but like Nicodemus his Mothers Womb; and return­ing into it the second Time, to be born in order to Regenera­tion, or Reformation, would be to come out again with the same Corruption in the Seed. For out of many Inno­cencies, and good meanings of Antiquity, all the Churches defilements sprung up.

When this Seal had been opened betwixt 20 and 30 years, the Beasts Kingdom begun to look out; Sathan, the Old Serpent, Deceiver of the Nations into Idolatry and Su­perstition, early attempted Christianity this way, 2. Thes. 2.70. in Wor­shipping Angels, and other Ordinances of Men, and the Mi­stery of Iniquity begun to work.

There were many other Heresies in the Church in all Times, but which ought to be, and were convinced; but this is the great subject of Prophecy: the farewell of the Epistle of the Apostle, and great Prophet of the New Testa­ment, after the declaration of the one God, and the one Me­diator, was, Little Children, keep your selves from Idols. Amen. 1. Jo. 5.21.

The second Seal is a space designed to Jewish Desolations, foretold by Daniel and Messiah, and so certainly described in this Prophecy.

A true, though not so high an Apostolick Ministry, calls to behold the Vengeance, as an Evidence of the Truth of Christianity; which also approves it self by Doctrine, ho­ly Life and Sufferings throughout all the Seales, till Smyr­na, in the true Members of the Church of Ephesus, continu­ing till then.

And yet the Mystery of Iniquity by necessary Supposition works on; which not being espyed, and remonstrated to, and separated from, as is represented in Smyrna, trying those that said, they were Jews, &c. the whole Church is charged and censured: as innocently paying some Devotions, that after became soul Corruptions:

The opening of this Seal especially removed the Jewish Pretensions of being the Supream Church of God, from stand­ing in the way of the Beast.

It had its Operation from Vespasian, Titus first appear­ing on the Red Horse of War, and Blood, to Hadrian's last, and most fatal. Conflicts with the Jews, when the Great Sword recolled so fiercely on the Empire it self, and it cost his Army so dear, that he omitted that usual Salute in the Imperial Letter, Ego quidem & exercitus Valemus; it lasted till Hadrian's Death, years 68.

The space of the third Seal is granted to the Humane and virtuous Government of the Antonines at the beginning, and the most Recordedly just Reign of Alexander Severus, Son of Mammaea at the end of it.

He is the solemn Rider of the Black Horse, with a pair of Ballances in his Hand, and the so cautions and exact Ad­juster of prices, who is so famous for carrying always with him, and in open view, that so Righteous Beam, our Saviour gave the World; What ye would have Men do to you, do you also to them and no other.

The time of this Seal was most notable for those excel­lent Apologyes of Christianity, by Justin Martyr, at the Begin­ning; Tertullian's and Origen's at the end of it.

The Third living Creature, the still Apostolical Ministry, says, Come and see. Behold Christianity offering it self to the Seales before the wifest and justest of the Emperours, Pro­phets of your own.

And Alexander gave Judgment for it, by the very light of Nature, for without being so much as almost a Christi­an, he would have built a Temple in Honour of Christ.

This was a grand experiment of Divine Patience leading a Pagan Empire to Repentance: For at his Death Venge­ance pursued it, till it became Christian in Constantine.

But further, by an admirable Artifice of the Divine Pro­phecy, here is, though very covertly placed the Boundary of the Half Time of the Seals.

1. Of Gods long suffering to the Empire, before the Trumpets sounded its Ruine.

2. Concurrently of the Churches Purity, before the Beasts rising, as will thus appear.

1. It is evident to any Considerer, these 7 Seales are se­ven Spaces of the Time of the Romane Empire, after the Resurrection.

2. There is besides the usual Voice, Come and see, an extraordinary note of Attention, not by, but to, Apoc. 6.6. or in the midst of the four living Creatures, a Measure of Wheat, &c. to move extraordinary inquiry after the meaning.

3. By Inquiry into History, it fits none as Alexander, Se­verus, so just a Prince.

4. By Inquiry into the Time, He died 202 years after our Lords Resurrection, in the beginning of the year, to correspond it: which doubled reaches to the Empire, torn on all sides by the Barbarians, and the 10 Kings ri­sing; besides other concurrent marks of the Beasts rising.

5. By compare upon our principal Line, 404 years neither more nor less from the Resurrection, are necessary to adjust the 2300 Evenings Mornings, to the last of Daniels 1335 Dayes, what then can we conclude, but the Ballances divide the Time, as it were by exact weight, one half against the other; and so, precisely define the Time of the Seals, the exact Time of the Beasts rising, and so of his end, no where else so defined in Scripture: which hath obliged this longer stay upon it.

6. The Mystery of Iniquity was still promoting it self: and made that notable appearance towards the end of this Seal in Victor Bishop of Rome, his affected Domination, and Su­perstition [Page 44]concerning the nice Time of Easters Celebration: but being generally censured, and condemned the Church continued still Apostolical, although it is to be feared E­phesus was now, if not before in its declining state.

The whole time of this Seal was about 98 years.

The space of the fourth Seal is seized by divine Venge­ance, beginning on the Empire, as Heathen, in the four Judgments: the Beasts of the Earth: Ezek. 14.21. The tyranical Em­perours, and their bloddy Assassinates; Sword, Pestilence, and Famine.

The Emperours were so short lived, that by an elegant Emblem, not an Emperour, but Death is the Rider of the Pale Horse.

And the Mortality so great, that Hades, Hell, or the Grave, are the only Ensignes.

The fourth living Creature sayes, Come, behold the Desola­tions wrought by God for the space of 67 years on an Empire impersuasible by all the Methods of Grace.

This Seal opened to the Beasts Kingdom, as the uneasiness and continual slitting of the Imperial Power from one to ano­ther, was a symptom of its approaching end, as Heathen­ish; which was the principal Lett of the Man of Sin, as the Apostle told the Thessalonians in private, though not so fit for an Epistle.

In the Time of this Seal, Ephesus had left its first Love; for the Apostolical Ministry by divine Forecast ceases from any farther Service, till the Vials on the Beasts Kingdom.

But Indulgences having not the least shew in Antiquity, to shew how distinct the Prophecy is, it returns back to say, Ephesus 'in its worst Time, hated the Deeds of the Nicolatians, which after became the Doctrine of Indulgences.

Ephesus, its Candlestick is removed out of its Place, there being no longer any the Church bearing the Type of the pure, and visible universal Apostolical Church; but Smyrna rises by the next Seal with a Synagogue of Sathan, near the appearance of a Church, to mask, and ready to over-shade it.

From about the Time of the Mistery of Iniquity working, or 25 years after the Resurrection; Dan. 11.36.The King that does after his Will in the Heathen Emperours had been speaking mar­vellous Things against the God of Gods, by Persecution of Christians down to this Time; and, as a Red Dragon, had elpecially carried Blasphemy, Idolatry, and Blood upon his Head, with whom the Beast unites after, so as to become One with him, though distinct also from him.

The fifth Seal and its space are allotted to ten prophetical Dayes, or Years of extreme Persecution, and Sufferings of the Christian Church under Dioclesian.

This was the sinke of Time, into which all the Christi­an Blood flowed, that had been shed by Paganism, and was required of it in this Generation.

The Woman was at this Time in Pain, and cryed out to be delivered, while the Dragon waited to devour the Birth.

Smyrna was now risen, as appears by the ten Daies Per­secution, and being separated from the Synagogne of Sathan, is honoured exceedingly by God, even above Ephesus, that was the Type of the Apostolick Church in its first State. But the Mystery of Iniquity fermenting, and not understood, nor counterwrought, as it ought to have been, Ephesus is in the Type severely rebuked, and Smyrna commended only: Ephesus loses the Birth-right, not excelling to the last: and Smyrna, though sorely grieved by Archers, hath, the Crown of Life, and Philadelphia after the Kingdom.

This time was reserved by Christ from the Beast, by suf­ferings in his Members, being so pleased to enter into the Glory, of becomming by the profession of him, and his Re­ligion, the Prince of the Empire.

But it opened a large Avenue to the Beasts Kingdom, see­ing in nothing had it a greater advantage, then it took from the Martyrs Sufferings: This was the Foundation of his Idolatrous and Bloody Sovereignty: The Honour of Martyrs, their Temples, Memories and Festivals: Hence sprung their Altars, the eating the Sacrifices of the dead, [Page 46]and Things sacrificed to Idols, in the first appearance of the Beast like himself.

It is therefore said to the Souls under the Altar, they should rest, till their number was silled up by their Brethren, and fellow Servants, that should in the Beast Reign be killed, as they were for flying from Idolatry.

Here is therefore at the opening of this Seal no voice of the Apostolick Ministry, saying, Come and see, though other­wise so glorious to Christianity.

The sixth Seal, and its Time, is given to the Typical Day of Judgment upon Heathenism, its Gods, Temples, Princes, and People, great and small.

Thus it became the Son of God, (his Church yet so far pure) to Judge this World and the Prince of it.

Jesus Christ proclaimed thus in the Empire, King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, was the manly Birth, caught up to the Throne of God, from which he could never be since brought down: The attempt of Julian being both short liv'd and feeble.

Now was the Dragon cast down to the Earth, and the Ac­cuser of Christianity, as the disturbance of the World, and Government, thrown out of Heaven, or the Imperial Throne.

There was a Voice in Heaven loudly saying, now is come Salvation, Apoc. 12.10.&c. but the Church is so far declined, that the four living Creatures and the 24 Elders appear not.

Smyrna now receives a Transitory, and emblematical Crown of Life, but no more for 82 years.

For as this Seal forepriz'd from the Beast this due Glory to Christ; so it opened a Gate to his comming by the Abundance of the Gentiles uncircumcised in Heart and Flesh, and their Heathen Rites, laying the Carcases of those they esteemed Heroes in the High places, as they after did the Martyrs, crowding into the Courts of God, as will be seen un­der the next Seal.

The Servants of God are therefore sealed in the very be­ginning of Danger (for the Veils sake) as by the Trumpets, but indeed from that of the Beasts concurrence with them; [Page 47] sealed to [...]od, that is, secured, but concealed, and hidden from the World; who would not believe them the Servants of God, being Witnesses in Sack-Cloth, to be slain by the Beast, and to make up the number of the innumerable Companies of Palm-hearers, with other Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and Consessors at the New Jerusalem, crowned indeed with Smyrna's Crown of Life, that sadeth not away, at the Vision whereof the 4 Beasts and 24 Elders appear as Auditors of the Tryumphal Song; and congratulate with it.

The Woman at the same time in plain prospect is flying into the Wilderness.

The last Seal, and its space, is reserved for the rallying of Heathenism, and its Force, that it may be finally destroy­ed by Theodosius the Great, in the overthrow of Eugenius and Argobastes, and the Paganish Force under them.

This, the Church continuing in Gods gracious Accep­tance the yet pure Church of Smyrna, though with a Sy­nagogue of Sathan over-louring it, was obtained by the Pray­ers of Saints, and of Theodorus in the midst of the Battel, mingled with much Incense, to shew the Divine Accep­tance, and in the Smoke of which they ascended before God, and had most merciful Audience of him.

The People at this time were waiting with Silence in the outer Court, at the time of Incense, according to custom, as appears, Luc. 1.10. This shews the outer Court within Measure yet not trodden under Foot by the Gentiles, but pure.

The Coals from the Altar thrown upon the Earth, pro­ouced Voyces, Thunderings, Lightnings, and Earthquakes, the constant signification of the Gospels prevalency in this Book, as now the second Time over Heathenism.

This pertain'd at least, (if not the principal) to that War in Heaven when Michael, and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels fought, but prevailed not, nor was their Place found any more in Heaven after this Time; here therefore the Doxology was compleated.

This Time was also most justly due to the Lord of all.

But now were all the Seals opened, that em [...]rred the Beasts Kingdom.

The Angels had therefore in the beginning of this Seal the Trumpets given them, at the sound of which the Beast was to be born King of the Antichristian Kingdom: this was the first step.

Then they prepared themselves to sound a second step; but they did not actually sound till 43 years from this Seal be­ginning.

The great service the opening this Seal, and the ope­ration of it all along, performed to the Beasts Kingdom, was;

1. That the Emperours from the Time, they became Christian, were a disguise to the Beasts receiving the Seat, Authority, and Power of the Dragon, which had it been open­ly observed and understood, must have been affrightful to Christians, and so have hindered the rising of it.

The Donation of his Power from the Christian Empe­rours was the plausible cover of this; first exalting him to an Arch-Bishop, then to a Patriark, then to an Ʋniversal Bishop, and Head of the whole Church, while indeed his true Power was derived to him another way, as will be seen in the third particular.

2. The comming in of the Amplitude of the Empire to the Profession of Christianity, was necessary to the Gran­dieur and Splendor of his after Sovereignty.

3. Which was the most essential, the Christian Earthly Church, which was now becoming the greatest part, and was sunk deep into the Veneration of Saints and Martyrs, were prepared on one side; and the new Imperial Converts com­ing reeking out of the Temples and Idolatrous Worship of the Heathens, were on the other side fit to receive the new Form of their old Idolatry, as it was now prepared by this Pseudo Christianity.

Thus the Dragon being wholly disinteressed, (that is, the Rule of Sathan in Heathen Idolatry being at an end) [Page 49]the Serpent by this Juggle and Cheat upon the World gives his Throne, Power, and great Authority to the Beast.

And in this manner the Dragon and the Beast are wor­shipped together; The Dragon, Apoc. 13.4. that gave his Authority to the Beast. The Beast, that received it, and became so great by it; that they said; who is like the Beast, that hath so compounded Pagan and Christian Idolatry together, as to please both parts? Who then can make War with him, or re­sist him, that is thus strengthened with this double Idolatrous Interest?

Thus the Head of the Dragon, that had the wound first by Constantine's, then by Theodosius his Sword; was healed.

And thus by the end of the space of this Seal, the King­dom of the yet Youngling Beast was prepared.

Just about the end of it, the Woman was speeded into the Wilderness by the two, Apoc. 12.14. the Eastern and Western Wings of the great Imperial Eagle, grown both so foulely Idola­trous, that the true Church was out of slight.

At the same time, the Dragon cast the Flood of the Pa­ganish Barbarians, as it were out of his Mouth, to have swallowed up the true Church.

But the earthly Church, Apoc. 12.15. only at this time visible in the outward Pomps of Religion, and the Splendor of this World, was forced to receive the Flood, for such a State suffers most by such Inundations.

Yet it was not long, ere it drunk up the Flood by prose­lyting those Barbarians to its Pseudo Christianity, Apoc. 17.12, 13. when the ten Kings gave their Strength, and Power, and Kingdom to the Beast with one Consent.

And thus we are come to the Beasts 42 Months, all alike under the Governess of the Night; common to him with the Gentiles and their Idolatry defiling the outward Court, and treading the Holy City under Feet.

To the Witnesses in Sack-cloth, and the Woman in the Wil­derness, their 1260 dayes are alike too, under the Gui­dance of the Light, and the Day; as also the Witnesses three [Page 50]Dayes and a Half, Apoc. 11.2.3. &c. for their continual succession, and re­lief one of another; these slain, others rising; as if none had had their turn longer, then three Dayes and a Half.

And at the same time we are come to the Beasts Time, Times, and Half a Time, that is to the Distinctions obser­vable in his 42 Months.

And to the Woman in the Wilderness, Her Time, Times, and Half a Time, connoting the Distinctions in her 1260 Dayes.

By which Computation of her Time, Times, Half a Time, we know they are interlocked with the same of the Beast, and that it is the Beast, that persecutes the Woman by Depu­tation from the Dragon, and not the Dragon, but at the ve­ry first by this Deputation, that is, the Serpent or Sathan not in the Heathenish, but Christian-Idolatrous Power into which the Heathenish was translated.

And by the Compellation of her 1260 Dayes, we know they are interlocked with the Witnesses 1260 Dayes, and that the Woman and the Witnesses her Seed, that keep the commands of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus, are vir­tually the same; for while she under the Notion of a Church, is hid from the Serpent in the Wilderness, both concealed and secured, she is yet visible, and to be found in her Seed. So that the Dragon, that makes War with her Seed, does it by the Beast, that made War with the Witnesses, as before explained.

And thus we are ascertained both in History, and Time.

And that we have no mention of years, is both to com­port with the Secresy of the Prophecy, and to avoid any controversy concerning years, General and Solar be­ing only to be understood.

We are then come to the first Time of the Beast, under the Distinction of a Time.

And from the first moment of it, Apoc. 17.10, 11. the daily Sacrifice is to be dated, taken away: so that here begins Daniels 1335 [Page 51] Dayes, in the 405th year after the Resurrection, the begin­ning of it; the 438 of vulgar account.

And from the very first moment, he is in sacred Chro­nicle the eighth King, and the seventh Head, whose Name or Title is, was, is not, yet is, for he was not in the Christi­an Emperours but is in the Popish, and yet not the same, but an Image only of that Idolatrous Power, being Paga­no Christian, as Dr. Moore fully hath declared; for the seventh King is another, even the Christian Emperours; who were not come at the Epoch of the Revelation, but when they came, were but to continue a short Space, and so we find.

This Idolatrous Head therefore, though in order the eighth King, is of the seven Heads of Blasphemy. And in Daniel is esteemed one King, and indeed principally intended, by that one King; that does according to his Will, and speaks marvellous things against the God of Gods.

Even as he is the Little Horn, that had Eyes as the Eyes of a Man, and a Mouth speaking great things, and he opens his Mouth in Blasphemy against the God of Heaven.

Just thus he is described in the Revelation by his Eyes as a Prophet or Seer, for so the two horns of a Lamb, intitle him: by his Mouth speaking great things and Blasphemyes, by opening his Mouth in Blasphemies against God, and his Ta­bernacle, and them that dwell therein: even Idolatrous Blas­phemies. By wearing out the Saints, and warring against them: and continuing Time, Times, and half a Time, or 42 Months; so he spake and did as a Dragon.

And as an eighth King, he is described by the Feet and Toes of Clay, that fignifie a Kingdom, not strong, or war­like, even as the Horns of a Lamb, an unwarlike Creature import him.

An Idolatrous Power, that is but an Image of a Power, but as it is inhabited, acted by a False Prophet, as the Dae­mon of it, who by Lying Wonders after the Efficacies of Sa­than procurates the Power to it: Honouring a God his Fa­thers [Page 52]knew not: viz. Our Lord, unknown to Heathen Em­perours, honouring Saints and Angels as the great Tutelars, or Defenders, bringing in the Doctrine of Daemons, not regard­ing the love of Women, forbidding to marry.

All these are his lively Characters.

But no Description so definitive, as that which sets him out, making an Image to speak, and to cause, that all that will not worship the Image, should be killed; And that none shall buy or sell, that will not receive a mark suitable to that Idolatrous Negotiation, and then giving a Character of the Time, wherein he should arrive to, and obtain this pitch; and that is the number 666, is so assuring that nothing can excell it.

For beginning at the Epoch of the Apocal. so often said to be our Lords Resurrection, and so descending to the year 666 from it, it carryes us upon the year 700 or very near it; and being easily convey'd from thence to the Famous History of the Iconoclastick Emperours, beginning in Leo Conon Isaurus, and the Excommunication of him for deny­ing the Worship of Images; and so on in his Successors, we have such a fulfilling of that latter part of Apoc. 13. that none that compare it can but say, certainly it was then ful­filled, and was rather a History then a Prophecy.

Again, An. D. 72. let us measure from that year in which that so fa­mous History began the vulgar, Anno Dom, 725, 666 back­ward, and we may be sure then the Conception of the Beast was about 26 years from the Resurrection, then the Mystery of Iniquity begun to Work, then was the Departure from the Apostolick 12 rising to an opposite number, to the 144, according to Mr. [...]otters most ingenious Discourse; so that both by the Time, and its History, and the Intimate Sense of that number, a Deviation from the true Apostolism and pure Israelitism, we are most certain who this Beast is, what is his Bestianism, when he was grown up from his Conception; from his Birth also by consequence, to be that Beast; His first Time then was exhausted in the utter de­basement [Page 53]to the very Ground of Imperial Rome, in the se­venth King; that this eighth King, and seventh Head might rise, and grow up to the height of a King, as he did, in de­posing Childerick, and exalting Pipin to be King of France; and to the strength of an Idolatrous Beast, as he did in the Excommunication of Leo Conon, and his Son Constant. [...]opronymus, and all this within his first Time.

Now were the Witnesses in Sack-cloth, the Woman in the Wilderness; The Synagogue of Sathan was become a Throne of Sathan, and so overtopped Pergamus, as it signifies the true Church, that there was nothing to be seen, but that lofty Idolatrous Pergamus or Rome; only to God, who saw the true Church under that Name, and most evidently pro­nounces the Censure and Doom upon the false Church, guilty of Balamitism, and Nicolaitanism by the true Church, carrying its name, which, who ever considers, will find a most plain Church History;

The two Times are much alike throughout, for though towards the end of the third Time, before the Half Time, there were some risings of the Church of Thyatira in Wick­life, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, the Bohemians, Fore­runners, yet they made no visible Change.

The eighth King then, in these two Times raises the gran­deur of Rome, by creating Charles the Great, August Em­perour, although he, and his Successors in the Name, are but one of the ten Kings in sacred Style.

And above these he exalts himself, as above every God in Daniel, and above all that is called God in the Apostles Lan­guage: as was most evident in the History of the Empe­rours in the tenth and eleventh Centuries.

He proceeds in his Idolatry, as is manifest by the Icono­clastick History, continuing on the first of the two Times, till the opposites of the Idolatry, first by conciliary Power, and after by the Imperial Power, were quite overcome, that they never had any of the Freedom of Life, that did not re­ceive the Mark or Name, or number of the Name, that Counter-Apostolick [...] [Page 52] [...] [Page 53] [Page 54]Apostolick Doctrine, that so signaliz'd the Year 666, from the working of the Mystery of Iniquity.

The Witnesses are all these two Times in a continual Suc­cession, under the War, Victory, and Slaughter of the Beast; Their Testimony being had in Detestation, and anathema­tiz'd as Heresie. But their word's of so great Account with God, that they bring down Fire from Heaven, and smite the Earth with Plagues, the Indignation of God being just­ly kindled at so great an abuse of his Truth in their mouths; and they shut Heaven, that it rains not; There is no Dew of Heavenly Doctrine, but what came down in their Mi­nistry; an eminent Character of that Time, so notorious for Barbarity and Ignorance in all true knowledge, but especially Sacred. Pergamus and Thyatyra, from whence these two Witnesses rise, are the two Candlesticks standing suc­cessively before the God of the whole Earth, the only Churches. Besides the invalidating their Testimony, they are in plain sense destroy'd, and slain by the Beasts Cruelty, in the col­lective name of Antipas; not only in single Persons, but whole Companies; the Waldenses and Albingenses.

Balaam, agreeable to the Beast with two Horns, as a Lamb, brings in the Fornication of committing Idolatry with Saints, and their Images, by the degrees of keeping Festival dayes in remembrance of them, which were made the Snare.

The Doctrine of Indulgences, and freedoms to sin, veil'd under this Nicolaitanism of the first Times, succeeded in its season, and was annex'd to the fore-going Idolatry, as the great Encouragement to it. Publick Worship was so pol­luted, that the true Church retires to Hidden Manna, wil­derness fare, the Service of God, and Celebration of the Lord's Supper in secret; which e're the end of the first of the Two Times was most infamously defiled with the Ido­latry of the Mass. The Oracles of God, or the Ʋrim and Thummim of Scripture, and the gracious Absolutions and Consolations of the Gospel, were as a white stone, with a [Page 55] new Name written in it, that none knew, but they who re­ceiv'd it, Scriptures being hidden from almost all by one means or other. The Servants of God serv'd him within the measur'd Temple, and at the Altar, by their Doctrine, worship, Prayers, and sufferings.

Yet the True Church carries the Charge of having them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, and the names of Pergamus and Thyatyra as the true Church, Hose. 1. the Prophets Visional Children, for Idolatrous Israel's sake, did of Lo Ruhamah and Lo Ammi. The True Church did indeed disown All, but because of its being so deeply hid­den under the False Church, it supports the Doom but so, that it is made to slide off it. For those great and com­plicated Evils of Balaam's Doctrine, and the Nicolaitans, are but a Few, and small things, as against the true Church, that abhorr'd them all, though most prodigious in the Apostatick Church, the Censure therefore does not make so deep a Dint as on Ephesus, when Christ sayes to that, [...], I have against thee.

And while it is to convey the command of Repentance to that Apostolick Church, yet the threatning slips off from the true Church, I will fight not against thee, but them, with the Sword of my Mouth, even as Antipas was slain, not by you, but among you.

There is no Promise made to them recorded in the state of the New Jerusalem, as to all the other six Churches, to shew in a Type how low this Church was from all sight of Redemption.

And all these things considered, as they stand in the Epistle to the Church of Pergamus, and duely laid together, amount to a very considerable Church-History of that Time.

Concurrent with this Time according to Daniel, toge­ther with Christ Jesus, the God strange to the Roman Empire, the Beast honours, as so many Fortresses of Cityes, and Countryes, the presidentiary Saints and Angels, to whom the Land is divided for gain; being constituted over several [Page 56]quarters to receive Devotions and Offerings, with which, what can be more agreeable, then the practise of these two Times.

But is the most high asleep at this Season, and did he forsake the Christian World?

No, the two first woe Trumpets sound, thence argued to sound against the Beast, because they are of a kind with the third woe Trumpet; which, we are sure, sounded his Destructi­on; God alarmed the World with these.

For against the time, the Beast would be a grown Beast, the Mahometan Superstition glorying in the Worship of one God, without Images; (in all things else portentously senseless) rises to be a scoff upon Pseudo Christianity, and a scourge to it.

First, in the Saracens, the King of the South pushing at the Beast; then in the Turks, that King of the North, coming with Chariots and Horses as a Whirl-wind against him: and so Victorious, that few escaped him, particularly Jerusa­lem, and its Countryes were swallowed up by him.

Each of which, with their poysonous Syrma of false Re­ligion, have such accurate, and yet more florid Descrip­tions, Apoc. 9. that I shall only leave the Ingenious Rea­der to observe them.

The first are warned to hurt none, but those that had not the Seal of God in their Fore-heads, to shew, they are rai­sed up against the Idolatrous Church.

The Second are noted to come at the Voice from the four Horns of the golden Altar, the Servants of Jesus perse­cuted by the Beast, as the Christians were before by the Hea­then, who therefore gathered to the Altar of Incense by their Prayers, and cryed aloud for Vengeance, and in this, as one instance, is the fire proceeding out of their Mouths, and the smiting the Earth with Plagues.

The end, or towards the end of this Time, is remarqued with the Ruine of the Graecian Empire, and Constantinople, the Imperial City, becomming the Ottoman Port.

And after it to the end of the two Times waits the divine Observation, and Expectation of the Repentance of the Apostatick Church, and Idolatrous Western Empire, and they repented not. The Wicked will do wickedly, and will not understand.

The last Scene of the Bestian Time, is his Half Time: of which I have already given so full an Account, the less is now necessary.

The first rising of the Witnesses in Luther, and those that followed him, is so exact on the very Morning of the Half Time, 1517, as it were on purpose, to justi­fie the Account of Time hitherto.

There are great Commotions hereupon in the Bestian Kingdom, a considerable part like the tenth part of the City falls, as it were in an Earthquake, Apoc. 11.13. and something like the Voices, and the pouring out of the Vials ensues, but not as they shall be at the end.

And this, as I said before, arose from the Roaring of the Lyon, and the seven Thunders, but on the sudden, the cry of the Lion ceased, and the Thunders were sealed up.

The Book was open a while in the Hand of the Angel, but it was presently eaten, and hid as it were in the Bowels of some few Interpreters, who might have a present pleasure in the Interpretation, sweet to the Taste, but it was bitter within them, both for the Difficulties, wherein the Interpre­tation was intangled, and the very unkind Acceptance, their Interpretations met with from others. Daniels Cogi­tations troubled him, and he told the Vision to no man.

And the only Vision given before the seventh Trumpets sound, is of the Temple, and Altar measured, and the outer Court left out, and the Witnesses slain, that is, especially their Testimony discredited, and anathematiz'd as false Testimo­ny, Heresie, and Blasphemy.

And this is therefore given before the seventh Trumpet, because the Apostasy of the Christian Church, and the truth of God, with those that testified against that Apostasy, their [Page 58]just Cause, as of the Servants of God, and their Sufferings in that Cause, as Martyrs, hath been, and must needs be generally believed in the reformed Churches, to justify their Separation from Rome, and yet, even that will not be fully understood, nor believed in the great Circumstances of it, till the end of this half Time, and the last rising of the Witnesses; which will be as certainly at the end of this half Day, and near the year 1697, as Luther, and the Re­formation consequent was at the beginning, or morning of this Time, or at the year 1517.

So that this is no wonder, the Beast yet survives a Beast, though in a retrench'd Dominion: that he shewed himself after this, so potent a Beast in the Councel of Trent, that he hath still so much to do in the World, for his Kingdom is granted to him, till the last of the 42 Months, of which yet remain thirteen prophetical Dayes, or Years, his last Month being spent to that small remainder.

Nor is it any wonder, that the Turks Tyranny, or the second woe continues, for being the Vengeance of God since its rising upon the Bestian Idolatry, it shall run paralel with him to the very last of his Time, and thereupon to pray for the Ruin of the Turk, is in true Apocalyptick Sense, to pray for the Expiration of the Papal Reign first.

That which is the yet grander Concernment of this half Time, is the Prophetick Church-History of those three, Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia, which I shall as briefly as I can, give in their several particular Characters, just named; without taking upon me to assign them to any particular Churches of Protestants, or to so much, as mean any, but as the very sacred Prophecy will by express Words lead necessarily the considering Mans Thoughts.

But that I may lead to the Mark I design, more exactly, I must premise these two things.

1. As to the Character of the Times of these six Churches, the three first run out their just Intervals, and then cease from being any longer Prophetick Types.

The three last run their Course together to the New Je­rusalem; Thyatira by some noted Periods and Intervals; the two other evenly.

This appears by the Promises made to the three first, postpon'd to that general Alarm, He that hath Ears, let him hear, &c. The three last have the same presixed to the Promises, by which variation so obvious, we are moved to Inquiry, and this upon Observation offers it self.

The three first have their Promises so general, that they do not imply a Conjunction betwixt their Time, and the New Jerusalem. The three last have in those Promises such Clauses as do necessarily suppose their Contact, if I may so speak, with that Jerusalem, besides other congenial Times of it.

2. As to the Inoffensiveness of this Church-History to Christian Minds, that have a Reverence for the Church, especially Primitive.

It may seem strange, that Ephesus, a Type of the Apo­stolick Church should be so severely censured, as to leave its first Love, and Smyrna be prefered before it.

And that Sardis, a reformed Church should be so sharply reproved, and more severely treated, then Pergamus, or Thyatira, as they connoted the True Church; and Phila­delphia, a much Inferiour Church in Appearance be so far honoured before it.

But to this we are to return in satisfaction. He that walk­eth in the Midst of the golden Candelsticks, hath declared himself, in Thyatira, as in the midst of the Churches, and a Rule for them all; that he would have all the Churches, the seven Churches to know, that he searches the Hearts, and tryes the Reins, and gives to every one according to their Works.

He saw therefore in Ephesus, in its declining Time, such Propensions to the after Corruptions, at that time under Innocent appearances, and so little Regret to them, as that they leavened the whole Lump.

In Smyrna he observed, though the Corruptions had eaten wider, and deeper, yet such a Separation from them, as that he honours the good among them till the very rising of the Beast, as a pure Church, and the bad he condemns, as a Synagogue of Sathan, and so Pergamus and Thyatira, that were covered, one all over, the other surrounded with Sathans Seat, and Kingdom, are more acceptable then Sar­dis, that let the Principles of Reformation languish so much, as to have defiled Garments, although not the gross Impurities, the false Church so overgrew Pergamus and Thyatira with; because these two Churches were more perfect with God in the true Reasons of Reformation, ma­nifested by their Renunciation of the other Impurities, even to Martyrdom, though with less light then Sardis; For the Lord seeth not as men seeth; For Man looketh on the outward appearance, But the Lord seeth the Heart.

This premis'd, I begin with Thyatyra.

The Title of Christ is, He that hath his Eyes like a flame of fire; shewing his sharp and piercing insight into all the gloz'd Corruptions of the false Church, and his Feet as fine Brass, as if they burnt in a Furnace, as is added, Apoc. 10.

Synchronous with this, He purified his Servants, even in the Flames; many shall be purified and made white, while the wicked do wickedly, and will not understand, but the wise shall understand: Thus our Lord's Titles are agreeable to the Time. In Ephesus, as proper to the first Apostolick Church, he holds the seven Stars in his right hand, and walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks. In Symrna, first dying, and then receiving, a Crown of Life, He is He that was dead, and is alive; In Pergamus, he hath the sharp Sword with two Edges, setting out the Power of his Word against the Man of Sin, till he is consum'd and cut off by it.

The Name Thyatyra is sitted to Jezebel, and the Wo­man describ'd Apoc. 17.

There is mention of many Graces of this Church, each proper to its Time, Faith, Charity, Service, Patience, as Characters of Honour to it, without any blemish or allay.

The last works are more than the first, for the second Ri­sing of the witnesses in this Church, will be greater and more perfect than the first; and so at the very last; This Church will be serviceable to the Final Abolition of Babylon, in a very high degree.

The suffering the woman Jezebel is only a prophetick Type, shewing in the True Church, as in a pure Mirror, the state and Deformity of the False; the Prophecy dis­daining to have to do with it immediately in these Epi­stles, as God calls the Jews the Prophet's People, and speaks to Idolatrous Israel by Hoseah's Visional Children, so the Impotency of the True Church to suppress or reform the False, is charg'd as a Schematick Fault upon it, to set out the obstinacy, impenitency, and Insolency of that Imperi­ous, whorish Woman. Else to suffer Jezebel had not been [...], small things, but of heinous guilt.

The Woman Jezebel signifies the False Church, under that enchanting Name of the Woman of Rome, or the Ro­man Catholick Church, the Church of Rome distinguish'd from the Court or Beast of Rome, This is Babylon, the Mother of Harlots.

She repented not in that especial space given her, after the loss of the Greek Empire, and desolation of that Church, which she had subjected under her self and her Idolatry, and so is reputed one with her.

God therefore will cast her into a Bed of languishing, and Death, and kill her children with Death; by the Vials, except they repent; an intimation of a further space of Re­pentance under the Voices.

By this time the Idolatry of the Mass was grown the Paramount Idolatry, or height of Fornication; including that with Saints and Angels as a lower degree.

That was indeed the Highest in the first Times of Per­gamus, modestly introduc'd by Christians, meeting at the places of Martyrs Interrments, to worship God, and cele­brate the Lord's Supper: Thence it grew to building Tem­ples carrying their Names, and their Images plac'd in them; setting apart dayes of their Commemoration, making those dayes Festivals, and all these as Memories of them: Daily by degrees, it came to Veneration, worshipping, Altars, Invocation, or the very Sacrifices of the Dead, and eating things sacrificed to Idols. All which are justly branded, Fornication, in a spiritual sense.

But the Sacrifice of the Mass, falsly founded on so Divine an Institution, as the Remembrance of, or Feast upon our Lord's Sacrifice, was now become the Height of Fornica­tion; although nothing of the other is abated; and de­bauch'd into Eating things sacrific'd to Idols, and the foulest Idolatry.

Nicolaitanism is not named, being so fiercely thundred against by the first Reformers, that however it continued the practise of Rome, yet it is not charg'd on Thyatyra, that so may arise a private Character of that Time.

The [...], or the (Rest) with the (You) in Thyatyra speaks the succession of this Church, to the precise Time of the Vials, when the last of it is call'd out of Babylon, as is after to be shewn.

For so [...], and [...] are us'd, to signifie succession to the new Jerusalem, or very near it; as might be made good in many Instances, were it not too long.

The Depths of Satan speak the Beasts Kingdom, grown old in all Policies, or Arcana Imperii, but Thyatyra disco­vered them, and in common Language (or as they speak) call'd them Depths of Satan, as they were: for Sathan was the True Supreme, had his Throne, Dwelling, Synagogue in the Beasts Kingdom.

To shew Thyatyra's suffering Jezebel was a fault only in a Prophetick Scheme, she had no Burden laid upon her, not [Page 63]so much, as to suffer Jezebel no longer; but only to hold fast, till Christs coming, viz. first at the beginning of the half Day, then at the end of it; and last of all in the pour­ing out of the Vials to their end, which is the breaking the Nations in shivers, and ruling over them: in all of which it hath, as being so much concerned, the Morning Star, or first dawns of the Lords Appearings.

To conclude then, this Church consists of the Servants of God, either rising at any time by the Resurrection out of the false Church, even to every single Convert, till the Vials: when the last call out of Babylon; Come out of her my People; or when call'd out, still surrounded with Prin­ces and Powers devoted to the Bestian Kingdom; or em­ployed in a singular way in the execution of Divine Judg­ments upon Babylon, as those last call'd out, especially seem to be, by being pressed to reward her, as she had them in their Predecessors.

The two Churches of Sardis and Philadelphiae remain to be considered.

They are certainly Churches reformed, though of a very different Elevation in the Reformation from all the Cor­ruptions of Babylon, and preparation to the New Jerusa­lem; to which two all things in this Book have a Refe­rence, and so to be interpreted, as being the two ends of all Prophecy, and much more of this, as I have already said.

But because they are Protestant Churches, I shall make not so much as the least Intimation of Allusion to any of them in the Exposition, to avoid all offence; but only of­fer the very prophetick Characters themselves: Sardis hath the Precedency, whether in Time, or on other Accounts, I will not determine.

Its Characters of Time are.

1. From the Lord's Titles, He hath the 7 Spirits of God, and the 7 Stars in allusion to Ephesus the first Church; but by way of Diminution, from true Apostolickness; It is not added; In his Right Hand. Yet signifiying the Church upon [Page 64]a new Epoch, as of Formation at the first in Ephesus, so of Reformation now.

Which is also intimated in its being call'd to Remember, how it had receiv'd and hear'd, as an Admonition of its first, and Better Original. There is nothing of the Do­ctrine of Balaam, Jezebel, and their Fornication, nor of Nicolaitanism imputed to it, shewing its being come out of Babylon.

And let not these Hints seem Fancies, for in Propheticks the shades of Concealment are broad, but the Lines of Discovery very small: the leaving out in Jeconiah, the Je; and calling him Coniah only, is observ'd by Interpre­ters, Jerem. 22.8.

2. The Continuation of this Church is all along the Half Day, the Time in which the Bridegroom delaying his coming, it falls into a slumber, as is whisper'd to it in the Command to be watchful.

3. The last term of its Continuance as such a Church, is very plainly, though after a Prophetical manner, made known by compare, with what Christ sayes at the sixth Vial, Apoc. 16. Behold, I come as a Thief, &c. when he u­ses in a manner all the very same words, as an Alarm to it, that were here given it so long before.

The Characters of this Churches State.

1. It is in a state of Splendour, by its name, Sardis.

2. It hath a Name to live, that is, It is a Church Re­form'd.

3. It lost it self (as Ephesus) though in a much shorter time) for it is dead.

4. Our Lord is most abundant in most gracious Admo­nitions to it self; as shewing his great Love and esteem of it; and not to any other Church for it; while Pergamus and Thyatira bore all Christ had to say to the Apostatick Church. Thus, as to Laodicea, whom I love, I rebuke, &c. and it is most hopeful, very many have been, and will be prevail'd upon by this Grace.

[Page 65] 5. It hath not that vigorous sense of the [...], the Preparations of it self to the new Jerusalem and its state, nor of the utmost pursuit of the Principles of Reformati­on, to make them perfect before God, and therefore it is called back to those very Principles, to grasp them closer, and repent according to them.

6. It is hardly perswaded to believe a Coming of Christ before the last Judgment, and so watches not for it.

7. If therefore it does not repent and watch, Christ will come, as a Thief, at that unexpected hour, upon it, and appear in dislike of it as a Reformed Church, to its horri­ble Amazement and shame.

8. It may be communicated with, without defilement by the mere Communion; There are therefore Names in Sardis, that have not defil'd their Garments.

9. There is yet danger to those that run with the most, and are not Cautious. For there are but a Few Names.

The Characters of Time we may find upon the Church of Philadelphia, are,

1. That it begins with the Reformation, for till then, from the Apostacy, Christ appeared not with the Key of Da­vid, nor opened any door to the new Jerusalem, the City of David.

2. That it runs along the Half Day of Delay; in which it keeps the word of Christs Patience, or stay for his King­dom; All which Time none could shut that door, that is, could reduce Philadelphia from its true State, however it was endeavour'd, and therefore it continues to the new Jerusalem.

The Characters that most distinguish its state, are; to give them comprehensively;

1. That it is founded especially upon the Laws of Bro­therly love. Not outward Force or Might, of which it hath very little or none, but is in an outward, low condition.

2. That it is as Smirna, kept down by a Synagogue of Sa­than, some that say they are Jews, or Reform'd, that are [Page 66]not truly so; who would have it to be no Church, nor lov'd by Christ, as a Church.

This Synagogue seems to be some within the Appearance of the reformed Church, that are retiring as far back to Baby­lon, in Superstition and Domination, (for so the Synagogue of Sathan implies) as Babylon was advanc'd in the Time of Smyrna, or near Constantine, towards the same Points, but shall never proceed, as that did.

But that this may reflect on no Protestant Church, in its whole Body or Constitution; It is call'd a Synagogue of Sathan, implying, it is only some Faction of Men unapprov'd by any reform'd Church, and its True Constitution, and therefore not any reform'd Church it self, though this Synagogue may find place within one or more of them.

3. This Church comes nearest in its Graces and Constitutions to the Apostolick Church, and to the New Jerusalem, and there­fore through the infinite Grace of Christ, it is only commended, as Smyrna, with which it symbolizes in its Poverty, or little Power; The Synagogue of Sathan emulating it; Its Crown: and therefore the Lord Jesus styles himself the Holy, and True, in writing to it as a Church, he hath so prepared to the New Jerusalem.

Now we have thus far pursued the Church-History, before we pass to the further times of it, we may observe, There is in these six Churches a near Alliance, between Ephesus and Sardis, Smyrna and Philadelphia, Pergamus and Thyatira, in each of the two, the former plac'd in the Descending Times to, the latter in the As­cending Times of the Church from Babylon.

And so I am come to the End of the Prophetical Description of the state of Things, to near the End of the last Half Time of the Beast, viz. to the 167th of the 180 last years, in this present year 1684, and we have hitherto seen it, since the first Reforma­tion, a Time of Delay; both as to the Popish, and Turkish Ty­ranny; as also, the Estate of the Churches, and as they have All continued much alike since then; so it is still to be expected they should do till the End, or nearer than we are yet to the End of this Half Time.

And also the opening of this Book of the Revelation, and the General understanding of it is such, as agrees with the Time of the Thunders seal'd, the Book eaten, and hidden, as it were in the Bowels of Interpreters; and very bitter for its difficulties, and unacceptance with others.