k#* '=wr r^ -DTJT-KrmsiTmM TM .T « PRINCETON, N. J. % Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. Agnciv Coll. on Baptism, No. ^^^^ — ^■■■11 i^nt^HBiMIHii^^b&^ . T I M E, ■ M^rrn i and for what end in the calculation of tkif Line, / haveprep^red a full Difcourfe^ may be feen by the Calendar annexed to this Preface^ what I have performed may be feen hereafter^ if God permit the Publication of that Preparation upon the wholelJnQ. At this Time I have only prefented my Endeavours upon that grand Prophetick Line ^/Daniels 2300 Evenings Mornings^ which is by the admirable contrivance of the Divine Wifdom given firfi entire^ andfo prejervd^ as not to be under any fuch "Prejudice from the for- midable variation of Copies, as the- Ages of the Patriarks are '-^ and then the parcel or collateral Lines either in number'd Numbers, or as. I hope^ will appear on very good Proof rife exa&ly adequate to the 2300 3 fo that the whole^ and the Parts demonflrate^ and ajfure one another'-) befides I vouch thofe undoubted, and ind/fputable Lines^ de- lineated in the Calendar, as far^ as to Cyrus indifputable^ I do not mean fo muchy whenthty began, or how much Time they comprehend^ For fo I J\now there are many Doubts through Difference of Copies, or otherwife^ but in this indisputable^ that }:lo\YyNr\t hath taken care there Jhould be an Account of Time fo far. And this I vouch, as an . Argument, That he who begun a Lme from the Creation, continued it /(?. Cyrus, and dejind by feventy weeks the /pace from the word going forth to the Meffiah, hath every where fill'd it up^ and conti- mted ip ta^the Kingdom of Jefus Chn^, feeing he as eafly commands Tims The Preface^ ^c. Time future by Prophecy, as Time pa!i by Hiftory , arid I do find both are certain and definite^ to that precijenefi, as to be twice^ once in Hiftory, once in Prophecy^ faid to be the felf fame day, viz>. the coming out of Egypt, iix^^. 12.40. and the Vilion of the New Jerufalem. Ezek. 40. i. Andthatvery C\\2.X2i(k^v\(\x\ <7^Ezekiels 590, and ^o days, lying on his two fides, I look^ upon as an efpecial contrivance of the Holy Spirit to mediate between the Hiftorical and Prophetick Pares of Time\ that being part Hiftorick, vi%, to the Time of the Siege efpeci' ally^ and more or lefs Jo to that ViCion. of the New Jerufalem, and of very great Symbolical Importance aif^ concerning the fl ate of the Twelve Tribes, till the Times of the Gentiles, that entred i«Nebu- chadnezzars llniverfal Monarchy, were fulfill'd ^ of all which^ with the anjwer of all Doubts, upon that and other the Vifions ^/Ezekiel, relating to Time^ I have at large. treated in that afore promised Dijcourje, only I cannot omit the Prophetical Cypher of Time, tranjlated from the 40 Days for forty years in the Wildernefs is here jolemnly gi- ven^ with its Key, as of perpetual Scripture ufefrom thence, I can with great Truth and Sincerity^ make Protejiation 5 It was no part of my Defign to enter a D/Jpute with any Perfwafion of Chri- ftians, but only to purfue the Line of Time, as it reaches that illufiri- ous Sabbatifm, for which I find^ Eminent Perfons of all Perfwafi-^ ons, have very great Favour. But doing thff^ I could not avoid, but that the Antichriftian Apo- ftacy, as feated in the City, that in the time of the Revelation gi^ yen^andits Prince, arefi fathally enwrap* din all parts ^/Prophe- cy, that they mufi be every where attached, yet I have taken care to do it only in the Terms and Phrafes of Prophecy, and as the nccef fary Explication of it, and its Times enforcd. Notwithflanding, I had no fuch Intention, I find no Difcourjes upon, or againfi ^^4^ Apoftafie, in any degree comparable either in clearnefs, or affurance, if disjoynd from Prophecy, as when con- joynd with it, either for determination of Theolo^al, DOiSrinal Controverfies, or Differences in Hiftory, or Chronology, as when fuch corrupt Dodrines , (uperftitious Innovations in Chriftian Worftiip , Ufages, and Ufurpations in Ghriftian Diici^line , entred the World^ and 4t what rate of Defecation they ought to be < Had'j The Preface, e^r. Had 5 All thefe are more certainly and ntore briefly refolvd^ when Prophecy hath the umpirage 5 for Utile Intimations either derivd from Grounds ^/Scripture, or R-cafon, or jrom Hiftory andGenQ- ral Opinion 5 when Prophecy inclines, with them, or Juppofes things agreeably with them j will weigh againji vafl Volumes on the other jtde, with which Prophecy propends not 5 Thus I am much more af- Jiird^ by obferving what is afler fully difcours'd from Prophecy con- ffr//i»;g Image- worlhip, however palliated '■) that it is thatfo much de- tefted Idolatry, forbidden in the (econd Commandment, then from all Rational Dijcourfes ia?i^^jProphecy, however grounded on Scrip- ture, but not compard withmt Prophecy for a fuller Interpretation of it. lam much more affurd^ in what Clajs of Religions, and Churches, that Religion and Church is to be repos*d, that on fuch Terms calls /7ye//^Catholick, by laying them into the Prophetical Scales, then by the mo si conjiderable Moments of Difcourfe without Prophecy. / l{now better, when a Church- Supremacy entred, by the Prophetical "Er 2ijoyn'd with that ( however it may be by any controverted^ Agree- ment of Hiftory, that Phocas gave it Anno 606, then I can l^now by fome very learned Trails concerning it. I better underBand of what fmall avail tlMt Dijiin&ion betwixt the Court and the Church of Sec. in Vogue with fome great Names can be, by offering it to the Prophetical Teft, then by any other way of Exploration j alt hoj/gh I look^upon the DifiinBion, as a ConfeJJion extorted by Divine 'Judg- ment upon both, from Prophets of their own, that that Court is the Court of the Beaft, and that he ought to have fuch a Court that the Prophecy might be fulfill'd 5 And what a Church it is, I learn from the Prophetical Syftem of the Churches, of which I have given a brief furvey, though it does not fo exprejly concern Time, yet as moji admirably illuftrating, as well as concurring with other Prophetical Iconifms, and Characters of Time. And to every part I have added Brief Remarques, dire&ing to that Faith and Patience of the Saints, to that keeping the Commands of God, and the Teftimony of Je- fus, which anl^ the ufe of all the Difcourfe that at that Glorious Re- furredion. It may he faid of us i, Here are they that have fo done. Kevel. 14. X2» ThM The Preface^ &c\ Thus I have given Account of what is novo drawn in full^ and whole^ and what only in little^ in Jhort Calendary Proportions^ which I intend, if Cod pleale, to give in more proper Dimenfions, as alfi to make compleat concerning the Churches, concerning the VoiceSj ^W Vials, concerning the thoufand years, what is rather in Per- fpedive, then in jud Figures of Dijcourje, I have only to add, that notwithfianding^ fpeaking, or writing the Word of God, / muft obey the heavenly Vifions throughout, yet as that teaches me^ I yield all the Regards, Deferences of Honour, and efieem due to the Chara^er, Learning, Vertue, general ProfeJJion of Chrijiianity, that I can render to every Perfin, and much more to Princes, and all in Authority, however of a Communion, 1 could. for this Prophefies fake moft earneftly pray, and even offer my Life in the Service, they might not he of But nothing can be more effeUual againft Rebellion-^ Sedition, or any Irregularity towards Government, and fupream Power, then the Right ZJnderJianding of this Prophecy. For while Holy Pro- phecy Jiyles them Kings, who yet give their Kingdoms to the Beaft, the plain Dodrinal, and Preceptive part ofScn^mre., obliges, as to fear God, 7^ to Honour thofi^ whom It Jo jiyles Kings, and then Pray- ers, Supplications, Intercellions, giving of Thanks /jW^ be made for them, and for all in Authority. Nor is it pojjible any Pretence of fetting up or advancing Chrifts Kingdom can juflifie any Rebellions^ mutinous or feditious Commo' tions 5 feeing hitherto. It is moB evident, theji have proceeded upon miHakes ofTime^ And when ever that Kingdom fhall Appear, The manner of Appearance is mijlaken alfb, for it is not as from Earth, but Of from He?iV^n^ Heavenly, Spiritual, Pure, Peaceable, ^et Effjca^ cious and Almighty \ Regular, Orderly, condu&ed by Icfwfnl Sove- reigns, even thofe^ who till the Words of GpcJ are fulfill a, kave fo given their Pov/er, fo that as well may the Doctrine of the Day of Judgment, which no created Power can produce^ or oppofe, he made a pretence for ^bdlion, {ts the PoQrine ^nd Prophecy of /^hrifts Kingdom, or be complain d as dangerous to Govern'ment, (7r dejiru- &ive to Humane Society. That The Preface^ e>^. That therefore we may be Aright guided by this (ure Word <>/Pfo- phecy, that Jfjines as a Light in a dark place, is my Grand De- fign in this publication^ emn till it be wholly Unriddled, and Mn' veil'd, as it Jljall k, when it Turns to the Lord y'^ii? then Appear- 2C)»".4.3. ing^ however it be now Veil'd, when it looks from Him, as^at a di- f?*3» » • jiancefrom that Appearance, and towards us^ for our Infhu&ion^ and as inviting our Diligent fear ch firfi^ and then our Expe&ation Prayer, and earned Defire for the Quick Coming of our Lord Je- fus Ghrift, efpecially now his Appearance grows fi near -, And that m^e may be thus guided y is alfb Phe mofi Humble and Incejfant Pray- .erofi My very Honoured, Your moft Faithful Servant in this Work, Beverley. If any Perfon, either Friendly, and from defire of further fa- tisfaftion in this Point, or Unfriendly, and fron^ Prejudgment, pleafe to make any notice of it to me, I doubt not by the Evi- dence of this Prophecy, and the Gracious Affiftance of the Spi- rit of it, to fatisfie their Doubts, and remove their Prejudice, upon fair Allowances. The Contents of this Treatife are given in Tables annexed to each Part. I Part, Before the Apoftacy in lo Scftions. : Part, During the Apoftacy to the laft End, in 1 6 Se^ion*. OF THE Whole Time contained in Scripture, ennobled with the Events of each Part of Time: dUtmgutQVd by the true Year ofthe World according to Scripture, the Years before Chrift till the Incarnation, then the Year of Chrift, and ofthe Refurredion j to all which is applied \\\t Julian Period. Year of the World r- ^O the perfeft Creadon, and firft Sabbatifm: To the Flood, containing the Hiftory of Abel^ and the Patriarks of the firft Roll; of the^ Gyants, the Tranflation of Emch, the feventh from/ Adam j The Ark prepared bv iVo.i/) an Eighth; and the^ I 1^55 tlie-N left \ ace \ Deflruftion of the old World. To Terah\ Death, containing the Hiftory oiShem or Mel-->^ chifedecl^y as he is after known to be, with the Patri- ^208^ arks of the id. Roll ; Of B(tbd\ the fpace of 427 Years, j To the going out of tgy}t^ containing the Hidory of the fojoiirning of Abraham and his Seed; of the Promifes ;^ of Sodom^ and the ^^/irmn Boncrage and Deliverance ; >^S^3 the fpace of 430 Years ; J To the building of the Temple begun, containing the- fetting up of theTabernacIe of Teftimonyyhe Conquc oi Canaan; the Time of the judges, of Dory of rhe Kings of Judah, the Hiflory ofthe De- fertion of the ten Tribes and their Kings, of the two ' great Witnefles Elijah and Eliffja, the Oeflrudion of^ Jerufalem and the Temple, the Captivity by Nducbad- nej^T^ar ; the fpace of 390 Years. To the End ofthe Captivity, containing the Continuance'^ of the Captivity, Nebuchadne:(7^af s Y'l&oty over Egypt, >5459 ET^ekz 29. 17- and Babj/lon'i Fall, the fpace of 40 Years: J 2993 ^3029 .3419 Year before Chrift. 57^ 2331 [904 M74 994 Year of the Refur. 958 568 528 Juli- an Pe- riod. 7^4 755 2420 2847 3277 3757 3795 4183 4223 From Year of the World From Cvm to the San.^arv cleans^, and to the King- of fierce Countenance and undcrftanding dark Senten- ces bioken without' hand, a Line of 2300 Evenings and Mornings, or 23^° Years: with its collateral Lines which now follow •, being alfo mclufive of the Daily Sacrifice taken away. . From the Words firft going forth by Cjrw, to its compleat->| being gone forth by D.ia;«, Hy\U^iSy and ultimately K^^^^ at Artaxcxxss Io«^w«n^^s feventh year, thefpaceotj From thence to the Incarnation, containing AmM^X^^^^ Tvrannv, and other Troubles, the fpaceof453 Years:J To the Rcfurreaion, containing the Birth, private Life,^ pubJick Miniftry, and Death of our Lord jelusChrilt, i^^c^ao tohisRefurreaionisYears: -^ To Alexander SeverH(\ Death, the ballance of Time bc--x twcen the Refurreftion and the Apoftacy containing f he Hiflory of the Univerfal Preaching of the Gofpei^^ Year I Year before of the Chrift. Refur. Juli- an Pe- riod. • 4222 the fpace of 202 Years . ^ t> „. * 'Or Time, To the Apoftacy, or the bcginmng of the i2^oDa^ys rimes, "" containing a Vindication of the Gofpel by the moft ra- tional Apologies, conftant Sufterings of Chriltians till the Chriftian Empire, and then the Clirifhan Empire, till the taking away the Daily, or pure publick Wor- fliip, the fpace of 202 Years: r t r „j To the End of the firft time, and Beginmng of the lecond, or fir(t of the two Times, during the Fall of the We- iiern Empire, containing the rifing oftheEealt at 47 5, his Fall as a Star from Heaven at 606, his manly Age^ at 666, from his Conception Amo Dmini 59, to that manly Age 72 5, of the fpace of 360 Years : To the End of the fccond Time or firft of the two Times,, and the Beginning of the third Time; containing the ^ Range of the Mahometan Locufts, or Saracens y and the Beafts Promotion to a fettled Age or of Confifteticy,^ the fpace of 360 Years more: To the End of the third or fccond of the two Times, to, the Half-time containing the Cavalcade of the Turkifl) Horfe-men, and the Beafts declining Age, the fpace of -2,60 Years more. To the End of the Half-time, or to the feventh Trumpet,^ confining the Sure of the Reformation, and fince to the Expedation of the Witnefles Rising about 16^7, ten Years hence, the fpace of 1 80 Years : -r To tlie End of the laft Seventy Five Years of the feventh 1 Trumpet, containing the feven Voices, and the feven >5759 Vials, and ending in It U done. It is done, at 1772- J After this follows new Time, or the SABBATISM of the Creation i i;i<. The cubical" thoufand Years of the glo- rious Kingdom of Chrift. >4424 >4784 5H4 >5504 >5584 453 Yea.of Chrift. 33 235 437 ' 191 ii$7 1517 1^97 202 4<^4 4298 4751 4784 4985 §108 754 5468 1124 1484 I ^^4 1772 1739 5828 di88 6^6% ^443 A N E X P L I C A Daniel's Grand Line of Time^ or of his 2300 Evenings and Mornings^ as given in his four laft Chapters. In thcfe following Sections. SECT. I. Of the Vifion of the Daily taken away, a?td therein of the 2300 Ev. Morn, or the Vifion call'd the Vifion of the Ev. Morn, iff getteraL On Dan. chap, 8. THE Vijion of the 2300 Even iff gs and Mornings^ dates moft exaftly, and precilely the Time from the very Beginning of the Perjian Monarch;/ or the F:rl} of Cyrus to the cleanfitig of the SanUnary^ at the mvo JerufalefH^ and the breaking of AntichrOf vpithout hand, or by the jione cut out of the Mountains without hand^ at the Kingdom of Chrift, Dan. 8. 14. 25. The order of the former Vijtons, duely confider'd, gives great li^ht to this. For firft, there is in the courfe ofEzekiels Vipons a long allotment of Time, till the New 'Jerufalem^ and a peculiar Sanation of the prophetical Cypher of Time, or of a Day for a Tear^ Ezek. 4. 6. A That A Scripwe Line of Time. That gives full fcope aed room to iho(e MoKarchies to run their Time, as in the Image, and the four Beafts in Darnel's two precedent Vifions. Chap. 2. c. 7. The former of tho(e two, or the Vifion of the Image^ gives only a general Appearance of fo many Monarchies or Kiffg- domsy or rather of a Monarchy univerlal, (hifting from one People and their Kingdom to another, and all adverfe to the Kingdom of Chrift^ for that could not appear while they were in Play. From hence arifes fuch a Line of Time, as neceffarily is re- quir'd for four Alonarchies to difplay themfelves j bat becaule they may be (horter or longer in their duration, they give no certain meafures^ only, as that there is no Hifiorj of Adion elder than Mofes's of the Creation, appearing in the World 5 it is an Argument of weight againft the World*s Eternity: fo on the other fide, the daily matter ofHiJiorjf arifing from many other Kings and Kingdoms, and particu- larly of the Romans^ affure us, the Kingdom ofChriH is not yet come 5 bccaufe while that lafts, the grand foretold King- dom of Ckrifi cannot come. But nov7 the next Vfjton of the Fonr Beafts^ gives us in Vrephetick. Cypher the very meafure of the BeaB's Duration, as that Bea/i is fymboU'd by the little Horn^ viz. Time^ Times^ and half a Time. But becaufe this does not allure us when tho'fe Days be- gin, nor confequently, where they end, the Vijion we ar© now entring upon will teach us that. And it hath a threefold Afpeft upon Time to this end. I. It continues the principal Line of Time from Creation, which, becaufe there will not be Scripture Hifiory to main - tain it, and alfo becaufe, and efpecially becaufe, the Times of the Gentiles^ (in whofe Hifiory Scripture little concerns it fclf,) are drawn by it without lefler Periods, but as the Ac- counts of the Churches Gale in relation to them after requires it 5 they are given ki one entire Line or Sum, 2 3 00 Days^egm- ning contiguoufly fromEaeA/^/'s 430 Days, and continuoufly alio Line of Time. alfo to fo JRi^B^^BkYemTJhiting with the former par- ,^ eel- lines, anijlfith the 4,30, as the laft given Line, and fo one whole Line from the (Station is conftituted by uniting thele feveral Parcels, by a diirine Certainty. a. ft determines the particular Time from the beginning of the FerftAtt Monarchy^ at literal Babylon fallen, to myftjcal Babylon falling, as alfo at literal ^erujakm reftor'd, to ftew f-rjerufalem appearing 5 for Antichrifl broken intends the for- mer, and the SanBuary deans' d the latter. 3. It is a meafure of the length of particular Lines given after this from Time to Time, as they are given in Scripture, that, as it felf is diftinguifh'd into (everal Periods by them,{b it is a Boundary to them, when to begin and end , that to- gether they may be fymmetral to this whole Line, neither longer, nor (horter, and therein be juftly proportion 'd to one another^ even till this Line, call'd moft emphatically by our Lord, the Times of the Gentiles^ Luc. 21. 24. he fulfilled. That the Vifton then, and the Line of Time it carries away, be rightly underftood, thefe things are ncceffary to be pre- mifed. I. That the principal thing in thefe Vifions o^ Daniel (ex- cept that [m^tViJion next in order to that we are upon, that centers in MeJJiah't Coming and Death,') is the glorious King- dom of Chrijt^ and of his Saints^ having the Dominion throughout the Earth, and the Deftrui^ion of that peculiar Enemy of his Kingdom^ who is juftly call'd Antichrift, im- mediately preceeding his Kingdom^ and before which it could not appear. Upon the Account of this Kingdom of Chrift, having its way made by the Deftruftion oC Antichrifl^ there are fo ma- ny Reprefentations of the other Monarchies, of which elfe we may conceive, the Holy Spirit had no more touch'd their Prophecy, than it does their Hiftory, which it never does , but in relation to thaChurch^or to (et out God*s Government Xlniveifal over the World, and his Judgment on (inful Na- tions. A a We 4 A Scripture Line of Time. We find therefore in thefe Viftotis of the Monarchies^ An- tichr/ft^ next to the K7t7gdom of Chriji, is the greateft Sub- ject ^ and more Words laid out upon him, fhan upon all the ^« « ,f reft : fo it is in Nebuchadnezzars Dream, The Feet and Toes 34.41. &c. take up a greater Proportion of xhe Dreap/ and txpojitJon^ ■ than all the reft, and then the Kh^gdem ofChrift flows out upon the Image broken in the.=FW. 'So in the Vjfion of the four Beafts^ the fourth Beafi^ and in that the little Horn im- ploys the greateft part of the whole F7fjon in its Defcription and Judgment: and the Kingdom of Chrifi then breaks out upon it 5 fo proportionably in this Vifion: He then that would underftand it, niuft be arm'd with this Rule, as pre- paratory. 2. It muft be worthy our Advertency, that the Antichri- Jiian State in thefe Prophecies^ and in the Revelation, is rank'd with Heatbenifm and Gentilifm^ and treated with much lels regard than even Idolatrous Ifrael^ or Jttdah 5 God not ta- king any notice of them, as his People, but as mere Gentiles: fo that I Ho not remember any Paiallelifm of them with the People of Ifrael^ even in their Apofiacy^ but altogether with thofe that were Aliens, as Balaam, Jezebel, the Daughter of Elth Baal King of the Sydonians 5 with Sodontj Egypt, and moft notorioufly Babylon^ and fo is reprefented by the Gen^ tiles treading the outvoard Court. And thus the Corruptions of Divine Worfliip among the Jews were exprefs'd by enter- taining the manners of the Gentiles, defiling themfelves with them, falling in love with them, bringing them into xh^San- Suary. The Beafi united with the heathen idolatrous Mo- narchy, coming into the Seat of the Dragon, is the grand Apocalyptick.T\g\xxQ ior Antichrift, and nothing of Chrift al- low'd him, except to the other Beaft having horns, 2.% a Lamb, Mfv.ii.iu while hefpake as a Dragon, nor of the Jen?/ to the Antichri- fiian Gentiles, but that in the Bcgiuning of the Apofiacy with- in the prophetical Church of Smyrna, Rev. 2. 9. They faid. They were Jews, but were not, but lyed, and were the 6^- mgogue of Sathan 5 nor any thing of Jerufakm to the Seat A Scripture Line of Time. 5 of Antichrift^ except one only alluiion to the City, where Onr Lord was crucified ( where a Heathen Power prefided in ^^^ "' his Condemnation, and that a Roman too) to (ignifie its ex- tream Hate to the True Chrift. Its deep dye in Blood, and its irrecoverable Deftrudion, for which Jcrujalem was fp infa- mous, and /or which the Roman Church like ihe jcwijh Churchy was broken off from the true Olive, and all conlider d as a Church in Conjun&ion with it, as the ApoBle had fore- told. Rom. 11.6. make the AUufion. On the other fide, The True Chriftianity and Worjhip oi it are fymboliz'd by the pure Jewijh Worlhip, The Tcmpte^ its Meafures^ Ordinances, as they ftood in Ijraels beft Eftate, are the Ichnography of the Perfed, Pure, Chrrjiian Church 3 But the drawing men from True Chrijiianity^ to Antichrifii- anifm 3 the Perfccution of Men for it, the laft Delivera4?|fi^ from Anti Chriliianifm, and its Perfecutions are continually given out in Parallellifmes, betwixt the fame Things hereto-i|j<-t^ fore between the jftirj, and the Gentiles, and unite with.jthe " ^fj- Jews great Deliverance, and the New Jerufalem at laft. " — Thefe two things are mo(i: neceflary to be premonilh'djfor the true Interpretation of this Fifion, and other l^ijions alfa, as we (liall fee, as we pa(s along, to preferve all clear and fee from Confufion. And upon this Premonition,! fay,this^//?^// beginning with the Ferfian Reign, goes on through the Grecian^ and fo pafTes through the whole Roman Monarchy, firft and laft, and de- fcribes a Line running parallel with the whole Times of the Gentiles, after the Babylonijh Empire, at the end of which. Ezekjels 430 Days ended, as hath been made to appear. And they being the laft Joync of the Lice from Creation, this Line of s^ooDays joyns with it, and continues the whole .^ Line from Creation to the Refiitution of all Things. Upon this Premonition I fay further. That Antiochus^as the moft Infamous Heathen Prince for treading down the holy and pure Jewifh Worftiip, from the Days of Cyrus, while that Worftiip remaind to be Gods Worftiip j from which impure. S A Scripture Line of Time. impure Peffindation, that Holy Worfhip was moft wonder- fully vindicated 5 and the Time of his Tyranny being in the moft intimate part of it in literal or natural Account, near the Time o{ AfJtichrifis 1260 Days, at a day for ayear^ and near the whole 2300 in the whole of it, and being broken by an immzAUXe Hand from Heaven, without an earthly Hand^ as Aniichrifi (hall be 5 He is made a moft notable and emi- nent Type o{ AntichrHf, and fo with Relation to Him, and his Time, a Line is drawn from Cyrus to the cleanjing of the Sanliuary^ polluted by Antichriliian Gentiles^ and to the breaking of Antichrift without Hand j Antiochus ftanding all this while in open view, as a Type, and his Time, as a Ty- pical Line of Time. And yet while his Time will (erve a Typical End, It is not exaft enough to either main Intention, to be the princi- pal Thing to be meafured by that Line of Time. And for the making good thefe Aflertions, I (hall now apply my fclf to the folemn Proof of thefe two Propofitions. 1. That the 2300 Days are a definitive Line of Time, from the beginning of the Perfian Monarchy, to the very End of the monarchies^ and till the Supream Monarchy of Chrift 5 and fo are to be joyn d to the end of the laft Line, and thereby to the feveral Lines from the Creation 3 that altogether may reach that End. 2. That the Vifion principally intends Antichrift in every Part, wherein Antiochus ftands, as a Type. '^rgu. I. For the Proof of the fir ft Affertion I ufe this fir ft Ar- gument. There is a plain Concatenation or Connexion of this ^- oh with the former, as following orderly upon or after it 5 For that purpole and to make it known it is fo, Daniel tells us, This Vifion appeard unto him, after that, which appear'd unto him at the firft 3 Now that this was not intended, as any Date of the F//?^», is very plain, in that It is more parti- cularly dated by alfigning it to the thirdTear o( Belfiazzar^ whereas the firft was affignd to the firft year of the fame Bel' C.8.V. I. A Scripture Line of Time. j Beljbazzar^ and fo muft needs be after the firft Fijtoff^ even as Beljhazzars Third Year muft be after his Firji. Thefe words therefore cannot, but be of further Impor- tance, and (ignifie to us 5, This Fi/ion comes after the For- mer in a juft Order, and promotes the fcope of it, and adds further Light to it 5 Now it is moft evident, xht four Beafls imtndimg four Kingdoms^ znA Antichri^ ^xht little Horn v^ith his Tivte^ Times ^ and half a Time, and then his being "<^e- firoyd, and the Kingdom ofChrifl fucceeding, are the Prin- cipal Objefts of that Vifwn^ and therefore they muft be fo of This. And in fome notable Inftance thereof. It muft exceed the Notices of the former, and what can that be but in the Notices of Time ? Wherein it is fo particular as to 2300 Evenings^ Mornings^ for to fliew it one Line of Time, It is in xh^ Hebrew 2300 Evening Morning^ not 2300 Evenings Mornings^ although for Arguments fake with Ordinary Lan- guage, and in Agreement v;ith the fence we may exprefs them in the plural Number, and it is alfo call'd the Pifion of the Evening Morning, as Co many Evenings and Mornings corabin'd into one, from the Monarchy of Cyrus ^ the Perfian^ to the Monarchy ofChrilfs Univerfal Kingdom, The Viiion begins at the Perfian Monarchy^ goes on General through the Grecian Monarchy, and fo to the End j and the Argu,^, Line of Time runs parallel with the F;7i^», therefore the Line of 2900 Evenings Mornings muft reach from the Beginning of the Perfian Monarchy to the Monarchy of Chriji, which is the known and moft undoubted End of the Four Monarchies, and of all Monarchy, but under him. This Argument confifts of thefe three main Propofitions. J. That the Fifwn begins at the Perfian Monarchy. 2. That it runs on through the Grecian Monarch)/ to the End. 3. That the Line of Time runs Parallel with the Vjfwn, SECT. A Scripure Line of Time. SECT. IL That this Vifion begins at the Perfian Monarchy, and the Proof of it. T ^Hat the Vifion begins at the Perfian Monarchy^ I give thefe undoubted Reafons: Heafor? i It is moft apparent in the very Portal of the Fifton^ it was given at Shujhan the Pa/lace^ by the River Vlai, a River of Perfia^ whither the Prophet was vipnally convey'd out of Babylon^ to (hew the Tranflation of the Monarchy from the Babylonian to the Perfian Pri^fce, Jhe Babylonian Monarchy was yet ftanding, the Prophet aSubjeft of it in principal Places for he continued in his Dan. 1. 21. Preferment in Babylon till Cyrus the Perfian, He muft there- fpre^be refident at the time of the Vifion in Babylon^ and not aRunnagate from it, and his Loyalty 5 but was prophetically and vijionally fet down at the Pallacc of Perfi4^ to (hew where the Vifions Date was to commence, viz, from the Per- sian Monarchy, "Reafon 2 If this were not enough, the Expofition of the Vifion be- gins with the King ofPerfia, and where the Expofition be- gins the Vifion begins 5 neither of thefe can be contefted. Keafon 3 The Vifton crops off the Babylonian Monarchy 3 The Head of Gold 5 and the/ri? Bea^ like a Lyon does not under any Symbol or Reprefentation appear in it. The Monarchy was now indeed juft expiring in Belfhaz- Ziirs Thirds which Scripture counts upon as his laft Year, and whereas the former Vifions were ilelwer'd to us in the Language of that Empire , that thereby All People^ Tongues^ and Languages^ which take care by one means or other to have knowledge of the Imperial Language^ mi^ht have notice of them. The Holy Spirit returns in this Vifion to the He- brew Tongue, peculiar to the Church of God in the Old Te- fiament. But A Scripnre Line of Time. 9 But the Monarchy was not yet fully expir'd, nor was the Image in all fucceeding Ages to be bereft of its Head-^ while therefore the Image ^ and the Icon ifm of the four Beaifs, com- pleating the Image ftood in the Eye of Prophecy , Nebuchad- nezzer is the principal in the /ri? Monarchy^ with the Heart of 2, yian^ after his Bjagks Wings wqvq plucl^d, importing his fobcr Acknowledgments of God, upon the Humiliation, in- to which his Frenzy dejeded him, even into a ftate among the Beafis^ but he feems to have rifen out of Beflianifm it felf by abafing himfelf before God. Dan. 4. ult. The Bea^ mihe Revelation, To fhew, The M^^^rr^/r^ Pow- er of the Ifftage tranflated into that of the Beafis Kingdom furvived whole and entire in him, is refembled with every one of the Beafis^ himfelf being the fourth 5 and to aflure us, he is the very fourth^ he hath neither in Daniel, nor the Apocalrps, any (hape, peculiar to him, but what in the Apoc^a- lips is compounded of the Three^ as it were to fay. All the Three cxifted in him, as in one Image, Revel. 15. 2. The principal Reafbn therefore of omitting the. Baby Ioni- an Monarchy^ is, becaufe, The Frophetical Type of the four Monarchies^ being fully fatis£ed, and repleniftied. The great C attendance of the Divine Spirit is to the Line of Time, which it joyns to the Jevpifh Lines, that went before, and particu- larly to Ezek^iels 430 Days, or Tears, vihich juft comprehend- ed, and ended with the Babylomfh Monarchy^ which Monaj^ / chy in a real Calendar A have before, more than once faid, began the Gentiles Times, during Which Jerufalem lay, and was to lye under Foot , but jufl bere the Babylonifh Monar- chy is no farther given in Type^ although it remains in the former Types,, to the laft , but the Future Line of Time is given in 2300 Evenings Mornings from the Perjian Monarchy, beginning 5 :And this latter, could: not have been given with Pr(?p^e^i(r^ Secrecy, -^a^d yeti alfo without Confufion, if the former had. not been ^onutted, wbofe Time given before could not enter into thls^^i^ut it inuft confound Time every B But lo A Scripm'e Line of Time. But thus this principal Line reaches from Literal Babylon fallen to myfiical Babylon fallen^ from Literal Jerufalem near to be rebuilt with its Temple^ to the Nerp Jerufakm^ which much adorns this Line of TimCj and fets thefe two juft even from Point to Point. It is true. The Four^ as Univerfal Monarchies, are together the great Canale of Time, till the glorious Kingdom ofChrift^ whatever great States or Kingdoms were coexiftent with them or any of them at any Time, or have arifen iince, do not mingle with this Stream, which runs ftrait on to this end, dor are any of themfelves adopted into it (boner than the juft Time of their Succeffion into Univerfal Monarchy 5 nor do they abide any longer in it, as a Calendar of Time, after once they are fallen from that Univerfal Monarchy, each fiic- ceffive Monarchy fubduing the precedent, takes it up 5 and in the Roman Monarchy the Dragon rcfigns his Seat and Potp- er to the Beaft^ the Imperial to the Antichrijiian, without any Gonqueft, to whom, as the feventh Roman Head and Unim verfal King, the ten Kings giving their Power, the fourth Beali ftill Sirvives ^ differently from all the reft of the Suc- ceffions 5 for each Succeffion was by Force befides this 5 foia This the whole Line is continued to the Kingdom ofChriB: But if any of thefe Kingdoms falls in its order of Succeffion, and becomes great afterwards on another Bottom, as the Perfian fubdued by the Grecian^ the Grecian by the Roman^ the one afterwards riling in its own Name, the other in Ma- homet's, yet they difturb not this order, nor fo much as en- ter a-new into this Calendar of Time. And becaufe of this real fubftantial Calendar of Time in thefe Monarchies, the firft Ad oiChrifi's Kingdom is record- 1 Cor. 1 5. ed by the Apofile Paul to be the putting dovpn all Rule^ An- •^.^' thority, and Pivper, referriilg efpecially to thefe/Z>»r Monar^ chies,xhQ great Emblem of fuch Rule and Power, viz. when the Kingdoms ofthk World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his ChriH, Rev, n. 15. Then 2M this Calendar of Rule and Power is at an end, ^ That A Scripnre Line of Time. That therefore which is raoft confiderable in the Expla- nation of this Courfe of Time farther to us, is. That where- as the Gentiles Times^ viz, this fubftantial Calendar of the four Monarchies, began in the Babylonian, Co long as that Calendar is in prefenting, the Babybnian is never omitted, but is the Capital in it 3 but when it comes to this Numeral Line, or the 2300 Ev, y[or. it is then omitted, becaufe the Numeral Line runs not upon any Revolutions of thefe Mo- narchies, but upon fome eminent Providence of God towards his Church, either of Mercy towards it, or its fuffering under the Tyranny of fome of thefe Monarchies, efpecially the Be- ftian 5 as will be fecn all along 3 which is a very clear Rea- fon why the Babylonian is firft fo chief in the Calendar of the Monarchies 5 for that being one, and the firft, it muft be fo in the Real: But when it comes to the Numeral, it is of no ufe, becaufe it had been given in the laft numeral Line, as then exifting j it is not given in the following Numeral, becaufe it was then paft, and would diforder the Account. The real Calendar is taken from ^2icYiUniverfalMonarchy that had the Jews, particularly the Tribe ofjudah, in Subjection, and fo opprefs'd Chrift*s Kingdom 5 here the Babylonian was the firft, the Perfian the fecond, the Grecian the third, the fourth the Roman : under which, as Imperial, firft, the Jews were defolatedj The manly Birth, or ChriB, as King, was vpatch*d, as by a Dragon , Chriftians lay, as martyr" d under the Altar, and then under it, as Antichriftian, lies fubdued the fpiritual Ifrael, till both That, and the Twelve Tribes, are reftord by thrift's Kingdom, So thefe are the Times of the Gentiles, before which neither the twelve Tribes, nor the Apoftolical church are fully reftor'd, or can be. From all which, it is moft evident, that though the Vifion is not dated from the Perfian Monarchy, as if it was given for the Perfian Monarchy's fake, yet the 2300 Ev. Morn, begin juft when that begins, and very fitly, becaufe the Perfian Cyrus found the Temple fallen, and the daily Service of the Jews taken away^ and proclaims theReftoration, which makes B 2 the II 12 A Scripure Line of Time. the Date, as we fhall fee. And this is the firft thing that was to be prov'd. Tropo/.i. The fecond Propofition foUov;s ^ viz. That the frventy three hnndred days of this Vifton^ as alfo the Things contain- ed in it, run down, and reach to the end o{ AU^ or to the Qlorious Y^wgdom ofChrisi. Of this v/e have many Arguments in the Vijion ?t felf, which having brietiy direfted firft unto, I will endeavour by far- ther ftrong Proof from the whole courfe of Prophecy to efta- blifli it. Areu I ^v^ry Vijion of Danieh^ except the following Fz/riJ^ of the * feventy IVeekf^ which hath the high and noble Subjed of the Death and Refnrre^ion of our Lord Jefi^ Christy making an erjdofSin^ and bringing in everlafiingRighteoufrefs'^ but el(e every Vijion vans expreOy to the laii End arid Kingdom of Christ. And whether even that does not after the Dejblation of Jndaifm give a Profpeft of their Reftorarion alfo, fignified by nV^ iy, or until the Confummation^ until which their De- folations are to laft, and no longer, I leave to the Learned 5 however^ It certainly bears its part in carrying on Time to that end. But the very Shape and Defign of all the other VSofis is moft apparently That End^ and therefore I conclude, of This alfo. ArgPt.i. The often mention of the End'^ Three Times the ^//7<7«. and Das. 8. ^^^ ^^'^ ^^^ conjoyn'd 5 At the time of the End^ the VifiOn/haH be--) and the Expolition of the l^ifwn is. to make Daniel ^ojv, vphat Jhali be in the laii end of the Indignation^ and at the Time appointed^ the End fhall be. Now what End can be {o abfolute, as to be underftood by its naming only, except that End of Christ's Kingdom^ fo well known by the former Vifi- ons, and by the following Vifion^ chap. 1 1. v. 27. ? When be- caufe of this End.Ko which every thing has led, and made no delay beyond its Time, therefore all Defigns of the two Kings, defigninga longer Monarchy, and to that €n6Jpeal{^ ing A Scripure Line of Time. i^ 7»g Lyes at om Table, could not profper j for the Eftd ap- pointed did not allow it to either of them, the univerfal £>!«- pire of the Romans^ fpoken of in the Ships of Chittim^ co- ming on. And what laB end of the Indignation can be meant, bu1: that of the Defolation determined on the Jen?/ in the very next Vi[\on, that explains it together with Ezekjel's bearing their Iniquity^ till the New Jernfalem / So the Fifwn being for many dctys^ its being commanded Dan.8.v.25 to hQ flint ;//>, the aflerting it to be /r«e, as 'John, Apoc. 21. 5. ^7. Thefe Sayings are trne^ Daniel's deep Sleep ^Sicktiefs, Fainting, ^ ' being affonifi'd for days, anfwerable to the Vifions being for Days, viz. many Days, argues to how great a Period the Vffion tends, and what a fatal courle of things it was to run. And to conclude this R^cafon 5 That very Tide of the Fifion, of the Evening and Morning, or of 2300 Ev. Morn. coUed- ed all into one, (lie w the long N/ght of three Jdolatrons Mo- narchies, and iongeft in rhe Roman Antickri^ian, and the glorious Morning ofChriJi's Kingdom. There cannot be two Exprellions of the noted End of Argn. 2^ Daniel's J^/ions, more full and adequate than thole two, how- ever brief^ The San&uary Qiall be cleanj'd in corrcfpondence with Ezekjcl's Vifton of the New J^rfffakm, and its San^nary, and of the Saints taking the Kingdom. And the infolent Jw/^ (hall be broken ivithout hand, even the Prince offeree Conn- Djn.8. 2g, tenance, whofe Looh^ ivJS more font than his Fellows, who S^c"?* had the Eyes of a man, to under ^iand dark^ Sentences, grow- v. 8. ing great, but not by hif own po:ver, but as the Toes o^ Clay, ^•-•35>34- and Iron, broken without handj or by the Stone cut out of the Mountain Without hand. Nor can any thing be more agreeable to the two Iiifcii- ptions on the End in the Apocalyptical Prophecy, It is done. Revel. It is done, one the End of the Biaji's Kingdom, the oiber on c.i5,i7. the Kingdom ofChriH^ or the New Jerufalent.^ c.^i.-. Now from all this of the F/fi>n beginning widi its 2300 prorcf.7,. Eu. Mor. at the firft of the Pcrfum Monarchy^ and lb running. to J A A Scripure Line of Time. to the end, it plainly follows, Thofe 2300 are not th€ Gauge of the daily Sacrifice taken away^ but of the whole ^i- fon, from the Perjan through the Grecian^ to the end of the Roman ^ Antichrifiian Monarchy^ and the Kingdom of ChriB 5 and fo the Vifton^ and the 2300 Ev. Mor. are equal. So that the moft literal fenfe of thofe Words, (ZJnto how lotJg^ or ttfJto vphen^ the Vijion of the Daily ^ and of the Tranf- grejjion of Defolation^ to give both the SanSuary^ and the Hofl to he trodden under foot ^ And he faidunto we^ unto 2300 Ez;. Morn. Then Jhall the SanBuary be cleans' d,) The literal fenfe of the Queftion, I (ay, cannot be, Unto how long does the Taking away^ &c. endure? For fo are not the Words 5, But, Unto how long that whole Vifion, whofe principal Vifum^ or Thing feen, is the taking avpay^ ^c, amidft many other Vifa in the whole Frame, as the Tares was of that ex- cellent Parable, IS/latt, 13. 36. that had feveral other Materi- als to compofe it, and yet is call'd the Parable of the Tares^ and is indeed of the very fame Import with this Antichrijiia- ntfm^ and Prophecy of it. Now when (uch a Queftion is ask'd, and the Anfwer is given, to fo long^ the moft natural fenfe is, When no Time is fix d for the Beginning, that the prefent Time (hould be underftood to be it^ and when it is added. And thenfhall the Sanctuary be cleans* d^ it is plain, a cleanjing of the San^u- ary^ proportionable to the treading it underfoot^ muft be un- derftood to be the end of the Vifion^ and of its 2300 Days. From all which, it is evident, The 2300 begin and end with the Vifion. And it will be farther evident upon thefe fol- lowing Reafons. Tieafon I . The Vifion is one entire Vifion^ though it confifts of feve- ral Members^ and however. They may be diftinguifti'd in the Vifton^ and be divided in the Events, what Date ofTime is given with the Vifion^ as this one Vifion^ agrees to the whole Vifion and not to any fingle ^art^ but as fo united with the whole '-i however therefore the Vifwn may be denominated trojn any fingle part, as principally to be remark'd, as the Virion AScripureLineofTime. 15 Vifioft of the Daily ^ &c. The Vifion of the Ev. Mor, yet in any thing relating to the Vijion^ as the Vijion it lel^ the whole muft be intended, and not that part. The feveral parts of the Yifion have indeed feveral fpaccs of Time cut out of the whole fpace, proper to themfelves. But as the Vif^n is one entire Vifion^ fo the Date is one entire Date^ and can be no other to agree with the whole \ifton. The Yifton is call*d ten times, The V//i Nor were they fo far off, as the Things (een in the following Fi- pon^ c. 9. nor till we encounter the fame again, c. 11. t. 12. as running to the fame End, do we meet with any fuch men- tions of the End. Why was Daniel fo faint ^fich^^ aftonijh*dy in a deadjleep at Antiochus'sT-^xsivmy} Who had known the daily fo long ta- ken away in the Captivity, who forefaw the Romans defoU-* ^^' ^' ting Wing of Abomination^ and the Jevps after Troubles^ re- counted after Antiochus Epiphanes^ in the Maccabean Story, betwixt thefe Vifions and the MeJJiah. But the fo ftrange, the fo unaccountable, foul, longfome, Apoftacy ofAntichrift^ ^ying fo long, on the fo excellent Religion of the Gofpel, ecclip- fing the Kingdom of Chrifts Full of all the raoft pernicious Effedls is deservedly AJioniJhing to Angels and Men^ and captivating the Many, the Wife and the Great againft all Scrip- ture^ Reafon^ and even common Senfe^ and were it not fox that Gaptivation, as unworthy Confutation, as the Alchoran, The very Hiftory of AniiochHs, as it were proper to Anti- chrifts is only to be found in the Antichriftian Canon ofScri- pture^ A Scripure Line of Time. 25 pture, and only Typically given in Daniels Prophecy, (hew- ing it of no great Account with God. The Time, The underjidnding dark^Sentences^ the gromf/g great not by his own Power, are no way applicable to any hi- ftorical Memoirs of Antiochus. A Prince furious, aftive, en- terprifing, at the Head of his warlike Affairs, Laftly, the very Ev, mor, of this Line, a manner of Speech not ufed in Scripture from the very firft ofGenefis, till now, lead us to the new Creation^ to the Reflittttion of all things to the bright Mornings Stars dij^Uy of his Beams , and in the mean time, even as Days compounded of Ev. and Mor, fo theie Ev. Mor. with equal Fitnefs and Naturalnefs, liiftain the prophetical Type of Time, Days for Tears. Of all which, let this be the applicatory Remark, to lead Remark* us with Confidence, AfTurance, due Preparation, Faith, Prayer, and earneft Defire, to him who faith, Behold, I make all things new^ and immediately after, as it were in re- Dan.8.26', memb ranee of his Declarative Amen, upon the Fifwn of the conipar'd Ev, and Mor. It is ^r//e , impofes his perfedory Finitivei4»»^;f. 'l^^]^^^''' When he fays no longer. Seal, but write in Capital Letters, Theje Sayings are faithful and true. Whofo then by following the Lamb whitherfoever he goes, overcomes, fhall inherit all Things. Chrift will be his Father 5 He (hall be the Son of God and of ChriH. But the Fearful, who are frighted into Antichriftian Cympliancesj the Abo- minable, &c. funk down into the Defilements of all forts proper to the foul State, Falfhood, and the great Lye of the Apofiacy, (hall have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimjione, where the Beaji and the Falfe Prophet' are. Let us then live by Faith, and not draw back , for He that fhall come^ will come, and will not tarry. Even fo. Come Lord Jefus, Come quickly* Amen. • SECT. ^^ A Scrtpure Line of Time. SECT. in. In which a Line ^/Seventy Five Years, precedent to thefeventy Weeks-i ^ ajfertedy and endeavour d to be provd. Dan. 9. H Aving in the precedent Sedions eftabli(h*d the Grand Line of Q 3 00 Ev. Mor. and their Determination to the Kingdom of Chriii'-i I now proceed to the Diftribution of this Line, and firft to the Line that muft, however fubordi- nate and collateral, yet fet out at the very (ame inftant with the 2300 Ev. Mor. and that is, of the Word going forth. Now of this, It is moft evident by Scripture, that it muft begin at the Per fan Monarchy^ or the Monarchy of Cyruf 3 Dan. p. for at Darius, the Mede, to whom Scripture allows only one Year, it did not begin 5 for in that Year Daniel prayed, and had this Vifion in Return of Prayer, as appears enough throughout this Ghap. At Cyrus's firlf year it did begin j for fo Ezra affures us, chap. i. For muft not that moft necefla- rily be the going forth of the Word, when Cyrus fent forth his Proclamation, and put it in Writing, z^. i, 2. &c? But although the Word began here to go forth, yet it is moft manifeft, It did not here attain itseffed, for then would it not have refted, and ceafed to go forth any farther? But we find it ftop'd after the Altar fet up, and the Foundations laid all the Reign of Ahafierus, and in the Days of Artaxer- Ezra c. 4. xes '•, which two, asweftiall after reafon, muft be Cambyfes M' the Son of C^rus, and the Counterfeit Smerdk ; Co that it as plainly went forth again in the Reign of Darius^ known in common Hijiory by the Name of Darius Hyftajpk. After that, although it came much nearer its Perfeftion, yet it was contradifted in the Days of Xerxes Ahafmrus, by fo (evere a Decree for the Deftruftion of the Jews, throughout all the Eflli.3'8. Provinces'^ {oxh2iX. Artaxerxes, call'd by Hiftorians Lf>»g/«/^- »«/, ill uft rated his feventh Tear with the Word compleatly going forth j The Eccho of which for the building of the Wall^ was A Saipure Line of Time. 2 5 was in his tvpentieth^ and in his thirty fecond the Qaavers of that fame Word, in leave to Nehemah to reftore Jernfalem in- to its perfect Order and Polity : which plainly argue the Word gon^ forth in his (eventh Year. Now although the great Perplexities of the Perjian Chro- nology are no way to my main Intention to be concern'd in, yet the making it Evident, that the Going forth of the Word muft take up fuch a Time, as 75 Years, is of very deep be- hoof in that Intention, both as it gives great Aflurance to the former principal Line of 2300 Tears , {hewing howyi- "venty five of them were fpent, and alfo as it will inlighten fome Concernments of the Kingdom ofChrOf^ to which all Accounts of Time tend. Upon this whole Gonfideration I (hall endeavour the proof of fuch a fpace implied in the word going forth. And firft I (hall obferve that which I do not look upon fo confiderable as to call it an Argument. The very Phrafe of going forth implies fome protraded and prolonged ^, as Ezra exprefles it, to beautifie the Houfe ofjeho- vahi) and all this by the Decree of the ^ittg^ his feven Conn- fellors\ and Gre^^ Vrinces. Such a Decree^ as there was none like it before it 5 nor after it any fuch. The K.ing only rorit Neh.2 8 Letters after it, to the Keepers of the ForeSt^ and after that g2LYQoT\\y z Par all Leave to Nehemah, without writing any thing; fo that this muft be the Conclufive, Terrainative De- cree^ after which xh^feventy Weeks proceeded iramediately. By the huildiKg and reflorwg Jerufalem, we are to under- 'Argu.^. (land the Temple in the fir ft and moft eminent fenfe, fo the Emmies of the Jews remonftrated to the Princes ofPerJta, becaufe the Temple was- the Glorji of the C/Y/, and carried the Ezra 4. Building of thai with it; this therefore they aGcus*d, but the Building of their own Houfes was quickly permitted. God Hag. L4.. upbraids the People therefore by Haggai, Is it Time for you^ Oh ySy to build your own Houfes^ and to let this Houfe ly^ wafie^ Now the Temple was faid to be finifid by the Command Ez.d.14. oftheGodoflfrael^ of Cyrus ^ Darius^ and Artaxerxes, King of Per/fa, and does as it were point to the Angels Embafly ©M. 9. 2g, to Daniel upon his Prayer, that the Commandment was come forth, that is, from God, and was to run, as a Line of Time, through thefe ^^ree Kings^ who are every one nam'd, and the Kings between them comprehended in Time, but left out as to the Building of the Temple. The Decrees of the(e threc^ Kings are moft diftindly, and by this peculiar Hiftory of Ezra, given, as an Explication of Daniel s> Prophecy, and God's peculiar Ca^e over it, the want of which Care over AnHochus\ Hiftory, argues him only a Type of AntiehriU, to whofe Bible hisi Story is rejeded. This. A *ScripJire Line of Time. 27 This then is the natural Order of xho words going forth, by v/hich the Temple w^t^ built. The original, and fupreme Commandment was God's '. The fubordinate, and minirterial Commaftdment was of ' ,.., Darius, and after them of Ar- taxerxes. King of Perjfa^ Ezr. 6. 14. Which laft is indeed proleptically nam*d, or before hand, but is fo remark'd, The King ofFerJia, that he could be no other than that Artaxer- xesy whofe Decree immediately follows, chap.j. the Hiftory of whole long Reign, and as long-liv'd Friendftiip to the People of God, makes fo great a Figure in the facred Perfian jStory. And although it muft be acknowledged we have no Evidence, from thofe facred Records, that x\{\% Artaxerxes was the Son of Efiher by the Great Xerxes, yet his long con- tinuance to reftore Jerujalem by his Decree^ his Letter, his Leave to Nehemiah^ firft reftoring it fully in its Temple, then j^ . in its Wall, laftly in its Order^ and all with fuch a ftrain of cV^.V.^ Piety, Love to God and his Church, favours of fuch a De- fcent, and that God honour'd his Servant EJiher with fuch a princely Son : however, his Education in a Pagan Court, the Interefts of Government, the Permiflion of Providence to Things to go on in their own Courfe, the very Current of Prophecy in this fecond, Perfian Monarchy, might furprife his Profilitifm to the Religion of the true God, and fo he is no farther honoured in Sacred Story, ,than with that general notice he took of the Laws of God, and hisj^^r of his dif- pleafire : for why, faith he, (hould there be Wrath againft the Realm of the King^ and his Son 'j,. viz. from that God whom he folemnly ftyles The God of Heaven ^ D 2 SECT. 2 8 ^ Scripure Line of Time. SECT. IV. Gives the proofs That the Time ot the Words going forth was the firii Seventy Five Years of the 2300 Evenings and Mornings, HAving now fettled the natural Order of the Words go- ing forth ^ and finding that it muft needs poflels fuch a diftance of Time, as from the firB of Cyrus to thejeventh of that Artaxerxes, who fucceeded 2i Darius, in his Decree for Ezr. 4. 5, the Building of the Temple after the Eftoppage of the Building ^j7. in the Reign ofAhafuems, and in the daj/s of a former Arta- xerxes, and, as we (hall fee, of another Ahafuerus^ Efih. i. I come now to offer proof, This Space was a Space oijeven- ty five Tears. -. The firft Proof I derive from the chief Scope of the Viflon of ^ibeyez;e»fy zre^^j, which was the Allowance of fuch a fpace of Time for Daniel's People, and Holy City, to continue (uch a People of God, and fuch a Holy City, until Mejjjah came^ SLVid fulfill' d all the Types of the Latv and Prophecies concern- ing Himfelfj which could only be fulfilled during the State efpecially of the Trihe ofjudah, till Shiloh came, and of the Temple ofjerufalem, and the Worjhip of it in its ancient State and before the rejedion of it : So that, whereas often in Eze- Ezck. i5. f^cl and the other Prophets, the Bahylonijh Captivity and the ^^' Defolation by the Romans, are tack'd one to another 5 The Waters or Ocean is divided for thefe 70 Weeks, and then They return and clofe again till the End of the Indignation, when thefe Weeks expire, ebbing back till the Flood by Titus Vefpaftdn defolated All. Before therefore thefe yez/e«^^ Weekj could begin, Jerufk- lem muft be rejiord, Co far, as in its Temple 5 Its Wall, and its vphole Order and State, mufl: be returning within the feven fir^ Weeks of the 70, according to the Prophecy: Now what more probable Proportion, than juft fo many Years, as Pro~ phecy A Scripture Line of Time. 29 phecy hath fo evidently deftin'd for the Space between the Fall of the Great City^ Myftical Babylon^ and the Reftoration of all Things in the Nero Jerufalem^ which by the general view we may (ee, and (hall farther fee, is a Space of 75 Years added to 1260, and making 1355. This may be there- fore an introdudive Argument. We fee moft demonftratively. The Time muft be (b long a^ as from C/r«/s firft Year, to Artdx'erxes's fiventh : now ye- * veftty five Tears^ according to the beft Chronologers^ is about luch a fpace. That Grave and moft Learned Emendator of Time^ Tho. Lydiatt, who was very induftrious in this very Joynt of Time, sillov/s fiventy Tears^ and others come near- er. If then in that great Maze of Chronology at this very Period, Scripture umpires fo with the beft Timifis iov Se- venty five y we have reafon to accept it 5 and that it does (o^ under the next and laft of Daniel's Vifions, we (hall have far- ther Advantage to prove, in the mean time. It is no info- lent Preemption. That great Line of 2300 Ev. Mor. as we have found it, Argiul' diftributcd fo neceffarily by Prophecy and Hifiory^ giving (pace for feventy five, and no more, may ftand as a ftrong Argument, That this was a fpace of fo many, and no more: For when we find every way, this bids faireft to be the Nunther, and that for the afcertaining the Beginning of the feventy weeks, which can never elfe be determind, it is ne- ceflary fome fpace muft be determind, and no Number fo fit sPer.Mp; as this Number, to make that Word of Prophecy fo fure as to be more fure than Eye-witnefs it fclf. This principal Line fo latisfied, corapleats all proof Ii is not unworthy Oblervation , That when the whole ^rgu. 4. fpace of the Words going forth, before the feventy weeks ^ for the refioring of that eminent State of Jerufalem, its Temple and VVorfijip, and the firft feven of the feventy for building the Wall, full of Clefts and Breaches, juftly to be accounted refioring Jerufalem, the firft by folemn Decrees, the (econd by fome hH founds of thofe words of Decree , The Years of the Per- 50 A Scripure Line of Time. Verftan Monarchy for the Tranfaftion of this whole Matter are )\xi\ Jevettty five, as may be accounted. Ahaficrus Xerxes of giving ^^^' 3- and reverfing his Majfa" Effh.5. m/7^ Decree, 13 years, ij* To Artaxerxes his Decree in Ezr. 7. his feventh year, 7 years. To his Leave to l>lehemiah^ j^^l^^ 25 years. 15.^. Dan. 10. 1. ^y^us before the fio^ on v- ^3- the Building^ 3 years. The Time of the Ep^- page^ 21 years. Ez. #. I $. Darius to the Temples ' iirft Finiture, 6 years. 12. 22. When therefore, They have done the fymbolical Service of accounting the [evenly five years^ not otherwise accounted 5 The Time from the IVeek/ Beginning pointed out to /even J Veeku or 49 ^^^rs in the Vifion^ hath a Room allowed for it in the Story, viz. 25 years from the Decree in Artaxerxes liis leventh throughout his Reign, which by all Hiftorians^ is agreed to be near forty (1x5 and from thence Lett into the Reign of Darius Nothus, which feems on purpofe nam'd to continue the 49 years current, for which there had been fpace, more than enough, if the Weeks had begun fooner, then Ar- taxerxes his feventh^ and not enough, if they then begun Nehem. without being Lett into the Reign of Darius Nothus^ nor enough if they did not then begin, but at his 20th only. Now it is enough known. Scripture thus improves its mention^ or not mention of Things, its fo much mention and no more, intojymbolifmes^ and fo may very well befuppos'd to do on thefe Perjlan years. For it minds not Heathen Chro- nology, but to fome great purpofes 5 I (hall give one Inftance among others, and it is that moft vifible one of Melchifedec, who in Sbem ftanding at the Head of the (econd Roll of IPatriarks, without Father, Mother, Beginning of Days, or Enci of Life, is fo reprefented, by vertue of this Symholijm, tiehr. 7. 3. Compare with Gen. 11. 10. A bcnpure Line of Time. 51 Arg. 4. There is nothing more evident, then that the Re- ftoring Jerufikm in its Temple^ and the BUILDING of the IVall are two moft diftindt Things, both in Darnels Prophe- cy, and in the Hiftory of Ezra and Nehemiah 5 fo that they ■ cannot be confounded either in the valuablenefs of their Cha- rad:er, or in their Time. One, viz, of the Temple is moft diftindiy recorded by Ez- Ez« i.&c. ra^ the other by Nehemiah^ The one is call'd a Reviving to ^^'^^'^* 2- lift up the Houfe of our Lord^ and to repair the Defolationj Ezr. ^.p* thereof and this he calls giving a Wall in Jndah and Jerufa^ km ^ The other is call'd by Nehemiah repairing the City of his Fathers Sepultures^ which was no Dillimulation of the In- tention in more acceptable Words as fome have thought y for no fuch needed to him, who had given fo munificent a Decree for theTemple of the God of Heaven at Jerufalem. That of the Word going forth for the Temple is before the Weeks, That of the Wall is within the Weeks^ and fo of Nehemiahs leave to fettle the Order. And yet all thefe are fo united in the common Interefts ofjeru/alem, and in fome Air of the Word going firth for them, fo that there may be moft fitly from the real Line of the forty nine years for building the Wall^ fo far as it is given in Number^ a Communication of a (ymbolical Line, according to the Years of the Perfian Monarchy, Co as that 75 may be collected from the whole Number^ even as the word going forth, that is proper efpecially to the Refioring the Temple is communicated alfo to the Royal Letter^ for Timber to build the Wall-) and the tvord of Princely leave for Nehemiahs going up to fettle the Order i, Co that from the words fiti^ going forth to the Time within the Reign of Darius Notht^ may be con- ceived a Line of the whole word going forth before the Weeks^ and to the end of the feven weeks t viz. of 7$ and 49 years which is the Point to be made good. SECT, T 52 A Scripnre Line of Time. S E G T. V. Of the Seventy Weeks themfelvcs in brief. On Dan. 9. 20. ^His Line of the feventy Weeks is not only fo generally allowed and agreed by all Chriftian Interpreters, but alfo infifted upon, as a moft fundamental, demonftrative, and undeniable Proof of Jefits Chriif the true MeJJxahy cotJtt in the Flejh, againft the perverfe Obftinacy of the Jews, that I fhall not levy any Argument for the proof of it 3 nor fay more for the Definitivenefs of it to 490 Years, than that the diftribution of it into fiven weeks, fixty two weeks ^ one week., and that one week.mio a haWweekt and a half week cannot poffibly ftand, but in a moft certain Determination of Time to greateft exadnels. Nor is it poffible to be difputed, when thofe Tears end, or what Situation they have in Time, fince they run fo un- doubtedly in the firfi half of the laH Weekto Mejfiah being cnt off, and to the canfing Sacrifice to ceafe by the Sacrifice of himfelf and in the laU halfWeek.to the confirming the Gojpel Covenant with many s at the end of which, the Jewijb Na- tion was reje&ed, and their former Defolations in Babylon refiow upon them, and cover them with the Ten Tribes in a ge- neral Geflation of being God's People or a Holy City any longer. The feventy Weeks then arc divided into the fiven Weeks * Andwr of^«/W/>g^^e Wall after iheTemple reftord^ ^fixtytwoWeeki fromBuiici' of Troubles allowing fome lucid Intervals, of which AntiO' ing theWaO chus\ Tyranny muft be allowed a principal Inftance : on ' str'Jg^t- which, as a Type, is founded iht prophetical Symbol of Anti- ne/jr or in chrifiianifm. Then comes the half week, of Mejfiah, offinifii' v[°2s!* ^^S Tranfgrejjion, making an end of Sin, making Reconcilia- tion for Iniquity, bringing in everlafting Righteoufnefi : All < which Expreffions, I look upon as an exuberant letting forth t- the Abfolutenefs, Perfpftion, and higheft Effeft ofthncne^ A Scripure Line of Time, ^ 5 Sacrifice which Chrifl: offer d ottce for All, by which he hath for ever perfe&ed them who are fanBified 5 by which, Jewifi Sacrifice and Oblation vpoi made to ceafe^ even by the offerifig of hintfelf by the Eternal Spirit ^ as a Lamb without Jpot^ ef!c- Uively purging the Confidence from Guilt of dead Worlds ^ to Jerve the Living God'^ which Sacrifice, in the Revelation h tranflatcd into that Propriety and Peculiarity of ExpreiTion, The Lamb, fiain from the Foundation of the World, Rev. 1^.8. and the corrupting and annulling that Supreme Point of Chrifiian Religion, and the Service founded on it, and regu- lated by it, according to its own Purity, Simplicity, and Tranfcendency, free from idolatrous Defilements, is a Car- dinal Point of Antichriflianifm, and a moft proper Scnfe of tailing away the daily Sacrifice 5 of which 1 am often to make mention, and defire that from hence it may be carried all along with the Notion o^xht daily Sacrifice, (though menti- oned but this once.) even this Sacrifice of Daily or Eternal Vertue. The fiealing Prophecy, and Fifwny is not only the Ratifica^ tion and confirming all Prophecy by pnifiing of it, as Chrift Joh.19.30.* dcclar'd. It is finifij*d, (6 far as was requifite to that coming of ChriB into his Mediatory and Redemptory Kingdom --^ but fignifies alfo thefealing of Prophecy at that prefent Time, fo, as that iht fiecojid. Coming ofChriU into his glorious Kingdom R^y ^ j (hould not at that Time be, but run through that courfe of &c. ' ' fealing firft, during the Time of the feven Seals, then during S^J'^*'- the Time of 1 ^^ooo fealed, then during xht feven Thunders Rev. 10.4. fealed, under which Sealing we yet muft remain thefe next ^'^• following Ten Tears : Then all Things (hall be finiJJjd fpoken of in that y^t ficaled Prophecy for the Glorious Kingdom of Rcv.16.17. Chri^, till thoik two words o( Finiture zre pronounced. It is ch. 21. d. done. It is done. Yet notwithftanding This, The mofl Holy is Anointed in his Refurredion, made Lord and Chrili , the true Mejfiah, Aftsa. gff. even by Him who faid. Thou art my Son^ this day have I ^ ''S'SS* begotten thee, E The 34 -^ Scripure Line of Time. The Covenant of Grace in his Bloody and the Sacrijice ofhimfelf He Confirms for one Week, "^i^- the Firfi half week by himfelf For fo it begun to be Jpoken by the Lord^ and then it was confirmed by them that heard him. Heb. 2. i. d^c. To which the Body of the Jerp7jh Nation, being fo heinoudy Enemies, firft in cutting off Mejjiah^ then in relifting all the Minifcry of his ApoBles^ and perfccuting them to the Death. The Flood of Dejolations returned upon them, by that very Koman^ Fovoer^ People^ and Wing of Idolatrous Abomination^ and Defolation^ that they invocated for the Death of Mejflah^ and fo they remain, and (hall remain dcfoLtted till the End of that Indignation^ during the Times of the Gentiles^ till that City^fpi ritual Sodom and Egypt^ in which our Lord was Crucified^ (hall be burnt with Everlafting Burnings, and the Captivity never be returned^ till the Captivity of the Old Jeru- falem^ the bloody^ and filthy City be returned, which (ball ne- ver be 5 for the New J.^rufalem (ball come down from Heaven, and conftitute a Holy City below. Ezck, i6. 54. Remark. This Richeft Line of Time, laden with the Redemption of our Lord and Saviour Jefis Chriji, mv'ncs us toiffelf^ with admiring, and adoring Thoughts, and commands the World to Kifi the Son with a Kifs of Homage and Obedience : Great Occafions derive agreeable Names, Daniel is therefore fuit- able to the Vilion call'd a Man of dejires, or belovd, expref- fing the infinite Love, from which Redemption^ flows, and which it begets in us back to God and Chrift with vehement Paffions of Defire. And he is not only call'd fo in this Fifion^ but ever after it, to (hew the Honour put upon him by it. Dan. 10. II. 19. And as thk Vi/ion {^diUihin this Prophetic^, Line of Time, it enfures it to us 5 For as at the fdnefs of T/«?e, treafur'd up in it, Chrift came againft all contrary Ap- pearances, againfi: all the Indifpofition of the World to re- ceive him, and the Indefert of fo Divine a Condefcention , He came according to the fure word of this Prophecy, Deter- mining him as to the very felf fame day^ in comparifon of v/hich the Transfiguration before the Apojiles, as Eye witneffes was A Scripure Line of Time. 5 5 was Ie(s lure, according to this he came, and did not tarry 5 and though his Tramfiguaration reraonftrated his Kight, yet it was in private 5 His X^eceafe as a Cloud received it, and though vindicated by his Refirre&io», yet the Jittwg down on the Right Hand of the Majefty on H/g^'was on the Throfre of hif Father, He fhall fit on his own Throne, The Father mil /hero him vphom the Heavens yet contain and Hide^ the Transfiguration was an carneft of it, and does affure it 5 yet we have a move fire Word of Prophecy, unto which if we take heed and purfue its Gondud, as a Light in the dark,^ and ob- fcure, the fuliginous and dusky State of the Apoftacy, it will bring us to that bright Morning Star^ as the Wife Men were by a lej/er Star led to this Morning Star, even to him, who Matt. 2. as the King of his whole Church is to be acknowledged with thofe Prefents of Gold, Myrrh, and Frankjncenfe. Whatever moft fpeaks Royalty, Dignity on his part, Love, and Obedi- ence on ours 5 and he will return it a Thoufand Fold by thewing himfelf, and exalting us to the Mountain of Spices, ^^^^^^' ^* SECT. VI. Brief Kemarqnes on Daniels laji and largeft Vifion are made, from part to part. c. 10. c. Ii. c. 12. THis laft, and longefl of Daniels Vifions, \ {hall moft briefly pa(sover, Becaufe the chief Things in it, that concern the Kingdom ofChriJi, have either been already gi- ven, and are here recolledted with (bme Explanations, or the Line of Time to Chrift is juft Traversed, efpecially to intro- duce the End^' or elfe when it comes beyond the Weekj, the Y^eatb, 2ndKefirre&ion of Chrift':, Things are gone over again in the Evidence, and clearneft of a New Teftament Prophecy 5 yet fundry things of greateft life, and Remarque, to the fjl- ler under ftanding of what went before, and is to follow, will arife to us. E 2 This 5 6 A Scripure Line of Time. This laft and longeft Fifion raeafures more particularly and diftindly the whole fpace of the 2300 days, abating the two or three firft years ofCjrus ,and fo brings down Time to the Efid, fo as that from the fealwg of Prophecy, at the End of the firft half and the laft ohhe feventy Wee/{s X^'xnes of Time are given,the Firft implieitely along the Time of ihe feakd Book to be opend in its feve/i Seals in the Apocalyps 5 Or in exprefs Numbers, viz. the 1535, which juft at the end ofihefevemh Seal, be2;in in the Trumpets, and continue until all hinifhcd or, IT Is DONE, IT IS DONE, and fo arife loOne thoufand three hundred thirty five years. This /^yj' to the Kingdom ofChrifl, rifing on that little Horns Ruine at the End of the 2300 Ev. Mor. The State of the four Monarchies^ in the fourth of which tbcK.ingdom of Chrift breads the whole Image, is much the fame in the main, in this Vijion, as in the former, The Anti- chriiiian King is guilty of the (ame Blafphemy againft the God of Gods, or the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, as in the former Vifions againft the Princeof Princes, and the moji high, and laftly the fame Date of Time, Times, half a Time is ap- plyed G.8. A Scripure Line of Time. 5 y plied to him : yet notwithftanding there are fbme peculiar Things which this Vifion carries all along upon the whole Line of the 2300 Ev. Morn, by way of farther Explication, as alfo of the excellent Vifion oi^ the j€ve»tji weekj^ and of the Word going forth before it: which l^ijion of the fevevty meeks moft refembles this Vifion in this, that it is rather a prophetical Hiflory^ than Imagery. The prefatory Defcription of Chrift hath (everal Mngnifi- cencies of Prefence, like thofe Revel, i . and alfo Dan. 7. wherein the Divine Nature of Chrift appears in \\\i Mediator^ Jhip, But in this they differ from the Majefty of Chrift, as on his Throne, wherein Ezekiets Vifions exceed, and for the fake of which He is fo often honour'd with the Title, Son of Man ^ fo peculiar to Chrilf's Kingdom^ and wherein Da- niel came neareft in the ViJIon of the Sandtitary cleans* d^ and the Corrival to Chris's Princedome broken vpjthoht hand^ at the end of the 2300 Ev Morn. All which fhall be then ful- fiU'd in the State of the Jews reftor d , of the Nen> Jtmfakm and the Kingdom ofChriH^ Rev. 20. 4. and theretore there he is peculiarly call'd Son of Man ^ as before noted. To (hew it meafures the fame Time, as that of the Ev, Mor. Daniel^ is much in the fame manner affedled : It begins in its very Date, near the Beginning of the Perfan Monar- chy^ it runs moft evidently to the fame End. And having now made thefe general Remarks upon it, I come to obferve what is moft particular in it, in the way of a (hort Elenchus^ or Table of it. I. It is peculiar to this Vtfion^ that tho Chrift calls to mind in it His fupreme Afiiftance to Hi?, at the/ri? Tear o^ Dari- »if, who to diftinguifh him, is call'd Darius the Mede^ and of the Seed of the Medes, at the very Entrance of Cyrus's Perfian Monarchy j yet his third Tear is the critical and pre- cife Date of it, for then that wonderful and unexpected ftop upon fo Royal a Decree by the divine Permiftion was made, Ezr. c. :?. (hewing the ieifurely ProgrefTes of the divine Kingdom^ and, compared as is moft probably conceiv'd, C^ms in his thirdTcar making "^" fo- 5j ^: 1' 58 A Scripure Line ofTime^ foreign Expeditions, Camhjjes or Arfaxerxes his Son, was left Viceroy 5 upon whom the Emmies of the Jews gain'd fo far, that though they could not plainly command a Geflati- on, yet by Sleights and Artifices, They eluded the Decree y ^nd- fruftrakd the VVork^all the days of Cyrus. ^Mi Cyrus being dead in the days of the proper Reign of Ar- taxerxes^ or Cambyfes the Son of Cyrus ^ the Adverfaries of the Jews writ to him, and obtain'd his Edid againft the Pro- grefs of the Building. And in the Reign of Ahajuerns, in the beginning of his Reign^ wrote they alfo an Accufation^ and ftill prevail'd. Ezr. 4. V. Now by Ahafuerus^ I underftand the Counterfeit $merdky wbofe Reign being very (hort, it is (aid, In the beginning of his Reign: And by Artaxerxes I underftand Cambyfes^ who reign'd indeed before Ahafuerus: yet the Sacred Hijiory in- tending a fuller Account of the whole matter, gives firft the general Account, that all the days of Cyrus the Work was frn- jirated'-i then takes in Ahafuerus firft, becaufe his Reign was fhort, and then gives the true Series of Things in Artaxerxes^ who was firft in the days of Cyrus ^ pofTefs'd againft the Jevps^ and fufFer'd an artificial Impcdition of them. When became to Reign, he laid a Prohibition on their Building. When Ahafuerus began to Reign, after the Death of Artaxerxes^ the Jevps^ upon that change, attempted to revive their Work, but on Letters to Ahafuerus, by their Enemies, were ftill pro- hibited. At the Reign of Darius being twice difcouraged, they lay ftill, till arous'd by Baggai and Zechariah the Pro- phets, and confirm'd by Darius in a new Enterprife, they begin the Work again. That which juftifies this, as the True Order, is, That the Hifiory exprelly tells us, upon the Letter to Artaxerxes^ The work^ceas d, and that it ceas'dtiW the fecond Tear of Darius the Perfian , all the Days of Artaxerxes Cambyfes , all the ihort Reign of Ahafieruj, or the Counterfeit Smerdis'^ Under Artaxerxes then, it began to eeafe-^ and till then the Cefjation continued. And thus often, Sacred Story poftpones that, on which A Scripure Line of Time. 50 which it intends to place the full and largeft Accounts, and therein direds the true Order yet 5 As here, Artaxerxes is poftpond to Ahafiertis, although before him. And of this Delay of the Buildwg^ the Space otherwifa unknown, is made known in this Vifion by the om and twen- ty days Refiftance Ghrift found from the Angel? ritice of Per- Ja, againft whom Michael the Angel-Prince of the Jews ftooj with Chrift. Now thefe twenty one days^ viz. days for years'^ for what could twenty one <:/4y/ "Refiftance fignifie to fuchaftop of the Buildings if naturally taken ? Daniel obferv^d a fymbolical Faf} 5 three wee^s of days, a day for a year^ as Ezekisl ob- ferv'd on each fide , fo that it is true, Ihe weeks of days do difiinguiih thofe week^ of days from xhtfeventy weeks of years ^ and yer they are a Ty^e of twenty one days jor years alfo: fo that here we have an Explanation of fo much Time as the ftop of the Building amounted to, as fo many years of the Perftan Time, as was before explain'd of the Word gsing fort h^ and it juftifies that Account {0 far towards 75, v, here it is poflibly moft needed. 2. Here we have alfo the Intimation of the whole Hifiory ofEfiher, as pertaining to the Decree of the jfen?/ Deftruftion and Deliverance, compris'd in the (hort Note ofChrift's fpeedy difpatch of this l^^fion to Daniel, and returning to fight for the Jews with the fame Angel prince of Perfia, who, Zee. 5. 1. as Saikan, flood at their right hand to re0 them, and this Reafon to believe, That Ahafaeru^ was Xerxes, who was the fourth King, richer than all the former 3 viz. In compliance with that Charader, The HijioryofEfihcr thus defcribes him, This is that Ahafuerm that Reigned from India Jo Ethiopia: Eith. 1. 1^ and according to beft Hifiory, He v/as the fomih to the three from Cyrus:) for Darius being o[the Seed of the Mcdes, and theMede is not accounted among the Perfian IG>7g/, the Three after Cyrus then regnant, are Camhyfes, Snierdis^ Darius Hyfiajpif, and Xerxes the fourth j who as fiirring up all againji the Real/» ofGrecia, near the very Time of the Jews D-Zf2' ' AQ A Scripure Line of Time. Daffger, (as Chrift figmfies by the Kmg ofGreda coming when he return'd to fight voith the Prwce of Perjta concern' ing Hamans Decree,^ laid the Foundation of that War, i^/e- xartder the Great ^ a Prince doing after kk own WiU^ purfued fo as to put an end to the Perfian Monarchy, and the Grecian fucceeded. And this I have treated the more largely, becaufe it con- firms and farther clears what hath been faid of the Words go- ing forth. ' 3. This Vijion being drawn out of the Scripture of Truth, Cap.1c.21. ^hat is, out of the foTvnerVjfwnsofDaniel^hich can be only fuppos'd Scripture of Trnth in relation to thefe things. The V'fion, I fay, pafles on to the SucceUors of Alexander, and Cap ir efpecially ftays in the King of the South, and the North, the &c.' ' ' Egyptian, ^ndiGr£coS,)rian Kingdoms, x\\cO\{\L-Y^KHk\^ or tvpo Horns, as the Mahometans call it, or as this Prophecy alfo, the two Thighs of the Grecian Empire, in whofe Moti- ons the 62 weeks ran, and the Troubles of the Jews were, as Hiftorians obierve, moil: concern d j but efpecially as Types of thofe after- Rings of the South and North, to which the Prophecy tends. For in that Acarith of the Grecian Monarchy^ as the for- mer Vifion ch. 8. v. 23. expreffes it, that long after part, the King offeree Countenance, and underfianding dark^ Sentences^ arofe, viz. in the Time of the Southern Saracens, Heirs of the £g^/>f/4« Potentacy,and ih&.Northem Twr^r ,lnheritors after,of the Grecian Empire, to which the Prophecy efpecially direfts it felf 5 io leading on alfo the fpace of the Weeks to the Ro- man Empire, till all things went forward to the Antichriftian State 5 wherein thefe three principal Things are efpecially in our Eye, that are prepar'd to clear to us the Apocalyptical y Prophecy, into which this of D^^/e/Difembogucs it (^di. I. The Confederacies betwixt Antiochus, and the Apofia- ti%ing Jews are lively (etout, as very prophetically defcriptive of theGr^f/Zc/jand the other 5e4/?,firft preparing for and after CQnfpiiiiig with the Grand BeaU of the Revelation, and fb by A Scnpnre Line of Time. 41 by all manner of Arts corrupting the Minds of Men into the Apoftacy^ that the daily Service of God may be taken away^ \ and the Abomination^ that maketh defolate, eftablilli'd in its ,\ place ; and as They, who in the Days of Antiochus fell un- der that Tyranny by Sufferings, and would not accept Deli- \ verance that they might obtain a better Rejurre&ion-^ (for even Heb-n.^j then the End was known, and v/as for an appointed Time : ) \ even fo the Witnejjes and fealed Servantr of God were in the fame manner refolv'd not to defile themfelves, but were pttri- fied^ and. made white by Sufferings^ for the Glory of thatjE« and the Bed undefiled, in Deteftation of Concubinacies and [ Stem: and this Prohibition yet is on the pretended Accounts F of .2 A Scripure Line of Time. o{ Virginity^ and immoderately honoured fingle Life 5 but in- deed for bafe Advantages of Riches and Power 3 to which tho(e Pretences are made ferviceable, while in the mean time all Impurities, even the Deeds of the Nicolaitans^ are fo al- lowed, as to be made a Do&rine. Thus the Apoftle al(b brands the Apoftajte 2iS forbidding to marr^ 3 i Tim, 4. 3. com- pared with Rev. 2. 14. 4. The Idolatry introduced by him, formerly unheard of and unknown in the World: an Idolatry committed under the Pretence of honouring Saints and Holy Angels^ the Mo- ther of ckriU^ and even ChriU^ the Spirit, God^ the Trinity ^ Names, the loweft of which are indeed of true and real Ho- nour and Excellency, according to the Scriptures 3 but as thus manag'd, A Blajpeming God, his Tabernacle^ viz. The whole Worfhip of the Gofpel, call'd after the Language of pure Ifraelitifm, His Tabernacle^ and them that dwell in Hea- ven^ Saints and Angels^ who are efpecially thus blafphemd under the Name ofl'Vorfiipj by putting upon them the No- tion of Patrons^ Patronejffes, Defenders, Ttif clary Powers^ Pre- fidiary^ Munitional, or Municipal Saints, which is fuch anew HoH of Heaven, fuch a new way o[ Idolatry^ fo proper to this State of AntichriH^ as in juft Propriety to be faid, A God^ that \{\s Fathers^ not only of the Ron/an Anceftors of the Beafi, but even his ^ri^ Father of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, had not known , a God firange to the whole Aunce^ry of Idolaters, that it is moft fidy and livelily exprefs'd by the Prophecy : The Silver, Gold, precious Things, Y^'nh which their Shrines are honoured. Their Prefjdency over fuch Countries, the Land or whole Territory of the Beafl being divided to them for gain, each Saint in his proper Diflrict or Divifi- on , and fo as to bring in Gain moft advantageoufly. And all thefe are thus honoured upon the Account of a Supreme over them in Name and Title,however often not only equal'd, but even fubmitted under them in Veneration and Refort, as we know the Name of CHRIST bears up the whole weight, and yet is not only competitor'd by fuch or fuch a Saint, A Scripure Line of Time. 45 Saint, in fuch a place, or as they fpeak by our Lady, but even by that very fort of Idolatrous Worfhip of Chrift ec- clips'd and drowned. And all this was fulfiird,erpecially from that War concerning the Worftiip of Saints and Images^ 725 or 26, at the famous 666, as is after to be (hewn. Now the Pourtray of thefe Things is admirable in this prophetical Table, and the Travers from the God, who is fu- periour, that is, Chrift, to the whole Gentry of Saint i, in fuch a confufed manner, as the Text gives it, The Maozzim^ and the ftrange God whom he ihall acknowledge^ and encreafe with Glory, and fhall caufe them to rule over many , fo paf- fing out of one into another, that the very Frame of the Context does above all Expreffion, by the Elegancy of the Scheme, exquifitely prefent it,and it hath been with wonder- ful Fidelity expounded by that ever to be acknowledged Duuntvirate of Prophetical Interpreters, Dr. More and Mr. Mede. 5. It is very extraordinary in this Prophecy, that upon this very Idolatry^ and at the very Time when it was conteft- ed by the Iconoclaflick^ Emperours, (6 profefs'd Enemies to Images, and Worjhip of Saints^ and yet fandtion'd by the fe- cond Council of Nice^ however palliated by that ofFrankford, Cabbaflit. which Palliation is yet abhorr'd, and the Truth of the Hi- Eg°?J? ftory of that Council decried at this Day 5 At that very Time p. 314. the Mahometan King of the South, by the Saracens or Lo- cuftsf and after the King of the North, the Turkijh Horfemen according to the Military Language of Daniels Time, with his Chariots and Horfemen^ like a Whirlwind, and with his Gallies or Ships pafs'd and overflowed. And this, in the fame order, the Apocalyps after defcribes 5 and at the fame Degrees of Elevation: The King of the South firft does hm puflj 5 he torments and hurts, but does not k^U or fwallow up in Con- queft: The King of the North comes after, and does overflow ^wdipafs over, and inherit a great part of the i4»^/V^r//?/4» Ter- ritory,as thcBeaft would have it 5 that is theGrecian Empire, and yet leaves to the Beaft his proper Befiian Demefne (till ; F 2 for A A A Scripure Line of Time. for the fake of which Mahometan Kings of the South and the North, as well as to draw a Line oi prophetick^Hifiory upon xhtfixty two Weeks, from the Wall built to Mejjiah, There is fo much faid of the King of the North and the South, the Seleu- cidean and Lagidean Potentacies in the Prophecy. 6. It is very obfervable, after a Defcription of the very great Gonquefts and vaft Trafts of the Turkjjh Empire, v, 42. (&c. given, His End is foretold upon the Mo»/;/4i«/ ofTzebi^ or the pleafant Holy Land--, and from thence the lafi end of Things, Siud the glorious fiate of the Kingdom of Chrifi, in the Lufire of his Saints, and the Shame and Contempt of his Ene-- mies, feems to be given 5 and not from the breaking the Image in the Bejiian State of it , which both here and in the Revelation is the moft definite Thing that can be, that the fi^d fliould be fo plac d on the Bea(i. Thefe two Confide- rations yet will make a perfcdt Reconciliation of that Ob- jedion. I. That indeed, The End ofThings is not given from the Dan.12.1. T^^^^kijli End, but from the Day of great Trouble^ fuch as ne- ver was fince there was a Nation. Now that Day of Trouble Rev. 16. is the fame with the Battel of Armageddon under the feventh Vial. The Turkjfi Power therefore coming to its End, and none helping it, is under the Jixth Vial, poured out upon the Rjver Euphrates, that the way of the Kings of the Eafi, the 'Jews upon the Mountains ofTzebi, might be prepared, where the Turk receives his final Overthrow, except the laft Re- mainders of him rallied from this Fatal Blow, on the Moun- tains ofTzebi may be congregated by the Spirit, like a frog, (that (hall immediately after it go out of the mouth of the Dragon) to the Battel of Armageddon, upon which immedi- ately follows that Rcfurre&ion defcrib'd in the Glory of the Saints, the Miniflers of Divine Truth, who have turn'd ma- ny to Righteoufnefs, in an Excellency, and the Enemies of Chrift rifing to everlafting Shame and Contempt, according to Dan. 12. 1,2. d^c. and Revel, 20. 4. C^c. to v. 7. Where we may obferve the ufe of the Word lAany, to fhew, there is 16. ice. r. 12 A Scripnre Line of Time. '45 IS another Determination of the Future State of Mankind at the end of the looo Years, both of them written in xhtBook^^ and whole Names arc not found in the Book^ of Life ; compare this with Apoc. 20. 15. From hence therefore, compar'd with the Turkjjfj Woe going off at the end of the Jixth Trumpet^ Rev. 11. 14. It (eems moft probable, but 1 dare not in Particulars be too de- finitive 5 There is a reducing of the Turkjjh Power at that Trumpets end fending it to Euphrates from whence it came at the Beginning of it, and a DE-PORTING it iromCo»fiaKti- nople. At the fixth Vial there is a dryifig it up in his proper Eu- phrates^ in forae Encounter on the Mountains ofTzehi or Ju- dea 5 and what Mahometan Tail may remain, &all be wholly cut off at Armageddon^ when neither Head^ nor Tail^ Ty- ranny^ nor Falfe Prophetifm^ to hurt with, fhall be left in the World. 2. After the End had been thus given leading from the Jtxth Vial to the Jeventh, Then the true orderly native courfe of that End is drawn within its proper Channels and Suc- ceffions of Prophetick^ Time 5 as is now in the next place to be demonftrated upon this Danielian Prophecy. SECT. VII. Of the whole Line of Time from the Rejurre&ion of Meffiah, unto the Time <7/Bleffednefs in the Lotts of the New Jeru- falem, and its Royal Priefthood : On Dan. 1 2. v. 4. &C. to the End. AFter the full and ample Difcovery, according to the Allowance of Prophecy, of the State of the Honourable RefurreHion of the Servants ofChriJi, and the defpicable Re- fit/citation of the Wicked^ inclufive of all Mifery, follows the Dv^lineation of Time. Imme- /!^6 A Scripure Line of Time. Immediately upon this Declaration of this Rejurn&ioft, Chi id: commands Daniel to Jlmt the Bool^^ and feal it to the time of the E»d 5 which End muft be that End^ When many of them thatflcepfmllfo avpake. But in regard of the Laxi- tude of the Expreffion, QThe Time of the End'] we muft un- derftand, The whole Time from Chrifi's Refurre&ion to thff Kcfurrection^ is call'd The lafi Time^ The End, The End of the Worlds The lafi Dajij, frequently in Scripture 3 All Pro- greffcs in which Time are ftill yet nearer the End, and fb more the Time of the End, and the lafi Days, than the for- mer Parts are. This then being firft conceiv'd. Under (bme fcaling, more or le(s, The Book^ muft continue till Chrift lays. Seal not the Sayings of this Book^, for the Time is at hand j relating juft to the Time of the Fials, when the Kingdom of Chrifl was not only entred, and proclaimed, and all Things were \x\ finijhing in the feventh Trnmpet j but the Time of the Dead, that they fioM be judged, was nigh: when the Foices had now prepar'd for the Vials, and the Thunders then were nnfcald for the Pials pouring out, Bev. 22, 10. And this agrees with the fealing Fifwn and Prophecy at the very cutting offofMeJJiah, altho there was a Time of farther Tryal of the Jcivs, the lafi Half-week^, yet it was then indeed feal'd, the Jews having rejected and crucified their King, who yet even by Pilate's Infcription, in Hebrew , Greeks , and Latin, [_This is the King of the Jews,'] by his Refurre& ion ^ Afcenfion, and fending down the Spirit, was Anointed. But till the End of the Indignation, The Prophecy of his Kingdom wiis feal'd from its Glorious Appearance, altho this Sealing had feveral new Sealings, after fome partial and momentary Difcoveries of the Kingdom 3 which are moft neceflary to be here underftood, and carried all along. It is moft evident, It was here feal'd, and anfwerably in the Revelation, c.$. It was a Book^ feal'd withfeven Seals when Chrift took it, at his very Refurre&ion : and though the opening the fir fl Seal was a Publication of his Kingdom to the c 5. 1, 2. Jews and Gentiles^ and he went out conquering and to conquer , after A Scripture Line of Time. 47 after the openwg the firfl Seal-^ yet it could not then appear for there werei?x ^eds (till upon it 3 Now thefe Seals carry moft evidently, as we {hall fee, a Gourfe of 400 years from the lafl halfweek-i when the fealing was complete in xhtfif?al reje&Jon of the Jevos'-^ For t\\Q firB Sealopetied^ and the Gof- pel not received by the Jevps^ the reft had greater Force of Sealing^ whkh Sealwg yet was determinately made at the very Death ofChr/Ji.ar.d the Ifidignation upon that ParHcide'^ And though thefe Seals carry a Courfe of Time, yet condecent to the Tj'pe of the great fecrecy of the jeven Seals ^ There is no exprefs Line of Time drav/n till the Kwgdom of 0«r God is celebrated as come after the fixth of the Seals opened, and the ^^^' ^^' feventh alfo opened as compleating that whole Vifion of the compaVd manly Birth, Caught up to the Throne^ and the Dragon caft ^^"^ ^'p^* down^ Revel. 12. in Theodofus the Great's laft Vidory over '3. 4.* Heathenifm, as we tliall fee in thofe Vifion s. But then immediately at the //x//j Seal^ as it were by way of prevention of the K.ingdom ofChrifi^ breaking out at the feventh 5 The 1 44000 were fixH fealed, and this was fuch an obfcuring Chrifts Kingdom^ under the Apofiafie, That the Lines ^' ^' of Time were according to the Decency of the Type con- cealed till the Thunders uttering their Voices^ and the Book^ opened. Apoc.c. 10. c. 11. without which Apocalyptic!^ Linesy thefe Numbers of Daniel could not be underflood. So till the End,z^7Z.. the feventh Trumpet^ finijjjing all, and the Kingdom of Chnft proclaimed, there is a continuance of this fealing, in fome Degrees, even till the Thunders unfeal'd. Chap. 14, But yet there are convenient Notations of Time along the Seals, For every Event upon their opening leads us demon- ftratively enough from Time to Time, and that general Cha- rafter of this Firft fpace of Time of the Seals^ after Chriiis Refirre&ion, is moft fignificantly imprinted by that MottOy Many Jljall run to and fro, and Knowledge floall be increafed, Dan. 12. ', which was fo notably fulfiU'd in the Apocalyptical Minijiry it felf, and after that, efpecially during the Three following Se^ils /|.8 A Scripure Line of Time. Seals in tho(e Gojpel Voices^ of a yet continuing ApoHolical Miniftry, though inferior to the Apofiks^ and daily growing flatter, but ftill laying Come and fee^ All labouring to have then proclaim'd Chrifts Kingdom. For fo Come and fee im- ports all along c. 6. till the Fifth Seal Chrifl: having now commanded the fealing of the Boo^^ with that Latitude, not, to the End, but to the Time or whole Current of Time to the End, The Tvi^o Angels on either Ban^ attending Chrifi, the Man in Linnen upon the Waters of the great River Hiddel^el, as in the Preface, c. lo. v. 4. Thefe two by divine Ordination from that very word [_ The End ~\ ftart this Qaeftion, Unto how long the End of thefe Wonders . Jemfa^ Um^ and its holy Priefthood > It is impoflible then the days fhould fiy back from the End', thefe therefore being the whole of the 2300, except 75, the 7 5 muft be plac'd in the Forefront of all the 'Number^ as we have feen, what R.ea- fbn from the Virion of the Words going forth hath been fouiid fo to place juft fo many : And if Vv e allow that Number to be 75, there is as great a certainty the fealed Time muft be j\i^four hundred 5 for one adjufts the other neceflarily 5 if 75 before the Weeki-^ there muft be 400 between the Weekj or 490 Years, and the 1335 5 if 400 there, then 75 here, for (b the 2300 require. Now how each of thefe Spaces of Time, the 400 of the Seals ^ the Time^ Times ^ Half time, or twelve hundred fixty days of the Trumpets^ the Thirty of the Voices^ the forty five of the Vials -^ how thefe, I fay, are all re- plenirii'd with their proper Furniture^ we muft be inftrufted by the Prophecy of the Revelation. What great Realbn have we now to adore the Spirit of Remark,. Jefus ChriB in this Prophecy of Daniel^ and to fearch what or what manner of Time it ftgnifies in x\\\sfnre Word of Prophecy^ giving in prophetick Schemes the very fame Thing that the Trjinsfiguration in fo glorious a majeftick^ Appearance reprefent- edif viz. Chrift the Sun ofRightemfnefs with his Stars of the firft Magnitude^ Prophets and Apojiles^ thofe wife turning ma- ny to Righteoufneff, and then the leffer minifierial Stars, and the fporadick^ Fellowlhip of Saints included, appear therein, as thofe who are fo turn'd to Righteoufhefs. And this Pro- phecy having been fo long in the World, and traverfing fuch /paces of Time, like a vaft Traft o[ Earth, with Charts, Maps, and Sculptures fitted to them, and that came with fuch Cer- tainty and Aflurance into every hand, is inlighten'd and enli- vened with new and frefti Delineator ies of the Neiv Tefia- ment Prophecy, or the Revelation: Certainly, had not God in Juftice upon the Apofiacy diverted the Thoughts and La- bours of his Servants from the llluftration and Demonftration of them J (6 that they have not travelled herein, as in other G 2 parts 5 2 -^ Scripture Line of Time. parts of ChriBian Verity^ nor by fuch a Concert of Minds and Judgments herein 5 the Evidences both againft Atheifm and the Apoftacy had much exceeded, what they arife to now 3 No Miracles except in conftant and prefent Motion before our Eyes, nor hardly then, being fo intelledually fenfible Arguments of the Divine Being, of Chriftianity, and ag^ainft Antichriftiamfm^ as thefe Prophecies from Time to Time frlfU'd. And this very Prophecy of Daniel is a moft certain Ground to expeft fuch a Prophecy as that of the Reve- lation'-, for one cannot be underftood without the other: and how admirably do they confpire? For juft at thsit fealing at the end of the lift half lVeek-ih^g\^'s the imfealing2\{/and here in the Apocalyps^ on all occafions. So that the thonfandTears are properly within this Book^^ as the Book, of the Kingdom. There is alio beyond the thou- fand Tears a iw^t^oc, p^^ov©^, a little Space , as it were the ^^^^'- ^o. Hour of the thoufand-y ears- day of the Lord, or of the Son of Man, in which the natural Apoftacy of Humane Nature (hews it felf in the lukewarm Laodicean church, and in Gog ^ and Magogs as at a blufh 3 but the whole of any State, ei- jCor. 1$=. ther of Church, or Nation below, immediately is fwallow'd up in Flames, and Death and Hell, with their whole Pro- priety, (hut up within themfelves, and the Kingdom refignd to God ALL in ALL. The PafTage or Conveyance of this Apocalyptical Time, is through the fiven Churches, comprehending the whole Time within themfelves, as alfo Symbols proper to the Prophecy, as peculiar to the Chriftian Church 5 and then the whole Time begins again, and runs \nfeven Seals, feven Trumpets, (even Voices, as unfed d Thunders, feven Vials, as lb many Conduits, Tube?, A Scripure Line of Time. Tubes, or Pipes of the whole Frophecj/^ under the ConduQ: and Government of the Lamb wiihfeven eyes, and the gui- ding Operations ofthefeven Lamps, thcjeven Spirits of God, that is, of the Divine Spirit in m fevenfold Operations. And in ail I underftand the fabbatical Number deriv'd from the firB Sabbath, and terminating in the laft great Sabbatifm of Chrijts Kingdom , continued with the Sabbatifm of Eter- nity. Thus the Prophecy is divided into two Syflemes, or Com- plexes of Vifwtjs'-) The Syjieme of the feven Churches^ that is proper and particular to the Church, wherein the Churches, as Symbols fuftain the whole Prophecy, which is worthy the Spirituality and Glearnefs of a New Teflament Prophecy, fb to Order, and of great Grace, Elegancy, and Condecency to God's great Regard to his Church : The Second is that which embraces the whole State of the C^»rc/), but propp'd and fup- ported with fuch Imperial Events, as moft nearly related to the Church, adorn d with fuch Symbols, fuch Notes of Time, fuch Events, as agree to thofe Times, whereby Hifiory, both Common and Ecckfiafiick^, may be adjufted to, and concerted with both 5 and the Truth of the Prophecy, and ixstrue Inter- pretation juftifted before, and by all the World, And this is that Syjieme, or Complex of Prophecies, that firft by the Seals runs through the Koman Empire 5 till the fixth Seal^ Pagan^ arid Chriflian in the fixth and feventh Seals'^ in thofe things wherein the Kingdom and Church of ChriB are moft in- terefled, until the Empire was blafied in thefirji Trumpet, and trtte publickyVorfhip alfo, by the 1260 Days of the Daily taken away entring^The ImperialCity was thrown like a Mountain into x\\QSea mihefeconddiVid. in ihQ thirdTrumpet,when th^Koman Empire expiring in the Weji wasfurrogated, or new founded in the Bea^ fucceeding in his forty two Months : and fo the Prophecy goes on in the other Trumpets, till it comes to the Kingdom ofChrifi in the feventh Trumpet^ in its juft Succeffi- on, to the lafi State of the Koman fourth Monarchy, accor- ding to all Prophecy, And this till the thoufand Tears runs through A Scrifture Line of Time. 57 through the Voices of Preparation into the Fials^ and the Viah prepare to the tboufand Tears glorious Reign of our Lord Jc- Jus ChrOi. So then this is the only true proper Divifion of this Pro- phecy into its ttyo Syfiemes of the Churches^ and then rife the Seals^ Trumpets, Voices, Vials, in another Syjieme, fupport- ing all things relating to the Church by Imperial Motiofis, Mutations, and Times, And in the latter Syfleme, all thefe Tubes of Time are each Sett of them, and each of each Sett Co united one to another, that they can neither be disjoyn'd from their immediate fequence one upon another, nor movd out of their order 5 fo that the Trumpets follow the Seals 5 the Voices the Trumpets ^ the Vials the Voices 5 and each Seal, Trumpet, Voice^ and Vial, follows immediately upon its fore- going Seal, Trumpet, Voice, and Vial'-^ and tvtry feventh com- prehends the following Sevens, the feventh Seal, the feven Trumpets J the feventh Trumpet, the feven Voices, the feventh Voice, the feven Vials j and each ^recQdem Seventh hath fome grafp on all the following Sevens. So the feventh Seal com- prehends the Trumpets, the Voices, the Vials , the feventh Trumpet the Voices and Vials 5 the feventh Voice the feven Vials j fo admirably is this Prophecy united and interwoven. And to other Divifion than this of the fecond Syfieme of Vrophecies, I can by no means fubfcribe 5 as of the Prophecy divided into the fealed and open Bo0k:prophecy 5 or the Pro- phecy of the Empire firft, and then of the Church. For that re- .markable part of the fealed Book^prophecy, vi%. the palm- hearing Company, by peculiar Right pertains to the open Book,, or that muft be fo, if there were fuch an open Bookc prophecy --i and much of the open Book-prophecy, allowing fuch a one, muft needs pertain to the fealed: but indeed there is no fuch Thing as an open Book:prophecy in that place, where it is faid to be opend '-, for the Book was no fooner open d but it was eaten, and fo abfconded aflbon as opend, till opend by the Voices, c. 14. as (hall be farther clear d : nor is there any Prophecy of the fecond Syjieme, but pertains properly to ■^ ' H ^ the 5 8 A Scripnre Line of Time. the Churchy as within firft the ^agan^ then the Chriftian\^ then the Beftian State of the one Roman Empire^ and laftly of the Ufiiverfal Empire and Kingdom ofChrHi. Now in this Order apocalyptical^ Both Virions and Times in the firfi Syfleme^run through the fix Churches ^In thelccond through thofe/^«r Sets of prophetical Tubes ^ Seals c. 6. c.f. ^.8. to V, of Trumpets, c. 8. z*. 8. to the end di c. 1 1. otf Voices^ c. 14. of the Vials^ c. 15. c. 16. and fo laying thefe Chapters together, the order is moft exad, except that in c. 7. There is an Anticipation of the Triumph of the New Jerufalem from V. 9. to the end. In c. 11. there is a Colleftion of the whole State of the Apofiajie^ during the/x Trumpets^ into one Body together, as it confifts of the Sufferings of the WitneJ/es, and the Tyranny of the Beftian Apojtafte^ excepting fome clofe In- timations in the very Compofure of the Symholrfms of thofe Trumpets Qfor the great Reafons hereafter to be given,] that refer to the fame Jpoftacy, and begin at the firfl Trumpet. And then in the twelfth and thirteenth Chapters the tx" iravafated Account of the Dragon^ watching the Woman^ and her manly Birth, the Dragon caji down, and the manly Birth caught up, is to be reduc'd within its moft proper Channel 5 Tjiz. the fifth and fixth Seals. And this prepares for the right underftanding of the Beaft mention'd ch. 11. as deriv*d from the Dragon, c. 13. arriving his Number 666, which belongs to the fix firfi Trumpets 5 and it is there fitly fet to prepare for the Vifion of the Lambs Number, c. 14. And as to the Chapters 17. 18. and 19. they are moft evi- dently the Progrefs of the Hiftory of the feventh Fial, and the full Relation of its EfFefts. To prepare for which, an extraordinary Defcription of the Woman, or Great City reigning over the Kings of the Earth, oppofite to the Woman in the Wildernefs, is prefix d , and on her occafion a more perfeft Portrai&ure of the Bea!i,^x\^ of his ten Horns or Kings is given, in preparation to the Judgment executed on all, 1. 19* And then \he Milennial State being drawn up, c.70. it is car- ried on to the end oi Apocalyptical Time^ as it reaches into the A Scripure Line of Time. 59 the complemental State of Eternity^ which the Prophecy briefly abfolves, and then returns upon its more proper Subjed:, or the 1000 Years of the New jerufalem. c. 21. c. 22, Now this Order began with the Preface to the Churches Vifion of the firSi Syfieme^ c, i. and then the Preface of the fecond Syfteme, and laftly a Poftfcript, returning efpecially c, 4. c. $. to the Vials as given by thefirlf Angel of the Vials. This Or- c. 22. \6. der is, I fay, the whole entire natural Order of this Apoca- lyptical Prophecy --^ which is contriv'd indeed fuitable to the Secrecy and Myfticnefs of the Prophecy^ fo as often fymboli- cally to declare, when thefe Prophecies would have the clear- eft and moft efficacious Difcoveries in the Church, viz,, after the Half Time, when the Thtmders had titter d their Voices^ and the Book^open, Vfzsfhewn in the hand ofChrOf, That was the juft Sealbn for the Difcovery of the Apojiacy in the Jfuffer- ing of the Witnejfes, and the Tenthly Fdllofthe City i,^nd then after the feventh Trumpet the whole Series oiVifions concern- ing the BeaB, deriv'd from the Dragon, will be heji under- flood, and mo fl fully believed '-^ even as at the Reformation there was moft neceflarily an Acknowledgment of a long Apoflacy, of the cruel Tyranny of the Beaft over true Chrifii- ans, and a vifible Pledge 5 The Ten Kings on the Head of the Beafl, that carries the Woman, would at length fall from it ; but the End of that Half-Time will make a farther, both No- toriety and AfTurance of thefe things. This allowed, the Prophecy takes no Freedome, but what is due to the graveft Hifiory, to place, by way fometiracs of Anticipation, fometimcs of RecoUedion, the Parts of the Hifiory fo, as may beft ferve the Purpofes of the Hifiory : And yet we cannot deferr (b little to the Majefty of Divine Prophecy, as is even challengeable by Humane Hifiory , For that is juftly entitled to a Right of fecret and infenfible Tranlitions, Connexions, Tranfpofitions from one part to another, which require leifurely Meditation and thoughtful Paufes, to find them 5 and yet are fo plac'd, as when found they give Light one to another with VJury. H 2 Al- So A Scripure Line of Time. Altho therefore I rife up with greateft Reverence and^ ,iHonour to thofe great Names, who have thought otherwife, I can allow no Beginning of Apocalyptical Time anew, either at the open Book ch. 1 1. or at ch. 12. but only a Recolleftion of thofe things after their redundant Swellings out of their Channels, one to the firft Trttmpet^ the latter to the fifth Seal':) Only The two Syftemes have each one and the fame Epoch, given particularly to each : The Churches are clo(e and evenly cemented, and fouldered one to another, and fo the Seals, Trumpets, &c. and their Connexion even herme- tically feal'd^ And Both from the fame Epochs tht Refirre&ion ofChrift, derive themfelves. And as to the Interpretation of the v/hole, even as it is a Rule of great ufe in the Interpreting General Scripture^ that the literal Senfe is to be preferred where no Analogy o^ Faith or Scripture- Reafon is deftroy'd by it 5 fo here the myflical fenfe is rather to be cholen, where no fuch Injury is commit- ted upon the Analogy of Scripture Truth : and yet as in the one cafe a fubordinate myflical fenfe may be allowed; fo in this, a fubordinate literal fenfe may be allowed. To give only two or three Inftances. Hearing^nd Read- ing this Prophecy hath firft the myflical fenfe of a dole Con- formity to the Rules of Faith, Worjhip^ and Pra^ice, ac- cording to it 5 which makes All Blejfed who fo read and fo hear, tho' they do not intei-pret, nor concern themfelves in the Interpretation of this Prophecy 5 and yet there is in the literal fenfe an Accumulative Honour and Happinefs on thofe who joyn both thefe Senfes in themfelves together. As on the other fide, They who add and take away by Antichrifti- anifm from the Words of it, by breaking its Holy Meafures in Faith, Worjhip, and Pra^ice, (hall lofe their part in its Pro- mifes, and have their part in its Plagues'^ altho they neither added nor took, ^^^y in the lateral fenfe, and yet They ftiali receive accumulative Plagues who have done the firft, and then by falfe and diftorted Interpretations added the latter alio. Thus A Scripture Line of Time. 6i Thus Openwg the Book of thk 'Prophecy and its Seah^ are principally the feveral Effe^s of the Kingdom of Christy and that principal one at the Reformation , and not the Expofi- tion of the Book^^ or a new courfe of Prophecy : and yet it is iubordinately true,There was then a greater Cleameftand Illu- ftration of the whole Do^r/ne of the Chrifiian Religion^ and anew order, as it were, of Holy Prophecy and Inftruftionj And this Prophecy did then Recall " its own Difcovery of Things at that Time, after the Apojiacy fo long darkning it and the Gofpel, and enlarge its former brief Notes. And fo Coming quickly t^ p^fi hath the literal finfe, That then immediately began Apocalyptical Events each in their own order, to come Jpeedily and immediately to pafs, altho' fo many hundred years run out 'ere all come to pafe ^ As an Army may be faid to come prefehtl'y when the Avaunt Cor- riers firft appear, altho* the Rere may be long in coming, be- - caufe of the numerous Body coming on orderly and in juft Files. Thus every Apocalyptical Event was on the Wing, and darted it felf into Exiftence, without the lead of flumbring or lingring.y when its Time was, to come- But the myftical fenfe is, that whereas that fublime Event of the Death and Refurretiion of Christ rofe up, as a Moun- tain dividing and parting the former World and Time, from the latter Time^ or the lafl Days^ and All beyond the Refurre- Bion was as a Book^ closd and leal'd up, fo as that it could not, till the Refurre&ion^ make an offer of Appearance 5 Then it did, and therefore then properly feal'd down with feven Seals: and yet by their opening it was in a daily motion to its Appearance. But thofe two Worlds were of fuch diffe- rent Lines of Communications, that nothing pafs'd in prophe- tical Acconm into Exiftence or Being, out of one into the other ^ even as the World, on the one and the other fide of the EquinoBial Line, are remarkably taken notice of, as two diftindl Parts of the World, how near foever they joynwho are on each fide next to it. Thus nothing on the other fide the Line before the Refiirrecfion was fo much as coming to pafs> that A Scripure Line of Time. that was to be after the RefurreBion^ or to have any motion accounted to it. But after that ReJurreBion every thing per- taining to the latter days is delcrib'd as coming quickly to pafi^ each in its own Order, and Time, and knowing its Place, and marching in its own Diftances, none as that Army^ Joel 2. 7, 8. thrufiing another^ or br taking rankji but all duely plac'd in their Climes^ as on this (ide the Line. And now having given this general view of the Apocalyp- tical Prophecy^ and its Order of Times, I will difcourfe briefly firft on the Syfteme of the Church-Prophecy^ or of the feven Churches, and obferve their Concert with thofe Lines of Time, that rule the Evenings and Mornings^ or Nights and Days o[ Apocalyptical Time* SECT. IX. Wherein a Proof is given ^ The (even Churches carry with them a Line of Time contemporizing with whole Apocalyptick Time. Apoc. c, 2. t. 3. T ^Hat thefe jeven Churches are intended to bear by their Symbolifmes a Line ^/Ti«fe, equal to the vjholQ ApocU" lyptick. Time , I Ihall at prefent ufe no other Argument, but thefe general ones, referving the more particular Treaty up- on thefe Churches^ to another part of this Difcourfe. 'Ariu I Thefe Churches are, as the whole Prophecy, of a Myftical Senfe, and Importance 5 Chriji therefore prefixes, / will fiew you the Myftery of the j even Candlejiicks, the feven Candleftick,s are the feven Churches 5 where the meaning is not, that the expounding the Stars into Angels of the Churches, and the Candkjiicks into Churches^ is all the Myftery opened 3 For even Angels of the Churches muft be acknowledged to be ftill Myfiery, or a myftical Expreflion , except we would un- derftand them of natural Angels, as few or none do : But the meaning is, ThQ feven Churches contain a very great Myftery through- A Scripure Line of Time. 6q throughout the Fifim o^ the Churches'^ Even as upon the ^re- headoftheWoman, V^ev, 17. 5. was aTitle wntten^MyHery fia- bjlon theGreat^d^c. that is, Underftand that whole Infcription in a myBical Senfe^ or to carry the MyHery of the ApoUate Church in all Succeffions, fo llnderftand the feven Churchei^ carrying the Myftery of the Chriftian C/'^rcA throughout. And it is obSrvable, the word Myftery is exprefly applyed to the True and Falfe Churchy As it is faid here 5 The Myftery of the fiven Churches and their Stars or Angels , So there, I will tell thee the Myftery of the Woman^ and of the Beaft^ the Fallen Star^ with the Key of the bottomlefs Pit, that carries her, And proportionably this whole Prophecy of the Kingdom draws down into it felf the Great Myftery of that Kingdomfpoken of by all the Prophets fwce the World began^ viz. THE TRUE CHURCH IN GLORY. The particularizing upon the Churches^ the Co Apocalyptick, Arii^.2. number, Seven, affures us, It will bear its proportion to all the other Sevens. And feeing, there are no f evens to intro- duce them, nor to receive them, and carry them on 5 They muft themfelves by their own Time, Sevens and Symbols em- brace the whole Apocalyptical Time, and its Sevens. For the Book^oC'xx. is the Book of the Kingdom^ the King- dom is the Myftery of God, The Churches are the true King- doms, when they come to their Glory -^^ and fo a Myftery, The ApoHate Church is a Mock Kingdom, the Kingdom ofAntichrift foifted into the place of Chrifts Kingdom, and fo a My^ery^ but a My Bery of Iniquity. The Kingdom of ChrOf .2ind his univerfal Monarchy is an Empire in a Church, of which He is the Head 5 The laft State of the Roman Monarchy is an Im- perialifm by vertue of an Ecclefiaftical Image made to //,which is a hXCe Chriftfhip that is an Empire in an Apoftate Church, of v.?hich Antichrift is the Head. How fitly therefore are thefe Things difplayed in the Symbolifms of Churches.^ It is certain, There hath been a Chriftian Church in all ^,.^^. -v. Ages from the RefurreBion iy, and (liaU be to the Nevo Jerufalem, and to the End of the World. This is grounded upon thofe two Places, Matt. 16. 18. Vpon this Rock, ^^ A Scripnre Line of Time. Rock, Ml I build my Churchy and the QaUs of Hell^ either of Hell, as it fignifies the Grave, Mortality, and Death, or the Powers ofDark^efs (hall not prevail againfl it: and Matt. 28. ult. Lo I am with yon always unto the end of the World. Nor is this controvertdl among any Chriftians. From hence it follows, we cannot be Time-bound, or ftraitned in fpace of Time, to place thefe Succeflions in, For there muft ncceflari- ly be a Succeffion of this Chriftian Church in feveral Ages, and States, and fo muft continne till the E»^, which muft as neceflarily run a long Apocalyptical Time, and fo give a bot- tom to found fuch Symbols upon, if it pleas'd, (as we fuppofe it did ) the Prophetick^ Spirit to give them. 'Arg. 4. As there muft necellarily have been a Variety of States of this one Churchy (o the firft of them muft needs have been fettled and founded in Do&rine, Worfhip, Rules of Life, Or- der, and Difcipline, by immediate Infpiration, divine Au- thority, and Inftitution through the Miniftry of the Apofiles, This is moft evident from that Book, of Scripture, written to that purpofe, The ABs of the Apofiks-^ as alfo from all the Apofiolical Epi files. From hence it follows, the Apoftolical Church, in its Apofiolical State, was firft in order; whether therefore we will allow it to be fymhollically reprefented or not in that firft Church ofEphefuf, it is certain, that Labour and Patience twice repeated, that trying them^ which faid, they were Apoftles, and were not, and finding them Lyars, im- porting the exafi: configning all Apofiolical Truths and Rules into an authentick^Canon of Scripture, does moft admirably re- prefent that truly Primitive, Apofiolical State. 'Arg. 5. Befides the daily or every days Mifcarriages from this ex- cellent State, by Herefies, Errors, and bad Praciifes, to which degenerate and deeply corrupted Humane Nature is (b fub- jeft, and of which Apofiolical Writings take fo continual no- tice 5 there was foretold an eminent viftble, and notorious ^, Apofiacy, fix'd, and fettled upon its own Bafe, out of which Antichrift was to come, and' fo very fit to be taken notice of in thh Bool^of the Kingdom. Now A Scripure Line of Time. 65 Now this Apoftacy was declar'd exprefly by the Ap&flle Paul to be at work^ in a. myUery of Iniquity 5 and the ^Spirit faith exprefly , that in the Utter Tintes^ which latter Timei^ as we have before affirm'd, were then begun, though every day more, and more, iatter'-y Some^ that is, not a few, but a certain fort of tnen, that (hould make a Body or Species of Men, fhould depart from the Faith. If then it had begun fo wEjJJ^nto early, in (bme Lineaments of it, although not in that oiNi- Timothy, as colaitanifm, and that it daily proceeded, and grew much ^pj^n,^^ higher after the Apojiles Departure or Deaths ravening Wolves and Men teaching perverje things arifing from Chriflians them- Aft. 20.28. felves, remonftrated ahb to this very C/)«rr/) ofEphefm-^ Their ^* leaving their firB Love^ the removing this Candlejiick,o\it of the Superiority and Excellency of Frimo geniture^ and con- ferring it on Smyrna^ in the Crovpn of Life, and Philadelphia in the Scepter of the New Jcritfalefff, are moft lively Symbols to fuch a purpofe, though yet the Overcomers of this protoplaB Church are affur'd to eat of the Tree of Life in the midji of the Paradife of God. This Apofiacy being to become fo grand an Apofiacy, it ^rg,6. muft needs proceed and work on by degrees, fo as that (bme Church aftd its Bijhop deriving it felf from the Apojiles^ Qiould very elderly vere towards a Synagogue of Satan, and there (hould be fuch an Aflumption by it, and Deference of Ad- vantages to it, by many in the whole Chriftian Church, tend- ing towards and preparing for fuch an Apofiacy, that it gain'd Pretenfions (undefignd yet to it particularly ) to intide it felf to fuch a blooming Antichrifiian Power as was foretold to come out of the Apojiacy j for if it could not derive high from Antiquity, it could not rife to that Grandeur ofApOm ftacy under the ProfeJJion ofchrifiianity: And yet in the mean time the Dniverfil public^ Chrifiian Church may not on- ly remain pure, but be firft in deep Sufferings for Chrift, and fo fill up the Number o( Martyrs dying under the Pagan Draconic k^ Empire, but alio receive the Crown ofLife^ and of the Glory of the Nen> Jerufalem in a Figure, by the Empire bc' coming Chri^ian, as it did in Conftantine. I Now 6$ A Scripure Line of Time. Now what Type of fuch a State of the Church could be more exprefs in all this, than the Church of Smyrna} For whether it was fo defignd by the Spirit^ or not, it is certain, in Reafon, fach anApoftaJie, Apoftate Church, and fallmg Star muft have a Foundation in Antiquity, even while the Church was pure, and in Sufferings 5 and that very Church and itt Bijhop bore a part in it, and yet was every day more and more under the Afpeft of that Caution given to it Rom, 11. 17,18, &c. and cfpecially when it was crown d in Cofiftantine, Arg. 7. The Apoftafie muft come to be fuch a high^ enthrond Apo~ ftac)\ and fo obfcuring, over- (hado wing, covering the true Church under its felf, that the verji Apoftatizd Syndgogue ufurp'd the Title of the true Church 5 and yet becaufe God owns the true Church only, he fpeaks only to that, as having- under it, in his Account, the falfe Church, and as bearing in the Type of the falfe Church, polluted with Idolatry^ fp^ri- tual Formication^ horrible Corruption of Manners^ while indeed the true Church is oppreis'd, and its Members martyred and dntipai, OaJn as Antipapal IVitneJfes^ by the falfe Church , and the true Church carries the Name of the enthron'd fiilfi; Church, the high atsd lofty ^ergamus 5 and therefore the Things that would he great if the Church were direftly guilty of them, 2iX& czW'^ fmall things, and the threatning diverts from that true Church, and falls on xht falfe Church only, Ivpill come to thee and flay TH E M vpith the Sword of my Mouthy and as a Church partly abhorring the Pollutions of the fa/fe Churchy partly excommunicated, and anathematized^ hath the Promife of hidden Manna, in the former cafe, and of the white Stone of Abjolution, as to the latter. Now I appeal to all Proteftants, Whether this was not tru- ly the State of Things in the depth of the Apoftafie^ And I appeal to all judicious Confiderers of the Epiftle to the Church ofPergamui, Whether fuch a State could be given in more expreflive and fignificant Shades. It is then moft evident, There- muft be a Time wherein the. Myfiery of Iniquity began to wor^^ feeing it did begin grsL- A Scripure Line of Time. 67 gradually 5 and that Beginning muft be within the ApdJioUcal - Times ^'iot the Apoflle declares it fo to begin: belides, from this Neighbourhood it derives a Pretence of Authority, tho' indeed there can be from thence no Authority gain d to An- ttchriftiamffH^ feeing the Scripture^ and not Neighbourhood to the Apo files Time^ is our Rule, and feeing any Authority no higher deriv'd, is ftain'd and blemifh'd by that Apojiolical Declaration., yet a Face, a Countenance of Authority, will be thence deriv'd, to deceive and delude with. It is alfo moft evident, The Progrefs of it muft afterwards grow (b high to be a Synagogue ofSathan, and after to, be a Throne ofSathan j fo that from hence may ari(e the Symbols ofEphefus, Smyrna^ Fergamus. After the Time that Antichriftianifm did thus prevail, fee- Argn. 8. itig it was not to be perpetual, and everlafting, however long 5 and that the Kuine of it is firft to be gradual, and then at laft fudden 5 there muft be (bme preparatory Wreftles and SwUggles for the Eludation and Recovery of the true Church after this Oppreffion, and being muftled up under the Name of a falfe Churchy call'd Catholick^ and Univerfal^ and HOLY MOTHER CHURCH, at the fame Time 5 yet in regard of the remaining Power of Antichriflianifnt united with the Powers of the Kings of the Earthy the ftate of the true Church muft needs be ftill cover *d, under the Appearance of (uch 2i falfe TJniverfal Churchy over and above it, and fo muft in that regard bear in Type the Name of that apofiate Daughter, Thyatyra^ while in the mean time, its Chmty^ je^ehi Faith^ Patience^ Service^ Work^^ againft that falje Church, Daughter of grow continually greater and greater to the very laft : and S^f""^'* its difownings of the Depths of Sathan^ and not accepting them for Deeps of Religion^ are very evident and eminent to its Praife: Thefuffering Jezehel therefore, or the fal/e Church regnant over it becaufe it cannot help it, are fntall things againSi it, becaufe but Types 5 for yet it is accounted fo per- fect, as to be commanded only to hold its own, and no other Burden of Command impos'd on it, but to hold ftfi rfhat it I 2 had 6S A Scripure Line of Tims. had already j whereas tofiffer Jezebel^ had it not been over- power'd, had been a very heinous thing. Now fo much therefore of this True Church as did fo elu'- date and force its way out of the Falfe^ was, while it was forcing its way under one Notion, or Denomination, and when it had forc'd its way under another, and while it in any pans and portions of it continues Vn the mid ft, and within the Bowels of Kingdoms and States ft'ill keeping up, and fub- mitting themfelves to the ^ower of Antichri^. It may ftili retain its name Thyatyra, and although the Time, or inter- val, it properly meafures, when the whole True Church v/as compris'd in it, may be paft, yet it may continue in Being, in no higher State, then of Thjatyra^ till the appearance of the Morning Star, and the fall of the Tenth of the Great City, Now it is moft evident, there have been fuch eameft Moti- ons of the True Church from under the Tyranny of Anti^ chrifiianifm , There ftill continue fuch in Antichrisiian States and Kingdoms^ according to their Power, I demantl' there- fore, what more agreeable and expreffive Lineaments hereof could be given, then in the Church of Thyatjra firft efpying, and as under Afflidion, looking for the firft dawns of Light, and after advanc'd to Kule the Nation/^ d^c. in the New Jeru* falem. ■j After the Eraerfion, and actual manumiffion of feveral '^* parts of the True Church from Antichriftianijm, and a fettle- ment in Recefs, and Separation fromit,fome Churches through the Favour of Princes, States, and their Laws entred into a Condition of outward Splendor and Glory, Riches, Power, and Authority, of which the Sardius Stone may be a fit em- blem 5 But this outward Elevation not fo becoming, nor agreeable to the Patience of Chrijis Kingdom, fuch a Church may be too much taken up about Kites and Jurifdi&ions^znd fuch extern Decencies, and not prefs forward upon Things, that remain in an order, and fequence to the Kingdom of Chrifi^ and fo fall under fevere Cenfurcs. This A Scripture Line of Time. 69 This Church reprefents Churches which are yet accepted by Ghrift, as True Churches^ they have on their own proper T't- tle, Naf»es^ though but few, that have not defiled their Gar- ments. And thefe few, though belt, are not yet made the Churchy but the whole though in zfieepy and defiled State are the Churchy that has the fevp Names^ that had not defiled their Garments '-i contrariwife in Pergamns and Thyatjra^ the fa Ije Church, that calls it felf the univerfal, is not the Church, but the Fern, (upprefs'd, overcome Witnefies are yet the two Can- dlefiicks flan ding before the God of the vphole Earthy which is a moft remarkable Difference, (hewing Sardis a True Church. Now fince the Reformation^ it is known by general Ob- (ervation. There are fuch Churches, that are in a State and Splendor Sardian, but let the Application of the Characters remain, till ht comes, that fays, He will Come at an Hour^ this Splendid, fecure. Symbolical Church thinks not of except the fevpundefiled Names^ and they of it that overcome, who have Promifes of greater Glory with Chrift, then this outward 5 but this Church in its own Name hath the Honour to make a Line of Time from the Reformation to this Day, and fhali till that fudden coming of Chrift upon it, when fuch a State will be at an End. There have been Societies of Chriflians^ that fince the Re- ^^^ .^^ formation have fubfifted only upon the Principles o{ brotherly Love^ whofe Door hath been attempted to be iliut upon them, as not allowed Churches of Chrift^ or not in fuch a way of Worfhip, vjho havQ had little outward flrength, who have yet kept the word of Chriff, and not denyed his Name^ in a ftridt adherence to his word only^ who have Enemies even of the Reformed, who are relapsed down to the fame Pitch the Apo- ftacy was at, when ^'sl^6.x\\'S.Synagogue ofSathan, in the Church of Smyrna, not receiving indeed the Beafts Number of 666^ but too far link'd with the Corruptions of Antiquity, after the Empire becoming Chriftian foon Antichri^ianisd j who though for the prefent at leaft feem irreconcileable with the Apo^acy advanc'dto its Number h yet have great Indignation againft 70 A Scripnre Line of Time. againfl: Philadelphia and its Members: Thefe (hall at the Kz/fgdom of Chrisi appearing, come and worjhip at this Churches Feet, and be forc'd to acknowledge, Christ lovd />, whofe Crown of Honour it is, that it hath kept the Word of Qhrift's patience, embrac'd the Purity ofChrifiianity in a low and mean States and therefore the Glory, the Kingdom the Neix? Jerufalem fhall crown ir, when the Hour of Temptation comes upon all the relf of the Earth, and detefts the Vanity of their Religion, even of their falfe or defiled Chrijiianity, and the Qlmrchflate of thole who have not overcome the Impuri- ties of them who call'd therafelves Churches, Chriftiansy Re- form'd, and were not fo, but did lye. This Church is not yet come to its proper fpace upon the Line of Time, nor can do, till the Witneffes rife out of their Sackcloth^ and the Kingdom of ChriB be proclaimed at the feventh Trumpet : And how excellent a Type of all this, is the Church Philadelphia .ii"g'«* gogue of Sathan, in the Church of Smyrna, gave the Inculpa- blenefs and Honour to it and its Members: The not being of the Apofiate Church, when it call'd its k\f Catholick^'m Perga- mus and Thyatyra, but keeping to the Truth of the Gojpel, conftituted the true Church --^ when the Profclites and Difcipks of that Apofiacy were the Profelites and Difciples of Balaam, and the Children of Jezebel. The few undcfiled Names and Overcomcrs in Sardis^ tho' a Reform' d Churchy were of greater Efti* A Scripure Line of Time. Eftimation with Chrift than the whole Church befides 5 fome of whofe rigid Zealots of its Splendour and Power, Unifor- mity of Rites, it is to be fear'd, made the ^y^iagogm ef Sa- than'j and Philadelphia^ tho' oi little outward Power or Spkn- dour, y^t holding fa!i the Word oi Chrift, and not denying his Name, and k§eping the Word of Chris's Patience, is pre- ferr'd much before it, and honoured with the New Jerufalent : from which BleiTed State Laodicea abating, and growing cool, All Churchftates in this World are fo diftafted by Ghrift, that Hefpews them out of his Mouth, and receives on- ly the Overcomers to his Throne, and his whole Church into Eternity. SECT. X. Vfthe Third Line of Time in the Grand Line of '2^00 Even. Morn, or of the Seven Sezh from the Rejurre&ion : Jhewing it extends to a Jpace of 400 Tears » Apoc. Cap. 4. cap. 5. cap. 6. cap. 7. cap. 8. I Have now finifh'd the iirftReal and General Line of Time that runs from Stem to Stern, from the Beginning to the End oi Apocalyptical Time. I come now to the fecond giving of the fame Lines, which is not uniform and entire, as the former of the Churches-^ but made up, not only of various Parts as that was of feven Churches, but of various Repre- fentations of each part, as ^eals. Trumpets^ Voices, and Vials^ and each of the(e comprehends its following Order, viz. the Seals, the Trumpets, the Voices, the Vials, under the Seventh of each former, as hath been already cleared, by which they are all kept in a dole fucceffional Connexion one with ano- ther, and ihQ feventb Seal hath its Hold upon the whole, even to the laft Day of Judgment, when the whole Book of the Kingdom is refignd back, into the Hand of God, out of whofe Hand it was received by Chrift, /e- ting on God*s Right- hand-^ till hif Foes Jhall be made his Foot' Jiool : for when the Book, is unfeald, and the thoufand Tears begin. Then there is a putting down all Rule and Authority. At the End of the thoufand Tear, and the Day of final Judgment ever, the Book^ is quite unfeal'd in Death^ the laji Enemy over- K 2 corner «^ A Scripure Line of Time. come 'j and then the Book^^ the Symbol of the Kingdom^ is refignd with the Kingdom it felf, into the Hand of the bather. 9. Hereupon the State of the Chrifiian Church in its Apo^ ' fioljcal Purity, with the Order of the Living Creatures firftj and then drawing that of the Elders along with it, in a Song of Redemption^ in Praife of the Lamb^ with a Prophecy ofhif Kingdom^ in which his Servants and Saints (hall reign above the Earth, or over it, as yt (ignifies in feveral Places of the New Teftament, joyn'd with a Genitive Gaie, particularly Matt. 25. 21. 23. / will make thee Ruler over many things^ 16. To fum up all , The State of the Church in the thou- fand Years Kingdom of Ghrift is given in a fecond Song of Praife, wherein all things bow in the Name ofChrift^ as Lord, and that not ceremonially, but in real Subjedion, Phil.'2. 10. Things in Heaven and in Earthy and under the Earthy and that to the Glory of the Father^ For thtfour Living Creatures having faid Amen to this high Celebration of Chrift, the four and twenty Elders, as having by the Apoftolical Church re- ceiv'd an explicate Knowledge of Ghrift, to (hew, Th^New Teftament did not at all derogate from the Old , The four and twenty Elders, after they had fallen down with the j^«r Living Creatures, and joyn'd in a Song of Praiie to the Lamb, E30W as making up- the Goncent, worjhip him that liveth for ever and ever 5 and conclude that which the four Livifjg Creatures, or the Apoftolical Minifiry began, and herein (hew the Refignation of the Kingdom of God at laft, that he may be All in All^ Rev. 4. 10. compar d with Rev. 5 . 8. 14. For as all began in God that made all things, fo here it ends in him. ThefealedBook^bdng now in the Hands 6f Ghrift, and all due Acknov/ledgments made to him that //// on theThrone, and to the Lamb, immediately foillows the opening of the Seals, and therein the Courfe of Time flows out, and (b flows on , of which we are now to take a particular and iirij^ Account : only I would defire every Perfon that fets his Mind A Scripttre Line of Time. 7 7 Mind and Thoughts to view this fo augufl: Inthronization of G(7^and oftheLamb^ That he would ponder within him- fclf, Whether the defolating either th'e jevos or the Heathen Entprey can be Events great enough for fo ftupendious a Pre-Elcprefentation , or any thing lefs than the Glorious JLingdom of our Lord Jejus Chriji could anfwer to it. And now, that we may eftablifti the Line of Time accor- ding to thefe Seals, and the Time of their openings there are three Things to be confider'd 5 1. What it is that is the principal Jewel and Treafure that lies under thefe Seals -^ and fo to be let free by the unloojing thena. . . ^J^ ^ ^"^-^^ ^^>- 2. What is the principaland fupream Vifum or Thing to befeen in every Seal, and the opetiing of it, and. how itlerves the difcloling that Jewel. 3. What is the true method of fixing the certain Time that the whole Courfe of the Seals took up, and how it is to be meafur'd and fixd. If we can now determine and fettle aright upon the Pvefo- Union of each of ihefe Particulars, we (hall be able to under- ftand this fir ft Sett of Apocalyptical Pifw»s, and to have ample fitisfaftion concerning them, and have great Light into the following Viftons alfo. I. As to the Firft then, That great Treafure and Jewel of Truth that is incjos'd within thefe Seals, and fo alfo, as we fhall fee, that the Trumpets ultimately founded unto, is the Glorious Kifrgdofft of our Lord JeJus Chriji, Every Event, and the Stage of Time it was to pa(s over, is as a Seal or Stop upon this Kingdom, till it opens into Glory i, and the opening of every Seal was an Advance to- wards it : and although when the feven Seals were open'd, there appeared a greater and more prodigious Gaufe of Delay, viz, the Antichriftian Kingdom ^ yet every Trumpet was as an Alarm of War to the fubduing that Mock-Kingdom that rofe in Defpight and Oppofition to the Kingdom ofChrift. And becaufe all things were fo fet, and placed in their Seafbn and Order, 78 A Scripure Line of Time. Order, that no one thing could come to pafs before that which was fet befor^ it had had its free Egrefs and Event, therefore every of thefe Events, and the opening of the Sealt to let them out, though they did not in the Iflue ope» to the true Appearance of that Kwgdofffy yet becaule they did as it were, what they could, and there was a Remove of fo many Frohibents^ or Obftacles to that KiTigdom'-y and Time fo ad- vanced from Point to Point, that by the opening every Seal the Kingdom of Chrift might be nearer to its Appearance j there- fore they are juftly underftood, and expounded to be Seals^ nnlooi'd^ and opening to the Kingdom of Qhriji. Now befides thofe yiyom, or IT IS DONE, IT IS DONE, at the End of the Apocalyptical Time and all its Events, whi- ther they one and all run together 5 bclides this, there is this abfolute Aflfurance, That the Kingdom of ChriB was under the Seals 5 The Kingdom made fo magnificent a (how of it felf at the flxtb Seal, that had not the Servants of God been feat din their Fore-heads^ that they (hould not then appear with him in Glory^ the Kingdom had even then appear d 5 for in Conjiantines Chrifii an Empire, to the End of the Reign, or at the Viftory of Theodofins the Great over Heathenifm, of which he endeavoured the utter Extirpation, that Kingdon^ fo far cAme out of its Retirement, that there was a folemn and loud Doxology in Heaven, that the Kingdom ofG^d, and the Power of Chri[i were come 5 and yet at the very fame time, the Woman ^ is recorded 23 fled into the Wildernefs, Rev. 12. 10. 2. The firft Particular then being refolved with fo much Evidence and Affurance, we may with the greateft Clearnels refolve concerning the fecond or the principal ^'/y^«^ of every Seal open d : for it muft be fome State of the Kingdom of Chrift defin'd by the joyning together the Voices that (iim- moned to the Sight and Oblervation (b far, as thefe Voices continued 5 and then, when they ceafed, the State of the Kingdom ofChriH muft be confidered by the Vifa themfelves, as under the GelTation of thole Voices, and by any fort of Voices A Scripure Line of Time. 79 Voices we can find equivalent to them. And in this Method* and no other, that I can underftand, we may juftly and tru- ly comprehend the Intention and Signification of the Seals, For if all the Seals carry on the Kingdom of Chrifl by (b many Degrees and Steps of Advance, as I have in fome mea- fure, I hope, made evident they do j By undeniable Proof then it muft needs -be, That every Sieal hath fome State of that Kingdom protuberant or fwelling out in its Appearance upon that opening^ and that the Voice that fays, Come andfee^ calls to obferve it, and the Jilence of any fuch^/Ve moves En- quiry, Why there is no fnch Voice. ^ and every Vifitm, or Thing to be feen in both forts of Seals^ the Voicd, or the (eemingly//e«^ Seals, are to be judged of, as they have R.e- lation to the Kingdom ofChrifi, efpeciaily becaufe we (hall find the three laft Seals without Voices^ have fomething to fupply the want of the Voices of thofe fonr Living Creatures. 9. As to the Timcj and its Space, that is meafur'd out by thefe Seals •-, feeing no Line of Time is exprefly given with thern, it is impoffible to be found out, but either, firft, by fome of the Vifa, or things feen at the opening of thele Seals^ that are fo certain, as to be necetTarily agreed in, and there- by meafuring from them, on each fide of them, to take the whole Courfe^ or fecondly, by the having good Aflurance, what are the Vifa of the firft, and laft of thefe Seals, that thereby we may know, when they begin, and when they end, by the moft undoubted Accounts ofHifiorjf-j or thirdly, by obferving if there be any Light concerning thejuft middle Point of their Time , or laftly, by fome other Line ofTime^ that may (how much larger foever fo as to comprehend it, yet) fet Limits to it in its Beginning, Middle, and End, by fome certain Line of Time that muft end juft before it, and fome other Line of Time that muft follow it ^ and that all ta- ken together can anfwer that whole Line : And all thefo ways I (hall ufe, to come to the exaft Meafure of the Space of the feven Seals, and whatMeafures of Time arc and ought to be allowed to them. ^ -rV • o. Let 8o ^ Scripure Line of Time. Let us then examine the Importance of every Seal, firft by rwhat it difcovers of the Kingdom ofChrift, upon the joyn- ing of the Vifum or thing to be feen,^and the Voice together, or remarking upon the No Voice, and the equivalent Sup- ply with the Fifim or thing to be feen, and then coUedi: the Time of thefe feven Seals. ^ Seal I. ^^^ Vifnm^ or thing to be fezn of the firfi. Seal^ is, as is hardly controverted by any, The riding out ofChriJi on his vphite Horfe^ with his Boro, and the Right of a Crorpv, con- qumng and \o conquer. This then was the Aim ofChrift to obtain his Crown, in the firft place by thef^re zxiAholy Arms^ and Vowir of his Gofpel^ in the Univerfil^ Perfe^ Minifiry of the Apoftks --i and till the EfTeft of that was tryed, he makes (liew of no other, whatever farther Aim Chrift might have, if his Gofpel was not fubmitted to. Thus is Chrift riding out prophejted of, of Old, Ride pro- fperoufly becaufe of Truths Meeknefs^ and Righteoufnefs, 1^45.5. And upon thk Horfe he rides out with final Victory, Rev. 19. vphofe Name is the Word of God. This then, was then the State ofChriJi's Kingdom, the making an Univerfal Offer of it felf to Jevps and Gentiles, by that high Miniftry of Perfons immediately guided and infallibly infpird, and accomplifh'd with the Gift of Tongues, and Power of Miracles, to make the Publication of that Decree, Thou art my Son^ This Day have I begotten thee: Asl^ofme, and as I have fet Thee upon my'Holy Hill of X\on by thy Refirre&ion, fo I will give Thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance, and the nttermoji Ends of the Earth for thy PoffeJJion : And if they will not fubmit, Thou fialt breakjhem with a Rod of Iron ^ and dajh them in pieces like a Potters Vejfel, Pfal. 2. 6. The Apojiolical Voice, deep and loud as Thunder, royal as of a Lyon, the firft Living Creature, Come and fee, is a farther Aflurance, That this was then the State of Ghrift's Kingdom in this free and univerfal Offer of it felf: It befpoke the World therefore in the Language of the reft of that Pfalm, Be Wife now^ ye Kings 3 Be Infiruc^ed, ye Judges of the Earthy A Scripture Line of Time. . 8 1 Earth, Serve the Lord with Fear, Rejoyce with Tremhlwg 5 ^ifs the Sofif lefi He be angry ^ and for breaking his Bands^ and cafling his Cords from you. He breakyou at lafl as a Potters Veffel, tpith a Rod of Iron, or as the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands (hivers the Image, of which the next Seal gives a Type. Now this Appearance o^Chrifls Kingdom^^nd the mofl: Ho- ly declar'd Annointed in it, was abiblutely neccifary to make known the thing feal'd, and to be unjcal'd:^ and that the End might be known by the Beginning, and the whole Compafs of the Time of the Seals by Both. For nothing could make all thefe more known, nor the ftay, the feaiing had on this K-ingdom from appearing more maniJ^, than this its offer to appear at the end of the lafl: half week, in the ApoBolical Preach- «?^, and yet Prophecy and Vifion concerning it /e^/'^a^ up ib, that it could not bring forth this Kingdom, till its juft Time confiituted by the Father, and the Oath ofChrifl himfelf^ and that in regard of the Obftinacy of the Body of the Jewijh Na- tioTi^ and of the World of the Gentiles. Immediately upon the refufal of this KingJ^^on the Holy Seal 2. Hill ofZion^ He began to ufe his Kod oflron^ and fent out the Red Horfe oiWar, the Fr/nm or Thing to be feen under thtfecond Seal, joyned with the Foice of the Gojpel, Come and See 3 but abated and weakened, not a Voice o^ Thunder , Whereas had the Kingdom been accepted, the Thunder ftiould not only have continued, but*multiplyed into Thunders and Votces^znd grown lowder and lowder to introduce the King- dom '-^ But the Antichrijiian Kingdom, upon the True King- dom, rejedied, work'd on, and enervated the Noice though it was ftill Apofiolica^Come, and See'-^ As the Voice of an Ox, as if it felf were Falling 3i Sacrifice at the Altar, deploring the flaughter then coming upon the VVorld^So this Jecond living Creature, The State of the Kingdom therefore was as retreated in the Gracious and Merciful Offer 3 The Voice was not ^o Grand, and Soundings but inftead of it, He that fat on the Red Horje of War ^ had a Great Sword given himj and It was Given to L Him, ' 82 A Scripure Line of Time. Him, that Uefiotdd take Peace from the Earth, and that Men JJmild kill one another : This certainly was elpecially verified in thofe Defolathns of the JewJ under Vefpajian^ and Titus^ and ihofe fucceeding Warlike Emperours^ 'Trajan, and Ha- drian-^ under the firft of which the Deftrudtion ofjemfalem was fo dreadful and bloody, till the lall: ruines by Hadrian j That no Time, nor Hijiorj was ever deeper dyed in Blood, nor could this be without difmal Recoyls of the Great Sword upon the Empire it felf, within the Bowels of which it was continually fheath'd j infomuch, that Hadrian in his account of the final Wars with the jfen'jjomitted the ufual Preface in his Letters to the Senate, Ego quidem, d> exercitus valemm. We and our Army are vpelL This he fuppreffed, as not agree- ing to that Seafon of fo great lo(s of Blood to the Komans. This was a very affrightful appearance of this Kingdom, and of great Evidence of its Greatnefs and Power of Reven- ges, efpecially upon the ^cvps, thofe Murtherers and Enemies that would not have Chriji reign over them, and it returned back upon the Gentiles alfo, and the Roman Empire, guilty of the fame Oppofition to the Kingdom of Chriji, though not againfl: the fame Light, nor with the fame unnaturalnels 3 for as to them, He came more particularly to his own, and his own received him not, and therefore having after the crncifjing of him, rejeded his Dominion .xht People of that Prince Vef- pajian Came and deUroyed the City, and the SanUnary as with a Flood, and Torrent of Vengeance, and now unto the End of the War, Delblations upon the Jews were determin'd,and by the overfpread of the abominable Armies was ponrd upon the Defoldte by Hadrian after the Defolaiion of Titus, Da^ niel. 9, ult. '% Now this great Judgment and Defolation, as a grand Argument of the Truth d'Chrifiianity, in Revenge of which this Defolation came upon the Jeivs, and the Reverberations or Repercuffions, and Returnings of it upon the Heathen Empire, and their Perfecutions ofChrifiians, was a great Sub- ]^di for the Apofiolical Yoice to enlarge it fejf upon, and to A Scripure Line of Time. 83 perfwade Mqn to pay Homage to the Kmg of Kwgr^ who could thus avenge himfelf^ and Co of great life was that SoH^d of the Noice^ Come and See , that beholding the Defola- tions that were made by Chrifl: in the Earth, they might be fillip and kfiovp^ that He tpos God, and exalt him in the very Heathen Earth. After this fevere Vengeance of Chrifl: by the Kider of the Seal 3J Ked Horfe^ there enfues the opening of the third Seal, and the Thing to be feen under it was a Blacky Horfe, and He that fat hpon it had a pair of Ballances in his Wand, and the Apojioli- cal Woice continuing as under the la^ former SeaU, Come and See, and it was the Woice of the third livingCreature, the Yoice, as of a Man. Now that we may judge of the State of the Kingdom^ un* der this Se^/, it is to be clofely examined, what this Nifitm, or 'Xhing to he feen imports, even the Blacky ^orfe, and the Voider with a Fair of Ballances in his Hand 5 and then the diftin6t Yoiee in the midji of the Living Creatures. It hath been generally interpreted, all to Famine, as if the Seals were a Gourfe of Judgments, but befides that, neither the Firfi, nor the Fifth Seals carry any Signification of Judg- ment, by a more fagacious Infpeftion into the fpedacle of this Seal, after that forenam'd excellent Duumvirate oC Apoealypti- cal Interpreters, Mr. Mede, and Dr. More, and cornpare of it with the Yoice of the third living Creature, as of a Man f I am abundantly fatisfied, the Black Horfe, and the Ballances in the )Aand of the Kider, are an Emblem of that folemn Impe:: ratorial Juftice of the Emperours of this Third Seal, the Anto- nines, efpecially that great Mirror of Juftice to Magiftrates, Alexander Severus, in whom I account the interval of this Seal to End, who bore in his Hand continually in all Admi- niftrations, that great Ballance of the World, that Ballance of commutative Jufiice^" gwen by our Saviour j Do as you vponld have done to you, and noothermfe 5 and this, as fo remark- able in it felf, and of a higher Prophetical ZJfe, as we (hall Difcourfe, when we come to the Time affix'd to thefe Seals., L 2 and 84 ^ Scripure Line of Time. an J particularly to this 5 A Voice in the t»jd!i of the livwg Creatures calls to the more folemn Obfervation of a Meafure of IV heat for a PeriTiy^ Three Meajures of Barley for a Venny^ and fee thst thou hurt not the Oyl^ and the Wine, And now the State of the Rtngdom, in Relation to xhhVi^ fum^ I eftimate by thofe highly Rational, and Apocalyptic^ Difcourles for Chriftianity, by J/tftin, Martyr, Athenagoras, /.pollonius^ in his publick Account of Chriftianity to the Ro- man Senate, Clemens Alexandrite^ Tertullian, Origen, Minuti- us Felix, who all appeal'd to thefe Juftand Manly Emperors, and offer d to lay Chriftianity before them, as Eqnal Judges 5" °^£a a ^"^ '^^^ would but (hew themfelves Men. And Alexander chriftian Severus was fo fir prevair3 upon by thofe weighty Reafons, Lady. that History hath reported him to have decided for ChriBi- ' anity y and as he (hewed a conftant Reverence to that great Apothegme, of the Saviour of the World^ fo to have built a Temple in Honour to him, upon which very laft particular yet, I lay no weight, as being too doubtful. But the other Parts of the State of this Kingdom of Chrifl, born up by the manlieft Efforts of Reafon, manag'd by thofe ApoJiolick^Perions before nam'd, before thofe forenam'd Em- perours, and Alexander particularly, are fo beyond all Hiflo- rical Dijpute, as to fway me much more, than thofe inquifi- tive iearches for fome Dearth or Famine, that might be ad- jufted to the Time of this Seal '-, For I account it a Rule in this, and all other parts of this Prophecy, That the Interpre- tation depend, not upon dark and obfcure Parts of Hiftory, but upon the moft Confpicuous, Open, and Clear^and that are moft known, and notorious in it. And it is to me a juft Su(^ pition upon any Interpretation, that is otherwife grounded. Seal 4. After this gracious Tryal and Effay upon the Heathen Em- pire, to draw it by the Cords of a Man, and by the Bands of Reafon, immediately follows the Fourth Seal, In which open'd, the Vifitm, or 'Xhing to he feen is the Eale Horfe, and in the Place of any Imperial Kider (its Death, and Hades the Grave, or Hell followes it as its attendant Emblem, and the Foice of the A ScripHre Line of Time. 85 the Fourth livwg Creature^ as an Eagle drawn by the Car cafe ^ fays, Come and fee. This imports that Complication of Evils and Judgments , The Svpord^ the Famifje^ the PeUikfice^ and the Beajis of the Earthy and Power vpos given to Death over z fourth part of the Earthy or every fourth of it, that is upon all Quarters of it. Under this Seal then, in the Time of thofe many, cruel, and (hort livd Emperours, between Alexander Severus^ and Dioclejian^ which were as Beajis of the Earth, for favagenefs, and (b are a moft famous WBorical Commentary upon this Seal^ is (hewen the mighty Vengeance and Wrath of God, upon an impenitent and imperfwafible Empire, and this by that Apofiolical Voice, to Come and See, or to confider it, the State of the Kingdom vindicating it felf is To far declar'd, that it was even ready to break in with Fury upon the lieathe?^ World, and that Patience fo much injur'd and abus'd was now about to flame out in utmoft Wrath 3 fo far therefore the Kingdom ofChrifi was advanc'd^ as to have made its laft Try- al of Grace upon Pagan Kome 5 and upon this undoubtedly, the Apofiolical Miniftry iniifted, in its. Come and See, as Eze- Ezek. 14. ^iel of old 5 as God faith there, Whe^ I bring my four great ^•'O'" »^ Judgments, The Sn?ord, Peflilence, Famine, and the Beajis of'^ the Earth, though Noah, Job, and Daniel fiood before me, to turn away my Wrath, They fiould deliver only their own Souls, And now as to the State of the Church, all along the(e Seals paft, There was a plain Appearance of it in the Apo- (lolick Voices, till juft the Entrance o^ the fourth Seal-j From that Time thefe Voices ceas'd, which had fo far, as fupport- ed by the Characters of Imperial Hiftory, declar'd to us the Times and States of the Churchy as before drawn out in the Labour, and Patience, and Sufferings of the Ephefine Church, while thofe Apofiolical Voices lafted, although there was fuch a Leaven of the Apojiacy hid in it, that it was charg'd to have left its firii Lovej one great Inftance of which, was in ViBors Excommunication of the Afian Churches upon the fcore of the unwritten Ceremony of keeping Eafier at all, much more un- written to 22. A Scripure Line of Time. written as to Criticifm of Time, which made that fo great Fewd. Seal %* ^^^ Fifth Seal fo plainly 10. &c. Oh A Scripure Line of Time. or Oh infinite and fupreara Difpofe, that changes Times and Remark' Seafons as it pleafes, having firft drawn them in an entire Ta- ble^ lying always before it 5 where every Thing is beautifiil in its ownfeafon^ and fo every thing (hall at laft appear be- fore Holy Atigcls and Saints -^ and even extort the Confeffions of Angry and Male-content Spirits. How admirably hath nfial'd and opend in this courfe of Seals, and for his own Glory fuffer'd a nevp fealing^ by furprife, upon his Kingdo,'^ when that fir^ fcaling was taken off, that he might bring Good out ofEvil^ Light out of fo long obfcurity of the Apo- jiacy^ that even then when the Empire or Univerfal Mortar- chy of the World was rifen out of Heathenifm into the Ac- knov^ledgment of the only true God^ and the one Mediator Jefus Chrjfl^ fuffered it to relapfe into the new Heathenifm of A^tichrijiianifrt : Even fo Father, who haft hid thefe things froni the wife and prudent, and revealed them to Babes, itfeem- ed good in thy fight. For thou haft what Time thou plea(eft l^to whom a Day and a thonfatjd Tears are equal] to difplay thy Kingdom in, within the moft perfed Meafure of Time viz,, a cubical thoufand Tears, and then in a boundlefs Eternity. To him then whoy7// on the Throne, and to the Lamb, who hath the fealed Book^ yet in his Hand, and is even ready to unfeal it into his jiingdom, within Ten Years to be proclaim'd, be Glory, Bkjjing, Salvation, Dominion, Obedience, for ever and ever. Amen. An Explication ofDanieh Grand Line of Time^ as given in his four laft Chapters. s E c T. I. OF the Vifton of the Daily taken away^ and therein of the 2300 Ev, Morn, or the Vifwn calN the Vifton of the Ev. Morn, in general, on Dan. chap. 8. Pa^e i. SECT. H. That this Vifwn Begin j at the Perfian Monarchy^ and the FroofofitJ Page 8. SECT. III. Jn which a Line of-j^ Xears^ precedent to the 70 Weei^s^ is aferted^ and endeavoured to be proved^ Dan. 9. Page 24, S E C T. IV. Gives the Proofs that the time of the Words going forth was thefirfi 75 l^ears of the 2^00 Ev- Mor. Page 28- S E C T. V. Of the 70 Weeks themfelves in brief : thefecond Line of the 2300 Even, Morn. Page 32. SECT. VJ. Brief Remark^ on DaniclV lafi andlonge{l Vifion^ are made from Tart to Tart. Page 37. SEC T. VII. Of the whole Line of Time from the Kef^rreUion of Mefflah^ unto the "time of Bleffednefs^ in the Lotts of the New Jerufalem ; and its Roy- al Triejihood: on Dan. 12. v. 4. &c. to the end. Page 45, SECT. VIII. Wherein is given a Trefatory Survey of the whole Apocalyptical Tro- phecy. Page 52, SECT. IX. Wherein a Troof is given ^ the f even churches carry with them a Line ■of lime contemporizing with the whole Jpocafyptick time^ Page ^2._ S E C T. X. ' Of the third Line of time in the Grand Line of 2^00 Even. Morn- or of the feven Seals from the KefurreSiion ; jhemn^ it extends to a fpace of ^00 tears. Apoc. c.4 c.^.c. 6. c. 7. c. 8. Page 72. A El] uLLlIi. •7t> - Of the Great LINE OF In XXII. Sections, viz. The 1260 Days of the Witnejjes^ and the Woman in the Wildernejs. Apoc. c. 11. 5. d> 12. 6. SEC T. I. Of the Ninefold Repetition of this Line, and its fever al Cha- ra&ers ^ JJjewing^ i. That Time, Times, Haifa Time, mufi each fignifie^ firfi Years, then Years "*?n.i2.u. are made to lye in the complex of Twelve hundred ninety Dayes, In the Apocalyptick Prophecy, it is firft made known Apoc.ii.2. by Forty twcf Months*^ then by Twelve hundred Jlxty Days*^ Amc.W'.I'. ^^^^ t)y Three dayes and a half*^ then again by Twelve hun- Apoc.i2.6. dred fixty Dayet'*^ 5 then is again reaffum'd, the Time^Times^ j^^'»^2-M. Haifa Time * 5 and laftly, the Forty tm Months are the fe- * cond time afEgn'd, the obfervation of which Repetition, and Variation, and Order of both , in giving this fpace of Time, is of great Inftru(9:ion ( as we (liall fee in ks proper place ) for the underftanding Prophecy. That then, which I (hall firft addrefs our Thoughts unto, fliall be to confider every Character of rjf»»^, given us in Pro- phecy, by its felf, with its Signification and Extent, and the AfiTurances it is of fuch fignification and Extent ^ then the Balances of the Chara&ers one with another j and laftly, their feveral Epochs and Periods. Chara- ^^^ ^'"^ Charafter of Prophetick Time, is Time, Times^ Herfirji. Haifa Time, or if tranllated exaftly, either according to the Originals of the Old or New Teftament, and according to the very Defign of Prophecy, it is Appointed Time, Appointed Times, Appointed Half Time, or, Seafon,Seafons, halfaSeafinj and fo in that firft Diftribution of Time according to the Motion of the Sun, and the Moon, the great Luminaries of Heaven, it is ufed Genef 1.14. for Defign'd and Appointed Times ^ and this is very neceffary to be layd in the Founda- tion 3 For accordingly it will follow. The meafures of this Seafo»^ Seafim, ha^a 6>^y^»5 muft be found out by obfer- ving. A Scripure Line of Time. ving the meafures of the other Notes of Time wherewith they are joyned, for that Charader oiSeafin it felf fpeaks high, and notorious Delignation of this Tif»e^ Times ^ HalfaTiffte:, and that moft remarkable Seafin (of which after- ufe is to be made) arifes from fuch a Delignation, and not an immediate Definition of tjje Space. But then fecondarily, Becaufe a Year, and a Day, are the moft natural and ready Meafures of defigaed Time, and (b may in that forenam'd Scripture be the Explanation of Sea- Gen. 1.14. fofts, or remarkable and (ignaliz'd Times, as they are imme- diately added to Seafonsi and becaufe in all probability, fe- ven Times paffing over Nebnchadnez'z^ar under his Delirium, Dant^.21, mean feven Years, fince they cannot mean Days or Months, or lefs than Years, nor more, we may firft confider Time^ Times, Haifa Time, as three Years and a half, and that with Authority, becaufe they are diverfifyed into other fuch Ex- tents of Time or Spaces, as we (hall fee, that point to fb much. So then the fignification o^Time, Times, Haifa Time, is taken from that firft moft known and honourable Account of Time, the Suns Motion from Point to Point in its annual Circle : This is a more honourable Circulation than that of a Day, becaufe the Sun more knownly varies every day from the Point from which, and the Point to which it daily moves, which makes the change of the Year to thofe feveral Seafons 5 fo that although, as Solomon tells us. The Sun rijetb and go- eth down, and hafieth to the place where he aroje, diftributing Day and Night to the World, yet he neither lets nor riles two Days together at the fame exad Point, but veres to- wards one of the Tropicks^ although therefore a Day of the Suns being with us is the moft noble meafure of Time next to the Year, yet it cannot deferve the Name of a Time, of a fignaliz'd Time, as a Year doth 5 both becaufe it is not fb exaii to a Point of Revolution, and becaufe it is not (b fulU a Year excelling a Day in being the greater and ampler, and fo the moft perfed, known, and generally obferv'd Circle for B 2 a Sea- 4 A^Scrtftm Line of^Jjm. a Seafofi^ comprehending that of a Day above three hundred fixty five times within it felf , and is the Suns perfed: Emen- furation of its way from one end to the other end of the Heavens, and of its Vilitation of the whole Earth with its Beams. A Tear muft yet more excel a Month than it does a Day, b^caufe the Sun haih the Government of the Day, and of the Year , but the Moon, the much more ignoble Planet, and Governefs only of the Night, gives to the Months their Cha- rafter and Meafure 5 and tho there are twelve Points of the Space the Sun emenfurates in a Year, viz, the twelve Signs in the Zodiackt and the Suns firft Touch upon Aries ^ to its gliding off from it to the next Sign, may be call'd a Solar Month ^ yet neither is it the proper Month, which is defined by Lunations, nor is it any Circulation cf the Sun with it (elf^ or with its own Motion, or with its great end of en- compaffing the World with its enlivening Beams: there is no (pace therefore that can properly merit the Name of a Time orSeafon in the firft place, but a Year firft, and then a Day. Times, abfolutely fo call'd, muft needs alfo be moft pro- perly two Times, for the firft Plurality, or more than one is two 5 and the more fo, becaufe it is fet betwixt one Time, and half a time ^ for that Number, which exceeds, and re- moves from Unity firft, is two, and that which is bounded by half a Time in its remove from one Time, can be no more than two , for if it had proceeded to more than two, and had not been ftop'd or cut off, as the Hebrew fignificantly, h had been three Times, Haifa Time therefore, as it refers to the Beafts Time, muft be Time decurtated, or cut off at the middle, (as the Gar- ments and Beards of David's Servants, half'd by Hatjun'm Difgrace and Diftionour) to the Beafts eternal Infamy, and in recompence to his furprife of the Churches Peace, and ^c.8.1. Purity, at its half Hour, as ftiall be noted. Time then, as One, denotes Beginning, as One is the be- ginning of Number j Times ^ as Two, denotes Increafe and Confi- A Scripure Line of Time. Confiftency, as it is a progrels of Time from One, and fettles in the firft even Number ^ Half fpeaks an endeavour of Mo-, tion to be continued, but furpris'd, and cut off at its middle. Now thefe Time^ Times^ Half a Time^ might fignifie only the three Years and a half they firft import , but that they mu ft fignifie more, we (hall find very full affu ranee ; when therefore we (hall have reafon'd that it muft be more than three Years and a half, it will fhen appear moft reafonable, that each time (hould have its mofl: perfed Circle : And if . a Year be the perfedeft Circle of Time, then a Year of Years muft- be the moft perfc^i: and full Circle, beyond which there can be nothing, but a Repetition., or Multiplication of the lame again and again: fo then the Time muft be a Year of Years, the two Times muft be the fame Circle twice told, and the Half Time the fame Circle attempted the third Thne, and clip'd off at the Semicircle ^ which is the Account of^ this Charader of Time^ Times ^ Half a Time^ and which is the firft, and, as will appear, the moft comprehenfive of the Cha- raders of this Line: and tho there may be other Revolutions of the Heavens, and of the Sun, particularly known to learn- ed Aftronomers, containing greater numbers of Years, and there is a more perfect Number alfo of Years, viz,, the thou- fand Tears given us in this Prophecy, as we fhall fee after- wards 5 yet there is none fo fit to the prefent Purpofe as T>ays and Tears ^ nor fo full as a Year of Days, and then a Year of Years, or of prophetical Days, moft agreeable to Prophecy every way. I come now to the fecond Character of Days : A Daj then Chara- is the firft moft known and obfervable date of Time, as it ^^'^ ^"^ was firft in ufe to meafure Time by 5 the Evettitig and the ^^^" Mornitjg were the first T^y, affoon as Time began : A Day q^^. i. 5. then is the Time in which the Sun performs his Motion &c. (fpeaking as the Scripture does to general Apprehenfion, without regard to ftriftneffes' of Philofophy, whether the Motion be of the Sun or of the Earth) from Eaii to JFe//, and gives Light to one of the Hemifpheres, and then from IVe^ ^ A Scripure Line of Time. Weff to EaUy and fo haftens to the Place where be arofe as near as the aforefaid Variation will allow, and gives Light to the other Hemifpiiere, as Lord of the Day to the World of both Hemifpheres. As then on this Account Days are in all Languages expref^ five of length of Time, fo one Day was by God made choice of to (ignifie a Year, and one Day by Mofa, Pfal, 90. and by the Apoftle Peter is (ingl^d out to parallel with a thou- . fand Years ^ and Marts Day, by the Apoftle Faul^ is us'd to a r. the laft 90 of the firft 360, as Ghrift's Death began at the fixth Hour, or at twelve, the laft fourth part of the Ny&hemer^ and was perfeded by the end of it to his Burial 5 fo the Wit- neftes from 707 to j^j^ the end of the firft day, lay dead in the Street of the ^r^^^ City. But it did not become the Type they (hould be buried: andfo to 15 17 5 then their firft mo- tion to a Refurred^ion began, and their compleat Refurredti- on at 1697, even to admiration anfwering the laft half day. And laftly, becaufe Imperial Revolutions, as being under the eye of all Hiftory, moft livelily reprefented by their Em- blems, and fixed upon their juft Refts of Time, muft needs ftrengthen Prophecy concerning the Church of God, when one joyn Hand in Hand with the other $ there is therefore the Fall of the WeUern Empire given by the Divine Apoca- lyptical Prophecy to the Fall of the Eafiern Empire, or the taking of ConUantinopk^ by fuch wonderful Types and Fi- gures of the gradual Impreffions on the Weftern Empire, (Apoc^ 8. V. 7. to the end) by fuch Images of the Mahometan Saracens, as Locufts, t. 9. to z;. 13. and of the Turkjfl} Horfi". men, to the end of the Chap, and with fuch a Relation to the Antichriftian Idolatries, and their Impenitency therein 5 a- dorn'd with fuch Notes of Time, as ^q five months, and five vionths, to the Loch^s, and the honr, the day, the month, and the year, to the Horfe-men call'd for by the Voice, from the Golden Altar of Incenfe within the meafur'd Temple, when the Daily of publick Worftiip was- taken away, as makes 22 A Scripnre Line of Time. •makes the Line out of meafare excellent, and adorable, as gi- ven by the Holy Spirit , to the killing the third part of men, or taking Co^fiantwople^ I455' Behold then, as at a Review, the admirable Strudlure of it, and the great Inftrudiions arifing from its order of Repetiti- ons upon thefe (hort Particulars. 1. The intimate Time of this Line is efpecially moft fo- lemnly appointed and deiign'd, and the whole, as united with it 5 for it is nlade, and conftituted not without an Oath^ Dan. 12. 7. to be Time^ Timss^ half a Time^ and therein Sea^' fon^ Seafons^ half a Seajbn: and it is cut off, not without an Oath^ at the end of intimate Time, though the whole of the Time^ Times ^ half time, be firft fuppofed to run out at large, and the v/hole both of Time at large and intimate Time al(b cut off for ever at that tnd, Apoc. 10.6. 2. The whole of this Line, and of the hi^Jeventj/fiveTeari, is meafured by even Indi&ions, or Fifteens of Years 5 the ufe of which Riling in the Reign of Confiantine became well known by the beginning of this Line, which is one great Confirmation, that we are upon the true Time of it$ for to declare this, as it were with Induftry, there are even thirty joynd to the 1260, and more openly Three Fifteens, or For- ty Five to the 1290, that we may thereby be engaged .to look back upon the v/hole Line, and find it throughout (b com- pared, as may be eafily computed, and hath been before obferv*d on Danieh Vifion. 3. Each Community hath its juft {hare in the intimate and full extended Time of this Line, and each twice given: The Beaft hath firft his intimate Time, twice given in Daniel^ and by two forty two months^ given firft to his Gentiles, till his own rifing, and then forty two Months to himlelf, he hath the utmoft extent o^Time, Times, half time, as before decla- red 5 and drawn out of the 2500 Evenings ; Injuft corre- fpondence with which, the Servants of God, as collected and congregated in the Woman, the Church, that they might not be accufed as having Relation to no Church , arid fingle '•12.17. in the WitneiTes, and the Seed, who have the Witnefs^ that the ' A Scripure Line of Time. 2 ^ the Church might not feem a Notion onely, have each one and the fame 1260 da, drawn out of the 2300 mornwgs af- lignd to them 5 and the Witneffes thrcz dajes and a half, and the Woman three times and a. half, or fiafon^ or inti^ mate Time, anfwering the BeaOs intimate Time, who muft have the Servants of God as a fubjedt to work upon while his Tyranny lafts. Now that the Time at large, or the Twice 1260 Days, muft needs be the fame, and differ only in notion, as the Church, and the Witneffes, or the Seed that have the Witnefs ofjefus do, is mod: evident 5 becaufe lying within the feme Conti- nent of Time^ Times^ Semi Time^ and being both of the long- eft reach, and exactly of the fame fize, it is not poflible they ftiould begin or end fooner one than another, as v/e have found it poflible the Gentiles and the Beafls months may do 5 For neither are they fo united as the Woman and the Wit- tjejjes 5 And their months^ though of the fame fize one with another, are yet not of an equal extent to time^ times^ half tiffte^ at their full length, nor to the 1260 day es^ thejuft meafure of the three times and half -^ although both the Forty two months uniting, as we have faid, are neither long- er nor (hotter than the 1260 dayes^ nor than xh^Three Times and half the common Womb of all. And even fo the three times and half of the Woman ^ and the three dayes and half of the Witnejfes muft be the (ame alio, ietmgiheWitneJJes and the Woman are the fame,and the 1260 dayes the fame, and no difference, but only notional, as was explaind. For if they were different, the Woman (hould have no parallel to the three dayes and half o[ the Witnejfps, nor the Witnejfes have any parallel with the three times and half o^ the Witnejfes, which^ii^ moft unbecoming fo Uniform a Type, are impoffible alfo in (iich a famenels. Thus the Marches, or Out-lying Borders, as well as the Intimate Time are full, on the fide of both Communities, the Beafts Tyranny, and the Sufferings of the Servants of God. The a;^ a Scripnre J^ine of Time. "The lafl: S eve f^ty five years ^ by the Forces, Revel. 14. and by the Vials J Rev, 16. move onto the two utmoft Pillars oiTime. It is done y It is dotie^ Rev. 16. 17. Rev. 21. 6. Obje&. In the former or after Parts of this Difcourfe, I offer, as I hope, moft Convidtive Proofs of all thefe things in particular, and anfwer all Ob jeftions 5 1 (hall only at this time remove this one, vi%. There leeras no more reafon to under- lland the forty two Mho is in Heaven \ and as Chriftians we (hould be alham'd to deny it 5 but ;n Religion,even to the leaft Ce- remony of it, except determined by natural decency or or- der, we have but ove Father and Mafter^ God and Chy^iU, and here he hath neither Vicar.^ nor Vice-gerent^ but his Spi- rit in his Word. We fhouid be content in this time ofthe Apoliajie, with a -p^^^^^^j. mean Condition lipon the account of Religion, not to feek ?, Grandeur and Honour upon that Title , If God cafts it on us, we (hould improve it to his Glory and the fupport ofthe Service, and Servants of Chrift, it is the Beafl and his Adhe- rents, that carry the Pomp and Greatnefs of this World in a. Religious Equipage yit is even afufpition upon what is high, and ftately,and inOpulency by Chriftianity 5 for Chri^:s^F/>- ncjjks are in Sack: clock, it is the Time of the Delay of his ^ingdom^ and all his Servants are with him in the Fatience of it 5 they ought not to ravidi Glory, and furprife Dignity before the time, but to ftay for it, till the appearance of^efis Chri^^ the 1260 Days of Mournings and ofthe Church in the Wildernefs are not yet run out, the Beaft is yet in Power •-, the Tenthlinefs of the City k not yet fallen^ the Klingdom of Chrift is not yet proclaimed. It is no wonder, there is yet fo great a Rent and Divifion 'Kemarh in Chriftian Religion, that any thing unreafonable, or a 4- frame of things moft contrary to it, bears np againfl: all the urgencies of Scripture and Pveafon, and will not be bafled nor afhamed 5 but vouches high, and pretends aloft 5 fo it jhould be, that Prophefe may h fulfilled^ The Beasi and his Adherents are obftinate to the laft, even when the Elevation of things againft them (hall be much higher then now, when Evidences ■ "^o ^ Scripure Line of Time. Evidences from Heaven (hall be much more fenfible, theyllaf- ^hemc and repent mk Chriftianuy from folong an Antiquityjand the profeflion of it (hields and defends their Pretenlions,and carries a (hade over them, even wherein they depart from it, and mod Apoftatize, this keeps up the Controverfie, and perpetuates the Difpute. But within a Time, a Ihort Time it will be decided 5 it will come to that publick Declaration of the Witmjfes Afcen- tion^ of their So»g before the Throne^ the pofitive Denunciati- on, If any man worjhip the Bea!f^ and his Ifftage^ He Jhalt drink, of the wrath of God, and ^c^ will put an end to all Difpute, Revel. 14. 9. In the mean time, let not any pretence dagger us. The man of fin ought t0 Jit in the Temple of God 5 his (eat then muft be founded in a profeflion of the true Religion 3 his Antiquity fignifies nothing 5 for he ought to be a Bea!i of forty two months of years., or above twelve hundred years Standing. His Pretences from any thing faid or done before that 1260, how early foever, if it be not found evident in Scripture, is of no avail 5 for the Myftery of Iniquity, the Womb out of which He came, was at work, and in a Myftery fo fecrct, fo cunning, as not to be difcern'd by many good men 5 and all to bring him to what he was, and is 3 the Spirit of Antichrift was then in the World . It is no wonder Princes continue fo devoted to him, and his C;jfy, he calls a Church-^ the words of God are not ytifnU /■//^fi^ concerning him, but they (hall conlider, and change their Alinds ivhen God puts it into their Hearts 5 and therefore we ought earneftly to pray for them, whatever their Perfwafions are now 5 that God would continue their Lives, for they (hall then be Inftruments in his hand 3 that change fo near approaching (hall be moft orderly, moft regularly by Princes themfelves induced by Evidences from Heaven, of an extraor- dinary nature 5 God will not be help'd herein, but by hfg' own Vicegerents^ whom he hath appointed, whom he hath or- dain'd 3 no Sedition, Rebellion, may grow from hence 3 It is to A Scripure Line of Time. jx to be quieted, appeas'd, and even rooted up by this'Doftrine, even as it is utterly condem'd by it, for God will appear,and Princes with him. But yet on this, nor on any other Account, can there be a Reconciliation, a Compofition with this falfe ftate of Chri- ftianity : there may be fuch Attempts, for there will be a Synagogue */ Satan rifing a- new at the very approach of Chrift's Kingdom, before the end yet of the 1260 Days ; It appears as if there would be fo, for Philadelphia, the befl: State of the Chriftian Church before the Ncrv Jerhfilem, and with which it united, (hall receive Acknowledgment from fuch a Synagogue, that Chrift hath lov'd it. Revel. 3. 9. But this Keprefentation of Beftianif^, obftinate, impeni- tent to the Laft in the Body of it, as it is the decifive Argu- ment, and beyond all Volumes of Difpute, becaufe it is di- vine, perpendicular, down-right, fwift, and fudden in its De- termination 5 (b it (hews the impoffibllity of meeting half- way, accepting Terms to any g.ood EfTed. We know not what may be between this prefent Time, though but a Remnant, and the end of the 1260 Days. There may be an Eye of the Witnejfes kjWd, and lying dead, three. days and a half, a return of former Darknefs in fome parts at leaft : I apprehend it not in this Nation 5 yet God only know- €th 5 it is not fo far reveal'd, fo far as I have found 5 but I hope not; There may be a Synagogue of Satan -^ a Projedl of Compounding 5 this I more fear : but let us obtain and main- tain a full Victory over the Image, the Markj, the Name, and the Number of the Name. But it is certain, it is but te» prophetical Days, and the WitneiTes fhall not only every where ri(e, but every where come out of their Sackcloath^ out of which, the true Witnejfes of God are no where yet come: Then they (hall, for the mouth of the Lord hathjpo- ken it. So many certain Notes, Gharafters, and Boundaries of ' Time as I have drawn together in the compute of this Line of Time with it felf, and that are given as Affiftants to it, I though 2 i A Scripure Line of Time. though not immediately of the Eilence and Body of it 5 can be no more by chance than many Pictures exadtly refembling feveral Perfons pertaining to a Family, and found in the Manlion of fuch a Family, and at fuch Times when fuch Per- fons were known to be fo appertaining to it, can be by chance : Forc'd they are not 5 for things themfelves confpire : Fancyful and Arbitrary they are not 5 for they cannot be chang'd, or remov'd at Pleafure, nor any like them made. If then they are truly Scriptural and Divine, How cer- tainly (hall they be fulfilled in their Seafon > AH counter- Appearances can (ignifie no more, than the Ifraelites feverer Ufage by Pharaoh argued againft their Deliverance by Mojes, All the Difaffedion in the Age to Interpretation of Prophe- cies, or its infenfiblenefs of them, can no more difprove them than Ghrift's coming as a Thief upon Sardk at an Hour it ^ knew not, (hall be difprov'd by the Sleepinefs and Unwatch- fulnefs of that Church. Let us then with Refolution , Conftancy of Obedience^ Strength of Faith, Labour of Love, Patience of Hope^ wait for, and cof?ie to the end oftheje ten days, and from them to the 1335 Days, where Bleffednefs (hall certainly be. But if we ihould fay, We may dye before tho(e Ten Tears are come to their Period, and there is no Probability or Poffibility we (hould live to the feventj/ Jive bejond, or the 1335 of BleiTednefs : I anfwer 5 The Saints of God living on Earth fhall receive their fhare in all the Glories of his Kingdom, and the ieveral degrees of it: and they that dye, hoping^ waiting, dejiring^ praying, (hall be rais'd in the very fame pofture of Soul wherein they died : fo that they, who by a general Faith and Obedience waited, and came in Daniels Time, and ever fince, viz. by earned Prayers, Come Lord Jefus, Come quickly, (hall be bleffed 5 even as they who by particular Faith and Obedience wait, and come at the Time it felf And in the mean time, the Souls of Saints above, the Spi^ rits ofjuU 'mon^ who (hall be perfected at that time, cele- brate A Scripure Line of Time. 55 brate In Heaven all the Advances of Chrift's Kingdom, even as they pray for it : as the Souh under the Altar^ cry^ Hgv<> loftg Lord, 8cc. fo they rejoyce at every Rifing oF Chrift's Kingdom 5 fo do the fame Souls, Rev. 12. 10. So Rev. 14.5. They, that Ji»g that mvp foug^ harpwg with their Harps. So They, Rev. 15. 3. So they, Rev. 19, 8cc. Such is the univer- (al Song of Triumph of the Palm-bearing company, ReveL 7. 10. Let us not therefore defpond, but be ahnndartt in the work, of the Lord, knovping our labour Jh all not he in vain in the Lord. Why (hould it be thought an incredible thing., that God 'B.emdr\ fhould draw in his Word the Plot of Future Time to fo 6. great a Period as the Kingdom of Chrift ? That all Futurity is within the Grafp of Infinite Omnifcience, cannot be doubt- ed, K.novpn to God are all his Works from the beginning to the end. The Scheme of all that hath been, before it was, or that (ball be, is always with Him, as if it juft now was, in all the circumftances and Life of ^i prefent Appearance, in whole E- ternity. All pre(ent, paft, to come, are all one. The whole Table of Time is always before Him. Does it then pertain to the Prerogative of Omnifcience, that Future Things (hould be known only to hirafelf ? It does fo indeed, any further than he is pleas'd to reveal them. But He that challenges the falfe Divinities of the Heathen, that they could not declare things to come, hath certainly gi- rra.42.23. ven Inttances of his own Prefcience, and Demonftrations of it to his People. Hath he not done fo in all Ages, by his Servants the Prophets ? Is he not as Liberal to the Ages of Chriftianity, to the ftate of things under the Gofpel of his Son, whom he hath conftituted Heir of all things, and put in fubje&ion to him the World to come, ofvohieh we Jpenk; Or, is the Glory of Divine Truth fo great, that even as immediate Appearances, the Power of Miracles, and extraor- dinary Revelations have ceas'd fince the full Settlement and Sealing the Volume of Truth in the Gofpel, fo Prophecy needs not now. This indeed hath much of Reafon, yet even F as /j. A Scripure Line of Time. as all Truth is corrpriz* d in that Volume, fo are the Grand Revolutions pertaining to the Chrif^ian Church, in the fame Volume 5 and therefore whatever God hath done for the former Worlds the very fame hath he fumm'd up in the New Teftament. When therefore v^^e have, befides the Interfperfion of Pro- phecy in feveral places of it, a Book wholly Dedicated to Prophecy, BleJJed js he that heareth and readeth the words of this Prophecy 5 Have we not reafon then to expedt the courfe of things to the very end in it ? But does not the Prophecy it felf fay, The Things were fliortly to come to pafs ? So that what is to be found in it pertain'd to the primitive Age, the Deftruftion ofJerufak»fy to the Time when Chriftianity was well fettled, and till Pa- gan Ro/^ig became Chriftian. It is true indeed, The Divine ReveUtor, Jefitf Chrifl our Lord, does fay, the thwgs voere Jhortly to come to pafs^ that is, to begin to come to pafs. They were then upon motion 3 but as a great Army is faid to come immediately, when the Avant-Corriers are coming, or come, although the whole Body and Rear may be confiderable diftances off, fo this whole ^Jeries, and Chain of Events in the Revelation come quickly, although the firf\ and the laft part difTer fo many Ages. Is it not clear and vitible, that there is the Beginning of Things, and the End of Things in every mans Apprehen- sion plain and evident, that is, from the Refurredion, and to the Day of Judgment > and why then (hould we not be- lieve, there is the Middle of Things alfo ? Why fhould we imagine, Prophecy hath made fuch a Leap over the Between Lying Times, feeing they were very great ? Did it not be- hove his Church and Servants to know of fo great, and wide fpreading an Impoflure as MahomeUnijme ? Was it nothing to it, Chriftianity (hould be in fo low and dark a ftate, as it was from the lowe[\Fall oftheWeftern Empire to the Ruine of the Eaf\ern Empire, in both which the principal Refiden- ces of it were a and fo long fpace as from 666^ to 1455. But A Scripture Line of Time. 5 5 But flill, it may be faid. If fuch a Prophecy be, it does not become us to pry into it 5 it is the Jrk. offecnt thhgs^ that do not belofig to ut. Why then does Chrift fay, Bkf- fid is he that heareth the words of this Prophecy . what is the occafion of the Witneffcs put^ ting on Sack:cloth^ or the Wontans flying, into the wildernefi^ feeing all thefe belong to the Beafts Tyranny, who did not yet exift, nor till fo long after appeard Regnant, or why are the Twelve hundred jlxty days made to begin fo much foo- ner than the Beajis Forty two ntonihs . Of True Chriftians and Pagan Chriftians^ it is a very unequal Toke, 2. Cor. 6. 16. • . This moft admirably alfo anfwers the prophetical Type of the daily Sacrifice taken away by Antiochus,"^ for firft the falfe * Caird and revolting Jevps would make a Covenant with the Heathen, ^i>ip^^nes. and obtained Licence of the King to do after the Ordinan- ces of the Heathen 5 becaufe the Land had more Peace then, whereupon they built a Place of Exercije at Jerufalem, ac- cording to the Cuftom of the Heathen 5 and then in Gods Account the daily was taken away from, or before that wicked Prince Antiocbus, Dan. 8. II. Then he entred Proudly into the San&uary, and fo things went on to the utmofk Extremi- ty and height , that all ihould leave their own Laws, and the People be one, and whoever would not do according to the Com- mandment of the King, (hould dye, and the daily Service was openly forbidden^ lo Jerufalem became n^or/Sac, aMorp/W a Habitation of Strangers or Gentiles, then the San&uary be- G 2 came ^4 -^ Scripure Line of Time. came a Defilatio», ypefjcoo^^ ws ep)j/w©-, It was defolated as w Wildernefs, and became dxhol^U to/s ym^ocoi, an alien to its Off-fpring and they to it, and then all was turned, «s. •TrevG©-, into the Mourning and fqualor of fa{:/{cloth at the Appearance of the Abomwation that maketh defolate^ which ' was fet up the fifteenth of the Month Cajlm^ in the \\%th year of the Grecian Kingdom , and on the ^ve and twen- tieth day of the fame Months they lacrific'd upon the Idola- troHs Altar^ and that this might be done without controul,. and the true Religion baniftied ^ they rent in pieces the Bookj of the LatVy wherever they were found, and wherefbsver was found with any the Book^ of the Tefiament^ or if any eonfented to the Law, the Kings Commandment was, that they fhould put him to death. Howbeit many in Ifrael were fully refol- ved, and confirm'd in themfelves to keep clofe to the Divine Law and Rule, in all things, and accordingly y^j^rW. But exactly three years after, as the Hiftory reports, the fan&uary was cleans* d^ and the daily fervice reftored j and a year after that Antiochus dyed as a Prince brok^en without hand. This is the fum of the Relation, i Mace c.i. c. 4. cap. 6. Now how admirably this prophetical Type of Antiochus's enading the taking away the daily Jewifh fervice, the way being prepared by the paganiz d Jews, the Methods and De- grees by which all was done, the Reftoration that followed, and then the divine Judgment upon the Tyrannous Prince himfelf, how admirably I fay all this Anfwers the Table of things before us, is even amazing 5 as alfo that the Hiftory was not onely prefer ved by Providence (Divine Revelation being then intermitted, till Chrift, which is not without its fignificancy ) that it hath not been only, 1 fay, prefervedj but inierted however unduely into the facrcd Records, by 'thofe, by whomfoever it was done, that by* a Witnefs and Prophet of their own, a Scripture of their ovm Canonizing, fuch an Eye of time though much ftiorter,and fuch a Typical Deline- tion, allowing for fome lefler Difagreeraents, fo wonder- fully exaft (hould be raiifyed, and that this Map of things, might A Scripture Line of Time. 45 might be not only extant, but fo illuftrious, as to have be- come in their Account part of the Bible, and bound up fo generally with it by their Influence who were indued con- cern'd, it ftiould have been blotted out from under Heaven.. But that in which we ^re at prefent moft interefled, is^ That by the ApoOacy of the Gentiliz'd Chriftians, the Dai- ly of the publick Worlbip of Chriftians firft ceas'd, and Co in God's Account, the Mourning or Sackcloth of the Wit- neffes, and the Wildernefs-ftatc of the Woman the Church, , by that Gymnafuim^ that Place of Exercife, or Academy for Idolatry, to train and fchool men up to it, was brought in- to the Holy City: even thus the remaining Love to l^aga- nifm began the Covenant or Compofition between Gentilijm^ and falfe Chriftianity, exchanging the one into the other, and on the very fame Account, becaufe the Land then infcfted Wn\\ the harharouf Irruptions, needed fuch Maozzim^ or Pa- trons^ and Defenders, as Idols before, and the Saints Departed now. Andfo all things went on to the 666,ihe Number of the Beaft, his Image, Mark, Name, and the Number of his Name, fo that one would be prone to think, The * Treading the Ho- ly City under foot by the Gentiles, t the WitneJJes Sackfloth, 1^1^^^'' {{ the IVildernefi of the Woman^ * Her Seed at the fame time t nivQoi» aggrefs'd , were all taken from the Maccabean Words we |'^^*1'^''5; ^ mention'd before 5 although it is evident, they have their ^'^"^'' Ground of Allulion chiefly from Sacred Writ it felf, yet by- way, of Argument, ad Homines, to the Men themfelves , this is no unvv'orthy Obfervation, nor can it leera undefign'd by Providence. 4. There is in this very Epoch of the wonderful Line we are upon, fuch a Concurrence of Prophetical Notes both of the States, and of the Times adjufted, that it is as if the Ho- ly Spirit of Prophecy had faid to us, Obferve it 5 This is the Beginning, the Era, and Epoch of it. For fir(t,lhe treading t\\Q Holy City znA theCourt^ is in words the very fame with the place of the SanBuary caU down, and the Sani^nary , and the HoB given to be trodden under foot , Dan. 46 A Scripure Line of Time. Dan. 8. V. II 13. in the Vifton of the Daily taken away^ and of the 2300 Ev.Morn. From whence is to be concluded, that the Forty two Months muft, as was before aflerted , be de- tached from the 2300 Even, and that there the Daily taken away begins. The 1260 Days immediately following in Account, as concurrent with the 42 Months, (hew, They are taken out of the 2300 Morft. and confirm this to be the Time of the Daily taken away, becaufe the Daily taken away is the Cha- racter of the firft Point of Time to the Twelve hundred nine- - ty-y of which Twelve hundred, fixty muft needs be part, fee- ing they go on to 1335 at the end of all, and fo many can- not be found in the 2300, which is the Date of the whole Vifton of the daily taken away^ or in fo great a Number, but in thefe 1290, joyn'd with 1335. The twelve hundred ^xty being joyn'd, and the fame twelve hundred (ixty^ with thofe of the Womans dwelling in the Wil- dernefs^ do both fet the Era, or beginning of that State, to be even with the Daily taken away^ and do alfo (hew the Equality o^Time^ Times, half a Time, with the twelve hun- dred fixty days, if taken at their full 'extent 5 for they are joyn'd, Dan. 12. with the fcaitering the Power of the Holy Peo- ple, wh\ch fcattering was 1260 Days, Revel. 12. 6.* there be- ing not a plainer Expreffion o{ xh^Wildernefsftate in an Old Teflament myfiical Prophecy, th^nfiattering 5 and that Word, accomplifinng tofcatter, does fubindicate fome Power that be- gan this fcattcring, which was this of the Gentiles, and then that the Aniichrifiian Prince accomplifti'd this fcattering, both to the higheft degree, and to the utmoft moment it was to Lift 5 and becaufe he, as hath been faid, is Lord o( the Time, Times ^ Half time, the very naming them is naming of him: And n(jw, if all this be not demonftrative of the Epoch, or Beginning of thefe 1260 Days, I ftiall be bold to fay. No- thing in Prophetical Scripture is capable of being demonftra- ted, fo much as by, and within Prophetick Scripture it felf 5 which to affert, muft needs weaken the Evidence of Scrip- ture by and from it felf throughout. I A Serif ture Line of Time, 47 I confefs, it may (eem, the Church is fooner in the Wilder- nefs than the Wjtnejfes are in Sackcloth •■) for ailbon as the Wo- man brought forth the Man-child^ it vp(fs caught up to the Throne of God'-i which Brwgiug forth and Enthroning was certainly when the Empire hecsimQC hriflian in Conjiantwe , and that was long before 437, when the Witneffes put on Sackcloth^ as i affert. But to clear this, it is to be confider'd , there are three fynchronous Defcriptions of the very Beginning of this Line of Time, or of the Apofiacji. The firft is bottomed upon the fubftantial and fenfible Foundations of Imperial Hiftory, under prophetick Figures 5 viz. Of the blafted WeHern Empire^ embellifti'd with very curious Types of the Apofiacy then beginning, as fhall be fhewn upon the firB Trumpet foundings when we come to it. The fecond is by the more Scriptural Images of the Wit- nejfes putting on Sackcloth^ on account of the Gentiles treading the Holy City^ or Court. And the third by the parallel Shade of the Woman flying into the Wildernefs, The Firft hath a plain diftind Indication of things prepa- ring to the Apoftate State, in the Declaration of a new Roll of Martyrs,* in the fealing the 144000 Sufferings after the ^ji^vei 6. Chriftian Empire, in the Silence in Heaven for only half an ii.c.7! Hour^ in the Angels preparing to found 5 all which w^ere fo ^' ^' ^' ^' many diftind Steps towards the Apoftacy. This is the moft full and clear. The Second hath one like it, in the Reed given to John, with a Command to meafnre the Temple^ which was parallel and contemporary to the Sealing^ by all B.ules of Proporti- on 5 as we {hall fee. The Third is, the Womans flying into the Wildernefs'^ where indeed there is no open mention of a Preparation, but the Event is given in one view, viz,. The Woman flying into the Wildernefs j yet in that the Woman having been firft fpokeii of. 48 A Scripnre Line of Time. of, her Hiftory, as to the utmoft extended Time of the Apo- ftacy, is given together 5 fo, as to make it evident, the (b fudden Affignation of the 1260 Days in the Wildernels is gi- ven both to match the Preparation of the tvi^o former Types to the Apojiacy^ as alfo to joyn the Witnejfes^ and the Womans twelve hundred ftxty Dajis into one 5 and the true Order both of that Preparation and Vergency, as alfo of the 1260 Days beginning is given in thefecond giving of the Womans Times and Half Time, as (hall be made moft clear, when we come to parallel thefe three fynchronousDefcriptionsin their Events at the FirB Trumpet. Now as to the Involution of thefe Three States, and Cha- raders, as neceflarily contemporizing one with another, it is even felf demonftrative : for when the Daily Service of God is tal^efi away, and the Beftian Gentiles delay the King- dom ofChrifk in Preparation to the Antichriflian Pritjce-^ the Witnejfes muft, if there be fuch a prophetick Type, prophecy in Sackfloth^ and retire to the Altar oflncenfe^ as to private Worfhip: and if the Womanho. the fame withthe^/>;?e^/or her 6Ve^3,if They are hid in Sackcloth, and there be fuch a Type as of her felf i// theWildernefs fed with hidden Manna, how can both be, but at the fame Time? And if the Witnejfes be in Sackcloth, and the Vi^oman in the VVildernefs, and there be fuch a Type as of the Gentiles treading the Holy Court, That, and That only, being then in view (the Bea^ being not ri- fen ) mufl be the occafion of it : And if there be fuch a Type as Sealing, which fignifies Secrecy, Retirement, and Delay, the efficacy of that muft be at the fame Time with the parallel Symbols : for this ought to be a Standard throughout , The Gentiles and the Bea^ caufing the Sufferings of God's Ser- vants, and the Servants of God, the Sufferers muft in all things parallel one another, according to the Degrees of Ele- vation '■) for the Aftion of the one neceffarily produces Suffer- ings, the State of the other receives Sufferings, as neceffarily 5 fb their feveral Symbols require there muft be the Efficients to work 5 there muft be the Subjei^s to work upon, Both at the fame Time. There A Scripure Line of Time. aq There are yet two Symbols more, Tangents, or immedi- diately joyrfd with the beginning of this Line, that come in to our Affiftance 5 and they are the true Worfhippers, retiring within the Temple^ enfolded with the Gentiles entritig the outer Courts and the Servants of God under the efficacy of their StAl^ at ih.e firfi Trumpet. That we may make all things then moft clear, with reJa- tion to this Epoch, let us "more diftinftly compare all the Symbols of this Prophecy, that immediately touch it, and pierce as far as we can into their fenfe and meaning, and joyn therewith that their immediate Touch of this Epoch : For if by all thefe we can well fix it, it is an abfolutc, and undoubted foundation of the whole Time. Now there are four Symbols, all meeting to begin this Time, upon each of which, we may either Recolledt the Subftance of what hath been already fpoken upon any of them, or dilate our Thoughts upon what in any of them hath not yet been explain d, and fee how any Intimations, or Notes of Compare among themfelves reflect Light from one to another. 1. That which comes firft in the order of the Prophecy, as alfo in order of nature, is, the fealing the hundred forty four thoufand^ into a Secrefie and clofe Retirement ^ For a Seal on their Foreheads^ and the Name of the Lambs Father written on their Foreheads^ differ, as a Writing feal'd, and a Title open, and in Capital Letters 5 compare i^ez/e/. 7. z;.i. Sec. and Revel. 14. z^. i. 8cc. 2. The Temple^ the Alt or ^ and the Worfiippers therein. Re- duced within clofe, and confin'd meafures^ is the next given Symbol. And here it is neceffary to inquire, what is meant by the Temple^ and the Altar ^ becaufe the Temple fometimes is taken for the whole Area or ground, upon which it felf, and all its Courts and Avenues ftood, yea, even the whole City Jerufalem was reputed a Court to it, and the Holy City thereupon we find it ftyl'd. But the Temple at other times is taken ftri(^ly for that retyr d part of it that was under co- H vert, ^o A Scripure Line of Time. vert, and into which the Prkfts only came 5 There were al- fo two Altars, one in the Outer Court, which was the -^Z- t(tr of Burnt- offer jvg and Sacrifice 5 in approach to which the Congregation came : and the Altar of Jnccfjfe within the Tem- ple^ to which the Prkfts '^nly drew near, and the People flood ivithout. Luke I. 9, 10. 2. 22. Now it may be a Doubt, what Temple, and what Altar are here intended, and the deciding of the Altar will much contribute to the deciding of the Temple ^ And that the A1-- tar oflncenfe is alone igtended, and the Inward Cover'd Temple, in which it ftood, before the Fail, or the Holj> ofHo>- lies, thefe three things do enough afiiire us. 1. The Altar of Incenfi^ is brought into view and obfer* vation, Juft before this Time, of the fneafuritjg the Temple^ (as (hall be proV'd) and in diftinftion from that Altar, un- der which the Seuls lay as Sacrifices, compare Revel. 6. ver. 9. ca. 8. V. 5. Sec : as it were to intimate, that the Daily Pub- lick Worlhip, under the Type of Sacrifice, was near its Ta- kjtjg away, and the private clofe Worfhip at the Altar ofln- cenfe fucceeding, and within the Temple, with both which the filence agrees. . - 2. The Cry for the loofing the four Attgeis, bout? din Euphra-^ tes, founds from this Qolden Altar of Incenfe, whither the True Worlhippers had been long retir'd before the Time of that Cry, and were clofe within the Temple, c. 9. 19. 3. The very Symbol it felffpeaksan inwardeft Retirement within the Temple, and to the Altar enclofed within that ^. For whatfoever was outward, viz. the Outward Court and City, was caft out to the Gentiles, who trode uttderfoot the San&nary, and Holy place of Publick Sacrifce,vi'L.x\it Court, where the Sacrifices and People had place, and fo make up this Symbol : For the Gentiles having the Outward Court of Sacrifice under their Feet, the Daily Service became taken away 5 fo the True WorQiippers retir'd to fecret Service at the Altar oflncenfe, the Apocalypticl{^Ty^e of Prayers^ c.S.v.^, 5. The third Symbol is the Witneffes in Sackcloth, that, as kath been laid, is a mournful Habit, and covers that Glory and; A Scripure Line of Time. ay^ Month and Tear given to the two hundred thoufand thoufand Horfemen^ v. 15. 19, and that great Period, at which Chrift faore. Time Jhould be no more, but that in the days of the jth Trumpet, 8cc. Revel. \o, 6, 7. Becaufe, I fay, all thefe things can no way be (b fatis- fa(^orily prov'd, as by fubtending or ftretching out under them, and applying to them the courle of hiftorical Time and its Events all along, fo curioudy painted out in this Pro- phecy, I propofe this Method of Progrels. 1. To apply to xhc/ealing^ to the Altar of Incenfe, and the Temple-tporjhipers^ to the Witnejfes in Sackzcloth, and to the Woman in the Wildernefs, the Notes of Hiftory correfpondent to their Beginning, according to the Prophetical Symbols, and beginning together with the Gentiles forty two Months, 2. From this Epoch or beginning to pafs by the Prophe- tical Symbols in agreement with the hiftorical Records to the Beajis forty two Months, and to demonftrate their Epoch, Continuance, and Period. 5. By the fame fupports from Prophecy, and Hiftory, to pais to the beginning of the five and five Months^ and the fpace of Time thereby denoted, granted to the Locufis, Revel 9. 5.1a 4. Within which fpace, the beginning of intimate Time, the reafon of it, and its whole duration will fall under Ex- amination, and its 666, by Prophecy and Hiftory. 5. About the midft of intimate Time, the Hour, Day^ Month, and Tear of that va!f Army of the Horjemen, will en- counter our Enquiry, and the whole Duration require to be ftated from their beginning to the killing the third part of men^ or the end of that fpace of Time, but not of that Power figured by them, nor of the Woe they brought. 6. At the end of intimate Time, and after the killing the third part of men, we (ball be brought upon the Time of the afbrelaid y^/e«w» Oath, that Time fhall be no more, which will carry us to the end of this whole Line, and wind us up with its A Scripture Line of Time. 5 5 its feir, and by every one of thefe . we (hall find the Line of this black Time muft end at 1697, as it began 437. All which, by the guidance of the Prophecy it felf, and the affiftance of the Holy Spirit of it will aflbre us by the moft illuftrious and ftately produds of that whole Time and of greateft Concernment to the Chriftian World, that thefe 1260 years are a moft definite fpace of (b many, and no few- er, nor more in number, and that feeing they muft be either Natural or Prophetical Time, according to the Standard of a. day for a year, for the Scripture Regifter knows no other fort of Time, nor can any inftance be given of any other, therefore they muft be prophetical days, or days of years^ and months of years, fince the Events deftin'd by God to them, are fo much too great and large for natural Time in their own Nature, and in the prophetical defcyphar, that no more, then a year can be a year, and yet be crowded up within a Month, a Day, or Hour , no more can thofe long Trads of Time-fome Adion be fettered within three years and a half,the higheft amount of thofe Characters of Time, if naturally un- derftood, without a Contradidion in .the very Nature of things. SECT. V. W Herein it is proved, the fialing fo intermatched with the inner Temple and Altar meafHredj with the Wit^ neffes in Sack^cloth, and with the Woman in the Wildernefs 5 and the three fir^ Trumpets ( in which the Efficacy of the fealing entered ) intermatched wiih the Gentiles treading the outer Court, with the Dragons perfecution of the Woman, at her firfl flight into the Wildernefs, muft according to Hiftory, begin the whole Time, Times, half Time, the Gentiles forty two Months, the 1260 of the 1290 D^y/, when the <^4/i^ Service, Dan, 12. 11. was taken away, and the WitneJ/es and the Woman s 1260 Days altogether at 457, and fo move for- ward 54 ^ Scripture Line of Time. ward till the fohrthTrufffpetyVjhtn the Eeafls forty two months began at 475. . rTT^I *Hat I may fettle the beginning of the 1260 Tiays^ a^c, aright 5 the Contents of this Sedion ranfl: be an- fwered, and made good in the Body of the Difcourfe with- in it : I muft endeavour thele five things then to attain that . End by thefe Enquiries. ^^ I. Hovi7 far theyi^'e// Seals had brought down Time from our Lord's Refurredion to the firft of the fiven Trumpets^ muft be diligently enquir'd and fettled, feeing , one follow on the other. -^^ iv^ 2. The IraportancCvOf th'eye4//>?^ the Servants of Gad after theyez;e» Seals opend, and the confpiring of that Symbol with the Retirement of thk Worfiippers within the Temple^ the Witnejfes under Sackcloth^ and the Woman into the Wilder- nefs^ muft be determined and fetded 5 for the Sealing's Effica- cy begins All, even the very Trumpets which could not found 3ill the fealing over. 3. The Scope and Intention of the Trumpets is to be care- fully eftiraated in the drift Attention to the Emblem it felf, and feeing the firft / 55 with the Gentiles forty two Months, and all of therii to de- termine the beginning of this Line to be at the beginning of the Trumpets fi/mdwg^ and both to be at A»n. DotJt. 437, and to reach in the thrmjirfi Trnmpets to the Bcafis riling, at 475 5 then that willlfpfe done which ought to be done : for by neceffary Confeqiience, the Line muft end at 1697. 1 begin with the firft, wz,. to enquire, How far theyt^z.^^ Seals open'd had brought down Time from our Lord's Re- furreCfion to the fir ft of the Trumpets founding: for the Trum- pets muft needs. follow upon the Scals^ as is moft apparent. Now, fince it is very evident, the Rejurre&ion ofChrisi begins the whole courfe of Apocalyptical Time, I know not what can be more demonftrative of any point of Time, than to find the Prophecy by the moft lively Piftures, and Em- blems to draw the courfe of Events from a Time given, as from the Rejurre&ion Ann. Dom^Yw], 33, to a Time given, "uiz, to the Trumpets fuppos'd to h^ Ann, Dom. Vul. 497. that is from the Refurre^ion the Apocalyptical Epoch or Time be- ginning 404 Years. . Now what could more congruoufly, and even undenia- bly, follow the RefnrreBion^ than Chrift riding out in his Majejiy and Glory in the univerfal preaching of the Gofpel by an Apojiolical Miniftry, and thereby claiming his King- dom according to the firft Seal opened? What follows more uninterruptedly upon that than that warlike fett of Emperours, and upon the red Horfe of War, arm'd with a great Sword given them 5 viz. Vefpaflan^Tituj', Trajan., Hadrian^ refpefting efpecially the Defolations of the Jewifh Nation, according to the Prophecy, Dan. <^, nit. which was perfedly fulfiU'd by the laft of thefe nam'd Empe- rours, according to thejecond Seal. Can any thing more juftifiably follow this Train of Em- perours, than the grave, juft, rational Succelllon of the An- toninesy or clofe with greater Efclatt and Renown than in Alexander Sever us., fb fam'd for Juftice, that the Ballanccs are moft worthily put into his Hand, and by a Voice from the 56 A Scripture Line of Time. the Throne in the mid^ of the Beafts, the whole Scheme is direfted upon the Church, and the Half-Time fix'd from the Refurreftion to the Apoftacy or taking away the Daily Ser- vice of God 'j under the Type of the Wheat, Early, Oyl, and Wine, the Materials of Sacrifice, the Type of the Chri- ftian Service 3 all which are the Refult ^of the third Seal opened } Who can deny, that a Chain of falvage Emperours pre(s*d upon, the Heels of Alexander, in whofe Equipage, Famine, Pejiilence, the Sword attended, and was moft fitly given with the Device of Hell and Death waiting upon the difraal Pomp of thefe Beafts of the Earth in xht fourth Seal Is it poffible to overfee the Perfecution rais'd by Diode- ftan, that ceafed not by the fpace often Years, in which all the Chriftian Blood ftied by the Pagan Emperour was fumm'd up 5 Is it, I fay, poffible to overfee this in the^if^ Seal, the Emblem of which is the Cry of the Sods under the Altar .«? No more can it be denied, That that great Shake of the Power of the Sprits of the Air above, and of the Heathen Idolatrous Powers below, is admirably pourtrayed in the jlxth Seal opened. After which, we find an induftrious Delay to the Jeventh Seal in the new fialing j and the Jeventh Seal,when opened, did moft leifurely produce the very founding of the Trumpets 5 for firft, There was the filence of half an hour, a ftiort and imperfeft Time indeed, but it ftay'd the EfFcd of the Sealing j for not till that half Hour paft, the Trumpets were delivered to the Angels. After that there was a folemn Service of Chri- ftian Religion, fignifying the daily Service yet continuing^ and upon the Acceptance of it a fecond demoliftiing ofPaga- nifm by Theodojius Defeat of the laft Rallyings of it 5 by Eugenius and Argobafiis '-y after ^Julian and other Heathen- azers upon his Prayers. Now from that Time, or Theodojius the Creates Death, within a Year after, at 395, or near it, all Hiftory dates the Declination of the Wejiem Empire, and Prophecy agreeably denotes A Scripure Line of Time. 57 denotes the A»geh pnpariffg to founds in the many Impref- fions upon the Empire by toreign Invafions upon it, yet re- fpiting the very date of their Sound from xh^T'irnQTheodoJius died to 437, or 404 from the Refurredtion, fomewhat above forty Years, but according to the Half time exadtiy before ob(erv'd,at Alexander Severtts\ death, An. Vnlg. 237, or 202, from tht general Epochs the Refirre&ion^ with this half 404. Let us now Review the wonderful Confent and Harmo- ny between the Relation of Hiftory in Things fo undoubt- ed, as to be incumbred with no Controverfie, and the Schemes of this Prophecy^ the one keeping hand in hand with the other, in fuch an even, uninterrupted, and juft fuceffi- on, and courfe of Time, as does abundantly prove this Line, and its Beginning, fo far as is neceffary in this firft particu- lar, to be at 437, and confequently its End at 1697: All which have been more fully Treated, and are here only fumm'd up, to make the Perfpedive the clearer and more entire. I come now to the Second Enquiry, viz>. into the Impor- ^nauirv tance o^xht Sealing 5 wherein thele two things will deferve \, our particular Examination. 1. What the moft natural and ready fignifications of Sea- ling are, and which is here to be chofen, as moft agreeable with the other Symbols of the Worfhippers Retir'd into the Secret of the Temple, the Witneffes Sackcloth, the Woman in the Wildemefs, upon the Gem^es Treading the Outer Court. 2. When the Efficacy of this Sealing began , for that leads the Time of the Trumpets, even as the Trumpets fix the Time of the Sealing! Efficacy. As to the Firft ^ it is to be known, that Sealing imports three things 5 I. Secrecy, and Retirement from general and ordinary ob- fervation. Thus the Servants of God, by the Antichriftian, Apoftatical Times coming on, are hidden 5 no eye but the «ye of God, or of men inlightned by him, could difcern I them: ^8 . A Serif mre Line of Time. all of them ; The Difguife put Upon them by Atjtkhrijiitntf cdfting tkem out for Gods ^aMcfake, their Retiring from the common corruption of Publick, IVorJh/p^ their monmiiig for the QenUliJrHQ brought in, and the Kingdom of Chrift not appearing , their not being (iijffered to meet as a Churchy a Body, or Congregation of Saints, and the Glory of God and Chrift not ftiining out yet upon them, brought them into the Secrefie of <« feakd condition, immur'd them within the Temple^ and at the Altar of hcenfe, cas'd them in Sackcloth, and fcatter'd them as into a Wildernefs 5 fo that at length the Serpent him(elf could not find them , and all this from the beginning of the firft Trumpets found, at 437, till 1697, more or le{s. 2. Sealing intends Security and Prefervation 5 Thus Trea- iures are fealed up in Safety, and defended from violation and rapine 5 thus the Servants of God are fafeguarded by their Sealing^ the Temple being the Secret of Gods Prefencey iheir Sackcloth Prophecy arm'd them, as by vertue of the Sealing^ with a mighty power of Miracles, and Fire going out ef their Mouths to defiroy their Adverfaries 3 the Church, even in the Wildernefs, is depofited in a place prepared by God for her, that (he might be fed : and all to this purpofe, That they might, though they might fufier in the common Cala- mity of the (everal Trumpets, yet not be hurt in their true Eflential Glory by the Dragon, but that they Ihall Reign when He is Bound --^ nor fo jhut up, but that the Temple (hali be opened, 8cc. nor be fo overcome by the Beafi, but that they (hall Rife again, afcend to Heaven in a Chud, their Ene- mies beholding them vpith terrour, and appear in Mount Zion with the Name of God written in legible Chara&ers on their Foreheads, and at laft, in an innumerable company, cloath'd in white Robes, and Palmes in their Hands, and the Church k felf, as the Bride^ the Lambs Wife^ be admirably Glo- rious. 3. Moft immediately, and clofe to the purpofe of the pre- ifent Symboll, Sealing fpeaks Delay, and Eftoppage from a prefent: A Scripure Line of Time. 59 prefent Expofal or publick Shew. And thus the Symbol of fealing is provided to clafpe and indent with the former Sym- bol of the Seals 3 for the whole Symbol is taken fromjealiffg the Book^ of Chiih'i Kingdom, Da», 12. 4. till the end; when therefore at the jixth Seal opened^ the Empire became Chri- ftian, the fffa»lj/ Birth was caught up to the Throne of Gody the Dragon was ca^ down^ and a Song of Vidory fung up- on it, immediately this filing followed to ftay this Glory, and as it were to arreft its Appearance : it was therefore hid from hurt, becaufe the Glory did not appear to be hurt, du- ring the timi^ times^ half a time^ according to the Oath of Chrift, immediately therefore, in purfuance of the former Symbol, the Servants of God arejeal'd, the Worfhippers wor- thip not in an open, but referv'd Temple , the Witnejfes do not enjoy, but prophecy^ and that in Sackcloth , the Woman files to her clofe Receptacle in the Wildernefs , and even in purfuance of this fame Symbol, \he feven thmnders ^rejeal'd, as we (hall fee, Cap. 10. And all this to that very purpofe, that the Bea^ may have his tme^ times, till the Morning of the half-time, when in Declaration of the Right of Ghrift, even then to take the Kingdom, becaufe the half time was entred^ as the third Day was in the Morning of Chrifi's Refurre^ion, the Thunders began. But that the Bea§i might have his whole half-time al- fo, the Thunders were again feal'd down. For were not the Kingdom of Chrili thus under Seal, its Brightnefs would immediately confame the man of Sin and his Beftian Kingdom, as will be feen at the end of the 1260 Days, viz, Ann. 1697, in the fir ft appearance of Chrift's Kingdom, and more fully at the Appearance it felf 7 5 Years after. Let us now inquire when thh Jealing had its Efficacy, and we (hall find it hath its Efficacy diftinguiftiingly , as to the fixing its Epoch, or Beginning, at the firft of the fir !i Tmm- pet, and (b on, during the whole Time of the frii and fi- cond Trumpets, until tht falling of the Star in the third Trnm- . I 2 pet. 6o A Scripure Line of Time, pet 5 So that the Trumpets and the fealwg neceflarily begin together, as they ought. For we find it is thus expreOy determined to the fir ft of the firfi tvpoTrumpets'-y for nothing that was hurt in thofe twofirfi Trumpets, viz. the Earthy nor the Sea, nor any Tree^ was to be hnrt till the fealing paft: And why was it fo? but that the 6W might have its defenfive Vertue on the fealed^, which Defence was certainly as early as the hurt^ elfe it could not defend. It is exprefly continud all xhefirji zx\A Jecondtrum^ pet by naming the Earthy Sea^ and Trees j for all thefe were hurt in the irpo firft Trumpets. But the Fountaws are not nam'd,nor the Sun^ c^c. not becaufe the fealing did not con- tinue 5 for we find the exprefs mention of it, rifing within the- Time o£ the firfi woe Trumpet, Revel. 9. 4. as of a thing fup- pos*d to have continued all along. But becaufe the Spirit of God would lead us to the new date of Time, viz,, the Beajis forty two Months, negotiated by the event of the third Trumpet, or the Imperial Sparfall-^ ing'-i \^\\\<:\\ Star, as all Hiftory knows, /^//at 475, immedi- ately on which, the BeaU in prophetical Account fucceeded, as the eighth King. So that then, in the very fpace of the ihird Trumpet thofe Months began, and the fourth Trumpet ran upon that new Line oi k\\q forty two Months, concurrent with the 1260 Days, and fo forward, till Both end at 1697: the one as Time of the Moon, or Months z, the other as Time of the Sun, or Days : by which we know alfo when the 1260 days began, viz. by computing and adjufting the Lu- nar Time oi forty two months to the Solar Time 1260 days. If the months began fo famoufly at 475, The days, that both may end together within time, times, half a time, muft be- gin thirty eight Years before, or at 457, as hath been before intimated, fo as to be plainly understood, but (hall be fully proved. Now becaufe of all this, the Spirit of God comprehends only what pertain'd to the firfi two Trumpets within the ex- prefs fecurity of not being hurt'-) viz, the Earth and Trees A Scripure Line of Time. 6 1 of the firji Trumpet, and the Sea.of the fecond Trumpet^ till ' the Servants j)f God were fed' d. Revel, j. 2,3. (hewing, plain- ly, that then the Efficacy of ih^ jeding began: where firfl:, the Earth, and all green thwgs were hurt in the/r/?, and the Sea in the fecondTrumpet, and as it were, to hint the Beafls forty two months, falling within the third Trumpet, and fb going on in the fourth 5 There is no mention of the fecu- ring the Fountains, nor the Lights of Heaven, until the Ser- vants of God were/eal'd'T. which the Beaft could not yet fur- rogate for, being in his Infancy till a Star fell to the Earthy Revel. ^. I. which, by all Count, was at the Time Phocas gave Univerfality to the Biftiop of Rome. Then Rome feems to be again enlightned, not long before the Mahometan Hegire, when the Locufls came forth ^ and therefore then Divine Judgment purfues by three woe Trum- pets^ becaufe then the furprife of the Kingdom of Chrift, by the cheat of Antichrifl reigning, more appear'd. But after another concurrent date of Time, viz. the Five^ 2iX\d five Months of the Loeufis, Revel. 9.15. 10. given new in the ffth Trumpet, xhefealing is there mention'd again 3 and in the Jixth Trumpet, where the Hour^ Day, Month, and Tear of the Horfemen began, there is a parallel Symbol of Scxrefie and Security with the fealing^ viz. the true Worfiip^ pers crying out from the Altar of hcenfe^ where they were hid, Revel. 9. 19. within the firft of which, viz. of the Lo- cufts, fell in the Beafis intimate Time, or Seafon, with his Number 6663 as (hall be fhewn, Revel. 15. «//. Now, by all thefe the Spirit of God does interpoim and diftinguifli the beginning of the Lines of feveral Times, that £ill in with the great enure Line of the 1260 D4/X5 and notes when they began j which new Lines, do feme way . or other note when that great Line began, and when it (hall end 5 viz. by the Proportion thod* other Lines, however be- ginning after, hold to it 3 all joyning with it, when they are once begun: and by that Propo tion. The Beginning muft be437, and the end of it 1697, as (hall be (hewn upon all of them^ 62 A Scrifture Line of Time. tliem. Wherein alfo the Time remark'd with the Voices of theyet/e« Thunders fed d^ will admirably (hew it felfat 15 17, when the laft 180 Years, or Half-time, began 5 at which Time the Divifion of (b many States from Rome firft ap* pear'd alfo. And the End of all at 1697, will declare it So ftrongly, although requiring ftrid Attention and Ob- fervation, hath God fecur'd the fixing of this Line, both in its Beginning and End, as (hall be all along by Gods graci- ous permiflion to proceed, made evident. I fhall but juft falute the Third Enquiry, and finifla the firft Point difcours'd, viz. its Beginning : And becaufe it joyns in aflTiiring this Beginning, I muft, as I fay, falute it. inquiry And this Third Enquiry is to Refearch what is the mean- 5. ing of this Grand Apocalypticvl Symbol^ the Trumpets, Now from the general Ufe,and univerfal Signification of a Trnmpet.^ as an Alarm to War, and the difmal confequences of it, jhefe Trumpets certainly fignifie the fame, as appears by the courfe of the Trumpets , for every Trumpet calls to fome War, and the fcventh to the Battel of Armageddon 5 They are therefore fo many loud Sounds of the Indigna- tion of God upon thofe againft whom the Sounds are Di- Tefted. Thefe two firft Trumpets then, as beginning at 457, fum^ mon the Barbarian Nations to fall on, on all parts of the Empire, as they had began to do, by the vertue of thei4«- gels preparing themfelves to found. About this time, Genfe- ricHs the FandaUlLmg took Carthage, the Hunns over-ran the upper and lower Pannonia, ( now called Hungary ) Thrace^ and Illyricum 5 the Brittifi Provinces foon after fell into the Hands of Strangers and Barbarians. Thus the Glo- ry and Greennefs, the Flourilh and Verdure of the Roman Empire^ was univerfally blafted by the Hail and Fire min^ gled with Blood of the firsi Trumpet^ running every way. At the fame time, no Green of true Chriftianity was unblafted by the Apoftacy, and Rome it felf, as a great Mountain bur^ ning A Scripnre Line of Time, 63 ning with Fire^ was thrown into the Sea^ that is, it had been indeed taken under Honorhif, in the preparation to Soufid. and immediately recover'd : But now, at the Second Trum- pet^ it was made the Ball of War, in a continual Taking and Retaking for many years after ^ fo that the Flames of War from feveral Parts of the World, and the People of it corn- par d to a Sea^ congregated about it, and in the midft of the fearful Broil, the Imperial Starr ^ Augufiulus^ the laft Empe- rour, fell. From hence therefore we obtain the clear Agreement of Time with the Symbol of the Firft three TrHWpets, as their Blaft fell upon the third part of men, the Figure of the Ro- wan Empire^ in Agreement with the Dragon^ or Roman Emperours drawing down the third part of the Starrs with his Tayl. Revel. 12. 14. Where all Interpreters underftand that Imperial Power. Now at the very time of the Barbarous Na- tions, coming like the Gentiles into the ajjief Refidences of the Chriftian Religion, is the Svmbol of Ke Apojiacy of the Gentiles^ treading the Holy City and Court, and the Dragon iiev.11.2*. perfecuting the Woman, juft now taking her flight into xhtWil- f» 12. 13^ dernefj, fairly made out, both as to Similitude and Time. '"^^ But that the Miniftration of the Trumpets may anfwer the Miniftration by the Servants of God in his Church, at the Seals opened 5 befides this Semblance of the Trumpets with War, Holy Writing leads us to another, viz. the Sacred ufe of Trumpets in the giving of the Law, Exod. 19. And they were inftituted by God to call the Congregation of the Ser- vants of God together, which was now not into Publick, but in Private at the Altar of Incenfe , There was alfo the Feafl of Trumpets, on the Firfi Day of the Seventh Months joyn d with the Reading of that Law, upon which follow 'd the Solemn Faji, on the Tenth Day, Levit. 23. 23, Sec. and Numb. 29. 2. Thus by thele Trumpets, the Witnejfes began their Prophecy, and Tsfiimonj for the Commandments ofGody and Do&rineofjefus, and in Sackcloth and Fajiing, Thefe Prophets and Watchmen blew thQ Tru»fpet according to the charge 6^ A Serif ture Line of Time. charge laid upon them, Ezeki 32. v. i, 8cc. And according to this Blowjfjg the trumpets^ the Camp^ the Cofjgregatioft^ the Woman the Church, made its motions in the Wildernefs^ ac- cording to Numb. 10. V. I, 8cc. So admirably does this Sym- bol agree with the Gentiles forty two Months of treading the Holy CoHrt^ with the Worjhippers at the Altar of Incenfi, with the Witnejjes Prophecy in Sacl{cloth, and the Womans Flight into the Wildernefs^ as on Eagles vpings^ in regard of Divine Providence^ as well as of the Roman Eajiern and IVejiera Empire Apoftatizing. And how fitly does the whole Apocalyptical Time an- fwer the Jetvs Feaji of the Pajfbver at the RefurreBion of Chrift, united with the Feafi of Weeks ^ at xh.Q giving of the Spirit^ and Johns being in the Spirit when he receiv'd the Revelation: and then follows the Interval of the i'e^// opened, like that Interval of Fe. at the middle of the laft half Week, a4id no unvporthinefs of the Age could Drfn. 9.27. hinder it, though never fo great : fo nothing Jhall hinder the Rifing of the Witncfles and their Afcenfion at the 1260 days^ Revel, n. Ten years hence^ no though there fhould be Three dayes and a ^' half, not only fignifying the intimate Time^ as hath been decla- red^ hut a BlufJo^ a Recollection ^ a drawing the whole Time pafl again in little at the end : For no Appearances^ how great foe- ver^ Jhall fur prife the Divine Decrees upon Time 5 Nullum tern- pus occurrit Regi. There may be a deep RefhroudingChrifiian^- ty^ at leaji infime Farts ^ The Ifraelites flaverj fate clofefi upon them when t heir K.^dQmpnou was fo nigh. We fee what a change roas begun 15 17, by thofe (even Thunders, when all was one Night piece , and the Voice fo Utile from Man^ and.wholly from Heaven -J much more at 1697. We fee how at this day the Turkifti Power, that hath been fo long the Terrour^ Scourge^ and Woe of the World-) call'd Chri- ftian^ Falls when God pleafesj their (trong Holds are like the firjt ripe Figs^ that fall into the Mouth of the Eater. Their Kabm. 3. Warlike People are as Women. This is a vifihle Pledge God *^* will be ready with all things clfe j the Tenth of the great City K fillJf^g-i 66 A Scripure Line of Time. falling, and that Turkifh woe paffing away, when his Wit- nelles (hall rife Rezel. 13. 11. Our Duty is to (land ftill, to be in our Station <7/Sul3Jedion to the Powers that are over us, and to fee the Salvation of God, and fje, that pot it into the ffearts e, as it is mofi bkely to be^ and we have the Royal Promife it Jliall be, and I much hope it in thefe Nations, even according to this Prophecy) to our Concernments in this World. And thus 1 have brought to a Point the Beginning of this Line, at 437, which is the Foundation of all, and according- ly we {hall find the whole going on to 1697. The End of this firft Point, fettling the Epoch or Beginning of this Line of J 260 Dayes, ERR*ATA. PAge 10. Line g. forfixth read feventh. p. ^1.6th line before the ]aftj/(jr IVitnejfes read l^oman. p. 24. 1. 15. As every Leap-tear we double February 24, to equal the Suns tear to our Account, p. 58. J. I . blot aU of. p. 84. 1. 1 4. read Myrtle. A Scripure Line of Time. 6j SECT. VI. Wherein^ The Third Part of Men, upon tphhh the Tntmpets have their Ejfe^s^ is more fuUy made clear to he the R.oman Imperialnej?^ and that the Symbols of the Three firft Trum- pets do moil plainly agree xcith the Hifiory^ in full Anfiper to thefecond and third Enquiry, HAving given a general Account of the things nam'd in the Contents, fo far as is neceffary to fettle the Begin- ning of that Line, upon the beginning of which we have been fo intent 5 it is now neceffary to give a more ample Sa- tisfaction concerning the Third part of men^ both that, It means the Roman Imperial Power, as alfo why, the Empire being Chriftian, there was fach an Effufion or Wrath upon it, that fo the whole Line may be thereby afcertain'd. The firft Time then, in true order of nature in this Pro- phecy, though not in Place, or in the Contexture of it, this Third Part is found and made ufe of, is in that F'ijlon of the Dragon^ Revel, 12. 3. Where, I think, hardly any Interpreter does not think there is a Reprefentation of the Roman Pagan Empire^ in one Line or other of that Table, And indeed, when we confider the Prophecy hath the Roman Empire for its great Subjeft, feeing in the Days of that, and at the end of that, Chrift's glorious Kingdom is to be eftablifh'd, it is every where (where it can be) to be fup- pos'd j and feeing here All things agree to it, and that the Careir of Time was guided direftly to it in the parallel Vi- fion to this, vi%. o^ ^q fifth zndftxth Seals ^ upon the Dra- gon watching to deftroy the Prince^ the Chriftian Church was to bring forth, and to devour it, in which Gaufe fo many Sonli lay under the Altar, and yet that the Lamb was on the Throne, from all this, we cannot but fuppofe the Roman Pagan Empire intended. R 2 The 68 A Serf pure Line of Time. The third part then of the Stars brufh'd down as it were with the Tail of the Dragon^ whatever fpirhual Signification it hath of the Sathamck^ Power, does alfo fuppofe thofe Su- preme Princes and States that the Roman Imperialijw dif- mounted, and made tributary, ftamptng upon them with its D.tn.y. 7. Legs of Iron, according to Daniel. The Emblem is lively, and elegant to prefent their Dominions, converted into Pro- vinces, fubjedied to the Roman Dominion. So that from hence , That Empire Thirding the Eaji and Weft of the Sovereignties of the habitable known World, in the divine Judgment of it, is fymbol'd by a third part of Nature it felf, viz. Earth, trees ^Sea, Fountains. «S'«», &c. for of the third part of the Stars brought under its univerjal Mo- narchy, it was conftitnted. And in .this very Vifion, where the Holy Spirit, who fore-knew and fore-faw what Interpretations would be made of what he writ, and what Interpretations he would have to be made, and in what Time, and to what degrees of Certainty and Affurance thefe Interpretations (hould rifej and fo from thence, what was fit to be laid in the Founda- tions, and what to be fuperftrafted : The Holy Spirit that knew all this, knew that in the Vifion of the Dragon there would be found the Roman M.onarchy agreedly^ fo that there would be a fair Condud to its third part in Domini- on : and wherever that Imperialnefs refided, whether in the Eafi, or the Weft, it was mounted upon the Ruine or Subje- ction of the third part of the Stars '-^ and fo the third part be- came the Figure of theRtf/»4« Imperialnefs.^ not of the whole Territory of the Empire, but of the Imperialifm or Gran- deur of Supremacy. And what was raoft immediately and properly to touch that, is according to the moft folcmn Symbolicks of this PrO' phecy faid to touch and impeach that third part. For otherwife, the whole Empire is call'd in the Evang. lx%a.i. Lffj^ the whole Habitable World^ zud in the courfe of the four Judgments of the fourth Seal^ which rang'd equally, as k A Scripure Line of Time. 69 it were over the whole Territory and Dominion of the Em- pire. Death is faid to have Power given it over fonr parts of men, or over evtiy fourth part with each Judgment, fig- ni Tying the free Expatiation of thofe Judgments upon the whole Latitude of the Empire y and, as it were, quartcrwg it with a judiciary jiajf. But here the Territory of the Em- pire^ with its far and wide Dominion over the Earth, was under the Ravage of Death, without any touch upon the ItMperialifme it felf, although fo many Emperours fell under it, and (b there is no mention of the third part. Revel. 6. 8. So in the change of the Empire from Heathenifm toChri- ftianity, there was no Change upon the Ifftperiality, which continued as high ftill in the Chriftian Emperours from Con- fiantine to the Death of the Great Theodoftus, as it was be- fore : the Defcription therefore is as if Heaven ^nd Earth were concern'd in the Mutation 5 but there is no mention of a third. Revel. 6. ult. The opening of the bottomkfs Pit darkened the Sun and the Air^ with the Smoak^, out of which the Locttfls came upon the Earth, and they had Power to hurt men univerfally : but Kevd. 9.^. becaufe the Imperial Sovereignty was not to be hurt in the very Imperiality, there is no mention' of the ?^/Wp4r^5 but when the Turkjjh Number was to feife upon the Eaftern Throne, that had its firO: Eftablifhment upon the third part of the Stars in the Eafl and Weji, the third part of men are fa'id to be kUl'd: and thus the third part was under the force ^*^'* * of every one of the firft/wr Trumpets, becaufe every Trum- pet was in an order or ieries to the deftruftion of the We- jiern Empire in the three firfi of them, and upon the Re- mains of Senator i an and Confhlar Power in the laji of them. All which I look upon a"s a fair Refdution of that part of this Enquiry. As to what remains, v^hy fo (evere a Proce- dure upon a Chriftian Empire? If it had been the Pagan Empire that had been under this Purfuit, it had not been ftrange: but it looks fo unreafonable upon a Chriftian Em- fire, as to call in queftion the whole frame oftheExpofition. Hereunto! therefore offer thefc two Solutions- It yo A Scripture Line of Time. Sokt, r. It having bten decreed long ago by the determitiate Conn- fd of God, and (worn by Chrift himfelf, that the Accomplijh- ment of the WoTiders of his Kit7gdom (hould be delay *d afiter the Seals of the Book^ ofend^ for the Time^ Times ^ and half Time of the Beajt^ or Antichrifl 5 the Roman Empire did no otherwife pafs into Chriftian, but that it Antickrifiianiz^'d at the fame time gradually, and infenlibly covered the former Paganrjm with the difguife of Antichrisiianifm^ worJhippit7g AUozzim^ and a God, their Fathers had not kpown, but Ido- D.W.11.38. latroufly ^ and fo on the other fide it degenerated true Chriftianity into a kind of Paganifm, whereby they intitled themielves to the Blood, Paganifm had ihed, even as the Jews by the Murther of Chrift did to all the Blood (bed from Righteous Abel, d^c. This vi^ent forward even from Conftan- tine, by filent and deaf fteps 5 but by the year 437, when the Trumpets ^x{i founded, the Meafure wasfill'd up, and the Talent down weight, and then the Impofture of fuppofiting the Kingdom of Antichrili for the true Kingdom of Chrili was coropleat : fo that the Vengeance of God arofe, and chafed down that Empire that was calVd Chriftian, but was now indeed become Antichrijiian. Sokt. 2. God, that changes Times, and Seafons, and the States of Kingdoms, giving them, as he pleafes, had deftin'd to the Bea!i , the Seat, and Power of the Weliern Empire, and the Ea^^ern, as a kind of tributary Commendam, for forty two Months, does by thefe Judgments void the Room for him, by taking away the Welfern Imperialifm, firB, in its feventh King, that he, the Beafi might fucceed, into his forty two Months. Then taking away all Conjular and Sena- terian Power, fo that n fiined not the third part of the day. Revel, p.i. nor of the night, that he, as xhe failing Star, m\ght inlighien it, and grow up to his Regnancy, or Number 666. Upon both thefe Accounts therefore, the Eafiern Empire was fo much longer fpar'd ^ firft. That it was not to be fo deep in the Guilt of Antichriffianifm, and Supplantation of the Kingdom oiChriH, and as it were for his Servant Con- ftantine's A Scripure Line of Time. 7 1 ftantwes fak^'-i and then, the Room of it was not fieceflary for the receiving a Succeflbr till the Mahomcta*T Emperour^ a thoufand Years after ^ although it was many Times under dreadful Rebukes of Divine Judgment, a.> alfo under the Claims and endeavour'd Ufurpations of the A^tichrjflian Kwg. Having thus far endeavour'd to fatisfie the third E>iqi{iry^ inquiry there will be the lefs neceflary to add to the Refolution of 4. the fourth:, for the courfe of Events is in Hiftory moft noto- rious. The Event of the /"ri? Trumpet was the Irruptions of the Barbarians on the whole Latitude of the We^ern Em- fire, which thereby was as much bla^ied^ as the Glory of Summer is by a Storm of Hail and Lightning mixd with Fire, The Event o^xhefecond Trumpet conneded with the firft, was, That that great Mountain Rome, the City n^oufeven Hills ^ that had been under fo many Emperours, Pagan and Chriftian, the Miftrefs of the Nations^ that had been under the Pagan Emperours^ Pagan Myfiical Babylon^ and was now becoming AntichriBian, Myiiical Babylon , this Babylon was in the very Beginning of the Apoffacy arrefted by Divine Judgment^ (or that City, which had been fo lately purg'd from Heathen Idolatry, and was to be the Antichri^ian City for fo long a Time after, God ereds the Pillar of his Judg- ment early upon it, fo that he caft it into the Sea^ as z fla- ming Mountain, not as Babylon of old, burnt, but a burning Mountain, into the Sea of continual Turmoil and Eftuation^ fo that in regard of the Warriors of that Time, in their dreadful Difputes concerning it, All Waters were turnd into Blood. And yet becaufe it was to be born aloft upon the Beafi often Horns, that it might not be confum'd it bumj as in a Sea^ wherein it was preferv'd, though burning , often it was taken, and fack'd, and made in the very literal fenfe a burning Mountain: but it was refcu'd, and furviv'd, for fo it was decreed, till its final Defolatian and Burning, Rev. 18. At 7 2 A Scripure Line of Time. At the Voice of the third Trumpet^ the very Heavens of the Wejiern Government were fo (haken, that the great Star of Imperial/fm fell, like Wormwood^ into the Rivers, and made them lb bitter that many died of that Imbitterment of the Waters^ that became even Wormwood it (elf^ Whilrt Rome^ as a burning Mountain in the midji of the Sea made it to boyl, even into Blood, vi^ith a prodigious noife through the Nations, and made that Tumult and Com- motion in the midft of People, a burning Mountain, like Etna, or Vefuvius, may be fuppos'd to do , the Star falling imbitter'd fo deadlily the Inland private State of the Empire, • that although it was quickly quench'd it felf when it fell, yet in the Time it was burning as a Lamp, which was fome time before its Fall into the Water, and when it fell it was like a Lamp burning in Water, every moment ready to dye, and yet not prefently extinft, that it fo condim'd the fweeter Jnyces, and benign Spirits of Government and Commerce, that manj/ Men died, that is, innumerable Families and Per- fons were ruin'd, and utterly impoverifh'd within the Em- pire, both by the lofi of the Afpeft, and influence of fuch a Star, as alfo by the Confufion its Fall made, and the Strug- gles it had with Death in its Fall and in the Water, all which made the malign Effeds much greater while the Fire and Water were in conteft. Now all thefe Symbols are fo v^y evident inHiftory, that there needs no more than the veryrAppeal to it concerning them, and fo wonderfully accomplifh'd in their Gravity, Significancy, and Sprightlinefs, as to fpeak Divine Infpira- tion: What Hiftory of that Time knows not, Thefe things were fo? That firft,all the Glory and Honour of the Empires Grandeur was ftruck all over, as it were at once, as with Fire and Hail from Heaven, every day bringing the News of Invalions, and Revolts every where, That Rome was in the Flames, and in a Sea, and yet by contrary Agencies of the feveral Interefts of Princes like Fire and Water, ftillpre- ferv'd 5 on the other fide, that the Imperial Torch, however flaming. A Scripure Line of Time. 73 Flaming, yet falling into the Wukr would be foon quench- ed, while a btirniftg Mountain refifted the contrary Elements " fo Rome liv'd, but the Emperour dy'd , Rome Burns as a - Mountain in the Sea^ and though it turn'd the Waters into Blood, yet it furvivd to ride aloft upon a new Univerfality. The Flaming Taper did hurt^ while it flam'd, but falling in- to Water muft needs be fhort-liv'd ^ And it was to dye that another fort of Principality might fucceed it, upon which Romes Grandeur, a City Reigning over the Kings of the Earthy might have the Guaranty oC Prophecy^ even as of i'^rovidence to fecure it, for a longer time than by all Computation it had made the Epoch oiZ)rbs Condita, or it had been Built. I am yet to ftate juftly, and more at Targe, what the Dra- ^riquiry "gon means, and how his Perficution of the Woman can agree 5. with the Explanation of the Trumpets j feeing both muft be at the beginning of the Line, becaufe then was the Woman's iirft flight into the Wildernefs^ when the Dragon pcrfecuted her '-i from whence arife thefe two Doubts. How can thefe Trumpets^ that are the Alarms of Divine pj;,-^^. j. Judgment and Difpleafure upon the Antichrijiianizd Em- pire, as was before declared, be the Dragons Perfecution of the Woman. When the BeaB^ or his Gentiles have the whole Time^ Voiibt,!.^ Times, HalfTime^ and fo the 1260 of the Womans Wilder- ftefs-Bate, under their Domination and Tyranny 5 does not the Dragons Perfecution of the Woman, and then of the Seed, contradict the Affertion of this Time to the ^eaft^ That thefe two Doubts may be (ubftantially refolved, and fo, as to clear the whole progrefs of this Time with Relati- on to the BeaB 5 we muft underftand aright concerning the Dragon ^ for a miftake in that confounds the whole order of the Prophecy. The Dragon then,, as it is prefented, Revel. 12. 5. with Seven Heads, and Ten Horns^ hath a double meaning , One proper to it, as the fixth, or Imperial Head of the Roman Empire, which headship is always accounted to the whole L Roman 74 ^ Scripture Line of Time. Roman Beafi^ in this Prophecy : But when the Chriflian Em- feronr arofe, That Head became woimded^ and by degrees, the Power and Condud of it Tranfmigrated from the Jixth to the fevcTiih Head^ and Eighth King 5 as is to be (hewn upon the Symbols of the Se^y?. But in all this, it is of great Influence to the right under- ftanding of this Prophecy to be known, there is a more ab- ftrad fignification ot Dracorjifm, or of ihe Dragon^ viz. the Old Serpef^t^ deceivif7g the Nations into the Worlhip of him- felf, under the difguife.of thofe many Idol Gods and Demons, they ficrijiced and did fervice to 5 when therefore this Idolatry and Dermnolatry was demoliihed by Conflantine^ and the Chrjiiian Emperonrs, and the only True God in Jefus Chrift, and his Kingdom acknowledged at the He^^of the Roman Empire : Satan, that Old Serpent was ca^ down from Heaven, and Chrift the manly Birth caught up thither 3 Satan, therefore, as an Intelligence within, at the Head and Spring of all is to be underftood in this Dragon, Revel. 12. 7. " The Roman Cefars , as having the Imperial Monarchick Government of fo great a part of the World, at the Birth of Chrift, fo along in the fit ft Times of Chriftianity, lay in- deed in the midft of Nations and People, and watched all the efFefts of the Kingdom of Chrift, and were ready to devour the manly Birth^ that was to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron, and who had right to do fo at his Reforredion, and all along fince. But at the Time, this Cefarian Dragon was a6i:ed by that Satan, that invidble Spiritual Dragon^ and his Angels, who made War againft Chrift, who carried the Cefarian Dragon in a perpetual Hoftility to the Kingdom of Chrift, and alfo moft devoted to Idolatry j While therefore Devils were wor- ftiipped under thofe feveral Names of Jupiter, Mars, C^c. and an Idolatrous Pov/er was at the Head of the R, and of all Right ought to have been fo, fpeak- ing as to the Duty and Obligation of all Mankind, becauie of his Sovereign Refnrre&ion after his Death and Sacrifice of himfelf for the Life of the Worlds and that then the Roman Monarchy was the Monarchy of the OEcumene, or habitable Earth in Symbol of Prophecy 5 whatever Power therefore did not then acknowledge that Kingdom, nor that Truth of Chriftianiiy, any way either feated in, or attenipting that Monarchy, is under a Character of Draconick}> tfie Notion of which came into efpecial date fince that Refurre&ion of t^hrift, and his Right thereby to an univerfal Monarchy: at which Time the Roman Cefareate arilen to that univerfil Mo- narchy from the Time of the more publick Notices of the Right of Chrift, infpir'd by Sathan with a Draconick^Subtil- ty^ and watchfiilnefs waited to devour that princely Birth (of which Pharaoh's Cruelty to Gods typical firji- born, lying as a Dragon in the Egyptian Nile was a Type) and was therefore by the moffc notable fignancy of the Symbol inverted with the Draconick, Title. ' But when the Acknowledgment of Jefus, as ChriH and Lord^ was made by the Chriftian Roman E'^fperour^ Confian- tine, and his Succeilors, Ghrift was then in eminent Type caught up to the Throne of God, never to be dethron d, as we fee he is not to this day, notwithftanding the Combat of the L 2 Dra- J 6 A Scripure Line of Time. Dragon and his Afigels by Julian^ Argobafles the Roman Se- 7uite^ and others, with M/chael and his Af7gelj. But for all this the Woman, the Church was perfecuted by the rolling of the barbarous Nations upon that Empire^ who were Enemies to the PfofcfFion of Chriftianity at the firfl:, and fo to the Kingdom ofChrift, and their lnva(ion upon the Rights of the Empire as Chrifl:s, and on the Roman Churchy as eminent in the Profellion of Chri(\ianity, and having produc'd the Chriftian Emperour was both as dcfign'd by Satan^ and re- puted by God a Draconic/^ Perfecution of the Woman 5 even as after, the Mahometan Flood which came out of the Drur gon*s mouthy to have fwallorved up Chrifiianity, and that Em- pire together, as it were, wherever it could be found, was on the very fame Account a Perfecution of the Dragon ^ foe the Mahometans were from their very original, Adverfaries to this Sovereignty of the Lord's Anointed^ fubftituting an Impofture of Sovereignty, and Prophetifm in the place gf it, and all this v/ithin the univerfal Roman Monarchy, the Pro- priety of Chrift. Their Deluge of Power and People impe- tuoufly overflowing with a falfe Religion, is then moft juft- ly caird, 1^ Flood out of Sathans mouth, ading as a Dragon according to the Notion of abftraftDr.zfi?^///;^, and fo raging^ and foaming with hoftile Oppofition to the Kingdom of Chrift, notwithftanding fome feeming Acknowledgment of him in Mahametanifm as a Prophet, but truckling under that infamous yi//e Prophet. This then being the firft Account o^ Draconifm, it is very eafie to give Satisfodion to the firft Doubt 5 for the fame things that are remonfkrated as the Judgments of God,, as permitted and prder'd by him in his holy Government of the World, and Execution of Juftice and Judgment upon Offen- ders, are alfo moft malicioufly and hellifhly negotiated by Satan^ as is m.oft evident in the Hiftory o[ David's numbring the People 3 that fame mifdoing of David is attributed to the difpleafure of God, aud to Sat ban, as may be feen by compa- ring 2 Sam. 24. I, and i Chron. 21. i. yea in that different Cafe, AScripure Line of Time. 77 Cafe, viz. the Tranra(!l:ion of our Lord's Sufferings, Satan enter'd into Judas^ to emboiden him to do what rupreme Wifdom and Goodnefs had contiiv'd to redeem loft Man. Ic is therefore nothing ftrange, the Holjf Angels and Sathan met in thefc Trumpets^ each in their Place and Orb, that while the Holy Angels founded an Alarm to the Inftruments of the divine Vengeance, Sathan had his Contrivance to perjeciite the Woman^ both by the Barbarians and Mahometans. But befides this Draconifm of profefs'd Enemies to Chrifti- anity, there is the Draconifm of the BcaU^ or the Dragon li- ving, and being vporjhipped in the Bea^, or AntichrifVianifm, beginning by the other Beafi^ who is afterwards calfd the falfe Prophet^ fpeaking as a X^ragon^ which was the Synagogue of Sathan in the firft growth, and his Throne in the farther Growth^ v/hen the BeaB came to his Image and Nitmher^ and the depths of Sathan or his Government in his ripeft Age; and thus the Y^ragon gave his Seat or Throne^ and great Authority to the Beafi 5 that is, Sathan the Supreme Dragon in the ido- latrous and bloody Cefireate, now became Refidentiary in the BeaB^ and conveyed both the Hoftility to the Kingdom of Ghrift, the Idolatry and the Bloodinefs into the Beasi^ and by his Negotiation under divine Permiffion order'd the very Seat and Power of the Imperial Cefareate to the Beasf, as the Heir both of his Idolatry, Enmity to Ghrift's Kingdom, and perfecutory Tyranny, and for the fake of all thefe: in all Revel, iS, which Regards, it may well be efleem'd Draconijm to the ^^* ^laft. And God in juft Indignation brings upon this Serpen- tinifm o^ this Be aji a Counter-Serpentinifm oi Infdelifm^a Coun- ter Draconifm^ fo-r ferpens ferpentem devorans fit DracOy as be- fore explain'd. But yet the Draconifm of the Bea!i is a diverfe Draconifm, its Hoftility to the Kingdom of Ghrift isflot by down-right Force and Refiftancc of open War to the Name of Chriftia- nity, but by way of Surprife out of his Hand, and lield, as in his Right, and to his Glory, and yet in fuch real Oppoliti- pn to hira, that he hath fworn^ His Kingdom fliall not romf\ til! 7 8 A Scripure Line of Time. till that be at the full end of Time, Timef^ and half Time, txs Idolatry is an Idolairy as it were confecrating it feif to the Honour of Chrift, and is therefore, as in it felf, fo in the prophetical Symbol, ///// in all its heads of the Names ofBla- fphemy , under this Head^ all the former Heads are flower'd, and, as it were powder'd with the Names of Blafphemy j all former gro(s Idolatries and Demonolatries are dillembled un- der True Religion, and Heathenifm under Chriftianity, or more truly, True Religion and Chriftianity are Traveftied and Burlefqu'd into Heathenifm and Paganifm^ and therefore it is not Simple- Idolatry^ but Blafphemy^ as we (hall fee. But yet notwithftanding all this, Sathan is but on Earth ^ for the Bea^i holding the Kingdom, as in the Right of Chrift, Chrift thereby is ftill acknowledgd to be on theThrone^ and in that the true God, Holy Angels, and Saints, are thus bU- Jphem'd by Atitichrifiian Idolatries^ and that Sathan and wic^ ed Spirits are abandon'd and detefted in Profeffion generally, though his Kingdom hath fometimes portentouQy broken out in Acknowledgments, as it were to the Devil himfelf^ by fome of the Antichrifiian cheifs. His Seat is not then as before, as in a Heaven ^ he therefore in a Rage dallies one part of his Kingdom againft another, the Barbarian againft the AntichrOiian^ the Mahometan againft the Befiian'^ be- caufe he, as a fubtil Computator of his own Time, knows. It can be but fnort compared with above ^//t thonfand Tears Reign before, and that as in Heaven too, in the Idolatry perform'd to Devils^ viz. Fallen Angels, or Damned Souls. And for fo great a Pledge of the future Fall ofSathan is that Y^Ox&logy and Song of Praife concerted in Heaven, Rev. 12. 10. as alfo in Previfion of the full Glory ofChrift's Kingdom de- creed to him by God, from the infinite value of his own Blood, and as a Retnbution for the Sufferings of his Servants^ mau- gre all Sathans Accufations, in which the Accufer himfelfvjzs condemn d and caU out'^ and notwithftanding the fucceeding Antichrijiianifm. And A Scripure Line of Time. 7^ And from all this arifes a full Solution to the fecond Doubt, and not only a Solution, but an admirable Harmo- ny and Confent of the whole Prophetical Symbolifm. For when Satan fell from Heaven, in that defblation of Heat /je- nifm, not only by the Chriftian Empire ofConliuntine^ but the perfed Victory over it by Theodofim 5 When theDeW and his Angels after the War in Heaven were finally caft down, A Vidtory obtained by the Incenfi offered with the /lex/e/. 8.3. Prayers of all Saints^ as a Signal of the C^«rc/jj yet continu- ing pure in the pttblick^ Worfhip. and that then was ib great Expedation of the Glory ofChrifts Kingdom, as that Doxo- logy exprefles, now mention 'd 5 AW is the K.ingdom of our ^ God come 5 At this very Moment, to (hew, that though God was pleas'd to account the Church pure, to the very mo- ment, it could in his Righteous judgment be fo accounted 5 yet I fay to (hew its Purity was at a very low Ebb, and that it had long wan d, as alfo to (View, that God had defign'd to permit a very different ftate of Things to the Kingdom of Chrifi^ the very next news of the Church, is, that the two wings^ We^ern, Ealiern of the Great Roman Eagle had con- veyed the Churchy the True Church into the wildernefs^ that Rev.12.1^ it could not be found. This had been mention d before, afifoon as ever the manly v, 5. Birth was caught up to the Throne of God 5 but that was only in preparation, and to match with the other Symbols , But now the Church was indeed out of view, by the Apofia- fie^ introduc'd by the Gentiles the Beafis people under the o- ther Beajt '^ fo that the Falfe Church hid the True^ as in aw?//- dcrnefs : The Gentiles crowded the True vcorfl^ippers into a closed Temple^ The Daily was taken away 5 The witneffes Vv^ere in Sackcloth^ where then could the True Church be feen ? All was fcatter'd, no Body of a Church appear'd, but the Antichriftian , to this ftate things grew more and more un- der the Regnancy of the Beaft till the Woman was fled from the Serpent himfelf. All this is then to be accounted to the Beaji^ ferving the True Church by Gods overruling Hand fo far. 8o A Scripure him ofTirrre. far, as that it was out of the Dragons reach who was decei- ved, thinking to ftrike the True, but the Falfe lay bleeding. In the mean time, Saian^ however in his Serpentine, and dracofjick Nature, jealous of any thing of Ch rift even in his own Kingdom, firft perfecutes the Empire by the Barbariaiis, where He knew, the woman very lately was by her bringing forth the Manly Birth ^ He ftruck at it by way. of diftindion in his own Aym, but finding He could not reach it by the rude ftrokes of the Barharianf, but the Eagles wings had convey 'd it away, and finding that thofe Barbarous Nations, fetled by degrees into the Antichriflian Chrifiianity^ and fo help'd it forward into the wildernefs^ He then refolved to be fure of it , attempted to fwallow it by the Mahometan Flood -^ But This neither diftinguiftiing it, nor fucceeding becaufe the Bejiian Earth drunk^up the bloody not only recei- ving it upon it felf,but maintaining the name, Dodrine, Pro- feflion, and Church ftate of Chriftianity^ fo far as is necef- fary abfolutely to Antichrifiianifme and its Kingdom, /b drunk up the Flood by fetting it felf againft the blafphemous, monftrous, Mahometan Impofture, and with a deadly hate, becaufe Mahometanifm is no lefs againft AntichriBianity^ than Chriftianity, fo the Serpent difappointed is wroth, and, as fo neceffitated, determines now to fift for his Ends, by Dr4- tonifm refin'd into Bea^iianifm, Heathenijm guilded with Chriftianity, but pointed and edg'd with Antichriftianifme, which is a compound of the Dragon and the Bea§i : And be- caufe this Antichriftian ftate allowed fuch a thing as a Chrifti- an Church, tho but it felf only, He can make war only with the womans feed 'j And to the purpofe, and, as we (ay, with a Vengeance. He makes War with the womans feed, who ^ecp the Commandments Gpearing,Rez'.c. 19. f. 20. V. I. And this is the True Hiftory ofDracomfm, as entred in- to Bejiianifnt, by which it plainly appears, the fcattering of the Power of the Holy People^ or the ftate of the Woman in the Wildernefi^ is wholly owing to the Beaf and his Befti- anifm, whofe are Time^ Times^ ^^^f Time^ and that the X^ra- gon and his Perfecution were wholly defeated by the Befii- an Apoftacy, conveying the Church from the Serpent, till He wrought by the Bea^^ and made over his Power to Him, .in revenge upon the Womtns Seed, it felf being ftill fafe. Now how admirable is all this, according to the Symbols, the Beali ftill in all appearance and femblance fecures Ghrift on the Throne, while it fupplants his true Kingdom and Pow- er: for how could Antkhrijts Kingdom fl and if Chrift were not in Title upon the Throne ? But how could it ftand if Chrift clid indeed reign? No, it prefently falls then, or ra- ther vanijheih away. Again, the Wings of the Apojiatiz'd Empire, while they convey the true Church out of all ordinary Vifibility, yet fecure it in the Name and Notion of a Church ; the Beaft's Earth thus helps it^ for a Chrifiian Church is his Claim, and Title to his Kingdom : but it muft be hidden 3 for a true Chri- fiian Church viftble deftroys his Kingdom. Thus all things even to Aftoniftiment at the divine Prophetick Wifdom have a Harmon)/ in Truth, greater than that of the Spheres in Ima- gination. Mahometans and Pagan Infidels by fubverting Chriflianity neceilarily overthrow Antichrift's Kingdom alfo; it is in in- difpenfable need of Chriftianity fo far as a Pretence goes , but the Brightnefs and native Glory confumes it 5 while Chri- ftianity under a falfe mask fupports it, true Chriftianity fcorches it to nothing, as will be feen at the Fiat pour d into M the Ss A Serif nwe Line of Time. tki Saf: ; trJ€ QirV' ^ ' and the Church therefore mud be kidddn^ and in the : - - -^fiy and ics Seed pi^rfecated as if* not of the Churchy that ftlfi Ckrijii^uxiij and the/i/V Chttrch ma^ reign in its Ablence under its Name and Appearance. Thus while the Drugon perfecuces in his Aim and Inrenri- on the ChnjiUn Chun-b^ the Jp*fjidcji pretending it ielithe Univerfd Ckmrch conveys the trme Church into a ^Vtldernefs^ and io befriends the Notion of a Ckurck, while it cocreysic cut of tight i the Drjgjn by the Bauji makes ^^jr w\ih the S^ed^ and fcatcers them, that they could net poffibly be found in the Bjdj ofs Church , not but that the Church was truly vijihle in the fifrgU yVitasjps^ however anathematiz'a r. but it could not be reach'd in a Body, even by the Serpent himieif ; for it was not in a Body ^ and yet the Notion of a Church was dear to the Antichrijiiaxs^ for They and the Bedfi ufurp'd it. At this Ticcd therefore, according to this Pruphecj^iz could be ao Argument again fl the C/^^trw^A, Where was it } or, It was not vilible in a Body y for it was not to be vihble in a Body^ but in the Sufkring. fiatterd Sted, So that it was hid from the very Serpent. And yet even to the end of the 126c Days there is a MahontstdK Drucanijlot le- relling at Cirilt, Chriftianity, and the true Church, but fall- Church by hisEart: There is nothing at ihe prefent I can think neceiliry tc add to this Explicanoa of the Apocaljpticdl Drjgjfi, but that the whole Viiijn^ Riv. 12. tox^. 1^. b prelented as in Hid- ven: fo that the AjfuMption of the manly Birth, the J(j^ up« on the Urjgjns Ciijimg dvrrrt, upon the K^ingdjm of ifurGad being tv/we, 5cc. is given, as in HiJien^ and is refirz'ed alfo in HeAven^ till the gbrioits Jppeard/rci of Chrift^ and there is no more but uich an imperfect cognilance of thofe great Things upon Earth as was given by the ChriBiun fhort Efft- pin^ to be expcded, till that gUnotts Kingd^im of Chrifc at the A Scripture Line of Time. S3 the end of the Beaji's Reigft, which may remove any feem- ing Objedion arifing from the fuclden change from fuch a Glory into xht Apofiucy^ fo foon after entring, and the Wit- nefles going into Sackcloth^ and the Woman into the Wildernej?, SECT. VII. In which if given the defcription of the other Beafi:, and his firft Adminiftration'-y of the Witnefles and their firft manner oj Teftimony, both before the Bcaft's forty two Months-^ with the Anjwer of an Obje&ion, and Rejiedlions upon this In- terval, IN thefe Enquiries I have now explained, whatever I can conceive needful from the Beginning of the Trumpets to ^t forty two Months of the Beafi^ except the Delineation of that, which the Prophecy calls the other Beaft^ under whofe Conduft the Gentiles were brought into the outer Court and Holy City, Co far as the Adtion of that other Beafi led to the grand Apocal)ptii\ Beafi, And to inlighten this Interval of Time the raore,z;72,. from the Apoftafie beginning in the 1260 Days at 437, unto the Beafis 42 Months 475, I find it moft convenient to confider moft accurately the State of the Witnejfes, as Prophecy hath given any Light to the pointing of the Time of their whole teftimony, and diftinguilhing the various States of it : which Method I will endeavour to follow through this whole Line of Time ^ vi%, to obferve the Advances and Declinations of the Beftian Kingdom, and to adjuft thereunto the Declinati- ons and Defcents of the Witnefjes into the deepeft of their ob- fcure State, and their Re-advances till their Refurredion and Afcenlion : for the one and the other States rife and fall alternately 5 whofe motion htrein, the Woman, the Church, was exadlly conform'd to, being indeed the very fame one with another, except the Notion of Single and Collefted, M 2 Single 84 -^ Scripure Line of Time. Single in the Witnejfcs^ Collected in the Church, as before faid. But becaufe the Aftion efpecially was fuftaind by the Seed, or the Witmjfes, the Line of that Adion is moft parti- cularly drawn over them, the Witrieffes. I begin then with the other Beaft : but I will adventure to lay no ftrefs upon the Word"AMo, or Another, as if it did neceflarily imply Another Order, or a various Sub-fpecifi- cation of thefe two Bcafts-^ becaufe I find this Word "Aaa©* or *'A».o, may be, according to this Prophecy, fignificant of no more than a numerical, individuating Difference. But yet that thefe two are fo different, fo folemn, and great, fo raomentoufly different lconifm5,as are 8;iven of each of them, and their Adion by the holy Spirit fufficiently argue. That we may then have the perfeft Pourtradure of this other Beaft, who manag'd all things from ttie Beginning of the Apoftacy, during the wouKclcd State of the Grand Beaji in one, viz. the Jtxth of its Heads, call'd the IDragon, and the Infancy of the Grand Beaft, viz. as united to its feventh Head, call'd in this Prophecy moft often. The Beaji-^ We may thus behold Him the other Beafl, fo far as his Defcription reaches, while the Grand Beafl lay wounded, which v/as till the for- ty two Months began: by which great Preparation will be made to underftand that Grand Beafl. 1. This other BeaB muft, as BeaH does every where in Prophecy, import a Body of Men under fome Superiority of Power. I muft here remember again, to except to theTranfla- tion of the Four, not G>jp/a, falvage Beflfts, but (mx, gentle Animals, or living Creatures, Revel. 4. and elfewhere, leaft It fhould caule any miftake, but elfe both in Daniel and the Apocal. BeaB does imply a People under, united to fome Principality above: and becaufe here the Principality was in a Peerage or Ariftocracy, it refides in the two Horns, 2. Becaufe it is a Beaft of Continuance, as plainly appears by its Aftion from the very Apoftafie to the Number of the Bea!i, viz. from 437 to 725 ^ and after that to the very De- ftruftion of the Beafl and falfe Prophet 5 it muft be a fluid, iucceffive Bodyjas other Prophetical Beafls are. 3 .The A Scripure Line of Time. 85* 3. The inward fenfe of it mafl: be a Body of Fa!fe Pro- phets under Chiefs, mitred Prophets'^ for a!l the marks of falfe Prophetifm are upon ibem : this Bea^ therefore rifes low, mean, feeble, ftilly out of the E^rth^ without warlike force, or noife : it works Miracles^ pretends to call for Fire from Heaven, like Elias'-i that is, it threatens Men with the Wrath and Judgments of God 5 it deceives^ it caufed men to do by faying, or teaching. After its Adminiftration, as a Beali^ is part, becaufe fwallowed up in the Grand Bejiianifm^ it is feveral Times call'd the Fa/Je Prophet, as being exprcllive of its very Eflence, and wherein it is mod: nearly united to the Beaff^ R^evel. c. 16. 13. c. 19 20. c. 20. 10. 4. It muft be Antichriftian'-y and (kQingAntichriflianifmha- fliile, mock, abufed Chriftianity, it muft have of Chriftian al- io in it, elfe it could not be Antichriflian-^ it hath therefore the R.efemblance of a Lanth in its two Horns: but it is Anti- chrifiian fpecifickly, working by Fraud to furprife the King- , dom oi Chn^'y ambitious, haughty, idolatrous, perfecutory, cruel, thirfting after blood 3 for itjpake as a Dragon: altho therefore, it hath two Horns, like a Lamb, yet not the Lamb Chrifi Jefus 5 for he hath feven Horns, Revel. 5 . 6. agreeable to all the Apocalyptical Sevens, except the Dragons, and the Beafi's feven Heads: Seven, not becaufe They were fymboli- cally, but literally yez^e« Succeffions of Government, as the -K^v.ij. Womans feven Alountains. 5. Seeing the great Subjed of the Apocalype is the Roman Empire in its laft State, when the Kingdom of Chrift was be- gun in the Gofpel, and to appear in G/ eas- ing as a Dragon, by keeping alive the Beftian Power^ and in exercife while the ftxth Head, lay wounded, till ^he Wound was heal'd by the Jeventh Head fucceeding, and then it pro- teded the Infancy, or low beginning oi^nfeventh Head, as will be feen under the beginning oi the forty two Months '^ to which it hath led us. From the whole then, thefe two Things arife to our main Purpofe: i. That this ether Beafi muft be the Vfho\Q prophe-^ tick Office of the Wejiern and Eafiern Roman Empire under its Superiors, or Hierarchy, fo far as it was grown Apofiatical, Antichriflian, iind Pfeudo-prophetick^, or into falfe Prophecy, from the very beginning of the Apoflacy at 457, to the end of it at 1697, and beyond that, in what State foeverit Hiali be, till it is caft into the Lake with the Beaif, With this Exception, before the Beafis coming to the Image, and Num- ber of it felf, this Beaft hath the Regency, and fo the Type of a Beaft '^ after that it fubfides into bare /^^ Prophetifw^ but (uch as is inleparable from the Beaft, and the Beaft from it, fo that they rule together, but the Supremacy is in the Beafi '-i and they fail, and are caft into the Lake together. 2. The Adion of this other Beafi, till the forty two months^ is its fhaping its own Beftianifo, both into the Body under it, and its Superiority over its own Body. Its Jpeakjng as 4 Dragon, and governing the Gentiles^ who are call'd the Earthy and them that dwell therein^ herein exercifing the Pow- er A Scripure Line of Time. 87 er of the wounded Beaji before him, viz. the former Paganifh Beaft,, that with all its Heads and Populacy, according to the prophetical EmhleWy iiv'd in a wotmded State for want of a BefttaM Head, or Prince, from the Empire becoming Chri- ftiarty till the Antichriftian Ki^g became its Head at the be- ginning of the forty two Months. And th^ other Beaft gui- ded them, rul'd, and conduced them, as paganijhly affeSed to a new Antichriftian Fagaftifm in preparation for the fe- venth Head, without whofe Succeffion the Grand Beaft had been extind. In all which, by Head is meant Head in Power. It may be obje(5led againft this whole State of Things, Ohjetl. That here is no view of that Arrian Herefte and Perjecutiorr^ which could not be untaken in the Notices of this Pro- phecy. This Prophecy is not to be fuppos'd to take notice of All Anfwer.. the diforders in the Profeflion of Chriftianity, any more than of all the Governments, or Changes of Government in the World. It minds its own Purfuit, runs in its own Channel, which was the fourth Moffarchy, and in that, the Antichri- ftian Surprilal of the Kingdom ofGhrift after the Deftrudion of pure Pagamfm : fo that Paganifm firft, under the Pagan Empire, Antichriftian Paganifm punifti'd with the Barbariatt^ and Mahometan Inundations from which the True Church was hidden, and its Seed perfecuted under the Beftian King- dom^ is the only Symmetral, Even, Proportionate Courfe of this Prophecy^ till the end of the 1260 Days. I come now to the laft Thing neceflary before the Entry into the Beafls forty two Months , that is, to fettle the State of the Witnejfes^ as in its general view under the whole 1260 Days, and more particularly in this Interval from the Apo- ftacy beginning unto the Beafis forty two Months, The Witnejfes^ as hath been already declar d, are the Seed of the Woman., the True Church., who k§ep the Command- ments ofGod^ and hold the Teftimony., iheVFitnefs, the Mar- *yry ofjefuso Thefe 88 A Scripture Line of Time. Thefe are in Sackfhth, as the beft of their State, the whole 1260 Days 5 but. their Time is diftinguifh'd by three great Pairs oi V^JtTfelJes in the Old Teftament, whofe Hiftory ex- plains the varying Types of their Condition, Jojhua and Ze- rfibhahel^ Elijah and Elrjha^ Mofes and Aaron, The firft is of Jqfhua and Zernhbahel^ who though in mournful Garments^ as Jofhua^ and in union with him, Ze- rnbbabel^'is reprelented, ZecL 5. i. d^c. yet They were as two Olive Branches to the Church of the Jerpf^ which was at that Time, the Candleftic^ ftanding before the God of the whole Earth. And this is the firft Reprelentation of the VFjtneJJes 5 for they are alfo the tvpo Olive Trees, and the ttro Candlejiicks ftanding before the God of the Earth, Revel. 1 1. 6. compard . with Zech. c. 4. And it comprifes the certain Aflurance and Expeftation of the New Jerufalem, and its glorious San&uary^ even as the typical Temple, and its Jerufalem were fo far fet- tled by thofe two great perfon ages : But beyond that, They had the Promifes of the New Jerufakm State, peculiarly- made to them 5 to Jojlma, Zech. 3. 7. places among the Angels jtanding by in that Vifion, as Attendants on Chrift, to Zeruh- babel, Haggai 2.21. d^c. When that Overthrow of Kingdoms fhould be, which could be no other than that at the feventh Vial. Zerubbabel (liall be a Srgnit 5 and to all God's People throughout the Prophecy of Zechar. the fame Promifes are confirmed 5 and fo to thefe two Witneffes. The VVitneffes then at this Time, by holy Do&rine, purt VForJhip, unfpotted San&ity, begin their Teftimony, and are truly Chriftian Prophets, or Perfons of a magrftratical Chara* &er and Eminency, or truly fit for fuch a Dignity -, and as the Sons ofOyl, or anointed ^»e/", Zech.4. ult. They empty the gol- den Oy I into the two golden Candlefiick^s, into the Souls of the Servants and People of God, the Seed of th^ Woman, who from the beginning of the Apojiacy to the end of it, are Members, and make up thofe two Churches, Vergamus and Thyatyra 5 which, as I have fhewn in its Place, run parallel in ^ergamm at the beginning, and Thyatyra in the latter part with A Scripture Line of Time. 89 with the whole Apofiacji, although the Church o^ Sardk firft» and Philadelphia at lafl:,do indeed undertake the Line drawn by the Churches through the whole Apocalypfe^ before the Church efThyatyra^ in its real Subfiftence, (hall ceafe to bear that Type of the Chriftian Churchy it is appointed to faftain. Now how admirably does this agree with the ftate of the true Chriftian Witnejjes for fome confiderable fpace after the Apojiacy beginning ? They did indeed put on Sackcloth in God's Account, affoon as theGentiles came into the holy ground with their unhallowed feet^ (hod with Paganifj Superjiition, But They at firft, and for fome fpace of time, rather e«f- ptied the golden Oyl out of themfehef, than were under Per(e- cution and Sufferings 5 They fent out the Holy Dodrine, and chryiial Stream of Evangelical Truth 3 The Worfhip of God they directed, was tranfparent, clear, and pure, without Paganifi Mixtures and Ceremonies 5 and the Converfation they preach'd and gave Example of, was not foul, ranck, fe- tid^ but holy, gracious, pellucid, of an excellent O^/i^^r and Fragrancy. And although Hiftory is not juft, and fincere enough to give account hereof, paffing through the Feculencies of the beginning Apoftacy^ and fuffering under all its particular In- juries more than thofe of Time, and obfcur'd, as under that cover'd State, in which the Church now was 5 yet we are not under a total want of fuch Monuments of the Witnefles Te- ftimony. But for the Corruptions they weretoteftifie againft, they are too notorious to be denied, as fuch Beginnings of the Apoftacy, even at this very joynt of Time 3 and there- fore by the conftant care of God in preferving a Seed that is accovntedto the Lord for aGeneration, and particularly by the Types of this Prophecy, we are moft aflured there muft be fuch Witnejfes, and fuch muft be their TeHintony, N SECT. ^o A Scripture Line of Time. SECT. VIIL Wherew^ The Forty Two Months are meafird by the exaQefi Rules of Prophecy, a»d found hy exprefs Concur rendex of thofe Prophecies to begin at the Cejfation of the Ghriftian Weftern Empire, and to end whenever the 1260 Days end (the Date of the Kingdom of Gbrift immediately enjuingj and therefore to begin at ^y^, and by compare with the 1260 Days to end at 1697. According to which ^ the State of the Empire, of the Adminifiration of the Firft Beaft, and of the WitnefTes during the Fourth Trumpet, y\z, from 475,, to 606, is reprefented. TH E Point of Time I am now entring upon, hath had a Juft Approach made to it according to its Impor- tance, which is very great : I (hall now, through the Affi- ftance of the Divine Spirit, duely copfider the moft weighty fenfe of it felfj there being no Line of Time, whofe Bounds are fo definitive, the Beginning fo unconteftably evident in Hiftory, the End fo illuftrious, as thismuft be to fenfe it felf^ in the very nature of the thing. That I may therefore difcourle hereof moft regularly, I propofe thefc four Heads to fix the Intendment upon. I. •To (hew. That the Apoftle Pant hath afErm'd, the co- ming oithe Man vfSin^ or Bea§f, (whofe End is according' to all Prophecies concerning him, DefiruBion by the immedi- ate Appearance ofCbri^*s Kingdom at that his end) hath an unmoveable Bar to his Manifeftation till his own Time 5 and that the Apoftle "^ohn declares that Bar to be an indefeifable Sacccflion oi Sifeventh King, net come in his Time^ to zpxth King, then in Being in his Time, and that feventh King to endure a fjort iime^ and that then the BeaU^ the eighth King ihould fucceed, and that he could fucceed neither fooner nor later. When therefore it will appear that fuch z feventh King did fucceed \\\q fixth^ and that that yez^cA?//> did deceafe at 4755 A Scripture Line of Time. 91 475 5 if it (hall alfo appear, as it will, that this is the very fame Beaft to whom fort)/ two months are determin'd, it will then be moft evident , his forty two months muft begin at 47 5- 2. To (hew, That the K.ingdom of the BeaU muO: la fit till the Kingdom of ChriB^ according to the fame Laws of Succeffion, can fucceed, and it can laft no longer f, as alfb, that the Kingdom ofChriH muft fucceed when that Kingdom ends, and it can fucceed no fooner s if then, it is exprefljr laid, the Kingdom of Chrift (hall immediately fucceed the ii6oDays^ and that according to this Law of Succeilion, and the courfe of all Prophecy^ it muft alfo fucceed tht forty two months : it then will plainly follow, the 42 Months and the 1 260 Days end together. 3. To (hew. That the 1260 Days muft be Time of the Sun, and the forty two months muft be Time ofthe Moon 3 and feeing they muft be adjufted to one another, as ending together, and lying both within one common Womb oCTime^ Times, Half Time j Th€ forty two months, by the moft exad compare of Lunar and Solar Time, can be but 1222 Years 5 and therefore befidcs all Advantages of Scripture-ule of round Number, beginning at 475, they moft exaftly and moft neceffarily muft end at 1697. 4. To ftiew, That the Bea^ indeed muft have every way the Seminal, fundamental Nature of fuch a Beaji as he is de- fcrib'd to be, at the very beginning of his forty two Months^ as the Infant hath of a Man, but need not, nor cannot be fup- pos'd to attain full prophetical Proportions, till long after, which Time Prophecy hath alfo dated to him by his Number 666. So that the defcription of the Empire, according to the Fourth Trumpet, the Ad minift ration of the other Beafl^ and the State of the Wiinejfes, may continue many Years af- ter as they ftood at xht forty two Months cntring, and fo Pr^- phecy determines of them. . ,v^ To begin then with the firft of thele, I find this Order and Uead u Concert of the Parts of it will be moft convi^ive and de- N 2 monftra- 9 2 A Scripure Line of Time. monftrative: i. That Daniel^ the Apoftle Fanl^ and the Apoftle John^ fpeak all of one and the fame Beaji. 2. That this one and the fame Beafi^ h^h forty two months determin'd upon him, as the }aft State of his Duration. 5. That the Apoftle jf^^w hath declared that peremptory, pofitive Law of Succeifion, that was the Let of the coming of the Beaft in- to \\\s forty two months. I, For the firft. Although a multitude of Proofs from the Concert of all Prophecy, which either have been or will be farther taken notice of, may be given, yet, That which I will reft upon alone at this time, ftiall be that moft convi- dive one, That his End is DefiruBion by the glorious Af- pearance of the Kingdom of Chrifi 5 fo that his eminent Gha- rader is Son of Perdition^ in Conformity to that Apofiats Apoftle, Judas, fo near the Glory of Chrift's Refnrre&ion 5 ft) the Apoftle John twice defcribes him, by his going into Perdition, Apoc. ij.v.S.v. 11. and his DeftruBion is folemn- ly declared, c. 19. and then the Kingdom of Chrift fucceeds, €, 20. c. 21. Thus Daniel in every Vifton-^ The great Image was fmitten by the Stone cut out of the Mountains without hands, growing to a great Mountain, filling the Earth by a Kingdom never ending, in its ten-toed feet, part of Iron and part of Clay, fo exadly compounded of the Beaft out of the Sea, with his ten crowned Horns, infeparably united with his falfi Prophetifm, a Beaft out of the Earth, Elevel. 13. The little Horn is a Beaft, deliver d to the Flames, and the King- dom under the whole Heaven given to the Saints. The King ft an ding up again ft the Prince of Princes ftiall be broken with- out hand. At the Accomplifiing to fatter the Holy People, viz. by this Beajt^ as bath been made to appear 5 All the Wonders of Chrift's Kingdom ftiall be fini/hed, Dan. c. 2. v. 2^. d^c. compared with Dan. c. 7. ii.d^c. c. 8. 24, 25. c. 12. 7. The Apoftle Paul, 2 Theff. 2, 3. &c. ftiles him the Son of Perditi- on, and foretels his being confumed with the Brightnefs of the Lords 5 viz. Chrift's coming, and the Glory of hk Appearance, Whoever then confiders the moft notable and notorious De^ A Scripure Line of Time. 93 DeftruBion always affix'd to one and the fame kind of Pow- er, fo even in all its manners of Defcription, and fuch a kind of DeftrnBioft as is always declared to iffue and flow out from the Glory of Chrift at his coming to his K.wgdom^ will find, It muft be one and the fame Beaft^ fince Chrift hath but one fuch Coming and one fuch Kingdom^ as thefe are defcrib'd to be, nor indeed is there any more than one fuch Beaft Co fci- tuated in Time, Place, and Succeffion, as this will appear to be. It is in the (econd place to be made out, that this is the 2. fame BeaB that hath Fonrty two Months determin d to Him 5 and though there needs nothing to make that good, but to take the two Chaps, c. 19. and c. 17. of the Apocal. and to write down all the particulars of agreement between thole two Beafts 5 and it will be impoffible for fo much as tha thinking Mind to doubt of their being one and the fame : But I will only infift upon the former Argument in this mat- ter, that Beaji^ that is fo deliroyed as the Bea^ in the c. 17. is to be deftroyed, muft needs according to the former Argu- ment be the fame Beaft. But the Bea^ that hath Fourty two Months^ determin'd to his Continuance c. i^.v. 5. hath fuch a Deftrudion affix'd to him as the Bea^^ c. 17. hath : For who can affume the Effrontery, or Boldnefs to deny, that the Beast y c. 19. who is taken and caft into the Lcik§^ v. 20. is the fame with the Bea^, c. 17. And the Becifi r. 13. hath this very fame DelirttUion foretold to him 5 For he is to be Taken, and to go into that Eternal Captivity of the Lake with his Falfe Prophet infeparable from him, according to z/. 10. and his Ten Crawned Horns ^ or whole Circle of lyings are to be killed with the Sword of Chrifi's Mouthy c. v^.v. 21. com- pared with ch. 15. V, 10. he that leadeth into Captivity fhiiU go, d^c. and he that kills with the Sword, d?^c. nowChrift's Captivation and Killing are fuch as argues Divine Juftice and Power, and fuch is that declar'd, c. 19, 20. .' . The Apoftle John hath declar'd that fo obftinate un- 3. yielding Bar to the Man of Sin^ being reveal'd, ftill in his Time, CA A Scripture Line of Time. Time, as the Apoftle Paul mofl: emphatically fpeaks, fignl- fying the impoflibility of his Comings till that his own pro- per Time ^ Now the occafion of that great Apoftolical Para- a Thejf, 2. graph was an Expeftation of a fudden Appearance of the Glory of Chrift's Kingdom , this very Kingdom, of which we are now fpeaking 5 which was the great Expedation of the Apoftles, till they were better Inftrufted, and of other XDhriftians after them upon a general, but not particular Ap- prehenfion o{ Scripture Prophecy j For that this Day was the day oi Judgment^ there is no Senfe for, in thofe lightfome Days before the Apoftacy, feeing all the Prophecies are big with a Glorious ftate of Chriftianity in this World. To this the Apoft. for their Information, and of after Ages much more, fpeaks pundually , That it could not be expeded fo foon, and does moft vehemently obteftate by the very com- ing of Chrift, and our gathering unto him againft the Expe- dation : for faith he, There muft be an Apoftacy firft, and the Man of Sin muft be reveal'd 5 but that muft be in his own proper Time, and not before 5 for there is a 6 ^rix^y, a Perfon witholding, and a ^5 ^(psv, an effedual Thing, Tpitholding^ or each of thefe taking fuch Faft Hold of their proper Space and Time, that the Beftian Prince cannot come forward till they by going off let go their Hold^ and then ihall be reveal'd that lawlefs one, that Man ofSin^ which is an Expofition of to bndov^ when it is to be underftood of a Body of Succeffors. So this is the Apoftles Senfe, The day of Chrift^ viz. of his Glory and Kingdom^ cannot come^ till the Man of Sin come: The Man of Sin comes indeed out of the Apoftacy as out of a Womb , but as no Birth can, fo he cannot come till his own Time: Sathan is eager enough , every thing work/ to it as faft as it can : the Myjiery of Iniquity is now al- ready at this very moment at work. But every Thing that God hath ordain d will hold its own, its own Time, its own Place 5 and fuch a Holding Thing there is, and fuch a Holdr- ing Perfon ther€ is that pofleffes, and fills that Time and Place. Thus AScripnre Line of Time. 05 Thus far the Apoftle Paul goes in his Epiftk, fo far he wasorder'd by the Holy Spirit to go, and no farther , the reft he refers to former Perfonal Difcourfe. Now whatever prudential reafon there might be of faying no raore^ The great Reafon was,the Holy di(^ating Spirit order'd no more 3 but that all Scripture might be fearch'd and compar'd : Holy Writers fay fo much in one place , fo much in another ^ fo much one Holy Writer fays, (b much more is faid by another j by eve- ry ones part the Harmony is made up. The Apoftle John therefore fpeaking, as I have prov'd of the fame great Matter, and aiming at the Glorioifs Ki^g^ dom ofChrift, the grand fcope of all Frophecy, declares the Reafon why the Kingdom ofChrift could not Come^ becaufe there was an unalterable Succeflion determined by God beforc that Kingdom : There yttitfiven Kings ^ five of them he gives in the Lump, becaufe Prophecy was not concern'd in them, or in the manner or order of their Succeffion 5 they are on- ly a Character of the Monarchy, a diftindive of the Fourth Beaji by \tsfeven Heads, or Forms of Government, in a Suc- ceffion as Kings fignifie, Dan. 7. But in three of them the Prophecy then in motion by the Apoftle John was highly in- terefted 5 The firft was then, and it was in its courfe accord- ing xo five ofthefeven Seals : Tht /event h King was not yet Con*e, it was not very far off comparatively, but it was not as yet Come^ it was to come in the fixfh Seal, and when it came, there was a neceffity upon him, he rouft continue by the fame Comparativene(s but a (hort fpace, viz. during on- ly the time of the fixth and feventh Seals 5 Now xh\sfiventh the Spirit is induftrious to affure us, He was the Chriftian Emperohr'-i though he was aKing of that great Ciry,and£^- /^/re, yet he pertain d not to the BeaJi 5 indeed there was a Declination to the Apojiacy in his time, but the Church was- yet pure all thofe Seals^ as appears by them 5 it appears too it was declining, the ^/>^/^^^7 drew near> a declining from one Degree to another there -had been from the firft Operation oftlis Myjiery of Iniquity, forming the Antichrijiian Pr/nce no 5 6 A Scrip we Line of Time. with great Curiofity in the loweft parts of the Earthy where no Eye favv the way of the Sathamck^Sptrit^ but he, before whom HelJ and DeflrnBion Imve no Covmng. However, this Chriflian Emperour was none of the Heads ^ but wounded the Pagan fixth Draconick^ Head. The Beasf, he is the eighth, and is of the yet;e» 5 Seven, what but Heads ? Clearly joyn- ing this Vrjion with tht/even Heads, of Chap. 13. He, that^s the Son of Perdition goes into Perdition 5 I fay again, Goeth into Perdition, that Perdition juft before the Kingdom of Chrift, and fo hath no Succeifor, but Chrift confitming him. Now this Succeffion ftands firm^ God himfelf had fix'd it. As then no Prince can fucceed till the former is avaunted, in fo exaft a Succejjlon one cannot crowd out another, no more than one Month or a Day following can crowd out the pre* cedent j but when any goes off, the next fucceeds imiDedi- ately : there can be no Vacuity, Rex nunqnam moritur^ where God holds the Succeffion, and its Law firm 5 and fo it is to the very Kingdom of Chrift, Juft then when the Chriftian Emperour deceased, tht Befti- an Emperour ficceeded'-, and that was indifputably at 475, and then his forty two Months of Duration fucceeded: and it was a large Time, as Prophecy draws them out j and they are ftill current 5 they muft have been yet a long time ago begun, for there was xhcjixth King in Being when the Apo- file wrote, fignifying his Time then in fpending. The Jeventh had no long time ^ That end of things the Apoftle declares, Ch. 18. c. i9.t\2o.c. 21. is beyond all Gontroverlie upon due, yea, but fmall Gonfideration, not yet come. Therefore this eighth Ring mufl: have been long upon the Throne, and now near the end o( his forty tvpo months. For he came at the very firft of them: He came then, though as an Infant Prince a Prince as in the Cradle, yet then he came. Humane Hiftory is not more competent to declare the Time when Antichrift was horn, than the Jejvs could pro- nounce aright when the Chrifi was born 5 yet fome chofen Obfervers there were of the one and of the other, fome or A Scripnre Line of Time. 97 alarming Indications : The Father Jerom founded it aloud' or rather by Infpiration before hand proclaim'd it , but God hath judg'd it, he hath declar'd it, and there can be no in- certainty in it. When the fhort-liv'd Chriftian £^/7er^;/r/ and their Empire dyed in the Wefl^ then it was 5 The true Seat of the Roman Empire^ being aifeven headed [even hilled Ro/»e, was by a wonderful Operation of Providence, quitted by the Dragon to be the Seat of the Bezji 5 the Chriltian Empe- roHTs refided eKewhere moft, for ftill that was the Metropolis of the Beftian Empire 5 ConUantinopk did but borrow the Name by a fecret of Providence, o^ Nova Roma^ as ufeful for forae Types of Prophecy ^ when the Chrijiian Weflern Empire was cefiated 5 then the Eighth King fucceeded, his Fonrty two Months then began. I come now to the fecond Head of this Difcourfe , The Head 2, Kingdom of Chrift muft come immediately after the BeaHs Fourty tvpo months ended , The Law of the Succefiion re- quires it, it muft be then immediately proclaim* d--^ It docs not appear. all at once, no Kingdom does fo : But its Prepa- rations ZXQ feventy five Tears --y So great, fo glorious i\n Empire, (b juft, fo even, and cubical in its Thou/and Tears ^ muft have an honourable Preparation ^ And it is but ftiort in compa- rifon 5 During this time all forts of warnings are given by the feven Thunders unfeaVd, Revel. 14. all kind of Juftice done upon Offenders by the Vials^ c. 16. The Beali hath a kind of dying Life, as an outdated llfurper not yet executed, but that hath loft his ufurpcd Empire^ and then Lahld for Ever. This Succefiion of the Kingdom of Chrift is dared by Pro- phecy to the end of the 1260 Days. For then \}aQWttneJfes rife, go out of their Sackcloth, are array 'd in a white Cloud, Afcend to Heaven 5 they cannot Afcend in Sackcloth 5 but for 1260 Days »S4r/^(r/^^A was their Shrowd , it is then certain, the 1260 Days End-5 It is certain alfo, tht Kingdom ofchriji is then proclaim'd^ for when the fecond woe palf away, the third comes quickly 5 No delay, and the third woe Trumpet brought it, and the firft Sound or Report is, The Kingdoms O ./ 9 8 A Scripture Line of Time. ^fthis World an become the K.wgdoms of the Lord, and of his Chrtjt^ therefore laftly, the forty two months muft end "with the 1260 diiys^ for Chrift abated nothing of them by his Kwgdofff^ overhaftily, as is to be (hewn, and the Beaji was to have fo many for his Reign. Head. ^. ^^^ 1 260 days, and the forty two motfths ending together, and xh^ forty trvo Months beginning at 475, they muft be ad- jufted one to the other, as one being Time of the Sun, the other, as Time of the Moon. For as in all Languages, and parts of the World,Days muft, and do fignifie moft properly the Time, meafured by the Sun 'y fo in the eaftern, and moft efpecially the Jewijh, and Scripture Language 5 Months fignifie only, and folely the Time, as meafured by the Moon, and are call'd Novitates Nen>nejfes, or Times meafured by each new Congrefs ;:5t>f • Moon with the Sun, or nevp Moons: fo that however another way of fpeaking hath prevailed with us, a Month of the Sun is as improper, as a day of the night, or a day mealiired by the Moon 5 fo that if words can fignifie as they are al^y^ays in Scripture us'd to fignifie, Months muft fignifie Time a&cct" d- ing to the motion of the Moon. And further, as hath been already ftiewn, the Symbol is of the peculiar ufe in i\\\sVrophecy tofembleTime of the Night,of theMoon,that iheTrue Church hath under itsFee^,and as lliall be more feen in a great Remarque upon the Mahometan Moon. Becaufe therefore days^ months^ years^ as they are within this Line of Time, muft all lye within Time^ Times ^ half Timc^ and equal 1260 days^ ov years 5 There are twice Forty iwo Months^ that knitting one within another, will fupply the ftiortneis to 1260 Days,ovTearf^ of the Forty trvo Months^ either of the Gentiles^ ending thirty eight years fooner, or ihofe of the Beaft^ beginning thirty eight years later than thofe 1260 Days. And, as the MooncouXA be no M*?*?//, if there were no Sun to lend it Light 5 fo the Sun on a body prepared, and mo- ving to !C, as the Moon^ cafts a Light like that of the Moon, certain- A Scripure Line of Time. ^^ certainly and without fail : In the fame manner there could be no Antichriftian months^ or Churchy if there were not a true Churchy and its ^leed^ the WHneJJes cloth'd with the Sun oi Right eonfnefs^2A\ thofe 1 26oTears, which cafl: thofe Months j And if there be fuch a body as the Antichriftian Churchy mo- ving to the Chriftian Church, as that does, it muft needs de- rive Months from its Days^ equal one to the other. And it is moft apparent, that waving Scriptures romid Nnmber-^ Unto the exaftnefs of conliderably lefs than a Years difference, the Time of Forty two prophetical months^ ad- jufted by the ftridteft Accountant to the time of 1260 pro- pheticdl Dayf^ meafured by the Moofj's motion, from one new Conjunftion with the Sun to another, will be as 1222 Tears to 1 2 60 Tears ^ fo that if the forty two months of the Beafl begin at 475, the i26odays beginningat 457, they will both end neceflarily at 1697 5 which is the thing that ought to be (h€wn,fo great an Exaftne{s,fo furely arguing the true Calcula- lation of this Line, I hope, all will agree, cannot be by chance. J requeft then, I (ay, a ftridnefs of Account, which toavoid both longfomnefs and perplexity in this Difcourfe, I do not give, but by fo ftrift Account, two miftakes will be cfcaped, which may arife from a general apprehenfion of this Matter 5 For it wih then be found, the Calculation is net to be made by accounting the Time of a Synodical Month to twenty nine days^ fo many hours^ d^c. which makes the Lu- nar year 554 days fo many Hours and Scruples, nor by rating the 1260 daysy as three Tears and half which wants about five days of the true Solar Year, and then proportioning the Lunar Year of 564 D^^/, odd Hottrs and Scruples to a Year of only 560 days 5 But the true Scale of Time between the Sun and Moons motion in that which is call'd the middle courfe of each, refpedting their Conjunction one with ano- ther, is to be taken 5 and I affirm to the rooft rigid Arithme- tician concerning it, it will prove exaft to about half a years diftance. That 1 260 years of the Sun will exceed forty two Months fpace o^xhtMoon prophetically underfkood thirty O 2 eight loo A Scripure Line of Time. eight years. For as Maimonides^ the moft learned account lant or^en?y/& Time, fettles this matter in his fevere computati- on of fitne, in order to their new moons Solemnities. There is eleven days within fbme hours difference betwixt the lunar year and the folar, naturally given as 365. days 5 judge then how little can the want of the five days to make up the folar year 365 days, alter the account of 11 days dif^ ference in a year betwixt the Sun and Moon, which rifes from above 72 five days in a year, to make them nearer equal one to the other, than eleven days difference carries with it of inequality. But I fear to be over tedious in this matter, although the wonderful exaftnefs of the account does detain my Thoughts, affuring a Line of Time, confirmed fo many ways befides, to have its Epoch at 437, and its Period at 1697 5 by even Co unexpedted an agreement of the Beajis forty two months^ctv- tainly beginning at 475, and therefore the Witnejjes twelve hundred Jixty days thirty eight years before them, while the Gentiles forty two months avQ ready to fet out with thofe 1260 days, that fo the time of the Bejiian Tyranny^ and thefiffer- ings of the Servants of God may begin and end together, as they ought to do. I come therefore to the fourth head, to confider the ftate of the Empire oixho. Bcaft at his firft rifing, or his forty two Months beginning thus at 475, and to compare therewith the Adminift ration of the other Beaji and the Prophecy of the Wit- nejfes, as they ftood in the interval from 475 ^^ 606 5 For indeed there is very little of a new fcene of things opening till then 5 and therefore the great bufinefsof this head will be to fettle the effential Lineaments of the grand Apocalyptical BeaJi according to the prophetical Iconifmes o^ chap, i i,c. i^* c. 17. of the Revel, and to compare therewith the Imagery, given Dan. c. 2. c. 7. c.^.c. 11. and the Apoftle Paul's Pre- - didion. 2 Thef. 2. and the Apoftle 'Johns fhort Accounts of Antichrifl in his Epijiles 5 wherein I do not yet fo much in- tend to difplay the Qtiality and A^ion of the BeaJi whick will A Scripture Line of Time. loi will be more advantagioufly done hereafter 5 for at this time ihey were but feminal, and (b not difcoverable, nor open, and there was an accidental Variablenefs therein. But 1 de- fign thofe invariable and unalterable Eflentials which are un- moveable, although they appear each in their juft Seafons, and which are fundamental to the Bea^. Now herein I do folemnly avow, I will bring no preconr ceiv'd Idea, or Shape of the Beali to the Prophecy^ but fearch for that true one Prophecy gives, and receive it from its hand as wholly unpoflefs'd of any Notions of Him before-hand 5 and then referr to general and uncontroverted Hijiory, as to an Umpirage moft impartial, the Agreement of Things with Prophecy, Nor do I defign to prove any Name or kind of Power in the World to be this Bea!f^ but only to prove, That there hath been and muft be fuch a one to fuftain the Prophetick^ Charafters during xht^t forty two Months'^ and what will ne- ceflarily follow, I cant Fore- Fend. To this Purpofe [ muft make thefe three Premifals: I. That when Prophecy gives an entire prophetical Scheme of a Monarchy or this Befiiamfm, it reprefents, as entire and eifential to that Scheme, Things that did not fill it firft j as Hijiory, giving the Character of an Empire, gives it at full, or fo of any Prince, and not as things were in thtir mere In- fancy. Thus thofe things are given into the Pofleilion of the Beak at his forty two MoT^ths beginning^ which were not complcat till many Years after , as his Ten Horns, his Great Power and Authority, d^c. Now this ought to be no prejur dice to the Prophetick, Scheme^ no more than that the Pidure of Charles the Great, as a Man or an Emperonr, would not fit his Infancy, efpecially when Prophecy defines the Time ^'hen he (hall attain that Image, viz. 666. 2. When Prophecy gives the Portraiture of a particular laft ftateofa Monarchy that had a variety of States before it, it unites that laft State as fo one with the former, and efpe- cially with that juft before it, as that they are fpoken of as one lo^ A Scripure Line of Time. one common State juft at one Time 3 for this belongs to the Glory of Prophecies Vrefcience and Omnifcience^ to which, pa ft, and prefent, and to come, are one, to give things thus entire in one. Thus Prophecy gives the Dragon^ the fixth Head in the Bca!i o?feven Heads^ feven Heads^ when it wanted one as to prefent Event; and if it had to do with any oixhc five fallen Heads in the Time of the Apocalypfe given, it had done the fame undoubtedly, becaufe the Scheme is but one although it be at feveral Times filled up : fo the Scheme has always 7 Heads. And thus it gives the grand Apocalyptick^ BeaSi whatever was before it 5 the five fallen Heads in the Ijimp^ that they make a Character of it 5 nay, the whole Image^ Dan. 2. in the three Beasfs^ Dan, 7. the Grecian Leopard, the Perfian Bear, Rev.13.2. and the Babylonian Lyon, are united to this laft State of the fourth Monarchy, and even whole entire Bejiianifm--, becauie in it that Intage was to be beaten to Powder, Dan. 2. 34, 35, and the Lyon^ the Bear, and the Leopard, who had their Lives prolonged, Time at large, and intimate Time or Seafon^ were now to be kjll'drvith the Sword ofChrifi's Mouthy when the BeaH, the Little Horn, is given to the confuming h lames, or to the Lake, Dan.y. 11,12. with Jpoc. 19. v. 2 1. So that it is no wonder it is called the Bea^ wounded in one of its Heads, viz,, the Jlxth Head, before it came unto its Succeftion or forty two months'^ that it is called in the fame manner the firfi Beali twice, Revel. 13. 12. for all Bejiianifm is fo total- ly his, that the Dragon, with v?hom he is more efpecially united, as his immediate PredecefTor, that hath the feven Heads and ten Horns becaufe it was the Roman BeaU under the ^xth Head^ yet is carefully forepriz'd from the Name Beafl, that it might not derogate from the llniverfal Bejii- anifm of this grand Beaji 5 yea though it is he in whom thif Beaji was wounded. There is only a fhort Allowance of the Name of the"A^^.o ^nplov the other Beaji to him who is ere(9:- ing this feventh Head into its Supremacy and Dignity, be- caufe he is fo one with him, as the falfe Prophet, and but for the time he is fo erediing him. 3. That A Scripture Line of Time. .103 5. That the prophetical Scheme may be under ftood con- cerning this Beaft^ it is to be duely ftated, where the Situ- ation of each part of this mHltiplice Scheme is to be , there muft be the Trunk or Body of this Beafi^ and that hath its feet of many Nations and People fpread far and wide, the People of the Ten Horns, like the feet of a Bear^ and by thofe many forts of People, its Body lis varioufly fpotted about like a Leopard , this is the Populacy with their fubor- dinate Magiftrates. There are the fiven Heads^ or fupreme crowned Authorities, each having fucceffive Dignity and So- vereignty, as the Romans had Kmgs^ Confuls, Decemvirs^ Tribn^es of the People^ perpetual Di&ators^ all fallen in the Apoftles Time, and fo they fignifie no farther than the making a Character of the Monarchy intended. In the Apoftlcj Time were the Emperours^ or the Dragon in the Language of Pro^ phecy, and the fixth Head j and the Beaft, the feventh and laft, whofe Mouth fpeaking as the Lyon, Nehnchadnezzar^ ads the Body and Feet to the Cruelty of the Leopard, and Bear by his idolatrous and fiery Decrees. There are the ten crowned Horns, whofe Scite is in this Head, abfblute, ihde- pendant Monarchs and Princes^ only as they agree to give their Strength and Porcer to the Bealt. Now all thefe have fo clofe an Union with the Grand Bea^, that the Body is fo his, that he is the Bea^, becaufe he is the Head of the Body 5 the ten Horns are his while they are Horns, for their Situation muft be in the Head: the for- mer Heads are his, the five fallen to make him a Character 5 tht fixth, the Imperial Dragon, lives in hira, is worjhipped in him, continues to the lall in him, vi%, the Monarchic\nefs^ the Idolatry, the Enmity to Chrift's Kingdom efpecially, even as he at the firft is wounded in him. And the other Beasi is his, negotiating his Dignity and Supremacy, and at that compleat, fubfiding into his Falfe Prophet 5 the Dragon, the BeaB, the Falfe Prophet, fending out, each tlie Spirit of De- vils'^ and the Falfe Prophet, taken as infeparable one from the other, with him, and cafi into the Lake. Thus he is every way the grand Apocalyptick^Beafi, Ha- 1 04 -A ScriptPire Line of Time. Having laid this Foundation by way of Premifal, I come now to define this Grand Apocalyptkk^Beafl^ according to his certain, eflential, invariable Charafters, moft eminent in Prophecy ^ moft confpicuous in HiBory : for I dare not ad- venture fo great a weight on Hiflory without Vrophecy^ nor fufpend it on my Interpretation of Prophecy without obfer- ving Divine Providence, conducing the Event at every fwelling Period, into moft undoubted Hiflory. When both meet to fuch Perfection, it is hard to doubt, and even fullen Obftinacy to deny. CharaB, The Beaft muft be the Apoftle "John's Great Antichri ft, that ^' woi to comt into the TF^^r/^, agreeing with the falje Chrifts our ijo 114. j^^^j prophefied of, and the Apoftle jf(?^«'s many Antichrifts^ Mat.24.2/i. who would fteal the Kingdom of the Mejfiah from Him, by pretending themfelves to be Chrilfs 5 and fo denying that great Article, that Chrifi was come in the Flejh^ to which the Kingdom of his Father David is aflur'd without end, as be- ing his Root and Off-Jpring. Now this can be no way fo effedually done, as by pre- tending to be the Vicar of Chrifi^ and holding his Kingdom in his Right, and as in Honour of him. And he that does that,is the 6 ' Av! imfjuvQ' xheOppoJJteto Chriff^ and if it (hould be difguis'd under Servus Servornm Dei^ it would not excuic it. Now thofe open, bare-fac'd, Falfi Chrifts, the Judg- ment of God immediately feiz'd, and gave up to Deftrufti- on. But of fuch an Antichrifl as this, Chrift hath fworn. There ftiall be Time^ Times, Half a Time^ for Him, and that Chrifts Kingdom ftiould not come.ov the Wonders of it be ac compli/h'dj till thefe are paft and fully paft. And the Apoftle P^/z/affures us, before the Day ofChriJi can come, the Apoftacy muft bring forth fuch an Antichriji, who muft therefore j// in the Temple of God, viz. the outTvard Court and Holy City, or the Profeffion oi Chriftian Religion^ and in Chriftendome, and there muft exalt Himfelf, muft ufurp above All that is called God, viz. Chrifi, even in his hu- mane Nature, called and carrying the Name on his Vcftnre^ and A Serif ture Line of Time. 105 and on h\s Thigh, (but not Written, or (et in publick view, till jaft before the Beafi's Ruine ) Kwg of Kings, Lord of Lords 5 whom God Sandified, and fent into the World, as Supreme Prince, and under him truly Chriftian Supremes, who are alfo calkd Gods;, John lo. 35, 36. If then all Hiftofy, and ail Knowledge of Time, fuccefTive- ly, for feveral Ages, declare fuch a pretended Vicar ofChriJij This is the moft effential and original Charafter of Antichrifl, without fearching farther into his Quality and Adion 3 For as whoever (hould pretend to be deputed to be a Divine God, is an Idol 5 (b whoever pretends to be a Spiritual Plenipoten- tiary Lord of Lords, and above Princes, as Vicar ofChrift, is Antichrift 5 for whoever (;\ys thus of Himfelf/ays^He is God^ For Chrift can have no f^icar General onEarth,ai)y more than God one llniverfal Deputy of his Power,claiming Divine Honour. Such an Antichrifi muft needs Sit at Rome , For he mufl: Chara^, bear aloft the Woman, jus afalje Church, that was a Wildcrnefs 2. to the True Church, when it was Hid^ and yet Fed with hid- den Manna 5 a howling Wildernels, where the Lyon, the Leopard, and the Bear Inhabit ; In this Wildernefs, J.hn faiv fitting on the Beafi this Woman, under the Name of that City^ that in the Appocalyptical Time, or when that Prophecy was Given, fate upon many Waters, or People, and upon the Seven Mountains, or the City fo fam'd for being Septi-Colfis.orJeve/t Hiil'd Rome, and which Reign d over the Kif?gs of the Plurth, as no oxhtr City at that Time could be once fuppob'd to do, {b Charader'd either by its Hills, or being Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jefus'^, as tlut C;'/ in all ^cairdon Ages hath been j A Ci/^,whofe Freedom was puichas'd at great rf'at Ae- rates in all parts of the World, and fo fidy faid top on ma- ^sanL ny Waters , and to draw the Confiuence of People to it to Aom^t. receive Law from it. Here therefore for the fulfilling Prophe- cy, ihe Beaji muft have his Throne, even, as under Pontius Pi- late^ the Governour ofjudea, conftituted by the Emperour of Rome, Chrift fufferd, and Rofe again into his Kingdom, ac- cording to the Prophecy of Daniel y That in the Days of thofe P Kings, io6 A Scripun 'Line of Time. Kings^ God would fet up an everlafting Kif7gdom^ the right of which then began 5 fo that till ConSiantine^ that Roman Empire was a Dragon^ vpatchng to devour the manly Birth^ that had Right to Rule all Nations. Now v/ith this Dragon^ th^Beafl was to be united, to re- ceive his Throne^ Power ^ and great Authority from him, and in Him, the Dragon tnuft Live and be Worfhrpped ^ Therefore He that is the Beaji^ muft be Roman^ and Sit at Rome, from which the Chriftian Emperours by Divine Conduft receded, that this Charader of the Beaft might be left free to the Beaft alone : And under Him it muft be Antichriitian^ until the ve- ry Glorious Kingdom of ChriB, znd then is to be Burnt, when the Beafl is Taken, and C aft into the Lake, that it may- anfvver the whole ZrA«^^ras wounded voith afipord-^ and ^^' did live, was wounded in the fixth head, livd in the fcventh^ but was not yet in Dignity to be worfhipped 5 to this entire. Beafi as in thefeventh head was to be made an laage of Ido- latry, and an Image of Imperiality 5 an univerfal Power undey the Image of an ( in ordine ad Jpiritualia ) refident in a pon- tifical fipremacy and infallibility. And when this Image had. by the continuing fervice of that other Beafi, Life given to it, I. itlr. 2! '^ j^^'^Aand locauje. That all that would not vporjhi^ this Image, c. 16. o/.a. fhould be kjHd^ and that all Jhould receive a mark,, ^c. Here C.19. V.20. ^yq(;q ^}^e univerfal monarchy in an Image, and from this time,. "** the Prophecy joy ns continually the Beafi 2Xi6. his Image io.-^ gether. CaraB. jj^g gg^j^ ^^^ anfwer that prophetic^ motto, or Infcription ^' upon him, thrice given, and pointing at three feveral Sea^ fonso I. The. A Scripure Line of Time. loo 1. The Beaji that Was, Is not^ he is the eighth^ and k of the ch, 17. u, fiven^ and gotth into Perdition , this is determin'd to the point of time proper to his Succeflion, and then he muft an- fwer it. 2. The Beaft that vpas^ is not^Jhall ajcend out of the bottom- v. h lefs 9ft, &c. This is determined to the times in which the Beaft firft bore the Woman. For the Beaft that thottfaivefty viz. with the Woman fitting upon him^ was^ Sec. The*n there- fore he muft anfw^r that Inlcription. 5. The Beaft that rvas, is not, yet is^ This is determined to **• 8. the time, when the Inhabitants of the Earth wonder, rohofe Names were not written, 8cc. When thej behold the Beaft that vpas, 8cc. This by compare with f. 13. muft be, when he came to be worjhipped, and that was not till he came to his number whtn the Image had Life given to it, fpoke^ and caus'd^ and then it muft be anfwer'd. And in this very Infcription the Wifdom of God is much to be ador'd, (hewing fo exadly the gradual rifing of the. Beaft firft out of the Sea in his Succeffion, then out of the Abyfs or bottomlefs Vit at his Univerfality^ then at his number. 666. when he came to be worjhipped as a Head. 4. For in the firft, he is truly faid to be the Beafi, that; was, that is, fubfifted in the general Bejiiafijfm of the Roman Monarchy, that had been iny7x heads, was to Cuv\iv€ forty two Months under this feventh head , and fo in the prophetic/^ Scheme had a Being : // not, for the Beafi had at this time as little appearance as could pofiibly confift with his Succef^ iion : fucceed he did, becaufe that name of headfhip, under which the Beafi was to live {o long, was left at that Time to Him, the fapream Name alone in Rome, and (b continued ever (ince. For after the Ceflation of the Chrifiian Empe- vour, neither the Kings of the barbarous Nations, nor the Greeks Emperour, ravilh'd the Title of Rome, but contented themfelves with that of Italy, Lombardy, Exarchy of Ravenna^ in which the care of Providence over Prophecy, is worthy ad- miration 3 yet in the Time of the C^^y^/j Interreign, or Gap between 1 10 A Scripure Line of Time. between the Jtxth Head, the Pagan Emperonr vpounded by the Chriftian Emperour, xhtfiventh K.wg^ and no Head, and the Bea^, ihe Jeventh Head, but eighth Kwg ^ It might well be faid, // not 5 For this Bea^ian Head in Prophetical Scheme^ felt that Wound, both by Sympathy, as the Beaft, that having no Head, in Dignity was truly Mottoed Is not, as alfo upon himfelf, zs Jeventh Head, theWound fell, becaufe he fucceeded not, being fore Let 5 and when he did fucceed, he was but in Infancy, tlie Kings of Italy, and xht Grecian Exarch held him under, that it might well be faid of him Is not^^ but yet he fo Is, that he goeth into Perdition 5 that is, he is in \\is forty two months current 5 which end in his Perdition, and of which the State under the Chriftian Emperour was a great Pledge, as ofChriSfs Kingdom, fo of his Perdition. In the fecond place, when he rifeth out of the hottomlefs Pit, and hath univerfal Supremacy, as Head of Rome, he eminent- ly carrieth the Roman Woman aloft in the fame Supremacy^ and yet in the former (enfes may be faid, Was, Is not, but fhall afcend at his Time 606, out of the hottomlefs Pit , and as a Charader moft evident upon him, as always infeparable from him, goes into Perdition 5 for out of the Abyfs he rifis, into it he is thrown for ever , this was after Phocas gave uni- verfality to him, as is next to be difcourfed. In the third, when the Dragon lives in the Beaft, who con- verts "Pagamfm into Antichrifiianifm , exerciiing the (ame Idolatrous univerfal Power in the Earth, in an Image at 666, as we (hall fee 5 They wor(hip both the Dragon, and won- der after the Beaft, admiring the artifice, when they fee the Beaft that Was , viz. in the Draccmick, Head, Is not the very fame Pagan idolatrous or imperial Dragon, and yet Is is AIL That very fame thing is an Antichrijii^n and Pontifical Image at 666. His Perdition is not herein tiamed.both for the Grace of the Type, at his Inauguration, and bccaule it is exprefs'd before and after in this engraving upon him. I leave therefore every one to judge, how admirably Prophecy and matter of Fa6t agree in thefe Inlcriptions. He A Scripure Line of Time. 1 1 1 He mud be a Horn in the Seed, and Bud at his very charath Succeflion, fo defign'd by Providence, fo of right, as a fu- 5. preme, though but in Infancy, and in an Image ^ yet being a jfmall and feeble Horn^ he could not get up, but under the fa- vour and flielter, behind, and in the midftof the other Homs^ and then they became his Horns in open view. Then he was one among Te«, into which the Empixe being varioufly divided, fell, fo as to make that number at any time after its divifion 5 and Ten as a complemental num- ber is chofen. Three were pnlled up by him^ by his I»fluence and Inftance^ bef&re him^ by the ftrength and martial Prowefs of others. Let Hiftory then declare, what Three eminent Horns were pultd up, and we (hall find the Gothick^ Horn puW'd up by JuJiinJan the Emperour^ the Lombards a fecond, and thcGre^^ Exarchy the Third for this little Horn^hy Charls Marti!l,by Pi- pT/zhisSon, who was made King of France, by \\\mCharles the Great, Son, and Grand- fon to the tv/o former, invtfted with the titulariry of Weftern Emperour j For let Hiftory further declare, for whofe fake they were pidl'd up^ and whofe Patri- many they became. Nor let it be any blemifh in Prophecy, that Daniel docs not fpeak openly of the HeadJJjjp of this little Horn^ nor John of the Hornfloip of this Head'-y for one Type was peculiar to one Prophet, the other to the other, and could not without raani- feft Injury to either Type, be con)oyn'd, or confounded. But Daniel fubindicates his Headfiip, whom he ftiles a lit- Dan. 7. s: tk Horn, by the Eyes of a Man, by a Countenance flout above 0^0,8. 25. bis Fellovps, by a Mouth^eakjng great things, by his under- ^5"' Banding dark^ Sentences, by his being a King^ doing after his c 7. 24, own Will 5 *in all which he was a Horn diverfe from all the relf. . On the other (ide the Apocaliptick. Prophet does not diffcm- ble his being a little Horn, while a Head '^ for the Dragon gave hint his Seat, the Ten Kings agree to give him their Poiver and Kingdom^ neither of which he could win by puifTance, and i 1 2 A Scripure Line of Time. and when the Words of God are fulfilled^ they refurae all with •24» ^^^^ ^^^ ^j pieafQre ^ for \\QproJperd only by Craft and 5'er- pcfftifte Suht'xhy . infpir'd into him by Satharj, Charti. The BeaH is always united with falfe Prophecy^ that he 6. himfelf is the Head, and principal of it from the firft, and t^ therein negotiated his own umverfal Monarchy^ Within his Purple there lies a ro^gh Garmeftt to deceive , he is full of the Spjrjt of AfitkhriB^ and fo furprifes the Kingdom of the true Prophet^ Priefi^ and Kwg-, He is Sat ban transform d into an Angel of Lights a falfe Apoflle coming with lying Signs and Wonders'^ his Eyes are zszSeerSyhis Mouth fpeaketh great things. His Efficacy is by the deceivablenefs ofUnrighteoufnefs in them, ihat pcrijh , his Name, Son of Perdition^ is deriv'd from the Traytor Apoftle "Judas, who betrays Ghrift with the hail Ma- fier^ and a Kifs 5 he Blafphemes^ he is vporjhiped by thofi who are not written in th^ Lambs Book^of Life :, he is made fupreme by calling Fire from Heaven in falfe Anathemaes 5 he is infe- parably united with the falfe Prophet, and ca^ into the Lake with him. He is confumed with the Spirit ofChri^s Mouth, and disappears, vanifhes, as a counterfeit at the fight of the true Chrift himfelf, being a falfe Chrisi, an Antichrifl com- prehending and embracing y2i//e Prophetifm.vj'nhin his Tyran- ny of changing Laws and Times, and doing after his own WilL Now whether fuch a Tyranny in the Image of Pfeudo Pro- phetifm,hzih been in the World, gradually rifing according to Prophecy, fince the deccafe of the ChriSiian Emperour, and fup- porting the forty two months, for above thefe laft twelve hun- dred years, ( and efpecially from SgiS, and 725,) that hath been no Fantom, Ghoft, or Mormo, but Flefh and Bones, hard fubftantial Tyranny? Let all the Chrif\ian World judge. And thus I have fettled every way the forty two months, as Befiianijm lyes under them, without any new Diflindion of Time, under which nothing fo remarkably tranfcendent to ' the former account of the other BeaH, and the IVitneJfes zp- pears, as will come into confideration in the Progrefs of things, to A Scripnre Line of Time. 113 to which therefore I ad joy n the farther Treaty of them, and clofe this part of Difcottrfe with thefe few (hort Remarks. Let the Pro^hetick^Symbols be laid either to Ecclejiaftick^ov Jiemark General Hiflorji, and we Ihall find, HiUorj hath nothing, re- i. lating to things^ Prophecy hath been fuppos'd to havedefign'd -* its Symbols to and for, but that both in the Frame and^tru- * .^ dure of the whole Prophecy, in its Series^ and Notes of Time, ^ there is a moft exadt and wonderful Go-ordination of one r** to and with the other. I mean in Cardinal Points. *""^ ^^*^ To afcribe them then to Chance or Fancy, what does it fpeak, but an ObftinEcy femblable to that of the AthciB^ againft all proof of a Divine Beifjg, or to the Pharifaick^De- Jpight/nl zccouming to the Prince of Devils what was too evi- dent to be denied, and too great to be devolv'd upon natu- ral Caufes. If the Myfiery of Iniquity began in the very Time of the Remark Apoftles'-j if the Apofiacy began at 437^ and that then the 2. Gentiles had invaded the outvpard Court of the Christian Pro- fejjion^ as within their forty two months, fo to do 5 if the Beafl was at 475 in \\\s forty two months, under the Guardianfhip of the otlnr Beali, with the two Horns ofEaB andWeJi, how- ever pretending to the Lamb , What Dependance can there be upon xAntiquityy not fupported by Divine Authority of Scripture, or firm folid Reafon > How much better are clofe Kefearches into this Divine Prophecy to determine thofe Con- troverfies, than Search into Antiquity only ? As certainly as the Gentiles Power of entring the Holy ji^^fjark Ground, and treading it down with unhallowed Feet 3 as cer- :> . tainly as the BeaB came into hh forty two Months at the due time ^ fo certainly (hall the Kingdom of the Lord, and of his ChriB^ fucceed at the end of thefe /yr/j' two Months: for it is not only fo according to the Word of the Watchers, and Demand of the Holy ones, but according to xhefolemn Oath ofChriii, with hands lifted up to Heaven, That after Time, Times, Half a Time, Time /hall he no more, but oi^ the fiventh Trumpet finijliing All^ and the BeaB going into Perdition. Q. There 1 14 ^ Scripture Line of Time. Hemark There is no Injury done to Ferjons of Royal Dignity^ or 4. of any other Character o^ Dominion^ by deriving upon them what Divine Prophecy hath affix d to them : their Perfons, their Places, may receive all due Honour and Chriftian Sub- jedion notwithftanding. l^raycrs may be made for them, as any way deputed by God 5 their perfonal Vertues and wor- thy Adions may be had in due efteem, even as the Princes of the Heathen^ by Darnel ^ Ezra, Nehemiah^ or of the C^e//V4, Language, I faw a Star fall from Hea- ven 5 or as Chrift in a like cafe fpeaks, I faw Satan fall as Lightning from Heaven^ as the Dragon fell^ but found in the Beaii a Kingdom on Earth, as before faid. Juft as when Satan fell from Heaven he had A Kingdom af- (ign'd him by the Divine Permiffion and Decree , viz,. God of this World, Ruhr of the Darkriefs of this World --^ This Star who is the Son of Perdition^ whofe coming is after the manner of Satan, had the fame in Proportion , the Key of the bottom- lefs pit is given to him, that is, permitted to him, given ju- diciarily into his hand by God's wife and holy fufferancc, and over-rule of all things to his Glory. This Fall then of this Star, is like the Angels leaving their own Habitation, their ^rli Eflate, or true original Principali- J"«Jev.5. tji : a Fall, not like that of the Stars, the Dragon fwept down mthhis Tail, or of theS^^r Wormwood, an involuntary Fall, a Fall from the Reaven of a political Order and Supremacy, to a low State \yithout Power, but a Fall of Apofiacy from his due Station, a planetary Defedion from his own Orb, y, j^, into a Kingdom of the bottomkfs Pit, to which Darknefi is refervdfor ever. And whenever the Antichrift came, the Beafi rofe out of the bottomlefs pit, or which is the fame, this Star had fallen: there muft be then Woe, Woe, Woe, for the Vengeance of God at the fame time made him way, and purfued him : every Trumpet founded againft him^ Thefirfi was to hurt only the Reve!.9.4i. Men that were not feal'd, of which he was the Pr/>ce: the fecond was upon thofe who were guilty of Murthers, Sorce- v. 20. ries, Thefts, Idolatries. The Woman whom the Beafi carried was guilty of all the(e^ was impenitent in them, although c u.v.is* God gave her f pace to repent. The Third Woe-Trumpet brought J^°'J,^^^'f with it the Kingdom ofChrifi, and the Deftrudtion ofAnti^ C.15.C.15I chriji, or the Befiian Kingdom: Co there was Woe, Woe, Woe^ on the Befiian Earth whenever Antichrifi came. Immediately after this Remonftrance of the Bifljop Gregory^ the Bifh^p Boniface accepts from the parr ici dick, Emperour m P hoc as - -V ti8 A Scripure Line of Time. Phecas^ thk Utjiverfality : fo that in his fenfe, Antichrifl then came^ and the firji Woe-Tmmpet^ according to Prophecy, is da- ted from his Fall. What can be more wonderful ? as Gre- gory was at all a good Man, his Predidion muft be own'd to a better Spirit, and to the Knowledge Divide Prophecy gave him, and to the Impreffion it had made upon him 5 Ashe was himfelfpart of that Body, upon which his own Predi- (tn.2, ftion ran, it was like Nebuchadnezzar s prophetick^Dream of the Ruine of that Image by the Stone, of which he was the 'A. If. 51. head o^Gold'-^ or like the Prophecy oiCaiaphas, a very bad part of which himfelf was concerned in; however his eminent Station gave the Rebound of his Prediction, as through the World. And the time of Rome lying fo low, is noted moft emphatically by Prophecy 5 viz. Kome without any eminent Light of Government : and then follows fuch an immediate Appearance of Antichrift , according to the Signal given of him by that Bifiop of Rome, and according to Prophecy the Star Fell, This is in Ibme fenfe, I may fay^ but too remark- able in fo plainly declaring who is Antichrift, and that his Kingdom holds by the Key of the bottomkfs Pit. It is true, the Beafi had been in \{\s forty tvpo months above a hundred Years, yet, as a Tyrant, prophetically declared to be a Tyrant, is not yet (b in his Infancy or Underrate, no more than Hazael was a Tyrant when Elijha told him what he, as fuch a Tyrant, ftiould do 5 no more was theBeaftCuch a Beaft while he was under the Inicription, // not. So that though he was a Beaft by way of Succeffion, and fome-pre- fagious Adions, He might yet not be a falling Star till be now fell, and received this Key: for the whole Beftian'^ody, or Succeffion, is confider'd in the whole Beaft, not in its fe- veral Ages, nor in the (ingle Perfons making it, fome better fome worfe : all that enter its Compofition, are confider'd as one Beaft in the prophetick^ Scheme, in any Age, in any Beftian Qualities, more or lefs^ yea though fo moderate, as that they (hould only bear up the Title, and maintain the Sticceffion. And this removes all poffible Objedion s as thus, Was he, that A Scrtpure Line of Time. 119 that had been a Bcafl fo long, a Star yet to Fall .?4i ^s of an Army of dead Serpents^ came up, that yet in their Time had done great things ^ and fo is their Memory at this day. And thus Hifiory and Prophecy will agree in the account of their Time, at ieaft in relation to the Befiian Kingdom, befides fuppofable Inter- fperfions or Truces of their Impreiiions upon the Earth of the fallen Star or AntichriH. . 4. The juft, and natural, enfuing Woe upon this firft, as clofe as the two Befiian Times one to another, and yet diftinguifh'd too, under the very fame Mahometan King, or Angel of the bottomlefs Pit, and in the Entail of the CiLmeJerpentine Reli* gion, is a very perfuafive Argument of the due Explication of thefe things in Prophecy, whofe Situation, Connexion, and Sequence one upon another, even as the Hour, Day, Month, and Tear, upon their Five Months, Five Months, and their Vacation, or Non-Term of hOCxon, is clofe aud infeparable ; but this will rile into a farther Obfervation upon that part of the Line 5 in the mean time, as a ftrong fupport, it helps to fuftain the Point we are upon. _ ^^ The very great fitnefs of thefe Locufls under their K.ing Mahomet, is every way raoft admirable to be a Scourge and Woe uvQVi the Antichriftian Empire, and their Months ot Half A Scripture Line of Time. 131 Half' Moon to be a portentous Farafelene or another Moon upon them. They are a mock-ftate every way to them by the fevere Vengeance of God 5 . an AntichriB to AMtichriii^ coming by Sergim the Monk^ out of their very Smoak^ let out by the Key bearing fallen Star, Their K.ing an Angel of the bottomlefi Pit rivals the Star of the hotiomlefs Fit: the Monarchy of the BeaB, and his ten Horns, is mated by the Monarchy of this King, and one Univerfality by the other 5 the pfeudo oxfalfe Prophetifnt of the one by that of the other , the Miracles oi^ the one by thofe of the other, the Superfii- Hon of the one, and the Cruelty and Bloodinefs of the one, by tho(e of the other : both are fharers in the Roman Empire'^ each hath his Rome, one old Rome, the other new Rome , each of which Imperial Cities are in this prophetick^ Emblem Thirds of Men. Both afpire to the Poffeffion of Jerufikm, as having the promife of Univerfal Monarchy and Dominion 5 but both miftake the Jerufalem in Bondage, for that which comes down from above, at which both will be vanifi'd. Both are Draconicko and oppofe and ftave off the true Kingdom ofGhrifts both opprels the Witneffts and Servants of God^ but the Beaft by fingle War with them, the King of the -Locufis, in the general, and miftaking the falfi Church for the true, and its earthly Glory for the Glory of Chrift, and fo cannot hurt the trne Glory 5 both laft, the one as a Beftian Kingdom, the other as a Woe, till the end of the 1260 Days, Both are to be utterly deftroy'd before theGlorious Kingdom ofChriJi. But the latter is a Judgment, and a Woe-Tr umpet on the former, both, as it is Chriftian in Pretence and Profefiion, to which Mahomet is a profefs'd Foe-, and, as it is Antichri- ftian,. Idolatrous, and Superjiitiousj for fo it is fcorned, and abufed , and derided , as well as perfecuted by Maho- met an if m. Now toballance the(e two Antic hrijiianifmi one with ano- ther, and the Intereft oi Satan in them, it is thus to be fet- tled: in one, Satan is as an Angel of Eighty fulling from Hea- S 2 ven^ 15 2 ^ Scripure Line of Time. vett^ and making u(c of the K.ey of the bottomlefs Pit^ as if it were the Key of the Kwgdo»f of Heaven y in the other he is plainly the Angel of the bottondejs Pit^ and a(^s as the Deflroy- er. Now the firft muft be neceffarily the mod hateful to God, becaule it is the greateft BUfphemy 5 its Moon eclipfes the Kingdom ofChriB moft direftly 5 and as it were in the Drdconick^ Nodi^ furpris'd it when it was to appear, at the cafting down Satan from Heaven^ and the manly Birth caught up to the Throne of God: upon which Antichrijijanijm^ as the Finefs of Sathanifm , Mahometanifm was provided , as a Scourge and IVoe of the courfeft and thickeft of the bottom- lefs Pit, and theblackeft Appearance of the Angel of n: and therefore^ though Mahometanifm (hall be finally deftroyed, and fent back to the bottomlefs Pit, yet Antkhrijiianifm fhall receive greater Damnation. And fo. much for the fifth Trnr^tpet that gives way to the fixth^ even as the Saracenick Caliphate did to the Tnrkjjh Sfdtany. SECT, XL Of the Number 666. Shelving the certainty it gives to this Pinhole Line of Time, both as to the Nature and Time of the Beaft, upon a true and right Explanation -of it ^ Revel. 15. V. 15, 16, i7> 18. I Cannot move farther upon the Mahometan Time, or'from the Fifth to the Sixth Trumpet^ until I have confider'd that famous Number in this Prophecy^ Six hundred fixty fix, which 1 have afiirm'd to be a Pillar ereded within Intimate Time or Seafon 5 to which Anterior, outward Time is but an Ante- Room, or Portico. This appears to us about 103 Years after the Mahometan Hegira, and fo early within the Period of the Saracens 5 viz* at 725. According to the order therefore 1 have propos'd, I'muft fettle that fo illuftrious Notation of Time. For A Scripure Line of Time. 135 For by it the Divine Pr^/j/^e^' hath girdled i\{\sTree of the Jpirittfal Babylonijh Mofiarch, and given its meafure from its Conception to its Akf^e^ its Top, or Height 5 and from thence till it {hall be hevpcddoivn^ although tht Stump fhall continue fome time after, till it is rooted wholly up, and call: to the Flames. It could not rife higher, although (ince then it hath fpread ks Roots every way to confirm it felf, and dilated its Boughs to enlarge its Shade and its Authority. Now becaufe this Number 666, as it rolls in the whole fpace of the Apocalyptick Prophecy, is incertain and fugi- tive, and apt to be laid hold upon here or there, according to variety of Apprehenfions concerning it 5 It muft firft be fix*d, as Prophecy deiign'd it. Now to do this. Prophecy it felf hath enabled us thefe two ways to take it. 1. It muft be taken from its Height to its Root, and from its Root back to its Height 5 and fo we fhall c^Ttainly find where it rifes to 666, and from whence, and hov/ far it can (pread. 2. It muft be endeavoured by obferving xh^ prophetical dQ- lineation of the whole intimate Time or Seafin^ to make a Judgment where this Pillar of it can be only juftly, and with due proportion fix'd, fo as to find from it the whole Longi- tude both of intimate Time, or Seafon, Seafons^ half ^eafon\, as alfo of Time^ Times, Half-time, or time at the utmoft ex- tent of 1260 Days, and the twice forty two months. And this by folidReaibns from this Fr/^c<^. For the firft Prophecy hath admirably enabled us, and to Utad u very great purpofes, to meafure from its Height to its Root, by ftiewing us, we are to do fo according to the general IVifdom of a man, that is, of a man ofReafon. It ftyles this Number the Number of a man. For as much then, as the numeralive Faculty, and the no- tion of Number fpringing from it, is peculiar to M^//, as a Creature ofReafon, and a Beaft can be fuppos'd to have no- thing of it 5 and becaufe men of more acute and excellent Reafon i^^ A Scripture Line of Time. Reafon treat Number otherwife than men of vulgar Appre- henfion doe, the counting of the Beaii's Number is call'd Wtfdom 5 and Be that hath that Wifdom is caird in a peculiar 4w?/tf-ecT«5. As M<7/i/ then was j^'V/W in all the Learning of the Egy- ptians, fo this myfiical Book is pleas'd to make ufe of the Py- thagorean Learning in myftical Numbers^ and of the wifeft knowledge of Arithmetic^: And as the Pythagorick, Philofephy found out Proportions by- reducing Numbers to their J^»rfre Root^ fo to adjuft all things in mathematical Science^ and then gave the nature of things in the Hierogljphick.of Number^ (bmetimes from the Congrui- ty they have imagin'd couch'd in Number, with fuch and fuch Natures, as Ten was call'd the Number of the World, Four ofjujiice, 8cc. fometimes from any chief Aftion in Time, 'or Times, of fuch a numeral Denomination, as the very men- tion of fuch Years wherein any Potentacy ftood higheft, or fell loweft, is a Cypher for thofe very things famous at fiach Times. Juft in the fame manner Divine Prophecy mud be fuppos'd to remand us to the Root of the Beafis Number^ to find both his Name, that is, his Nature, as Name in Scripture fignifies, and his Times by both the Top and Root of his Number, and what was moft memorable at each. Although therefore I (hall willingly allow any ufe that can be made of the numeral Letters of the Name, fuppos'd mofl: proper to the Beasf, as \aleiv(9-, or any that can be with truth made of any 666, with the Millenary omitted , as fome fuppofe 666 with the Millenary omitted, as accounted in the preftnt Century^ not from the Incarnation, but from the Re- Jifrre^ion, which ivill be 1699: yet, becauie thefe things are too (lippery and incertain, and may be adapted feveral other ways 3 I lay no ftrefs upon them: nor do they fo much re- quire a man of Wifdom in Numeration, to count them (which is AScripureLineofTime. 135 is a Portal to convey us into the true ienfe of this Nnmher,^ as any kind of conjedural Skill. Agreedly then among all Arithmeticians, the neareft to the fquare Root oiSix hundred Jixij> fix, is Troetitj five, as that excellent Apocalyptical ^ Arithmetician hath elabora- M.t, Potter, ted it. And that this may be better underftood, and more con- firm'djit is made moft certain by the opppfite N^^^er Tji?e/z'e, and 144 conftrudted upon it, the Import of this iV//«^^er Tmehe, h pure Ifiaelitijm, and per fed ApoftoUfm. It rifes to Rev. 21. its perfedion at 144, in the Nero Jernfalem, when that Num- ber comes to its cubical, folid Perteftion 5 and it rifes evenly and juftly, till it comes to be not only the meafure ofa Man^ but even Angelical :ir]d Divine: the meafire of a Man, that is, of the Angel. Twenty Five is uneven, fra^ional, out of fquare, furd, both (liOmTvpelve and from it felf. Affoon as ever it becomes the Bafe^ the Root, and pretends to be the Square of another Number^ It becomes a Variation from the pure Ifraelitifm, and the perfeft Apoflolical Dodfrine, Worjhip^ Difeipline, and Converfation^ and in every Progrefs, as it mounts higher, fo retaining all along a likenefs and preten- fion to itjit varies yet more from it, till it attains its compleat Number 666. and is Antichriflianifm and Beftianifm at the full Jiature or number of a Man in this fenfe, that is, zt manly 4g^, and fully opppfes the true Evangelical Meafures, and comfounds them fo much the more, as it pretends to them. Till this Time it is tracd as between 25 and 26. Its ways are till then moveable^ and not fo well to be afcertain*d and known. This being fo far adjuftable in Naiure, is alfo as adjuftable in Time j for from Twenty five after the Rcfnrre&ion, the cer- tain Apocalyptick^Epoch, it rifes to its Top at 666, from that Twenty five, and then appears at its true Elevation, as we ftall (ee prefently. Now that it fo began at Twenty five ovf.x, we have a threefold Teftimony, Of the ApoftleP4///,that'the lery of Iniquity^ viz. the Apcfiacy^ as a Womb, in which the 156 A Scripure Line of Time, aThefTs.T. the Man of Sin was cnrmfjly formd^ as in the lomr partj of ReveU.i ^^^ Earth was then at work., that it might bring forth the Man at his full growth, at 666. The Apoftle jfearwg out the Saints^ and fcatterwg the holy People by the AntJchriHian Prwce bimfelf, exceed the rude Gentiles^ iramplitjg the holy Court, or the Beaiis mere Power ofContinW' ance s, fo does the intimate Time^ or fififon of feafons.^ Jen- fonsjhalffcaj'on^ tranfcend the Time at large, and in general ^ and therefore all thefe Notes of Time are firft given, and then " InxcAxd time with this Exaltation of the Effe(9:s. 5. The Three times and a. half pointing and propending towards, though not rigidly denoting three years and a half^ ( even zs twelve hundred Jfxty days do, and z!& forty two months of Lunar years do ) they have two great Paralels 3 one of Years, the other of Days j and both fitted to the very 1260 days of the Witneffes, t Kings, Xhe firft of years is that of Elijah, declaring that there ''* '* (hould not be thefe years Rain nor Dew, but according to his Word ^ Now the Time of this Drought is nioft exprefly af- firmed twice, that we might take the more notice of it, to be £«<:. 4.25. three years and/x months 5 once by Chrifi himfelf, a (econd 74^.5.17. Y\mQ by the Apofile James. And yet by the Hifiory we cannot find, that the Drought I King, vvas any longer than a part of the three years, and a part of * '* theyZx- months •> for it is faid, in the third year Elijah appeared to Ahab^ and R^Mt enfied 5 accounting then from the latter end of the firfi: year, to the beginning oi the fix months after two years, there might be no Rain, a part o[ the firft year, the whole of the two years, nor till they7x months began 5 an^ yet it might be in the third year, according to precife accottnt ef years , as maybe eafily underf^ood. For there may be three full years within a part of the firft of the three years, and of the fix months, w%, the latter part of the firfi year, and the beginning of the laft fix Months, comprehending two whole years in the middle. That of Days is the inftance of our Lords three days in the • heart of the Earth •> which by the full evidence of the Evan- gelifts, we know, was but a part of the/";;/? day, the whole of the fecond, and a part, or the firft part only of the third. Now A Scripnre Line of Time. 139 Now thefe three days both lay as an intimate part of Time within the three full years and half of our L^r^x Miniflry ^ and alfo a part of the three days of his Deaths was an intimate Time^ within the three days at large of his ftate of Death or dying. According then to thele paralels, but efpecially that of our Lords three days of Death, to which the Death of the Witnef- fes is more eminently paralel'd, we may find the intimate ^art ofTiffte^ Times ^ half a Time, we are upon. Obferving then our Lords three days, we find the half mm. 2% a^ day of the firft of the three began early in the Morning, Jf^^^'^^i^* with Proceedings againft him 5 which were as Legal, Judi- ciary Proceedings by the Priefts and Elders in Council^ they had by a private way examined him in the Night 5 in the Morning as foon as it way Day, they held the Gouncil Ecclefiaftick and proper to themfelves, and condemned him as guilty of Death, About the third Hour they led him to Pilate, that he might be legally and juridically condemned by him, as the Roman Governonr, like delivering over to the fecular Power. At the Jixth hour they began the adual Crucifixion 5 viz. about tvpelve 5 but after the ninth hour, that is, onr three in ^f'^' ^'^* the Afternoon, our Lord died as a Sacrifice between the tvco Marc. 1 5^ Evenings, and before that day ended, which was thtfirfl: o^^^' the three he was laid -in the Earth, and there he continued the whole fecond Night, and the Day following 5 which was the Jewijh Sabhath 5 and till within the Night of the third Day^ Mlr.'i6'.[\ which was the firft part of it 5 and was our Ghriftian Sab- Luc. 24. i. bath or Lords day, and the firft of the Week. This is now the Scripture- fenfi of the three Days, of our Matt. 12. Lords being in the Grave, or Heart of the Earthy and fo by ^°' Proportion we are taught to underftand the three days and half o^ the Witneffes lying dead, viz. a part of each firji and ^ laji, and the whole of the middle. The very precife Time of the Night, at which Chrifi arofe, is not indeed revealed , but it was a part of the Third Day 'ere he rofe. For it is well known, the Night going before, T 2 and 140 A Scripure Line of Time. and the Day or Light coming after, according to the order of CreatiofT, made the Jervijh day 5 although therefore we know not the very Moment, yet it is moft agreeable to be* licve^ In the very firft part of the Night, as foon as Ghrifi: had Iain long enough to fulfill the Fredi&ion^ He arofe $ for Tohnao i. ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ Mornings while it was yet dark.-i thcWome^ com- ing to embalm him, found him rifen. It is very plain then, the intimate time of the dying faffer- ings of our Lord Jefits ChriB entred at the fecond half, or the Morning ofihefirji of the three days, and grew more in- timate^ and was more fiU'd with that tranfaftion by the Jecond Marc. »5' fourth part of that half'^ for the Evangeliff Mark fays, it was ^' ^^' the third hour, viz,, our nine of the Clock-, and the "jews cruci- fied him, intending the whole proceeding before tilate to his ^^^^rucifixion ^ at the third fourth part, or the Jixth hour, which is our Noon, after (bme (hort debate with Pilate, They led him away, bearing the Crofs to Golgotha 3 and' then he was lift up to the Crofs, and the Heavens were cover d with blacks, as, at his Crucifixion 5 foon after the iaft fourth part, or the ninth hour, which is our three of the Clock, He gave up his Spirit, and was fpeedily after entombed. I do not intend to purfue this Paralel too clofe, or too minutely, nor to rely too hard on Hiftory, to give the moti- ons of time exa(^ly enough 5 but I reft fecurely on Prophecy^ that there was a fufficient agreement between that and the Event,at every juft Time, The Idolatry and Tyranny^orUfur- pation of the Beafi was rifen by the Morning of the Jecond 180, ofthejfrJ? 360, about 617, eleven years after theZJni- verfality given by Phocas, when the Star fell, and received the Key of the bottomlcfs Pit, It was further advanc'd, and ftrengthned by the fir si Council of Lateran 649, againli: the fecond fourth of this 180 years,^/2s. 6595 To anfwer the third fourth, viz. 717, it was promoted fo much further, that God who juftly weighs all fuch Motions, fets up 18 years after, viz,, at 7 25, or 7 26, the Pillar of intimate Time 666. Between the two Evenings^ or within the laji fourth part, viz. jBj, at the A Scripure Line of Time. 141 the fecofjd Couficel of Nice, the Beaft overcame^ the WitneJJks werejlain^ and fo they lay dead for two whole Days, or twke 360 years, till 15 17 5 when after the half day begun, The firft motion to a Refarre&ion manifefted it felf, which could: not be till they had continued dead fuch a part of this la[i half day, as fuffic'd to fulfill the Prophecy^ that fays, their dead Bodies Jhould lye three days and a half in thejireet of the great- City. And without laying too much weight upon Particles of Time, it is out of meafure certain, the Power of the Beaji^. the Idolatry and Tyranny of the Man of Sin^ within due di- ftance of the time fignified by this Prophecy^ and of which. Hijiory near enough' to Time, gives fome very remarkable j»atch word, or rather load Voice^ were at an elevation every- way adequate to the fiffering, dying fiate of the Witneffes^ ac- cording to the Predi&ionsfii2Lt went befbre,concerning both, in this Symbol or Exemplar of that great Proto- Martyr^ the. chief and fipream Witnefs^ the faithfnl Martyr^ J^Jf^^ ChriB, and thofe Gradations or Steps of his dying, and rifing again^. fo exaftly meafured out in time within his three days^ and their three days and a half'-) abating only for the difference of the Paralels, our Lord was buried, they were not to be fo, as< we (hall prefently obferve. Now for the further proving thefe things, I thus Argue, Whenever the Beajis Name^ and the number of his Name be- '^^i' !• gan, the Receiving the Name, and the number of the Name began Alfo 5 For thefe are fo effentially joyned together, as not to be divided, and indeed the Name and the Number do not come into Record, but for the receivings fake of them, and then the Worfldip of the image, the receiving a Mark^ in the fore- head, or the right Hand^ began alfb. For all thefe are here of equivalent Satisfadion to the Beafi, and they are all along, through the after Prophecy joyn'd, as of equal Guilt, Sin and Danger 5 however then, they may denote feveral Pofts and Stations in the fervice of the Beaji, as it is indeed a great and wonderful Court, and bath a moft (lupendious diVerlny ijr^ A Scripture Line of Time. of offices, Miniftrationsj Subordinations, and Dependencies, and as vaft a Populace, yet all thefe (peak the fame Devoti- on, Subjeftion, Vaffalage, to the Beaji in one kind or others and therefore the Priviledge of thofe who abjure any of thejfe, as therein abjuring all, is allowed equal by Chrift; fo that they are all indifferently and promifcuoufly by this Prophecy uied in all Cafes, as we may fee. If then the Number of the Name^ co-eval with the Number of the Beafl^ was at 725, all the reft muft be alfo at that Time. Seeing then it is evi- dent All muft begin together 5 If by Evidence from Hijlor^ one was at 725, or as between 725 and 726, we may con- clude All the reft were fo too. But that one was, viz. the Worjhip of the Image^ we have that fo illuftrious Ivono-Claftic^ Hiftorji, at that Time. Now befides the force of the Allufion between Worjhip of Images and the vporjhipfing the Beafts Image 5 if we examine it well, we ftiall find both united. For as in the xvorjhip o^ Nebuchadnezzar s Image, to which pattern the Prophecy undoubtedly refers, It (eems the Wor- (hip of an Image made to his Glory , even of that Image he faw in a Dream, of which he was the Head of Gold^ or however mo ft certainly, his nniverfal Power, and Monarchy commanding all Nations was celebrated by theWorJhip of the Image, he had made 5 and therefore the Ed2& runs in that/;5»- perial Style 5 Unto you it is commanded, O People, Nations^ Tongues, and Languages. But befides this. The worjhippjng this Image is call'd both Dan.'^.i^. \yy Nebuchadnezzar himfelf, and by the Servants of the true God, Theferving of his Gods. Even thus. The worjhipping the Image made to the Beafi was both a Worfiiip of the Beaft as part of that old Image made up of Idolatry and Tyranny, a Worfliip of hisUniverfal Pow- er, commanding Nations, Tongues, and People, and alfb juftly call'd a Wor[fiip of his Gods, reprefented by Images -^hs rporjliipping his Image, in the laft Time of the/^«r/^ Bea§i or Monarchy, gives fo fignificant an Allufion to the Worjhip of Images i8. A Scripure, Line of Time. 145 Images fet up at that time by his exorbitant Power, in whom the whole Image and Beftiamfm ihall perifti. Of all this Leo Conon Ifaurus^ and after him his Son Con- [iantine Copronymus^ and the Sacceflbrs of them, from 725 or 726, the Beafts 666^ until the fecond Conncil of Nice, are a notable Indication, for although we read not of any prece- dent Decree by the Beafi^ commanding the WorJJjjp of Images, yet, the general ulage of fo doing, made Image worfhip^ as an Idolatrous Coloffus, to which every one, in obedience to this Befiian Monarch, paid Devotioii. And when the Emperour de- nied thus to worfi/p, it was an Offence as high, as againftthat expreis Lyonmouth'd Command of that 2C?>g of Babylon, Un- to ToH^ &c. And in that thefe Emperours were out of Rome's Dioceje and Jurifdiliion^ it was a ftyle like that, Unto you it is com- manded, O Tongues, People, and Languages. And the Dif- obedience a Denial to wor/hip the Image ot Univerfality made to the BeaU in a Monarchy (b univerfal, as to be above Em^ perours. And if things were thus with (b great Perfonages as Em- peronrs, how muft they prevail in general upon Nations, Tongues, and Languages of an inferiour Character, and what muft the Rage be againft them } Whenever the Number was compleat, the War Co often Arg. i.' , foretold, that the BeaH (hould make with the Witneffes ^wnh. the Seed^ with the Saints muft needs be alfo : for then was the Obligation to worfhip, and to receive a marh^, the Name, cr the number ofthe Name., carrying the Nature. But the 1^^000 fealed, who had not defiled themfilvcsw'uh Women, o( aVirgin-worfijp, and obedience to the L^w^, di- ftind from the Beaii and his Woman of Fornications, he car- ries ^ The Seed, who k^ep the Commandments of God, and hold the Teflimony of Jefus 5 The Saints and Holy Worjhippcrs m the Temple muft certainly reraonftrate to this Idolatrous Ty- ranny, and abominate it : TTiey are thofe, who neither wor- Jhfp'd the Beaii, nor his Image, nor received his Mark^^ Name, nor 144 -^ Scripture Line of Time. nor Number^ as \s after the mention of this Number ^ often recorded to their Honour. Upon this, the Beafi rifen out of the hottomlejs Pit, who was to make War with all thefe, and into whofe ha^d they were giver?, would in his Rage and his Fnrji make the War^ that was given to him, to make with them. And by wonderful Providefice, without which a Hair faffs ftst to the ground. The Name of the high Feud in this matter is in all Hiftorical Records call'd a War-^ From 7 2 5, or 726, or the Beafts 666, Icono-Maehia^ or Bellum Icotioclaflicum^ The War of deftroying Images Loade's Hifiorji. And though Lea the Emperonr may feem to be the AggreJJbr, and to have be- gun the War 5 yet becaufe the Caufe on his fide was juft, it is in Prophetical Q^n^nxe, the BeaH, that made the War, and Leo Canon, is herein a Reprefentative of all the WitneJJes. * 'Arg. 4. Speedily after the War muft follow the dj/ing of the Wit- nejfes'-i for whenever the War began, it wsis given to the Beafl to overcome and to kill ; and this was, as was faid, folemnly declar'd by the Jecond Council of Nice, as alfb by the Excom- munication of the Emperour, and violating his Rights in Italy from him, as in Capital tetters, Greek and Latin, as it were like the Jews Saperfcription on ChriB, All that worjhip not the Beaft nor Received^ S<.c, are damned Heretickj. And this, according to the known Blaft of Excommunica- tion^ was both a religious, a civile and alfo a natural Deaths as often as the Tyranny of the BeaB could make it Co. This h!ierdi&, Profcription, and Outlawry upon men, joyn'd with the Anathema, or Curfe of Excommunication, Wke cafling into the fiery Furnace, was the very dying of the Witneffes, the difpiriring and invalidating their Teflimony^ fo that it was efteem'd, not only dangerous as to worldly Concerns, but a deadly Sin to hold with them ; They were curfed, even as he was, that was hanged on a Tree'-, All detefted and abhorr'd them, as damned Hereticks, hated of God and Men. And when the Beaft had this'Fi^ory, They then cried out. Who if like the Beaft -.^ WJjo is able to mak^ War with him^ They A Scripure Line of Time. 145 They then in token of Triumph, ye«^ Gifts om to another ^re- joyced^ and made merry ^ becaufe of theie Prophets^ who tor- mented them, that dwell on the Antichriflian Earth. But tho' they died. As their Lord did, they could not, as he, be buried: His Death was to be fb aflur'd by Burial --^ bat theie Witnejfes, being afHcceJJlve Body, were to continue dy- ing, and prophecying, as Chrili did at his Death, viz,, in their continual Snccejjions : Part of this fir B day, the whole two fol- lowing days, or twice 360 Tears, joyn'd therefore as two Times ^S'^\ within 15 17, the laB half day, or 180 Tears ^^ then <9^ fiift motion to a Refurre^ion began, and could not" begin '^oner. So that when that Refirre&ion began, we may know Wiredly, Intimate Time was expir'd. The laft 180 Ye^''S;^5^n which it was to make an Impreffion, was come, ^^ er • ^ therefore the twice 560 days were paft, or the two fii^ ? ,Qnd that fome part of the firfl: 360 days or firB 'fime, ij^j 3J("q pjj(^^ ^^^,g f„timateTime began, Co as to come f{om tlience forward to 15 17, and fo to 1697 j which is the Period to be prov'd. Till that 1 5 17 then. They lay dead in xhQ Street, or Breadth of that Great City, which extended it felf over Nations^ Tongues, People, as the old City Rome did. The Sons of the Church-Rome were, as the Burgeffes and Citizens of that City every where: This fpiritual Sodom, and Egypt, is for the fake of this very Type call'd the City where our Lord was crucified, and lay dead, three days as the three Witnefles three and a half, and is the very fame City and Church, But the Nations, Tongues, and People, furnifhing new Suc^ cejfions of them, fufferd them not to be buried '-i that their Pro- phecy might continue 1260 Years: for the finijhing their Te- iiimony was not the finilhing their Prophecy, which was to laft the 1260 Days, but their Tefiimony, as it was Teflimony without Martyrdom, viizsfinifb'd, and the Tefiimony of Mar- tyrdom and dying begun, which from its Beginning was to continue three days and a half, or the inward feafon part of Time, Times, Half a Time, viz. to 1697. U And I A 5 -^ Scripture Line of Time. And to {hew when it began, Prophecy, befides ^/7///?g^ makes ufe of the Propriety of the hterdi^^ Frofcrifiion^ or OtitUvpry of ExcommmiicatJofJ '-) That none (hould buy or fell who did not receive^ Sec. whether Greats Rich, or Free, point- ing on the Emperours^ on whom the Literdicf Co confpicuoufly fell 5 then on Small, Poor^ Bo»d, fignifying the univerfal Death of the Wjtneffs by the extent of the Nicean Anathema's at 787. All which is fo clear a notice of the Time, that one would think it impoffible to be denied. Now that the BeaH might be every way mounted"*' to the height, to compleat his Number 666 at 72$ or 266 ^f^^ that the Divine Prophecji is cautious in not fetting it too j;J* iftily, 'may be eafily believ'd, when we confider the early n firings of the B/fiop of Rome, who before the Year 200, iir^^'^^Pon- troverfie concerning the time of celebrating E^J^e^*' {^p ^ Vi&or^ otherwife a good man, and Martyr^ by way ^. ' ^^^ fage began to mannage the Key of the bottomlefs Pit ^^ ^^e Excommunication of the Eaftcrn Churches 5 or if we cCnlidpj. what Accounts Ammianus Marcellinm, a grave Heathen Hi» ftorian in the Time o{ Julian the Apoftate, about 560, gives of the State and Grandeur of that Brfhop in his Time , info- much, that he does profefs the fecular Glory, Richefs, and Splendour of it might tempt him to embrace Chriftianity, if that Bijhoprick^might be the Reward of his Converfion. And although this Greatnefs muft needs in the calamitous State of Rome be much deprefs'd 5 yet it is plain, it waited all op- portunities of lifting up its Head, and at this Time to that height, that by infallible Judgment of this Prophecy, the Beaji was come to his Numkr at 725. And to conclude this matter 5 from all that hath been fpo- ken oi' this Number, It cannot except by accident predi^ the end of the Beafis Time 5 for however that Denunciation, Revel. 14. 9. intimates the poffibility of worfhipping the Beafi, and his Image, and receiving his Marl^-, '^^/'s^. by impe- nitent Perleverance in that Apoftacy, even after not only his intimate Time expir'd, but even after the end of his 1260 Days^ A Scripnre Line of Time. 147 Days, as I expound that Voice of the Angel 5 yet it is not to be fuppos*d, that the Holy Spirit would give the Number of the Name that was to be receivd as a Teft of Subjedion to the Bealf, as a Hierogl^phick.o( hh End: For what fervice were it to the BeaB, or what diihonour to Chrift, to carry the Hierogtyphkk^ of the Time God had determin'd to the Beast's Deftrudion? Seeing the Mar^^ the Name, the Number of the Name^ 2nd of the Beaft^ are, as hath. been declar'd, all fub- ftantially wreath'd and wrought one into another, and import clofe and deep Subjection to the Beaji. When we compare intimate Time in its beginning, and^r^.5. ending with the other Symbol of the Witt7ejfes Jfoutting Heaven^ that it fhould not rain in the days of their Prophecy , it is*a'* very vifible Refemblance of that Time with the Apoftacy of the ten Tribes^ through the Sedudion of Jezebel \n the days of Elijah, and of that Drought of three Tears and fix Months at hk Word. As then the Seducements ofzfpiritual Jezebel, that maketh her felfa Prophetefi, led away thofe, that by the Profef- fion of Chriii (hould be his Servants^ to Idolatry and Forni- cation, even fo the (ame Jezebel^ Rev. 17. is plainly declar'd as in the Church ofThyatyra'-^ fo the J'F/Y^e/Tej contemporary with Rev.2. 2o» this Jezebel have a power to (hut Heaven that it (hould not rain in the twelve hundred fixty Days of their Prophecy, but at their Word. But then, as we have (hewed, Elijah's three Tears and fix Months comprehended fuch an Intimate Time^ that a part of the frji year, and a part al(b of the hVifx months, and the two years whole, comprehended the whole lime. And thus in the Parallel of the Witnejfes, we may begin the firif Tear near the Time of the Star falling, when the ' Heaven hecinmejhut as to any Rain or Dew of pure Evangeli- cal truth : but we mofk certainly know, that when there was a great found ofRain^ as of the fiven Thunders, viz. from 15 17. Although it was but a Cloud, as big as a man's hand, that then appear d, we know, I fay, that Intimate Time was pafi, and U 2 that 148 A Scripure Line of Time. that there could be from thence but 180 Years, which muft end at 1697. Pfal. 58. 9. Then it was, Thou^ God^didfl fend a plentiful Raw^whtte- by thou didfl: renen? thy Inheritance^ when it feem'd as it were quite loft^ and become perfeU Heath and Wtlnernefs. And had not the Thunders been feal'd, the Rain had been by this time as the^re^^ Ocean, fwelling with the Knowledge of the Lord^ as the Waters cover the Sea 5 but at the prefix'd Time, theye- iKing. i8. vetith Trumpet Jh all found, as the Jeventh Lool^oi Elijah's Ser- 33>34' 2jant 3 and the Rain (hall be fo great, as to put a final ftop to the Jpirifual Aha!?, the great Antichriftian King. How much farther this Pillar, ereded within Intimate Time, may guide us upon the Periods of Time, remarkable after the Reformation, we (ball have opportunity to refearch .upon that Junfture, as alfo concerning the due Application of the Number of the Beafi, upon both that and the next di- ftribution of the Line we are to entreat upon. I conclude then this great Charadter of Time, viz,, 666, un- der the Appreheniion of its Root at 25 from the Refurrcdi- on, to 725, with this (hort Remark. By thisy«re Word of Prophecy we may fee the danger of re- turning to Antiquity, Antiquity not Cannonizd, Antiquity with- out the AfTurance of the Word of God, and folidReafon to bear it up in all its Behejis.lt would be to repeat over again the fteps of the Apojiacy, and to produce the Number ohhe Beajl a fecond Time : it would be no better than Nicodemus's re- turning to his Mothers Womb to be born j from whence he would certainly come with the (ame Corruptio^f, double. Even fuch would be the State ofChriJiian Religion, ifroU'd back into the fame Womb of Antiquity, not keeping clofe to the abfolute meafure of the Word of Jefus Ghrift. It would - prove a renewed Womb ofApofiacy -, it would grow up to a » fecond Six hundred ftxty px. SEGT, A Scripure Line of Time. 14^ SECT. 12. /« tvkkk is give fi an Explication of the Woe ofthejtxth Trum- pet^ efpecially to the taking y of outward Profeflion. There vjsls 2i cry of the fouls un- Rcvdis'-s*. ^^^ ^^^ Altar of Sacrifice in the fifth Seal, while the Church was in a State of Purity, though declining. On which fol- lowed the firft defolation of Heathenifm hj Conflantine-^ there was much Imenfe ofiered with the Prayers ofa^ll Saints^ under the feventh Seal, and by Coales taken froM the Altar of Inctftfe, while the Church was retiring hither, as at its laft Gafpes of general Purity the EfTedt of all was the final De- folation of Heathemfm by Theodofiuj's Victory over Euge- mus and Argobafies as before expounded 5 at the meafiiring the Temple, the Altar, viz, ot: Incenfe within it, and cafiing out the outward Court, and its Altar of Sacrifice, to be us*d by the Gentile profeffors oi ChrifliamtyXy^hiXch was the takingaway the daily Sacrifice ) the Ser^nts of God retired to the Altar of Incenfe, as in a Temple fi^ and not opened, till the feventh Trumpet^ and from hence as in the deepth of their retired Srate the Foice came, as the EfFed of their Prayers, and the Vengeance of the Temple upoa the profane Genfiles 5 treading the holy Court under their beflian Princes Protedion. 4. The vaft number of Horjls agrees to the huge numbers^ o? Horjemen, the Turkj/b Princes hsive by g^nerr ^oW^^jg^ brought into the Field, and ufed in all their warlfKe Exptui-' tions and Affaults ^and as this Prophecy, when it would have any point of Truth, made both moft certain,^ and moft re- Revei.7.4. raarkable 5 it ufes fome fuch vehement Remark, as this, I heard their number, and faw their Horfes in a Vifion^ as I ^•^^'^* heard the number of tbe.yiJ^W, I 'John javo the Neif> Jernja- ie«^, ^c, fo here, I heard theirs Number, Their Revel. II, A Scripure Line of Time. i^jx 5. Their excellent polifhed Armor, like Brefl- plates of Jacifi^ and Fire^ or the blue and livid Flame o{ Brimftone^ Their info- lent and terrifying Gra»d loquence^ Th€\v falje and ferper2tme tay I'd Religion,^ or impoflure^ which with itsSuccefs was become Head of Policy, pretended Argument, and Eveaton of Impe- rial Power and Grandeur, on pretence of which, they claim'd univerfal Power, and with which they made fo loud a noife in Difdain of Chriftianity, that v;ith their Mouths and Tails they were fo hurtful ^"and which is mod a-itical of the Time near the taking oi Confiantinople by Mahomet xhtGreat^ thofe Guns and formerly unknown Engines, vomiting out Brimftone^ or the 1'^*^'^'^ fulphurean Powder ^ Fire, and Smoak^ were of fignal ufe in the takingConflantinople^oxkilliffgthe *hird ofrf^r^.nU thefe agree. 6. That monumental period it feifdetevmines all 5 for what fo great, as the final defolation of the Grecian Imperialijh, caird the killing the third part of men. And herein is the difference mofl remarkable betwixt Cafi- ing Rome^ as a burning Mountain into the Sea, and fmiting the third of the Lights of Heaven, Then Rome revivd, and the Befiian Glory inlight'nd it. But this third of men are kill'd, and (hall n ere revive, to be an Antichriftian Empire. 7. Now to all thefe fo lively Emblems and Pidures of this Ottomanick, Power, in which the Turkifl^f Dynamics both cen- tred, and afcended their height , let us adjulf the Aflignati-. on of the Time, The Day, the Month, the Year, make in pro- phetical Account 595 years, and they both afcertain, joynd with the former years from the Mahometan Hegira, fo great a fpace as 830 years of the 1260 5 they parallel the days of years, the Month of years, the year of years, us'd in defcypher- ing the Times of the fufferings of Gods Servants, and of the Beajis Tyranny, and are therefore compounded of lunar and fblar Time, and as in fignification of the cleaving and parting the BeBian Night-piece, there is molt offolar Time. The Hour IS of rnoft particular and fignal Importance both as it is fet, as it were on purpofe, to anfwer the one Hour of the ten Kings receiving Power with the Beaji 5 and alfb as an Hour lO A Scripture Line of Time. Hour fignifying an intire Seafon at the fetting out of theTW/^- ijh Time, and when the Day, the Month^ the Tear are run out, the Hour remains an Hour ftill, and makes a juft feafon to the palling away o{t\i\s fecondWoe, at the end of the 1260 days, which long Time of Duration feeras imported in that Me7« TdvTu, or hereafter, fignifying a liefurely Motion , but the feventh Trumpets Motion is as we (hall find, very fudden, quick, and difpatchful. The Hour, the Day^ the Month, the Tear reaches then to the taking Conftantwople, and then going on, there remain juft fixty years to the Reformation, during which Time God ex- pected the Repentance of the other, or Wefiern part of the An* tichrifiian World upon fo great a Judgment on that Eaftern part, in which the Wefiern had fo great an Interefl: by fuch an Union in Antichrijiianifm, while the Eajiern Horn fo ear- neftly affefted, and afpir'd to the fame Primacy, and Univer- fality, and alfo were guilty of much the fame Idolatry and Superliition, and as the Union was thus near, fo the claim "fef Dominion by the Western Horn over. the Eajiern, was ve- ry bold, confident, and impatient of deiiyal, and fubmitted to at that Councel of Florence, 1439, juft. before this killing the third part of men ( as it were providentially ) the more opparendy to intereft the Wefiern Antichriftian State in this Woe, by the Greek/ which made them one before men, as they were always before God. ^ - Immediately after the fevere cenfure upon the impenitency of the whole Befiian State, compar'd with the very worft of the Gentiles in all manner of Idolatry, ^orcery of Sedn^ion^ Senfaality, Blood, \\2Xd\Af2iCn\tg\o\\sTl^fts, Cheats, Frauds^ and EmunBion of mens Efta;es. oft re]n|tous Pretences j on all thtfe, I fay, follows the divine Portraiture of the Refor- mation under the next Head. Now the Argument confirming this true Motion of things upon the Line of Time, as hath beenitated, is very forcible, for it (hews the defcent of it fo many years from that famous date of Mahometanifm^ at 622, fo often mention d 3 and it leads A Scripure Line of Time. 155 leads to a Period (b very grand in Hijiory, as the Expiration of the Grecian Monarchy $ after that. The continning Intpe- nitency of the Wejiern Jpojiacy^ and Eaftern alfo, as we (hall (ee, was fo notorious, as to improve it fel^ rather than to abate any thing. This Impenitency, the very effential Ghara(3:er of the Apo- fiacy to its final Deftruftion, draws the courfe of Time at this prefent Jundure down to the Reformation^ or the laft i8o years 5 in the mean while, the Turkjfi ^oe continues its hour as an Evidenoe, That the 1260 days^ of the Witnejfes Prophecy in Sackcloth are not yet at an end , nor are they yet in full fenfe rifen'-y nor can the feventh Trumpet yet hzve Jonnded y becaufe the ficond Woe, however in this face of Affairs now in the World, it feems upon its remove, is not yet gone, nor (hall go^ till all other things declar'd to come to pals, before that ftjall have pafs'd, Ihall be ready to their proper motion alio. The People of God at the beginning of this Tmrnpet feem like the Ifraelites under the Egyptian Slavery^ when the Cor dudt of ihofe two Witnejfes^ Mofes and Aaron^ appear'd to them 5 they cry out to Heaven^ groaning under thar Burdens : And there are many loud Sounds by way of Return from many eminent Servants of God, declaring his Judgments up- on Jpiritual Egypt^ and fmiting it with Plagues in a free pub* lication of the Vials of this Prophecy^ to he fulfill d in their Seajon'j The Mahometan Woes were xhefirli Plagues^ and the Vtals the laft: and from this Time efpecially, the Strokes of thefe Plagues^ were as often, as it were, as they would, cali'd down firft by Prayer, and then foretold by the Witnejfes-^ bur much more it (hall be done, and much more their Duty to do thus in the next State of the IVitne/fes within the Re- formation, as we (hall then fhew. By all which, by way of Remark, we may fee, God did not leave himfelf without Witnefs of his dreadful Difpleafure upon the Apojiacy, and Antichrijiianifm of the Bejiian Earth, and Prince^ againft whom, thefe two Trumpets founded -^ the X feconJ J 54 -^ Scripure Line of Time. fecond of which cannot expire, nor ceafe its Souftd and Blajl till the Tenth of this anathematizd City Jericho fall ^\n the full Revolt of its ten Kings ^ till the Earthquake Jlay the 7000, and the re!i give Glory to God in the Converfion that (hall be at that time in the midft of a yet iperievtiing general Intpeniten- cy: and the Beaflj forty two Months end, as to his Monarchick Power, however he furvive till the Brightnels of the coming of Chrift, in fome low ftate of Being and Attempt to reco' ver his Power. And even as the Grecian, Antichrifiian Empire was now ' defolated, x\\q third part of men kill' d^ ^nd the Imperial Seat turn'd to the Ottoman Port , fo in a much higher degree of Judgment Babylon (hall then be burnt with a perpetual burn- ing ^ and not only the third part ofmen^ but the whole reft of men, who have not repented (hall be k^lVd with the Sword of Chrift's Mouthy that is, fo utterly fubdued, and condemned, as never to return to Empire any more, and the BeaSi him- felf, and falfe Prophet^ who had deceivd them^ caB into the Lake, In the time of the fecond Trumpet, Rome had been thrown as a burning Mountain into the Sea , where it was not only preferv'd, but as it were, new ca(t for a future Glory under the BeaU. But at that time its Smoak^Jhall afcend for ever^ and its Glory (ink as a Mill flone, not to be recover'd. In the third Trumpet many men died, but not fo many, as Rsv. 8. 7. jQ yj(^ ^Q 3 ff^jf^ p^rf of men, (hewing the Imperial Beftianifm did immediately fucceed, and keep that Imperialifm alive, according to our Explication of the third part. In thhjtxth Trumpet, the third part of men diedj the Gre* cian Empire is irrecoverably ceas'd, but the Wefiern Empire lives ftill in the Beaft and his ten Kings, But the whole Re- ftdue of men are kfU'd, to (hew the utter end of Bejiianifm, Eafiern and Wefiern alfb, vihen iht feventh Trumpet (hall have its full effed. In the fourth Trumpet the Sun and the Stars were (mitten in their third part , The fupreme and fubordi- nate Ma gift rates, fo that the day Jbined not for a third part, and A Scripture Line of Time. 155 and the Night Hkemfe, Yet within a (pace after, the Befiian Star fell from Heaven to Earthy and gave a new Light 5 but at that yiyovi , It is done. The Beaji and all fuch impure Lights,y»rA wandring Starf, are deliver'd up to the Blac^nefi of Darkpefs for ever. And as a Pledge of fuch a Defolation, The Grecian Anti- ckriftianifm, (b far as not repented of, (b far as the Members of the Grecian Churches are not Witnejffes in Sackcloth^ is kept Up by Ood, in fo defpicable and ruin'd a condition to this day, as a monument prophetical of the laft Judgment on An- tichriftianifm : within the Number of which, I fear all fuch Impenitents fall. All which may ferve as a brief Remark on this joynt of Time. SECT. XIII. This Se&ion enters into the HalfTime of the Reformation, - ten^ as 'John^ in Zeal to the Glory of Chrift, was about fpee- dily to write them, and not feal'd'j They had rent the Hea- vens, and the Kingdom of Chriji h^id been proclaim'dy as by ^^- ^' the Voices ofthefeventh Trumpet, The clear, (hrill, and exalted Voice of Divine Truth, is ^^.17-2^ as the Lightning that with the Thunder fhineth from one end of the Heaven, and that fhineth to the other end of Heaven, and brings forth the Day of the Son of Man 5 which the Antichri- ftian Kingdom trembles at, and is (hiver'd by, as by the ikxo\ie oi Thunder, But written zndfeal'd are oppos'd in this Prophecy, as im- 2» mediate coming to pa(s, and referv'd to Ciome to pafs hereafter, are oppos'd one to the other. There is a Recognition, and Renewal of the Oath ofChrifi, ^ concerning Time, Times, Half-Time, Dan. 12, 9. Indeed the Front and Afpcd of the Oath there is turn* d another way , for then it was direded upon thefe Tinm, as to come, and the Oath is. They fhall he ^ here it points upon them, as part, and Chrift fwears. Time fhall he no more, but till the feventh Trumpet, and then allfloould he finifh*d, (poken hy the Prophets of his Kingdom-^ which is fuch a My fiery the World will not believe, however told them. They are angry whenever ChriB takes hif Power to him, and reigns -^ and much more angry at Rev.ii.iS. any mention of it before hand, at any unlocking or reading, viz. i6o A Scripure Line of Time* viz. interpreting Prophecy concerning it. But Chrili fweart^ There Jball be no moreTime, Or no Kalendar of any Kingdom, but his own at xhzfeventh Trumpet '-^ it (hall then iramediatc- ly fucceed, and be procUmd. Till then Time is allowed for the thuffders to remain fial'd j Then they fiall be opened^ And if the Thunders had not been feakd before the Oath^ the Oath had cut off that Time alfo^ but becaufe the half Time cannot be lefs then it felf, The Thunders remain fial'd^ neither more nor lefs th|tfi the half Time, So it is not ^pvi^ a Time^ but only a half Time ^ and a whole Time could be no more. 4. The eating the Book^^ Its beingyB^ec* in the Mouthy and hitter in the Belly ^ and prophecying again (ignifie altogether the retirement of Chrifis Kingdom^ anew into Prophecy in )lace of prdent Accompliftiment, and of that Kingdom then ^appearing. For therefore was Its facet in the Mouthy becaufe the Dif- courfe of that Kingdom^ as in the Voice of Thunder was tx* ceeding/tt'ecf, as importing its prefent Appearance. But the Difcourfe of it, as matter of Prophecy^ and the R.e-abfcond- ing it to that purpofe into the Belly was exceeding bitter, as iignifying its Delay and Secrecy, for longer time yet, as Belly imports (ecretly. - Whereas therefore the Book^ in regard of the halffeafon ended, was opened, as if then to be accomplifli'd, and the things written in it to hejinijhed. Its remanding into the Bel' Ij of the Prophet^ concludes its delay, and this was bitter. The Book, therefore ^vasfweet in any prejence^ hitter in any Delays of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is not to be yet, while the half day lafts ^ It muft be, when that ends in the feventh Trumpet ^ therefore it remains in Prophecy. And of the Ser- vants of God continuing to Prophecy in Sack^cloth, becaufe of the delay ofChrifis Kingdom^ and to prophecy again before many Peoples and Nations^ and Tongues and Kings^ whom this Kifjgdom concerns, John is here the Reprejentative, the prophetical Scheme or Symbol. For this Prophecy is unto, and fo before many^ who will not vouchfafe to hearken or attend to A Scripure Line of Time, i6i to it 3 yet it is unto them, before them, and will take hold of them. But while the Book is in Prophecy, in the Belly, It is Bitter 5 and the Witnejfes prophecy in Sackcloth, So John Perfo- nates or Proxies for them. Thejeding then of the Thunders^ as alfo the Voice of the Roar of the Lioti^ by implication, retiring, the Eating of the open Book.^ or returning it into Prophecy, Argue, It niuft re- main in Prophecy, as it had done the whole Time of the Trnm- pets, after the Seals opened, becaufe of the 144000 feal'd, and that theKingdom did not appear when it had in the ChriHian Bmperours made (b loud a claim j And now by the Thunders utterances, a fo publick challenge of its Right, yet it muft return again into Prophecy, and be Bitter in the Belly, "All thefe are the clear and evident Importance of thefe Symbols in a dug, .^^ coKpare of the Parts of this Prophecy between themfelves, ^^*****^ And if we look not only into Hiliory, but Knojvledge, it cannot be denyed,but that the Kingdom of ChriB hzth notyet appear d in Glory 5 The blefled Effeds of Chrijiian Religion, The great Prophecies concerning thofe Effe&s, that even fwell the Womb oi Prophecy, have not yet been brought forth --^ The Antichriftianifm, the Beftianifm, the Apolile Panl^ the Apoftle Pet.Epifl. Peter, the Apoftle John, efpecially in his ApocaL defcribes, hath 2.C.2.C.3. yet a too fad Intereft in theChriftian World. Mahometanifm covers a great part of the habitable Earth, and till very late- ly, as in fignification of the Time o^Chrifi's Kingdom to be proclaim d, near at hand, hath been the Scourge and Terror of Ghriftianity, but more particularly, as according to this Prophecy of the Antic hriftianify ofEaft andWeft, and holds a very confiderable part of the Profeliion of it under Slavery 3 Pagaifm, we know poffeffes ( except obftinatcly blind in- terfpers'd Judaifm ) the reft of the World 5 All which muft remove at Chrift's Kingdom. And if we confider the State of Ghriftianity more Reform- ed to it (elf, to fpeak in the Language, and Symbols of this Prophecy-, There are very great Parts of the Reformation, th2it arc within the Bowels of the yet Antichriftian Princes^ and fo Y within 1 62 A Scripure Line of Time. within the Dition and Kingdom of the Beaji, when ever it pleafesGod to give fcope to that Power, They are allmanner of ways perfecHted, and harrafs'd^ even as the Succefiion or Rev 2 19. °^ ^"^«/ of the Church of Thyatyra were to be, and their laft ^c'. Works and Sufferings thereby, became more than their Firfl^ and are To far from being perfeftly rifen^ and out of Sack:- Hungary, cloth, that they make an appearance of ihQ Witneffes again France. JJain^ as in Neighbour Countries of late. Other Parts of the reform' d Church, have not purfued the true Principles of the Reformation, the R^egulation of all Things in Do&rine, Worjhip, Converfation^ and Difcipline, ac- cording to the pure and perfeft Rule of the Word of God 5 but that Word in many things is regulated by Antiquity, not Gonfidering how early the MyBery of Iniquity was at rpork,^. and where the Foot of the account of the Be aft' s Number Revel. 3. ought to be plac'd even at 2 5 or 26, from the Refurre^ion 3 ■*. i.^c. £q jJj2|. thefe^ as in ^ht Church of Sardis, affecting too much outward Pomp and Grandieur, are to ftrengthen the Remain- •^^ ders which are ready to dye, that are to fill up the Reforma- tion, to endeavour to open the Voices of the Thunders ampng^ themfelves, and to prophecy more vigor oufly before Peoples^ Nations, Tongues, and Kings 5 concerning which Things the generality are fo ajleep. That there are but a few Names,viho have not defiled their Garments, but will be in great danger, of a fhameful Devcftiture, or Degradation, when Chrift ap- pears. Revel. 3. 3. compard with Revel, 16. 15. v.^.^c, '^^^ Church o{ Philadelphia, although in a general Zeal to have a perfed Square with pure Evangelical Truth, be indeed in Being, yet not come to make the Apocalyptick Line of Time by its proper Interval or fpace, nor can do before the end of the 1 260 days, as it is drawn upon thefe Churches to the Nert>Jerufalem, which appears in PhiUdeph. and the Right, of a Church, Their Door of the ProfefSon of Chrifi:, accord- ing to his Word is endeavoured to be (hut, although Chrifi: as. by immediate Power hath hitherto kept it open 5 yet They of A Scripure Line of Time. 163 of this Church have but a little firengthj outward Power or Glory. Revel. 5.7. &c. The Synagogue ofSathan is ready on all Accounts, and at all Advantages to DiJJinagogue them and cajt them out^to con- troul and brow-beat them, and that Synagogue muft be of the Reformed j fo the naming them Jervs imports, as in the Church of Smyrna^ Jews fignified Chriflians in Profejpon, but becom- ing Gentiles 5 fo here it fignifies Reformed, but fo far re- laps'd, as to be falfly fo cail'd 5 who are at the fame eleva- tion of Corruption, the Apoftacy was at, in the Church of Smyrna 3 Not long Before the 1260 dark^ days came in, fo that though they dilallow the Apoftacy fince that time, yet they are ready to Gannonize it fo far as to that Time it had proceeded, and might if they had Time, find the fame Path to the fame End 5 Yet ftill they efcape the Beafts Number, 666, Now in regard of all thefe things, it is moft evident, The Witnejfes muft be yet in Sackccloth, but they are, if they are not wanting to their own Priviledges, and Office, like Mo- fes^ and Aaron, commiffion'd to fmite with Plagues, as often, at they mil 5 that is, to declare the foulnefs of the Apojiacy, to remonftrate the Bejiianijm, and Antichrifiianifm of it, and to foretel the feventh Trumpet, and its Voices and Vials in tluine of the Kingdom of the BeaB, and the great Judgments to be executed on his City^ Church, Himfelf, and his falfe Prophet, and all the Impenitents of his Kingdom, from firft to laft , and alfo to declare the Redemption of the whole Ifrael of God from this fp'iritual Egypt and its Slavery, the opening the Temple, that the Ark of the Teftament, the Tabernacle of Teftimony,raay be (een in Heaven,and theKingdom oiChrift appear in the New Jerufilem. And this they may do as often as they mil. That is, There is abundant Evidence o(Prophetick,Truth to do it by j There are abundant Promifos of Acceptance, Favour, and Support in the doing of it, fo that it isaRemifnefs of Will, that is, of Zeal not to do it. For Blejfed is he that heareth, and they that Y 2 read 6. 1^4 AScripure Line of Time. read the Words of this Prophccji^ efpecially when the Ti/;ie is fo f^ear at Hand. The laft part of this Time^ is the moft Glorious, becaule it illues out into the feventh Trumpet^ and then thofe great things will come to pafs in Preparation, of which all that was at the beginning of that Time^ was but a (liade and fem- blance. Then the Sprit of Life^ in full and perfed meafure, (hall enter into the Wttneffks^ and fet them on their Feet 5 and great fear fiall fall on them that fee them ^ there will be then fo wonderful an appearance of divine Power and Judgment v as upon the Apofiles Do^rine and Miracles in the very firft Times. Where if things had gone on with the fame Power from Heaven as at firft, the Kingdom of Chriir had then ap- pear d^ hut the My flery of Iniquity jitrprisd them at 25 or 26. There (hall be a Voice calling them vp to Heaven^ and as in jthe Cloud, wherein Chrifi himfelf afcended. They (hall Af- cend^ and whereas only the Servants of Chrift beheld Him, Their Enemies fhall behold them^ which fpeaks the publick- nefs of their Afcention^ and the mighty Influences, it will have. And in the fame Hour^ the Tenths that i?, the Decern Prin- dpality of the great City^ viz. moft neceftarily, That great City in which thQWitneJjes lay dead in the breadth ofit^fiW , For when the Ten Horns, that give State and Altitude to the Beafi^ fall off from his feventh Head 5 the Woman that fits on the Beaji^ which is this very fame City-Church, rnnil needs fall from that Height, with which the Beaji carried it^ while exalted with his Ten Horns 5 which fubftaoiial Reafon, will recompence for the feeming Impropriety of fuch a ufe of the Word ri^t;^- TDv 3 This Tenth being both in Dan 5 and this Prophecy fo elTcntial to the Beaft^ that carries the Woman. The Afcent of the Witnejfes into Heaven, I underftand to be fome Exemplification on Earth of the Glory, and Tri- umph, The Witnejfes of Chrifi, that have gone out of the World, fufferirig for Chrift in any degrees of Marfyrdome, have A Scripure Line of Time. 165 'have at this time in Heaven, upon this change of the World to Chris's Kingdom, as] undoubtedly, the Saints have on all fuch Changes, even as the Angels joy in the Rcpe/^ta^!cc of Sin- ners 5 As the Saints in Heaven triumph'd at the Dejvlaiion of Heathenifm^ or the cafiif^g down of the Dragon. The Exem- plification then of this on Earth by the exalted ftate of the true Servants ofChrift there, is the Importance of thefe Sjim- hols. And in the fame Hour oppos'd to the fame^ or one Hour of R^^gj j the Ten Kings receiving Power with the BeaU^ and giving then 12, 15. ' their Kingdom to him^ and therefore comes now into a fit Counter-parallel '-i There (hall be ^n Earth- quake ^ fuch a mighty Concuflion, ihake and change of the State of the Chriflian Worlds that Cities (hall be removed, as it were, and not be the fame they were before ^ That great 'City-, although it (hall remain on its Heap^ yet mtenthly or Ten Kingdom'd-fiate (hall utterly fall 3 feven thoufand^ not Names only, but Names of Men ^ (hall be (lain 3 They (hall be flain in their Corrupt Antichrifiian fiate^ and utterly abolifhed, and 2in Apocalypti- cal^ Evangelical feven (hall take their Room^ fo that the Suc- ceffours in thdr Places, (hall have fuch a Senfe of this Great Judgment on them, as to Give Glory to God 5 For that at this Time, the whole AntichriBian State was converted, and repented^ I cannot underftand, becaufe of the after courle of this Prophecy 5 But a great alteration in the Pofture of the Chrifiian World will then be made , It will be of another Model, as great a change as feven thottfand Orders of Men, falling under the fenfe and influence of this Apocalyptical Pro- phecy^ and modelled according to that can make, (hall then be, fo that in the whole Succeflion to the Kingdom ofChrift, (ignified by the 61 ^e/^o/\ They (hall give Glory to God ^ the God of Heaven^ in place of the Man ofSin^ who fat in the , Temple of God^fiewing himfelf that He is God^ and in place O^ Idols of Gold and Silver. Then xhefecondWoe{hz\\pafe away, Mahomet anifm^ what- ever Exiftence it may have in the World, (hall no longer remain 56 A Scripture Line of Time, remain the Woe of the Chrijiian Worlds becaufe when Atjti- chriftiafjity^ the Provocation of (b great a Judgment \s fallen^ the Judgment it felf (hall alfo remove, although EuphrAtes may yet continue a River^ till at the ftxth Vial it is dried up^ yet it (hall not fo overflow, as hitherto it hath done. And this Woe is always to be efteem'd the Boundary of the .1260 Days for their ending ^ for till that Woe is paft, they cannot end j for till then the Witneffes do not rife perfectly, nor come out of Sackcloth --^ till then the Beafis forty two Months of being a Beftian Power do not end, nor the 1260 of the Woman in the Wildernefs 5 but then they (hall all end together. Therefore the Craftiings and Smoaking of the Ma- hoMetart Mountain at this Time, gives an alarm to the Expe- ctation of thefe things: and however the Antichriftian Pow- er, by its Contributions, concurr with the Ten Kings to the faffing ^irrfy of that Woe-^ yet let it certainly know, that at that very fame time, and by thofe very Ten Kings falliag off from it, its own Decarchy or Ten-horn d Supremacy^ (hall fall into the Duft alfo. For, as y/e may be aflured, The Reforniation^ the rijtng of the Witnejjes^ are not yet at their top, becaufe that Woe is not yet pafs'd':, (6 we may be affut'd, All the Symbols, and Em- blems o^the AntichriBian City, and Prince, as roll'd down from their height, and of the Kingdom of Chrisi rifing, al- though being future, we cannot fo certainly expound them, yet they (hall in their (ignificancy h^ fulfill d, and made good to the utmoft, as thofe have been before them, which we more fully comprehend by Hijiory. And that, all muft be fulfill' d within the 180 Years from 15 17, or from the Refor- mation begun then, which muft be by 1697. For that fothe mouth of the Lord hathjpot^n by thk Prophecy, I now proceed to argue. I muft rely upon the proof I have already offer'd along this Line ^ That I have made true motions and progrefles upon it in Events offo great Concernment and univerfal Notoriety to the Chrlftian World, as to be moft worthy to be the Dis- coveries A Scripure Line of Time. \6j coveries of (b Sovereign and Imperial a Fropkecy, given by the Prifice of the Kir7gs of the Earthy receiv'd from his Father, to Jhew to hff Servants'^ digefted into a method, and Series of Time moft exa6t, and contrived into fuch wonderful and felf-demonftrating Symbols, as that they may be found out by them that i^e ftirr'd up by God to Read^ and [o propos'd to thofe vvhomr God enclines to Hear, that Both may come to the Blefledneli promised, by underftanding them aright. ^V' i. s* In comparifon of which Events, and their order and fe- "^^^ lies, as I have prefented them, the little anci clofe, the pri- vate and particular points of Story without M] equal and juft AdmenCuYZtion to Apocalyptical Time, upon which fome Names ^ Jo great, that for Reverence I dare not Name, have fallen, are but as Relations fit for private Difcourfe and unfit for si grave Hifiorji, or like the Defcription of fmall Rivers, Hills, or Vills, unworthy the Title of a Geography, and yet fuch a Prophecy, fo much below its own Majefty, do fuch Interpre- tations make it. Now according to this fo illuftrious, fo orderly Series of Events, it will eafily appear, by Refleftion on what is writ- ten. The Reformation muft neceflfarily be determin'd to the laft i8o of the 1260 Years, foas to determine at 1697. But I (hall yet offer thefe two particular Arguments. The very Time of the Pillar of the Beajis Number ercOied, . I date to 725 or 26, as the folemn Reprefentation of it by * ' ' the beginning of the Iconoclajiick^Wnr^ and fo of the Beasfs War with the Witmjfes. The very Time of the Death of the Witmffes I date to 787, reprefented by the fecond Council of Nice, damning all that refus'd to voorjliip Images --^ the one 7 2 Years before the two Times of 360 Years a- piece 5 the other only ten Years before. Let us now by proportion of the three Tears and a half of Elijah's Drought, and the three days of our Lord's Death, ad juft the Expiration of the Intimate time. Times, half a Time'-y and as near Ton years after the two whole Times of intimate Time expir'd,- at 15173 we find the Witrteffes fianding on their Feet, fo eminently, as that they began i6S A Scripnre Line of Time. began to efteem the thuttderboltJ o^ AnUchriftian ExcommH- fjtcatiofi^ brutifh 5 and ;^pv||M^t/cw', in a foleran and Oracu- lar manner, as from this very Prophecy to be called Prote^ fiants. Which Appellation, however it began on particular occafion, and as only in a providential Reprefentation to agree Hiftory with Prophecy, as I all along obferve^ yet it "lath been efpous'd by the whole Reformation: and it is by iecret inftind derived probably beyond their Intention from thefe two Apocalyptical Witmjfes. For what is Proteflation or Proieflaficy but a publick, avowed Witnefs againft the Ty rufiny of the BeaB.^ And that fo folemn a Denomination is of no fmall Ac- count, appears by that fo great Memorial of the Difciples be- ing cail'd Ghriftians, A(^s 11, 26. And as the Pillar of Intimate Time was ereded at 725 or 26, 71 or 72 Years before xhttwo whole Times , fo feventy one or feventy two Years after the troo rvhole Times at 15 17, lead us to the famous 1 588 : from which Time, the mo!i Ca- tholic k^ Kingdoms^ fo cail'd, decay 'd in Pomp and Reputati- on, not to fay the whole Auftrian Family. And had not the Thunders been (eal'd, and the 5 Into the fixth trumpet they certainly do, but that cannot receive them all 5 for allowing aftsr the tahjng ofConfiantinople (ixty four Years for the making the Experim-ent of the Impenitency of the reB of Men, the half day immediately appeared; joyning then the half-time or day of J 80 Years to 64, that Space re- ceives only 244 by vertue of the Mahometan Hour, or a de- fined Space allowed them, beyond their Day, Month, and Tear. To which day, month, year,, being 395, add the 244, and they are 659, which is the whole, and that a very long fpace oi the fixth trumpet, delaying the feventh d\(o (thdit comes and quickly difpatches) to hereafter. But feeing this trumpet holds but 6^<^, fome what above half of the 1260 Days, they muft be throv/n back into i^e fifth trumpet'-, which having room but for 435, as we have before found, from the Hegi- TO. 622, the remaining 186 muft regurgitate into the four firfi trumpets, where they End juft entertainment to 457 ^ even as all the(e accounting forward determine from fpace to (pace at the fame 1697. Turning things thus every way then, we may find, how the order of this Apocalyptical Prophecy lies upon this Line of Time $ and how, and with what fecret Invitations, the Cha- raders or Dates of Time are call'd after the Voice of the Lyon^ and the Thunders -Voices, at the Reformation to every prop he- thai Symbol, either of the Sufferings of the Servants of God, or of the Apofiacy and Tyranny of the Befiian Kingdom, en- graven with them 5 and firft, why, although the Gharaders of Time began at the Beginning of the trumpets, they are not given A Scripure Line of Time. 171 given till after the V^ijiop^ of the Reformation ^ Ckapt. lo. I. Firft then, till after the opemng of the Kingdom ofChrifi at the Reformation^ it was neither Gondecent to the propheti- cal types of either the dark, obfcure, and conceal'd ftate of the Servants of God, nor the cntircnefs of the Bealf'j King- dom^ that either the Servants of God fhould be refcued from their Death and Condemnation, nor the BeaB difcover'd to be the BeaB^ as he was at the Reformation ^ for how then "*»^ ftiould his Kingdom ftand, or the FFitneJJes lye dead, each their Titne ? Prophecy therefore ob(erves the order of the Events themfelves, foreleen and foretold, even as the Beafi was believ'd to be no Beasf, but the Ficar of Chriji, all the Time of his Kingdom entire, and the PFitneJfes Hereticks and no VFitneffes : fo in the Prophecy, till the Book^ofthe King- dom open id by the Claim of Chrift, we neither read of the Beaft, nor of the FFitneJfes, nor of the Gentiles, nor of the Woman in the Wildernefs, but by (bme very filent Intimations. This Order became the Prophecy and its Emblems. 2. The Hiftory of the trumpets, taking in in the fixth trumpet, the entire Hiftory of the 1260 Days, goes on to the end of the/xf^ trumpet in particular, and of all the trumpets in general, even to the end o{ ihtfeventh-^ and that grand Scope or Aim in its Eye, the hiflory of the Wiir.eJJes, comes hereby to be deliver'd whole and entire alfo j as al(b of the Beftian Kingdom, in one fummary Platform, very agreeable to the Compofure of the beft hijiories, that delay any prin- cipal SubjeiS its Treaty, till the due feafon : whereas the end of the 1260 Days of the VVitneJfes, and of the Befiian Fall, could not have been given as the end of the 1260 Days, if the whole had not been taken and comprehended together f feeing till the end of th2itjixth trumpet, that end proper to each did not appear , and yet fomething like it did appear before, at the Reformation, 3. The end o( the Jixth trumpets Woe as it joyns the end of the vpitneffesSackcloth,xheFall of the great City, 2ind makes one the Bound to the other, had not been fet with fo great ad- vanta^re, fo interlocking part of the 1260 with the fxth Z 2 trumpets ^7 2 A Scripture Line of Time. trumpet'^ and efpccially the Reformation^ (ingled out, as (b diftindi: a Time from both the time^ and times^ or the 1080 of the 1260 Days 5 and fo made a half-time, or 180 to it feli^ glorious in the Beginning, y^<«/'^ in the Middle, and glorious again in the End, if it had not been thus before the whole 1260 Days, given together. For either there muft have been more open and declared Diftributions of the time by it felf, of the tvpo times by them- felves, of the half-time by it (elf, than agrees with the admi- rable Contrivance and MyfiicneJ} of this Prophecy, or ehethe diftinftion could not have been underftood, nor made out, as now it may. But the Appearance ofChriB, the Lyon roaring, the Thun- ders proclaiming. What, but Chrift's Kingdom? The Boof^ opend, and above all the Oath, time fhould be no more, could no way comport with the former Oath, till the half-time dawning ^ The Beali's Kingdom could bear no fuch (hock foonerf) for how ftiould he then have had time, times, half- time, viz. a part of the firft, and laft, and the whole of the middle in entire Regnancy } So that Reading afterwards of 1260 Days, call'd alfo three days and a half, Co (ignificantly to this purpofe, and three times and a half we know aflured- iy what Time of the Day it mufk be,» when fuch a roaring of the Lyon was, and of the Thunders, and fuch an Oath, that Time (hould be no more, and lb much of the Beafi's King- dom torn from him, as a Pledge and Earneft of the whole to be fo rent from him. It muft be at the Half-time. And had there not been z fiahng oC the Thunder s,znd an en- doling the Book in the Prophet's Belly, we might have fuppos'd, Then had been the end of thofe Days, and the Reformati- on to have been all that was to be expefted of Chriji's King- dom till Eternity. But by both thefe determin'd, before the 1260 Days, or other Charafters of Time given, we have a moft certain Gauge of the half-time of the Reformation, and of the end of that ten- folded Kingdom,oi the Turkijh Woe, of the Witness Sackcloth together; fo that if the Beginning was at A Scripure Line of Time. Jiy^ at 1 5 17, The end muft be at 1697, which is the Thing un- dertaken to be (feown. To {hew now in the fecond Place how in the juft order of the Prophecy^ eachCharader or Date of Time may be affignd to each State of the Servants of God, in their Sufferings un- der the Bejiian Kingdom. It may thus be made nor only plain and intelligible, but admirably harmonious 5 and the interweaving of the Prophecy with it (elfj and with the Pro- phecy o{ Daniel, be clearly underftood. After ChriU's Claim of his Kingdom at the Reformation as defcrib'd, Chap, 10. The Vilion of the Temple meafired^ and chap,.ru of the Witfjejjes in Sackccloth, and dying under the viSiori- oHs Beaif, and fo rijing is given entire, in (ignification, that the Beaiis Kingdom could not be difturb'd, nor his Time and irvo Times interrupted with any part of (uch a Vifion^ixW the half Time appearing 5 when that, and the Vifion of that had been given, and the firft Glory o^ it feald. Then things were ripe for this after Vifwn-^ for any part of which, they were before unripe, unripe as to the Gondemnation of the BeaB, and the Vindication of the Witnejfes before the half Time. Unripe as to the rijing of the Witness, till xhQfeald Thunders had Poft-pond that rijing. And fo the Angel, that had bidden John, Rate the Boo\, Ordered him a Reed, bids himarije, dindmeafure theTemple ofGod,d^c. For the outward Court and City, the Gentiles (hould tread under foot forty two Months 3 and then faith the Lord, I will give Power to my two IVitneJfes, and they (hall Prophecy 1260 days, d'^c. Thus the Altar oflncenje neceffarily here intended, being the only Altar in the Temple^ leads us back to the Altar oflncenfe juft before the Trumpets, where the Prayers of All Saints were Jent up-, and where attending without in the publick Wor- fhip, yet pure , They were commanded into the Temple, fhut up at the Firji Trumpet, as from that Time, the 1260 ^^ g ■ days. Hereupon the Daily Service was Tal^en away at the ve- ry 1260 Beginning, joynd with the 30 more in the 1290 ■, and fo the 42 Months, and 1260 Days are related to fo ma- _ ny ijA AScripure Line of Time. Dan. 12.11. ny Evetiif7gs and Morningf of the 2300 Evemttgs Morttwgs Pan. 8. Revel. 1 2. As deriv'd 12 14. of the Vifion of the daily taken away^ and the entring in of the Get7ti!es^ firft by Conliantities Converfion, then by Theo- ^(?/«/^ Victory over them, forcing them into theProfeffionof Chriftiamty,and completed by the B^rW/^/// inrode into the Empire at the firfl Trumpet^ femblanc'd gentiliz'd Ghriftianity. At the fame Time, and for the fame Time of 1260 days^ the IVoman, the Churchy after the deliverance from the Pha- raok-WkQ Dragon, goes into the Wildernefs. Her Seed the Revel. 7. 144000 of the twelve Tribes^ and Apoftolical Church being feal'd^ under the Witnefles, herein like Mofes and Aaron alfo: But That Vrophetick HiSiory being before this fyfteme of the Trumpets is deriv'd higher from the Dragon, as neceflary to introduce, and to derive down the Hijiory of the Bea^^ that fromThe'* follows. Chap. 1 5. And having (hewed both by the early 7^*^/- Dragon. i»g^ and the fudden Account of the Woman flying into the - Wildernefs^ the violent Inclination of things to the Apofiac^ after the Gentiles coming into the Profeflion of Ghriftianity with their Emperonr 5 The very entrance into the Wilder- nefs is juft at the fjrji trnmpet, where another fort oi Gentiles were crowding alfo, as well upon the Empire as the Churchy For then, as hath been made out, the fealing firft obtained its EfFeft, although declar'd before. At the Third Trumpets Complement of EfFed, the Impe- Rev 8 10 ^^'^^ Power ceafing, The BeaSJ enters his Exiftence, and hath with chap. h\s forty two Months affignd for that Exiftence, from firft to *3>5« laft^ yjh.ich forty two Months uniting with thofe of the Geft- tiles ^ run parallel with the 1260 days z, All which hath been fully Argued. At the Beajis Number 666. Intimate Time enters, and con- Revel, n. joyns it felfwith the Witneps three days and a Half with 9- the Womans Time^imes^and half Time 5 with Daniels Time^ c.\^.'2^ one upon another, and by the Blefled St^te coming upon all, we may be moft afliir'd, the Voices and the Vials anfwer to the Thirty and the Forty live Years A a of 1^8 ^ Serif ture Line of Time. of Surplufage to the 1260 Days, fo diftinguifh'd and fa conjoyn'd. Now'that the(e Voices and Vials o( the feventh Trumpet are yet to come, and to come in the Order laid down, and with- in the Time laid down 5 thefe fix Things may indubitably convince us : 1. We may be fully affur*d, nothing fo great, as thefevem .Thunders, could be heard before the Reformation^ fo high, fo loud for the Kitigdom ofCkri^j fo they muft be with the Reformation beginning. 2. There is moft apparently a fpace allowed for the Thun- ders^ remaining ye^/'ft5 as therefore the feventh Seal comprehends the ftven Trum" A Scripure Line of Time. ij^ Trumpets^ during which the Kingdom remains ^e^/W 5 even fo muft the feventh Trumpet, the Voice/, und to (hew the Voi- ces zrefeven Voices, xhefeven Vtals ztefiWd from the Blood of the Wineprefs ofthefeventh Voice. 6. It is mod impoffibJe the Beftian or Antichriftian Povyer fhould be in fiich a State as at this day it is 5 M the Jcve^nh Trumpet, with its Voices and Vials ^ had made their Impreffi- ons on it, it muft needs have been torn and rent in pieces— thereby. But becaule that fo illuftrious End of the ftxth Trumpet and xhefeventh Trumpet are to come, and that the feventh Trumpet is (b exprefly ftyl'd Myftery, I (hall with all Humi- lity, Modefty, and Brevity, undertake not any thing in their Explication, as to the very manner, or precife fenfe of Par- ticulars, but only in the general, demonftrate their Order and Sequence, and obferve their neceflary main Importance: but whether even that Fall of the Tenth of the City, and the concomitant mighty Works ^ do not with a great notice of themfelves, only given at the end of the fixth, iffuc into the feventh Trumpet^ and fo are gradually fulfiU'd in the Voices and the Vials^ and how the Beftian Power, or the fpiritual Pharaoh and his Egypt, is fo much as kept in a State of Being or Exiftence at all, and furvives (as Pharaoh and Egypt of old ) under fuch Voices and Vials to the laft, or as the City where our Lord was crucified did under fuch a Miniftry, and a courfe of Miracles, and Prophecies fulfilling upon it, till de- ftroy'd by Titfff, I confefs my felf unable to account , but muft leave it to that Time it lelf^ that will be fo full of Light to explain it. But that the Prophecy gives us an orderly courfe o{ feven Voices, although, in reverence, as it were, of the Prophecy it (elf to its own Type of the Thunders once featd, they and their Order is fo much cover d, I ftiall thus argue : There are in this Apocal. Prophecy, ch. 14. (even diftind If- fues or Emanations, following in a Connexion, and yet to y. jf ^^ * «ach is annex'd its fignal Note of Diftinftion, fo that while v. 5. v. 14, Aa 2 they '5* i8o -^ Scripure Line of Time. V.8. v.i8. they are in a Gonnexion, tliey are alfo under a Diftinftioit^ ^'^' and they are juft fiven, and moft undeniably fo. Frorn hence it appears they concert with all the Apocalyptick^Sevenf^ in which Number the whole Prophecy is all along con- veyed. Arg. 2, ^^ ^^^^ of thefe, there is applied either a Voice from Hea^ ve?tj a loud Voice^ or a loud Cry^ according to the Note of ( the Jeventh Trumpet, There were great Voices in Heaven. Eve- ry one of thefe Sevens hath therefore this Note, except the Third, concerning the Fall of Babylon^ omitted then, as it v/ere on purpofe to diftinguilh it, and that it might not be miftaken for the Execution of this Voice by the feventh Vial, c. 1 8. elfe it cannot but be thought, That Angel diicharg'd bis Office and Truft with the fame Zeal the other Angels did, and that a Point of fo great Concernment to the Kingdom ofChrrH as Babylon s Fall^ was neither whifper'd in a low Accent, nor coolley, or fo much as calmly pronounced. ■A -, To (hew there is a Connexion of the Seven, when there ^' had been no mention of any Angel in the fali Voice , yet it is faid in the fecond Voice, Another Angel, Now feeing he can- not be call'd Another with refped to any precedent Angela it muft undoubtedly be with Relation to the fir ft Voice : add thus as there is a Connexion, fo there is an Order 5 in the fourth Voice therefore, the Angel is call'd the third Angel, to (hew there is a defign d Order. And as to (hew the fame Qr- der alfo, thefirli Angel was called not the firH, but another 5 and if Another, there muft be a former, another can't be without a firB other:, for Another is 2l Jecond other. So it appears again, there is an order of Voices fignified in this third Angel but fourth Voice y for the Order is again expreis'd by Third, a moft exprefs Note of Order. Arg. 4. The very Importance of each Voice carries a Succeflion to th^ Kingdom of Chriii^ which that we may better under- ftand, we muft conlider, Voice, and Voices, and Thunder in their general Notation in Scripture, fignifie Do^rine, and . an Emanation of Doctrine p fo John Baptiji is called a Voice^ and A Scripure Line of Time. i8|. and thofe two Apoftlet Boanerges, or Sons ofThunden, and efpecially in this Prophecy^ Thunders, and Voices are always big with fome Appearance oi^Chrifi's Kingdom -^ This courfe of Voices muft therefore be a courfe of Do&rines very pro- duftive of ChrijTs Kingdom, and in the two laft of earneji Praj/ers for it, that were returned to (as Chriji's Prajer, Glo- joh. 12.28* fifie thy Name, ') by a Voice of Thunder, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie it again 5 and as the Place where the Apo- ftles prayed, was Jhak,en, fo thefe Petitions will be to the Ads 4. 31. World as a 'Thunder and Earthquake, and yet the Kingdom it felf, after thefe Preparations, is in SiJiillVoice of Grace and Peace. We maft then enquire from whence thefe Voices rife and fpring, and we may find three Origins of them. 1. They rife from the Church of Philadelphia^ whofe pro- per Interval, or Support of^the Line of Time, is at the Je- venth Trumpet, as hath been affirmed 5 And it is faid, Chrifi fet it an open door, viz. of divine Do^rine, reaching to Chrifi's Kingdom. So the Apojile calls the Propagation of the Gofpel iCor.i5.^» by his Miniftry, the opening to him a door, wide and effeQual, ^°^' ^' ^^ and the very Publication it felf, a door of Utterance. 2. They fpring from the/ez/e« Thunders, that uttered their Voices but, as not in due time to proceed, nor in the order of the Apocal. Sevens, were xh^nfealed, but are now written. The firfl: Voice therefore, as the Voice of Thunder, allies the whole Courfe of them to ihcThunderst, and the Perfbns from whom the Voice of the firft T^»Wcr proceeds, had the Name of the Lambs Fat her Written'^ which Number was firft under Seal at the Apojiacy beginning 5 then they (hewed themfelves at the Thunders, but immediately were ye^/W again, and now unfial'd, and written at the Thunders unjeal'd and written in thefe Vr. and the 1290 Days, and 1355 Days 3 and comparing them with this Complex of Voices^ it is enough clear and demonftrative, This is an Order oi feven Voices, I will not do fo much injury to fo divine a Mount ofVU fion^ as to give an imperfed Landfcaph of it, nor of the fol- io wing awful one of the Yials 5 a Mountain, in fome Re- gards, like that which burnd with Fire, and was not to be touch d 5 nor of that glorious Mountain of the Heavenly Tzebi, the Mountain of Spices and Delights on which the Nen> Jern- rufilem is planted, as to give imperfed Landlcaphs of them by half Treaties upon the Delineations of them in this and other Prophecies. Seeing therefore that part of the Difcourfe which I defign chiefly to the Line of Time, will not allow me a full Treaty, I will fatisfie my felf with the Evidences of Prophecy concerning the fpaces of Time, deftin'd to each, and the naked Summary of them, and referve the fuller draughts to another Treatife (if God (hall vouchfafeme opportunity,) concerning the feven Churches, of which I have only alfo gi- ven a Ihort view, and as in perfpe&ive. The feven Churches^ the feven Voices^ the feven Vials, and the cubical thoufand Tears^ I referve to a diftind full Difcourfe. This AScripureLineofTime. 183 This Sett of Voices therefore, is the rpide door., and effe&u- c. 14, ^, that will be open'd at thofe thrrty Tears enfuing the Ri- fing ofthe IVitfieffis at 1697, who are here fet as a contrary Number to the Men marked with the Beafts Number^ and at that Number expir'd at the 1260 Days ending, and the 75 beginning in the Gofpel, dilcover'd firft in that pureft clear- eft Do^rwe of the Redemption ofjefus ChriU the Lamb^ in that, as it were, mn> Song of Praife, communicated from the c, jMt, triumphant Witnejjes with the Lamb on Mount Zion^ by the Holy Spirit to the Servants of God here below, who are F^/- /(?n?er/ of Chrift inihe Philadelphian Church, in that, as it were, ftew Song^ fo long out of ufe, or not Jttng by skillful Muftci- ans that exceU'd^ that (hall now be full of all Sweetnefs and Delight, upon which (hall follow a Propagation of it to the whole World, as if a flying Sermon were borne thro' the- .^. midfl of Heaven^ that all Nations^ People, and Tongues, un- '* • der Heaven, might hear, founded on that grand Principle [The one God Creator of Heaven, Earth, c^c.~] that had beea-^ fo long abufed by Heathen and Antichrijtian Idolatry, divi- ding their Gods and Mediators to the feveral parts ofthe Cre- ation 5 upon which the Fall of Babylon, the City , oi Graven Images, mad of Idols, mad of falfe Mediators, mull: needs enfue, as moft naturally to be declared next^ And that De- claration is moft worthily attended with that righteous De- nunciation, That if any one (hall continue, upon fo clear Evidences from Heaven againft it, to worftiip the Beaji, their Cafe is irremediable, and becomes like the unpardonable Sin, Which Denunciation (hews the juft and neceffary Situatioir of this Voice in fpace of Time, and fo of the other Voices fo orderly connex'd with it : it could not be before the Beajis 42 Months ended , for it muft have immediately broken his Kingdom, as the Cedars of Lebanon are broken with the force o^ Thunder I nor can we fuppofe it after the EfFufion ofthe Vials 5 for God gives warning before he deftroys. Within thefe thirty Years therefore it is neceffarily plac'd together with the other Voices. Be. 184 ^ Scripnre Line of Time. Between this, and the following Voice of the Saints Re* ftmecfiorj^ is Recall'd an Infcription ^ engraven upon, as it were a Boundary-pillar of the Beafls Tyranny^ and the Saints Sufferings^ c. 13. 10. Here^ or thus far reach the Faith and Patience of the Saints^ viz. to the Beajis Captivatien^ and his Party kjlld with the Sword. Between thele two Voices of the Eternal Burnings of the Lake^ into which the tak^n Beall and hfs Worfiippers are caU^ and of the declard Rejurre^ion of the Saints^ thatlnfcription here Recall'd is declared, as ap- pearing in its Verification^ Here, viz. Recorded in Glory, and ipcedily to be Rewarded is the Faith and Patience of the Saints. Here appear, as ready to enter into Glory, thofe fuf- firing Witneffes fpoken of c. 1 2. 1 7. who keep the Command- mints of God, and the Faith ofjefus. "^^ Next in order follows the Promulgation of the frB Re- formSfion fo nearly approaching, which is not trufted only to a created Minifiry, nor to a Sound only, but the Holy Spirit takes it at the Rebound, and declares it by it (elf, and com- mands it to Writifig. Upon this follows a loud Voice of Pray- er and Supplication to the croroned Son of Man^ Lord of the Harve^, to reap the Earth by an abundant Gonverfion of Jerps and Gentiles iy which is graciouQy anfwer'd by him to whom the Crown was given at the firft preaching of the Gof- pel in ihQfirfi Seal-^ and at this Harveft he appears crown d^ as the ultimate preaching of it. And as the laft of Remedies, a Supplication for Vengeance upon irreconcilable Enemies follows, on which the Guilt of former and prefent Ages of fuch Enemies, who as the Grapes ofSodom^ or the Fruit of the degenerate Vine , are caji into the Wine-prefs of the Wrath of God, the Demerit and Guilt, comes out like Blood,itom which arefM'd the Vials of the Wrath of God j and that in the feventh Vial flows out upon the whole Circumference or Quadrature of 1600 Furlongs, the whole Latitude of the City ofSathan^ even to the Horfe Bridles oi the Armies of HeaTjen, withChrift, r. ip,f^/7 in the Book of Life, uoihuxt by thefecond Death, and fhall be ever with the Lord, according to that eternally prevalent Inter ceffion \ Father^ I will ^ that thofe whom thou hajl given me may he. with me where I am^ That they may behold my Glory y "'''*'♦ h.2j} ^;ven me thy Eternal aoq^©- or Son. Thou lovedd me be- ' ■'-'y of the World. Of Of the Great Line of Prophetical Time^ in 1 6 Sections 5 z//z». The 1260 Days of the Witnefles, and the Woman in the Wildernefs. Apoc, c. ii.'^.&c. c. 12.6. SECT. I. OF the Ninefold Kepetition of this Line, and the fever a! Characters ^ (hewing, [\ That time. Times, Half a Time, ??7iifi each figmfie, fir!t Tears, then Days of Tears. 2. That Vays mi^ji fgnfi'^, either fir^ Days of Tears in the 1260 Days^ and then each of the three Days a Tear of Tears, and proportion ably in the half t ime and half- day. 3 . The Months can be no other than Lmar Months^ and fo nuf} ftgnifie fuch Months of Lunar Tears, and proportioned to the 1260 Days, as Lu- nar Time is to Solar Page I . SECT. II. Of the.tvpo Communities, and their twofold State, defcrib'd within the Line of Time ^ viz.; The Church ofChriii, and its Sufferings ; the King- dom Jf the Beafi, and its Tyranny -, /hewing alfo, There maii be Seafon or Intimate Time within Time at large Page o. SEC T. III. Of the matching each CharaHer of Time with each of thefe States, as in a general view Paee 1 "X . SECT. IV. A more particular Allocation or piji placing of the States and Times one to another ; (hewing the Neceffity of their enfolded Equality to and with one another Page IJ. SECT. V. Wherein is proved, the Sealing fo intermatched with the inner Temple, and Altar meafured ; with the WitneffeS in Sackcloth, and with the Woman in the Wilder nefs, and the three firft Trumpets, 8cc. mi'iji ac- cording to Hijiory begin the whole Line in a/lit s CharaUers, altoge- ther at 437, and fo move forward till the fourth Trumpet', when the Beajis forty two Months begin at 475 Page 53. S E C T. VI. Wherein the third part of Men, upon which the Trumpets have their EffeHs, is more fully made clear to be Roman ImperialneJS-, and that the Symbols of the three firji Trumpets do mofi plainly agree with the mn'ory Page 61. S E C T. VII. .//; which is given the De/rription of the other Bea^, and. his fir/} Ad mi* nijiration ; of the Witnejfes, and their frfi manner ofTijiimony, knh before the Beafts 42 Months 5 with the An/wer of an Objeffion^ and KefieUions on this Interval. Page 8^.' ^ SECT. 1 i^e.jie :^' ti ^ .' S E C T. JF herein the 4a Mdiiths are meafufd^hy the exaUeH 'Rule oj Vrophec)')^ and found to beginiat the Gelation of the ChrijUan TFefhrn Empire and to end vphen&^r the i a<5o Vays end (the Date of thei Kingc^m of Chr'iji immediately enfuing) and by compare with the 1160 Vij^A, \6gi. * « Pa^G'ili ^* • » S E CT. IX. r %ohich the ^ime /A?* the 42 Months beginninglijjet out tilldii^ or the Mahometan Hegira, by R.omc'i dark State in the fourth Truih-.- ■pet. by the Angels proclaiming the three Woe Trumpets^ by the Beaji becoming a fallen Staryiit 606^ and the Key of the Abyfs given hirn^ viz. in the univerfakfajhrfhip by Phocas, an([ the Minijiry of the other Be-^ft to him hWein^ and the State of the fi^iitnefes are alfo de- clared. Revel, c. 8. v- 12. &:c. c. 9. v. i . &:cr>4 / \ Page 1 14. .SE C T. X. SA > Wherein is undertaken to be prove d^ That the Mahmetan Saracens are , the Locujis defigrfd in the fifth Apocalyptical Trumpet , and that the ^ V 25 Months given to them comprehend 43 5 tears from the Mahometan ^^ Hegire at 6Ti.andfo reaoh to 1 05 7. Vpon Rev.c.o.v. i .&c. Page 124. ?ECT. XI. // Of the Number ^(^^^Jhewin^ the Certainty it gives to the whok Line of / Time^ bofh as to the Nature and time of the Bea(l, upon a true and right Explanation of it. Rev. i2.y. i$,i6^i:7» iS. Page i32. SECT. XII. in which is given an Explication of the Woe of thefixth Trumpet, effe- ci'dlly to the taking of Cohftantinople, and iy proportion to the Ke^ ..formation, and to the Ead of that Woe, and an Adjuflment of the Hour, Day, Month^ and Tear y^o the whole-Time. Vpon Revel. 9. I2,i3,i4,&:c. -^ ^\ S Page 149. SiC^I XIII. Uhis SetHon enters int^-the Hal^ime of the Reformation, and by the Agreement of Prophecy witjy the ^pf.ent, demorfirates the Beginningand End of that 'time. 0/7 Re^.'iC^te Page JVT. S^CT. XIV. Wherein is contained a brief Vifquifition upon the feven Voices as, ^ey run' along, h^oc. CIA. / Page 1-77. SECT. XV. VFherein is given a very brief Vifplay on the Via/s. Page i8t» ^ /* ^ W^herein is giveai in moH brief Account the lime of the 1 000 Tears^ ^ Mh Ai to Time and Excellency ^ rage 1 89. X -K.J J. — -1