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THE

RISE AND FALL OF PAPACY.

BY

THE REV. ROBERT FLEMING,

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, LONDON.

Reprinted without Abridgement, from Edition of 1701.

Edited, a*ith a Hlemoir of the <5.utbar,

BY

TUE REV. THOMAS THOMSON.

EDINBURGH: JOHNSTONE, HUNTER, k COMPANY,

LONDON : HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. 1870.

EDINBURGH :

PRINTED BY SCHENCK AND M'fARLANE,

St JAMES* SQUARE,

1097387

LIFE

or TBS

REV. ROBERT FLEMING.

S the two eminent individuals who bore the name of Robert Fleming have been often mistaken for one and the same person, we shall briefly state a few particulars respecting the father, before we proceed to the memoir of his son, the author of " The Rise and Fall of Papacy."

Mr Robert Fleming, senior, was bom at Tester, in East Lothian, of which parish his father was minister, a.d. 1630. After having received the elements of a liberal and learned education, he studied with a view to the ministry at the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews ; and in his twenty- third year he was inducted to the charge of the parish of Cambuslang. Here he remained but for a few years ; for, in consequence of the passing of the Glasgow Act, he was ejected, along with four hundred of the best ministers of Scotland, who refused to prostrate the liberties of the Church beneath the feet of civil power. In consequence of this Act, and the per- fiecutions that followed, in which Fleming was a sharer, he found himself comix^Ued to take shelter in London, from which he was afterwartls invited to the second pastoral charge ot the Scots Church at R<Hterdam — a CiiU which he gladly accepted. In this place he discharged the duties of a faithful, able, and z<'alous minister, and also wrote several distinguished works, the chief of which, entitled "The Fulfilling of the Scripture," was highly prized by our fathers, iind fncjuently referred to by the most eminent theological writer- at the close

iv Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming.

of Ihe seventeenth and a great portion of the eighteenth century. He also occasionally repaired to London, after the accession of William III., where his learning and piety insured him an affectionate welcome from the most eminent in the religious world. It was in one of these visits in 1694 that he was attacked with his last illness, and, after a short struggle, he expired at the age of sixty-four.

The exact period of the birth of Eobert Fleming, junior, author of the following work, cannot now be ascertained. It appears, however, that he was born at Cambuslang, during the short incumbency of his father there ; and that on the ejection of the latter, Robert, who must still have been in mere boy- hood, if not absolute infancy, composed one of a young family of seven children, who were thus bereaved of paternal care, and thrown upon the wide world. But that gracious and heavenly Father for whose cause all this destitution had been incurred, did not suff'er them to want, but, on the contrary, provided them with every comfort that was fitting for them. On the settlement of their parent in Holland, Robert and the rest of the family, who some time previous had been deprived of their mother by death, repaired to Rotterdam.

Whatever education Robert had received before this period must have been of a desultory character, and liable to many interruptions ; but in a mind of such an active and inquiring disposition, it generally happens that such obstacles, so far from impeding, only nerve for stronger and more successful efforts. After having been again settled under paternal super- intendence, he continued his studies with redoubled ardour, and with the purpose of devoting them to the work of the ministry. Of his diligence, indeed, in preliminary studies, and the proficiency he made in classical and Biblical learning, there are ample proofs, not only in the general tenor of his after-life, but the writings he bequeathed to posterity. Of the solemn view which he took of the responsibility of the ministerial work, and the nature of the preparation required for it, he has given us a copious and interesting account, in the preface to his learned work entitled " Christology." " When I had passed," he Kays, " the ordinary course of school and academical studies,

Life of the liev. Rohert Fleminfj. v

nnd had resolved to devote my life wholly to the study of divinity, with the joint approbation of my friends and teacliers, I thought it my duty to bind myself by a solemn resolution V>efore God to prosecute that sacred work \vith the utmost in- tention of mind, divesting myself as far as possibly I could from all prejudices arising either from education, party, or interest. And I have reason to thank God that (while I was very young) my overiiearing my father solemnly declare to some particular friends that he had all along acted thus, did leave such an im- pression on my mind, that I took up this resolution very eariy, though not so solemnly as afterwards, when time and experience had further ripened and improved my reason."

The resolution thus adopted, Fleming pursued with extra- ordinary diligence, both at the University of Leyden and that of Utrecht. His fellow-students were content to use the lectures of the professoi-s, and digest compends of theology ; he, on the contrary, procured the books that had been \mtten both for and against controverted points and cases. He would not decide without hearing both sides of the question, and in their own words. This bold experiment, however, was not without its disadvantages. '* I must own," he says, "that I was frequently nonplussed, and rendered pendulous and doubtful what to think and believe in several cases. I lamented my own weak- ness, and want of acuteness and penetration, in comparison of others who were as confident in their opinion of the most dillicult things as if they had been the most facile." He com- forted himself, however, in the thought, that by the wider range of study which he had adopted, he had learned more thoroughly the sentiments of those who dilfered in opinion from hiniijelf, and had accjuired towards them a more enlarged charity. After having thus studied the controversies of the day, he turned to the classical writers, the philosophers of the heathen world, and the fathers of the Christian Church. These he examined successively with great diligence and care ; and ])erceiving that the Patristic writings did not depend wholly upon the Scriptures for illustration, but reverted often to tra- ditional sources, he fell back upon the Jewish and Rabbinical literature, that he niiglit verify them at the fountain-head.

vi Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming.

Thus having plodded through the whole round of literature and scholastic theology, with a reference to its highest and most legitimate application ; having weighed its worth, and ascertained its tendencies ; and having, above all, imbibed that spirit of love and charity which he was so desirous to cultivate, he finally returned with redoubled affection to that source of light and wisdom in which alone the inquiring soul can be at rest, and the most capacious intellect be filled to overflowing. His language on this subject is full of interest and meaning : " But when I had taken all tliis pains, and run round in this mental survey of learning, I began not only to tire and grow uneasy, but disrelish, and in some sort nauseate, all human writings. I found that there was no end in reading as well as in writing books, and that much study was a weariness to the flesh — nay, that vanity and vexation of spirit were themselves entailed upon this, as well as upon all other things that the children of Adam busied themselves about. I resolved, there- fore, to betake myself for the future to the study of the Sacred "Volume alone, as my main business, and to make no other use of other books than as they might become subservient to me in the understanding and improvement of the same. For I may say truly, with David, that I easily see the end of all human perfection, but that the law of God was exceeding broad, as appearing still greater and greater the more it was searched into and understood."

After Fleming had thus studied and investigated, and finally returned exclusively to the Source of all light and charity, he was privately ordained in Rotterdam, but without being set apart over any particular charge, in 1688, by several ministers of the Church of Scotland, at that time refugees in Holland. He soon after repaired to England as domestic chaplain to a private family, where he remained about four years, still culti- vating assiduously his theological studies ; and there, also, he published several poetical productions, which have shared the fate of many of their contemporaries, being now rarely found, and seldom or never adverted to. At length, on having once more visited Holland, he received, in 1692, an invitation from the English Presbyterian Church at Leyden, to become their

Life of tlie' Rev. liohert Fleming. vii

minister ; with which he complied. Hei-e he became so highly endeared to his people, that when, in consequence of the death of his excellent father in 1694, he waa invited by the Presby- terian Church at Rotterdam to succeed their deceased pastor, his own congregation earnestly deprecated his removal. Much and earnest remonstrance between the two churches was the consequence, so that he was not admitted to the charge at Rotterdam until the commencement of the following year. To console his afflicted flock at Leyden, he promised to them, at his departure, to return and preach frequently among them, and also to dispense the sacrament to them every quarter — a promise which he sacredly fulfilled, until the settlement of a regular minister there made his further labours unnecessary.

It might have been expected that a translation effected witli 80 much difficulty and reluctance would have precluded the pain of a second, and that Fleming would have been suffered to remain in the highly important charge which he held at Rotterdam ; but such did not long continue to be the case. He had been little more than three years in that place, during which the congregation had greatly increased, and their means of comfort and respectability been greatly augmented, when a ])lan was in agitation to have him removed to London. A Scottish congregation had been for a long time established at Founders-Hall, Lothbury, whose minister, the Rev. Nicholas Blaikie, had become unfit, from age and debility, to discharge his pastoral duties. On this occasion they anxiously inquired for a successor, and both minister and people fixed their choice iipon Mr Robert Fleming. It is said, also, that thi:^ harmo- nious apjjlication of two parties so greatly interested in the event was backed by tht powerful interest of a third — even that of William himself, who had now sat nine years on the throne of Britain. It has been added, moreover, that the king, while Prince of Orange, had ])een j>ersonally cognisiuil of Fleming's learning, talents, and worth, and wished to secure them for the Cviuntry over which he now ruled. At length the call of the Presbyterian Cliurch in Lothbury, after much discussion, was accepted, and Fleming became their minister in the middle of 1698.

viii JAfc of tilt Rev. Robert Fleming.

After this period, his life was the calm and even tenor of a diligent, laborious student and faithful divine. Although so repeatedly translated, he was no ambitious place-hunter ; and instead of availing himself either of the high interest he possessed, or the invitations he received to more exalted situa- tions in the Church, he contented himself with the humble charge of a chapel, and the lowly position of a Dissenter. An allusion to what he might have been, is contained in the dedi- cation to this work. To be Principal of the University of Glasgow was no mean temptation for one so devoted to literature. The mace of office was placed before him, upon which he had only to lay his hand ; and he refused. But even in the obscure retirement of Lothbury his merits were not hid ; on the contrary, his profound and varied learning was appre- ciated by universities and distinguished literary individuals both at home and abroad ; while the two highest personages of the realm — the King and the Archbishop of Canterbury — honoured him with their acquaintanceship. His Majesty, we are told, frequently consulted him on the management of Scottish affairs ; but such was the modesty of the presbyter, that these interviews, at his own earnest request, were always conducted in secrecy.

The latter days of this excellent divine were clouded with sorrow on account of the unsettled state of public affairs, and the dangers with which the Protestantism of the country was menaced. The selfish intrigues of the courtiers alternately to advance or thwart the establishment of the house of Hanover, according to the predominance of their own personal interests ; the unscrupulous machinations of Popish emissaries ; the grow- ing ascendency of the Romish superstition ; and the risk of a Popish successor with which the throne was incessantly threatened — these melancholy prospects constantly before him for years, preyed upon his gentle spirit and delicate consti- tution, and finally hurried him to the grave. He died in London, in May 24, 1716.

It was amidst these despondent feelings and intense anxieties that Fleming published his " Discourse on the Rise and Fall of the Papacy." At this time the power of France was at the

Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming. ix

height, and William III. was maintaining against it what

appeared to all but himself a most unsuccessful and hopeless

struf^gle, while his most secret plans and measures were hourly

sold by his servants to the Courts of Paris and St Germain.

It was even then that Fleming, studying the interpretation of

prophecy in a conscientious and modest spirit, believed that

he beheld, in the pouring out of the fourth vial, the destruction

of the French monarchy, and the fearful events with which it

was to be accompanied. And how were these conjectures and

guesses, as he so diffidently terms them, received ? "We have

no means of learning the amount of attention they obtained,

or the degree of faith with which they were regarded ; perhaps,

indeed, they were considered the fond reveries of a dreamer

yearning for the accomplishment of events which, however

desirable in themselves, were yet of all the most unlikely, or

even impossible. But time rolled on, until nearly a century

afterward, when these astounding predictions were fulfilled to

the letter. The French monarchy was indeed extinguished in

a fire of revolutionary principbs, after, by its support of

America, it had scorched the regal dominion of Britain. It

was in the commencement of 1793, when the horrors of the

revolution were at the wildest, and when Louis XVI. was

about to perish ignominiously upon the scaffold, that Fleming's

improbable predictions, written nearly a hundred years before,

were recalled to memory, and brought before public attention,

not only by extracts published in newspapers, but reprints of

the work itself, both in England and America. The sensation

they produced was deep, thrilling, and universal ; and it is

even alleged, that they constituted a powerful dissuasive, under

the management of the liberal party, against the fatal war into

which Britain was about to enter with republiam France.

After these wars had jxissed away, the warning volume was laid aside, as if the emergency had passed, and nothing more were needed. But was this a wise indilfei-ence ? Mighty and more fearful Aj)Ocalyptical events are yet to be fulfilled than French revolutions, and we stand in tlve midst of these events, A more tremendous night-mare is gathering upon the soul of man, to blight its liopes and wither its energies, than ever yet

X Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming.

emanated from Bourbon tyranny and French ambition. And it becomes us to ascertain by every means the full nature of the melancholy present, or the still more appalling future. Here, then, is the question : May not that wise and dispas- sionate expositor, who so strangely and minutely solved a myster}'- which no other expositor had even hoped for — may not he, too, be equally correct, in some cases at least, respect- ing those great events which still remain to be fulfilled ? Is not the emergency in which we now live at all events worth the trouble of a research ? What study and inquiry can be too great, that would even dimly or distortedly throw forward the shadows of coming trials, that by ascertaining their character, we might be prepared for their approach ? With these ques- tions we commend the reader to a most heedful perusal of the following exposition.

When the foregoing pages were written, more than two years ago, how little was the closing warning deemed necessary at such a period ! Everywhere there was peace and the promise of prosperity : and the great care of nations, as well as indivi- duals, was to sow and reap, to buy and sell, while the language of them all was that of the doomed city — " I shall see no sorrow." But the King of kings had otherwise decreed it, and therefore all was quickly changed. He breathed upon the earth, and its abundance withered : and with want came dis- content, and the love of change. France rose, and accomplished in a few hours what seemed to have been the work of centuries ; and the eyes of Europe became giddy, as they looked upon the rapid whirl of that stupendous revolution. But France, the greatest of political powers, could not thus convert herself into a maelstrora, without involving more or less the other powers of Europe, if it did not absorb them into the vortex. Accord- ingly, in a few weeks — a very few weeks— the whole position and aspect of the nations is altered. The oppressed countries of Italy and Poland hail the example, and struggle for deliver- ance ; while the nations that oppressed them are banded equally against the emancipated and their instructors. But even this .'iourcc of a European war, more direful in its prospects than

Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming. xi

any that have preceded, is not the worst. Nation is not only arrayed against nation, but divided against itself ; and the sword is draAvn as relentlessly by the people against their own ancient djTiasties, and time-honoured aristocracies, as against those foreign and hereditary antagonists whom they are armed to oppose.

Little did men dream, at the commencement of this year of which 80 little has yet elapsed, what great political changes were to make 1848 so important and so astounding an era in history. One man predicted it ; but he had died nearly a century and a half ago, so that he had almost fallen out of remembrance. People were startled, indeed, when they found how exactly his prediction of the do^^'nfall of the French monarchy was verified by the event ; but when their wonderment ceased, they thought it was but an accident — a random guess which mere chance had accomplished. But his further expositions of the Apocalypse respecting the events of the present day, and under which we alternately tremble with apprehension, or "writhe with anguish, will compel us, even for very selfishness, to awake, " Whither," we will ask, " do these events tend ? What will be the period of their termination ? What, in the meantime, will be their effect upon the kingdoms of the earth — and upon ourselves ? "

The year 1848 is with Fleming a year fraught, according to his interpretation of prophetic writ, with events of all-absorb- ing importiince. Speaking of Italy, he says, " The fifth vial, which is to be poured out on the seat of the Beast, or the dominions that more immediately belong to, and dei)end upon, the Roman See ; that, I say, this judgment will probably begin about the year 1794, and expire about the year 1848." How this accurate calculaticm has been verified we know. The attempt to wrest Italy from Austria, which commenced on the part of France in the very year specified, inflicted such an out- pouring of ailamity u])()n the devoted land cla could only be exceeded by tlie crushing despotism of Austria when she recovered the dominion. It is worthy of remark, too, that under the anguish of this fifth vial the people " gnawed their tongues for pain " — an expression not elsewhere used ; and where was there a i>eople more lively and loquacioiiK, and yet

xii Life of the Rev. Robert Fleming.

so completly gagged into silence as the Italians ? They dared not murmur ; such was the will of their Austrian lords ; and the prohibition maddened them into frenzy. It is added, " They repented not of their deeds ; " and it is notorious that in Italy, during these terrible inflictions, the souls of the people were untouched. The Papists seemed to become more be- sotted, the infidels more unbelieving and heaven-defying, the profligate more sensual and luxurious than ever. But in 1848, the year in which, as Fleming interpreted, this judgment was to expire, the numerous standards of Italy have one by one been rising into the air, and even already the song of deliver- ance begins to be heard. It is not, however, merely the poli- tical liberation of Italy which he anticipates as commencing in 1848. It is, as he firmly believes, the commencement also of the downfall of the Papal power — not rapid and sudden, as some have fondly imagined, but by gradual though sure progression. " We are not to imagine," he says, " that this vial will totally destroy the Paj^acy (though it will exceedingly weaken it), for we find this still in being and alive when the next vial is poured out." From 1848 to 2000, a period of a hundred and fifty-two years, he contemplates as the interval between the decay and the destruction of Antichrist, and the deliverance of the people of God, the reign of the glorious millennium. And who can wonder that, for the accomplishment of an event the most important that ever history has recorded, there should be revolutions and changes during that interval such as states- men have never calculated ? Alas ! what can they do, if their only text-book is that of Adam Smith or Jeremy Bentham ? If they would but take their lesson of controlling these events from the same volume that predicted them !

We had marked some other striking coincidences to bring forward in this short prefatory notice ; but on serious considera- tion it was thought that such a process would too much fore- etall the meditation and inquiry of the reader. To his most careful perusal this volume is again recommended, for it speaks of events by which he is now surrounded, and of which his children shall reap the fruits.

TO THE RIGHT HONOUEACLE

JOHN, LOED CARMICHAEL,

rmXCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE KINGDOM OF SCOTLAND, ONE OF HIS majesty's MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, AND CHAMCELLOR OF THE COLLEGE OF GLASGOW.

My Lord,

The honour I have in being related to your Lordship, and the happiness I enjoy in being acquainted with you, do not only encourage nie to prefix your Lordship's name to the following Discourses, but allow me also to believe you will not take it amiss that I do so.

And since you have so lately laid me under new ties to your Lordship, in designing my promotion to so considerable an office as that of Piincipal of the College of Glasgow, I find myself ol)liged to lay hold on this first opportunity of declar- ing to the world the grateful sense I have of so great and un- deserved a favour ; and the rather, because my circumstances have not allowed me the satisfaction of complying with so kind and generous an olfer.

But seeing it is to my own loss and disadvantage only that I have declined so very honourable and beneficial a place, and that therefore I must be sup])osed to liave acted thus from cdii- eiderations of another nature, I know your Lord.sliip will judge, from the true regard you have to conscience yourself, that some straitening circumstances of this kind must have been (as indeed they were) the only reviora that prevented my being so happy as your Lordship designed I should ; and that

xiv Dedication.

therefore you will not be displeased with me for what was not my fault, but my misfortune.

I am not made for flattery, and I know your Lordship to be above it ; and therefore I shall not say anything here by way even of just encomium ; because as your character is so public that it needs it not, so your modesty is so great that I know any attempt of this kind would be unwelcome and uneasy to you.

I shall tlierefore only tell your Lordship, that as I question not but you. have the good wishes of all honest men that know you, so I reckon myself peculiarly obliged to beg of God that you may long be preserved, jointly to serve God and your prince, the Church and your country, with the same unshaken constancy, unbiassed fidelity, and unspotted reputation, that you have hitherto been honoured to do.

Which, and that God may bless you and your honourable family, with all spiritual and temporal mercies here, and with eternal felicity and glory at last, is, and shall be, the earnest and constant prayer of,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obliged,

and most obedient Servant,

ROBERT FLEMING.

AN

EPISTOLARY DISCOUKSE

CONCERNING

THE RISE AND FALL OF PAPACY.

TO ALL MY TRUE AND GOOD FRIENDS EVERYWHERE, BUT MORE PARTICULARLY TO THE WORTHY GENTLEMEN AND OTHERS THAT COMPOSE THE CHURCH TO WHICH I AM NOW RELATED AS MINISTER.

Y DEAR FRIENDS,— In compliance with tlie \ fit'iiuciit and repeated desires of a .t,'ieat many of you, 1 sutler the following,' Discourses to break htose from tlieir fellows, to take their fortune, as we use to say, in the wide world. Antl, seeing the candour of so many of my friends has made them think thev mi^'ht not be unuseful, I must therefore ex])ect that they will, from the same principle, defend this publicati<^n of them a;,Minst the censures they may be supposed to fall under, both from open enemies and pretended friends. For thoujj'h it be a com- mon, and, as it were, threadbare arrrument, to pleatl impor- tunity in this case, yet it is sutticiently kno^vn to several of you, that if it had not been for this, the world luul not l)een troubled with anything further of this kind from me. For as I am sure no alfectation to be more known or taken notice of has influenced me to present these Discourses to j»ublic view, 8o I do suppose it is not unknown to some of you that retire- ment from this noisy and vain world has ever been the sum of my aml)ition, excepting when jtublic work ami service have obliged me to shake oil" tiie beloved fetters of so dear a coutine- nient.

A,

2 A Discourse Concerning

I shall not, therefore, say more as to the following essays, tlian to tell you (what many of you know already) that, as tlie first of the Discourses that follow this prefatory one gave rise to the publishing of the second, so the second gave occasion to the printing of the third. And, therefore, seeing the late opportunity of preaching, when we entered into our new meeting-place here in London, September 29, 1700, did induce some of you to desire the publication also of that sermon I preached when I entered upon the pastoral and ministerial work among you, June 19, 1608, the same occasion has given birth to the last additional Discourse, which some remember I made when I was solemnly set apart to the ministerial office, February 9, 1687-88 ; which I have the rather consented to print now, because it doth not only suit with the second Discourse, but because I remember several false, or at least imperfect copies, were taken of it, when I did at first de- liver it.

And seeing the last Discourse (which yet was first as to time) doth now appear in the view of the world, I find myself in some sort obliged to interest all my friends in this prefatory address ; wherein I do particularly include those of the English Church of Leyden, and Scots Church in Rotterdam, to whom I stood related successively as minister or pastor : whom I do the rather mention here, that I may let them know how much they are still upon my thoughts, though we are separated as to place.

But seeing my work is now more particularly appropriated to you, whom I am more immediately concerned with and re- lated unto at present, I do therefore, in a more special manner address myself to you at this time ; and I hope you will bear with me, if, from my sincere respect for your welfare, I detain you a while here before ye enter upon the perusal either of my Apocalyptical thoughts following, or the other Discourses, which I do present you with at your own desire. For in case either of death, or being otherwise rendered incapable to serve you, I am willing to give a vent to my thoughts and affections at tliis time, that whatever comes of me, the following Discourses, together with this, may stand as a lasting witness of my real concern for your souls' welfare.

In i\\{i first place, therefore, I do declare, that though I am not willing to state my sufferings upon little matters or modes of worship and expression, yet I can sincerely say, that should the Divine Providence call me to lay down my life for the truths themselves which I have preached among you, I hope I should be so far from quarrelling with the procedure of God

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 3

tliia way, that I should rejoice in such a martyrdom ; and 1 liope I have not contradicted in my life what I liave preached in the pulpit, whatever my infirmities have been. So, I pre- sume, it will not be looked upon as pride or vanity if I say, with the great Apostle (though as to the last clause I dare not pretend to have been any pattern to you) : " Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are venerable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, what- soever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me, do : and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. iv. 8, 9).

For, in the second place, I thank God that He that knows the secrets of all hearts doth testify together with my conscience that a sincere concern to be useful to our common Chris- tianity was the thing that did at first inlluence me to enter upon this great work of the ministry, and hath ever since engaged me, though under more discouragements than most men, to continue and labour in it ; so tliat it is matter of sweet reflection to me, that I never gave any occasion to brand our holy profession with the odious name of priestcraft, what- ever any others may have done ; for, as I have no other am- bition than to engage and draw men over to the great and catholic interests of Christianity itself, in order to their becoming the followers and servants of our glorious God and l)lessed Saviour, so I am sure I can contidently say, without any vanity or affectation (for which I dare appeal, not only to you, but all others that have kncjwn me ever since I began to preach), that there is not one in the world that ever had just occasion so much a.s to think that I did at any time attempt to bring any jxirson over to my way, as a party ; and as thus I Lave been far from seeking either honour, interest, or ]x)pu- larity, so there are not a few that cim bear me witness that I Lave incurred the censures of some men of very different denominations, because I could never be induced to think that religion did properly stand in the rituals of any of the con- tern ling parties.

The dilferences, therefore, but especially the animosities, that are among the Protestant Christians, have ever been grievous and afflictive to me ; and to heal these I could cheer- fully be offered up a sacrifice, if I can be sujjposed to be conscious of the sentiments and movements of my own soul. For, though we of this congregation difier from all others that dissent from the Episcopal communion in this, that we are in

4 • A Discourse Concernimj

a peculiar sense upon a national foundation, viz., in as far as we not only own the sanie Church government, but keep up the same way that the Church of Scotland useth in her public administrations, to which most of us belong as natives, and all of us as proselytes ; yet I must publicly own that, abstracting from this, I am a dissenter from that party that engross and monopolize the name of the Church of England ; for though I have ever looked upon other controversies as more edifying and momentous than those unhappy ones that have kept that great body and ours divided, yet I have so far considered them, as hitherto to find no reason to quit that way I was educated in, notwithstanding the specious reasons made use of to prejudice people against us as schismatics, rather than to convince us that we are so.

Therefore, in the third place, I cannot but own (without any design to reflect upon them that differ from me in such matters) that I look upon that way as nearest to the Christian institution, that has the fewest, and most natural and unaffected, and, consequently, most spiritual, rites and ceremonies, in the per- formance of Gospel ordinances ; for, as a learned Conformist* says, in a book which he did afterwards indeed seem to differ from, but never attempted to retract or refute, and, perhaps, was never able to do : " Certainly the primitive Church, that did not charge men with such a load of articles as now in these latter ages men are charged with, would much less have burdened men with imposing doubtful practices upon them as the ground of Church communion. There is nothing, then, that the primitive Church deserves more imitation in by us, than that admirable temper, moderation, and condescension, which was used in it towards all the members of it. It was never thought worth the while to make any standing laws for rites and customs that had no other original l)ut tradition, much less to suspend men from her communion for not observ- ing them." And if this was the practice of the primitive Church, it was eminently so in the apostolical age (Acts xv. 28, 29), to whom, as acted by the Holy Ghost, it seemed good to require nothing by way of imposition but a very few necessary things, viz., tliat Christians should abslain from idols, blood, things strangled, and fornication. But, alas ! since that time it hath seemed good to men (but I am sure not to the Holy Spirit) to impose a great many unnecessary things on the consciences of others, without any such allowance as was given them — that every man should be fully persuaded in his own mind in what he did (Rom. xiv. 5) ; for what regard have

♦ stilling. Iren., p. 122, 68.

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 5

Bome men to tliis apostolical rule, when their impositions are laid as stumblingblocks in their brethren's way (Kom. xiv. 13, etc.), without any regard to the wounding of their weak con- sciences, upon the supposition they are so ? (1 Cor. viii. 12). Is this to imitate the Apostle's tenderness, who resolved rather never to eat flesh, than to ofi'end any weak brother ? (1 Cor. viii. 13), or do men this way seek the things of Jesus Christ, or their own private ends and emoluments most ? (Phil. ii. 21).

Therefore let men dispute about forms and ceremonies, and their decency or necessity, as long as tliey please, I must say, with a reverend Conforming minister :* "That all the art and power of the world cannot make trifles in the worship of God seem matters of importimce to them that relish heaven. What trumpery are habits, various gestures, and postures, to a man that is swallowed up in the contemphition of the infinite majesty of the glorious God ! or that is lost in the ravishing admiration of His gooilness and love ! or that is sunk into the lowest abasement and self-abliorrence for his sins! Such a Houl may be loaded witli human inventions, but he can never look upon them as ornaments or helps to devotion."

"Whatever, then, be the various ideas and theories of what we call editi cation, yet still, as none can dispute us out of what we receive most advantage from as to our bodies, so neither as to our souls ; fur if no man cim be able to {xrsuade me that his constitution of l)ody is such a standard to mankind that I and all others are obliged to reckon tliat food most healthful for us which the imposer tells us is so to him, though at the same time we experience it to be noxious or disagreeable to us, I know no more reiuson why any man should pretend a i)ower of ini])osing niodes and forms on my conscience which I am dissatistied witli, from no other reason but this, that they appear to be the most excellent or decent to him ; so that, as liberty is equally neces&iry in the one Ciise ius in the other, un- less we value the health of our bodies above the peace of our consciences and security of our souls, so the contrary practice, when force is used, can admit of no softer term than that of Antichristian tyranny. 1 cannot, therefore, but highly approve of wiiat 1 tind in a bookf 1 have already mentioned : "What po.ssible reaijon can be given," says the author, " why such things should not be suflicient for communion with a Church which are sullicient for salvation / And certainly those things

* See P. M. in hli " Vftnitf, Mlncliief, and Danger of Ceremonies," iiropoaed to the ('nnvcM-ntion, and printed in the }c«r lUOU. t bulling. Ircn., pref., p. 8.

6 A Discourse Concerning

are sufficient for that which are laid do-wn as the necessary duties of Christianity by our Lord and Sa^dou^ in his Word."

I mention those things, God is my witness, for no private design, to uphold a party, or to serve the ends of it, as such ; but to let those that are prejudiced against us know that we are acted by religion as a principle, and not as a notion only ; and that this is the reason of our dissent from those that share the emoluments of the Church among them. Otherwise it were not probable that we should unite in acting contrary to our own interest merely from faction or humour, if we may presume to know our own sentiments ; and I hope most, if not all of us, durst not dissemble before the great God all our days in a matter of so great importance as this is. So that the dis- senting of so many persons from the Established Church, to their oavti hurt and disadvantage in the world, may be looked upon as no contemptible argument, by unbiassed persons, that there are some men that are acted by religion as a prin- ciple, and that take up the ministry otherwise than as a trade.

But I had this further design in touchingupon our unhappy differences, that, considering that they do only concern the externals and circumstantials of religion, both ye and all others that peruse thcvse lines and the following Discourses, may be taken off from tliat fury and bigotry by which so many seem to be possessed at this day, and may learn to mind the great essentials of Christianity more, acting conscientiously your- selves in all things, and judging charitably of those that differ from you, whether they do so of you or not ; for what I have said on this head is not in the least designed to reflect upon those that differ from us, among whom I acknowledge there are many distinguishable, not only for parts and learning, but for piety and moderation also ; upon which accounts I cannot but honour and love them, though they should both hate and despise me. Nay, I question not but even many of the bigots for cathedral worship and its annexed hierarchy (who are for running up these to as near a conformity to Home as they can, and yet stamp all with a confident pretending to &.jus divinum) may act from conscience even in their un charitableness to them that conscientiously differ from them, yea, in their liatred of them and rage against them where they have power. But then it must be remembered, tliat as their zeal is not ac- cording to knowledge, so they are of the same tribe with those of whom our Saviour speaks, when He tells us tliat they would persecute, yea, kill His servants when they had opportunity, believing, at the same time, that they did God most acceptable

r>

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 7

Bervice ; but He immediately adds : " And the^e thinj^s will they do because they have not kno\\Ti the Father nor me " (John xvi. 2, 3). However, my desiL,'n is not to reflect even on them, but rather to pity them, and wish them more know- ledge and a better mind.

For as a contentious, and especially a persecuting temper, was never from God, nor according to the rule of tiie meek and lowly Jesus, whose religion is first pure, and then peaceable, entle and easy to be entreated ; so such a disposition was never more unseasonable than at this time. For they must be unaccountably unobservant of, and unconcerned with, the pre- sent state and posture of affairs in Europe, who see not in what danger the Protestant interest is at present ; considering what it has lost already, and is in hazard of losing further, together with the sad decay of true Christian piety as well as unity among all sorts of pei-sons. I could, therefore, wish we might learn a little prudence even from our Popish adversaries, that we might unite in love and in design to promote a general in- terest, though we attain not to an exact uniformity in all things ; for why should not we join as one soul against that bloody and idolatrous party, when we see them do so against us i — though their various sects and orders, such as Franciscans and Domi- nicans, Jesuits and Jansenists, differ as much fnmi one another, both in their ojiinions and in their forms and habits (as they are regimented under their several heads or generals, and as they live according to vastly different laws and rules), as we can possibly be supposed to do. But, alas ! what moral prog- nostications have we now, but such as seem to portend ruin and misery to us, when we see the differences of parties grow up into a stilted hatred, with a fixed design to ruin one another, and conse([Uently murder the llefonned cause, which we are obliged not only upon religious accounts to appear for, but even upon civil considerations, seeing Pojxry is inconsistent with freedom an<l liberty, tlian wliich nothing in this world ought to be so dear to us / Can we have forgotten what barbarities that inhuman jxirty have committed in the world ? for if we may believe historians,* says a learned man, " Po|>e Julius in seven years, was the occasion of the slaughter of two liundred thousand Christians. The massacre in France cut off one hundred thousand in three months. P. Perionius avers that, in the persecution of the Albigenses and Wahlenses, one million lost their lives. From the beginning of the Jesuits till 1580 — that is, thirty or forty years — nine hundred thou-

• Dr More In liU "Divino Dialogue*." p. ICl. S<e alv. hU " Mjritcry of Inlriuitj," lib. li., diup 16, m. etc.

8 A Discourse Concerning

sand perislied, saith Balduinus. The Duke of Alva, by the hangman, put thirty-six thousand to death. Vergerius* affirms that the Inquisition, in thirty years, destroyed one hundred and fifty thousand. To all this I may add the Irish rebellion, in which three hundred thousand were destroyed, as the Lord Orrery reports in a paper printed in the reign of Charles II." And how many have been destroyed in the later persecutions in France and Piedmont, in the Palatinate and Hungary, none, I believe, can fully reckon up — besides those that are, or have been, in the galleys, and that have fled. This is that idolatrous harlot, so glutted with the blood of the saints, that a late author in his Treatise on Convocations, sets up as a pattern to the Church of England ; and that another author, in his book entitled " The Case of the Eegale and Pontificate" (to the scandal of the Church of England, for whom they pretend such a zeal), would so fain have us united unto, and represents, therefore, in such favourable colours. But I hope all true Protestants will easily see the snake in the grass ; and surely, when we are in hazard of Ijeing betrayed within ourselves, we have sufficient reason to awake out of our lethargic sleep, that we may do what possibly we can to save the nations we belong to from approaching desolations ; or, if that cannot be, that we may at least save our own souls in the day of the Lord ; for seeing we are like to feel the effects of the new conjunction of France and Spain, the election of a young politic Pope, and the apostacy of some Protestant princes to the Komish interest (which, together with the impiety and scepticism of a great many within ourselves, are, I am sure, no good prognostics), have we not just reason to prepare for remarkable revolutions ? While, therefore, I think of these things, I cannot forbear to give a vent to my thoughts on the great and dark head of futurity, in presenting you with some conjectures in relation to our times, founded upon Scripture prophecy, as far as I understand it.

Therefore, seeing this is the chief design of this Discourse, which I have inscribed to you, I hope you will bear with me in giving you some brief account of the times we are fallen in, and what we may expect if we live much longer ; which I am the rather induced to do, because we are just now entering iipon a new age, from which we look back upon seventeen centuries, whicli have elapsed since our blessed Iledeemer came into the worhl, and may therefore be allowed to conjecture, with some just ground perhaps of probability (for I do in- dustriously avoid the fatal rock of positiveness, which so

* The same Vergerius that attended on Francis Spira. .See his Life.

tlie Rise ami Fall of Papacy. 9

many Apocah^tical men have suftered themselves to split upon), what part of the Revelation remains yet to be accom- plished.

But since I am to confine myself to a little compass here, as remembering I am writing no book properiy, but an epis- tolary Discourse, prefatory to those that follow, with which, therefore, it must keep some proportion, I shall content myself in giving you a few hints, towards the resolution and improve- ment of that grand Apocalyptical question, when the reign of Antichristianism or the Papacy began ?

There are tico things, therefore, which lie before me to be considered at this time.

I. I must fultil my promise in giving you a new resolution of the grand Apocalyptical question concerning the rise of the great Antichrist, or Home Papal ; for when we have done this, and fixed this era or epoch, we may, by an easy consequence, see the time of the final fall and destruction of this dreadful enemy.

II. I must, in the next place, improve the resolution of this question, both tlieoretically, as a key to unriddle the dark Apocalyptical times and periods, and practically, in order both to the regulation of your thoughts and the government of your lives, in some very weighty considerations deducible from thence.

I The first thin;^, therefore, which I have to do, is to attempt the resolution of the ])rincipal Apocalyptical question concern- in" the rise of Antichristianism.

Now, in order to answer this distinctly (wliich hath exercised and wearied out all Apocalyptical writers hitherto) there are some things I would premise as so many postulata, which

S;nerally all are agreed in, and which Mr Mede, Dr More, Mr urhani, and Dr (Jressener, have irrt'fragably proved. 1. That the Revelation contains the series of all the remark- able events and changes of the state of the Christian Church to the end of the world. (Rev. iv. 1, etc. x. 5-7). 2. Tiiat mystical Babylon, or the great whore, described there, doth signify Rome, in an Antichristian Church state, (Rev. xvii. 1-b). 3. That, therefore, this cannot be Rome Pagan properly, but Rome Papal. 4. That the seven heads of the Beast, or the seven kings, are the seven forms of government which obtained successively among the Romans (Rev. xvii. 1(», 11) ; and seeing the sixth (xvii. 10, 11) of these was th:it which was only iu being in John's time (the former five having fallen l>efore), that, therefore, consequently, the seventh head, which, under another consideration, is called the eighth (the intcTvenient

iO A Discourse Concerning

kingdom of tlie Ostra-Goths being the seventh in number, though not properly Roman, and therefore, in that sense, none of the heads of the Roman Government), is the last species of government, and that which is called most peculiarly, and by a speciality, the Beast or Antichrist.

These postulata being supposed as certain (which I would reckon no difficult thing to prove, were it needful), I must, in the next place, premise two preliminary considerations, before I come directly to answer the question itself.

The first is this, that the three grand Apocalyptical numbers of twelve hundred and sixty days, forty-two months, and time, times, and a half, are not only synchronical, but must be in- terpreted prophetically, so as years must be understood by dayvS.

That these three numbers are synchronical will appear plain to any impartial considerer that will be at pains to compare them, as we have them set down in this Book of the Revela- tion, viz., the twelve hundred and sixty days (xi. 3, xii. 6) ; the forty-two months (xi. 2, xiii. 5) ; and the time, times, and a half (xii. 14). For it is clear that the Gentiles treading down the holy city foity-two months (xi. 2) is the cause of the wit- nesses prophesying for twelve hundred and sixty days in sack- cloth (verse 3) ; and is the woman or Church's being in the wilderness for the same term of days (xii. 6) any other than a new representation of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth ? Seeing this must be while the Beast is worshipped and served by the whole Roman world, during men's lunacy of forty-two months' continuance (Rev. xiii. 5) ; and, therefore, seeing the woman is said to be in the wilderness state of desolation and persecution for a time, and times, and half a time, in order thus to be preserved from the Beast and Serpent (as we see xii. 14), it is likewise plain that this number of three years and a half must be the very same with the two former num- bers ; only it is to be observed, by the way, that this period of time, when it is mentioned in relation to the Church, is spoken of with respect to the sun, either as to his diurnal or annual rotation ; whereas, when it is described in relation to the Beast's unstable kingdom of night and darkness, it is made mention of with respect to the unconstant luminary, which changes its face continually, while it makes our months ; and hence it is that the Church is represented (xii. 1) under the emblem of a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet.

Now, as these numbers are synchronical and the same, so it is ea.sy to prove that they must be understood prophetically for years. 1 shall not insist here upon the conjecture of a

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 11

learned man,* that there was no diurnal rotation of the earth before the fall, and consequently, no days of twenty -four hours, but only an annual rotation of this our planetary woild ; ■which, he gives us as the original reason of the Scriptures putting days for years frequently. For whatever be in this, it is plain that the Scripture speaks thus in several places, by putting a lesser number figuratively for a greater, as well as a definite one for an indefinite. Witness the appointment of the week of years ^Exod. xxiii. 10, 11), which is spoken of as if it were a week ol days (verse 12) ; the seventh year of which is there- fore called Sabbatical, with respect to the seventh day. Sabbath. In the same way of speaking, Ezekiel was commanded to lie three hundred and ninety days on his left side, and forty on his right, each day for a year, as God himself says (Ezek. iv. 5, 6). So likewise God punished the murmuring Israelites with forty years' abode in the wilderness, with relation to the forty days that were spent in searching of the land of Canaan. (Numb. xiv. 34). The seven years of Nebuchadnezzar's lycan- thropy is thus called, indefinitely, days or times (Dan. iv. 32, 34). Nay, our Saviour himself speaks in this dialect, when He calls the years of His ministry- days, siiying: " I do cures to- day and to-morrow, an<l the third day I shall be jx-rfected." (Luke xiii. Wl). But the most remarkable i)lace to our pur-

f)Ose is the famous jnophecy of Daniel's seventy weeks or four lundred and ninety days (ix. 24), reaching down from the edict of Artaxerxes Longimanus, in his twentieth year (Neh. ii. 1-10), to our Saviour's sulferings at Jerusdem, which was exactly four liundrod and ninety jirojdietical years, not Julian ones ; the not distinguishing of which has hitherto confounded all interpreters, as 1 might show at large, were this a proj^r ]»lace for it. But what the difference between these is, we shall quickly see.

In the meantime, I am now to prove that the twelve hun- dred and sixty days are to be understood, in a i>rophetical sense, for years ; lor if I can prove this, it will necessarily lollow that the other numbers must be so interj)reted also, since they are the Fame with this. Now, that the twelve hundred and sixty days cannot be taken literally, but ])ro- phetically, will api>ear from hence, that it is im}Mjs>ible to con- ceive how so many great and won<lerlul actions, which arc pro- phesied to fall out in that short time, could hajipen during the space of three solar years and a half, such as, lor example, tlie outiiiinng jKtwer over all kindreds, tongues, and nations ; the world's wondering at, and suliniilting unto, the Beast's reign ; • Wblstoni •* Theory of the Ettrth," pp. 8, 79, 81, See IIijkiUi. 3.

12 A Discourse Conternwg

and the setting np an image to the imperial head, and causing it to be worshipped instead of the living emperor's, etc. And besides these things, seeing the twelve hundred and sixty days are the whole time of the Papal authority, which is not to be totally destroyed until the great and remarkable appearance of Christ upon the pouring out of the seventh vial ; and that therefore Christ will have the honour of destroying him finally Himself (though this iniquity began to work even in the apos- tolical times) : therefore we may certainly conclude that it must take up some centuries of years to carry on this abomina- tion that maketh desolate. For though the Lord will gradu- ally consume or waste this great adversary by the spirit of His mouth, yet He will not sooner abolish him than by the appear- ing of his owTi presence (2 Thess. ii. 8), as I choose both to render and understand the words.*

The second preliminary consideration is, that in order to un- derstand the prophetical years aright, we must reduce them to Julian years, or such as are in use with us now in Europe,

This is no idle or chimerical inquiry, seeing the ignorance of this has misled all our great Apocalyptical men hitherto in their calculations ; and yet, unless we are able to adjust the difference between prophetical and Julian years, we must still reckon at a venture, without any certainty of the truth and exactness of our arithmetic. Therefore, that we may understand this difference, we are to remember that the ancients were far more rude and indistinct in their calculation of time than we

* The learned l)r Whitby, in his Paraphrase and Commentary upon the Epistles, does indeed advance a new notion on this verse and chapter, viz., that the Jewish Sanhedrim, government, and nation, are primarily and chiefly under- stood here by the apostle as the Man of Sin and Antichrist, both upon the ac- count of their opposing themselves to Christ and persecuting of His followers, and upon the account also of their rebelling against the Romans; and he has said so much for the proof of this that it may be thought to contain a refutation of my interpretation of the place. But even upon the supposition that all the Doctor says for his opinion should be true, yet it will be found no way to invalidate •what I advance here ; for all that are acquainted with the Jewish and apostoli- cal wiitings know, that besides a first sense to be observed in prophecies, there Is a second and remoter one, more tacitly insinuated frequently, as the principal design of the Spirit of God. I might show this in innumerable instances, espe- cially in the ancient prophecies that relate to David or some other person, in the first sense, or typical one, but to tlie Mes.'dah ultimately and completely. But I shall not insist upon anything of this kind now, seeing so many have done it already ; and there is no neeil to do it hfre, seeing Dr Whitby himself doth grant all I dcHire, when he says in his preface to this Epistle, p. ;^83 : "But that T may not wholly difl't-r from my brethren in tliis matter, f grant these words may, in a Kecondary sense (in which exj)re.s.sion I only ciifTer from the Docter, seeing I look ujfOn it to be the principal sense, because it is the second), be attributed to the Papal Antichrist or Man of Sin, and may be signally fulfilled in him in the destruction of him by the spirit of (.-'hrist's mouth, he being the successor to the apostate Jewish Church, to whom these characters agree, as well as to her; and therefore in tlie annotations I have still given u place to this interpretation also."

the Rise and Fall of Papacij. 13

have been since ; and, indeed, such is tlieir confusion in this way, that we are obliged to God's providence in giving us the exact compass of a prophetical year, even in this book, by fixing the synchronism of the three numbers above-mentioned ; for by these it is determined that thirty days make a month, and twelve of such months, a year ; so that twelve hundred and sixty days being divided into three years and a half (or time, and times, and a half in the Apocalyptical dialect), three hundred and sixty days must make up a year, without the addi- tional five days and odd hours and minutes tliat are added in the calculation of the Julian year; for the Julian (and Gre- gorian) months consisting some of thirty and some of thirty- one days (excepting Febniarv' only), and the years, conse- ([uently, of three hundred and sixty-five days, there must needs be some considerable difference in the revolution of many cen- turies ; which difference appears still greater if we consult the late curious astronomical calculations of Petavius, Tycho, Kepler, and others. But since their exactness hath only added five hours to every year (together with some minutes, firsts, seconds, etc., comniunibus annisj which they themselves are not fully agreed in), I shall not be so nice upon this i)oint as to follow them exactly in all their criticisms this way. However, since five hours additional to a year arise to an entire day in the revolution of one hundred and sixty-three years, it ought not to be altogether neglected. But passing even these, and considering only the five days that are added to the three hundred and sixty in our ordinary years, we will find that the twelve hundred and sixty days in the Revelation, being re- duced to years, are eighteen years short of Julian years in the prophetical reckoning, by reason of the additional days tunied into years in the ordinary accounts now, above the Apocalyj)ti- cal reckoning. To demonstrate which, I present you with the following scheme :

THE PROPHETICAL YEAR. j THE JULIAN YEAR.

One 3G0 One 365

3(30

Two 720

Threo 1080

Half 180

3G5

Two 730

Three 1095

Half 183

Three years ) i^Pi) Three years)

and a half ( ** and a half )

1278

14 A Discourse Concerning

Now if, according to this computation, we subtract twelve hundred and sixty Apocalyptical years from twelve hundred and seventy-eight Julian or Gregorian ones (I call them so ore rotundo, overlooking the smaller measures of time), there re- main eighteen years to be cut off.

To apply this, therefore, to our design : If we may suppose that Antichrist began his reign in the year 606, the additional twelve hundred and sixty years of his duration, were they Julian or ordinary years, would lead us down to the year 1866, as the last period of the seven-headed monster ; but seeing they are prophetical years only, we must cast away eighteen years, in order to bring them to the exact measure of time that the Spirit of God designs in this book ; and thus the final period of Papal usurpations (supposing that he did indeed rise in the year 606) must conclude with the year 1848.

And now that I have hinted at the time of Antichrist's rise, as the conclusion of the preliminary considerations, I must proceed to prove this to be in one sense the true era of the Papal Beast's reign ; and here it is that I find myself extremely straitened, in discoursing of so great a subject in so narrow a compass. All, therefore, that I can say here will amount to a few short hints only, though perhaps no inconsiderable ones.

Seeing, therefore, as I said before in the fourth postulatum, it is plain, from Eev. xvii. 10, that the imperial government was the regnant head of the Roman Beast at the time of the vision, we have only the two following heads to consider, as to their rise and duration. Let these things, therefore, be minded here :

1. That the seventh head, or king of Rome (as I hinted before), whose character is, that he was immediately to succeed to the imperial government, and to continue but a short space (Rev. xvii. 10), that, I say, this government could be no other than that of the kingdom of the Ostro-Goths in Italy.

For it is plain that the imperial dignity was extinguished in Italy and in the western parts of the empire, by Odoacer, the king of the Heruli, who forced Agiistulus, the last sprig of an emperor, to abdicate his throne and power in the year 475, or 476 as others say : and though this Odoacer was soon destroyed by Theodoric, the king of the Ostro-Goths, yet the same form of regal government was continued by Theodoric and his succes- sors ; and though this kingdom continued for nearly eighty years, reckoning from Odoacer to Teius, yet the angel miudit justly call this a short time ; for so it was, it compared either with the preceding imperial or succeeding Papal government ;

tlie Rise ami Fall of Papacy. 15

"Nvliich sugc^sts a very strong argument against some who would make thi.s seventh king to denote the Oriental Empire, wliich, as it began long before this time, so it lasted many centuries afterwards, and was not totally extinct till ^Mohammed the Great's time, in the year 1453 ; and surely this kingdom was sufficient to constitute anew head of the Roman peo})le, seeing Rome and Italy were subjected entirely to those Gothish kings, and that they not only acted with tlie same authority that the emperors had used before (excepting that they abstained from that title by a special providence, tliat they might not be con- founded with that government), but were o^^•ned by the senate and people of Rome as their superioi's, yea, by the emperors of the East also, as might easily be proved from historians,* par- ticularly Cassiodorus,f who was chief minister of state to two of those kings.

Whence it doth plainly appear, that this kingdom of the Ostro-Goths was the seventh liead that was to continue a short time ; and that, therefore, it follows : (1.) That the change wrought by Constantine the Great, both as to the seat and religion of the empire, could not be looked upon as a new head, seeing the old government, in all other respects, was continued ; and (2.) Neither can any person justly suppose that the form of the govenimcnt was altered when tlie empire was divided into the Eiist and West, seeing in all other respects also the imperial authority and rule were preserved. There- fore (3.) It follows, also, that the Papal government was not regnant until the destruction of this Gothish kingdom in lUdy ; for there could not be two supreme heads of Rome at the same time. Therefore,

2. We may conclude that the last head of the Beast, which is the Papal, did arise either immediately upon the extirpation of the Gothish kingdom, or some time after ; but it could not rise to its power immediately after, seeing Justinian did, by the conquest of Italy, revive tlie imperial goveiniiieiit again there, which, l)y that means, was healed after the deadly wound which the Henili and the Goths had given it. Though I con- fess Justinian's coiujuest of Italy laid a foundation for the Pope's rise, and javed the way for his advancement, both by the penal and s;inguinarv laws which he made against all those that dissented from the Romish Church, and by the confusions that followed upon Narses his bringing in the Lombards ; for

• S't BAFon., a<l anno 472. 475, etc. Tetav. Ration. Temp., lib. Til., cap. 5. BellHrtn. de 'l'ran^lut Imp. Hum. lib. 1. cap. 9, etc.

t In Lib. Variaruui, lib. 1 , ep. Ti, .i\, etc. ; lib. iv., ep. 45, etc. ; lib. IIL, op. 16, 18; lib. ▼Hi., cp. -^4. olc.

16 A Discourse Concerning

(luring the struggles of them and the Exarchat, the Pope played his game so, that the Emperor Phocas found it his interest to engage him to his party, by giving him the title of Supreme and Universal Bishop.

Therefore, we may justly reckon that the Papal head took its first rise from the remarkable year 606, when Phocas did in a manner devolve the government of the West upon him, by giving him the title of Universal Bishop. From which period S' we date the twelve hundred and sixty years, they lead us doAvn (as I said already) to the year 1866, which is 1848 ac- cording to prophetical calculation ; or, if a bare title of this sort be not thought sufficient to constitute the Pope head of the Beast, we may reckon this two years later, viz., from the year 608, when Bonil'ace IV. did first publicly authorise idol- atry, by dedicating the Pantheon to the worship of the Virgin Mary and all the saints.

Now, it is very remarkable, that in the year 666, Pope Vitalian did first ordain that all public worship should be in Latin. And, therefore, however the notion of Irenseus* has been of late ridiculed, who observed that the characteristical number of the Beast, viz., 666, answering to the number of a man's name, was to be found in the word Aarg/vog, from whence he concluded that he was to be a Roman, I cannot but think there is something remarkable in this (even though the numeri- cal letters of other words should jump with this number also), not so much because of the antiquity of the notion, as upon the account of the reason he suggests to us for this when he says, that though he grants that other names (as that of svavdog) may be so rendered, yet he fixes upon this, because the Latin f monarchy is the last of all, and therefore the Beast must relate to this or none. Wherein I suppose he alludes to Daniel's (ii. 37) account of the four monarchies. And, indeed, the little horn that arose out of the head of the fourth beast (Dan. vii. 8), seems not unfitly to represent, not only Antiochus Epiphanes, but the Papal Antichrist, whose type he may therefore be sup- posed to be ; for as he supplanted three kings — in allusion to which that little horn is said to have plucked up three horns before it by the roots — so did the Papal government rise also upon the ruins of the Exarchat, the Lombards, and the autho- rity of the Emperors in Italy.

i believe this account of Antichrist's rise will not be very acceptable to some, whose zeal for the Pope's downfall has

♦ Iren. adv. lI.TRret., lib. v., cap. 30.

t It ou;<ht to he observed here, tliat not only the Greek word, but even the Hebrew, contains the number 660 in the numerical letters thereof, whether we

the Bise and Fall of Papacij.

17

made them entertain hope of living to pce that remarkable time — which lias made thum invent plausible schemes to prove that this great enemy was seated in his regal dignity long before the year 606. But if a man will trace truth impartially, he will have reason to think that the rise of this adversary could not be before that time. Nay, I must tell you that I do not reckon the full rise of the Pope to the headship of the empire till a later date still. For though the Pope got the title of Universal Bishop at that time, yet he was afterwards for a long time sul)ject, in temporal concerns, to the emperors ; and therefore I cannot reckon him to have been, in a proper and full sense, head of Rome, until he was so in a secular as well as in an ecclesiastical sense. And this was not until the days of Pepin, by whose consent he was made a secular prince, and a great part of Italy given to him as Peter's patrimony ; flo that as Boniface III. (and his successors), by assuming the title of Universal Bishop, was the forerunner of Antichrist, as Gregory the Great projjhesied he would be who should be known in the world by that proud title ; so, likewise, we may conclude that Antichrist was indeed come when Paul I. beaime a temporal prince also. Phocas, therefore, did only proclaim the Pope to be the last head of Rome, in the Apocalyptical sense ; but it was Pepin who gave him the solemn investiture, and seated him on his throne, which Charlemagne did alter- wards confirm to him.

make nse of H^^DIl Rorniith, sell. Sodes, or C'lUVDI Roraanus vel Latinus as wil appear frum lae fuUowiug scheue : —

1 1

n

200	1
6	D
40	y
10	1
10	1
400	\s^

6;o

200	A.
40	a
70	i
60	1
6
800	S
eo6

30 I

soo

6 10 60 70

200

666

And whercM Dellarmltie objects, that Lttinns shnnM be rendered by a iln^^Ie iota, anil iu>t by ei, he 1* «xct'«-<linnljr mistaken: for not only Iren%us renders the word thux, hut all the Greeks do the i>amt>, a< Is plain in innuuierable in- ■tances, such as in tho names Ktraiintt, laCtitaf, which the Romans pro- noance<l Antoninus, Stbinus. Nay, the anciftit Honnins spake the same way aa the (ireeks, as is plain in Plautus and the fra.;inenlfl of KMniiui, with whom nothio^l Is more common than q^uis for quix, prdmiu (or primus, eapUit<i for Criptivi, lattinei (ur lalini, etc.

li

18 A Discourse Concernitig

Now, as near as I can trace the time of this donation of Pepin, it was in or about the year 758 — about the time that Pope Paul I. began to build the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Now, if we make this the era of the Papal kingdom, the twelve hundred and sixty years will not run out before the year 2018, according to the computation of Julian years ; but reducing these to prophetical ones, the expiration of the Papal kingdom ends exactly in the year 2000, according to our vulgar reckoning. And if what I suggested above be true, that Antichrist shall not be finally destroyed until the coming of Christ, then may this calculation be looked upon to be very considerable ; for it has been a very ancient opinion, that the world would last only six thousand years ; that, according to the old traditional prophecy of the house of Elias, the world should stand as many millenaries as it was made in days ; and that, therefore, as there were two thousand years from the creation to Abraham, without a written directory of religion, and two thousand from thence to Christ, under the old economy of the law, so there would be two thousand years more under the Messiah ; so that after the militant state of the Christian Church is run out, in the year 2000, it is to enter upon that glorious sabbatical millenary when the saints shall reign on the earth in a peaceable manner for a thousand years more ; after the expiration of which Satan shall be let loose to play a new game, and men shall begin to apostatize almost universally from the truth, gathering themselves together, under the character of Gog and Magog, from the four corners or parts of the world, until they have reduced the Church to a small compass. But when they have brought the saints to the last extremity, Christ himself will appear in His glory, and destroy His enemies with fire from heaven (Rev. xx. 9) ; which denotes the great conflagration (2 Pet. iii. 10, etc.), which is followed with the resurrection, and Christ's calling men before Him into judgment. And perhaps the time of this judgment will take up the greatest part of the whole of another millenary of years ; that as there were four thousand years from the creation to His first coming, there may be four from thence to His triumphant entry into heaven with all His saints ; for though the Scriptures call this time a day, yet we know what Peter says — that a thousand years and a day are the same thing in a divine reckoning (2 Pet. iii. 8). That all men that ever lived should be publicly judged in a day, or year, or century, so as to have all their life and actions tried and Hearched into, is to me, I confess, inconceivable ; not indeed in relation to God, but in relation to men and angels, who

the Rise atid Fall of Pcqmcy. 1^

iTiiist be convinced of the equity of the procedure and sentence ol' tlie Judj^'c.

But, to return, I cannot forbear to take notice of one thing liere — that the year 758 was the year 666 from the persecution of Doniitian, when John was in Patmos, and wrote this book (as Tertullian, Irenseus, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, and all the ancients excepting Epiphanius tells us) ; which, though some say was a.d. 95, was most probably in or about the year 92, the persecution of Domitian having begim two years before. So that here we have another characteristical mark of the number of the Beast.

And now I hope I have s;iid enough of the future part of time, as to the general idea which I think the Kevelation gives of it. But I must proceed one step farther with you, and con- eider under what revolution of time we are at present ; that we may thence see what we are to expect, and how we are to act.

►So that here I tin<l myself insensibly taken off from any further direct prosecution of the question proposed by way of answer thereto ; and, therefore,

II. I proceed to improve what I have said as to this ques- tion, both theoretically and practically.

And \st, I shall advance something here as a theoretical im- jirovement of what I have said upon the former head ; for by this key we may attain, in a great measure, to unlock the dark Apocalyptical jjeriods and times — those, I mean, that relate to the continuance of the PajKil power, both as to his gradual growth and increase first, and his decay afterwards, until hia last an<l linal destruction. And in relation to these the far greater j)art of the Apocalypse must be unden^tood.

Now, in order to tins perfonnance, I must premise this one thing, viz., that the seven seals, trum[>ets, and vials (in which are contained the ortler and series of the whole Apocalyptical prophecy, and to the explication and illustration of which all the other particular visions are subservient), that, I say, these are joined together by the link of the seventh seal and seventh trumpet ; so as the seventh seal doth as it were produce or in- clude the seven trumix;ts, and the seventh trumiK't the seven vials in the siime manner.

This I sliniild reckon a difhcult thing to demonstrate, but that it would be too long to insist u]>on in this place ; and seeing Mr Durham has done it in a great measure ali-eady, I pass it now the more easily. Only let me desire you to con- Rider, that it was not until after the opening of the seventh aeal that John siiw the angels with the seven trumjtet.--, (Kcv.

20 A Discourse Concernmg

viii. 1^ 2). And that it was after the sounding of the seventh trumpet also that he tells us he saw aXko <r>j,ag/oi/ (Miya xa/ Sau^affrof, another sign great and wonderful (Rev. xv. 1), which was the vision of the vials. So that I wonder that Mr Mede, Dr More, and almost all others, have suffered them- selves to be confounded in their interpretations by reason of their not observing this, and consequently by jumbling some of the trumpets with the seals, and most of the vials with the trumpets.

Now this being supposed, we will find the series of time run in the following order, according to this threefold septenary of periods, which do insensibly run out one into the other.

The first septenary of seals relates to the Christian Church during the state of the Roman Empire. And these do accord- ingly run in this order :

The first seal exhibits the state of the Church under the conduct of a glorious rider on a white horse, having a bow in his hand, and a cro^vn given unto him, who went out conquer- ing and to conquer (Rev. vi. 2). Under which emblem Clirist himself is represented, going forth upon His conquests over Jews and Gentiles. And as this relates to Christ's first victory over His enemies, after His commission to His disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations (Matt, xxviii. 18-20), and the pouring down of His Spirit for this end on the day of Pen- tecost (Acts ii.) ; so the full completion of it is not until the end of time. For after all other horsemen and enemies of the Church have done their utmost against Christ and His people, we find this horseman leading them all in triumph as His cap- tives, and proceeding in His conquests to make a full and final end of them (Rev. xix 11, 12, etc.). So that this seal begins with the year 33 or 34, and does not end until the end of time, as to its full completion. But if we reckon it only in relation to the beginning of the next seal (Christ's conquest being darkened as to the outward view of men, by what follows), we shall see that immediately.

The second seal (Rev. vi. 3, 4), under the emblem of a rider upon a red horse (who had a great sword given him, in order to take peace from the earth, and to engage men in wars), re- presents the state of the Empire from the time that Nero made war on the Jews (in the year 66), and so contains the civil wars of Gallja, Otho, and Vitellius, when men did so remark- ably kill one another ; and the wars of Vespasian and Titus against the Jews, completed afterwards by the terrible destruc- tion of that nation under Hadrian ; together with his other wars, and the preceding persecutions of Domitian and Trajan,

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 21

and the conqiiest.s of this last prince. So that as this Lectins ■with the year 66, it ends with Hadrian's wars, in the year 134, or with his life, in the year 138.

The third seal (Rev. vi. 5, 6) bepns, therefore, ^^^th the year 138 ; where, under the hieroglyphic of a rider on a black horse, with a pair of balances in his hand, to weigh and measure all things exactly, are set forth the excellent reigns of the admirable Antoninus Pius and Philosophus. And, there- fore, this seal nms ou-t in the year 180.

The fourth seal (Rev. vi. 7, 8) represents the Roman horse turned pale, and tlie rider clianged from a grave and awful judge to a murderer, so as to be called Death, by reason of his throwing so many into hades, or the future state, by immature deaths ; where we have a very remarkable account of the state of tlie Roujan Empire after the decease of the brave Antoninus Philosoj»hus, under the barbarities of Comniodus, the short- lived reigns of Pertinax and Didius Julianus, but esjxjcially under the severe and bloody Septimius SSeverus, in his wars against Pescennius Niger, Albinus, and others, and under his sou Caracalla ; and afterwards under ^lacrinus, Heliogabalus (the reign of tlie excellent Alexander Severus being but a short breathing to the Emj)ire and the Christians), Ma.\iminus,and his 8on Pupienus, Balbinus, and Uordianus, and Philippus and his son, with whose death I think this seal runs out in the year 2r)(). And with the death of these Philii)pi, who favoured Christianity, the four evangelical living creatures (which our translation renders bea^sts, most unaccountably) cease to speak openly.

The Jifth seal, therefore, discovers the state of the Christian Church to be exceedingly languishing and melancholy, as if the saints were all slain, ])raying and crying for vengeance against their }>ersecutors, while they are represented tw lying under the alUir (Rev. vi. D-Il). 8i) that this period begins w ith Decius, the tirst universal f>ersecutor of Christians (lor all the fonner persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan, and the Antonines were but provincial ones, and that of Alaximinus against the ministers only), who began his reign and jK-i-secu- tion together in the year 250, and was seconded in it by Valerian (for the short reigns of Trebonianus Callus and yEmilianus hardly deserve to be taken notice of in this case). Now the souls of the martyrs are desired to rest patiently until the confused reign of (Jalienus should run out, and the thirty tyrants that rose in his time should l>e cut oil', together with the Kh(»rt-live«l Cladius Colhicus ; seeing, after that little interval, their brethren were also to sulfer still further under

22 A Discourse Concerning

Home Pagan, viz., under Aurelian, and afterwards (wlien the short reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Cams, and Carinus should be over) under the cruel persecution raised against them by Dio- cletian and Maximianus, elder and younger, together with. Severus and Maximinus. So that this seal ends with the conclusion of this last persecution begun by Diocletian, and 60 expires a.d. 306.

The sixth seal (Rev. vi. 12-17) gives us an account of God's gracious answer at length to the prayer of the slain witnesses, in the destruction of Rome Pagan, after their cup was made full by the last cruel persecution. And this is described as if heaven and earth had come to an end ; for so the prophets used to represent the ruin of kingdoms and monarchies ; as we see, among other places, in Jer. iv. 24 ; Isa. xiii. 10, xxiv. 21-23 ; Joel. ii. 10). So that this seal contains the great and terrible wars of Constantine the Great against all those last tyrants, from the year 306 to the death of the last Pagan Emperor, Licinius, in the year 324.

The seventh seal (Rev. viii. 1), therefore, represents the short breathing of the Church and peace of the Christians under Constantine, from the year 313, when he first published an edict in their favour, and particularly from the death of Licinius, in the year 324, to his own decease in the year 337, immediately upon which the scene alters ; and then begins

The second septenary of trumpets, which gives us an account of the state of the Church, in relation to the gradual growth and increase of her Antichristian enemies, though in a way also of judgment upon them. Which I represent to you in the following series and order :

The first trumpet (Rev. viii. 7) began a little after Constan- tine's death, in the wars between his eldest and youngest sons, or at the death of the first in battle, and of the last by the usurpation of Magnentius ; which was a kind of mixed storm of hail, fire, and blood. The continuance of it was in the persecutions against the orthodox by Constantius and Valens, with the intervention of that against all Christians by Julian the Apostate ; and the conclusion of it seems to be the usurpa- tion of Maximus U])on the death of Gratianus, and afterwards the death of Valentinian II., and finally the wars and death of Theodosius. So that it began with the year 339, and ended with tlie year 395.

The second trumpet (Rev. viii. 8, 9) represents a great king- dom under the emblem, of a mountain (Jer. li. 25) burning with fire {i.e., in a cruel and fierce manner), and thrown into the midst of the body politic or Eini»ire of Rome, represented

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 23

by tlie sea (Rev. viii. 8), by wliicli the third part of it became olood. By which we are un(|uestionably to understand the irruption of the barbarous nations of the Vandals and Goths into the Roman dominions. This began about the death of Theodosius, and made a formidal)le progress in the year 405, in the days of Arcadius and Honorius, by Radagisus, and afterwards Alaric, who took Rome in the year 410. And it was continued during the inroads of Atliaulphus the Goth, (who pillaged the great city, in the year 414), and of Genseric the Vandal, and of Attilla the Hun, into Italy and other Roman provinces, wliich they and others about that time wasted miserably to the year 455, and afterwards to the year 476.

The third trumpet CRev. viii. 10, 11), doth plainly represent the destruction of the "Western Empire, by a star falling from the heaven of its glory as a burning lamp ; for, after it had struggled with its fatal destiny, under the obscure Cajsars, Avadius, Majorianus, Severus, etc., it did at length expire vnih. Augustulus in the year 475 or 476. This star was called Wormwood, because of the bitter troubles this brought upon the Empire ; for the Ostro-Goths planted themselves in Italy, and reigned as arbitrarily as the emperors had ever done. So tliat this period l)egan with tlie kingdom of the Ostro-Goths, in the year 476, and ended with it in the year 553.

The fourth trumpet (Rav. viii. 12), brings yet further desola- tions on Rome, by darkening its splendour and glory — repre- sented by the eclipsing of the sun for a third ]>art of it, and the moon and stars also in like manner. By wliich we are to understand, no doubt, the decay of the imperial power and authority in the West, by the Lombards and the Exarchat afterwards. So that this trumpet lasted from the year 568 to the year 758, when Pepin made the Pope in a manner king of Rome (who, in requital of his kindness, gave his son Charlemagne the empty title of Emperor of Rome, making thus the succeeding Western Empire an image of the ancient one (Rev. xiii. 14, 15), by which both the power of the Lomhards, of the Exarchat, and the Emperors did, as it were, terminate in him. And as the Exarchat ended in the year 752, so the Lombai-ds were totally ex^HiUed Italy a little after, viz., in the year 773.

Now follows a threefold woe, which makes up the subject of the three following trum])ets, which are, therefore, called the woe-trumpets, because of the remarkableness of these judg- ments alxtve the former. Therefore,

The fi/Ui trumpet (Rev. ix. 1-11) brings forth the first woe ;

24 A Discourse Concerning

the description of wliicli is long, and the figures so many, tliat I cannot be supposed to say much on so large a heacl here. Let a short account satisfy you. In the 1st place, therefore, we are to understand, that no other than the Bishop of Rome can be meant by the star that fell from heaven ; for this is the symbol of the Gospel ministry (Rev. i. 20), and agrees not, therefore, with Mohammed. Neither can the place this star fell from, viz., heaven, which denotes the glorious and holy state of the Church, agree to any other than one that apos- tatizeth from the service of Christ to the service of the world and Satan. So that, as ancient Babylon is said to fall from the heaven of temporal glory, as Lucifer or the morning star of the nations (Isa. xiv. 12), so is the Bishop of Rome said to fall from the spiritual heaven of his primitive glory and purity, being degenerated from the first angel of light in the Church to be the grand angel of darkness : and becoming thus the prince of incarnate devils — the key of the bottomless pit (which he and his followers boast of as the keys of St Peter) being put into his hand by the old serpent, for carrying on the black designs of hell, ^d, The dark pitchy smoke that came out of the pit, upon his opening it, was certainly designed to signify the ignorance that did then prevail in the world, and the gross and horrid errors that were spread abroad, and vended for divine truths by tlie sottish monks that then swarmed abroad under various names and leaders, and particularly the idolatry that then began to prevail universally in the world ; for about that time, tliough several of the Greek emperors did stifiiy oppose image worship, yet the Popes did at length prevail, though multitudes on both sides lost their lives in this quarrel. 3d, The locusts that came out of this smoke were the Saracens, that followed Mohammed, who compiled the model of his religion by the help of Jews and Christian heretics, especially of Sergius, a Nestorian monk, whom the Arabian and Turkish Avriters called Bahira.* These Arabian locusts (whose Hegira or era is dated from Mohammed's flight from Mecca, a.d. 662, a little after the Pope got the title of Universal Bishop, a.d. 606) did in' a little time so increase, that they conquered or overran a great many countries in a very little time ; for they overflowed Persia, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and other places, about the year 729. They extended their arms into India in the year 643, and intrj Spain in the year 711, and ravaged several parts of France from a.d. 721 to the year 726, till they were routed at length with a great slaughter by Charles Martel, about the year 728. However, they continued after that to

^ Dr rridcnux's " Life of Mohainmed," pp. 45-18.

tJie Else and Fall of Papacy. 25

be a scourpre to the Christians, especially under the ni^Ti of the threat Ahnanzor, until about the year 77:2, when the Turks bef,'an to j^row famous.* So that the five months, or one hundred and fifty years, wherein they tormented the Christians (though they had no ])ower to destroy tlieir empire) was from 622 to 772. But we must not imagine that these five months of years are the period of this trumi>et ; for this must be reckoned from 75^J to a.d. 10U7, or thereabouts, when Tan- grolipix the Turk put cin end to the Saracen Empire, by conquering the Caliph of Persia. Now, tlierefore, in the Ath place (to pass by the other things observable in this Saracen woe-trumpet), let it be considered, tliat as the apostate Bishop of Rome is Cidled the angel or messenger of the bottomless pit, so Mohammed, the king and prophet of the Saracen locusts, is called Abaddon or Apollyon (Rev. ix. 11) ; that is, a destroyer, as carrying on his religion by sword and violence : from whence his locust followers are said (verse 10) to have stings like Hcoqiions, by which they p(jisoned the souls of men, if they tlid at all sjiare their bodies ; for they were in other respects Bwift and strong as horses, and had faces like men in their reasoning as well as fighting for their superstition ; adorned with hair like women — ajjpearing soft and insinuating at first view, though armeil with lions' teeth, as being fierce and cruel. By reason of which qualifications they got many victories, and are therefore re}>re8ented as crowned with crowns of gohl (Rev. ix. 7). But upon the whole matter, this trumpet, as it supposes the rise ol the Saracen Empire from the era of the Hegira 622, and the begun rise of the Pope from the year 606 or 608 ; so, after five months, or one humlred and fifty years (that is, to the year 772), the Saracen prej)arations continued, and the Papal from 606 or 608 to 756 or 758.. So that the duration of this Ix'gins with A.D. 758, and expires, in relation to that ])art of it that concerns the Saracens, about the year 1060. But in so far as it relates to the Popish Antichristiaii party, it is continued down through the next trumpet and the last both. But seeing the Saracens are brought in here as a scourge to the worshij>i)ers of the Beast, the Turks succeeded them in tliis work ; therefore the trumpet is denominateil from this vitiible scene of alfairs, and we must accordingly 6upj)0se that it en«ls with them.

The sixth trumpet, therefore, which is Ciilled the second woe,

brings in the Turks uj)on the stage of the Roman Empire, who

are represented as four angels, or messengers of judgment

(Rev. ix. 13-15, etc.), which were bound on the other side of

* Set the authors of the Turkish " Hiitnry," pnl out hjr Conradus GauMrus.

26 A Discourse Concerning

the River Euphrates for a time, but are now let loose to pa?3 that river and make their inroads into the Roman Empire, and to erect themselves into a monarchy upon the ruins of it. Now, they are called four angels, because they were then divided into four sultanies or principalities, as their ambasadors told the Emperor Justin in the year 570, as is related by one of the Byzantine historians, and taken notice of by all writers on this head.* For, at their remarkaljle passing the River Euphrates, they were under the command of Solyman Shahum and his three sons ; and when he was drowned in the passage, they brought themselves under four other captains, viz., Otrogules and his three sons, of whom one was the famous Ottoman, who a little after laid the foundation of that great Empire, over which his family keeps the sceptre to this day. They are described as horsemen, for so they generally were, fighting on horseback for the most part ; of which the horse's tail is still a monument, being used as their chief ensign of honour and command. Their number was prodigious, and might be at that time perhaps exactly two hundred thousand thousand, as it seems to be here asserted ; for they seldom sent out an army of fewer than a thousand thousand fighting men at once. Their polished breastplates represented fire when shone upon by the sun ; and their horses are said to be like lions for fierceness. And seeing fire-arms began then to be used in war (of which they had great store, together with cannon of prodigious bigness, which did facilitate their taking of cities, and particularly Constantinople), their shooting these on horseback is represented as if the fire, and smoke, and brimstone had come out of their horses' mouths, their pieces being discharged over their heads. With these they killed the bodies of men, and with their tails, which had heads also, they killed the souls of those poor creatures that were stung or bit with their poisonous doctrines ; insomuch that the third part of men (that is, the third part of the ancient Roman Empire, viz., that part which fell to Constantius, when Constantine divided the whole among his three sons) was destroyed and conquered by them. Now, if we inquire into the time of this trumpet, we have an exact calculation given of it ; for they are said to be prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year ; an hour being ever used indefinitely in this book for a season or period of time, we are accordingly to take it here. But days, year.s, and months being used definitely always, we must likewise interpret them so here also. So that

* See Pocock's "Supplem. ad Abul-pliar/' pp. IOC, 108; and "Leuuclav. Hi8t.,"p. 8tf,

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 27

the sense of the place is, that tlie Turks -were loosed from Euphrates, as beiii^ prepared instruments in the hand of God for the ruin of the Grecian Empire for a certain hour or season, even for a day, and a month, and a year. For in that period of time they destroyed the Eastern Empire. For a i)rophetical year bein^ three hundred and sixty, and a month thirty, these, with the addition of one more, make up tlie period of three hundred and ninety-one years Now we took notice before, that in or about the year 1067 (that is, 1062 of prophetical reckoning) Tangrolipix erected the Turkish Empire upon the ruins of that of the Saracens. From thence, therefore, if we compute the three hundred and ninety-one years, we are led down to the year 1458, according to our ordinary computation ; but according to prophetical reckoning, to the remarkable year 1453, when Mohammed the Great took Constantinople, and so erected his own Empire upon the ruins of the Grecian. For as it is very remarkable that John does not make the period of three hundred and ninety-one years to be the whole duration of the Turkish Empire, but only its preparation for after-action from its first rise to its highest exaltation, so we see how exactly this is fulfilled in the event ; which, therefore, I hope is no unedifying specuhition.

Now, seeing there is a remarkable stop and void, as it were, between the end of the sixth trumpet and tlie beginning of the seventh, which is filled up with the account of the slaying of the witnesses (Rev. xi.), I do humbly conceive, that whatever particular slaughters of the siiints were before or may be after- wards, the great slaughter must have been during that interval of time ; for this could not be during the heiglit of the two former woes upon Antichrist and his followers ; and much less can it be supposed to be after the sound of the seventh trumjK't, and while God's last [dagues ujxm the Beast are a-jKiuring out. I do, therefore, reckon that the witnesses who ]irophesi»'d in Biickcloth from the beginning of Papal sui)erslitions, were the honest Piedmontese, Albigenses, and Waldenses ; who were slain at length, after they had stood tlie shock of all former attacks, pirticularly that of Simon Montfort with his five hundred thousand croises, whom Innocent III. diverted from the Saracen war, in order to extir])ate tliat good people, about the year 12(K). Now the slaying of these witnesses began in the year 1416, when John Huss and afterwanls Jerome of Prague were burnt, but came not to its height until the \\o- hemian Calixtines c<mjplied with the Council of Basil, in the year 1434, after which the faithful Taborites were totally ruined, as well as their brethren in Piedmont, France, etc. ;

28 A Biscoicrse Concerning

which happened about the year 1492. For they being des- troj-ed, the Calixtines were no better than the dead carcasses (as they are called Rev. xi. 8), or corpse of the former living witnesses, over which the Popish party did triumph ; for they looked upon them as standing trophies of their victory, and therefore did not think fit to kill them further, or bury them out of their sight. For it is said (Rev. xi. 7, 8), that after they had finished their testimony, the Beast did make war upon them — xa/ wJOKnvsi aurovg xai ra <7rT0jjUbOLTa ccvtojv, etc. He killed them and their corpse also (for the additional words in our version, " shall lie," are not in the original, and do but mar the sense), or their bodies (for some readings have it ccfj/xara), in the street of the great city — that is, in Bohemia, one street of the Papal dominions, or the great city Rome, in a large sense. For I find, towards the end of the fifteenth century, the wit- nesses were in a manner wholly extinct. For Comenius* tells us that, about the year 1467, the Waldenses in Austria anel !Moravia had complied so far as to dissemble their religion, and turn to Popery in profession and outward compliance. The Taboritesf in the meantime, upon their refusing to do so, were so destroyed that it was much that seventy of them could get together to consult about continuing their Church, and about finding out some qualified person to be their minister, for they had none left in the year 1467. And so low was the Church of Christ then, that when the hidden remains of the Taborites (who were called Speculani, from their lurking in dens and caves) sent out four men (as the same author relates in another book)^ to travel, one through Greece and the East, another to Russia and the north, a third to Thrace, Bulgaria, and the neighbouring places, and a fourth to Asia, Palestine, and Egypt, they did all indeed safely return to their brethren, but with sorrowful news — that they found no Church of Christ that was pure or free from the grossest errors, superstition, and idolatry. This was in the year 1497. And when they sent two of their number two years afterwards, viz., Luke Prague and Thomas German, to go into Italy, France and other places, to see if there were any of the old Waldenses left alive, they returned with the same melancholy news as the former had done — that they could neither find nor hear of any remaining ; only they were informed of the martyrdom of Savonarola (who suffered in the year 1498) ; and they were told of some few

♦ Hist. Pers. Eccl. Bohem., ch. xx., sect. 4, 5, p. 70, 71. t lb. ch XX , sect. 3.

1 Comenius, in his short History of the Bohemian CImrch, prefixed to his '•Exhortation to the Church of England," sec. 6G, p. 40.

the Rise and Fall of Paimcy. 29

remains of the Pietlraontois that were scattered and liid among the Alps, but nobody knew where. Now a few years after this, even the few remains of the Taborites were found out and persecuted, hardly any escaping; so that, a.d. 1510, six suffered together })ublicly ; and the year following, that famous martyr Andreas Paliwka, who I think, was the last of the period. From whose death, in the end of the year 1511, or beginning of 1512, to the dawning of the Reformation by the first preaching of Carolstadius and Zuinglius (who apj)eared at least a year before Luther, as Hottinger* and others tell us), there were only about three years and a half ; which answers as near as can be to the three days and a half of the unburied state of the witnesses. So that the Spirit's entering into the witnesses (Rev. xi. 11) began with the year 151G, if not the year before, though this appeared most remarkably when Luther o])posed tlie Pope publicly in the year 1517. They were not only enlivctned, but ^to explain the words of John, Rev. xi. 11, a little further) tliey rose up upon their feet, in the year 1529, when so many princes and free cities in Germany protested against the edict of Worms and S])ire, and so got the name of Protestants. They heard a voice from heaven, Siiying (Rev. xi. 12): "Ascend hither" (that is to power and jK'ace), when Alaurice of Saxony beat the Emj>eror Charles, in the year 1552. And accordingly they did after that ascend to the heaven of honour, rest, and security, as if they had been wafted up by a cloud, and that in the sight even of their enemies, when the Protest^mt religion was e^stablished, and legally settled and allowed of, in the year 1555, which was continued and confinned by Maximilian and Rudolph afterwards, in whose days the Church began to be settled in several others countries, viz., in England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Low Countries. Now, it is observable that in this period of time, when the witnesses finished their testimony, or were about to do so, the Turks took Constantinople in the year 1453 ; which 1 take to be designed by the eartlnjuake that destroyed the tenth ])art of the Roman dominions (Rev. xi. 13) ; for the CJrecian Empire was re<luced before that, from being the thinl j»art of that empire to be the tenth j)art only. So that Mohammed's pre- vailing over the Greek Church and the Pope's conciuests over the Western Christians were much about a time, and therefore said to be in the Siime hour or ]»eriod of time ; that is, before the sixth trumi)et ended, and before the seventh began ; lor the sixth trumjKit is the hour of the Turkish woe. And indeed

• " lliit. Keforui ." Tol. 1.

30 A Discourse Concerning

their triumph was much of the same kind also. For as the Papists triumphed only over the dead bodies of the witnesses (that is, over the Calixtines, who were no longer living wit- nesses, the Taborites being all gone, and having overcome their enemies by their blood and the word of their testimony), so the Turkish triumph was only over seven thousand names of men ; that is, over the remaining Eastern Christians, who were so degenerated in all respects that they were only names or shadows of true Christians ; only, whereas the Grecians did yet own themselves to be the same in profession with their ancestors, and so were the same with them as to name, the Calixtines were even debarred that privilege.

These things being therefore considered (which I could easily enlarge upon, were I not confined at this time), I think it is abundantly plain, that the great slaughter of the witnesses must have been precisely at the time I have mentioned. For it could not be till Antichrist was at his highest pitch of power and grandeur, which was not before this time. And it was not possible that it should be after the seventh trumpet sounded, and the vials began to be poured out, seeing the witnesses were not only risen then, but were the instruments of this last and greatest woe to the worshippers of the Beast. And therefore we find (Rev. xi. 14, 15, etc), that as soon as the witnesses arose, the second woe ended, and the third commenced in the begun exaltation of the saints and servants of God. And it is to me altogether inconceivable that the witnesses should be risen, and the Antichristian interest decline, and yet that the witnesses should be entirely cut off during such a period. So that I am almost bold, on this head (though I am resolved to propose my Apocalyptical thoughts only by way of probable conjecture), to affirm that it is impossible, morally speaking, that the witnesses can ever be so entirely slain as they have been before, whatever particular and provincial persecutions they may be under for a time, and whatever formidable appear- ances there may be against tlie Protestant interest everywhere.

Against this assertion I can foresee no objection of moment excepting one, and this is, that seeing the witnesses are said to prophesy all the twelve hundred and sixty days of the Beast's reign, in sackch)th, and to be slain only when they have finished their testimony (Rev. xi. 3-7), it seems, therefore, very strange to say tliat they sliall be slain during tlie time of their twelve hundred and sixty days' or years' propliecy, and so long before the end of them. To which I answer, that in Rev. xi. 3, there are two things spoken of with respect to the opposers of Antichrist. The first is, that they arc called witnesses, or

tlic Rise aiid Fall of Papacij. 31

martyrs, »igain.st the abominations of that enemy ; and the secoiid is, that they are said to preach or prophesy against tliat interest. Now it is only in the second sense that they are spoken of in relation to the whole twelve hundred and sixty days. So that though the Tso^srg/a or witness-bearing of the saints continue, in a large and general sense, for twelve hundred and sixty years (and that for the most })art in sackcloth, be- cause of the constant troubles they meet with from that restless enemy), yet their /jLccirvPia or witness-bearing by martyrdom and sufferings, in a strict and proper sense, relates only to the time of their low anrl obscure state during the rage of the Papists, before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Now it is not said (though perhaps this was never taken notice of be- fore) that the witnesses were killed after their whole prophecy or preaching was over, or after the twelve hundred and sixty days were run out, but only that after their /xa^rya/a or testi- mony for Christ by suifering was over, that then, I say, they were imiversally slain and cut otf (Rev. xi. 7). Now, though there have been many persecutions since the Reformation and the sounding of the seventh tnmipet, yet they were never uni- versal ones. Besides, the difference is great between the wit- nesses before and since that time, in this respect ; for since Luther's appearing, our religion has been established publicly in several nations, and authorized by law, in opposition to Porx^ry, which it never was before. But to proceed :

The seventh trum])et sounds (Rev. xi. 14, etc.) immediately U]>on the end of the sixth ; that is, ii])on the rising of the witnesses. Now, as the i:3th and 14th cha])ters of Revelation are but representations of the state of affairs under the six trumpets preceding, relating to the condition both of the Church and Antichristian ])arty, so the 15th and 16th chapters are preliminary to the j)eriod of the seven vials being poured out upon the Pajtacy and its dominions. Of whiih visi(tns I have a great many things to say, but I must curb myself now, lest I prove too tedious. I shall therefore only j>ut you in mind of what I hinteil })efore, that the seventh trumpet com- prehends the seven vials ; for these are but the xniTts of it which gradually destroy the Papal interest, which had increased under the former trumpets. As, therefore, this j)eriod brings in reformation, and by various steps makes the kingdoms of the world (which before were under Antichrist) to change so far and so wonderfully as to become the kingdoms of God and Christ (Rev. xi. 15, etc.), so after a general but glorious account of the state of the Church from the Reformation (xiv.), and a general account of the vials to be i>ourcd out on the Popish

32 A Discourse Concerning

party during the same period (xv.), we have a distinct account of the pouring out of tliese seven vials (xvi.), in obedience to the great voice out of the temple (verse 1), which is hut a repetition of the sounding of the seventh trumpet (xi. 15), under a new representation of it.

The third and last septenary, therefore, is that of the vials, or last plagues and judgments upon Rome Papal ; which, as far as I can, I shall explain by a distinct account of such of them as I reckon to be fulfilled, and by some few conjectures upon the remaining ones.

But before I proceed to the particular consideration of these, there are two things which I would premise. The first is, that as the trumpets did raise Antichrist up, and the vials must pull him down, so there is a wonderful relation that the last bear to the former, especially the four first ones. For the first trumpet and first vial bring judgments on the earth, the second trumpet and vial on the sea, the third trumpet and vial on the rivers, and the fourth trumpet and vial on the sun. The second is this, that seeing the vials do suppose a struggle and war between the Popish and Reformed parties, every vial is to be looked upon as the event and conclusion of some new periodical attack of that first party upon this other : the issue of which proves at length favourable to the latter against the former. Which, seeing it is the most noble and remarkable part of the period that the vial relates to, is therefore that which denominates the period itself ; even as the conquest of Pompey by Caesar, and of Antony by Augustus, suppose their wars before, and give the denomination to their governments. These things being premised, I now proceed.

The^rs^ vial, which fell upon the earth to the tormenting of the subjects of the Beast (Rev. xvi. 2), doth denote God's judgments upon the foundation of the Papal power, the earth being that on which we walk and build our houses, and out of whose womb we are maintained ; so that by this I understand the Popish clergy, and the Papal dominions and revenues, as they are upheld by them. This, therefore, began with the Reformation, and continued until the time that the Popish factors and trumpery were thrown out of as many countries of Europe as embraced the Reformation. And we may easily conceive what a mortification this was to tbat party, when the pretended sanctity of tlieir priests, monks, and nuns, was found to be mere cheat, and their miracles nothing else but lies or legerdemain ; and when their tales of purgatory were exposed to public contempt, and th.nr pardons and indulgences would sell no longer ; and, consequently, when the Pope and

the Ilisc and Fall of Papacy. 83

his red-hatted and mitred officers saw themselves driven out of so great part of their dominions, their seminaries for breed- ing their motley soldiers of all denominations and orders pulled do>vn, and so much of their yeariy revenues lost. Whence they are said to fall under a noisome and grievous ikxog (ulcer or sore) ; being this way pained and vexed inwardly, and rendered contemptible to the whole worid, that looked upon them as no better than vermin and the plagues of mankind ; so that this vial began with the rise of Zuinglius and Luther, and the other Reformers, in the years 1516 and 1517, and continued to the vear 1566 — that is, about forty years ; for against that time all the Reformed Churches were settled, and published their creeds and confessions against Rome, in opposi- tion to the determinations of the Popish Council of Trent, jmblished in the year 1563, and the creed of Pope Pius IV., which added twelve Antichristian articles to the twelve primi- tive Christian ones, which was put out a.d. 1564.

The second vial (Rev. xvi. 3) must therefore begin where the other ended, as to the period of time that commences from thence. Now I find that in the year 1566, the wars between the King of Spain and the States of the Netherlands began, when the latter got the nickname of Geuse ; and thou^jh the Spaniards were often victorious at first, yet they were at length forced to declare them free States. It was then that the sea became ]do(j<l to the Romanists, their votaries being miserably defeated in their expectations. For after their cruelties under tlie Duke of Alva in the Low Coimtries, and their massacres of the Protestiints in France and other places, the scene was changed very quickly ; so that a.d. 1588, the Spaniards lost their vast annada, and did ever after decline in their power. And the Duke of Guise, the inveterate enemy of the Pro- tesUmts, wa.s killed the same year. And a.d. 1508, died Philip n. of Sjxiin, being eaten up of lice ; the edict of Nantes being given out the siirne year in France in favour of the Protestants ; Ko that as tlie Reformed interest wa.s in jx'ace everywliere, and conciuered in Holland and England, the Popish party, on the other hand, saw Sjiain, the late ternjr of the Protestants, ]>rought to a languishing condition, an<l all their allies weary of wars and j)ersecutions. And as in the year 1609, the truce was made between the Spaniards and the Dutch, so the war, though renewed and carried on afterwards, beaime languid and iiiint, so as hardly to be felt or minded by either l>;irty, esjK'cially the Dutch, who were for the luost |uiit victttrious and successful ; so that, oa the period of this vial began in the year lOGG, we may reckon it continued about fifty years, viz.,

C

34 A Discourse Concerning

to the year 1617, seeing we shall find that the third vial did begin then. For,

The third vial (Rev. xvi. 4-7) was poured out upon the rivers and fountains of water, or those territories of the Papacy wliich were as necessary to it as rivers and fountains are to a country, being, as it were, the former vial continued, as to the kind of the plague ; for as the former destroyed the living creatures or living souls that were in or upon the sea, viz., the Spaniards, the greatest mariners of the world at that time, as to their marine power, who, after the year 1588, lost their former sovereignty of the seas to the English and Dutch ; so this latter plague makes it difficult for the Popish party to subsist and keep their ground even in the inland country and several dominions of Germany, and the neighbouring places. For in the year 1617, Ferdinand being forced upon the Bohemians by the Emperor Matthias, and crowned king, the foundation of new quarrels was laid this way. For a little while after, another most bloody religious war ensued, which shook all the empire, and frightened Europe ; and though the Protestants lost Bohemia, the Palatinate in part, and were driven out of Moravia, Austria, and Silesia at this time, and were not only persecuted in many places, but like to be extirpated and rooted out universally, yet the tide turned all on a sudden. For after the emperor had ruled Germany with a veteran army for a con- siderable time, Gustavus Adolphus enters Germany in the year 1630, and conquers everywhere; and though he was killed about two years after, yet his army continued vic- torious, until at length all things were accommodated at the peace of Munster, a.d. 1648 ; \vitli which, therefore, the period of the third vial must be supposed to end, which consists of thirty-one years. Now, as this began with persecutions against, and cruelties upon, the Protestants, so at length the angel of the waters is heard to give thanks for making the Papists drink of their own blood at last ; which song of praise another angel falls in with, and says amen to. All which seems to denote the joy both of the Protestant State and Church upon the success of the Swedish arms against the emperor.

liha fourth vial comes now to be considered. And as this is poured out upon the sun of the Papal kingdom (Rev. xvi. 8), 80 the effect of it is men's being scorched or burned with fire, which yet does not make them turn to God, but blaspheme His name the more, as we may see in verse 9. Now as this vial must begin where the other ends, viz., at or a little after the year 1648, so I cannot see but it must denote the wars that

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 35

followed the peace of Munster, with other incidental occur- rences. Now we find that the French liostilities and wars in Flanders began about this time ; and thougli this fire seemed to be quenched by the Pyrenean peace, about ten years after that of Munster, yet this proved rather iuel to the flame, which broke out with more violence than before, by the seizure of Lorraine, the new conquests of the French in Burgundy and Flanders, and the wars upon Germany, and invasion of the Low Countries. To wliich we may add the French king's quarrels with several Popes, about the restitution of Castro, the rights of the Duke of Mo<lena, the affair of Corsi, and about the regale and the franchises. Now, seeing the bombard- ing of towns and cities was chiefly made use of in these latter wars, we may .see how properly the scorching or burning men from above (fis if the sun had sent down fire and heat from his own body) is made use of to characterise the time of this vial. 13ut the chief thing to be taken notice of here is, that the sun and other luminaries of heaven are the emblem of princes and kingdoms, a.s we took notice before. Therefore the pouring out of this vial on the sun must denote the humiliation of some eminent potentates of the Romish interest, whose in- fluences and countenance cherish and support the Papal cause. And these, therefore, must be principally untlerstoml of the houses of Austria and Bourbon, though not exclusively of other Popish princes. Now, it is not unusual with God to make liis enemies crush and weaken one another. And thus I suj)- pose this vial is to be understood, when it is said that, U]»on the ixiuring of it out on the sun, power was given to him (that is, the sun, as mast understand the words from the connexion) to scorch men with fire. Ami tins is plain in wliat of the vial is ful tilled, and will be perhajis more so afterwards. As, there- fore, France was made use of in the instances given to vex and scorch the Austrian family, in both branches of it, so after- wanls was he himself tonnented, when he saw himself forced to leave Holland, which he w;us so near surprising, in the year 1672 ; and especiallv when he wils forced to resign all l»is con- quests in Flanders, by the late peace of Kyswyk. It is true, he seems now to have got more glory than ever, by the acces- sion of his grandson to the SjKinish monarchy ; but then this is by an eclipse \\\xm\ the Austrian family, which is expireil ujMin the fii-st branch of it. And who knows but this advance- ment may lay the foundation of the ruin or decay of the French i>ower, by exhausting that kingdom, both as to men and nu)ney, in defence of u weak monarchy ? In the mean- lime, we sec this vial has already taken place, in darkening

36 A Discourse Concernirig

the glory of King James (whom the Papists expected new conquests from) by the hand of King "William ; by whom also God put a stop to the career of the French monarch in his conquests in Flanders, and on the Khine. And we see it further poured out, in the eclipse of the Austrian family, by the loss of Spain and its dependent principalities ; as also in defeating the wicked designs of the three confederating monarchs of Poland, Denmark, and Russia.

And now, seeing I have marked out the time we are in at present, it is time also to put a stop to our Apocalyptical thoughts, seeing no man can pretend, upon any just grounds, to calculate future times. However, seeing I have come so far, I shall adventure to present you further Avith some con- jectural thoughts on this head ; for I am far from the pre- sumption of some men, to give them any higher character.

Now, my conjectures shall relate to two things, viz., to the remaining part of this vial, and to the other vials that follow this.

And (1.) As to the remaining part of this vial, I do humbly suppose that it will come to its highest pitch about the year 1717, and that it will run out about the year 1794. Tlie reasons for the first conjecture are two. The first is, Because I find that the Papal kingdom got a considerable accession to its power, upon the Roman Western Empire's being destroyed in the year 475, to which the Heruli succeeded the year following, and the Ostro-Goths afterward. Now, if from this remarkable year we begin the calculation of the twelve hundred and sixty years, they lead us down to a.d. 1735, which in prophetical account is this very year 1717. ■ The second is — Because (as I have many years ago observed) this year leads us do"\vn to a new centenary revolution ; for is it not observal)le that John Huss and Jerome of Prague (to run this up no farther) were burned in the year 1417 ? After which the true religion in Bohemia, and other places, was more and more obscured and suppressed, until that famous year 1517, when Luther arose, and gave the Reformation a new resurrection ; according to that remarkable prediction of Jerome of Prague, " Centum annis revolutis Deo respondebitis et mihi," which the Bohemians afterwards stamped upon their coin as their motto. From which year the Reformed interest did still increase (whatever particular stops and troubles it met with) till the year 1617; about which time the German and the Bohemian wars began to break out. And it is but too obvious, what an ebb hath followed since that time to this, notwith- sUiiidiiig the pouring out of the second, third, and fourth vials.

d

tJie Rise ciTul Fall of PcqKicy. 37

So tliat there is ground to hope that, about tlie beginniiif^ of another such century, things may again alter for the better; for I cannot but hoj)e that some new mortification of the cliief supporters of Antichrist will then ha]>pen ; and perhaps the French monarchy may begin to be considerably humbled about that time ; that whereas the present French king takes the sun for his emblem, and this for his motto, " Nee pluribus impar," lie may at length, or rather his successors, and the monarchy itself (at least before the year 1794) be forced to acknowledge that, in respect to neighbouring potentates, he is even " Singulis impar."

But as to the expiration of thLs vial, I do fear it will not be imtil the year 1794. The reason of which conjecture is this : that I find the Pope got a new foundation of exaltation when Justinian, upon his conquest of Italy, left it in a great measure to the Pope's management, being willing to eclipse his own authority to advance that of this haughty prelate. Now this being in the year 552, this, by the atldition of twelve hundred and sixty years, reaches down to the year 1812; which, ac- cording to prophetical account, is the year 1794. And then, 1 do suppose the fourth vial will end and the filth commence by a new mortification of the Pajjacy, after this vial has lasted one hundred and foity-eight years ; which, indeed, is Ion" in comparison with the former vials, but if it be considered in relation to the hnirth, fifth, and sixth tiiimpets, it is but short ; seeing the fourth lasted one hundred and ninety years, the filth three hundred and two, and the sixth three hundi-ed and ninety-three.

And now, my friends, I may be well excused if I venture no further in giving you any more conjectural thoughts up<jn this ^resent period of time. But seeing I ]>retend to give my sjjecu- lations of what is future no higher character than guesses, I shall still venture to iuld something to what I have already »aid. Therefore be pleased, ^r«<, to call to mind what I pre- mised to the consideration of the seven vials, as the second ])reliminary, viz., that seeing the vials do (all of them) suppose a struggle or war between the Popish and Reformed jtarties, everj' vial is to be looked upon as tne event and conclusion of Bome new jHTiodical attack of that first party upon this other ; the issue of which proves at length favourable to the latter against the fonner. For if this be duly considered, it will let us see that gi'eat <leclining of the Protestant interest for some time, ami great and fonnidable advances and new degrees in in< Tease of the Uomish jmrty, are very consistent with the state of both these opposite interests under the vials. Fur, as Rome

o8 A Discourse Concerning

Pagan was gradually ruined under the seals, under many of which it seemed to increase to outward observation, and to become more rampant than before, when yet it was indeed declining, so must we suppose it will be with Rome Papal. For monarchies, as they rise gradually and insensibly, so do they wear out likewise. And, therefore, we must not entertain such chimerical notions of the fall of the Papacy, as if it were to be nccomplished speedily or miraculously, as many have done. For as it rose insensibly, and step by stejD, so it must fall in like manner. But, to illustrate this further, as to what of the vials is yet unfulfilled by what is past, lut us look back on the two preceding vials. The second vial, therefore, began with a formidable attack upon the Protestants, by the growth of the Austrian family, from the year 1566 to the year 1588 ; during all which time the vial seemed rather to be poured out on the Protestants than the Papists. But, as there must be a war, to denote a victory, so it was in this case ; so that the vial was seen at last in its effects upon the Austrian party from the year 1588 to 1598, and afterwards to 1617. For it is with the Church as it is with particular Chiistians, who are often sorely buffeted by Satan, and sometimes brought even to extremities by temptations, but do ever carry the victory at last. Who would have believed that the Christian Church was about to triumph over the Roman Pagan Empire, when the dreadful persecution under Diocletian and his collegiate em- perors was at its highest pitch ? But the darkest time of the night ushers in the dawTiing of the Church's day, in the usual way of God's pro\'idence over the same. And this is very con- spicuously to be observed in the period of the third vial. Who would have thought that the loss of Bohemia, and the Emperor Ferdinand's ruling all Germany with a formidable army, were like to issue in the victories of the Swedish arms, and the future security of the Protestant interest through the empire and elsewhere ? So that we must not wonder if, for sixteen years, the house of Bourbon be raised up to be a further terror and scourge to the world, and to Protestant nations particu- larly. And as a confirmation of this conjecture, let it be con- sidered, in the second phice (besides what I hinted before on this head), that it is something very extraordinary, and pecu- liar in some sense to this vial, that the sun, upon whicli it is poured out, should yet be made the executor of tlie judgment of it on others, at the same time that he is tormented with it Idmself. So that, whosoever is denotetl by the sun here (as I 8U])pose the house of Bourbon principally is), is made use of, aii the devil !*<, both to torment others and to be tormented

the Bise and Fall of Papacy. 39

himself in so doing. And if the King of France, therefore, be denoted by this principally, I fear he is yet to be made use of in the hand of God, as Nebuchadnezzar was of old against the Jews, viz., fis a fuilher severe scourge to the Protestant Churches everywhere. And, besides this characteristical mark, which seems to forbode his further exaltation and our Immiliation, there is yet a third thing that I cannot but think upon with (Iread and trembling of heart, viz., tliat it is further SMid, tliat while this sun of the Popish world is running his fatal and dreadful career, and scorhing men with tire, they are so far from being bettered by these judgments, that they go on more and more to bla.spheme the name of God, who has power over these plagues. And while this continues to be the state of the Protestant world, and while Atheism, Deism, Socinianism, irreligion, profaneness, scepticism, formality, hatred of godliness, and a bitter persecuting spirit, continue and increa.se among us, what can we expect but new and desolating judgments ? for, while we continue to Avalk thus contrary to God, we cannot but expect that He should walk contrary to us also. It is in vain for us to boast of our privi- leges, or jjlead exemption from judgments on this account ; for where there is no national refonnation and repentance, national sins are like to ])ull do>vn miseries upon us, so much the sooner and more certainly that we have been so singularly and pecu- liarly privileged. For we may in this case expect that God will say to us as to the Israelites of old : " You have I .speci- ally known and chosen above all the families or nations of the earth, therefore will I punish you more certainly and more severely than any other kingdom or nation" (Amos iii. 2). And therefore, if we go on in sin as we have hitherto done, let us take lieed to oui-selves lest vengeance be near. I pray God I may be mistaken in my fears, but 1 am afraid I have but too just reason to turn prophet here, by apj)lying to ourselves what Peter said to those of his time : " The time is come that jtidg- ment must begin at the house of God " (I Pet. iv. 17, etc.) : though I do also conclude, with him, that if it begin at us, dreadful will be the end of our enemies at last ; and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appear ? Wherefore, if we be called to suffer for our holy religion, let us do so according to the will of God, commiting the kee[)ing of our souls to liiiii in well-di»ing, lus to a faithlul Creator. And 1 wish my conjecture be not found to be more than a mere guess, that for al)out sixteen years our Komish enemies may ])revail more and more : though how tar these may be length- ened out or shortened we can only conjecturally judge of from

40 A Discourse Concerning

the future carriaf:je of the Eeformed Churches, under the cir- cumstances that may be stated afterwards.

If any say that these are melancholy conjectures, I must tell them that I cannot help the matter ; for I must follow the thread of the text and the aspect of the times. If they ask — But wlien will the tide turn for the Protestant Church ? I an- swer. When they turn more universally to God, and no sooner. But if they inquire further, whether the sun of the Popish kingdom is not to be eclipsed himself at length ? I must positively assert he Avill, else this vial were not a judgment upon him and the Romish party. But if yet again the question be, when this is to fall out and how ? I must tell you that I have nothing further to add to what I have said as to the time ; but as to the manner how this is to be done, our text does lay a foundation of some more distinct thoughts. Therefore, in the fourth and last place, we may justly suppose that the French monarchy, after it has scorched others, will itself consume by doing so — its fire, and that which is the fuel that maintains it, wasting insensibly, till it be exhausted at last towards the end of this century, as the Spanish monarchy did before, towards the end of the sixteenth age ; and if we do now heartily and unanimously enter wpon a war against France, with the assist- ance of allies, and be but vigorous and faithful in the prosecu- tion of it, securing the source of money and treasure in the heart of America, and bringing the war into the bowels of a nation where a young monarch is hardly established, I say, if we do this, without losing our opportunities, our peace and security may yet be lengthened out ; whereas, if we suffer our- selves to be lulled asleep at this time, we may have cause to lament our not having improved our season. But seeing I am not called to give my advice one way or other, I shall leave the determination of such weighty matters to the wisdom of national councils. However, as my duty is to pray for direc- tion unto these, so I earnestly wish that there may be nothing to stop the regular and secure j^rocedure of public matters in this critical juncture, upon the wise improvement of which our future stability and peace do so much depend. And now, after all this, I desire ye may consult a book I formerly published, called " The Rod or the Sword ; or, The Present Dilemma of these Nations ;" for ye will there see more fully my thoughts of our times, and how the moral reasons given there, taken from the aspect of our age, though preached in 1692, and published the year following, do exactly agree with my present Apocalyptical thoughts.

One thing only 1 shall further take notice of here, upon the

tlie Rise and Fall of Papacy. 41

occasion of tlie King of Spain's death — that God seems to mark out great things sometimes by very minute ones, such as names ; for example, as the Spanish monarchy began with Charles V. (as to tlie Austrian family), so it has now expired in one of the same name : which I the rather observe because of many instances of the same kind ; of which number take these following : Darius the Mede, as Daniel calls him (though Xenophon calls him Cyaxares), the uncle of Cyrus, was the first Medo-Persian monarch alter the destruction of the Babylonian ; and Darius Codomanus was the last. Ptolemy Lagus began the Egyptian kingdom after Alexander's death, and Ptolemy Dionysius was the last of that race. Augustus lixed the Roman Empire, and it ended in Augustulus. The Eastern Roman Em])ire was erected by Constantine the Great, and expired with Constantine Paleologus. The Scots race came into England in a James, and has gone out again in another of that name. And whether William, the third king of England of that name, as well as the third William Prince of Orange, be likely to be the last both these ways, is left to future time to unriddle ; only I pray that God may long pre- serve him, and us by him ; and that he may live to be a further scourge to France, and a terror to Romanists.

But (2.) To proceed with my other conjectures relating to the remaining vials, 1 do further suppose that

Tha fifth vial (Rev. xvi. 10, 11), which is to be poured out on the seat of the Beast, or the dominions that more imme- diately belong to, and deix-nd ui)on, the Roman See — that, I ii<ay, this judgment will probably begin about the year 1794, and expire about the year 1848; so that the duration of it, upon this supj)osition, will be the space of fifty-four years ; for I do suppose, that seeing the Pope received the title of Supreme Bishop no sooner than the year G06, he cannot be supposed to liave any vial poured out uthju his seat immediately (so as to ruin his authority so signally as this judgment must be sup- posed to do) until the year 1848, which is the date of the twelve hundred ami sixty years in jjrophetical account, when they are reckoned from the year G()(J. But yet we are not to imagine that this vial will toUdly destroy the Papacy (though it will exceedingly weaken it), for we find this still in being and alive when the next vial is ])oured out.

The sixth vial (Rev. xvi, 12, etc.) will be poured out upon the Mohammedan Antichrist, as the fonner Wius on the Papacy ; ond seeing the sixth trumjx't brought the Turks from beyond Euphrates, from their crossing which river they date their rise, this sixth vial dries up their waves and exhausts their power

42 A Discourse Concerning

as tlie means and way to prepare and dispose tlie Eastern kings and kingdoms to renounce their Heathenish and Mo- hammedan errors, in order to their receiving and embracing Cliristianity.

For I think this is the native import of the text, and not that the Jews are to be understood under tliis denomination of the " kings of the East," which is such an odd straining of it to serve a turn as I cannot admit of. Now, seeing this vial is to destroy the Turks, we hear of three unclean spirits, like frogs or toads, that were sent out by Satan, and the remains of the polity and Church of Rome, called the Beast and the False Prophet, in order to insinuate upon the Eastern nations, upon their deserting Mohammedanism, to fall in with their idolatrous and spurious Christianity, rather than with tlie true Reformed doctrine ; and these messengers shall be so successful as to draw these Eastern kings and their subjects, and with them the greatest part of mankind, to take part with them ; so that by the assistance of tliese, their agents and missionaries, they shall engage the whole world in some manner to join with them in rooting out the saints. And here in a parenthesis Christ gives a watch-word to His servants to be upon their guard in this liour of trial (Rev. xvi. 15). But when the Pope has got himself at the head of this vast army, and has brought them to the place of battle, called Armageddon — that is, the place where there will be a most diabolical, cunning, and powerful conspiracy against Christ's followers — then im- mediately doth the seventh angel pour out his vial, to their ruin and destruction.

The seventh vial, therefore, being poured out on the air (Rev. xvi. 17), brings down thunder, lightning, hail, and storms ; which, together with a terrilde earthquake, destroys all the Antichristian nations, and particularly Rome, or mystical Babylon. And as Christ concluded His sufferings on the cross with this voice, " It is finished," so the Church's sufferings are (;<jncluded with the voice out of the temple of heaven, and from the throne of God and Christ there, saying : " It is done." And, therefore, with this doth the blessed millennium of (,'hrist's sjaritual reign begin ; of which, and what may be supposed to follow, we took some notice above.

Now, seeing these two vials are, as it were, one continued — the first running into the second, and the second completing tlie first — the one giving us an account of the Beast's pre- parations for warring against the saints, and the other showing the event of the whok^ — there is no need to give you any con- jectures about the conclusion of the sixth vial, or the begin-

the Pcise and Fall of Papacy. 43

ning of the last ; only you may observe that the first of these ■vvill prohably take up most of the time between the year 1848 and the year 2000 ; l>ecause such long messages and intrigues (besides the time spent before in destroying the Turkish Empire), and prepanitions for so universal a war, must needs take up a great many years ; whereas our blessed Lord seems to tell us that the destruction of all those His enemies will be acccnnplished speedily, and in a little time in comparison of the other vial. Supposing, then, that the Turkisli monarchy should be totally destroyed between 1848 and 19(X>, we may justly assign seventy or eighty years longer to the end of the sixth seal, and but twenty or thirty at most to the last. Now, how great and remarkable this bust destruction of the Papal Antichrist will b(i we may guess by that representation of it in Rev. xiv. 19, 20, where it is set forth under the emblem and character of the great wine-press of the wrath of God fwhich can refer to nothing prcjperly but the event of the seventn vial, as I might show at large had I time). Now this wine-press is said to be trodden witliout the city (viz., of Jerusalem, or the Church, seeing this is called the city in Scrij)ture style, as Kome is called the great city), in Armagedd(»n (Rev. xvi. 16), which may bear allusion to the Valley of Decision (Joel iii. 2, 12, 14). However, the greatness of this slaughter a}»i)ear3 in this, that the ])lood is represented to flow in such a current as to reach even to the horse-bridles, viz., of the servants of God, employed in this execution ; for, without doubt, this relates to what we have in Rev. xix. 14, which I beseech you to compare with this place ; for ye will find that a large account is given of the fall of Babylon, chapter xviii., and of the triumph of the Church uiK)n her final victory over this enemy, chapter xix. 1, etc. Ami among other things s})oken of relating to the battle and victory obtained at Armageddon, ye have this account of the General and his victorious army (Rev. xix. 11, etc.) : " And I saw heaven oj)ened, and behold a white horse ; and he that sat on him was called Faithlul and True ; and he v.'as clothed with a vesture dii)ped in bluod, ami his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him ujwn white horses ; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of God. And 1 siiw the Jk'just and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to- gether to light with him that sat on the horse, and against his army. An«l the Lieast and the False Proitlut were taken, and both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that twit upon the liorse, which sword proueeded out of his mouth ; ami

44 A Discourse Concerning

all the fowls were filled with their flesh." And now, to return to the representation of this slaughter by the wine-press of blood (Rev. xiv. 20), it is further said of it, that it flowed to the height of the horse-bridles for the space or extent of sixteen hundred furlongs ; so that Armageddon seems to be denoted here, in the extent of it, as the held of battle, which is now turned into the field of blood. Now, what place can we imagine to be so properly meant by this as the territory of the See of Eome in Italy, which (as Mr Joseph Mede, who first made this observation, says) from the city of Rome to the farthermost mouth of the River Po, and the marshes of Verona, is extended the space of two hundred Italian miles ; that is, exactly sixteen hundred furlongs, the Italian mile consisting of eight furlongs. Now the Hebrew word Armageddon, or Harmageddon, may be justly derived from riD^in, which signi- fies both a malediction or anathema, and a destruction or slaughter, and P"lJ, or more fully pmiJj which signifies an army, or their army. So that both the anathemas darted against the saints by the Romanists, and their armies made use of against them (all which proceeded from Rome Papal), may be here alluded to, in the expiration of both their ecclesiastical and temporal interest. So that this conjecture upon the name does confirm that other of Mr Mede, that the Stata Delia Chiesa, or the territory and possession of Italy belonging to the See of Rome, is the place called Armageddon, where the final destruction of Antichristianism will be.

And now, my friends, I have fulfilled my promise to you, in giving you not only a resolution of the grand Apocalyptical (juestion, when the Papacy began, and when we may suppose it will end, but some consideraljle improvement of it, with respect to the knowledge not only of times past, but that particular peiiod we are now under, together with conjectures (and some of tliem, I am sure, new and uncommon) about future time. By all which I hope I have given tlie world such a key to unlock all the chambers of the Book of tlie Revelation as I liope I may venture to say (if considered and used im- partially, judiciously, and diligently) will be found to give some new light to us, in our mental journey through the mazes and turnings and dark passages thereof. And had I not been so confined as ye may see I have been, I might have cleared a great many other dark things in this prophecy. But seeing I could not neglect this opportunity of presenting these thoughts to the world, as a new-year and new age's gift at once, I do lliereff)re liojje ye will the more easily excuse what may seem dc*ik or defective in this Discourse, as considering how much

tlic Rise and Fall of Papacy. 45

I am straitened, not only as to the limits of paper that I must keep to, but of time also.

Now, seein^j; I have already given you a theoretical improve- ment of the question I have presented you with a resolution of, all that remains is to brinj^ you from sj^eculations and notions to practice, that your thou<^'hts may he so seasoned with a serious and deep sense of your duty and interest, that ye may get advantage both by the perusal of my preceding Apocal\'ptical meditations and the follo\nng Discourses — that after ye have considered the duty of improving your time (which, together with some other things, I am now to treat of), ye may make application to yourselves of what I have said concerning God's dwelling with men upon the earth, so as ye vourselves may become temples of the living God, seeing God hath promised this privilege to all true Christians, saying : "I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my peo])le" (2 Cor. vi. 16). And when ye have thus applied to yourselves the first ol' the following Discoui"ses, 1 hoj)e ye will not reckon it lost time to c<msider what I have siiid as to the ministerial work, especially the application, as to that pari of it at least which does immediately relate to you and all Christians, as well as ministers ; that this way ye may learn to join in with Christ's ordinances for the future with greater seriousness, and in order to further good than perhaps any of us have yet attained to do. And when ye have improved this way also by the perusal of the second Discours*', let me desire you to read the last concluding one, with serious meditation, in order to see the connecticju and design of the wlujle. For though it be shori, yet it contains much in little, and may be of use to introtluce your minds to some furiher and more distinct aj^prehension of our holy reli- gion, a.s it centres in Jesus Christ. And when ye have thus r;rused and considered both this and the following Discourses, am willing ye think as meanly both of me and them as ye plea.'^e, upon condition that ye may this way value the Holy Scriptures more. For as my design, in all my ])erformance8 of this kind, is to dig my materials from the fruitful and rich mines of this divine depositum and sacred tivasure, so I have no other end than to lead you in there also, that ye may Ixi more and more enriched with the saving knowledge of the truth Its it is in Jesus. In order to this, therefore,

Let me, in the 2d place, suggest something here, by way of a practiciil improvement of wliat I liave sjiid above, es|H'cially as to that part (»1 our Discourse whit h I was last upon, relating to the Apocalyptical times and jK-riods, with the transoctioua

46 A Discourse Concerning

of the same, in as far as they concern ns. And what I have to say here I shall propose by way of observations, which may be of some use, I hope, both to regulate our thoughts and actions, while we live in this world, in relation to the concerns of the Church of God.

TYio. first observation is : That it may justly be looked upon as an eminent confirmation of the truth of Christianity, that so wonderful an account should be given of the transactions of the world so long before they came to pass.

The verity of our holy religion is proved from two things principally, viz., miracles and prophecy ; and both these argu- ments have been excellently improved by learned men. But yet, as the first of these was perhaps the principal and most convincing topic to those that lived in our Saviour's days, so I look upon the second to be the most considerable to those that live in after ages. Nay, we find that Christ himself did not lay the foundation of the belief of His mission on miracles alone, but seemed to build the faith of His disciples chiefly on the Old Testament prophecies ; as He did to the two disciples going to Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 27, etc). And I suppose it is too plain to need any proof, that the Apostles did ever insist upon the prophecies of the Old Testament mure than either upon Christ's miracles or their own, in order thence to demonstrate that Christ was the Messiah. For the testimony of Christ is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. xix. 10) ; that is (as I understand the words), the spirit of prophecy is the great standing evidence and testimony of the divinity of Christ, and of the verity of His word. Therefore (as the angel argues with John) He only is to be worshipped who is truly God, and who inspires His ser\'ants with the gift of knowing things to come.

It has, therefore, been the work of learned men in all ages to prove that Christ was the true Messiah, and consequently that His institution of religion was truly divine, by showing how punctually the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Him. But I am much mistaken if an impartial considerer of the New Testament prophecies may not lind some things that do almost as plainly characterize several latter events, as the ancient prophecies did the former. And of this let what I have said of the sixth and seventh seals, and fifth and sixth trumpets, and of the slaughter of the witnesses, be taken as instances. Or, if this will not be allowed, let it be considered that we see the full completion of the Old Testament propheci(!3 relating to the erection of Cliristianity, whereas we see not the entire fulfilling of the Apocalyptical oiies. Therefore we must

tlic Uisc and Fall of Pajxicy. 47

make allowance for the difTercnt represf-ntation of tlie one and the other of these ; for they only that shall live after the great battle of Armageddon is over, can see the exact fulfilling of this prophecy in the destruction of Antichrist, with the Siime advantage they see also the fulfilling of Daniel's visions with respect to the coming of the Messiah and His death. AVe, therefore, now have no more advantage, as to time, in explain- ing and understanding this latter event, than the Jews had as to the first, who lived in the days of the Maccabees, while Daniel's weeks of years were running out. And I question if they then did understand the periods of time they were under more clearly, if at all so distinctly, as we do the times that have passed over the Christian Church and that part of time we are now under. Therefore, I say, we have great reason to thank God that so much of this book is already made clear to us, as to prove confirming thus far to our faith. For whatever differences have been among the most eminent interT)reters of this book, as to particular calculations and accommodations of things, yet they have all of them agreed in the main foundations of the interpretations thereof, whicii I have built upon (except- ing Grotius and Hammond, whose liypothesis has had few followers, and will iiave fewer), as Dr Cressener has irrefragably proved in his book intituled a "Demonstration of the First Principles of the Protestant Apj)liciiti(m of the Apocalypse." So that there are two things almost equally strange to me : That the Jews should own the verity of the Old Testament, and particularly of Daniel's Pro}>hecy, and not see that the Messiah is come ; and, that the Papists should believe the divinity of the New Testament, and j)articularly of the Revela- tion, and not see that their Church is Antichristian. But while I ailmire the wilful stupidity of both these parties, I cannot but admire also the wisdom of God in making use of both these in His j)iovi(h'nce to confirm to us the verity of Christianity, in prophesying both of the one and the other so long l)efore, and in continuing them to this day as standing monuments of the divinity both of the Old and New Testa- ment. But besides this, there is

A second observation, that may be of gn'at use to us this way also : That this book represents to us, as on a small l)ut exact map, the steadiness and exactness of providence, and Christ's government of the world.

For here we see the various and seemingly confused events of providence s<» exactly methodized as to nuike up one uniform ana noble piece ; the s eming di-cords and jr.rrir.g sounds of things l)cing so disposed by infinite wisdom as to make up one

4:8 A Discourse Concerning

perfect harmony. Here piety and wickedness, angels and devils, the Church and Antichrist, act various and contrary parts ; and yet Christ makes use of all for noble purposes, and carries all on for one great end.

And now, as in other respects so in this, we may take notice of the perfection of the Holy Scriptures — that what is wanting in history is made up in prophecy, which in some sense is history also. For if history, in the general notion of it, be an account or relation of the actions of men in the world, prophecy is no less a species of this than that to which the name is most commonly appropriated. For as that is a relation of things past, prophecy is an account of things to come. Now, as Daniel makes up the hiatus or defect of the history of the Old Testament, so the Revelation of John supplies that of the New, by leading us do^vn from Christ's first to His second coming.

And here let me observe, that these two books give us the exact plan of a divine history, which never yet was given : the only essay towards something of this kind that I know of, having been given by a near and dear friend of mine.* For though there have loeen many ecclesiastical as well as civil histories written, yet none of these run in the strain of Scrip- ture history, where all matters of fact are related not so much in reference to men as in relation to God, and His providence in governing the world.

A third observation is this : That we may now, after what I have said, attain to a distinct view of what part of this prophecy is past, and what remains yet to be fulfilled.

Of this I shall say nothing directly at this time, seeing the preceding scheme I have given of the Apocalyptical periods may, I humbly hope, afford you a sufficient thread to regulate and fix your tlioughts and meditations in relation to this sub- ject ; only I shall hint some things to you that are deducible from what I have already said this way. Therefore,

1. Let me advise you not to suffer yourselves to be deluded with the specious or confident pretences of some men, when they go about to impose not only upon themselves, but upon the workl, by their notions relating to the sudden coming of Christ to judge tlie world, or to the speedy destruction of the Papacy. I love to expose no man's weaknesses, and I per- fectly abhor the way that of late is become modish, to rip up and publish personal failings ; and, therefore, I shall neither trample upon the grave of the dead nor affront the living, as

* My father, in his third part of the Fiilfiilinf? of Scripture, called " Scripture Truth Confirmed anrl (Jleared, by some Eminent Appearances of God for lli3 Church, under the New Testament,'

tlic Rise and Fall of Papacy. 49

remembering that we do all know in part, and prophesy in jiart only. But, ^\'ithout detracting from others, I do in faith- fulness and love desire ye may not sufler yourselves to be im- posed upon by a vain imagination, that the end of things is so near as some, both of old and of late, have pretended to foresee. For, from the scheme I have given you, ye may easily see, that there are many and great events to fall out before the final fall of Antichristianism, and more before the consumma- tion of all things. Antl,

2. As I would not have you to suffer your hope to carry you too far, so neither your fear. For as the warm imagina- tion of some men has represented to them the fall of Antichrist and the day of judgment so near that these must happen in their times, so the melancholy and fear of others has so far wrought upon them, tliat they have fancied the great slaughter of the witnesses is yet to come. And of both these sorts of men this observation will be found to be generally true : That those over whose reason fancy and imagination have the ascendant (whether it be an airy or sprightly, or a dull and melancholy one) have still limited great events to their own time, and most commonly to a very few years. But I am much niLstaken if I have not proved that the universiil slaughter of the witnesses is already past ; though, at the same time, 1 do readily grant that there is just ground to fear that we are near some very trying judgments, of some yeare' con- tinuance. But I have said enough of this above, and therefore shall add no more here. But,

3. Seeing I have touched but slightly upon the millennium, or the thousiind years' reign of the siiints on earth, 1 shall desire you to think a little further on this, as the greatest event tliat is to haj)ix*n before the end of the world.

I dare not, indeed, expatiate upon this vast subject ; only I shall suggest a few things concerning it.

\sty The first is, that this is to begin immediately after the total and final destruction of Rome Pa}»al, in or about the year 2tXH) ; and that, therefore, Christ himse-lf will have tiie honour of destroying that formidable enemy, l)y a new and remarkable apj)eiirance of Himself, as I said above. But, 2(/, We must not imagine tl»at tliis apiK-arance of Christ will ])e a ]x,*rsonal one, no more than His ap|)earance in tlie destruction of the Jews by Vespjtsjan and Titus was such ; for the heavens must retain Him until the great and la.st day of the consummation or restitution of all things (Acts iii. 21). 3(/, V»'t we must liavo a ran? of conf»»unding this millenary jx'aceful state of the Church with the day of judgment, seeing nothing is more

D

50 A Discourse Concerning

plainly distinguished than these are in the 20th chapter of the llevelation, where it is told us, that after the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be again let loose, and men shall apostatise almost universally from Christ, and make war against the saints ; and that after the destruction of those enemies the day of judgment shall commence. And, therefore, 4f/i, We are not to imagine that the millenary reign of the saints shall be free from all mixture of hypocrisy and wicked men, or from sin and trouble, seeing the sudden and general apostasy that follows that period is a demonstration that all were not Israel that feigned themselves to be of it, and wanted, therefore, only an opportunity to shake off the Church's yoke. Nay, the expiration of that period shows that long peace and prosperity must have corrupted the Church itself ; else it cannot be conceived to be consistent wdth the equity and good- ness of God, to suffer her enemies to go so near to the total extirpation of his own professing people.

These things I have hinted thus, because I have no time or room to insist upon them as the subject does require. But I do the more readily pass them now, because a late learned author* has materially considered them, at least the three last of them ; wherein he has very much confirmed my Apoca- lyptical thoughts, which several years ago I had entertained upon this head.

And the same author f has prevented my inquiry concerning the call of the Jews, and their national conversion to Chris- tianity ; for, as I took notice before, I could never fall in with the strained interpretation of Rev. xvi. 12, as if by "The kings of the East" the Jews were to be understood, and that, consequently, their full conversion was to be under the sixth vial. Therefore, after various thoughts upon this head, being satisfied that the Jews were to be converted, and that this great event could not be wholly left out in the Revelation, I did at last conclude that this must not be (whatever particular conversions of some part of them might happen) until the final destruction of the Popish party ; whose idolatry, villanies, lies and legends, and bloody temper, is the chief thing that prejudices them against Christianity. So that I did at length conclude that the resurrection or revival of the ancient Jewish Church is understood by the resurrection of the martyrs (Rev. XX. 4) ; who, being thus added to the true Reformed Christian

* Dr Wliitby's Treatise of the Millennium, julded to liis Paraphrase and Comment on tlie F^piHtles.

t Trentise on the Millennium, and on the 11th of the Bomans, and in tho Appendix to the same.

the Rise and Fall of Papacy. 51

Clmrch, and making,' up one body toc^ethor with those Gentile believers, in the fulness or ripened state of the Gentile Church, shall be to them as life from the dead (Rom. xi. 15-25).

One notion only I crave leave to add to those of the above - cited author on these heatls, viz., that I look upon the mil- lenary stiite to be the most eminent and illustrious time of the Christocracy (I hope none will reject the word, though it be new, seeing it is so expressive of the thing), wherein Christ will revive, but in a more spiritual and excellent way, the ancient theocracy of the Jews. For as under Moses, the judges, and kings of Judah, God acted as King of the Jews (or Christ rather, in a more peculiar and immediate sense, as I may perhaps have an occasion afterwards to prove to the world), 80 I do expect, that after God has delivered His Christian Church from spiritual Eg^'pt, and destroyed His enemies in the Red Sea of their own blood, He will once more exert His power and authority, and our blessed Redeemer will reign as the king of His people, not indeed in such a pompous ■way as among the Jews of old (for John saw no temple in the New Jerusalem — Rev. xxi. 22), but in a way adapted to the New Testament dispensation, and more immediately prepara- tive unto, and typiad of, the state of glory in heaven, after the day of judgment is over.

And now that I am upon this great prophetical event, I can- not forbear to give you a new conjecture upon the last numbers of Daniel. For his seventy weeks of years (Dan. ix, 24) are alrearly remarkably elapsed in the incarnation and death of our Redeemer ; and the number of two thousand days (Dan. viii.) are plainly to be interpreted of the time of Antiochus Epi- phanes his profanation of the sanctuary ; for as it is restricted to that short ])eriod, as is plain to any that will attentivelv con- sider the words themselves (Dan, viii. 9-14, especially it com- pared with verses 21-2G), so the Spirit of (Jod, by designing this jK'riod by the title of rjyliTj.afjov, or a jxiriod of evenings- mornings (that is, natural days), does plainly assure us that wo are not to interpret these days prophetiailly for years, as we are allowed to do the seventy weeks, and other numbers. To return, therefore, to the bust numbers of Daniel : There are two distinct jxaiods of time, as I take them to be (though all other interpreters go another way) to be found in his 12th chapter. The first is ot a time, times, and a half, or three years and a lialf (Dan. xii. 7) ; that is, twelve hundred and ninety pro-

Idietical days or years, as Daniel himscdf lui-s it explainea to lim, verse 11. This, therefore, is the same period ol time that John borrows from Daniel, and accommotlates to the duration

52 A Discourse Concerning

of Rome Papal, excepting that there is the difference of thirty days or years ; only that era of this period in Daniel is vastly different from that of John ; for as to the latter, we have seen it already, but as to the former, Daniel fixes it at the scattering of the holy people, or the Jewish nation (Dan. xii. 7), and at the taking away of the daily sacrifice, and the setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate (Dan. xii. 11). Now our Saviour, who was certainly the best expositor of His own word, explains this abomination that maketh desolate, and which was to pollute and ruin the sanctuary, to be nothing else but the idolatrous and desolating Roman army ; as we see by compar- ing Matt. xxiv. 15, with Luke xxi. 20, 21. The epoch, there- fore, of the time, times, and a-half in Daniel, or his twelve hundred and ninety years, must be the year 70 from the birth of our Saviour, when Jerusalem was taken, if we should con- sider the beginning of the setting iip the abomination that maketh desolate. But seeing the era of this number is not the beginning of the conquest of the Jews, but the complete scattering of that nation, or the accomplishing the scattering of the power of the holy people, as the words are CDan. xii. 7), and the full setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate (verse 11), which was not done till Hadrian's time, who fully conquered the jQ.\y?, and built a city near the ruins of Jerusalem, which he called uElia ; building, at the same time, a temple to Jupiter, on the ground where the temple had stood, and engraving over the gate of this new city the figure of a swine, in derision of the Jews — now this work was finished in or about the year 135 ; from whence the period of twelve hundred and ninety years leads ns down to a.d. 1425 ; which, in pro- phetical reckoning, is the year 1407, about which time the Papal power was at its utmost elevation ; for after this time the Hussites, Albigenses, Wicklifites, Waldenses, Picards, etc., began to fall before the Romanists, until they were in a manner totally extirpated before another century had well-nigh run out. Now this dismal period expires about this time ; and then there follows the second period of thirteen hundred and thirty-five days or years (Dan. xii. 12), which being calculated from the year 1407, terminates a.d. 2742 ; that is, 2722 of prophetical reckoning ; which, therefore, includes the begun downfall of the Papacy under the seven vials, and the final accomplishment thereof afterwards, together with the greatest part of the millennium, and consequently the great conversion of the Jewish nation during that period. And perhaps the begun apostasy of Jewish and Gentile Christians (which is to issue in an universal war against the saints, upon the ex-

the Rise and Fall of Pajnicf/. 53

pimtion of the millennium) may begin about that year, 2722.

And now, that I have come again upon prophetical numbers, I shall venture to digress a little more still, in giving you some further illustration of these two great jxriods, from the 14th chapter of the Revelation ; of which take these few hints at this time : In the first place, then, ye have a description of Christ's followers adhering to Him during the reign and rage of Antichrist, from Rev. xiv. 1-5 inclusive ; which must, therefore, rt-ach down from the year 6(>6, or 7o8 rather, to the year 1517 ; after which we have the begun revival of the Church of Christ represented, in the second place, by the testi- monies of the three angels succeeding one another. The first angel has a commission to preach the Gospel purely to all nations (Rev. xiv. 6, 7), which must, therefore, begin with the preaching of Zuinglius and Luther, and does include, I humbly suppose, the periods of the four first vials. The second angel follows (Rev. xiv. 8), and ]>roclaims the fall of Babylon, or the Papacy ; and must, therefore, be synchronical with the fifth vial being poured out upon the seat of the Bea-st. The thinl angel gives men warning that they should not join with the Be;\st, and denounceth severe judgments against them that shall be found to do so (Rev. xiv. 10, etc.) ; which, therefore, relates to the last jxirt of the time of the sixth vial, when the unclean sjiirits go forth to insinuate into the nations, in order to engage them to make war against the saints (Rev. xvi. i:j-16). Now, after all these things, we have, in the third place, a typical or emblematical account of the deliverance of the Church, and of the destruction of the blooily persecuting Antichristiun party. Therefore we have, Isty The emblem of an harvest, which seems immediately to relate to Christ's gathering His Church into a happy state (Rev. xiv. 14-16) ; and then, 2d, We have the representation of the final destruc- tion of the Popish party, under the emblem of a vintage, wherein the bloo<ly clusters of the several Popish fraternities and communities are to be bruised and squeezed to death in the wine-i)ress of Cod's wrath (verses 17-20) ; but I have spoken already to this great jK'riod of time above, which issues in the blessed millennium, and therefore I shall say no more to it at this time.

Only there is one thing that falls in my way here which ou^^ht not to be ^m-Hsed ovi-r in silence ; an<l that is, to what ])eri(Hl we are to refer the ha]>py state of the New Jerusidem /Rev. xxi.), and of the blessed river and tree of life (Rev. xxii.) ; tor I find interpreters at a mighty loss this way, whether theao

54 A Discourse Concerning

relate to the millenium, or heaven itself after the day of judg- ment is past ; and, indeed, there are so:Qe things that seem inconsistent with either of these states. For what is said of the nations flocking into this new state, and walking in the light of it, and of the kings of the earth, that they shall bring in their glory and honour to the Church (Rev. xxi. 24-28), seems not to agree with the notion the Scripture gives us of the state of the glorified in the higher heaven after the resur- rection, but does exactly suit with the peaceful reign of the saints, when Jerusalem, or the Church, shall be exalted above the nations, who shall all run into her ; and yet, upon the other hand, there are things also that seem to be too great even for the blessed millennium, as we have given the notion of it above. Such is the account of the perfection of this state, that it will be exempted from all death, sorrow, crying, and pain (Rev. xxi. 4) ; and yet, as the former expressions may be adapted to the state of the Church triumphant in heaven, in a spiritual sense, so these last expressions may be made to suit also with the state of the Church on earth during the mil- lennium, in a comparative sense ; tliat is, if considered with respect to the preceding afflicted condition of Chris- tians.

Therefore, seeing this last glorious scene of affairs may be interpreted in relation either to the one or other of these periods, I conclude that we ought to interpret it of both, viz., of the millennium in a first sense, and of the future glory of the Church in heaven in a second and complete sense ; for, as I observed above, that the sacred prophecies, particularly that in the 24th chapter of Matthew, and 2d chapter of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, are to be interpreted both in a first and second, or ultimate sense ; so I do believe we must of necessity understand the account of the new heavens and new earth, and of the heavenly Jerusalem in this book ; and if this be once supposed, then it will be easy to adjust the seemingly diff'erent figures used by the Holy Spirit in this place, seeing the whole is so contrived that it may correspond both with the millenary state and the future state of glory, viz., to the first as an emblem and type of the latter. So that, as the destruction of the Jewish nation and Church is given in such words (Matt, xxiv.) as to become this way an emblem of the final destruction of the world, so likewise is the millennium so painted and described (Rev. xxi.) as to be desi^'nedly given as a type of the state of the Church triumphant in heaven, after the day of judgment is over.

A fourth ol)ser\'ation from what I said before is this : That

the Rise and Fall of Papacjj. 55

our Reformers did not rashly, but upon just pounds, desert the Church of Rome, as Antichristian and apostatical.

For, not to insist upon prophetical indications of the Roman Church being indeed the great Antichrist, there are /our things that lay a just foundation for all honest men's leaving that interest, viz., ls<, Gross errors, such as purgatory, human merits, and works of supererogation, indulgences, transubstan tiation, etc. ; 2(/, Horrid idolatry in worshipping angels, saintvS, and canonized persons, together with images, statues, crucifixes, and a consecrated wafer ; 3f/, The pretended infal- libility of the Roman See, in imposing upon men's consciences what they please, and debarring us from reading the Scrip- tures ourselves, or making use of our own reason in matters of religion ; and, 4^/t, The dreadful tyranny of tliat party, seen and felt both in their inhuman cruelties, persecutions, massacres, and diabolical barbarities used against all those that differ from them. For the proof of all wliich things let Chamierus be consulted, together ^ntli Hcydecjerus de Bahylone Magna Turretinus de Necessarid Secessiune ah Ecdcsid liomand; and, besides innumerable others, Stillingfleet's late pieces against the Romanists ; lor my time allows me not now to enlar''e upon any of these heads.

Only, that I may not leave you without some specimen of Popery, I shall copy out in English the twelve articles of the Romish faith, additional to the twelve Christian ones, which are contained in the Apostles' Creed, as to the sum and sub- stance of them. Tliese twelve additional articles are contained in the famous bull of Pope Pius IV., dated at Rome in the year 1564, in the ides of November, and the fifth year of his pontificate, which is to be found at the end of the printed canons and decrees of the Council of Trent ; where, after an enumeration of the primitive articles, beginning with ** Credo in unum JJeum" etc. — " I believe in one God," etc. — he pro- ceeds to charge all men that would be saved to own and swear unto the following articles — also anathematising all that do not so. These being thus : " Apostolicas et eccUiianticas tradi- tioncs,'" etc., whicli take in English thus :

1. I do also (that is, together with the articles of the Apostles' Creed) most firmly admit and embrace the apostolical and ecclesiasticiil traditions, and all other observations and consti- tutions of the siime (that is, the Romish) Church.

2. I do admit the Sacred Scriptures in the same sense that holy mother Church doth, whose business it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of them, which I will receive and interpret according to the unanimous consent of the fathers.

56 A Discourse Concerning

3. I do profess and believe that there are seven sacraments of the new law, truly and properly so called, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, and necessary to the salvation of man- kind, though not all of them to every person — these are bap- tism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and marriage ; which do all of them confer grace : and I do believe that of these, baptism, confirmation, and orders, may not be repeated without sacrilege. I do also receive and admit the received and approved rites of the Catholic (that is, Eoman) Church in her solemn administration of the above said sacra- ments.

4. I do receive all and everything that hath been defined and declared by the holy Council of Trent concerning original sin and justification.

5. I do profess that in the mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead ; and that in the most holy sacrament of the eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that there is a conversion made of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood ; which conversion the Catholic Church calls transubstantiation.

6. I confess that imder one kind only, whole and entire Christ, and a true sacrament, is taken and received.

7. I do firmly believe that there is a purgatory, and that the souls kept prisoners there do receive help by the suffrages of the faithful.

8. I do likewise believe that the saints reigning with Christ are to be worshipped and prayed unto, and that they do offer prayers unto God for us, and that their relics are to be had in veneration.

9. I do most firmly assert that the images of Christ, of the blessed Virgin, the mother of God, and of other saints, ought to be had and retained, and that due honour and veneration ought to be given to them.

10. I do affirm that the power of indulgences was left by Christ in the Church, and that the use of tliem is very bene- ficial to the Christian peoj^ie.

11. I do acknowledge the holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church to be the mother and mistress of all Churches ; and I do promise and swear true obedience to the Bishop of Rome, the successor of St Peter, the prince of the apostles, and vicar of Jesus Christ.

12. I do undoubtedly receive and profess all other things

tlic Rise and Fall of Papacy. 57

which have been delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred canons and ecumenical councils, and especially by the holy Synod of Trent ; and all things contrary thereunto, and all heresies condemned, rejected, and anathematised by the Churcli, I do likewise condemn, reject, and anathematise.

Lo, here, my friends, yon have a fair prospect of Poperi', without any misrepresentation, or so mucn as comment ; for these are the words of the creed itself, which all Papists are obliged to believe and profess, in ortler to salvation ; and which all those who enter into religious oixlers do solemnly swear unto. And therefore it is plain that these things are not looked upon by the Church of Rome as disputable opinions, but as necessary articles of faith ; and therefore let the author of the case of the Kegale and Pontificat see how he can make good the last concluding words of his book, which are these : " Concors Romanm et Refonnata^ Eccksice Jides," etc. — that is, " The fi\itli of the Roman and Refonned Church doth agree, or is the sjime," etc. ; for if these things be so slight and trivial to him that he can (as the Popish Galilean Church doth) swallow and digest all, excepting the eleventh article, he must pardon others, if they continue in the faith of the Reformed Church, as that which is opiKJsite to the Roman Creed in so many momentous particulars.

Nay, let me add one thing further here, as a necessary consectary or inference from what I have said in relation to this consideration we are still upon ; that as our Refonners did justly sepjirate from the Romish Church, so we have just ground also to continue separated from that Antichristiau party.

L.et others, under pretence of a dread of what they call schism, run back into Antichristiau errors and heresies ; let them, if they are so disjxjsed, forsiike pure Christianity, that they may promote the priests' power, and adoni their altars with gold and jewels ; and let them, in order to enslave men's consciences and bodies both, sound a retreat to Babylon again : we, I ho|x», know our duty better than to run the risk of damning our souls, by becoming renegades to that blootly and wicked l>arty, against whose abominatitins so many thousiinds of our ancestors witnessed, uiuUr racks and tonuents, at the stake in Smithtield, and elsewhere. They believed that what they did and suffered wa.s in obedience to the Civll of God, saying, Come out fnjm the apostate Romish Church, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye re- ceive not of her plagues ; for lu-r sins have reached luito heaven, and God hath remembered her ini«iuitie8 (Rev. xviii.

58 A Dlscoif^rse Concerniwj

4, 5). And God forbid that any temptation should bring any of us back again to that sink of all impurities and errors, after we have enjoyed the sunshine of the Gospel in its purity and power so long ! Therefore, seeing we know what interest we are to keep to, let us be faithful to it, by doing all we can for its security, establishment, and honour. And if God call us to suffer for it, let us act as the former heroes of the Reforma- tion have done before us, that Christ may be glorified, and the Church edified by us, whether it be by doing or suffering, by life or by death.

The fifth and last observation tliat I shall propose to your thoughts, as the conclusion of all I have said, is this : That though we are not to live to see the great and final destruction of the Papacy, the blessed millennium, or Christ's last coming to judge the world, yet seeing death is the equivalent of all these to us, if" we be so happy as to get into paradise, we ought therefore, accordingly, to spend and improve our time, that we may partake of the future glory when we go hence.

I say, death is the equivalent of all these things to us, if we be so happy as to get into paradise ; for then we shall get the conquest over all Antichristian enemies, and be with Christ in a better state than any earthly millennium can be supposed to be, waiting until He come to judge the world, and till we appear also with Him in glory, having re-assumed our then glorious bodies.

Improve your time, therefore, and all the opportunities and advantages of it, with your utmost diligence and seriousness, as remembering that ye are dying and accountable creatures, and that your time is given you for this very end, that ye may prepare for a better world.

And now that we see the begiiming, not only of a new year, but of a new age, I must give a further vent to my zeal and concern for your souls' good upon this great and practical head, viz., the improvement of time, with respect to the upjDcr world : that when I am gone I may, by what I have said, and am about to say, continue to speak still to those that shall survive me, and even (if this Discourse last so long) to succeed- ing generations also. And I suppose you will the more readily bear with me in this, when ye remember with what unanimity and importunity ye desired me to print a sermon on this head, which I preached on New Years' day 1G99, from Ps. xc. 12. For seeing I was prevented in yielding to your desire then, I shall lay hold on this opportunity to make amends, in some measure at least, f(;r that seeming neglect, by presenting you with some useful hints on this subject.

the Rise and Fall of Paimcy. 59

And here, as I begin to speak upon this head, the btoiy of Xerxes comes to my remenii)rance ; who, when he saw his va'^t army of a tliousaud thousand men march by (with whom he expected to have swallowed up the poor Grecians), is reported to have wept upon this thought, that before a hundred years should run out, none of all that multitude would be alive ; little imagining, that before the end of that very year he wan to see the destruction of almost all of them, and draw his last breath himself also. For methinks it is a serious and weighty thing to think that before the end of this century, all those that now make a fiinire in the world ^^^ll have finished their course, and be gathered into heaven or hell, new actors couiing up on the stage in their stead. And yet while I lengthen out my meditation to the end of a century, I find just reason to contract my thoughts, and suppose I see both you and all others that crowd our streets and ])laces of worship, or fill remoter islands and continents, gradually dropping into an eternity, some this year, some the next, and so on.

But to jtroceed to the consideration of the subject in hand : I suppose I need not tell you what we are to understand by the improvement of time, seeing this is too plain to need any explication in a general sense. And neither can it be dark to Christians in a spiritual sense ; for it can denote nothing else but such a rational and relignous regulation of our time, and disposal of our talents and opportunities, especially as we live under the advantages and means of the Gospel, that we may ever be occupied in doing and getting good, so as to find favour in the sight of God, and attain afterwards to the happy enjoy- ment of Him. For seeing, a.s the apostle Siiys, now is our accej)ted time and day of salvation {;! Cor. vi. 1, 2), we ought to take heed to ourselves, that we receive not the grace of God in vain. We ought to reckon, therefore, that this space of our life is given us, that we may be taken up in promoting the honour of God, and our own and other men's good, ju* being, in all these resi)ects, in a state of trial. Let us therefore improve our time, by labouring to gain our own assent and consent fully to the terms of the Gos])el, by studying the Wonl of God njore and more, by a close and impartial trial of our- selves, by fii'cnu'iit and fervent j)niyer, an<l by an universiil and constant obedience to all God's laws and institutions. And let us argue ourselves into tliis as our tluty, by considering how dearly our Lonl Jesus has purchased our day of grace and opportunity of salvation ; how many have been damned and lost for ever, by their not improving this talent of time ; how dreadful the condemnation of buch will l)e, who choose dark-

60 A Discourse Concerning

ness rather than light ; how unreasonable it is to be so careful of the body and so regardless of the soul ; how strange it is, that we should not do that for our eternal advantage which worldlings do for a little temporal gain ; and lastly, how uncertain we are of the continuance of our time and season of grace.

And seeing, in order to improve time aright, we ought to lay hold of all the special seasons and peculiar opportunities winch God puts into our hands for this end, these will deserve to be particularly considered by us. But since it is the work of prudence, that every man know and observe his own cir- cumstances and providential occurrences, in order to a right improvement of them accordingly, all that I can do here is to hint at some generals this way. Therefore, First, Let me advise you to make a right improvement of the circumstances of your outward lot in the world. Are ye in a state of pro- sperity ? then be thankful to your gracious benefactor. Are ye honoured ? improve this, that God may be honoured througli you. Are ye in any place of power and authority ? lay your- selves out to advance the kingdom of God among men. Are ye rich ? remember what Solomon says, that wisdom is good with an inheritance (Eccles. vii. 11) ; and therefore serve God with what He gives you. But if ye be in adversity, despond not, but remember, that as prosperity gives men greater ad- vantages for doing good, adversity affords more seasons usually for getting good. For in the day of adversity we are more ready to think and consider, than in the time of prosperity, as Solomon says ; for then is the time and season to consider the vanity and uncertainty of the world, to know ourselves better and God more, and to prepare more readily and thoroughly for another world (Eccles. vii. 14). Second, Im- prove your circumstances in relation to company or retire- ment. If ye be hurried with company, labour to gain that by them which may in some measure make up your loss of time. If ye can get no good from them, then study, if pos- sible, to do them good, by insinuating what may tend to their advantage ; and then ye can have no reason to reckon your time lost. But if ye enjoy the company of good and wise men, it is not to be believed what profit and advantage may be got by mutual discourses to edification, where men are communicative, and can hear with different apprehensions about things, witliout running into heats and quarrellings. But if we are slmt out from company, we may justly look upon solitude and retirement as a happy opportunity of ad- vantage and profit, if we do but know how to improve the same,

tlie Lise and Fall of Papacy. 61

by filling up such seasons with study, meditation, and prayer. TInrd, Improve the means and opportunities of grace and salvation ; for the end of all that Christ has suffered and done for us is to redeem us from all iiii(|uity, and to purify us to Himself a jieople zealous of good works (Tit. ii. 14). There- fore let us so liL-ar the Word preached, and so join with the prayers of the Church, and so partake of the ordinances of Christ, particularly that of the Lord's supper, that we may be built up a spiritual houee, as lively stones concurring to the raising up of such an edifice ; and that we may become also a lioly priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable by Jesus Christ to God (1 Pet. ii. 5). And, Fourth, If at any time, or up<m any occiision, ye find the Spirit of God to move your thoughts and aflections more sensibly than usual, as the angel UKJved the waters of the pool of old — oh ! my friends, neglect not such a fair gale and favourable opportunity, but improve this happy season, and strike the iron when hot and malleable ; for how dreadful must it be to quench the Holy Spirit, and stifle the convictions, motions, and influences thereof, especially such as are sensible and peculiar !

But seeing to begin aright is one great mean to carry on anything successfully, we ought to set about the improving of our time as early as we can, without any delay or procrastina- tion in a matter of tliis weight and moment. For it is only our present time that we can reckon ours. For as our yester- days are irrecoverable, so our to-morrows are but mav-bes and imcertainties. Therefore we are always called to hear God's voice to-day, if we will do it at all. And therefore let us not delay, but make haste, to keep God's righteous and holv com- mandments (Ileb. iv. 7, iii. 7, 13, 15 ; 2 Cor. vi. 2 ; LuKe xix. 42 ; Isa. Iv. (J ; Job xxii. 21 ; Matt. v. 25 ; Ps. cxix. GO).

Now, if we would improve our time and life to advantage this way, let us be sure not to negk'ct the morning of time. And here, then, let me put you in mind of four mornings of time. The First is, the morning of your life ; that is, the time of your youth, health, and strength. Such of you as have lost this season in whole or in ])art, pray double your diligence in the improvement of wliat remains of your time. But such of you as are young, be advised to remeiidxr your Creator in the days of your youth, and act so as ye may afterwards look back upon your past days with satisfaction and pleasure (Eccles. xii. 1). ^Vco/^f/, The morning of every day is a time to bo jKiCuliarly imi)rovetl for God and your own gooil ; for the doing so has a mightv influence ui)on us as to the right fi^'ud- iiig of the rest of tiie day. It is a season that is not only

G2 A Discourse Concerning

arnica tmesis (a friend to study), as the old saj'ing is, but that is favourable also orationi et devotioni (to prayer and devotion) ; for while our minds are fresh and undisturbed with the hurries of company and business, it is certainly the fittest time for duty as well as study. And therefore, the saints of old were careful not to neglect this season (Ps. v. 3, xcii. 2 ; Job i. 5 ; Mark i. 35 ; Acts v. 21). Third, Improve the morning of every week carefully, viz., the Lord's-day. For as we discharge our duty then, we may expect God's blessing through the week more or less ; but if we refuse to give God what is His due on His own day, we must not think it strange if God withdraw from us on those days that He has allowed us to serve ourselves upon. And hence it is no wonder if we find that true which many have confessed with sorrow at the hour of death, that the profanation of the Lord's day has been the inlet to all their after sins and miseries both. And, Fourth, Perhaps it may not be unprofitable for us to set apart the morning of every year to review what we have done, and what has happened to us the year past, and to beg God's blessing through the year follomng. It has been the practice of some holy persons to do this — some reckoning the year, as it is usual with us in our computations, from the 1st day of January ; and others reckon- ing it from the day of their birth, or baptism, or conversion ; in all of which every one may take which way pleaseth him best. And now, that we enter upon the morning or beginning of a new century, let me beseech you to begin this work now, if ye have neglected it during the years of the last age which ye have run through, whether these have been more or fewer.

Having thus given you an account of time, and the oppor- tunities and seasons of it to be improved, I shall proceed to recommend this duty from three considerations, and then to direct you how to do it, by proposing three rules to be observed this way.

In the first place, therefore, let me earnestly recommend this duty. to you from three weighty considerations.

The 1st consideration is this, That it is the duty and wisdom of every one of us to be duly and deeply impressed with the sense of the worth and value of time.

I might take occasion here to show you, from innumerable examples, that the best and wisest men in all ages, both Chris- tians and heathens, have been under the deepest and most constant impressions of the value of time. But as this would be too long for this x>lace, so it is needless to insist upon it, seeing I believe ye can as little form an idea of a wise or good man that does not value or improve time as I can.

the Llse and Fall of Fu'pacy. 63

Therefore I suppose there is no need to prove to you the worth and preciousness of time — to you, I say, who know tlie uncertainty of it, and yet how much depends upon the improve- ment and loss of it. But if any of you neecl any awakenin«:j this way, consider how valuable time will appear to a convinced sinner when he lies upon a death-bed, who sees himself drop- jting into another world, and yet apprehends that his peace is not made with God. Oh I cries the poor wretch, tliat I had spent less of my time on the world and my lusts, and more of it in minding the good of my ovrti soul ! Oh ! that I liad those hours and days back again that I spent in taverns and bad company I Oh ! for a year, or a month, or a week at least, of health and strength, to make my peace with God ! And pray, my friends, were ye never sick, and under some such thoughts then ? Were ye not sensible then of mis^^pent time : or did you never pro- mise amendment and refonnation if God should recover you ? "Where is now the performance of your vows ? Oh ! if there be any that forget God, and neglect to do as they have promised and resolved, let them consider their duty and interest in time, lest God tear them in pieces when there is none to deliver them. Alas ! my friends, what would those poor wretches give for one day, nay, for one hour, who are now in tlie infernal prison ? What would they give for one ofl'er of a Saviour, who are now lamenting the slighting of the Gospel and their misspending their time and opportunities of salvation ] Therefore do ye learn to value time more, and improve it better, before it be too late to retrieve lost opportunities. And this leads me to another consideration ; therefore.

The second consideration is, That it is our wisdom, not only to be impressed with a sense of tlie worth and value of time, but to be duly and deejjly alfected and inlluenced this way, so as to set about the improvement of it, as our greatest and most concerning duty and interest.

For it is not sjK'culation, but practice, that we are to mind here ; and therefore if our apprehen.sidus of the worth of time do not inlluence us to im|)rove it, they will only tend to our greater condemnation. Therefore, that what I have said may so atfect you as to incite yuu to do your duty this way, I shall not grudge a little jains in writing further on this head, in hoiHi that ye will nut be wearv in reading what is written. Take it not amiss, therefore, if I address you with some serious- ness and warmth of alFection, and, through you, all others that may cast their eyes upon these sheeti*.

My dear friends, some of you have lived twenty, some thirty, some forty, some fifty, some sixty or more years in the world.

64 A Discourse Concerning

Now, I beseech you to consider what you have been doing all this time. Have your performances borne any proportion to the mercies ye have received from God ? Have ye been faith- ful to improve your talents for your God and Saviour ? Have your convictions brought forth a saving conversion ? Have your resolutions and promises been all performed? Has it been a matter of conscience to you to serve God with the best of your time, the greatest vigour of your thoughts, the utmost energy of love and delight, and, in a word, with all your heart and strength ?

If ye have been deficient this way, then pray consider, not only how impossible it is to bring back any part of the time that is past, but how little, or at least how uncertain, the time is that remains to be lived over. And if any be secure this way because they are young, or strong, or healthful, let them remember how often the old carry the young to the grave, and the weak and sickly see robust and vigorous persons drop off before them. And what is our life at longest ? Does not the Scripture labour, as it were, under a want of metaphors to describe its vanity, when it compares it to a handbreadth, a span, a vapour, the grass that is soon mowed down, the flower that quickly fades, the shadow that declines, and the tale that is told ? How poor a thing, then, is it to be able no otherwise to number our days and years than by our being born at such a time, and having lived to such another time ! There is, therefore, no more unreasonable desire in the world than to live long wliere there is no concern to live well ; for this is only to wish to have more time to mis-spend — to sin longer than others, and to be more miserable in the other world. Besides that, it is impossible, as the course of things is now, to live long in a proper sense ; for as the following distich expresses it :

That is—

" Vivere quisque diu quserit, bene viveve nemo : At bene quisque potest, vivere nemo diu."

To live long all desire, to live well none ; Yet all may live well, but none can live long.'*

For is it not for this very end that time is given us, that it may be improved and lived well, in order to our being fitted and prepared for tlie happy state of a glorious immortality ? Surely God did never make so glorious a creature as man, endued with an immortal soul, merely to live the life of a beast — to eat, and drink, and sleep, or to enjoy his sensilive lusts and pleasures.

the Rise arid Fall of Papacy. 65

Think, then, my friends, that according as je improve or misimprove time, ye are to be happy or miserable for an fctemity. For we are now in a state of trial, and upon our behaviour, in order to be rewarded or punished aften\'ards, as we shall be found to have acted when we come to be judged ; therefore we may rejoice now and take our pleasure as we ]»lease (Eccles. xi. 9). But we have reason to rejoice with tremlding (Ps. ii. 11), when we remember that we are to be called before God and judged for all we do now. For they that live in the Hesh, according to their lusts, must give an account to Him that is to be the judge of the ([uick and the dead (1 Peter iv. 2, 5) ; and then ever}' one of them will hear that dreadful word : " Take the unprofitable servant, and ca^it liim into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth " (Matt. xxv. 25, 26, 30).

Consider, therefore, that it is impossible to recall any mo- ment of time that is lost, in a proper and physical sense ; and that thus it is a foolish and ridiculous wish : " (J niihi 'prceteritos nferat si Jupiter annos ! " — '* O if God would give me back the years that are j>ast ! " But yet, in a moral sense, we may be said to bring back past time, when, by doubling our dili- gence, we do in some sort retrieve the misimprovement of former days. But then it must be remembered, tliat this must be done now or never ; for if our time come to an end here, there is no returning to a state of trial again, such a-s we now enjoy. " If a man die, shall he live again i " (Job xiv. 14). No, alas! Siiys Job; for "as the cloud is consumed and vanLsheth away, so he that goeth to the grave shall come up no more" (tljat is, to live on earth again, as the following words explain the meaning) — " He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more " (Job vii. 9, 10). Therefore, let us all say with him (and improve the thought) : " When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return " (Job xvi. 22).

Now, besides all tluse things, it may Ite of great use, to en- force this consideration, to take a vii \v of the complexion and genius of our agf, or the time wherein we live. For if the Apostle Paul, when he exhorts his conti-mporary Christians to redeem the time, gives this as the reason of his advice, " Because the days are evil " (Eph. v. 10), I am sure we have much more reason to call the days wherein we live by this name. For the sense of the apostle, when he calls the days wherein he lived evil days, is no doubt this chietiy, if not only, that they were alllictive and iK-rilous times ; for times of trouble are called evil times, or evil days, frequently in Scrij)-

66 A Discourse Concerning

ture (Gen. xlvii. 9 ; Ps. Ixxvii. 2 ; Amos v. 13, 18). But we may justly tcake this in a larger sense, in reference to our times : for an age or time may be denominated evil either with respect to the abounding of errors, profaneness, or calami- ties. And upon all these accounts these days of ours may be justly said to be evil. For as to errors, how many and how gross are these ! How many deny the Lord that bought them ! How many oppose His divinity and satisfaction both ! Yea, how many revile Him as an impostor, and ridicule all revealed religion ! Nay, how many dare blaspheme God, and deny His being, and even the first principles of natural religion ! And as to profaneness and inmiorality, where did we ever hear or read of more among Christians ? Nay, it may be a question if ever the heathens were worse than most Christians are now. And again, as for calamities and troubles, we see what other churches have suffered of late, and do suffer still ; and we see in how tottering a condition all the Protestant interest is. And though I believe it will prove a burdensome stone to the enemies of Christ, yet how far God may suffer them to prevail for a time none of us knows ; only I am afraid we are upon the brink of very great troubles : and that (as I have hinted already) as we have been, like Israel of old, peculiarly blessed with mercies and privileges, and are as peculiar and singular in sinning, so we are like to be punished in a peculiar and particular manner also. So that if there be (as sure there is) a rule to judge of the connection of mercies, sins, and judg- ments, we may see our case as well as that of Israel of old, in the prophetical threatenings of God to that people, when He says : " You only have I known of all the families of the earth ; therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities " (Amos iii. 2).

Seeing, therefore, this is the state and complexion of our time, let us take heed to ourselves that we be not involved in the sins of it, lest we come imder the judgments also that seem to hasten on this generation. Consider, for this end, the apostle's advice : " Beware," says he, " lest as the serpent be- guiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ " (2 Cor. xi. 3). Let us not, there- fore, hear the instruction that causeth us to err from the words of k