The Good Hope Through Grace, Objection 2
Objec. But may there not be on continuing Provocation, and Unpreparedneſs for Mercy, a further Infraction and Abruption, even at the Year 1700.
Anſw. By That Scituation of the Three Years and a Half between the 1260, and the Seventh Trumpet, and the ſo cloſely Conterminating on each; and Prophecy ſo expreſs and poſitive therein; That it ſhould be Subjected to any ſuch Ballance of Prophecy, is utterly Impoſſible; For though when there is an Equilibration of Prophecy, there Providence, does, as it ſees fit, although all way in it ſelf Determin'd; Yet where Prophecy is Peremptory and Abſolute, Providence alway Acts according to it; And ſo it is here, that there can be no Fear of an Infraction or an Abruption.
Having thus diſcours'd the delay according to the Scripture words, Gods Infraction and Abruption; For he is pleas'd ſo to Style it, foreign, My Breach; The True and Faithful God takes ſuch a Prerogative to ſpeak his Intentions of Grace at ſuch a Time, under the Reſervation of a Condition, That there ſhould be a Suitable Agreeable Frame in his People to his Promiſes; Or elſe a further Time Reſerved; But as I have made out, there is alſo a further Reſerved Time for Wiſe and Holy Reaſons in a way of Grace, in the Retirements of Prophetic Senſe; And ſo I cannot but hope, There is at this Time That Wiſe, Holy and Gracious Purpoſe of the Delay; That the very Juſt Seaſon of the Judgment on Babylon, ſhould be taken according to what hath been already laid down, and needs no Repetition, that ſhall alſo concur with thoſe of Diſpleaſure. Viz. The Popiſh Jubilee,
And ſeeing, according to what I have Humbly laid down; The Prophecys of Scripture have placed nothing beyond theſe Three Years and a Half, ending with the Year 1700; but the Finiſhing Wonders in Daniel, and the Seventh Trumpet of Finiſhing in the Revelation: As I have moſt Abaſed Senſe of my own Weakneſs, Darkneſs, and Unworthyneſs; and Profoundeſt Reverence of the Divine Wiſdom, Holineſs, Supreme Dominion; In which Regard none can ſtand before him, or as a Shepherd appoint him the Time; So I cannot but Truſt in his Mercy, and the M…ghtineſs of his Arm, He will bring it at that very Time to paſs; and I obſerve; That in Callenging of any Shepherd to ſtand before him, he eſpecially Directs to thoſe, who, when they hear of the Judgments of God on the Enemies of his People; Edom and Babylon; and So now on Babiloniſh Rome, think; They can bring up Jerem. 4… 50.thoſe, who ſhall Oppoſe the Councels of God, like a Lyon coming up from the Swellings of Jordan with all ſpeedy Rage and Power, and oblige him to chooſe another Time for the Execution of his Judgment; Theſe are Jer.they, who would ſtand as Shepherds before him, and appoint him a Time; Not they, who would wait upon him in the way of his Judgments, and would Diſcern the Signs of the Times thereof; For it is a Severe Reproof; The Stork in the Heavens knoweth her Appointed Time, and the Crane and the Swallow and the Turtle obſerve, But my People know not the Jerem. 7. ….Judgment of the Lord. Surely the Prophetic Scribe; eſpecially in Accounting the Numbers Time it ſets; He made it in vain, the Pen of that Scribe is in vain.
It is true, the Apoſtle does moſt Vehemently perſwade … Theſ. ….not to be moved with Letter, or Spirit or Word, as if the Day of Chriſt were at Hand; But then at that Time He gives the moſt certain Subſtantial Line of Time in General to it; Viz. The Courſe of the Son of Perdition, till he goes into Perdition; And then the Apoſtle John very particularly gives the Definite ſpace of Time, his Forty Two Moons of Years, that we may know how to Diſtribute betwixt the Too Great Suddenneſs, or the Too Long Delay of the Expectation, and yet throughout to maintain that Looking for and haſting on to the Day of God in all Holy Deſires, and Preparation by Suitable Converſation, while we daily Conſider; How he hath Declared the End from the Beginning, that we may ſee and behold it together, and be ſtruck with Admiration; This is that Glorious Challenge, God makes upon the Idols of the Heathen, in Juſtification of himſelf againſt, them, Declare, Shew to us the Things, that are to come, Do, Eſay. 41. 23. &c.Work Good or Evil, Judgments, or Deliverances; that we may know, you are Gods; To attend our God therefore herein, in ſearching out, and declaring what he hath firſt declar'd, is to give Glory to him; And this is the only End I have through his Grace propos'd in this Eſay. 41. 13. &c.Diſcourſe; In its Beginning, By ſetting out the certainty of Babylons Judgment, at the Times of its Greateſt Solemnity, of Pomp and Pride; and of the Strongeſt Combination of the Horns of the Beaſt, the Princes of Europe to ſtrengthen, and exalt it; and for the Perſecution of the Servants of God, who will not Receive his Mark, nor Worſhip his Image. Now that in this Time, its Plagues may come upon that City of Fornications, Drunk with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jeſus, as in one Day; I cannot but Humbly Beſeech, and Recommend it to all the Servants of God, who Love the Appearing and Kingdom of Chriſt, not to be Diſcourag'd with the Delay beyond 97; but to cry with the Spirit and the Bride: Come Lord Jeſus come Quickly: knowing the Time ſo undoubtedly Fixed, and ſo near Herein,
The Grace of our Lord Jeſus be with you all. Amen.
Books lately Printed and Sold by John Marſhall, at the Bible in Grace-Church-street.
A Funeral Sermon on the Death of the Reverend Divine Mr. Thomas Gouge. Who Deceaſed Jan. 18th 1…99. By John Neſsbit one of the Merchant Lecturers at Pinners-Hall, Breadſtreet.
2 The Government of the Thoughts Prefactory to the Government of the Tongue, by the Author of the Duty of Man.
An Ellegiack Eſſay on the Pious Memory of that Eminent and Learned Divine Mr. Mathew Mead, with his True Effiges newly Engrav'd to the Life, alſo moſt of his Works with moſt ſorts of Books to Learn Short-hand.
End of the text · Thomas Beverley, The Good Hope Through Grace (1700)