A Memorial of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Near Approaching, Text
A MEMORIAL OF THE KINGDOM OF OUR Lord Ieſus Chriſt NEAR APPROACHING; Declaring according to Prophecy, and Adviſing upon the State of Princes and Nations, and of theſe Nations in particular, what our Iſrael ought to do, in Order to it; Moſt Humbly, and yet with the Authority of Sacred Prophecy, Preſented to the KING, and to the QƲEEN, and to the High Court of Parliament, and to All the Judges of the Nation.
By T. Beverley, a moſt Humble Reader in the Propheſies of Jeſus Chriſt.
IN the firſt place, I look upon it as my duty, to Produce my Credentials before ſo Awful an Authority, to whom all Honour, Reverence, and Humbleſt Obeiſances according to the Ordinance of Christ, are from Me moſt due; Even as from Them unto the Author of Prophecy, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
The Credentials I Lay before this Auguſt Preſence is;Revel. 19.10. The Teſtimony of Jeſus concerning Things yet to Come to Paſs, however Receiv'd, is the Spirit of Prophecy.
The Angel, whoſe words theſe are, was the Primier Miniſter of Prophecy from Chriſt, to the Apocalyptical Apoſtle John; John would therefore have Worſhipp'd Him; He Refus'd it upon this Account, beſide other Great ones; The Teſtimony of Chriſt in Prophecy, Receiv'd by John, gave John an equal Character in the main with Himſelf, the Angel: Becauſe the Principal Character in Prophecy is the Teſtimony of Jeſus in any Point of Prophecy.
Even ſo, whoſoever are Guided by God into the True Senſe of Scripture Prophecy are therefore, and ſo far as They have indeed the Mind of Chriſt in his Teſtimony, Equal, even with the Apoſtle, and with the Angel in the Spirit of Prophecy; Seeing the Teſtimony, and not the Miniſtery of the Teſtimony, is the Spirit of Prophecy; that is, not only of the Supreme, but of the Alone Authority; and All the Miniſters in that Teſtimony are Brethren and Fellow Servants.
Now that God hath been pleas'd of his own Free Grace and Pleaſure, and becauſe ſo hath it Seemed Good in his Sight to vouchſafe to me, I Humbly, and Heartily Acknowledge to the Shame, and Confuſion of my Face (before ſo Awful Supreme Powers on Earth), the Chiefeſt of Sinners; He hath been pleas'd on the moſt Earneſt, and Conſtant Attendances upon the Propheſies of his Word for theſe Seven Years laſt paſt, by Meditation and Prayer, and by Compare of the Grander, and moſt Indubitable Revolutions of the World, to vouchſafe to me a Clear and Conſiſtent Table of Prophetical Scripture, in Analogy to all Scripture, and to which Thoſe Revolutions have Anſwer'd, even as Face Anſwers to Face in a Glaſs; So that Having ſuch a perfect Scheme in Agreement with Event, I muſt needs have the ſame Aſſurance that I Have of the Analogy of Faith, ſo Admirably Conſenting with all True Reaſon; Or that Anatomists have of the Compage of Humane Bodies, or Aſtronomers of the Heavens, Although I eaſily Acknowledge there is much more to be known, then I have Attain'd, or can Attain, although I preſs forward yet with all my Might.
I have therefore made ſeveral Appeals in publick to All the Learned in Scripture, in Chronology, in Hiſtory, to ſhew the Inconſiſtences of the Scheme in Any part, and have not yet Found Any, either ſo concern'd for ſome Injur'd Truth in any of Thoſe Diſcourſes, (beſides the Charity due from Chriſtians to Any one in Error) or for their own particular Sentiments, that would undertake to convince it of Abſurdity; Although in the late Reign, One particular Printed Writing, Grounded on that Scheme, Immediately directed againſt the Roman Communion, Entitled, The Call of God out of Babylon was of ſo Publick a notice, as that ſome Books were ſeiz'd from my own Hand by the then Officers of the Preſs, and as they ſaid, to be carried to the Councel; And although I have preſented ſome Parts of Them to the Biſhops: Particularly, One call'd The Reformation to be Reform'd. And I ſtill Place my ſelf at the ſame Judgment Seat.
My Second Credential is, That of the Prophet Jeremiah; When the Word of the Prophet is Come to paſs, Jerem. 28.9.Then ſhall it be known, that the Lord hath ſent Him. I therefore Appeal to Three Great Events, wherein Providence hath Set to its Seal, that I have Truly Judged according to Grounds of Prophecy.
1. That I have Freely, and as Publickly as I could, declar'd, that when All Things ſeem'd to be moving towards it, It would be wholly Impoſſible to Re-Inſlave theſe Nations, which were by the Reformation, ſuch an Eminent Appearance of Chriſt from Heaven, Reſcued from the Papal Tyranny; And I thought it my Duty to pray as publickly as I had opportunity, for the Converſion of that our then Prince, as being Aſſur'd, He muſt elſe by Death, or ſome mighty Hand (as it Fell out) be Removed from the Government within a ſhort Time; His Adminiſtration being Intollerable to Prophecy, in the meaſures which He was ſo Reſolv'd to take; And in the very Spring before his Removal, the Epiſtle to the Reader in that Foremention'd diſcourſe, the Call out of Babylon, I thus concluded; And as for All Ambidexters Two Handed Achilophelians or Judaſſes, who think to find it in their Account to be on both ſides; as They are now the private Scorn and Deſpiſal of the Age, ſo in Future Records, and not long hence, They will ſtand as Pillars of Salt; which how ſoon after, it came to paſs in ſome very Remarkable Perſons, we All know, and who in modeſty to ſome Dead, and ſome Living, are not to be nam'd.
2. The Second Event is, What the Nation hath made Publick Acknowledgment of in a Sollemn Thanksgiving. This Summers Expedition into Ireland of a Sovereign, Eſtabliſhed not only by Civil Sanction, but by Prophecy on the Throne of the Former Prince Remov'd.
Now as to this Expedition by a Memorial preſented juſt before it, and I Hope ſtill in many Honourable Hands of Thoſe, to whom I moſt Humbly preſent this, It was according to Prophecy predicted.
1. That the King's Perſonal Preſence with his Army in Ireland ſhould be for his Honour: And in Anſwer to this, It may very well be call'd into doubt, whether ever any Prince or General Acquired Greater Glory, according to the Laws of Warlike Glory upon his own Perſonal Fortitude: But Prophecy teaches us to Aſcribe that Glory wholly to God, as the Supreme Man of War, (as Moſes ſtyles Him) in that Action; and to Reſerve only the Reflexion, which is indeed Greateſt Honour, to the King, whom God Commanded not to Fear.
2. It was predicted, That God would make it Appear, He had Commanded Him, and would by no means Forſake Him, but would be with Him, as in his Coming into England, and would Return Him with Victory.
And thus it hath come to paſs, The King is Return'd with the Solemn Thanksgiving of the Nation to God, and univerſal Acclamations to Himſelf; And if any are otherwiſe minded, They are, as in a degree, Silent in Darkneſs; For God hath been pleaſed to paſs the King ſafe, as through a thick Wood of Deaths, to Cover His Head as by Miracle in the Day of Battle; So to Poize the Motion of that Meſſenger of Death, That it came ſo near, as it were to Tell Him, and All that Heard of it; It could Go ſo far, and no farther.
And as to the Succeſs of the Expedition, It is ſuch, as that the Principal City, and therewith the Supreme Civil Power was immediately, and ſo continues de Facto veſted in the King. And as a Seal of it; the Former Prince God Remov'd from that Nation, even as from this, to declare Him the Second Time, Intolerable to Prophecy; And as to the delay of a perfect Conqueſt over the Iriſh, though Ireland be in a daily Motion of Self Reſtitution under the Freeſt and Fulleſt Proteſtant Government ſince the Reformation, Yet It is to be conſidered as under another Poſition of Prophecy, then England, or Scotland, (the Natives having been ſo devoted always to the Papacy) until nearer the Great Revolution, the Kingdom of Chriſt in Succeſſion at 97. that it will be in a leſs entire Settlement.
3. It was Affirm'd according to Prophecy; That God would Secure the King's Intereſts in this Nation during his Abſence; And How even to Amazement was this done in the moſt Peaceable, and even moſt Serene Adminiſtration of the Supreme Government by the Queen! and in ſending that Enemy upon the Coaſts back again, even after ſome Succeſs, and Inſolencies of Appearance, without effect in the main! and notwithſtanding a deſign lay'd ſo ſure, that it was thought Impoſſible by the Deſigners, (as ſome expreſs'd Themſelves,) without Miracle, The Government ſhould not Revolve on King James. And in all this I have often declar'd, God working for His own Names ſake, that is, for the Kingdom of Chriſt's ſake, would paſs over the mighty Provocatians of the Nation, as is well known to us, He hath done, in all, He hath done for us.
3. A Third Great Event, which gives me Aſſurance; God hath vouchſafed me a True Judgment in Prophecy, is; That in the Beginning of the Summer in 87. When the Turkiſh Affairs gave ſuch a Proſpect of the Ruin of that Empire; and as I expreſs'd it, the Turkiſh Fall ſeem'd to be on the Wing, yet I did with all Freedom, and yet with due Modeſty in Honour to the Chriſtian Name, Declare, and Publiſh, as is yet to be ſeen; That That Ruin or Fall could not be, till the Tenth, or Ten King'd Supremacy of the Great City of Rome ſhould fall; that the Turkiſh Woe might paſs away ſo, as that the Antichriſtian Apoſtaſie, on which it was, and is a Judgment, might be firſt ſo Animadverted upon by God, that the Sinful demeritorious Cauſe, and the Judicial Effect might paſs off together.
Now how ſtrangely that Turkiſh State hath been Repriev'd from Ruin, notwithſtanding the ſo many Stupendious Imperial Victories, and its Inteſtine Confuſions; and how God hath given it the dreadful Face of a Woe again, is worthy the Conſideration of All that Bear the Name of Chriſtians, whether Roman or Reform'd. And till the Forty Two Months granted to the Beast ſhall be at an End, viz. 97. Its Conſtantinoplitan PORT ſhall not be DE-PORTED; Although this Juſt now Re-Appearance of that Mahometan Force as a Woe, and with Terror is very contrary to the declared Judgment of an Apocalyptic Interpreter of our own Nation, ſo Venerable, and ſo Learned, that I defer every Thing to Him, but only this; That in many very Great Points, He hath miſt the True Key of that Prophecy.
Now ſeeing in All Great Predictions (againſt which there are Confident Prejudices, that They ſhall not come to paſs) Thoſe prejudices are as ſhutting the Mouth of the Prophet, that He ſhall not be ſo much heeded, even in his General Diſcourſes, but ſtyl'd a Fanatical, or Brainſick perſon; As God told Ezekiel when he was to foretell the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, which the Jews thought impoſible, They ſhould lay Bands upon Him as on a Mad-Man:c. 3.25. c. 33.22. And this Generally continues, till the Great Event Fullfill'd, as it alſo Befell Ezekiel, till the City Taken, as in Symbol: So poſſibly I muſt wait for that Great Opening my Mouth with Authority, untill 97, or near it, if God ſhould pleaſe ſo Long to ſuſtain me.
But yet as Ezekiel Propheſied at God's Opening his Mouth, even all along as we find, till the City taken; And he that would, might Hear, and He that would Forbear, might, untill then, Forbear. So upon God's thus far Opening my Mouth, by Ratifying my Predictions with ſo very notable Events; I look upon it as my duty to preſent to the Supreme Authority, and Councel of the Nation theſe Aſſurances beyond what I have aſſured upon the ſame Grounds.
1. That the Aſpiring of any of the Ten Kings of this Formerly Weſtern-Roman-Empire, to an Ʋniverſal Monarchy, contrary to that variety of Supreme Kingdoms, God hath fixed in It, under the Emblem of Ten Toes in Nebuchadnezzar's Image, Dan. 2. c. 7. Rev. 13.1.and Ten Horns on the Head of the Fourth Beast, viz. The Roman Monarchy, in his Viſion of the Four Beaſts, (and which the Apoſtle John ſaw Crowned;) This Tenfold diviſion is ſo ſettled by God, that It cannot be changed, until, As They in Ten ſuch Supremacies have Given their Power, and their Kingdom to the Papal Beast as a Spiritual Ʋniverſal Monarch, that is, an Ʋniverſal Monarch in an Image, as the Prophecy expreſſes it; So in the ſame Ten Kingdoms, as ſome have already, They All ſhall Hate the Whore, or Roman Church, and ſo Recall their Power from the Beaſt.
As therefore the Houſe of Auſtria Aſpir'd, and Fell Low in Power, and Reputation in this Thirſt after an Ʋniverſal Monarchy; Even ſo ſhall France; And as the diſſipation of the Spaniſh Armada againſt England, was one very Remarkable Turn of the Scale, with Relation to the Houſe of Auſtria, even ſo ſhall the French Attempts againſt England be Remark'd.
2. The French Proteſtant Churches cannot be long without ſome Redreſs, becauſe the Time of the Antichriſtian Apoſtaſie is now ſo near its end: From whence, and not from the Three Years and half of the Witneſſes lying dead, I collect this Aſſurance; For I always look'd upon that as a miſtaken Interpretation, however eſpous'd by the Two ſo Learned and Reverend Perſons Monſieur Jurieu, and the Foremention'd Interpreter of our own Country.
Revel. 2.18. &c.But I look upon the Church of Thyatyra, as the Emblem of thoſe Churches of the Proteſtation, that lye in the Bowels of Princes who yet own Antichriſtian Rome; of which there is none ſo eminent, and conſpicuous, as the French Proteſtant Churches, either for the Greatneſs of their Body, or for their Former Vindications of Themſelves, or for their Great Sufferings, with whom the Vaudois are Allyed; Now it is ſaid, Their Last Works ſhall be Greater then their Firſt, and as their Sufferings, ſo ſhall Their Vindication be; and They ſhall ſee the Firſt Riſing of the Morning Star to the Day of the Kingdom of Chriſt in Succeſſion, from whence I conclude; Their Deliverance is very near, and They ſhall Break their Papal Oppreſſors, as with a Rod of Iron in their Last Works.
3. Seeing there is an Extraordinary Concurrence of Gracious Signatures of God upon our preſent Soveraign, There is Great Hope God will ſtir Him up to Appear at this Time in ſo Honourable a Service, as Scripture ſtyles it, as of Helping the Lord againſt Thoſe Mighties; And if God be pleas'd to ſtir Him up, He will undoubted…y Appear with Him; For I am Bold in our God to ſay, I ſhall not be miſtaken in our King, as to ſome Extraordinary Service God hath to do by Him, the Time being ſo near; although Mr. Mede of a moſt Honourable Memory for his Apocalyptic Key, was in that ever Noble Guſtavus Adolphus, the time being then ſo much further off; and that on theſe Great Reaſons.
1. That He is the Third Deſcendent of that Great Prince of Orange, by whom God was pleas'd in the Ʋnited Provinces to propagate the Proteſtancy, and to give that Curbe to the graſp of that Time after the Ʋniverſal Monarchy; And becauſe He Fell a Martyr in it, and Receiv'd no Recompence from the Bounty of God, Equal, after the General Eſtimate of Providence, to that Service, I doubt not God hath Reſerv'd it for his Poſterity, and for the Prince that He hath Rais'd at this Time to be ſo Serviceable to the Proteſtant Religion, and Inſpir'd with ſo much Zeal and Courage for it.
2. Our King, as Prince of Orange, but now under Greater ſtyles, is One of the Princes, and Nobles of France, that as the First Works of thoſe Churches were principally by Princes, and Nobles proceeding of Themſelves; In the ſame manner ſhall their Laſt Greater Works be done; In which Regard, our King Appears an Inſtrument fitted by God, as a Prince and Noble proceeding from Themſelves.
3. God made England a Help, and a Succour by Queen Elizabeth to thoſe Afflicted Churches, though ſtill the Greateſt Effects were from Themſelves; ſo It is to be both Hoped, and Prayed, that as their Refugees have by a Superior Providence working for them, Found even in the Former Reign, however of contrary Sentiments, Sanctuary here; So much more Vigorous, and Potent ſhall their Aſſiſtances be, under not only a Proteſtant Prince, but of ſo Eminent Love to, and Zeal for the Proteſtant Religion; As Already there are Great Evidences of the Love, Zeal, and Forwardneſs of the Supreme Councel of the Nation, and their Unanimity herein; and Greateſt Effects are Hop'd and Pray'd for from thence.
4. That very Oracle, The Last Works of the Church of Thyatyra ſhall be Greater then the First, is to me an Account, why the Confederate Armies have had ſo low effects of their Confederacy, Becauſe their Princes and Nobles, of whom our King is one, ſhall proceed of Themſelves.
5. Above All I perſevere, that within the Six next Summers, viz. in 97. The Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall be in its Succeſſion, the Antichriſtian, and Turkiſh Tyranny ſhall Fall, and a Great Re-Reformation Enſue. And now it Theſe Things ſhall ſeem of value to ſo Soveraign an Authority, and to be every way Revered moſt Honourable an Aſſembly; Let it pleaſe them to take Care, that Conſideration may be had, whether upon Juſt Grounds, what is, or hath been offer'd, can be Refus'd, viz. on due Debates according to Records of Scripture, Chronology, Hiſtory, Reaſon and Experience, without any other Reflexions, then what enter into the Merits of the Cauſe; For I Take to Witneſs the Searcher of Hearts; that as what I have now written, is not in Flattery or Diſſimulation; ſo what I have formerly preſented, with Relation to the Church of England, hath not been from any undervalue of the Perſonal Holineſs, and Learning of any of Eminency or Loweſt Name therein, for whom I have all poſſible Love and Honour; but on both ſides from moſt Aſſured Grounds in Prophecy; That God will in an Extraordinary manner be preſent with the King, if He calls Him to Greater Services for His own Approaching Kingdom, as It is moſt Earneſtly to be pray…d He may, His Honour and His Safety being therein Complicated; and that thoſe in Higheſt Stations in the Church of England may know; The State of it, and their preſent manner of State in it hath but few Years more of duration, and that the Great Senate of this Nation may by underſtanding the Times, and the Signs of Them, know what They ought to do, a Revolution ſo Great, indeed being ſo near as 97.
My moſt Humble Petition therefore is, That if to the moſt Dread Soveraigns, and to the High Court of Parliament, It ſhall not be made to Appear; That what hath been publickly offer'd as a Table of Scripture Prophecy, and its Calendar of Time, is upon Foundations, either Inconſiſtent with Themſelves, or Contradictory to Scripture, Chronology, Hiſtory or Reaſon; There may be an Eye Had in all Conſultations, and Actions thereunto, as to the Teſtimony of Jeſus, and ſo to the Spirit of Prophecy; Seeing It is moſt Agreeable to all Chriſtian and Proteſtant Reaſon, God ſhould give to ſo Illuſtrious a Soveraign Power, Senate, and to ſo Great Proteſtant Nations, ſome ſigns of ſo Great, and ſo near an Approaching Time; And that Your moſt Self Abaſed Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt in theſe Propheſies may be ſupported, and enabled to Reviſe, Perfect, and Publiſh his whole Table, and preſent it together to ſo Supreme Powers, as a Volumn that will within Six next enſuing Summers, Juſtifie it ſelf, and further our Accounts at the Kingdom, and Appearing of our Infinitely Paramount Lord Jeſus Christ.
And if This Petition Receive Favour, let alſo the Councel of ſo Humble a Miniſter of, and according to the Propheſies of Jeſus Christ, be Accepted to ſo Great Eſtates; In which, I Appeal to God, I moſt Humbly and Earneſtly pray, I may ſpeak as, and only as the Oracles of God in theſe Four Moments of Advice from Prophecy.
Advice 1. That the Arms of the Proteſtant Refugees of France of the Vaudois, of Proteſtants in general, be more valued, and under God more Relyed upon, then mixed Confederacies, with Kingdoms and States, that yet Give their Power to the Roman Beast.
Give leave therefore to Weigh in the Ballance of the Sanctuary each part; Firſt, ſhewing the diſadvantages to be Feared in mixed Confederacies, in Two Things.
1. It ought to be well pondered, that at this very Time, All Princes and States, who yet Give their Kingdom to the Beast, are therein, as yet in a State of War with the Lamb, that is with Jeſus Christ, now about to Reprize wholly, and perfectly his Kingdom from that Antichrist.
Now ſeeing the Main Cauſe of Diſpute at this Time betwixt this Nation and France, is a Proteſtant Government, and indeed the Proteſtant Religion in general in the World; Whether the Lamb will Accept the Service of Them, who are in Actual War, is much to be doubted; eſpecially, when He hath been, and is ſtill giving ſuch mighty Demonſtrations of his Preſence with us, and of his Arm made Bare in this very Proteſtant Cauſe; It may be very dangerous to over-value the Arm of Fleſh in ſuch a Confederacy. In this Caſe we ſhould be as much Aſhamed, as Ezra of Perſian Aſſiſtances; Seeing that the Hand of our God is for Good on all Them that ſeek Him, and His Wrath is againſt All Them that Forſake Him at this Time, as to the great Cauſe of Proteſtancy; For this God hath now written in this Nation with a Sun Beam.
2. The Succeſs that hath hitherto Attended this Confederacy, is not ſuch as to give any Hopes, God will manifeſt Himſelf with it; He hath ſuffer'd all the Motions of it to be Clogg'd, and Heavy, to prove Ineffectual, and on the Looſing Hand; as it were to declare, The Principals in it, are not yet Inſtruments fitted for his Service in the Proſecution of that Intereſt, He is now purſuing in the World, and ſo particularly in theſe Nations.
3. We know, the moſt Native Adminiſtration of Government in the Grand Confederates, is Perſecution of the Proteſtant Religion, and Inquiſition upon it: What Wonder then, if ſuch Blended Intereſts are un-ſucceſsful? And it is now the more conſiderable, that the Wheels of Providence, where Things are Right ſet, will be, as we have ſeen, with a Divine ſpeed.
But I do Freely Acknowledge, There are Two Things that ſeem to Counterſway, and Incline to the Confederacy on the other ſide.
1. That as it hath been ſaid, the State of the Weſtern Chriſtendom, (as It may be call'd; but is indeed in the Greater parts of it Antichriſtendom) is by Prophecy determined into Ten, or a Multiplicity of Kingdoms; On this Account, Any of the Ten, though if not Revuls'd from the Beaſt, they are in Prophetic Language, Horns of the Papacy, may yet be us'd by God, as heretofore, to hold that Multiplicity Equal and Firm; and ſo may ſerve to Reduce any one, that would ſwell beyond its due Scituation, and Proportion of Room on that Head: And this is indeed the Higheſt Amount of what hath been, and very Hardly hath been done by the Confederacy as yet; God having ſuffer'd for great Reaſons, as will ere long Appear, ſo dangerous an Extravaſation of the French Power, even as if It were the Beaſtian Power, and in its 666. as ſome Learned Men have Thought among us, but will ſoon ſo Retrench it, as to ſhew that opinion to be meer miſtake, and I am aſſur'd eſpecially by Thoſe, I have Juſt now declar'd.
2. How far the Confederacy of Proteſtants with Papal Powers, may be of uſe to Encline them to the Reformation, God having made uſe of outward Force not ſo much, in Enclining Princes to Fall off from Rome in the Beginning Reformation, as of more Evangelical Methods, Rational, and Free Communications of Truth, Providential, and Friendly Obligations, much more now; But I fear the Time of the great Re-Reformation, though ſo near, is not near enough at this Time to hope yet for ſo Bleſſed a Fruit of the Confederacy, nor does any Thing Appear like it.
Adv. 2. I would moſt Humbly Adviſe, that there might be under ſo Great an Authority, and Influence, an Aſſembly of Men, Learned and Loving the Kingdom of our Lard Jeſus Chriſt, who might diſcover ſo Admirable a part, (Hitherto it may be call'd a Terra Incognita) of Scripture, even the Stupendious Propheſies of it; Firſt, by Single, and then Compared and Joyned endeavours; For They now are big, and ready to Travel in their Completion; The Ignorance of which, is a greater Reproach of Theologers, then ſome Diſeaſes of Phyſicians, and is a Judiciary Blindneſs on all Chriſtians during the Apoſtaſie: The Affairs of Nations are more concern'd therein, then in Forming Armies, and Equipping Navys, which are but Subordinate to thoſe Completions, and often not ſo much as that, as we have ſeen.
I am bold to ſay, if I had, as now God hath vouchſafed me, underſtood Prophecy in the Years 48, 50, and ſo onward in the very Top of Thoſe Powers over the Nation, and kept cloſe and ſteddy to the Guidance of it; I ſhould certainly have Foreſeen the Re-enſtating the Church of England, that lay then in the Duſt, and ſo of the Royal Family that ſhould do it.
And as according to Prophecy, even in the Full Tyde of the Imperial Victories, I declar'd the Impoſſibility of the Turks, being diſmounted from the Conſtantinoplitan Heighths; Even ſo, and much more might by ſuch Compared Reſearches, the Affairs of Nations, and Churches be ſo underſtood, as to be Conducted with greater Judgment, and Reſolution; And what could ſo great a Proteſtant Aſſembly take with more Sageneſs and Honour under their Care and Patronage, of more Honour then Ptolemy's 70?
Particularly the State of the preſent Government in the Aſſurance of its Stability reſts on the Reſolution of one Illuſtrious Point of Prophecy, viz. The Slaying of the Witneſſes, whether It be paſt or not; For if it were not, ſeeing the True Senſe of it is a Suppreſſion of All Proteſtant Churches for a Time, It is not I, but the Thing it ſelf ſpeaks, This Revolution muſt of neceſſity Revolve.
For as in Reſcue of theſe Nations from the Return of Popery, This Revolution came, even miraculouſly to paſs, much more by the Fullfilling of Prophecy, then by Humane Sageſſe or Power; So if ſuch a Slaying of the Witneſſes were ye to be; There would certainly to ſerve Providence therein, be a Return of Romiſh Power, which muſt of neceſſity Roll back this Revolution.
But although the mention of the Three days, and a Half as the moſt Immediate Precedent of their Riſing, and its Great Concomitants ſeem to Favour ſuch an Apprehenſion, Although the Senſe of many excellent Perſons, and very underſtanding in Prophecy, particularly if Truly His, that Prophecy of A. B. Uſher, encline that way and Laſtly, Although the uſual manner of God Introducing his great Deliverances by very dark Prefaces, would much perſwade it; Yet as I am moſt Aſſured, the main Senſe (as I have already publiſhed) of the Three Days and a Half, Intends a much Longer Time, even the whole Deep Time of the Antichriſtian Reign, parallel to the Lying of Christ in the Grave; ſo there are great Conſiderations that aſſure me, There cannot be ſo much as an Epitome, or Compendious Slaying of the Witneſſes, or ſo dark a State upon Proteſtancy yet to come.
1. Becauſe the Time of the Witneſſes Full and Total Riſing, is ſo near, that there cannot poſſibly be Time for the Operation of the Inſtruments of their ſuppreſſion, or Slaying, of their Lying Dead, and then for their Riſing.
2. Becauſe there is a State of Proteſtant Churches, that are ſo ſecur'd, as by a Divine Determination; That They cannot from their Firſt Settlement in the Reformation be any more Reduced under Popiſh Slavery; of which ſort, one of the Principal is the Church of England; as Appear'd by the ſudden Jealouſie, that awoke at thoſe Eſſays of Popery to Re-Invade it; and the univerſal Zeal of the Nation to Stemm that Tyde that was offering to Flow in, was a moſt undoubted Impreſſion from Heaven, upon ſo many that have too little Senſe of the Power of that profeſſion upon Them to be otherwiſe mov'd.
And if It ſhould ſeem to be any Objection, that the Church of England lay ſo long ſuppreſs'd as from 42, to 60. I have no deſire to ſay it, but Truth obliges me to ſay, that even that Judgment upon it was for its ſo Voluntary Returns to more in the Synagogue of Sathan, under the pretence of Antiquity, then could be Allowed by its very own Standard of Reformation, and as a Sample of the perfect Removal of that its very Standard (as not Seal'd in the Sanctuary, nor of Ezekiel's Juſt Temple-Weights, Meaſures,) and ſo to be by the great Re-Reformation Broken.
3. Thoſe Suffering Reformed Churches have but Time before the Full Riſing of the Witneſſes, to do their Laſt Greater Works then their Firſt, and to ſee the Dawns of the Morning Star in their Vindication from, and Victory over their Oppreſſors.
Adv. 3. Let it pleaſe ſo great Princes, and Councels, to ſet before Them the Late Doings of God by the Turkiſh, again prevailing Force, and judge whether It does not, as in a Mirrour, ſhew ſuch a Lengthning out of that Woe on the ſo called Chriſtian World, while the Idolatrous Worſhip of Wood and Stone, the Thefts, the Sorceries, and Fornications of the Romiſh Communion ſtill continue; And that this very Thing might be, and hath been predicted according to Prophecy; and therefore of how great Moment, Judgment according to Prophecy is, even beyond Victory it ſelf, It being predicted in the midſt of Imperial Victories.
And therefore the whole Council of God, as to the Powers of theſe Nations cannot be declar'd by Preaching, without Reſearch of Prophecy, eſpecially Concerning the Kingdom of Chriſt, and continual regard had to it, Let the Reaſon or Rethorick of Such diſcourſes be otherwiſe never ſo Great.
Adv. 4. Let it pleaſe the King, and the Queen, and the Nobles, and the Commons in Parliament Aſſembled; that the moſt Powerful Scripture-way of Preaching and Prayer, may have All Advantages of Encouragement given, to ſpread abroad in Cities, Towns, and Countreys; and moſt Eminently in Camps and Navies, that the Spirit of Debauchery, Prophaneſs, and Atheiſticneſs, that is ſo Prodigiouſly abroad, may be quench'd; And that Choice of Perſons, who are to Adventure their Lives, may be made ſo far, as is poſſible, of ſuch, who have a Knowledge of that Excellent Cauſe, Proteſtancy; for which They ſo adventure: For though with very Un-Reform'd Proteſtants, as once He ſaid with Wounded Men, God hath and will ſtill work for his Names ſake for a while; Yet nearer the Kingdom of Christ He will not endure ſuch Perſons; Let us therefore prepare a High way for our God, and make His Paths ſtreight: And They who thus Honour God, He will honour, but They who deſpiſe him, ſhall be Lightly eſteemed.
Let us not therefore (to Conclude) Hope their Hope, not Fear their Fear, who meaſure All ſafety, and Succeſs by a Confederacy, tho' mixed on one ſide, and Slaviſhly Fear a Papal Confederacy on the other; But let us Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts Himſelf, with an Emphaſis, as we are commanded, and let Him be our Fear and our Dread. Iſa. 8.13.
Let us know, God Alarms the King, and theſe Nations, to ſerve Him in France; And it is to he hop'd and pray…d rather then that we ſhould not, He will neceſſitate us; For if we do not, it is moſt certain, the Government will Fall into Diſhonour firſt, and then into Confuſion, Laſtly, into Ruin.
Now if Theſe Things be deſpiſed, diſbelieved or Ridicul'd, It is but what Reception Prophecy, however Adminiſtred hath always Found in the World; But it cannot be Judged by Mans day, I count therefore nothing dear to Fulfill this Miniſtery, and I ſhall always Rejoyce in its Acceptance, ſo as may abound to the Account of the Accepters; Eſpecialiy in Yours, to me Moſt Awful Supreme Powers; For whom I dayly bow my Knees, as a Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt to ſo great Principalities, Miniſtring to you the Divine Propheſies; and that Your (not to ſay, mine) Offering up Your ſelves according to them, may be a Sacrifice Acceptable to God, being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Beverley, A Memorial of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ Near Approaching (1696)