A Scripture Line of Time, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
A more particular Allocation, or juſt placing of the States and Times one to another, ſhewing the neceſſity of their enfolded Equality to, and with one another.
I Have thus far in a more general view of the Particulars of this Line, preſented the compute of the Times, and of each of their Characters, with the correſpondent States: I will now more amply and particularly remonſtrate upon the States, and ſo adjuſt them to the Times, and their Characters, as may fully evince their cloſe Connexion, and the abſolute and moſt neceſſary equality of all the States and Characters of this Line, one to and with another.
And that we may plainly have together, and under one Glance, that which hath been ſpoken of, and is farther to be ſpoken of and made good, I thus delineate it.
The States are the Beaſts Tyranny, and the Sufferings of the Servants of God under it; diſtinguiſh'd by various lively Remarks.
The Characters are thoſe Notes of Time God hath affix'd to, and determin'd upon theſe States, making up one Line of Continuance, or Duration of thoſe States.
Theſe two▪ the States and the Characters, are thus to be ſuited one to the other.
There is one common Continent, or Womb of Time, that incloſes each State, and all the Characters of Time given to each State, that is, Time, Times, half a Time, with three days and a half, declaring Time at large, and intimate Time, or Seaſons.
There is one equal Standard-Line, making certain and definite the ſpace of that common Continent, taken out of the 2300 Ev. Morn, viz. 1260 going on to 1290. The State fitted to it is the taking away of the Daily, Dan. 12. v. 11.
Intimate Time taken out of that common Continent is twice given on the Beaſt's ſide, viz. Seaſon, Seaſons, Half Seaſon. The States fitted to each are wearing out the Saints of the moſt High, changing Times and Laws given into his hand, Dan. 7. 25. ſcattering the Power of the holy People, Dan. 12. 7. doing all theſe to the utmoſt, or accompliſhing to do them in the higheſt degree.
The ſame intimate Time is twice given to the Servants of God alſo; viz. Three days and half to the Witneſſes. The State fitted to it is to be kill'd, and to lye dead, but not to be ſuffer'd to be buried or extinguiſh'd, Revel. 11. 7, 8, 9. and three Times and a half to the Woman, whoſe State fitted to it is to be ſo in the Wilderneſs, as to be hid from the Face of the Serpent, but yet to be nouriſhed, Rev. 12. 14.
The Time at large is twice aſſign'd on the Beaſts part, Forty two Months taken out of the 2300 Even. or Nights, given to the Gentiles. The State fitted to them is treading the outward Court, and Holy City, whereby the Daily is taken away, at the very Beginning of the 1260, lying in 1290, according to Dan. 12. 11. compar'd with Revel. 11. 2, 3. The ſecond Time Forty two Months to the Beast himſelf, Doing all he does to the laſt Continuance or Accompliſhment to the laſt Moment, is the State fitted to them, Revel. 13. 5. and both theſe Forty two Months twiſt into one Space, equal to 1260 Days.
The ſame Time at large is twice adjuſted to the Servants of God in twelve hundred ſixty Days, taken out of the 2300 Morn. or Days; once to the Witneſſes; and the State fitted to it is Prophecy in Sackcloth, yet with great Vertues and Powers reſident in them, Revel. 11. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and once to the Woman in the Wilderneſs, yet as in a Place prepared by God, where they ſhould feed her, Revel. 12. 6. And theſe two 1260 Days are perfectly both one, neither longer nor ſhorter than themſelves.
Between the Time at large, and Intimate Time, or Seaſon, there is a Pillar erected to ſhew where Seaſon begins, and by proportion where it ends, viz. The Beaſts Number, as Lord of the intimate Time eſpecially, and it is 666, from its Root 25, after the Reſurrection, to 725; and the State of it is, That no man may buy or ſell that hath not the Mark, or Name on his Right-hand, or on his Fore-head, or the Name, or the Number of the Name, nor ſo much as live if he doth not worſhip the Image. The end of which intimate Time is by Proportion 1517, and ſo on, Rev. 13. 15. to the end.
But now beſides this meaſure of intimate Time, becauſe the Beaſt is Lord of Time, Times, Half a Time, and ſo conſtituted by God, his Forty two Months are an exact Meaſure alſo of the whole Line, beginning at that moſt famous Epoch, ſo well known to Hiſtory, the Ceſſation of the Weſtern Empire 475, whence his Forty two Months, to be ſet as Lunar Time to the 1260 Days of Solar Time, muſt be 1222, and ſo beginning at 475, muſt end at 1697, with the 1260 Days beginning 437, thirty eight Years before them with the Gentiles Forty two Months; according to the Laws of this Line of Time, and of the Sun's and Moon's Motion, collated one with another.
And to confirm the right Calculation of this whole Time to us, Imperial Time is adjuſted to it by the Emblems of the falling Empire in the West, till the vulgar 606, when the Beast, as a Star falling to the Earth, enlightned that Weſtern Empire, ſo darkned before, that neither Sun, nor Moon, or Stars, ſhined in its third part, and preſently after aroſe the Mahometan Hegira, or Account of Time at 626; the which Imperial Time is accounted till the Fall of the Eaſtern Empire, under the ſame Emblem of the third part of Men, which alſo is to be cleared: within ſeventy Years of which, intimate Time ceaſes, and that Change we call the Reformation enſu'd at 1517, repreſented by its moſt ſignificant Emblems, and the Mahometan Power ſtill continued, and yet is to continue to the end of the whole Line 1260, which goes to 1290, and ſo to 1335, the happy end of all the 2300 Ev. Morn. All which I cannot but hope will be acknowledg'd a rational and clear Account of this admirable Line.
Now of every of theſe particulars, I undertake particularly to diſcourſe; and although, I confeſs the Order of Nature is firſt to ſpeak of the Kernel of Time, or the intimate Time, to which the Fore-going Time at large is but a Preparation, and After-Time but an Accompliſhment; yet becauſe I muſt follow, as the Divine Spirit hath gone before, I begin with the Ambient Time of the Gentiles Forty two Months, and of the Witneſſes twelve hundred ſixty Days in Sack-cloth, and of the Woman in the Wilderneſs, that firſt appear, and are plac'd as in Complex one with another, before the Inner Time, or Seaſon. In beginning with which, Sacred Prophecy is pleas'd to make the way plainer to us.
To begin then firſt with the Gentiles, Treading the Holy Court and City, which, as hath been declared, does not run as a principal Character, but at fartheſt, to the firſt part of the intimate State, or Seaſon, and there is ſupported by the latter Forty two Months of the Beaſt to the very end of the whole 1260 dayes.
Now the knowledge of this either State or Character of Time, is peculiarly given by the Apocalypſe, and hath no other Intimation in Daniel, than what is common to the Time, Times, Semi-Time, and to the Twelve hundred ſixty, joyn'd with the Thirty more, and ſo making Twelve hundred ninety, at the taking away the Daily, and yet, becauſe it is of very great Uſe and Neceſſity in this Account of Time, therefore is given ſo diſtinct and expreſs in this excellent Apocalyptick Prophecy, which ſurpaſſes Daniel, even as the New Testament exceeds the Old, and as Revelation, however myſtical, excells Type, and Figure of an older date.
Now the great Uſe of this Character is this, When the Beaſt does neither in the Account of Prophecy, nor Accord of Hiſtory, riſe, till ſome years after the Twelve hundred ſixty years began, nor reach his State eſpecially deſign'd to be ſet out by Daniels Prophecy, till many years after the 1260 years began, viz. the very beginning of his moſt intimate State, at his ſo often mentioned 666, in previſion of which, it is ſaid, The Saints, Times and Laws are given into his hand, Seaſon, Seaſons, Dan. 7. 25and half a Seaſon, meaning this intimate Time. Upon all this, it may well be ask'd, How came the Daily to be Taken ſo early away? what is the occaſion of the Witneſſes putting on Sack-cloth, or the Womans flying into the wilderneſs, ſeeing all theſe belong to the Beaſts Tyranny, who did not yet exiſt, nor till ſo long after appear'd Regnant, or why are the Twelve hundred ſixty days made to begin ſo much ſooner than the Beaſts Forty two months?
Now in Anſwer to this, The Gentiles treading under foot the holy Court and City, appears timely, to give cauſe to all theſe things; and to ſhew the Agreement of Prophecy herein with it ſelf; Theſe Gentiles are no other, than they, that are ſaid, Revel. 13. to dwell on the Earth, whoſe Names are not written from the foundation of the world in the Lambs Book of Life, whom that foreign, that other Beaſt, ver. 11. (of whoſe two Horns like a Lamb was ſpoken before, and who is hereafter further to be explain'd) inſtructed to worſhip the Grand Apocalyptick Beaſt, as one with the Pagan Roman Empire in its Idolatrous Univerſality, call'd therefore the Firſt Beaſt, and to make an Image to it, viz. an Image unto its Idolatry, and to its Monarchy; which Things are hereafter to be explain'd upon the Beaſt; but at preſent it is eaſie to be underſtood. The newly Chriſtianiz'd Pagans of the Roman Empire, were, under the Change of the Emperours to Chriſtians, violently chang'd to the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and yet at the ſame time fond of their Ancient Pagan Rites and Cuſtoms, as alſo, of the Glory of their Ʋniverſal Empire, Eaſt, and Weſt: Now meeting with that Two-horn'd Lamb-like Beaſt, fond of the ſame Senſual Religion, but in another ſort of Imagery, as alſo of the Earthly Univerſality and Glory, but of it, in another Appearance alſo; it may very readily be conceiv'd, how complyant they were one with the other in both theſe things, ſo as immediately to fill up the Outward Court, and to Take away the true Datly Publick Worſhip of God, and ſo to prepare for the Beſtian Kingdom under the Seventh Head, before his Exiſtence in his own Forty two months, and much more before his Regnancy, to which he himſelf, as a principal or chief Member of the other Beaſt, though not yet the Grand Beaſt, and after in his own Infancy, when his 42 Months began, as that Grand Beaſt, was never wanting in his Contributions; All which rightly conceiv'd, does wonderfully conciliate the Prophecy to the Hiſtory; eſpecially when I come to clear all Doubts upon thoſe two Beaſts, Apoc. 13.
For thus, according to Daniel, All theſe things were negotiating for the Beast, who was the Prince deſign'd, and on whom all redounded in the Iſſue, and theſe Gentiles under the other Beaſt were to be his Subjects, and the other Beast his Falſe Prophet, zealous of him and of his worſhip, and ſo the Daily worſhip was Taken away from before him, or out of his way, the way of his Riſing, as Daniel foretold.
And thus, according to the Revel. the Gentiles tread the Holy Court, and the Witneſſes put on Sack-cloth upon it, and the Woman flyes into the Wilderneſs; for what theſe Gentiles do, they do by the Conduct of that other Beaſt, who from his Lamb-like Horns, yet ſpake as a Dragon, in reſemblance of the Pagan Dragon, while they convey his Power to the Grand Beast of the Seventh Head.
How fitly then, the Gentiles Forty two months of treading the Holy Court are made the Firſt note of Time, will be eaſily underſtood, if we conſider theſe particulars.
1. That the Holy City firſt, and then the Outer-Court of the Temple was the onelyonly due place of Sacrifice, of the Jews Daily of Publick Worſhip, after God had plac'd his Name there; So that no fitter Type of the Daily Chriſtian Services and Sacrifices, than the Holy City, and the Outward Court of the Temple.
2. That nothing could more expreſs the Taking away the Jews Daily Sacrifice, than the Gentiles invading, crowding in, and filling the City and Court; For how great a violation and defilement, even according to the Divine Appointment, that was, appears by the uproar againſt the Apoſtle Paul, upon a ſuppoſition of a Gentile brought by him into the Temple; ſo their Daily Sacrifice muſt ceaſe of neceſſity, upon the Gentiles coming into the Holy City and Court, by an Authoriz'd Violence, like a Flood, and continuing ſo to do; therefore the Gentiles Treading the Court, makes a fit Symbole of the Jewiſh Daily Service Taken away; Proportionably theſe Gentiles, or Paganiz'd Chriſtians, taking up the whole room of it, as if they were the Church and People of God, do as notably anſwer the Type, as can be conceiv'd by defiling the whole Chriſtian Publick Service, and thruſting out the true Worſhippers; Theſe uncircumciſed, in Heart and in Fleſh, not inwardly Gracious, nor keeping ſo much as to the outward circumciſion of the pure Worſhip of God, break the very Covenant of Sacrifice, and Holy Service to God; for no ſuch are to enter the true Christian Temple, Ezekiel 45. 7. foreign, what placing together can there be of the Temple of God and Idols? Of True Chriſtians and Pagan Chriſtians, it is a very unequal Yoke. 2. Cor. 6. 16.
This moſt admirably alſo anſwers the prophetical Type of the daily Sacrifice taken away by Antiochus, *Call'd Epiphanes.for firſt the falſe and revolting Jews would make a Covenant with the Heathen, and obtained Licence of the King to do after the Ordinances of the Heathen; becauſe the Land had more Peace then, whereupon they built a Place of Exerciſe at Jeruſalem, according to the Cuſtom of the Heathen; and then in Gods Account the daily was taken away from, or before that wicked Prince Antiochus, Dan. 8. 11. Then he entred Proudly into the Sanctuary, and ſo things went on to the utmoſt Extremity and height; that all ſhould leave their own Laws, and the People be one, and whoever would not do according to the Commandment of the King, ſhould dye, and the daily Service was openly forbidden; ſo Jeruſalem became foreign a Habitation of Strangers or Gentiles, then the Sanctuary became a Deſolation, foreign, It was deſolated as a Wilderneſs, and became foreign, an alien to its Off-ſpring and they to it, and then all was turned, foreign, into the Mourning and ſqualor of ſackcloth at the Appearance of the Abomination that maketh deſolate, which was ſet up the fifteenth of the Month Caſleu, in the 145th year of the Grecian Kingdom; and on the five and twentieth day of the ſame Month, they ſacrific'd upon the Idolatrous Altar, and that this might be done without controul, and the true Religion baniſhed; they rent in pieces the Books of the Law, wherever they were found, and whereſoever was found with any the Book of the Teſtament, or if any conſented to the Law, the Kings Commandment was, that they ſhould put him to death. Howbeit many in Iſrael were fully reſolved, and confirm'd in themſelves to keep cloſe to the Divine Law and Rule, in all things, and accordingly ſuffer'd.
But exactly three years after, as the Hiſtory reports, the ſanctuary was cleans'd, and the daily ſervice reſtored; and a year after that Antiochus dyed as a Prince broken without hand. This is the ſum of the Relation, 1 Macc. c. 1. c. 4. cap. 6.
Now how admirably this prophetical Type of Antiochus's enacting the taking away the daily Jewiſh ſervice, the way being prepared by the paganiz'd Jews, the Methods and Degrees by which all was done, the Reſtoration that followed, and then the divine Judgment upon the Tyrannous Prince himſelf, how admirably I ſay all this Anſwers the Table of things before us, is even amazing; as alſo that the Hiſtory was not onelyonly preſerved by Providence (Divine Revelation being then intermitted, till Chriſt, which is not without its ſignificancy) that it hath not been only, I ſay, preſerved, but inſerted however unduely into the ſacred Records, by thoſe, by whomſoever it was done, that by a Witneſs and Prophet of their own, a Scripture of their own Canonizing, ſuch an Eye of time though much ſhorter, and ſuch a Typical Delinetion, allowing for ſome leſſer Diſagreements, ſo wonderfully exact ſhould be ratifyed, and that this Map of things might be not only extant, but ſo illuſtrious, as to have become in their Account part of the Bible, and bound up ſo generally with it by their Influence who were indeed concern'd, it ſhould have been blotted out from under Heaven.
But that in which we are at preſent moſt intereſſed, is, That by the Apoſtacy of the Gentiliz'd Chriſtians, the Daily of the publick Worſhip of Chriſtians firſt ceas'd; and ſo in God's Account, the Mourning or Sackcloth of the Witneſſes, and the Wilderneſs-ſtate of the Woman the Church, by that Gymnaſium, that Place of Exerciſe, or Academy for Idolatry, to train and ſchool men up to it, was brought into the Holy City: even thus the remaining Love to Paganiſm began the Covenant or Compoſition between Gentiliſm and falſe Chriſtianity, exchanging the one into the other, and on the very ſame Account, becauſe the Land then infeſted with the barbarous Irruptions, needed ſuch Maozzim, or Patrons, and Defenders, as Idols before, and the Saints Departed now. And ſo all things went on to the 666, the Number of the Beaſt, his Image, Mark, Name, and the Number of his Name; ſo that one would be prone to think, The *foreign.Treading the Holy City under foot by the Gentiles, †foreign.the Witneſſes Sackcloth, ‖foreign.the Wilderneſs of the Woman, *foreign.Her Seed at the ſame time aggreſs'd, were all taken from the Maccabean Words we mention'd before; although it is evident, they have their Ground of Alluſion chiefly from Sacred Writ it ſelf, yet by way of Argument, ad Homines, to the Men themſelves, this is no unworthy Obſervation, nor can it ſeem undeſign'd by Providence.
4. There is in this very Epoch of the wonderful Line we are upon, ſuch a Concurrence of Prophetical Notes both of the States, and of the Times adjuſted, that it is as if the Holy Spirit of Prophecy had ſaid to us, Obſerve it; This is the Beginning, the Era, and Epoch of it.
For firſt, the treading the Holy City and the Court, is in words the very ſame with the place of the Sanctuary cast down, and the Sanctuary, and the Host given to be trodden under foot, Dan. 8. v. 11. 13. in the Viſion of the Daily taken away, and of the 2300 Ev. Morn. From whence is to be concluded, that the Forty two Months muſt, as was before aſſerted, be detach'd from the 2300 Even. and that there the Daily taken away begins.
The 1260 Days immediately following in Account, as concurrent with the 42 Months, ſhew, They are taken out of the 2300 Morn. and confirm this to be the Time of the Daily taken away, becauſe the Daily taken away is the Character of the firſt Point of Time to the Twelve hundred ninety; of which Twelve hundred, ſixty muſt needs be part, ſeeing they go on to 1335 at the end of all; and ſo many cannot be found in the 2300, which is the Date of the whole Viſion of the daily taken away, or in ſo great a Number, but in theſe 1290, joyn'd with 1335.
The twelve hundred ſixty being joyn'd, and the ſame twelve hundred ſixty, with thoſe of the Womans dwelling in the Wilderneſs, do both ſet the Era, or beginning of that State, to be even with the Daily taken away, and do alſo ſhew the Equality of Time, Times, half a Time, with the twelve hundred ſixty days, if taken at their full extent; for they are joyn'd, Dan. 12. with the ſcattering the Power of the Holy People, which ſcattering was 1260 Days, Revel. 12. 6. *And Time, Times, half Time, compare v. 14.there being not a plainer Expreſſion of the Wilderneſs-ſtate in an Old Teſtament myſtical Prophecy, than ſcattering; and that Word, accompliſhing to ſcatter, does ſubindicate ſome Power that began this ſcattering, which was this of the Gentiles, and then that the Antichriſtian Prince accompliſh'd this ſcattering, both to the higheſt degree, and to the utmoſt moment it was to laſt; and becauſe he, as hath been ſaid, is Lord of the Time, Times, Half Time, the very naming them is naming of him: And now, if all this be not demonſtrative of the Epoch, or Beginning of theſe 1260 Days, I ſhall be bold to ſay, Nothing in Prophetical Scripture is capable of being demonſtrated, ſo much as by, and within Prophetick Scripture it ſelf; which to aſſert, muſt needs weaken the Evidence of Scripture by and from it ſelf throughout.
I confeſs, it may ſeem, the Church is ſooner in the Wilderneſs than the Witneſſes are in Sackcloth; for aſſoon as the Woman brought forth the Man-child, it was caught up to the Throne of God; which Bringing forth and Enthroning was certainly when the Empire became Chriſtian in Conſtantine; and that was long before 437, when the Witneſſes put on Sackcloth, as I aſſert.
But to clear this, it is to be conſider'd, there are three ſynchronous Deſcriptions of the very Beginning of this Line of Time, or of the Apoſtacy.
The firſt is bottom'd upon the ſubſtantial and ſenſible Foundations of Imperial Hiſtory, under prophetick Figures; viz. Of the blaſted Western Empire, embelliſh'd with very curious Types of the Apoſtacy then beginning, as ſhall be ſhewn upon the first Trumpet ſounding, when we come to it.
The ſecond is by the more Scriptural Images of the Witneſſes putting on Sackcloth, on account of the Gentiles treading the Holy City, or Court.
And the third by the parallel Shade of the Woman flying into the Wilderneſs.
The Firſt hath a plain diſtinct Indication of things preparing to the Apoſtate State, in the Declaration of a new Roll of Martyrs, *Revel. 6. 11. c. 7. c. 8. v. 1.in the ſealing the 144000 Sufferings after the Chriſtian Empire, in the Silence in Heaven for only half an Hour, in the Angels preparing to ſound; all which were ſo many diſtinct Steps towards the Apoſtacy. This is the moſt full and clear.
The Second hath one like it, in the Reed given to John, with a Command to meaſure the Temple, which was parallel and contemporary to the Sealing, by all Rules of Proportion; as we ſhall ſee.
The Third is, the Womans flying into the Wilderneſs; where indeed there is no open mention of a Preparation, but the Event is given in one view, viz. The Woman flying into the Wilderneſs; yet in that the Woman having been firſt ſpoken of, her Hiſtory, as to the utmoſt extended Time of the Apoſtacy, is given together; ſo, as to make it evident, the ſo ſudden Aſſignation of the 1260 Days in the Wilderneſs is given both to match the Preparation of the two former Types to the Apoſtacy, as alſo to joyn the Witneſſes, and the Womans twelve hundred ſixty Days into one; and the true Order both of that Preparation and Vergency, as alſo of the 1260 Days beginning is given in the ſecond giving of the Womans Times and Half Time, as ſhall be made moſt clear, when we come to parallel theſe three ſynchronous Deſcriptions in their Events at the First Trumpet.
Now as to the Involution of theſe Three States, and Characters, as neceſſarily contemporizing one with another, it is even ſelf-demonſtrative: for when the Daily Service of God is taken away, and the Beſtian Gentiles delay the Kingdom of Chriſt in Preparation to the Antichriſtian Prince; the Witneſſes muſt, if there be ſuch a prophetick Type, prophecy in Sackcloth, and retire to the Altar of Incenſe, as to private Worſhip: and if the Woman be the ſame with the Witneſſes or her Seed; if They are hid in Sackcloth, and there be ſuch a Type as of her ſelf in the Wilderneſs fed with hidden Manna; how can both be, but at the ſame Time? And if the Witneſſes be in Sackcloth, and the VVoman in the VVilderneſs, and there be ſuch a Type as of the Gentiles treading the Holy Court, That, and That only, being then in view (the Beast being not riſen) muſt be the occaſion of it: And if there be ſuch a Type as Sealing, which ſignifies Secrecy, Retirement, and Delay, the efficacy of that muſt be at the ſame Time with the parallel Symbols: for this ought to be a Standard throughout; The Gentiles and the Beast cauſing the Sufferings of God's Servants, and the Servants of God, the Sufferers muſt in all things parallel one another, according to the Degrees of Elevation; for the Action of the one neceſſarily produces Sufferings, the State of the other receives Sufferings, as neceſſarily; ſo their ſeveral Symbols require there muſt be the Efficients to work; there muſt be the Subjects to work upon, Both at the ſame Time.
There are yet two Symbols more, Tangents, or immedidiately joyn'd with the beginning of this Line, that come in to our Aſſiſtance; and they are the true Worſhippers, retiring within the Temple, enfolded with the Gentiles entring the outer Court, and the Servants of God under the efficacy of their Seal, at the firſt Trumpet.
That we may make all things then moſt clear, with relation to this Epoch, let us more diſtinctly compare all the Symbols of this Prophecy, that immediately touch it, and pierce as far as we can into their ſenſe and meaning, and joyn therewith that their immediate Touch of this Epoch: For if by all theſe we can well fix it, it is an abſolute, and undoubted foundation of the whole Time.
Now there are four Symbols, all meeting to begin this Time, upon each of which, we may either Recollect the Subſtance of what hath been already ſpoken upon any of them, or dilate our Thoughts upon what in any of them hath not yet been explain'd, and ſee how any Intimations, or Notes of Compare among themſelves reflect Light from one to another.
1. That which comes firſt in the order of the Prophecy, as alſo in order of nature, is, the ſealing the hundred forty four thouſand, into a Secreſie and cloſe Retirement; For a Seal on their Foreheads, and the Name of the Lambs Father written on their Foreheads, differ, as a Writing ſeal'd, and a Title open, and in Capital Letters; compare Revel. 7. v. 1. &c. and Revel. 14. v. 1. &c.
2. The Temple, the Altar, and the Worſhippers therein, Reduc'd within cloſe, and confin'd meaſures, is the next given Symbol. And here it is neceſſary to inquire, what is meant by the Temple, and the Altar, becauſe the Temple ſometimes is taken for the whole Area or ground, upon which it ſelf, and all its Courts and Avenues ſtood, yea, even the whole City Jeruſalem was reputed a Court to it, and the Holy City thereupon we find it ſtyl'd. But the Temple at other times is taken ſtrictly for that retyr'd part of it that was under covert, and into which the Prieſts only came; There were alſo two Altars, one in the Outer Court, which was the Altar of Burnt-offering and Sacrifice; in approach to which the Congregation came: and the Altar of Incenſe within the Temple, to which the Prieſts only drew near, and the People ſtood without. Luke 1. 9, 10. 2. 22.
Now it may be a Doubt, what Temple, and what Altar are here intended, and the deciding of the Altar will much contribute to the deciding of the Temple; And that the Altar of Incenſe is alone intended, and the Inward Cover'd Temple, in which it ſtood, before the Vail, or the Holy of Holies, theſe three things do enough aſſure us.
1. The Altar of Incenſe is brought into view and obſervation, juſt before this Time, of the meaſuring the Temple, (as ſhall be prov'd) and in diſtinction from that Altar, under which the Souls lay as Sacrifices, compare Revel. 6. ver. 9. ca. 8. v. 5. &c: as it were to intimate, that the Daily Publick Worſhip, under the Type of Sacrifice, was near its Taking away, and the private cloſe Worſhip at the Altar of Incenſe ſucceeding, and within the Temple, with both which the ſilence agrees.
2. The Cry for the looſing the four Angels, bound in Euphrates, ſounds from this Golden Altar of Incenſe, whither the True Worſhippers had been long retir'd before the Time of that Cry, and were cloſe within the Temple. c. 9. 13.
3. The very Symbol it ſelf ſpeaks an inwardeſt Retirement within the Temple, and to the Altar encloſed within that; For whatſoever was outward, viz. the Outward Court and City, was caſt out to the Gentiles, who trode under foot the Sanctuary, and Holy place of Publick Sacrifice, viz. the Court, where the Sacrifices and People had place, and ſo make up this Symbol: For the Gentiles having the Outward Court of Sacrifice under their Feet, the Daily Service became taken away; ſo the True Worſhippers retir'd to ſecret Service at the Altar of Incenſe, the Apocalyptick Type of Prayers, c. 8. v. 3.
3. The third Symbol is the Witneſſes in Sackcloth, that, as hath been ſaid, is a mournful Habit, and covers that Glory and Excellency wherewith they were endued by the great Powers committed to them; and their Prophecy imports a Delay of ſome admirable Things they declar'd, which till Twelve hundred ſixty dayes paſt could not come to paſs.
4. The Woman in the wilderneſs, yet in a place prepared by God, where ſhe ſhall be Fed, as Elijah in the wilderneſs, in a high and wonderful manner, 1 Kings c. 19. v. 5. 6. makes the fourth and laſt Symbol. Revel. 12. 6. Now a Wilderneſs condition is out of view, ſeemingly loſt and forlorn; the Church therefore in the wilderneſs, fed like Elijah, couples the Church with the Witneſſes, who are ſo eminently reſembled to Elijah; and ſhews, they are the ſame in ſubſtance Revel. 11. 6.with the Woman, under onelyonly the different Notions of ſingle, and collected, as was before explain'd.
Now all theſe Symbols are of neareſt Importance; for all ſpeak Inviſibility, Secreſie, and a State out of view and ſight, and which conceales its true Excellency within it ſelf; ſo does being Sealed, ſo does worſhipping at the Altar of Incenſe, and within the Temple, ſo does the Sackcloth of two ſo great Prophets, ſo does a Church, or Woman in the wilderneſs, and all theſe are upon Perſonages of the ſame Character; For ſo are the Servants of God, ſo are the true worſhippers at the Altar in the Temple, ſo are the Martyrs or Witneſſes, ſo is the Woman that brought forth the manly Child, and whoſe Seed keep the Commandments of God, and hold the Martyry or Teſtimony of Jeſus: And then all theſe we ſhall find cope, and bind with the Gentiles Months in ſome or other Prophetical Point and Regard.
All theſe ſo cloſely coordinated Symbols, would of themſelves much incline us to ſuppoſe, that they all begin together, eſpecially when two of them have the ſame meaſure of Time, viz. 1260 d. But becauſe there can be no proof ſo great of the Beginning of theſe Twelve hundred ſixty dayes, nor of their whole, full, and entire length, and the ſeveral other Notes of Time that will fall in, each in their due place, as the Beaſts forty two months, His Number 666, within his Seaſon, Seaſons, half Seaſon of intimate Time, the Five months, and Five months granted to the Locuſts, Revel. 9. v. 5. 10. the Hour, Day, Month and Year given to the two hundred thouſand thouſand Horſemen, v. 15. 19, and that great Period, at which Chriſt ſwore, Time ſhould be no more, but that in the days of the 7th Trumpet, &c. Revel. 10. 6, 7. Becauſe, I ſay, all theſe things can no way be ſo ſatisfactorily prov'd, as by ſubtending or ſtretching out under them, and applying to them the courſe of hiſtorical Time and its Events all along, ſo curiouſly painted out in this Prophecy, I propoſe this Method of Progreſs.
1. To apply to the ſealing, to the Altar of Incenſe, and the Temple-worſhipers, to the Witneſſes in Sack-cloth, and to the Woman in the Wilderneſs, the Notes of Hiſtory correſpondent to their Beginning, according to the Prophetical Symbols, and beginning together with the Gentiles forty two Months.
2. From this Epoch or beginning to paſs by the Prophetical Symbols in agreement with the hiſtorical Records to the Beaſts forty two Months, and to demonſtrate their Epoch, Continuance, and Period.
3. By the ſame ſupports from Prophecy, and Hiſtory, to paſs to the beginning of the five and five Months, and the ſpace of Time thereby denoted, granted to the Locuſts, Revel. 9. 5. 10.
4. Within which ſpace, the beginning of intimate Time, the reaſon of it, and its whole duration will fall under Examination, and its 666, by Prophecy and Hiſtory.
5. About the midſt of intimate Time, the Hour, Day, Month, and Year of that vast Army of the Horſemen, will encounter our Enquiry, and the whole Duration require to be ſtated from their beginning to the killing the third part of men, or the end of that ſpace of Time, but not of that Power figured by them, nor of the Woe they brought.
6. At the end of intimate Time, and after the killing the third part of men, we ſhall be brought upon the Time of the aforeſaid ſolemn Oath, that Time ſhall be no more, which will carry us to the end of this whole Line, and wind us up with its ſelf, and by every one of theſe we ſhall find the Line of this black Time muſt end at 1697, as it began 437.
All which, by the guidance of the Prophecy it ſelf, and the aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit of it will aſſure us by the moſt illuſtrious and ſtately products of that whole Time and of greateſt Concernment to the Chriſtian World, that theſe 1260 years are a moſt definite ſpace of ſo many, and no fewer, nor more in number, and that ſeeing they muſt be either Natural or Prophetical Time, according to the Standard of a day for a year, for the Scripture-Regiſter knows no other ſort of Time, nor can any inſtance be given of any other, therefore they muſt be prophetical days, or days of years, and months of years, ſince the Events deſtin'd by God to them, are ſo much too great and large for natural Time in their own Nature, and in the prophetical deſcyphar, that no more, then a year can be a year, and yet be crowded up within a Month, a Day, or Hour; no more can thoſe long Tracts of Time-ſome Action be fettered within three years and a half, the higheſt amount of thoſe Characters of Time, if naturally underſtood, without a Contradiction in the very Nature of things.