The Time of the End, Postscript – Errata
A POSTSCRIPT.
Ye Precious Ones, and Saints of the moſt High. It is not much that I ſhall add; But it is to give YOU an Account of the Occaſion of this Work.
UPON my Baniſhment from Hull (for what Cauſe I know not, there being nothing to this day made known to me.) I went a part (as Elias did) into the Wilderneſſe. And as I lay under hedges, & in holes, my Soul in bitterneſſe breathed forth many ſad complaints before the Lord. It is enough O Lord take away my life, for I am not better then my Fathers. Often and ſore wreſtlings I had with my God, to know His Meaning and Teaching, under this Diſpenſation; And what further work (whether Doing or Suffering) he had for me, his Poor old Sevant, being now againe Baniſhed, after 17 years Baniſhment before.
Being brought thus at the feet of God; and there waiting and Hearkning What the Lord would ſpeak. I had the Former Things (for the Subſtance of them) given in unto me. And I can ſpeak it in Truth: I underſtood them not till now; But thought The Time of the End, was to be found out and known ſome other way.
Now howſoever I could not but think, there was Something of God in This; As to an Anſwer of Prayer. (Eſpecially having theſe Things upon my heart as I was pouring out my ſoule at the Throne of grace.) Nevertheleſſe, Conſidering, the weightineſſe and difficulty of the Matter. How differing it was, to what Others Held; And how deeply Some (and my ſelfe alſo) have ſuffered for our Miſtakes, in medling with ſuch High Things: But chiefly, what a poor worth-leſſe and empty Thing I was, More brutiſh then any man, and had not the Ʋnderſtand of a man; And how ſubtilly Satan worketh at this Time in Some, by a ſpirit of deluſion, in pretending to high things, and that it is God that ſpeaketh in them. Upon theſe and ſuch like Conſiderations, my Soule was ſore diſtreſſed, and I beſought the Lord with Tears Day and Night, that he would take Pitty on Me, and not leave me to a Deceived Heart.
But as often as I ſet my face unto the Lord, by prayer and ſupplication, I found my ſelfe more Encouraged, and had more of the Propheſies opened unto me. Yea (and the Lord knows I lie not) whenſoever my heart hath been moſt melted and broken before him, and my ſoule ſwallowed up with the greateſt Love and Longing after his Glory; AT SUCH TIMES I have been moſt confirmed, and ſtrengthned, to believe, that it was the Spirit of truth which revealed theſe things to me, a Worm.
Nevertheleſſe, being yet unſatisfied in my ſelfe (as Fearfull leaſt I ſhould go aſide from the Teachings of God.) I acquainted ſome of ſome of my Chriſtian Friends with the Thing, and how the Caſe ſtood with me; and deſired that the ſame might be Spread before the Lord: The which was done ſeverall Times; And very earneſtly was the Lord ſought unto, for Counſell and Direction, that there might be no miſcarriage on either Hand. Much I could ſay concerning this Particular; But I ſhall ſay no more then this, I found the Fruit of their Prayers, A Greater Confirmation.
After all this (for I was not quiet yet) having put things into ſome Order, I communicated my Thoughts unto other Friends: Some of theſe (whoſe Works praiſe them in the Gate) I found to be of my Opinion; For which I thanked God and took courage. As did Paul when the Brethren met him, Acts 28. 15. But Others (and Pretious Ones too) were (as I apprehended) otherwiſe minded. And here began, as the laſt, ſo my ſoreſt and ſharpeſt Conflict.
For ſo much was I diſcouraged now, as I had Jeremiahs Complaint often up. O Lord thou haſt deceived me, and I was deceived; Thou art ſtronger then I, and haſt prevailed, Jer. 20. 7. I muſt confeſſe the Conſiderations before named (eſpecially being conſcious to my own Emptineſſe and Poverty) hath ſo much affected me. That I have been more ready (except in Prayer) to fall in with any outward Diſcouragements, and to improve them, whenſoever they came; Then to cloſe with inward Ecouragements, even the Stirring and Motions (I think I may ſay) the Viſions of God, which I have powerfully felt upon my ſoule, when I have been neareſt the Mercy Seat. But Hallelujah, praiſed be the Lord, who hath taken from Me (a worm ſtill) theſe Diſcouragements and Fears, by working up my heart into joy of Believing.
It may be in Reading of this, you would willingly know my Intention? It is Thus: I have not Publiſhed this Treatiſe, as I have done things heretofore; For in Humility, & an awful fear of my God, Here I can ſay and that truly, THIS IS A WORK OF FAITH AND PRAYER, Not of my own Labor and ſtudy (comparitively) as former Things have been; For here I have been more out of the Body, and with the Lord on the Mount. But oh I would be humble in ſuch Expreſtions, that THE LORD ALONE MIGHT BE EXALTED. And I a remaine ſtill a Worme in my hole, and numbred among the dead.
Neither have I reſted in the Experiences of Gods inward Workings upon my ſoule, that is, To his giving forth of the Spirit alone. But the Holy Scriptures have been The Men of my Counſell, Pſal. 119. 24. Inſomuch as I have not hearkned any further, to the Perſwaſions and Operations of the Holy Spirit, Though received as the Finger of God. Then what I might doe (yea and ought) by the Covenant-Promiſe, I ſay by Faith Grounded upon the bleſſed Word.
Such Scriptures, through the Free Grace of a divine Bleſſing, by a humble Application in the Intereſt of them, have ſweetly ſupported me. Jer. 31. 9. & 33. 3. Hoſ. 12. 4. Dan. 9. 20, 21. & 2. 18, 19, 23. Luke 11. 12, 13. Jam. 1. 5. Iſa. 66. 2. Pſal. 10. 17. & 25 9. 2 Chron. 20. 13, 14. Acts 13. 2. Rev. 5. 4, 5. Pſal. 32. 8, 9. 1 John 5. 14, 15. Hence I ſaw clearly, that with Supplications the Lord hath led his people. And whilſt they have been Mourning, and by the Spirit making Interceſſion▪ for them, with Groanings which cannot be uttered; For the Ʋnction from the holy One, and to be guided▪ into all Truth. The Lord hath mercifully appeared to them. Neither have ſuch humble and broken hearted Babes, met with the Portion of Proud Phariſes, viz. Diſappointment.
All fleſh is graſſe, &c. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 24, 25. It is a ſure word, 2 Pet. 1. 19. Believe in the Lord, ſo ſhall ye be eſtabliſhed: Believe his Prophets, ſo ſhall ye proſper, 2 Chron. 20. 20.
But howſoever in the Publiſhing of theſe things, I ſeem to declare a Humble Boldneſſe in my God, as to the truth of them. Yet this I deſire the Kingdome-Saints every where to mind; That as the three yeares and a halfe (of which we have ſpoken) are to have their Period: So muſt all things following (in order to the deſtruction of the little Horn) be likewiſe accompliſhed. It is true, the latter Apoſtacy, the little Horn, and the Beaſt that ſlayes the Witneſſes, have but three years and an half: Yet it muſt not be underſtood, as if at the End of that time, they ſhould preſently be deſtroyed. But when that Time is expired, then the Judgement ſhall ſit. The Witneſſe riſe; And ſo all the reſt of the Propheſies (concerning them) be fulfild, in due Order and Time.
This I thought good to mention againe, to prevent miſtakes: For ſuppoſe the aforeſaid Time ſhould End about June 57. That which next followes will be no more (as I take it) But the pouring out of the Spirit in the riſing of the Witneſſes; Whereby the Saints of the moſt High, ſhall be raiſed up, in Faith, Light, Love, Zeal, One-neſs, &c. and ſo made meet for the Maſters uſe. But among the Apoſtates, Dread, Fear, Darkneſſe, Diviſions, Diſappointment, &c. OnelyOnly the Lords Work (the appointed time being come) will goe foreward, riſe, and alwayes Proſper: Untill Jehovah have fulfild his whole Counſell upon the latter Apostacy, the little Horn, and Beaſt which aſcendeth out of the Depth.
I thank thee O Father, Lord of Heav…n and Earth: Becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto Babes. Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight, Mat. 11. 25, 26.
This ſhould have been Inſerted Page 121.
He ſhall make Warre.
AS by the Witneſſes I underſtand not Perſons, but a Generation Teſtimony: So here, No Civill War, as raiſing of Armies, and making uſe of Materiall Weapons; But WAR againſt the Truth, and Killing it. As a man blowes out the Light, yet breaks not the Candle-ſtick: So this Beaſt ſhall principally endeavor to put out the Light of the Teſtimony: Not that there ſhall be much ſuffering as to the perſons of men.
Hence it is (through the miſtake of this) that ſtrange conceits have been taken up, to wit, that in theſe Three years and an halfe, great Battles would be fought infinite blood ſhed, a generall perſecution of the Saints, by banniſhment, impriſonment, burning, hanging, drowning, &c. And horrible commotions, and hurliburlies the world over. Whereas to me (humbly be it ſpoken) I ſee no ſuch thing intended by the Holy Ghoſt; No Civill War, nor Civill killing intimated. But as the Thing ſlaine, is Spiritual; namely, The Teſtimomony of Jeſus. So this War and killing is to be taken, Not Civilly, but in a Spiritual ſence. I ſay, it is the Truth that ſuffers, rather then perſons for it. And in this regard the Beaſt will ſlay the Witneſſe without any great Noiſe or Notice.
This alſo may ſerve to remove another ſtone out of ſome mens way; Occaſioned, through our ſtreightning Things to a particular Country or Iſle. As if the laſt Apoſtacy, the Little Horn, and the Beaſt which ſlayes the Witneſſes, ſhould be applyed more General and Large, then we do.
Anſw. 1. The kingdome of God will not come with Obſervation. I wiſh that this might be Remembred. As the day breaks firſt but in one part of the skie; though the Light from thence, ſwiftly ſpreads it ſelfe all over. So will the work of the Lord, after the Three yeares and halfe are expir'd, begin (not every where) but in one Country, and from them proceed, from one place to another, untill all Chriſts Enemies be made his foot ſtool.
2. I am groundedly convinc't that the work ſhall begin upon the laſt Apoſtacie the little Horn and Beaſt. But by theſe not the Germane Emperour the Duke of Savoy, nor any Popiſh Power or dominion can be meant. For my part I doe not apprehend, that there is any probable ground ſo to apply it: And therefore if theſe men would but ſoberly, and impartially weigh things themſelves (laying aſide what others have held) they would ſee the Apoſtacy, the little Horn, and the Beaſt ſlaying the witneſſes in one Country, and that ONE not within the walls of Babylon, But without, at leaſt I think ſo.
ERRATA.
PAge 36. line 13. ſee, read ſee's.
P. 57. l. 13. this, r. his.
P. 59. l. 6. Laſtly, r. Lofty.
P. 70. l. 24. Charitates, r. Charitatis.
P. 76. l. 4. indulgente, r. indulgent.
P. 77. l. 10. withes, r. wither.
P. 81. l. 23. principitatum, r. principatum.
Ibid. marg. Tyrannides, r. Tyrannide.
P. 95. l. 27. man. r. men.
P. 144. l. 13. underſtand, r. underſtanding.
P. 236. l. 9. Angel, r. Angels.
P. 237. l. 2. the, r. thy.
Ibid. l. 4. rouſe, r. raiſe.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Canne, The Time of the End (1657)