The Person and Period of the Antichrist, Discourse · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
437. THis leads me to the laſt particular, to wit, the reſurrection of the Witneſſes, however or whenever they be ſlain, this is certain, that after 3. Y. and half, they ſhall be raiſed again; and the garments of Captivity (their Sackcloth-covering) ſhall be taken from them, and fine linnen, clean and white, ſhall be given to them inſtead thereof; the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, Rev. 19.8. then ſhall the Miniſters of the Lord ſtand up with Urim and Thummim, as Ezr. 2.63. then ſhall the Yoke be deſtroyed becauſe of the Anointing, Eſa. 10.27. then ſhall thoſe Prophets not only be raiſed up (as Chriſt roſe) (to die no more into their former Eſtate, but into a more excellent dignity: then the new Heavens, &c. then the Lambs feed after their manner, Iſa. 5.17. eating clean provender, &c. Iſa. 30.24.
438. Having thus run over the deſcription of the Witneſſes, unto their Reſurrection, which for want of room I can but name, and which brings forth [the foreign] the ruine of Rome. Now can we but find out where to head the Prophecy of thoſe Witneſſes in Sackcloth, it would more clearly guide our Conjectures about the fall of Antichrſt; for there is an exact equality betwixt the 42. Months (the Beaſts time, being meaſured by Months) becauſe his work is Idolatry, a work of darkneſs, moon or night-work; and the 1260 Days (the term of the Witneſſes) whoſe work belongs to the day, under the conduct of the Sun of Righteouſneſs.
439. Without controverſie, aſſoon as Antichrist is reveald, and enthron'd in his Pontificalibus; the Witneſſes then begins to put on their Sackcloth (beholding his ſilken duſt, and his Golden Damnation) and to mourn at the revelation of this Mystery of Iniquity. So they thus contemporizing in their beginning, muſt neceſſarily do ſo in their ending too. So that this 3 Y. and half (foremention'd) muſt be a part (yea, and the laſt part) of both thoſe Terms: and as to their beginning of this Sackcloth-prophecy, I ſhall refer my opinion to an Appendix annexed to the end of this Treatiſe.
440. Let no Man marvel that I do but grope in this method, not only becauſe I am remov'd by this Diſpenſation from my Library, but alſo becauſe it is an untrodden Path; and though I would not ſay with Zabarel, (hoc ego primus vidi) ſavouring too much of vain affectation. Yet this I may truly ſay, that never any Authors (that I am acquainted with, or heard of) propounded this Method to find out the true Calculation of Antichrists time, by thoſe ſeveral Intimations fore-ſpoken of; an improvement whereof may bee made by abler hands than by poor I. John came firſt to the ſepulchre, and ſaw indeed the linnen clothes, but Peter went in and took a particular View, John 20.4,5,6,7.
441. And what hath all thoſe learned and holy Men (foremention'd) done but groped at it, yea, and hath miſſed the mark: thoſe lights hath been in the dark, yea, even thoſe that found the reſerve of 45 Years (to retreat to in their Interpretations) ſeeing they make the former Period of thoſe Years to bring with them ſome eminent Bleſſedneſs, Paragr. 269. ſuch as the ſcattering of the Holy People to be accompliſhed, and the Witneſſes riſing to die no more, which things (Experience tells us) are not fulfilled according to their Calculations of the beginning of this Reſerve, the end whereof ſhould bring in the Kingdom of Chriſt.
442. Above all thoſe eminent Lights, Mr. Burroughs ſeems moſt cautelous in his Conjectures about Antichrists downfall; who obſerving the variety and uncertainty of all Chronologies, takes an 100. Y. compaſs to foot his Account in, ſaying, betwixt 4 & 500. Y. after Chriſt, Antichriſt roſe (though he lean moſt to that Opinion expreſſed before, Paragr. 299.) ſo that his Interpretation holds good at any time, till 1760. Y. after Chriſt be expired. In his firſt Vol. of Lectures on Hoſea, and the laſt Pages.
443. ☞ Now whether this Calculation of Mr. Burroughs do hold or no, or ours? from the riſing of the 10 Horns to 1716. Y. in Pa…gr. 358. or from the removal of the Rom. …pire from the Seat of the Beaſt (which the …cient Church look'd much at, uſing to pray …t the Continuance of it, becauſe they knew …hen it was broken, Antichriſt would come) … 1736. in Paragr. 365. or from the healing …f the Wound, to 1866. as in Paragr. 376. or … any of the other hit or no? However, Gods …ime ſhall not miſs, who keeps his word to a Day, Exod. 12.41. Though we miſtake our reckonings, yet God cannot miſtake his, and will make Antichriſts feet ſlide in due time, Deut. 32.35. This may both comfort and ſtrengthen us.
444. Beſide the uncertainty of Chronologys and our own aptneſs to Antedate Promiſes, and to Poſtdate Threatnings, it muſt be conſider'd, that it is much ſafer to Poſtdate Prophecies, then to Antedate them, for Antedating of them brings a disapointment unavoidable; then if Hope deferred make the heart Sick, Prov. 13.12. Hope diſappointed muſt ſtrike the heart dead: Oh how tedious is that time to the big-bellied Woman which is beyond her Reckoning: every hour is a day, every day is a week, and every week a long tedious Month to her: and ſuch inconveniencies hath come by thoſe ſeveral miſreckonings already paſt; beſides, the Atheiſm it occaſions in mens hearts againſt the word of God.
445. However God is a God of Judgement, and knows how to time all his Promiſes and Providences, in their beſt Seaſon. And this peremptorineſs of Opinion (where out knowledge can be but Conjectural, till we ſee the event of things) cannot be good: as in that laſt point of the Witneſſes; 1. They may be a long time (of this 1260. days) in Slaying, before they be fully Slain: ſo tis hard to ſay poſitively where or when: and 2ly. we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt Exemplications and Genuine Interpretations, the killing of the Witneſſes may be Exemplified in many Ages and Countreys, which yet may not be the ſole proper, and poſitive Accompliſhment of that Prophecy concerning them.
446. Concerning this day, that is known only to the Lord, Zech. 14.77. we can but ſay, we think we have the mind of Chriſt, while this Vail and face of Covering is undone away, Eſa. 25.7. we ſpeak by permiſſion, and not of Commandment: Yet this we may certainly ſay, that Antichriſts Kingdom hath been a long time a decaying Kingdom, by ſundry Vials already powr'd upon it, a Scotch miſt is upon it, [foreign, Rev. 16.10.11.] as if the 5th. Vial (in ſome ſprinklings) were upon it, Chriſt hath won much ground from Antichriſt already, whatever may be, as the laſt lightning before his everlaſting fall, the Aſſyrian may get Emanuels Land, Eſa. 8.8.
447. Iſh-boſheths Kingdom was a type of …tichriſts, as Davids was a type of Chriſts, … Sam. 3.1. David had a Divine promiſe for … foundation, ſo waxed Stronger and Stronger, …t the other (having no ſupport but by an …rm of Fleſh which withered up like Jero…ms) waxed weaker and weaker: And as …is man of ſhame (for ſo Iſh-boſheth in Hebrew …gnifies) was deſtroyed by ſome of his own Captains, 2 Sam. 4.2.6. ſo this Man of Sin muſt be deſtroy'd by ſome of his own Kings, Rev. 17.16. and thoſe (whom the Lord ſhall … her end call out of Babylon) are Commanded …o Reward her double, Rev. 18.4.6. when …er favourite-Kings ſtand affar off, and dare … help her, v. 9.10.
448. It is true after all this, Sheba the Son of Bichri makes a Rebellion againſt David, … Sam. 20. Bichri, [Hebrew] Signifyes, the firſt-born (that Son of Perdition) who begets Sheba, (Hebr. Seven) or 7 Capital Sins, which may Rebel againſt our David, and In…ade Emmanuels Land again: but Wiſdom …akes Councel, takes off Shebas head, yields it up to Davids General, that ſo a Mother in Iſrael and the Inheritance of the Lord might not be deſtroyed, v. 15.16.19.22. God will put this Wiſdom into the hearts of ſome of thoſe Kings, and they ſhall ſay with Darius, why ſhould wrath be on us and our Realms.
449. God hath given all the Kingdoms of the World to this David, Pſal. 2.6. long before the Devil proferr'd him a Sophiſtical Repreſentation of them, in Matth. 4.8.9.10. [All theſe will I give thee] which the Centuriſts interpret [I will make thee Pope] becauſe Rome was then the Miſtreſs of the World, (and is call'd [the World] Luke 2.1.) and no where could ſuch glory be ſeen, as was a fit temptation for Chriſt, but the Pompe of the Roman-Empire: thus Satan offers to Chriſt that which he knew ſhould be the Seat of Antichriſt: he would have the Singular Seeed of the Woman, to become the Singular Seed of the Serpent, and makes Rome a Stumbling-block betimes; yea, and after he had offerr'd Chriſt all Kingdoms, he accuſes him (by his Inſtruments) for aſpiring to one, and that a little one, [the King of the Jews] but as Chriſt ſaid to Satan, [Get thee behind me] ſo will he ſay to this his Eldest Son, to wit, Antichrist.
450. Though Chriſt refuſed what Satan offerr'd, yet will he take to himſelf the Kingdoms that God hath given him, Revel. 11.15.17. and Christs Riſe ſhall be Antichrists Ruine: Antichriſts Evening ſhall be Chriſts Morning, Zech. 14.7. though Antichriſtianiſm may revive at laſt, (as Heatheniſm did in Julian before its utter Extirpation) for ſhe ſays, (the day before deſtruction came) I am no Widow, as if Married to her 10. Sons again, Revel. 18.7.8. and though he ſhould plant the Tabernacle of his Palace [Inter Maria] …etween the Seas, (as above) Dae. 11.45. …et ſhall he come to his end, and none ſhall help …im: when the Whore ſings her own Requiem, ▪I ſit as Queen] in that day is her Ruine.
451. But the great Cry of Gods People is, … Lord how long, and why are his Chariots ſo …ng in coming?) as wearied with their Wilderneſs-State, their Eyes failing while they look for their God: we meaſure Chriſts ſlackneſs in coming; 1. By the ſhortneſs of our own lives, 2. By the ſcantneſs of our own patience, and 3ly. By the edge of our own deſires to ſee his Coming: Now a little time in all theſe Reſpects, is a long time; Yet (in deed and in truth) Chriſt is not ſlack as ſome men count ſlackneſs, 2 Pet. 3.9. after ſome of thoſe 3 ways, our time is always ready, but His time is not yet, John 7.6. only this he comforts us withall, in due Seaſon ye ſhall Reap if ye ſaint not, be not weary in well doing, Gal. 6.9.
452. Oh pray, that our Carcaſes may not ſell in this Wilderneſs,, that we may paſs over this Jordan into that good Land, even to that goodly Mountain and Lebanon, Deut. 3.25. Dr. Stoughton tells of a Prophecy, that Antichriſt ſhould never overcome Venice, Paris, and London, what is done to the 2 former is known, Oh pray, he may never totally overcome this laſt: alas we are tainted both with Egypts Idolatry. and Wilderneſs-ſins; only here's our hope, God dealt with Iſrael in the Wilderneſs after the tenure of the Old Covenant, ſo they fell there through Unbelief, and enter'd not into Gods Reſt. But God will deal with us after the tenure of the New Covenant, the free Grace whereof comes riding Triumphantly over all our Unworthineſs: Mercy Triumphs over Juſtice, Oh pray, that though we be not worthy, we may be accounted worthy to eſcape thoſe things that may come to paſs, and to ſtand before the Son of Man in a better Diſpenſation, Luk. 21.36.