The Work of the Age, Title page – Preface
THE Work of the Age: OR, The ſealed Prophecies of DANIEL opened and applied.
VVherein is plainly proved that all the Governments in the World, except the Government of Chriſt, are but Images, or parts of Nebuchadnezzars Image, and ſhall be ſuddenly broken in peices by the little Stone cut out of the Mountain without hand: Together with the means how Chriſt will effect all this.
Shewing alſo that Image-Government, and Image-Worſhip have always been Companions.
Explaining likewiſe Daniels myſtical Numbers, and diſcovering ſome Miſpriſions about the Little Horn, both in the Tranſlation and Application of the ſame.
Amending ſundry places in our Common Tranſlation, and clearing ſome Chronological points from the common errours.
By WILLIAM ASPINWALL.
LONDON: Printed by R. I. for Livewell Chapman, and are to be ſold at the Sign of the Crown in Popeſ-head Alley. 1655.
The Preface.
MOſes thought it uncomely for Hebrews and follow Brethren to ſtrive together, Exod. 2. 13. And when Joſeph diſmiſſed his Brethren, and ſent them back to Canaan to his Father, he impoſed this charge upon them, See yee fall not out by the way, Gen. 45. 24. So me thinks it ill becomes Chriſtians, and Co-witneſſes for Chriſt to bandy Arguments, as men toſſe Balls forward and backward, drawing black lines one upon another, as if they did fearfully and ſhamefully ſtretch both the text, and reaſon, if they diſſent from what is held forth by them. This ſavours not of a Spirit of Chriſt, it is not the language of Canaan. Wee may reſt our ſelves ſatisfied, when we have born witneſs to the truth, and held forth the light we have received. For this end was I born, and for this cauſe came I into the world to bear witneſs to the truth, Joh. 18. 37. This was Chriſts work, and it ſhould be ours alſo. It is the nature of Light to expel Darkneſs. We ſhall need to do no more, but hold forth the word of truth, with as much clearneſs as we can, and apply all other interpretations thereunto, and it will appear what is ſtrait, and what is crooked. For, Rectum eſt index ſui & obliqui. And truly if we paſs theſe limits, it is a thouſand to one that inſtead of bearing witneſs to the truth, wee ſhall bear witneſs againſt ſome truth or other.
We may poſſibly with miſtaken Arguments beget Diſciples to our ſelves, but ſeldom or never (with ſuch Carnal weapons) ſhall we beget Diſciples unto Chriſt, or to his Truth. The Sun hath no need of Candles, or other adventitious lights, to inlighten the ſame, or to augment the light thereof. Let us hold forth the truth with all clearneſs, and if any thing be obſcure (in regard of the Dialect, wherein it was originally written) let it be our care, with all faithfulneſs, to explain the ſame; and leave it to the bleſſing of God aforeign, Gen. 2to perſwade, and to the breathings of the Spirit (whoſe office it is) to bforeign.convince, Job. 16. 8. Which were it duly attended unto, would ſpare a great deal of precious time, and tedious writing, which many times is fruitleſly ſpent in Anſwers and Replies, that tend little to the honour of Chriſt, or the advantage of his Cauſe.
I know it often fares with Chriſtians as with little Children, that make haſte to their Father; ſometimes they catch a fall, or a knock. Peter though he was moſt reſolved, and moſt forward, fell fouleſt. And if we look narrowly into the matter, we ſhall ordinarily eſpy a ſpice of Spiritual pride, as well as a ſtrong affection to our Lord and Maſter, ſecretly couchant under our precipitancy and prefidence of ſpirit. Whereby it now and then comes to paſs that we write crooked, or walk crooked, and beſides our rule.
The advice therefore which I would give to others, which alſo I deſire to take my ſelf, is briefly this. Let us lye low before the Lord, in all our ſtudies, and inquiries into the holy Counſels of God, eſpecially theſe myſtical Scriptures, and ſeriouſly weigh every word, and every IOTA in the text, comparing Scripture with Scripture. For holy men of God ſpake, (and writ) as they were acted by the holy Spirit, 2 Pet. 1. 21. And the Lord keep our ſpiri…s humble. For, God will teach the humble his way, Pſal. 25. 8. The Apoſtles advice is ſingularly uſeful in this caſe, Let each eſteem other better than themſelves, Phil. 2. 3. And in all our explications of dark and Prophetical Scriptures, let there run through all the veins thereof a ſpirit of love, and Self-denial. Not in word alone, but in deed, and in truth; for oftentimes there lyes much of Self, ſecretly hidden under verbal Self-denial. This in ſumme is the advice I would give to others, and to my ſelf alſo. Let me only adde a word more by way of Cau…on, when we come to treat of ſealed Propheſies, ſuch as Chriſt hath commanded to ſeal until the time of the end (a). Take heed of ingaging too far,Of which …d Daniels …phecies are, Maſter Til…ghaſt well ſerves, p. 157 …. and beware of pre-occupating Chriſt in opening the Seals, leſt we diſcover our own nakedneſs, and out live our own interpretations. Stay we but a little, till Chriſt in a way of Providence open the Seal, and then wee may with ſafety make particular applications of ſuch Prophetical Scriptures; as we ſee the Saints of old have done, in applying that which is written of the Little Horn (as it is called) Dan. 8, 9. 25. unto Antiochus Epiphanes. To which end you may read the Story of the Maccabees, Joſephus, and others. In like manner, I doubt not but the Little Horn, Dan. 7. 8. may rightly, and without injury to the truth, be applied to Charls Stuart the late King. For as much as there are ſo many remarkable Characters which Chriſt in a providential way hath delineated▪ even to the very laſt ſtroke as I may ſay, which are applicable all of them unto Charls Stuart, and cannot ſuitably bee accommodated unto any other of the Ten Horns beſides him, as I ſuppoſe. But I ſhall ſpeak more fully of that, when I come to treat of that Little Horn, the Lord aſſiſting. Weigh therefore and conſider what is written, and the Lord give a right underſtanding in all things.
Sixth Month (commonly called Febr.) 1655. WILLIAM ASPINWALL.
Daniels Prophecies in the 2, 7, 8, 9, and the 11th. Chapters, unſealed and opened, in ſome brief exercitations upon thoſe Chapters.
DANIEL II.
Verſ. 31. Thou O King, was contemplating, and behold one great Image, this Image which was ſo great▪ and his brightneſs excellent, was ſtanding before thee▪ and the ſight thereof terrible.
32 This Image, the head of it was good gold▪ his breaſt and his arms of ſilver: his IIOr Bowels,belly and his *Or Side.thigh of braſs.
33 His leggs of iron: his feet [part] aforeignof them of iron, and [part] bforeignof them of clay.
34 Thou was contemplating, until a ſtone (but not with hands) was cut out, and it ſmote the Image upon his feet of iron and clay: and brake them in peeces.
35 Then were broken in peeces (as one) the iron, the clay, the braſs, the ſilver, and the gold, and they became as the chaffe of the Summer threſhing-floors, and the wind carried them away, that no place of them was found; and the ſtone that ſmote the Image became a great Mountain, and filled all the earth.
36 This is the Dream, and wee will tell the interpretation thereof, before the King.
37 Thou O King [art] a King of Kings: that the God of Heaven hath given to thee a Kingdom, Power, Strength, and Glory.
38 And every where that …he children of men are dwelling, the Beaſt of the field, and the Fowl of Heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all; thou art he, the head of it, that is of gold.
39 And after thee ſhall ariſe another Kingdom (the land inferiour in compariſon of thee) and another third Kingdom of braſs, which ſhall bear rule in all the earth.
40 And the Fourth Kingdom ſhall bee ſtrong as iron: for as much as iron doth break in peeces, and ſubdueth all things, and (as iron that breaketh all theſe) ſhall it break in peeces and bruiſe.
41 And whereas thou didst contemplate the feet and the toes, [part] cforeignof them of Potters clay, and [part] dforeignof them iron, the Kingdom ſhall be divided, but there ſhall be in it of the ſtrength of the iron: for as much as thou didſt behold the iron mixing with mirie clay.
42 And the toes of the feet [were part] eforeignof them iron, and [part] fforeignof them clay; in part the Kingdom ſhall be ſtrong, gChald. of it.and in part▪ ſhall be broken.
43 In that thou didſt behold the iron mixing it ſelf with mirie clay, they ſhall mixe themſelves with the ſeed of men, but they ſhall not cleave this with that; even as iron cannot bee mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of them (of theſe Kings) ſhall the God of Heaven cauſe to ariſe a Kingdom that ſhall never be deſtroyed, and the Kingdom thereof ſhall not be left to other people: it ſhall break in peeces and conſume all theſe Kingdoms, and it ſhall ſtand for ever.
45 For as much as thou didſt contemplate that the ſtone was cut out of the Mountain (but not with hands) and it brake in peeces the iron, the braſs, the clay, the ſilver, and the gold, the great God doth make it known to the King what ſhall be after this: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof faithful.
NOw ere I come to the explication of theſe enſuing Prophecies and Viſions, let mee premiſe theſe few things to be conſidered.
There be ſome Prophecies in Scripture that are ſealed by a Divine decree or command, as it is written, Dan. 12. 4. But thou O Daniel, ſhut up the words, and ſeal the Book, even to the time of the end. And Rev. 5. 1. I ſaw in the right hand of him that ſate on the Throne, a Book written within, and on the back ſide, ſealed with ſeven Seals. Though they bee written in the Mother Tongue, as I may ſay, and the words intelligible, yet they are ſealed.
Now that I may expreſs my ſelf briefly, yet plainly as I can, to the meaneſt capacity, let me propoſe theſe few Queſtions, with their Anſwers.
Queſt. 1. What is the Seal, whereby God is wont to Seal? that is, to ratifie, and yet to conceal his holy Councels?
Q. 2. What are the ingravings of this Seal?
Q. 3. Whar is the effigies, or impreſſion made by this Seal?
Q. 4. What is meant by the Book, or writing ſealed?
Q. 5. How, or after what manner doth God ſeal this Book?
Q. 6. How doth Chriſt open the Seals?
Anſw. 1 To the firſt I anſwer, That the Holy Spirit of God is the Seal, for ſo he is called, Epheſ. 1. 3. and God uſeth no Seal but this.
Anſw. 2 To the Second I anſwer, That the ingravings of this Seal (as I may ſpeak) are the ſecret Counſels of God, which are known only to the Spirit of God, and by him revealed to us, as it is written, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the ſpirit of man which is in him? Even ſo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Anſw. 3 To the Third I anſwer, That the written Word of God, and the holy Councel of God revealed therein, is the effigies, or impreſſion made by this Seal; For holy men of God ſpake as they were acted by the holy Spirit, 2 Pet. 1. 21.
Anſw. 4 To the Fourth I anſwer, That the Book ſealed is the Book of Providence, wherein is portrayed (as I may ſay) in a moſt lively manner, the perſons and things, with ſuch diſtinguiſhing Characters and Marks, as do exactly anſwer the minde and Counſel of God revealed in his Word, as appears by the opening of the Seals, Rev. 6.
Anſw. 5. To the Fifth I anſwer, That the ſpirit of God; ſeales the writing, by expreſſing himſelf under▪ ſuch darke repreſentations, Hierogliphicks, and metaphors, as it paſſeth all humane and angelicall capacities▪ to make a perfect and particular application thereof, untill Chriſt Jeſus the Lyon of the tribe of Judah (who only is worthy to open the book and unlooſe the ſeals, Rev. 5. 5. 12) do in a way of providence firſt break open the Seals. And then wee may be capable to diſcern the perfect Harmony, that is betwixt the Prophecies, and the perſons there deſcribed and not til then.
Anſw. 6 To the laſt I anſwer. That Chriſt opens the Seals, by producing the perſons intended, to Act in a providentiall way, according to the eternall Counſell of his Father, revealed in his word. Which is called the Decrees-bringing-forth, Zeph. 2. 2▪ And I may (not unfitly) call it a providentiall deſcription, or exemplification of his Fathers Counſells. Thus Chriſt breaks open the Seal, and then if wee have ſpirituall eyes, wee may diſcerne each lineament or ingraveing of the Seal (imprinted as it were upon wax or clay) anſwering line to line exactly. Vntil which be done, yea, til Chriſt beginne to draw out the laſt line or character, wee ſhall not be able to make particular Application of ſuch Sealed Prophecies. Wherefore I durſt not attempt to make particular application of that litle horn in the ſeventh of Daniel, unto Charls Stuart the late King, t…ll Chriſt had▪ firſt begunne to draw out the laſt line or Character, in a way of providence.
Thus I have given you the ſumme of my thoughts, touching Sealed prophecies, as briefly and as plainly as I could. Let mee only add this word of Caution more. That Keyes were never ordained to open Seals. Wherefore ſince the wiſdome of God▪ ſaw it not good, to ſet Looks upon Prophecies, but Seals: and ſince none hath prevailed▪ nor was judged worthy to open theſe Sealed Books, but the Lamb: Let us wa…t with faith and patience till Chriſt open the Book and then wee ſhall ſee him delineate the perſons and things (intended) in the Actings of his providence. And ſo doing, wee ſhall neither be deceived our ſelves, nor miſ-lead others. For which end it is that I have thus opened my ſelf▪ in theſe poor broken expreſſions, ere I proceed to the unfolding of Daniels Prophecies. Intending to ſpeak briefly, to thoſe Prophecies only, which are already accompliſhed, or in accompliſhing; and ſhall proceed no further than Chriſt hath gone before mee in the Actings of his Providence. This being premiſed, I ſhall briefly come to ſpeak of thoſe Prophecies which are unſealed, and firſt of this Dream or Viſion of Nebuchadnezzer.