Scripture Proof the Kingdom of Christ in its Succession, Part 2
Thus I have given a brief Landskip of the Prophetical Types, (which, were it ſeaſonable here▪ might be drawn much more full, and patticular) and the ſo exact Adjuſtments of Times; which might in the very ſame manner be given from the Reſurrection; Nay, They might be derived down from Cyrus, throughout the whole 2300 Eves, Morns. But I ſhall now endeavour the Additional Proof, That theſe Types muſt needs be the Types to be adjuſted to the Times I have all along given, and am now properly upon.
Argum. 9 Theſe muſt needs be the Types ſignified by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to his Servant John, becauſe there are no other Types to be found, that can bear up the Courſe of Time from the Reſurrection of Chriſt; the Etoch of the Revelation, from which All its Prophecies began, and have all along been coming ſwiftly to paſs to this Day, and ſo to his Kingdom, but only Theſe So Great, within the Remains of the Roman Empire, in ſo Juſt an Order, Series, and continued Succeſſion of Events, and ſo perfectly agreeing with the Types of Prophecy. This may be very plainly ſeen by the Attempt of the ſo Learned Dr. Hammond, after Grotius; who, though he endeavour'd to his utmoſt, and was as Able for it as any Man, yet how little he could perform, is very Apparent. He was forc'd to pitch upon ſo many Events, ſo very ſmall, to be found only in Corners of Hiſtory; Taking in but ſmall Portions of the Time, ſince the Revelation given, very Confus'd, backward and forward, referring to Things before the Revelation it ſelf given, placing the Bleſſed State of the Thouſand Years, where Antichristian and Mahometan Tyranny have had their principal Scituation. Whereas, Thoſe I reſt upon, are the Nobleſt Events, in the cleareſt Parts of Hiſtory, and what any would moſt deſire to know, viz. the Weſtern Roman Famous Empire, becoming Ten Kingdoms, under the Papacy; the Mahometan Impoſture, the Saracens, the Turks; the long Oppreſſion of the Waldenſes or Vaudois; the Eaſtern Empire, and its City ſeiz'd by Mahomet. Their Derivation from the Reſurrection is Juſt and equal Supporting Time to this Day; All within Daniel's Laſt, viz. the Roman Monarchy, as they ought to be; makng Daniel's Prophecy and the Revelation-Prophecy one intire Piece; ſetting the Bleſſed Thouſand Years duly after the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, and the Mahometan Tyranny ended, and not before it.
It is evident, There are no Events ſo Great and Comprehenſive, to be found, as to paſt Time, as theſe; the Reformation following cloſe on them; ſince the Empire became Chriſtian, and Paganiſm utterly ſuppreſs'd in it; to which Time the Seven Seals of the Revelation lead, by as Remarkable and Juſtly Dated Events, if it were ſeaſonable here to Give Them, or not too Long.
If we ſhould think, Greater Events may be yet to come, which may better Anſwer theſe Types; We muſt run unavoidably upon this Rock, viz. the Suppoſition; ſo Great a Prophecy hath neglected theſe ſo Great, and of ſo Great Duration, notwithſtanding its Events were in Motion, at the very Time it was Given; or, as it ſpeaks in great Swiftneſs and Suddenneſs, to come to paſs.
Again, Theſe Events muſt be either very ſhort, but of Three Years and a Half, according to the Letter of the 1260 Days; And then this ſo Long Courſe of Time, and Events, muſt be paſs'd over for very ſhort ones, which cannot be Great, according to General Providence, becauſe ſo ſhort; or elſe they muſt be ſuppos'd to take up as much Time as Theſe have done; And then beſides, the Prophecies ſtrange Silence of theſe, which came immediately to paſs, from Time to Time, ſince it was Given; which are therefore its proper Subject, as it ſelf hath ſaid; The Laſt Times, ſince Chriſt, muſt be prodigiouſly alſo ſwell'd, againſt all Reaſon and Affirmation of Scripture. From all which it may be certainly concluded, Theſe very Events, adjuſted ſo to their Types, are the very Types of this Prophecy of the Revelation.
Argum. 10 That the 42 Months, with which 1260 Days of Years run parallel, muſt be Months, and Days of Years, which are yet in Motion, but near run out; I Argue thus from Expreſs Letter of Scripture, and Matter of Fact compar'd:
Firſt, Our Lord Categorically Aſſerts, Jeruſalem ſhall be trodden under Foot of the Gentiles, until the Times of the Gentiles ſhall be Fullfilled, Luke 21. 24.
Now that the Gentiles Times continued from the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, by Titus, until the Chriſtian Empire of Conſtantine, No One will deny: Nor, that, when It Fell, and hath been under the Hand of the Mahometans, firſt the Saracens, and then the Turks (as It hath done far the grea…er part of the Time, ſince the Chriſtian Empire) but that it might moſt Juſtly be ſaid to have been Trodden under Foot by the Gentiles; For ſuch are All, who do not profeſs Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo are ſtyl'd Infidels; This No One of the Chriſtian Name will Deny, and therefore that Gentiles Times muſt be ſtill. But for the Time it hath been in the Power of Chriſtians, ſo much as in Name, which hath been but Inconſiderable for now above theſe 1600 Years; either thoſe ſhort Intervals, for their being ſo ſhort, and ſurrounded on all ſides with the Power of Gentiles to Tread i… under Foot, were over-look'd by Chriſt, as not worthy to make an Exception; or elſe, which is the much Truer Account, the Heathen Roman Dragon, ſo without any Interruption of Death, but only of a Deadly Wound, gave his Power to the Roman Antichriſtian Beaſt; that even in the Pureſt Time of the Chriſtian Empire, Jeruſalem was in the Judgment of Chriſt, Trodden under Foot by Gentiles, either Pagan or Antichriſtian, and ſo Pagan Times of the Gentiles have ſtill run on.
But take we either Opinion as we pleaſe, Lo here, even a Scripture Landmark of Times, and even Demonſtration that Gentiles Times are not yet fulfill▪d; For if we conſider the Scope, and whole Context of our Lord's Aſſertion, it is plain, that ſo long as Gentiles Times laſt, Jeruſalem, in Round Account of the Matter, however ſome Lucid Intervals (as we ſpeak) there might be, muſt be ſo in the Power of the Gentiles, as to be Trodden under Foot by them: And on the other ſide, ſo long as Jeruſalem is Trodden under Foot of Gentiles, Gentiles Times muſt be in their Courſe; and whenever Gentiles Times end, after what Manner ſoever, Jeruſalem ſhall be Reſtor'd; it ſhall be no longer Trodden under Foot by Gentiles; For there ſhall be Gentiles Times no longer for them to Do it in.
Let us now compare with this plain Text in Luke, that of Revel. 11. 1. and by way of Reſemblance, or Symbol, taken from the Outer Court of the Temple, and of the Holy City Jeruſalem, Trodden under Foot, by plain Gentiles, in the very Letter; There is a Prophetical Signification, That the whole Breadth of the Cbriſtian Name, Profeſſion, and what is call'd, the Ʋniverſal Church, as Viſible, and Appearing, ſhall be Trodden under Foot by Antichriſtian Gentiles. And hereunto are Aſſign'd 42 Months, Concurrent with which, as Mourners upon ſuch a Calamity, are the 1260 Days of the Witneſſes prophecying in Sackcloth.
And by the Courſe of the Viſion, as theſe Months muſt needs be Times of the Gentiles; (For they are the Months of the Gentiles, and Gentiles Months muſt be Gentiles Times;) So they muſt be the Laſt Courſe of Gentiles Times, becauſe when they, with 1260 Days of the Sackcloth Prophecy end, the Kingdoms of this World will become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt, and Gentiles Times be no more, v. 12. v. 15.
It is therefore in the firſt place moſt certain, theſe 42 Months, and the 1260 Days parallel with them, muſt be Months, and Days of Years, ſeeing Jeruſalem hath been for ſo many Hundreds of Years under the Power of Mahometans, which All who own Chriſt will acknowledge deſervedly ſtyl'd Gentiles; and ſtill it is ſo Trodden under Foot by them. Gentiles Times muſt not therefore have ended yet; For then Jeruſalem had been no longer ſo Trodden under Foot, as yet it is: And ſure it is a very Remarkable Ordination of Providence, that Its Treading under Foot hath been by the Enemies of the Chriſtian Name, that All might herein Agree, that Gentiles Times are not yet fulfill▪d, ſeeing, notwithſtanding All Attempts, and under ſuch Title of Merit, and with ſo great Noiſe and Pomp of Devotion, to Reſcue them, thoſe very Infidels have had the Power of the Holy Land and Sepulchre, as it is ſo often ſtyl'd, under their Feet.
And with the very ſame Wiſdom by the Figures of Propheoy, the Chriſtian Outward Court, and Holy City, or Viſible Worſhip, and Church, are ſaid to be trodden under Foot by Antichriſtian Gentiles, however call'd Chriſtian; that both theſe might give Light one to another, and Antichriſtian Times and Mahometan Times run parallel, as hath been hitherto Diſcours'd. For while Jeruſalem is ſo under the Power of Gentiles, we are ſure, the Gentiles Months, being the Laſt Courſe of Gentiles Times, are in their Motion; And while theſe Months are in Motion, there is a Certainty Jeruſalem ſhall be ſtill ſo trodden under Foot, even by thoſe Gentiles, or Mahometan Infidels, under whoſe Power It now is. And by finding, when theſe Months, viz. of the Gentiles, and of the Beaſt, both falling into one another, ſhall End, we know how long Jeruſalem ſhall be ſo trodden by Gentiles; even as by the ſo long having been trodden under Foot, we knew theſe Months, and the paraliel, 1260 Days are of Years.