A Discourse Upon the Powers of the World to Come, Treatise · Treatise proper · Part 4
I begin with the Firſt; The arguing the Propoſition, which ſhall inſiſt upon theſe Four Heads, or Topicks.
1. I argue from the Infinite Ability of the Divine Spirit, ſo to give Prophecy, that the Interpretation may be Free and Publick.
2. I argue from the neceſſity; That whatever is written with ſenſe, and coherence of the things written, and with the Harmony of Truth, if the parts of ſuch Diſcourſes are dilig…tly compar'd, and ſagaciouſly intermedled with by perſons ſeparating themſelves thereunto, a certain Interpretation muſt needs fly out to them.
3. I argue from the gracious Aſſiſtances and Promiſes that the Holy Spirit will as the Spirit of Truth lead into all Truth, ſhewing things that are to come; and give the key of knowledge, leading into the Sectets of Prophecy; even wherein our Dulneſs and Slowneſs of Heart makes them ſo, notwithſtanding the Proviſion of the Spirit for their Interpretation.
Argument I. The Divine Spirit hath an Infinite and Infallible Preſcience of things that are to come to paſs; Known to him are the Works of God from the very Foundation of the World to the end of it, with every particular Accident to the very leaſt Circumſtance; and therefore he can foretell all things, as clearly as he pleaſes; and ſo that they may be interpreted and underſtood.
He ſearcheth all things, even the deep things of God, whoſe Counſels of old are faithfulneſs and truth; who calleth the End from the Beginning, and can declare it; For he worketh all things after the Counſel of his own Will, which Will he knew from Eternity within himſelf.
This Preſcience of the Divine Spirit is acknowledg'd by All Chriſtians, except ſome few who leaſt deſerve the Name of Chriſtians, who deny the Actual Determinations of Free, or what we call Fortuitous Agents, to be Scibilia, or Knowable.
I make not therefore here any diſpute concerning the High Myſtery of the Supreme Pr…ſcience; how, or in what manner God foreknew, when the things fore known depend on cauſes acting ſo freely, that what they will chooſe, ſeems impoſſible to be known before hand; or ſo fortuitouſly, that if it could be foreſeen how they would be caſt, the Fortuitouſneſs ſeems deſtroyed: But that God does foreknow, I take for granted, even as it is much the more generally agreed; and in ſeveral greateſt Inſtances of each kind, it is moſt evident and undeniable in Scripture, God hath foretold the Events of each ſort; God magnifies his own Divinity; and challenges all Falſe Names of Deity upon this very Point: For thus he ſays, Declare to us things to come, that we may know you are Gods, Iſa. 43. 23. And as he foreſees, and fore-knows with infinite clearneſs and perſpicuity; even ſo he is able, according to the nature of Prophetick Language, which he hath conſtituted and fram'd, taking the Example from none, but giving it to all.
—to Expreſs all things Prophetically.
He employs the true Laws of ſpeaking Prophetically, and ſhewing things to come; he knows by his own Wiſdom, ſo to govern the ſpeaking of his Servants the Prophets, that prophetical things may be compar'd with prophetical: Prophetical things in the Old-Teſtament, with prophetical things in the New: Even as he hath taken care in all Spiritual Things in General, as the Apoſtle ſhews at large, 1 Cor. c. 2. That they may be ſo expreſs'd, that Spiritual things may be compar'd with Spiritual; Even ſo that Prophetical Emblems, Figures, Iconiſms, Types, Numbers of Time in the Old and New-Teſtament may be compar'd and co-ordinated one with another; that They as face to face, or as Tally to Tally may anſwer and agree, the one to the other; and may not be of any ſuch private Interpretation, as not to be ſearch'd into, or underſtood. He alſo foreſaw there would be, and took care there ſhould be Monuments of clear, undoubted, and Univerſal Hiſtory, to correſpond with Prophecy, as Teſtimonies of a mighty and powerful providence, that ſhould ratifie it by event; and that there ſhould be among all Nations in their Hiſtorical Records witneſſes thereunto.
Nay, beyond this, by the Infiniteneſs of the Divine Foreſight, the Holy Spirit hath choſen out ſuch Words, as ſhould themſelves give great Light and Confirmation in the Explanation of Prophecy by their own Light; by falling in with the Words, made uſe of in the time of Events coming to paſs. For the Holy Spirit having a certain Foreſight of the Words that ſhould be at any time in general uſe, could point to them many Ages before, for his own ſervice in Prophecy; and being ſo pointed to, and coming ſo into uſe, they make a very conſiderable Character to diſtinguiſh both Times, and their juſt place in Prophecy. In the ſame manner the Holy Spirit foreknew, what celebrated Rule or Number there would be found neceſſary in any Age for the Adjuſtment and Menſuration of time to ſuch purpoſes, as he had to remark upon in his Prophetical Frame; and when he is pleas'd to make any Alluſion to it, it is of ſingular uſe to the Explication and aſſurance of Prophetical Time, and whereabout in Time we are, by concerting one with another, viz. One ſuch Note in Hiſtory, and Event with ſuch its correſpondent Note in Prophecy; many particulars in each ſort of theſe ſhall after be remarked, and they … plainly ſhew, that Prophecy was not intended, nor deſign▪d for ſecrecy, and reſe…ve from All Interpretation.
Now in all theſe Particulars I uſe the Word Foreknew, or Foreſaw; to avoid any diſpute on the Word Fore-ordered, which elſe I altogether prefer.
God therefore in ſcorn to the Dark Oracles of the Devil, as well as to the Black Dens and Caves, out of which he gave them, ſays thus; Eſay 45. 19. I have not ſpoken in ſecret, in a dark place of the earth; I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye my face in vain, viz. my Counſel and Will in Prophecy, as they that ſeek to the Idols of the Heathen; For I the Lord ſpeak Righteouſneſs, I declare the things that are Right; Right in Regard of Infinite Underſtanding and Fore-knowledg of all Events; I ſpeak Things That are All plain to him that Ʋnderſtandeth, and Right to them that find Knowledg.
It cannot be ſupoſed, that the Divine Spirit can have any neceſſity upon him to ſpeak Darkly, or Ambiguouſly concerning things to come, if he pleaſe to ſpeak at all of them; as undoubtedly he hath been pleaſed to ſpeak of them; or that in that Rega…d Prophecy of Scripture ſhould be of any reſerv'd, or ſecret Interpretation; For all things, however to come, are ſo Open and Naked before him, with whom we have to do, that he need not Darken Counſel by words without Knowledg, either, as they do, who know not Themſelves, nor Ʋnderſtand; and ſo cannot beget Knowledg in others; Or that would deceive; For he knows All, ſo as to ſpeak plainly, clearly, certainly, concerning Them; He underſtands them fully, the certainty of their coming to paſs: He is neither Neſcient, nor Doubtful concerning any Thing, or the Manner, or the Time of its comming to paſs; and therefore, how long ſoever he ſpeaks of them before hand, yet he needs not ſo to ſpeak, as to hide himſelf in his Prophecy concerning Them, or ſeek Subter-fuges, or Ambi Dextrous expreſſions concerning Them any more, nor ſo much as any Other He, that looks moſt downright on things preſent; For as Darkneſs and Light are all one to the Father of Lights, ſo Yeſterday and to Day are all one to him, who Inhabits Eternity, and who is without any Variation, or Shaddow of Turning.
All theſe Things are ſo undoubtedly certain, ſo Univerſally Agreed, and Acknowledg'd, that altho they themſelves make a High Argument in this point; yet They need no Proof, but Require only to be Magnified, Diſplayed, and Illuſtrated.
Argnm. 2. Any Author, or Writer that can Write Senſe, and who does indeed Write Senſe, and Writes with ſome Largeneſs, and Diffuſiveneſs of that his Senſe, and does declare He would be Heard, and Read; and would have the Minds that have Wiſdom, Exerciſe themſelves upon what is Written; let him wrap up his Mind, and Senſe in ſuch Figures, that none but the Wiſe, and Conſidering ſhould find out his meaning, and let it but be, that he accordingly hath Framed his Diſcourſe; whenever ſuch a Writer gives out, and makes publick ſuch a Writing; he thereby puts it under the Dominion of every One, that is Wiſe and Sagacious, and who will allow the Time, and Thought, that is neceſſary to make ſuch Obſervation and Compare of the Hints, and Remarks that cannot be Avoided in Rational and Coherent Diſcourſe; however Involv'd in Symbols and Figures; by which the Senſe and Meaning may be Underſtood, and Found out.
But now it is on one ſide moſt True, that None, as the Divine Spirit can Write Higheſt Truth, and of Stupendious Significancy, and Coherence; and yet Veil, and Hide it ſo, as that it ſhould be impoſſible to find it out, but remain perfect Myſtery, till the time of Revealing it ſhould come; if he pleaſed ſo to have it; But then on the other hand, none, as he can Write in Figures, and under Veils, and yet ſo mix the Lights, and the Shades, if he pleaſe to have it ſo; that the Minds, that have Wiſdom ſhall find Light Ariſing, and Springing out in Taking heed to the ſure Word of Prophecy: And if They are Inclin'd and ſtirr'd up, to ſeparate Themſelves to Intermiddle with this Wiſdom. it cannot be, but they muſt make great Diſcoveries; If they faithfully attend and lay the parts one to another, and it be the will of that Holy Spirit of Prophecy, they ſhould do ſo.
Now that it is his Pleaſure, They ſhould do ſo, is made known by the very Writing, and Publication of Prophecy, and no Prohibition of Searching it; as alſo by the obligation, that lies upon all, when he Writes to obſerve, and u…derſtand. (This is due in Meaſure to every Intellig…nt, and Worthy Writer, but without Meaſure to his, the Spirits Writing) It is known to be hi… pleaſure; Becauſe there is a General Co…mand to Search the Scripture; Becauſe All Scripture is given by Inſpiration of God, and is Profitable, and there i… no Interdict upon Prophecy as to the ſearch, nor Limitation, as to the Profitableneſs; It i… known to be his pleaſure concerning Prophecy, becauſe it is ſaid by our Lord with Relation to the Prophecy of Daniel; Let him that readeth Ʋnderſtand; Becauſe the Apoſtle Peter hath ſaid of the more ſure word of Prophecy, yee do well in Taking …eed to it; becauſe it is written, as in Golden Letters on the Por…al of the Revelation; Bleſſed is he that Readeth, and they that hear the words of the Prophecy of this Book; which muſt needs imply with Underſtanding; Becauſe it is the Epiphonema, the Burden of every Epiſtle of it; He that hath an Ear, let him hear.
And if it be thus, then all the Locking up the Mind of the Holy Spirit of Prophecy is, that he may reſerve the Secrets of it for the peculiar Friends (I ſay not of his word in general) but of his Prophetick Word; and that they may whet up the ſharpeſt Exerciſe of their Powers of Underſtanding to find the Golden Taches, and Couplings; and one Part of Prophecy may be joyn'd to Another, and the whole peice be under view in all its Frame, and Contexture.
As ſoon as ever therefore, the Holy Spirit hath once Publiſh'd, and Expos'd his Prophetic Writings, and thereby, and therein Affix'd them to the Pillars of the Temple; They are by his Grace made the Right of his Servants to ſearch into, and to Underſtand; For they then ceaſe to be the Secret Things that Belong to God; But they being Reveal'd, become thoſe that Belong to us, and to our Children; we enter into that Priviledg of the Iſrael of God, To us belong the Oracles of God; every ſervant of God, that hath his Heart ſtirred up, hath very good Right to ſearch, and his ſearch is no Sacriledg, nor ſhall be imputed to him, as Curioſity, or preſumption; It is his Right to Search, even as among Men, it is no Violation to Inquire into the Senſe of any Author, offering himſelf to the Publick; and there is greater Encouragement in Searching the ſure Word of Prophecy than in Searching any other Author, or Writing, as is next to be ſpoken.
Argum. 3. I Argue from the Infinite Grace of the Divine Spirit, that as he hath Given to Man a ſearching Mind after all Knowledg, ſo he would not give any part of Scripture, as a Torment of wiſe Inquiſitive Perſons, but give the Key of Knowledg to Them; and that he will, as the Spirit of Truth ſo Lead into All Truth, and ſhew his Servants Things to Come, with ſuch Uprightneſs, Faithfulneſs, and Sincerity; that there ſhall be no more Secreſy, or privacy in the Interpretation of Prophecy, than is neceſſary according to the Laws, He knows Juſt, and Due; and which he hath himſelf weigh'd out, as ſo Juſt, and Due to Prophetick Oracles; even as in All other parts of Scripture, he hath in Infinite Wiſdom, as he weighed out the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Ballance, ſo proportion'd to every point of Scripture-Truth its Exact meaſure of clearneſs of Revelation, and ſo conſequently of Interpretation; the moſt neceſſary are the moſt plain; and yet there are Truths of the Grace of God freely Juſtifying, and Accepting ſinners in Chriſt, that call for the moſt Quicken'd, and Awaken'd Faculties, for the Interpretation of them; as alſo concerning the inward Operations of the Grace of God in the Hearts of Men; and yet in all Theſe, and ſuch as Theſe, The Holy Spirit hath Wiſely, and Holyly Given out his Oracles in a moſt Righteous Scale, between the Excellency of the Truth he Reveals, and the Exerciſe he knows neceſſary to the Mind of Man in Searching out the Interpretation; and ſo hath made the Manifeſtation more Lightſome, or Requiring Cloſer Attendance; And thus in Prophecy according to the Vehemency of Search and Enquiry he hath thought fit, he hath Diſpenſed. This doth not make it yet Private Interpretation; becauſe there are ſuch Lines of Communication between part, and part, Emblem and Emblem, number of Time, and number of Time; between words in Prophecy, and words uſed in the Time of Prophecy Fullfill'd; between Rules of Time in Prophecy and celebrated Rules of Time among Men in Prophecy Fulfill'd; between Prophecy, and Ʋniverſal Hiſtory, that all may be made Plain.
But beyond All this, Interpretation of Prophecy is not Private, becauſe The Spirit of Prophecy, who Knowes it, becauſe he gave it; Even that Bleſſed Publick Spirit of Wiſdom, Truth, Scripture, is preſent to Aſſiſt his Servants, Searching into Prophecy; Leading them into the Treaſures of it: Springing Thoughts into them all of the Sudden; Bringing Things to their Remembrance, that elſe would not have come the…e; and ſo Enabling them to Match, and Enterweave All thoſe Foremention'd Indentings one with another; and thereby raiſing in them Aſſurances, equal to Demonſtration.
He alſo foreſaw, what Humble Enquirers into theſe Things he would ſtir up and Aſſiſt in every Time, and what meaſures of Aſſiſtance he would Allow them; And yet, this does not make Interpretation Private to ſuch perſons apart, becauſe ſuch Acceſſes to All the Means of Interpretation, and to thoſe Aſſiſtances of the Spirit are free and open to one, as well as another; and what is given in Interpretation to any one▪ ought to be freely Communicated, and in the Reaſons and Grounds of it, It lies open to All: And they who are thu… Aſſiſted, are not Aſſiſted for Themſelves only, but as Lights ſet on an hill, that they may not be Hid.
Now this Aſſiſtance of that Bleſſed Spirit, as a Spirit Graciouſly preſent to the Searchers into Prophecy, is an Encouragement beyond what any Author in the World can give to them, who ſearch into their Writings; For who as he, can be ſo always preſent to the Minds, and Underſtandings of Thoſe, who Read, and Meditate upon them? Who, as he can Recompenſe the Love Reverence and Diligence of thoſe, who wait upon Him? Who can, as he Prompt to Them, ſummon to their Memory; keep them in Doubt, and ſo urge them to further Enquiries, refreſh their Reſearches, and ſo make Things further known to Them? ſo ſettle, confirm, and aſſure Them, that they may know the Certainty of the Words of Truth?
This is an undeniable Priviledg, and Ground of Hope to All, who ſet Themſelves by Prayer, Deſire and Humble Endeavours to Search, and ſo ſeek out the Miſteries of Wiſdom to be found out in the Book of Prophecy; why then ſhould it be Thought a Hopeleſs Undertaking, or an Incredible Thing that any one ſhould be ſo Aſſiſted, that doth Humbly Profeſs, he hath ſo waited upon God in his Word? Or that That Key of Prophetical Knowledg ſhould be vouchſafed to ſuch a one, when ſo gracious Aſſiſtances are Promiſed from and by the Divine Spirit, the Publick Spirit of Prophecy, and its Interpretation?
Now All this I have Diſcourſed in General, I would particularly Argue concerning Prophetick Time, and by an Argument moſt peculiar to it:
For not only in general, If All and Every Prophecy be Conſtituted of a not private Interpretation, then not Prophecies by Numbers defining Time to the Kingdom of Chriſt; For as hath been ſaid, if All Scripture, as the Apoſtle Paul ſays, be of Divine Inſpiration, Then Prophecy; So if All Prophecy be not of Private Interpretation, then not that very particular Part of Prophecy, which Defines Time; And as Prophecy is ſo excellent a part of Scripture, ſo the Numbers Defining Time are an excellent part of Prophecy, and therefore cannot be of private Interpretation, if Prophecy be not ſo; For every General includes all, eſpecially chiefeſt Particulars.
But I ſhall further Argue with a Peculiar Reſpect to the Prophetick Numbers of Time, that they of any cannot be of Private Interpretation; For Number, Weight and Meaſure are Things of ſo great Exactneſs, that the whole Communication of the World Depends upon them; and Scripture puts upon them great Honour alſo, requiring above all, that they be Exact; as the Rules of all Enter-Courſe; Now therefore when Scripture takes Number and Meaſures of Time into it ſelf; if theſe are not well underſtood, how can they be ſuch Standards of Enter-courſe? Seeing then Prophecy hath ſo many Numbers 2300 Eves, Morns; Time, Times, Half a Time; 12…0 Days; 1335 Days in Daniel; 1260 Days with Time, Times, Half a Time, Three Days and an Half; and 42 Months 2 Times mentioned in the Revel. if theſe Numbers, that ſo evidently ſpeak a Fitneſs for Calculation of Time with greateſt Exactneſs; If theſe by a due Search and Compare one with another cannot be underſtood; what ſpaces of Time they D…fine, when they begin, and when they End; They of all the Points of Prophecy, tho they carry the Face, and Appearance of Greateſt Significancy, yet would be indeed of all the moſt Inſignificant. Now ſeeing an Inſignificancy in the Higheſt Points of Signification can by no means be imputed to the Wiſe, and Holy Spirit of Prophecy; I conclude, that even theſe Prophetick Numbers in a peculiar, and Eminent Manner, may be underſtood, both what ſpace of Time they Emenſurate, or Line out to us, and alſo when they Begin, and when they End; and ſo I have finiſhed the Firſt Head of Diſcourſe I propoſed.