A Discourse Upon the Powers of the World to Come, Treatise · Treatise proper · Part 5
I come now therefore to the Second Head propoſed, to give Anſwers to the great Objections, that are Levyed againſt this Propoſition, viz. That All, and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of Private, or Reſerv'd, but Publick, Free and open Interpretation.
Object. 1 If Prophecy of Scripture be of ſo Free, Publick and Unreſerv'd Interpretation, how comes it to paſs, that ſo few have ſo much, as Attempted the Books of Prophecy, that Fore-tell Great Events, and the Times of Them? Yea, that Moſt judg it ſo Unpreſumable an Undertaking, as to Reject all Interpretations of Daniel, and the Revelation, that Debate Things throughly to their utmoſt point and iſſue; and that ſearch what, or what manner of Time is ſignified by the Spirit in them; or is more, than by way of ordinary Comment; as if they were the Performances of only Fanatical, and Imaginative Men; and upon the Evidence but of ſuch an Endeavour, condemn them immediately as ſuch.
Anſ. Let God be True, and every Man a Lyar; Now God hath ſaid Every Prophecy of Scripture is ſo Deſcended, that it is not of Private Interpretation; that they do well, who attend to the Light of it, ſhining as in a Dark place, and ſo Enlightning it; if then it were Dark it ſelf, how ſhould it enlighten a Dark Place; for it would be Dark to Dark, which increaſes Darkneſs ſtill; whatſoever enlightens, muſt be it ſelf Light. This main Truth ought therefore at all times to remain Stable, and Firm.
The immediate Cauſe therefore of this ſo general prejudice againſt ſearch into Prophecy, however Coloured over with Modeſty and Reverence of Divine Myſteries, and ſecrets, into which Men pretend they would not Pry, are theſe.
1. There is ſo great a Darkneſs upon the preſent ſtate, that though the Light Shines in it, yet it, as Darkneſs, comprehends not the Light of Prophecy ſhining upon it.
2. Hence, as Men in the Dark, they are Afraid of every appearance of Difficulty; They ſay concerning All Interpretation of Prophecy, There is a Lyon in the way. It is as the Sons of Anak to them, that cannot be Encounter'd, and as the Walls that cannot be Scaled; ſo difficult and unintelligible is Prophecy, that it cannot be Interpreted; It is as a Sealed Book, the Learned cannot Read, becauſe Sealed; nor the unlearned, becauſe not Learned:
3. How many are they, who are afraid of the very Light it ſelf? what Prophecy Reveals, is ſo contrary to the State they are in, that they are, as the Expreſſion is in Job, upon all appearance of ſuch Light, as it were in the Terrors of the ſhaddow of Death; The Aſpect of Prophecy upon both the Civil and Eccleſiaſtick State of the preſent World is moſt Terrible, eſpecially, when it comes to the Determination of Time, as near: Thus the Lord makes Fooliſh the Wiſdom of the Wiſe, &c. Eſay 28. that they cannot endure it, and ſo hate the Light, and will not come to it, leaſt their State ſhould be Reproved and Shaken; and are Angry, that ſuch a Light ſhould be flaſhed in their Faces.
But theſe are only the next, or ſecond Cauſes, there is a higher judiciary Cauſe, that ſways Righteouſly, and Holily; and yet ſo, as Permitting, and leaving Men to themſelves; even this; That Becauſe men do not like to attend to the ſure Word of Prophecy, God gives them up to this Culpable Cauſe, and Reaſon, of all the Injudiciouſneſſes concerning the meaning of Prophecy▪ and foreignPrepoſſeſſions againſt the Interpretation of it, as if it were private, and Reſerv'd; and thus that his Wiſe, and Juſt purpoſe purpoſe ſhould be fulfilled; that the dark place ſhould be a dark place ſtill, while the Apoſtacy ſhould, according to the Oath of Chriſt for Time, Times and half Time continue; and till the Day dawn, and the Day-Star ariſe in mens hearts; and yet no Encouragement, or Boldneſs miniſtred, to it, that it might continue ſo Dark without Great Sin. And indeed, though the faulty Cauſe of all this be the not Receiving the Truth in the Love of it; (on which God gives up the …poſtacy to ſtrong Deluſions, and to believe a Lye;) and becauſe of the Few, and Small Things he hath againſt his Suffering Churches of Pergamus and Thyatyra; and the Sardian State of the Reformation, that hath a Name to Live, and yet is dead; Upon all theſe Accounts Prophecy is ſo little underſtood; ſaving the Glimmerings of Light given by a very Few, and thoſe very Little Acceptable Interpreters, that do inlighten, and ſhew by a Little, how this dark place would be inlightned by taking heed to the Sure Word of Prophecy. But I am about to ſay, if Prophecy were as Fully and Truly Interpreted, as the Publickneſs of its Conſtitution for Interpretation, would give Leave to; it would eſpecially now ſo near the End, fo… inl…g…ten the dark place, that there would be no Room found for the Darkneſs of the Apoſtacy, but it would fly away like Shades of the Night at the Morning Appearance. But as the Apoſtle ſays, God hath concluded All under Sin, ſo under the Apoſtacy, either in Full, as in the Antichriſtian World; or in Part, as in the Reformation-Part, that in his own Time he might have mercy upon All. Oh the Heighth and Depth of the Riches of both the Wiſdom and Knowledge of Go…! How unſearchable are his paths, and hù ways paſt finding out! For of him and by him are all things, to him be glory for ever.
2. The Diſagreement among the Interpreters of Prophecy, and more particularly, the Great Miſtakes they have fallen into in …oint of Time, ſeems a more formidable Objection againſt the Freeneſs and Publickneſs of the Interpretation of Prophecy; and moſt as to Time; For when Wiſe, Learned, Sagacious, and very Diligent, Zealous, and Holy Perſons have ſet themſelves to inquire, and find out the Mind of the Spirit, and have not found it, but have diſagreed among themſelves; and ſo ſome muſt be in miſtakes; For they cannot differ, and all be in the Right; This is much more againſt the Interpretation of Prophecy, being not priv…te, than if none had attempted: For were it not under Reſerve, why have they not been more ſucceſsful in finding, that have ſo tryed, and put themſelves forth to the utmoſt therein.
Anſw. 1 We ought to be very wary to urge either Miſtakes or Differences of Interpreters, in interpreting Prophecy of Scripture, left we ſhut our ſelves out of all Interpretation of Scripture in General; yea, even out of Great Points of Faith, and Trnth of the Goſpel; Becauſe in all theſe there are Great Differences of Explication; and therefore Miſtakes on ſome ſide: Should we therefore Reaſon, Theſe are ſo Dark and Reſerv'd as not to be medled with? This would be an high Diſhonour to our Chr…ſtian Profeſſion; Let us much rather make our Attendances to Reading and Meditation, more Inward, Conſtant, S…rious, Deep, Humble, with more earneſt Supplications for Divine Aſſiſtance, and Free Communications of his Sp…rit, the Author of all Knowledg in the Truths making wiſe to Salvation, and ſo in Interpretation of Prophecy.
Anſw. 2 Whenſoever Any have fallen ſhort, or are miſtaken in the Interpretation of Prophecy, we muſt conclude there was a want of Due Attendance; and God Left even Good Men and his Servants ſo to themſelves, that they have miſs'd in what they have ſeem'd to themſelves, or even to others, to have attain'd. But in the mean time nothing is to be charg'd upon Prophecy of Scripture, or the Nature and Conſtitution of it as to Interpretation; as if it were dark and incertain, and we could ne're be ſure whether we had it aright or not, ſo contrary to the Apoſtles Doctrine concerning it; For as no Weakneſs or Indiſpoſition of the Eye, or Diſadvantage in Avenues▪ or Entrances of Light, are to be charg'd on the Light it ſelf; ſo none of the Hallucinations, or over▪ſights, or Stumbles of the Interpreters of Prophecy, are to be imputed ſo much to the Difficulty of Interpretation of it, as in it ſelf; but to our Dullnefs of ſight, or hearing, what the Spirit hath therein ſaid to the Churches. Nor is any one therefore to be diſcouraged, but only cantioned, not to be high minded, but to fear; Even as the many Miſcarriages in perſons ſeeking Eternal Happineſs, ſhould not deter us from walking in the way of Life, but oblige us to do it with an holy fear and trembling, leſt we ſhould ſo much as ſeem to fall ſhort.
Object. 3 It will be ſaid, It is true, Nothing is to be laid to the charge of Prophecy it ſelf, or to the Conſtitution of it for ſuch Interpretation, as God intended for it. But it may hence be collected, God intended Prophecies ſhould be kept ſecret, until either they ſhall be opened in ſuch a glorious ſtate of the Church, as is ſignified by the Kingdom of Chriſt, or till each Prophecy ſhall be fullfilled; or, at leaſt, till as near the Time of fullfilling, as it was when Daniel by Beoks underſtood concerning the End of the Seventy Years Captivity.
Anſw. 1 Nothing of what is mentioned in this Objection will ſatisfy what the Apoſtle Peter hath here affirmed; For that Prophecy ſhould be a Light ſhining in a dark place, can by no means be accommodated to the ſtate of the Kingdom of Chriſt: That could ne'r be ſtyl'd by the Apostle a dark place; although it is moſt True, Prophecy ſhall lye open, as a Volume, moſt clearly and fully underſtood, in the Hall (as I may ſay) of that Palace of the Kingdom; but not as in a dark place, but as Light uniting with Light, unto perfect Brightneſs; Then it is the Day ſhall dawn, and the Day-ſtar ſhine in the very Hearts of all the Servants of Chriſt, and the Light of one Day be as the Light of ſeven.
Nor can the Apoſtles ſenſe be made good by Prophecy being underſtood, when fullfilled: For indeed the Diſputes are as Great concerning the Time, at which Prophecies, that undoubtedly have been long ago fullfilled, were fullfilled as concerning Prophecies yet to be fullfilled. And though it may well be allowed, that there have been ſome Bruits and Noiſes of the Things foretold by Prophecy, that they were coming to paſs at the time they did come to paſs; yet there are Two Things evidently intended by the Apoſtle as the Great Scope and End of his Diſcourſe, much to be conſidered by all that would find the Purpoſe of the Holy Spirit by him.
1. That there is one Glorious Day, and Day-Star to break out and ſhine in the World; which is the Great Point at which Prophecy aims, and into which it ſhall uni…e, as a Leſſer Light with a Greater, and more Glorious: which is indeed the Kingdom of Chriſt, and to which the Apoſtle had reſpect, as is to be ſhewn througho…t this Epiſtle. This is that Time of the Reſtitution of All Things, of which all the Prophets have ſpoken, ſince the World began; as that ſame Apoſtle Peter ſpoke▪ Acts 3. 21. This is the Mpſtery to be fulfilled, as he hath ſpoken, or Evangelized, as Happieſt Tydings, by All his Strvants the Prophets: Rev. 10. 7 Prophecy is therefore a Light ſhining till then, and guiding to the Time when i… is to begin, and then falls in One with it, as the ſorenam'd Sc…iptures ſhew.
2. There is a very particular dark place, that Prophecy ſhines as a Light in, tfll then; and it is indeed the whole Time from the Delay of the Kingdom of Chriſt at his Reſurrestion and …ſcenſion, till it dawns and riſes as a Day-ſtar; but it is yet more particularly the Time and State of the Apoſtacy, which is as a Smoak darkning the Air, even the whole State of Chriſtianity in the very Heavens of it. Prophecy ſhines therefore as a Light in a dark place, giving Aſſurance of, and ſhewing the Time of that Day; and Day-Star dawning upon the World; till it ſhall Illuminate into the very Heart, with its mighty Influences and Beams of Glory.
Object. 4 It is to be further urg'd, If the Time of this Kingdom and Glory be not generally known, and agreed upon, it can do but little Service for the Inlightning the dark place of the Apoſtacy; and that we do not find it hath been; and if Prophecy be not in its own Conſtitution of private Interpretation, yet if it hath Eventually proved ſo, how is the Light of it ſeen?
Anſw. 1 It is very agreeable to the Wiſdom and Glory of God, that the Fountains of Truth ſhould be running, and the Lights of it ſhining, though the Streams and Rays are not received, nor have their kindly Effect; as the Evangeliſt John ſays, The Light ſhineth in darkneſs, though the darkneſs comprehend it not. God l…ft not himſelf without Witneſs among the Heathen, though we know of Few who received the Teſtimony, Acts 14. 17. How many have the Goſpel-Light w…thout its proper ſaving Effect!
Anſw. 2 There hath been a ſ…range Collineation, or Levelling, and Aiming of the Servants of God upon the Years of this Laſt Part of this Seventeenth Century, for the Glory of Chriſt's Kingdom; and beſides ſome Later, a Prophecy found in the Study of Juſtus Lipſius tranſcrib'd into the Preface of Dr. Mayer, to the Volume of his Interpretation on the Prophets Great and Small, is perpendicular on the Year Ninety Eight, in ſuch a Language as ſpeaks Effects begun, and in their Courſe as at Ninety Seven, as ſhall Appear in a ſhort Appendix to this Treatiſe.
Bu… to All that hath been ſaid, it may be added, in ſati…faction of the Principal Obj…ction; that ſuppoſes …ro…hecy hath not been underſtood t…ll fullfill…d. It is very plain, we cannot give a certain Account what Light God may have given his Servants into P…ophecy in any Times. He gave Noah the Ex…ct Time of an H…ndred and Twenty Years before the Fl…od; to Abraham Four Hundred years from the Time of that Oracle to his ſeed Returning from the Egyptian Nation, after God had Judg'd them; Till which time They were under that oppreſſion; According to which Moſes very Probably thought, His brethren would have underſtood, God would deliver his people by his hand; Becauſe it grew ſo near the time, and Moſes was a perſon ſo ſignalized by God in his miraculous preſervation, and his having the offer of being called the Son of Pharoahs daughter, and yet Refuſing that Glittering Honour, as mark'd out by God for much Higher, viz. In the deliverance of his People, with whom he Choſe to ſuffer Affliction rather then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. Of all which I have no doubt, He had the notices from the four hundred years, He knew were Given to Abraham; The Children of Iſſachar were men, that had Knowledge, and underſtanding of Times, and Knew what Iſrael ought to Do; 1 Chron. 12. 32. And undoubtedly ſome Oracular Inſtructions they had Joyn'd with Jacobs Prophecy, by which they knew, Judahs being a Royal Tribe, and that the Lyon of the Tribe was the Emblem of it, even till Chriſt, the Lyon indeed of it; and they Collected Davids Royalty ſhould then begin; Daniel underſtood by Books, not onelyonly the Book of the Prophet Jeremy; But (as we may very Reaſonably ſuppoſe) by the Books of other Servants of God, that Kept, or Searched Records of Times, according to Jeremies Prophecy; I doubt not, Simeon Waited for the Conſolation of Iſrael according to Daniels Seventy Weeks. What Light God gave to his ſervants in the Firſt times of Chriſtianity, we have not ſuch certain accounts as might be deſired: But as it is reported to us by Eccleſiaſtick Hiſtory, It was foretold of Julian, he was Nubecula cito Tranſitura, a Cloud tbat would ſoon vaniſh. But this I am ſure was according to Prophecy, that Sathan being caſt down by the change of the Pagan Empire into the Chriſtian Empire, After Conſtantine there could be in the Roman Empire no place found for him any more, of continuance in its Heaven (though ſome ſhort Attempts there might be, as of Julian, Eugenius, Argobaſtes, Maximus) in his Pagan Supremacy; altho under the Name of Chriſt, as it were in his Right, and as the Vicar of the Fifth Monarchy …f him the Manly Birth on the Th…one, Satan crept in as an underminer, and in the Anti-Chriſtian Supremacy He hath a Throne as on Earth; whether therefore the Speaker had his Ground it ſelf in Proph…cy, The thing it ſelf had; and it could not be otherwiſe, but that the Empire of an Apoſtate to Paganiſm muſt be very Short, ev…n as of a Prince relapſing to Popery in theſe Nations.
It was the buſineſs of Anti-Chriſtianiſm to ſuppreſs the Interpretation of Prophecy; that had ſo dreadful an Aſpect upon it ſelf, as much as it could; yet the common Fame and Bruit of Anti-Chriſts coming was ſpread far and near, when the Chriſtian Empire, which was the Let, according to Theſ. 2. c. 2. was taken out of the way; the joynt being ſo Natural between the Chriſtian Ceaſing, and the Anti-Chriſtian Beginning to ſupplant, having ſo much of the Name Chriſtian.
The Voicing the Papacy to be that Antichriſt lifting up himſelf above what ever was called Sebaſt or Auguſt; as he did about that Time; was heard all along from the time of Petrus Waldo, till the Reformation; and ſince the Reformation how many Eminent Servants of Chriſt have Labour'd with ſucceſs in the Interpretation of Prophecy, notwithſtanding ſome particular miſtakes; with whom I humbly joyn my ſelf a Fellow Labourer, and one that hath taken part of their Labour; and now the Fields are white unto the Harveſt, when many others ſhall enter into our Labours; according to that ſaying, One ſoweth, and another Reapeth; and yet he that Reapeth, ſhall yet receive wages unto Life Eternal; ſo that they who have ſown, and they that reap, may Rejoyce together.
And indeed, the Time is now ſo near, that whatever Influence, That nearneſs may be hop'd to have upon Interpretation of Prophecy according to Truth, I may humbly hope for; For tho the Time of Daniels public Interpretation upon the Seventy Years, was nearer to their End; yet the Time of his underſtanding was undoubtedly earlyer; The Time of his Prophecy was deſigned to be cloſe upon the very end of the Seventy Years, and that ſo ſollemn Prayer; for elſe it is Evident, The Time of his praying was every Day, towards the Deſolations of Jeruſalem, with his Windows open'd Three Times, with foreſight of the very time.
Seeing then the very Time of Ninety Seven, I have now for ſome years pitch'd upon, as the very Time, when the Deſolations of the Sanctuary ſhall be Accompliſhed, and the Kingdom of Chriſt be in Succeſſion; of which I find dayly new Confirmations, and Aſſurances, as the Time Approacheth; Therefore I hope I ſhall be Enabled, and many Servants of God with me, to ſet our ſelves dayly by Supplication, and Prayer, and ſo much the more, as we ſee the Day approaching.
Obj. 1 It may be ſaid, what is the Good, or Advantage of Knowing the Secrets of Prophecy. or the Times more eſpecially Defined by it; have we not ſuch plain Doctrines and Rules of Scripture, that are every way ſufficient to take up our Time, and Thoughts, that are more ſure, and certain in their tendency to God, and have leſs of Scruple and Diſpute in their Senſe, and Importance?
Anſ. 1 Whatſoever is vouchſafed to us by God, as a Manifeſtation of, and Revelation from himſelf to us in his Word; not to regard, receive, and improve it, is in the Scripture Phraſe, a wearying of God, Iſa. 7. Ahaz made a fair and plauſible Pretence of Truſting God without a Sign, when God ſo Gratiouſly offered it to him; he ſaid, He would not Tempt God, and yet this his Refuſal was called a wearying of God; God underſtanding much better what is neceſſary for us, and to our advantage, than we do our ſelves; and if he hath given us a Rule of Times, it will be found to be our great Sin, and Neglect, if we do not ſearch, and enquire, every one in our places, What of the Night, and alſo how near the Morning is Comming. Eſay. 21. 11.
Anſ. 2 Let us ask what Good it was to Noah, that God told him, The Old World ſhould have only the Reprieve of an hundred and Twenty years before the Flood? What Good was it to Abraham, when God told him, It ſhould be Four Hundred years, ere his Seed ſhould be brought back? What Good was it to the Church of the Jews to be aſſured, the Babyloniſh captivity ſhould be but Seventy VVeeks; and that there ſhould be but Seventy weeks of years from the full Reſtoring Jeruſalem, to the comming of Meſſiah? Such as was the Good of theſe Manifeſtations to the Servants of God; ſuch is the good, that ariſes from the Knowledg of Time, Times, and Half Time, the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days of years, given as the meaſure of the Antichriſtian Times; as the Meaſure of the Preparation for the Kingdom of Chriſt, till the Glory of it; ſuch is the Knowledg of the 2300 Eves, Morns from the Babyloniſh Captivity ending, to the Juſtification of the Sanctuary in the New Jeruſalem, according to the Viſion of Ezekiels Temple: And Laſtly, ſuch is the Good of the Knowledg of the 1000 years Glory of Chriſts Kingdom manifeſted to us; and then of the Kingdom Delivered up to God and the Father, the Laſt end, and Conſummation of All.
I have thus far argued the Grand Aſſertion, that All, and every Prophecy of Scripture is not of private Interpretation, and therefore not prophetick Numbers of Time, but that there are Standards of Interpretation inlaid into Prophecy it ſelf; and ſuch Aſſiſtances from that publick Spirit vouchſafed to All that wait for them; that it is juſtly to be ſtiled not private but publick Interpretation; I have alſo counter-argued all the Objections I could diſcover; I come now to the Third Head.