A Discourse Upon the Powers of the World to Come, Treatise · Treatise proper · Part 9
Having then an undoubted Aſſurance of 97, as the Period of the 1260 years▪ It lies with ſome Preſſure upon my Thoughts, to make a Judgment according to the greateſt Light, I can Obtain from Prophecy, upon theſe Three Years, or till 97; what we may humbly Expect, and eſpecially under the great Phenomenon, the Blazing Star, as I may call it, of the French Power; here the Doubt Hangs between two Points, which ſhould caſt the Scale.
1. Whether the Progreſſion of Providence in Preparation to the Kingdom of Chriſt, may be expected to be Gradual; or whether the Motion may be expected to be ſudden; whether things may continue much at a Ballance till upon that Time, and that then the Divine Power may, as all on the Sudden, manifeſt it ſelf; and like it ſelf work in an Inſtant, and as it were in one Day.
I muſt Acknowledg, as I have alſo publickly Declared; I have been much more inclined to Hope (tho not without, as Freely, Profeſſed Fears, and Doubts for Reaſons, as openly given) that we ſhould in theſe years have ſeen much greater Works of God; becauſe I eſtimated the Pace, I thought Providence would chooſe, and the ſteps, it would take, according to what hath been generally hitherto in the World.
But it Pleaſed the Wiſe, and Holy, and Gracious Governour of All things, ſo to Direct; that One peculiar Advertiſement of Prophecy ſhould even ſtart out to me; that tho I do not profeſs the ſame Confidence upon it, as upon the Scripture Line of Time, I have given; yet I am Reduced by it to another kind of Expectation, till 97, than I have had; For in place of the wonderful Progreſs of Providence, for the Pulling down the French Power, the Change of the ten Kings, and other the great Effects I expect at 97. I have now far greater Reaſon to Beleive; There ſhall at preſent be only a Divine Interpoſition for the ſtaying things much where they are, and that there ſhall be neither a Remarkable going forward, or backward. VIZ.
1. That none of the Eminent Kingdoms, that have Revers'd their Pow…r from the Beaſt, ſhall ever be Re-Enthrall'd under that Power; or ſhall Re-exchange their Proteſtant, and, as we ſtile it, Reform'd State for a Papal Government; which I now find to be the great Account of theſe ſo many late Extraordinary Revolutions within the Nations of England, Scotland and Ireland; and yet the Dawns, Appearances, and the very, ſo much, as Apprehenſions of the Kingdom of Chriſt are ſo Reſerv'd, and make ſo ſmall Offertures to the World, or ſo much as to theſe Nations.
2. That no one of the Ten Kings ſhall ſo much Exceed his Figure, as to be more than one of Ten; However ſome one may ſtretch himſelf every way to Graſp at Ʋniverſal Monarchy; and be ſo far ſuccſsful, as to draw great Powers to himſelf, that he may anſwer one Peculiar Note in Prophecy, preſently to be given in Memorial.
And this is that moſt Acquieſcible and Satisfactory Reſolution of the Myſterious Providence in Twiſting a Confederacy betwixt Proteſtant Nations and ſo many of the Vowed Tributaries of the Antichriſtian Supremacy of the Beaſt; whoſe Intereſt Lies, as Deep, in the Extirpation of Proteſtancy, which they call, Hereſy, as that of France; and in Pure Bigottry to Rome much deeper; and have been, and now are, as great, tho more ſilent Oppreſſors of the Reformation within their own Territories, and Perſecutors of it, if any appear for it: But thus Infinite Wiſdom hath Harmonized this State of the European Nations for his own Wiſe and Holy Ends, according to Prophecy; that the French Aſpirings to Univerſal Monarchy may be Embarraſs'd.
Theſe things then being Premis'd, I have very great Reaſon to Doubt, and Fear; The Proteſtant Princes, and the Reformation under them ſhall Advance little higher, till the Period it ſelf 97; which I ground upon ſingular Remarks in that Propheſy of the Viſion of Nebachadnezzars Image, Dan. 2.
Firſt, I obſerve in that grand Calendar of Time for the Kingdom of Chriſt; The Deſcent of Time is by the parts of the Image, and ſo by the Metals Aſſigned to the ſeveral, as I may call them Regions or Parts; the Firſt, or Beginning Point of Time is in the Gold of the Head, or the Babyloniſh Empire; Thence it goes down to the Breaſt, and Arms of Silver the Perſian Kingdom; and from thence to the Belly, and Thighs of Braſs, the Kingdom of Greece; and ſo comes down to the Legs of Iron, the Firſt part of the Roman Pagan Empire, and laſtly, To the Feet and Ten Toes, part of Iron, and part of Clay; that is, the Ten European Kingdoms, into which that Pagan Empire was Divided; when joyn'd with the Papacy, and Hierarchy, the Clay proper to each of thoſe Kingdoms.
Now the Order, and Diſtinction of the Parts, and of the Metals of the Image is ſo Eſſential to the Viſion, and Prophecy is ſo exact; there can be no change without great Reaſon, and even great ſignification Deſigned by that Change, and no chance in it.
The Order of the Parts, and the Metals, is given firſt Synthetically, or Conſtitutively, v. 32. 33. The Image's Head was of Fine Gold; his Breast and Arms were of Silver; His Belly and his Thighs of Braſs; his Legs of Iron; his Feet part of Iron, part of Clay; The Conjunction therefore between the Iron, and the Clay; tho they did not mix one with the other, muſt needs be very cloſe in the Conſtituting the Feet; and yet to make more clear this conjunction, and order; It is ſaid, when the Stone cut of the Mountain came to ſmite the Image, the ſtroke was upon the Feet, that were of Iron, and of Clay. Again, v. 35. when the Method is given, as they ſay, Analytically, or the Image in the Breaking is Reſolv'd from its Bottom to its Top, from the Foundation to the N…ck It is ſaid, Then was the Iron, the Clay, the Braſs, the Silver, and the Gold Broken to Peices together, and became like the chaff of the Summer Threſhing Floor. Before the Image was given from Head to Foot; Here from Foot to Head; But the Conjunction is kept moſt Inviolate, and the Order, conſidering forward Firſt, and then backward, is the very ſame.
Now this Conjunction, and order are ſo Eſſentially, and Subſtantially Fix'd, They can never be unfix'd any more; This muſt be the Conjunction, this muſt be the Order, and nothing that Comes after it, can Diſannual it.
And yet when it comes to the laſt Cataſtrophe in the Interpretation of the Dream; and ſo when the Event is ſuppos'd to come to its Complement, that the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands Falls upon All, and Grinds them to powder. Then the Iron and the Clay are ſeparated by the Braſs; that has nothing to do in the Feet, but with the Belly, and the Thighes only; For they only were of Braſs.
This is the very Order given by the Spirit of God in this laſt part of the Viſion, I Find upon ſearch no Reaſon to doubt in the leaſt; there appearing no demurr on a Different Reading, as it ſtands in the Chaldee Verity, or the Syriac Verſion, as may be ſeen in B. Walton's Polyglot Bible: And yet it is, as if the Feet of Iron were joyn'd immediately with the Thighs of Braſs, and the Clay removed out of their place; and, as if the ſtroke were on the Braſs, before it was on the Clay; whereas it was made again and again, and a third Time Certain, The ſtroke is on the Feet of Iron and Clay, before the Braſs ſhould feel the Force of it; Now all theſe are ſo great Points of the Viſion, that nothing can unſettle them without ſubverting the whole Frame: For th…n the Dream could not, as he hath ſaid, be Certain, nor the Interpretation be ſure, nor what is grounded upon it be unſhaken.
It muſt needs therefore be; That for the Truth of the Conjunction, the Order of the Metals, and of the Parts, and the Order of the Stroke, were all given before, as they are, were and ſhall be; And that the Spirit of Prophecy preſumes, that none would think; It either on purpoſe, or Caſually, would Deſtroy its own Frame.
I offer therefore to deep ſearch of others, and the Conſid… ration of All, who have Regard for the ſure word of Prophecy to Attend to the Reaſon, He hath Aſſiſted me, the Unworthieſt of all his Servants to give: and I am Humbly perſwaded, he Foreſaw, He would ſo Aſſiſt me, to give it in ſo publick a Miniſtry to his Servants in general.
And the Reaſon is this, That God might make known to the King, and in him to after Ages, what ſhould be hereafter, As Daniel aſſures us. Now the very utmoſt of that Hereafter is very near Come, Even, as Near, as Ninety Seven, as I have fully ſet out; By comparing therefore the ſtate of Things now with this Change in the Viſion, we may arrive to ſome good degree of Underſtanding in the Reaſon of the Change; I ſay, comparing it with the preſent State.
I look then upon the preſent ſtate of the Ten Horns, as Prophecy calls them, or Kings, and their Kingdoms, I conſider, which of them, of All others bears the Metal; Iron; at the greateſt Luſtre of Appearance at this Time; and by plain matter of Fact that is the French Power, and Kingdom; Then I conſider where that, which was heretofore, call'd the Braſs in the Image of the Four Kingdoms now Reſides; and the Braſs being the Grecian Kindom, as All Interpreters agree; The Grecian Empire is beyond all Conteſt, known to be in the Hands of the Turk, whoſe Port is known to be at Conſtantinople.
There are then two things, God makes known to us by this Change in the Viſion, concerning that laſt State of this Image, when the Stone ſhall fall upon it.
1. That the Stroke ſhall be ſtruck, and the Fall of the Stone Grind…ng the Image to Powder, ſhall be, when the Iron in the moſt Illuſtrious Appearance of it, near the very End ſhall be joyn'd to the Braſs, and in League with it; So that tho the Iron, even the whole Iron together with the Clay ſhall be broken before the Braſs; yet the Braſs is Transferred out of its proper, both Conjunction, and Order; not indeed ſo, but as in a Figure to give a Watchword, that when the Iron in an Eminency ſhall be ſignally Conjoyn'd with the Braſs, viz. That Turco-Grecian Power; Then the Blow ſhall be given; and the Braſs, not before the Clay, but in its own Order ſhall be Broken, viz. The Feet of Iron and Clay Firſt, and in their own Conjunction; then the Braſs, and the Silver, and Gold immediately upon it; Now therefore obſerving the Iron in ſo Illuſtrious Appearance, joyn'd with the Braſs, at a Time, we know by the Line of Time the Blow is ſo near to be given, It is a Concurrent Aſſurance, It is very near.
2. The Spirit of Prophecy is pleas'd hereby to Brand the Unnaturalneſs of the Conjunction of France with the Turkiſh Power; a Kingdom belonging to the Feet, and Toes, mixed with the Hierarchic, Antichristian Clay, and giving Power to it; and yet Uniting with the Braſs or Mahometan Power, a Woe upon that Antichriſtian State; A thing, as Monſtrous, as if the moſt Eminent Toe ſhould ſeparate it ſelf from the Feet to joyn it ſelf immediately with the Belly, and Thighs; ſo is the Papacies moſt Chriſtian King Leagued with the Mahometan Enemy of Chriſtianity, as in the Antichriſtian State.
Rem. 2. The ſecond Remark I make on that Viſion is from yet more undeniable, if poſſible, Letter of Prophecy; that the management of the laſt Stroke, when the Stone, by its own Direction of it ſelf, ſhall fall on the Image, and Smite it; It ſhall be not by Humane, but by Immediate Divine Power; that tho it will Raiſe, and Fit what Inſtruments it pleaſes; Seven Shephards, and Eight Principal Men; yet the Stone it ſelf will be Viſibly ſeen Illuſtrious above All; altho there ſhall be with the Lamb the Faithful, and Called, and Choſen; yet the Lamb himſelf, as by his Immediate Power, ſhall be ſeen above All: For the Stone that is Cut out of the Mountains is ſaid to be in no Hand, or which is not in Hands, (according to the Strictneſs of Tranſlation) or in any Hand of Man; And when he comes to work, it ſhall be as on the ſudden, and at an Inſtant. For when Divine Power works, Nullum Tempus Occurrit Regi, Nothing can Lett Divine Power.
Altho then I moſt Sincerely, and Earneſtly Pray, that the Lord of Hoſts would Pleaſe to give Succeſs to the Arms of the Protestant Princes and States, and moſt particularly to our own; So far as may poſſibly conſiſt with his own Wiſe, and Holy Determinations; Yet I am Bold to make theſe Prognoſticks from this Light of Prophecy, I have firſt Receiv'd, and now Offer'd; Partly to Arm with Patience, and Submiſſion to the Delay of ſuch an Iſſue, as we Naturally Deſire; partly to Encourage, and Aſſure, as to ſome great Points at the Preſent; and Eſpecially to Aſcertain that Grand Iſſue of the Kingdom of Chriſt in the End.
Prog. 1. Seeing the Time of the Fall and Stroke of the Stone is not upon the Iron and Braſs till 97. and that it is to be upon them in Conjunction, and upon the Iron, as it ſhall in any Part in an Eminency be Conjoyn'd: Therefore neither the Eminency of France as the Iron, and ſo in League with the Turk, nor the Potentacy of the Turk, who is ſo to continue a Woe upon the Antichriſtian State; ſhall be brought down, till 97. Let therefore no Impatience at the Diſappointment of an Expectation herein ſeize us; For thus it is Determin'd by the ſure word of Prophecy, They muſt both continue in a Conjunction till that Time, and the Stroke with it ſo fall upon Them ſo far as can be Found by Prophecy.
Prognoſ. 2. Notwithſtanding this; Let what can be done, France ſhall be kept within his own Bounds, to be, but one of Ten; and the Turk ſhall be but in a Low, Tottering Condition, to be Supported only upon the Aides, and Help of France; that he may not come to his End ſo ſoon, but muſt do at laſt; as is intimated concerning the Turkiſh King of the North, Dan. 11. ult. Now to keep France ſo within its own Figure, is a Service ſo conſiderable to Providence according to Prophecy; that it ſhould make Princes, and Nations Patient under the inconveniency of War to ſuch an End; And it may Anſw…r for a Confederacy of Protestants with Popiſh Powers ſo far; as that it may be made uſe of by Providence to ſuch an End as Reſtraining France, Agreeably to Divine Determination; And it may juſtly call us to the Obſervation of Providence, in Ballancing Things ſo, as this Laſt and former Years it has done; ſo that while, as with one hand, God is pleaſed to keep the French Power at ſuch a Height; with the other he ſo Ballances, that it ſhould not exceed its Figure; So we ſee it in all the Diſpoſes of Things to this Day; So in the Wonderful Preſervation of the Kings Perſon▪ when danger was ſo every way about, and Death ſo near him: Becauſe he hath raiſed Him up, as ſo peculiar an Inſtrument to that purpoſe, to give a ſtop to the Exorbitant Power of France; as alſo to be an Interpoſer againſt the Return of Papal Power on theſe Proteſtant Nations, of England, Scotland and Ireland.
3. As it was ſaid to Barak; This Journey, or Expedition ſhall not be for thy Honour, becauſe God would fell Siſera into the Hands of a Woman; Judges 4 9 So the great Succeſs of Finiſhing the War upon France in Conjunction with the Turks, God hath reſerv'd for the Stone cut o…t of the Mountains, who is not in any Human Hand; No Greater, nor more Victorious Atchievements have been therefore Granted to the Confederate Armies, nor any gradual Appearances of the Kingdom of Chriſt, becauſe the Glory is reſerv'd to Chriſt; ſo that all ſhall be done by him in an inſtant, on the ſudden, at the very Time Appointed by God, viz. in the year 97. ſo near Approaching, Theſe things ſhall be done; The French Grandieur, as it now ſtands in oppoſition to the Kingdom of Chriſt, ſhall be ground to Powder; The Witneſſes, both the Vaudois, and the French Protestants at this Time under his Power, and Tyranny, ſhall ſee the Morning Star Dawning; They ſhall be with Chriſt, when he Breaks the Nations with a Rod of Iron; They ſhall feel a Spirit of Life Entring into them, and Cauſing them to ſtand on their Feet, and they ſhall hear a Voice from Heaven, ſaying, Come up hither. The Turkiſh Woe ſhall be clear Remov'd; But then together with this, The Confederate Princes as giving their Kingdom yet to the Beaſt, or Papacy; and even the Protestant Princes ſo Far, as they enter into the Conſtitution of a Nebuchadnezzars Image; the Papal Hierarchic Clay; where ever it is Found; with i…s 7000 Names, ſhall all be Ground to Powder alſo.
5. The Supreme Sovereign Event of Events ſhall then come to pa…s; The Kingdoms of this World ſhall become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt; He ſhall Reign in his own Name, take to himſelf his Great Power, and ſend out his Everlaſting Goſpel, as on the Wings of Angels; and Bleſſed is he, who is not offended at theſe Things, but Loves, and Waits for them.
But indeed, if God ſhould pleaſe any way to bring down the French Power, or Cauſe it, but ſo much as to Lye ſtill; and to Diſſolve the League between him, and the Turkiſh Potentacy ſooner; my Hopes, and Expectations might be, that God were ſooner alſo working by ſuch Beginnings to much greater Things for the Change of the World. In the mean Time I cannot but Repreſent things as Prophecy Repreſents them, and I preſume no further, And that I find not to be till 97.
Another Prophetical Note, The Lord hath been pleas'd much to imprint upon my Spirit, is that Habac. 2. 13, 14. where the Prophet beholds in Litteral Babylon, the Mystical Babilon; the Town Built …ith Blood; the Intoxicating Soreereſs, Enchanting the Nations to the Expoſing their Nakedneſs, and Shame, through Inebriating them with the Golden Cup of Fornication, ſhe holds in her hand; and makes the Kings of the Earth Drunk with, that they may commit the Whoredoms of Idolatry with her; and in the beholding of this, and the Foreſight of the End, and Deſtruction of it; The Prophet is made to ſee in Spirit, by the mighty Influence of that upon him; while That bore, and carried him alought; and moved him; and not any Created VVill, but the Holy Spirit alone: He ſpeaks the State and Poſture of Things, that ſhall Confine, and Border upon the Ruin, and Deſtruction of that Babylon; and the Manifeſtation of the Glory of the Lord, Immediately Conſequent upon it; And this State he declares, ſhall be by the peculiar Ordination, and Conſtitution of the Lord of Hoſts; of him, who has the Government of the whole Hoſt of Heaven and Earth; ſo that nothing ſhall be able to move to the Contrary. The People ſhall Labour, as in the very Fire, the pure perfect Fire, and ſhall weary themſelves for very Vanity, pure and perfect Vanity; For ſo is it ordain'd by God, that thus he may prepare for that great change of the World; The very Reaſon, why he orders it ſo, is, Becauſe the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord ſhall cover the Earth; The Glory ſhall cover the Earth, that the knowledg of the Glory of God may ſo cover it alſo; even as the Waters the Sea; that even as in the Sea, there is nothing to be ſeen for Water; even ſo in the Earth, There ſhall be nothing to be ſeen for the Glory of the Lord, it ſhall ſo take up the whole View, througout all the Earth. From hence therefore, I Argue, All kinds of Diſappointment, and Fruſtrations of All the Labour, Undertakings, Enterprizings, that are in the World; the Expectations from Princes, Councels, Governments; From Trade and Commerce at Home, and Abroad; From Armies, and Navies; From Generals and Commanders of them, and their whole Force; and this not only in one part of the World, but in the Nations, and People taken together, and in the Groſs; Such Labouring in the very Fire and wearying themſelves for very vanity, are no Argument againſt ſuch a Glory of God being near, and the Knowledg of ſuch a Glory covering the Earth as the Waters do the Sea. Such a Glorious Revolution, and Change of the World, being very nigh, and at the doors; ſo that they are rather an Argument for the nighneſs of it to us. For God hath given us this, as a Prognoſtick.
In the very ſame manner, This Divine Prophet beholding that Great Viſion of the Kingdom of Chriſt in its laſt Accompliſhment; when all his Enemies ſhall be under the Invaſion with his Troops; Intimates That even in the Labour and Service of Nature it ſelf; There ſhall be great F…uſtrations, and Diſappointments, that the Fig▪Tree may not Bloſſom, the Labour of the Olive may fail; there may be no Fruit in the Vine; the Flock may be cut off from the Fold, and the Heard from the Stall; And yet, ſaith he, will I Rejoyce in the Lord, and Glory in the God of our Salvation; For tho I do Acknowledg, the World is always ſo full of Diſappointments in, all theſe Kinds, that what the Prophet ſpeaks; is moſt ſuitable to all Times; All is full of Labour and Vanity, as Solomon ſpeaks; Vanity of Vanities, All is Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit; All is made ſubject to Vanity, and to Corruption; yet as if God would wind up the whole Web of Vanity, before the Time of the Salvation, of the Restitution of All Things. The Prophet thus ſpeaks, and goes on, That the Lord will make his Feet like Hinds feet, and ſet them upon the high places, the Mountain of Spices; and that then the Time of Songs ſhall indeed come in, and of Singing to the Stringed Inſtruments Like David; at the Kingdom of the True David, the Root and Off▪ſpring of David together; in compariſon of which, All ſongs are but Howling, and Lamentation now.
Now if we were to Judg of Things by the preſent Aſpect of Things, and of what is in Proſpect; we may have Reaſon to hope, That the Change of the World is near; and I ſhould Rejoice to be ſo happily Miſtaken; that it is indeed nearer, than, according to the Line of Time, I can conclude it; There is every where ſuch Labouring in the very Fire, and Wearying our ſelves for very Vanity▪
In the laſt place, to conclude the whole Argument from the ſure Word of Prophecy, I would in brief preſent the whole Table of Time.
The whole ground Plot of Prophecy is the State of Things from the Firſt Creation, and Sabbatiſm under the Firſt Adam, to the New Creation and Sabbatiſm of the Second Adam; Firſt Deſign'd, but Remaining to be Accompliſhed; even from the Foundation of the World; even when God on the Seventh Day Reſted from the Works, which He had made, according to Heb. 4 5, 7. It began to Remain to be Accompliſhed.
This Sabbatiſm Comprehends the Higheſt and moſt excellent Temple State, or a State of Enjoyment of God; and alſo a Dominion, Lordſhip, Throne and Kingdom of the Second Adam, and of his Seed over the Creation of God; All things being put under the Feet of him, and of his Seed, in the Sabbatiſm which remains to the People of God.
God the Lord of Time, , hath made, and given in his word an exact Line of Time, from Sabbatiſm to Sabbatiſm; of near, or to the Evening, or between the two Evenings of the Sixth and Laſt Milenary, and allotted a Juſt Cubical Thouſand years, the perfection of Time to that Sabbatiſm it ſelf, or Kingdom of Chriſt;
This Line is at this Day to be Found in Scripture, made up of Hiſtorical Time; reaching as far, as it was neceſſary to Reach, to make up ſuch a ſpace of Time; Till by Fair Commiſſures Prophetic Time came in, and joyn'd it, and made up the Reſt even 5759 years, to the great Sabbath.
To the two great Types of this Temple, and Kingdom expiring, viz. The Reigns of David and Solomon, at Solomons Death, This Line of Time is given plainly and Hiſtorically; Emboſs'd only with ſome Ornamental Reſemblances of that Kingdom and Temple-State: All which I have made out according to the very Letter of Scripture, and Fortified our Hebrew Copy, as truly the Word of God, by great Evidence (as I hope) of Argument from Scripture, and Scripture-Reaſon; And thoſe ſeveral Hiſtorical Lines to Solomons Death make 3029 years; Theſe I do not particularize, becauſe they do not ſo properly fall under the ſure word of Prophecy, but the ſure word of Scripture-Hiſtory.
From thence, even at Solomons Death, begins Prophetical Time, however Hiſtorically Supported in many great Branches of it; yet the Miniſtration, and Repreſentation of it is All Prophetical, and Myſtical: All and Each of theſe are of great Conſideration to him, whoever he be, that would underſtand Prophecy.
This general Plat-form being now laid according to, and in my Line of Time, I here preſent it in brief to View together.