Visions and Prophecies of Daniel Expounded, Dedication – Imprimatur
To the Right Honourable LORD, PHILIP Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, &c. One of thoſe Noble PEERS who in theſe Revolting Times continue faithful to the Cauſe of GOD and the Common-wealth: T. B. wiſheth increaſe of Grace in this Life, and Eternal Glory in the Life to come.
Right Honourable,
THe Author of this Diſcourſe ſent it over from New-England, without a Title, without a Dedication. The Title is ſupplyed: And now I make bold to ſupply the Dedication, by publiſhing the Book under your Honours Name and Patronage; which I ſuppoſe the Author himſelf would do, if he were here preſent, in regard of that neer dependence which his Reverend and Learned Father once had upon your Lordſhips Honourable Father of Renowned Memory, Mr. Robert Parker that famous Divine, whom the Prelates perſecuted out of the Land, for oppoſing their Ceremonies, eſpecially the Croſſe in Baptiſm.from whom he received his whole Livelyhood; beſides many other great and extraordinary Favours which his Wife and Children talk of to this very day. I will not go about to commend the Work, which doth ſufficiently commend it Self and the Workman too; of whoſe worth I could ſpeak much, if I were not ſo neerly allied unto him as I am: OnelyOnly this I will ſay, (which all that are well acquainted with him know to be true) He is a man of ſingular parts, eminent in Learning, ſupereminent in Grace, ſtrangely mortified to the World, wholly addicted to the Service God and the Church. So craving pardon for my great boldneſſe in approaching ſo neer, being but a ſtranger, I humbly take my leave, and deſire to approve my ſelf
Your Honours truely devoted Servant in the Lord, Thomas Bayly. Jan. 7. 1646.
To the Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, it is certain, that the Interpretation of a great part of Prophecies, dependeth on a juſt and due accommodation of the numbers of the yeers. But the numbers are various, the 1290, 1260, 490, 1000, 2300. To ſet beginning and end to one of theſe, without relation to the reſt, and ſo to run at large, is eaſie. But we are confined. And ſuch terms of beginning and end, muſt be to one as will be ſuteable to the terms of all the reſt: Which is a very difficult thing to diſcover. Two wayes of accommodation I have eſpied, agreeable to all numbers, which in this Diſcourſe I have propoſed to conſideration. The former doth bring in the end of the reign of Antichriſt, and the beginning of the glory of New-Jeruſalem, about the yeer 1650: The other way, about the yeer 1860, that is, above 200 yeers hence, as ſhall be ſhewed in the Diſcourſe. Which of theſe two is to be choſen, I am not able at preſent to determine. Two or three yeers more of experience would have ſhewed which way to ſteer. Willingly therefore would I have ſtayed a little longer, before I had publiſhed any of my thoughts concerning Prophecies, that I might have been inſtructed to write more ſurely and punctually, and without ſuch uncertain and problematical manner of diſcourſe as now I muſt be forced unto: But I am not to look at my own ends, neither am I to ſerve my ſelf, but Chriſt and the Church: Wherefore Chriſtian Reader, accept at my hands what I do communicate in this writing; deſiring and ſeeking therein the benefit of Sion. I would have preſented it more elaborate; but my weakneſſe and occaſions bindered. Tydings I bring of ſad times, and tydings of great joy to follow after. My ſpirit hath been grieved to declare the former: But I muſt be faithful, and declare the whole Truth according to my judgement. Nevertheleſſe, what is the affliction to the glory ſucceeding? If the time of the end be not yet come, we may, look for an eaſier affliction, and every day expect deliverance: But then the Reſtauration following will be onelyonly greater then before, not perfect. If the time of the end be come, then we muſt expect and prepare for the ſad time of the three yeers and half yet future, Apoc. 11.8. and then perfect Reſtauration will follow after, to be compleated in (heavenly perfections. I determine nothing in this point. Read and judge, and make application as God ſhall pleaſe to move. Farewell.
November 20. 1645.
Imprimatur Joſeph Caryl.