understood. 7. Is not this fuch a number that is peculiarly restricted in a clafs by itself, which the 18th verfe does fhew, wherein the great bulk of the Romish church is not to be fought; for though it is there clear that fuch who receive the mark, and by fome vifible profeffion own the doctrine, of the Romish church, are of the largest extent, and therefore it is faid, great and fmall rich and poor, muft come that length, yet as to the number of the beaft, and of his name, it is expreffed by itself, and as a higher clafs, in which all of the common rank who must receive the mark does not fall; but as lying more clofe and near to Antichrift is in a peculiar manner restricted by a diftinguifhing note, which a ferious study of that Scripture will help to clear.

XI. What was prophefied anent the killing of the witneffes under Antichrift, Rev. xi. 3, 7, 8. we fay hath clearly come to país, and at this day may read the fame in the event, for it is manifeft,

1. That during Antichrift's reign even in the darkeft times, there wanted not fome to feal the truth, and bear witnefs thereto, both by open confeffion and fuffering on that account, which the church hiftories can abundantly make

out.

2. That during that dark night, these who did give a testimony, and any way appeared against the grievous encroachments of Antichrift in behalf of down-berne truth, were put to prophecy in fackcloth, when there was nothing left, but to weep over the church's ruins, and witnefs their deteftation and grief, for the growing apoftafy of fuch times.

3. It is clear, that as the prophecy doth point at some more remarkable suffering and perfecution, which the church was to meet with from Antichrift, beyond all it had endured from that adverfary in former ages; yea, a fpecial permiffion from the Lord to that party, to vent their rage and cruelty against the faints, which fhould fall out after the witneffes' finishing their teftimony: who had fo long in an abject low condition, as in fackcloth prophefied, when Antichrift fhould be at his height, and his kingdom upon the turn, that then must this

remarkable killing of the witneffes be accomplished; fo likewife did the event convincingly verify the fame, for it is known that upon the clofe of Antichrift's reign, whilst the truth began to break up, this foreft ftorm of perfecution beyond all that had been before, did then break upon the church, even in its budding forth, that we may say, that adverfary did not only put forth the utmost of his power and rage against the saints, but seemed in fome measure to bring his cruel defigns to pass, which the dreadful maffacres in France, Province, and the valleys of Piedmont, the fore and violent perfecution of the church through the Netherlands, under the duke of Alva, and in England by queen Mary, in Germany after the defeat of the duke of Saxony, and Landgrave of Heffe, can clearly witness.

4. Is it not alfo clear how this remarkable ftorm and cutting down of the faints, over whofe dead bodies their adverfaries did rejoice, was according to this prophecy to be previous to fome eminent enlargements, and reviving of the church, which did accordingly fall out in the event like a refurrection of the witneffes from the dead, to the astonishment. of the world, that immediately followed upon the back thereof, fo that when their enemics thought they had gained their end, as they did conclude by fuch perfecutions, particularly that French maffacre that the Proteftant intereft fhould be quite ruined, they were forced to fee their labour in vain, and the church more eminently flourfhing after the fame.

I fhall further add, that Antichrift hath not only been revealed, and his kingdom come to its height, but it is clear this day that it is on the falling hand, and his ruin is now begun, upon which account we may fay, yea, have cause to fing, that the winter is paft, the fig-tree putteth forth her leaves, that fheweth the fummer's approach; yea, the finging of birds is heard in our land, let us go forth and meet. him, who is now gone out as a mighty man, for the falvation of his church, and takes the fields againft this great adverfary of his truth and people, on whofe fide victory doth furely wait.

II. WHAT IS YET TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.

AVING touched a little fome of the moft concerning

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prophecies of the Scripture, both under the New and Old Teftament, which are already fulfilled, and the truth thereof fo clearly written forth in the hiftory of providence, that we may fay the most ordinary obfervers, if they will not thut their eyes, cannot want a conviction thereof. I fhall now in the next place point at that which yet remaineth of the prophetical part of the Scripture to be accomplished, thefe prophecies which concern the church in these last times, whereby we may have a fure demonftration, how far the night is spent, and of the near approach of that bleffed day of the liberty of the fons of God, for this doth finish the mystery of God, and fully perfecteth his work, if once that which remaineth of the prophecies of the word were fulfilled..

There are thefe truths the accomplishment whereof we have a fure warrant to expect before the end, 1. The full ruin and downfal of Babylon. 2. The converfion and in-calling of the Jews to Jefus Chrift. 3. A folemn day of the church's flourishing, both Jews and Gentiles, which shall follow the out-making of the former promife. 4. The fall and deftruction of the Turkish empire, that cruel party who have been raised up and established for judgment, with whom the Lord fhall yet reckon, for all that Chriftian blood, by them fo unjustly fhed, feemeth clearly held forth, Rev. xvi. 12. 5. We are alfo to expect after all thefe, that full and laft ftroke upon Gog and Magog, and then the Lord is at hand, and that great mystery of the prophecies and promifes of the Scripture, fhall then be finished and at a blessed close.

I. We have the full ruin and deftruction of Antichrift and his kingdom clearly prophefied, nnd and in very express terms promised to the church, 2 Theff. ii. 2, 8. Rev. xvi. 10, 17. the accomplishment whereof we do yet according to the Scripture wait for, that the God of truth who cannot lic or repent, fhall in due time affuredly bring about, and that

approacheth when that folemn cry fhall be heard, Babylon is fallen. Anent which we would confider,

1. That this judgment is already begun, and the first step thereof visible, is now clear, wherein men may fee the event moft exactly answer the prophecy, for the Lord hath begun to confume Antichrift by the breath of his mouth, and fince the first breaking up of the light, his kingdom hath been. mouldering down before the word, have not nations fallen. off at the voice of the preached gospel? It is true the church wanteth not fore conflicts, even under the vials, and it is the Lord's way to try his people with fuch various uncertainties, that when things have been moft promifing, another providence cometh like a cross wave, which feemeth to drive them as far back as once they seemed to be forward, yet it is fure, and should be beyond debate, that Antichrift's overthrow is upon a present advance, and that the work of the Lord for his church's deliverance is going forward, for if we believe falvation by Chrift upon the warrant of the word, fhould we not also with much affurance believe that Antichrift's wound is deadly and incurable, which he hath got by the preaching of the gofpel, which all the phyficians of the earth fhall never help.

2. This is one of the greatest and fignal acts of the judgment of God on his church's enemies, one of the most eminent manifestations of his glory which he hath reserved for the last times, wherein the appearance of his hand and great power shall be very manifest, and we are to expect by this remarkable stroke, that way fhall be made for that glorious house, which Christ is to have for himself in the latter days, which fhall be built upon Antichrift's ruins, when that new bride, both of Jews and Gentiles, fhall be prepared for the marriage-supper of the Lamb.

3. Though we are to expect on clear ground from the word the Lord's eminent appearing by his immediate hand in this great work, which fhall be fo convincing in that day, and witness an extraordinary providence, that all on-lookers muft with fear and aftonishment confefs that this is God's

own work, yet it is also clear that he will therein make ufe of inftruments fitted and chosen for that end, who fhall be raifed, and acted forth with a more than ordinary fpirit, to execute the vengeance of the Lord, even the judgment written, amongst whom the feeble fhall then be strong; yea, we have ground to expect, that of the kings of the earth, and the race and fucceffors of these who in former times had given their power to the beaft, fhall the Lord raise up to hate the whore, and make her defolate: O blessed are they who fhall have a hand in fo noble a work, to fack and destroy that accurfed city, built up with the blood of the faints and martyrs of Jefus Chrift.

4. We are not to bound the Lord as to any particular time for accomplishing this piece of his word, yet we have clear ground to believe that Babylon's ruin maketh hafte, and the day of the Lord upon her is near, whofe fword is bathed in heaven, and that the inftruments of his vengeance are making ready, one flroke upon that party is already past, Antichrift hath begun to fall before the word, and must fall further, until that great stroke which fhall destroy his feat, and lay wafle that land, be accomplished: fome promifing evidences of its near approach I would here point at: 1. The many prayers of the faints, which are now before the throne, and cannot want a return, many who wrestled oft with the Lord on this account, though they are away, yet are their prayers to the fore, and wait for this folemn manifeftation of the judgment of God, and the blood of the faints doth not ceafe to cry, yea, hath as loud a cry as ever. 2. It is clear that the preached gospel now fince the light began to break forth doth ripen, and help to make the harvest more white than many ages formerly; and truely if we confider how long the word hath been fomething a retreat to that party, to come out of Babylon, and that for thefe 150 years they have been still acting in oppofition to fo clear a light, to fuch a folemn call, fo many warnings, yea, to fuch a convincing discovery of the Lord's being against them in very remarkable providences, doth it not fhew at what an height their fin this day is,