ftance of

Reforma

that of hard

I Kingdom, in proportion unto that which is between Part 2. harvest and vintage. In our climates, harvest or- The didinarily begins at the end of July, the vintage at the the two middle of September; The fame proportion is every tions an where found, where harvest begins fooner, the fwers to vintage begins fooner alfo. They are about fifty veft and days diftant one from another, or a little more; vintage, let us take fifty, which is a facred number, made up of feven times feven. Fifty days make the feventh part of a year, (which is the period of the fowing, budding, fpringing, growth, and ripeness of grains and fruits) only there are ten days over. Now divide the period of 1260 years, which is that of Antichrift's reign, of his budding, his first birth, his progrefs, his confummation, the steps of his declining, and his deftruction; divide, I fay, thefe 1260 years into feven parts, and every feventh, part makes exactly 180 years. If now you reckon thele 180 years, from the year 1517. in which Lu ther began to preach against popery, this brings us to the year 1697: If you reckon them from the year 1520, the date of Leo the tenths Bull, this will bring us to the year 1700. from which laft if you take away ten years, because seven times 50 make but 350 (whereas the prophetick year is 360 days or 360 years) this will exactly fall upon the year 1690. And this is the time that I judge, rault be the beginning of the vintage: for the witneffes fhall then rife after which France must break off from the Pope, in my opinion before the end of this age; and in the beginning of the next, the remainder of the Antichriftian Kingdom fhall be every where abolitht. Thus every thing. agrees with my calculation, viz. that we cannot be far from the end of the Kingdom of Pepery.

1

fi

"Tis

Part2.

re

quire, fome

time. The

cond Re

take up

fome Space

of time.

"Tis alfo to be observed, that barveft and vin

Harveft & tage are not gathered in a day, there must be vintage te fome time spent in reaping and gathering in the fpace of corn, as alfo the grapes. The first ruin of the Anfirst and fe- tichriftian Kingdom in the laft age, took up about formation 30 or 40 years, Germany began in the year 1520, muft alfo Denmark and Sweden followed in 1525, and the following years. England drove out the Pope in 1534. France embrace the Reformation under the reign of Henry II. In the fame manner, without doubt, will the Reformation that we expect, be car ried on. All thofe Countries, that remain under the papal Empire, will not fall off all at the fame time: this fhall be done in the ipace of feveral years. Spain, in all appearance will be the laft. And as Peter de Lune, after he had been deposed by the Council of Conftance, went and held his Seat in the mountains of Arragon, where he continued a Schifm ten or twelve years; fo'tis probable that the Popes being driven out of the rest of Europe, will fhelter themselves among the Spaniards from whose hearts it will be a hard matter to pull popery

away.

,

Laftly, it must be observed, that 'tis true,the barveft does fpoil the Earth of a part of her fruits, but it doth not of all, it remains to be a fair and pleafant feason; the Autumn which follows, hath its beauties, its profits, and advantages; it is a fecond Spring, the medows are crown'd with an afterA lively growth, the trees put forth new flowers. But the Emblem in vintage makes all wafte, it fpoils the Earth of the vintage of very remainders of its fruits and beauty, and imwhat hath mediately Winter comes, that puts on the Earth and shall the very complexion of death and deftruction.This happen in is an Emblem of what fell out in the first destruction of popery, and of what fhall in the fecond. The

harvest and

happen'd,

the ruin of

popery.

Refor

Reformation cut down feveral fair Countries in the Parta. laft age, but notwithstanding many were left to it, nay, it had great fuccefs, maffacred an infinite number of the faithful, procured to it felf the confirmation of a famous Council,engaged thofe Kings who were its vaffals, to double their endeavours, for the prefervation of its Worship and Doctrines, It hath gain'd ground in the Eaft, in China, in the Indies, in the Weft, in America', by the conquefts of the Spaniard and Portuguefe. It hath fent Miffions, even to the end of the World, hath made an infinite number of falfe Chriftians, it hath regain'd on one fide as much as it had loft on the other; and hath made its worship and Idolatry to reign as much as ever. For Spain and Italy were never more deeply plunged in Idolatry, then fince the Reforma tion. It hath ftrengthned its tyranny; for the Popes fince the Council of Trent have domineer'd and acted as Soveraigns over Kings, and as Superiors over Councils. In the reforming of the Calender, Gregory XIII. did an act of an Universal Monarch, which the Popes had never done in the ages of their greatest infolence. They have depofed Kings of England, and in France Henry III. and Henry IV. They have laid an Interdict upon the Commonwealth of Venice, and the Kingdom of Portugal In a word, Popery hath had great profperities, that have comfo ted it under its difgraces. But as for the blow or ftroke which God is ready prefently to give it, it will be a dispatching blow, it will be a vintage that fhall fpoil it of all its fruits, and utterly take away all its beauty, the Winter fhall come upon it, and its defolation fhall be irrecoverable. This is the fubftance of the vifion, let us view the circumstances.

And Flooked, and behold a white cloud, and

f

проп

Part 2. upon the cloud one fate like unto the Son of man having on his head a golden crown, andin his hand sharp fickle. This perfonage like unto a man, is ten appears probably the Son of God, found in fashion as a in the vifi- man, on the account of his Incarnation; the gol Revelati den crown which he wears on his head, does prove

J. Chrift

himself of

ons of the

on.

Chap. 6,2.

that 'tis he; though he executes his judgements by his Angels, notwithstanding he often himself appears on the scene of the World in the book of the Revelation.

He is probably the Heroe in the fixth Chapter, who appeared fitting on a white horse, and had a bow, and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. He is the fame who appears again in the 19 Chapter, fitting a fecond time upon a white horse, and was called faithful and true, and in righteousness doth he judge, and make war. He always He always fits upon fomething that is white; fometimes upon a white horfe, fome"times upon a white cloud. White is the fymbol of innocence and mercy. A white cloud is a throne of mercy, a red cloud is that of justice. But mark, it must be fome grand work, for which Jefus Chrift himself comes; for the Holy Ghost does not bring him upon the ftage for fome mean matter. Now fince the Apostles age, no work had been done fo great as that of the last age. He had a sharp fickle in his hand. He comes upon a white cloud, intending favour to his children, but with a fickle for his enemies. 'Twas a great mercy to his own, when he took them out of Babylon, the laft age. But 'twas a terrible ftroke of a fickle to Antiehrift.

And another Angel came out of the Temple,cry ing with a loud voyce to him that fate on the cloud, Thrust in thy fickle, and reap, for the time is come for

thes

233 thee to reap, for the harvest of the Earth is ripe. He Part 2. who fits upon the cloud, gives out orders to the Angels, and receives none from them: but he receives from his Father, and the Angels may be charged to carry thefe orders to the Son, Thus the Angel, who here gives orders to Jefus Chrift, fpeaks not in his own name, but in the name of him that fent him. The time to reap is come. Their iniquity is come to its height: Their measure is full.

Another Angel came out of Heaven, he also baving a sharp fickle. This is the destroying Angel, who went through Egypt, the executioner of the judgements of God; this Angel comes onely as a fecond; for he who fits upon the white cloud, dif appears not, he is the Master, and 'tis under his direction that this fecond Angel gives the last blow to popery.

Another Angel came out from the Altar, which had power over fire, and cryed with a loud cry to. him that had the sharp fickle, &c. Here mention is made of an Angel who hath power over fire, and in the 16. Chapter, we find the Angel of the waters. Shall we conclude, that every Element hath its Angel, who prefides over it, and the events which fall out by its means, fo that one Angel prefides over the Sea and fhipwracks, another over fire and burnings? This feems very probable to me, for the providence of God makes the winds his Angels, and a flame of fire his Minifters. The Angel of the fire comes out from the altar, which popery had prophaned by its prophane facrifices and falfe. worship. And 'tis the Angel of the fire who is here employ'd; to fignify, that now the fire fhall confume the Antichriftian Kingdom, without any hopes of recovery.

1i3

The