Part 2. muft fee, where we ought to begin the 1260 days, which the Holy Spirit affigns it. III. Afterwards we shall fee, where they must end. IV. And laftly, we shall feek for that which hath not yet been found in the Revelation, that is, the circumftances of the fall of that Antichriftian Empire. We shall begin with that queftion, which we have above laid down as the chiefelt one; that is, The time of the duration of that Antichriftian Empire.

The im

of this

Antichriß

or 1260

years,

The Roman Church fuppofeth, that this duraportance tion cannot be above three years and a half, i.e. queftion, 1260. natural days; and we pretend, this must be whether understood of 126o. prophetical days, which are muft reign 126o. years. Tis fo important a matter, that on 1260 days, this all the reft depends. If this fuppofition of the duration of Antichrift meerly and fimply for three years and a half, be falfe, all that the Roman Church faith of Antichrift, is falfe. And if we have reason to say, that the Antichriftian Empire must endure 1260. years, this Empire must of neceffity have begun a long time fince; and having begun a long time ago, it must of neceffity alfo be the papifm. This is therefore a particular, which we muft carefully mind; and in the beginning we muft lay down these three indifputable principles.

42 months.

I. That the duration of the 1260. days, wherein the woman in the 12th Chapt. of the Revelatión, muft be fed in the defart; which is alfo calThe 1260 led in the fame place a time, times, and half a time: days. The The 42 months, during which the Court must be The three left to the Gentiles, according to what is faid in years and the 11th Chap. The 1260 days, during which the times, and two witneffes are to prophecy clothed in fackhalf a time. cloth, as 'tis fore-told in the fame 11th Chapter. fame pe. And lastly, the 42. months given to the first beaft

half;atime,

are the

riod.

of

of the 13th Chapter of the Revel, to exercise his Part. 2. power. All thefe different periods, I fay, are one and the fame period, and fignify the duration of the Antichriftian Empire. This can't be di fputed.

Sometimes

count the

The fecond principle is this, that in that Prophecy, the days, the years, and the months, may be taken for natural days, months, and years; or for prophetical ones, a day for a year. This might the Profignify natural days: for fometimes the Prophets phets do fo fpeak; they reckon the time as other men time as do. Jeremy reckon'd 70 years for the duration of other men the captivity; and thefe years are natural ones. 'Tis certain alfo, that in the period of the thoufand years, defigned for the reign of the Church after the deftruction of Antichrist, the years are taken for natural years.

do.

cannot

Chap. 9.

V.

34.

But it is not lefs certain, that thefe days and The Papista thefe years may be taken myftically for prophets deny, but cal days and years. 'Tis confeft, that the 70 that they weeks of Daniel fignify 70 weeks of years. God may fignify faid to Ezekiel, Thou shalt fleep on thy left fide, 1260 years. and lay the iniquity of the house of Ifrael upon it; Chap. 4 according to the number of the days that thou shalt v. 4.6. lye upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. I have appointed thee each day for a year. God faid to the Numb 14. Ifraelites, according to the number of the days in which ye fearched the Land, even 40 days, each day for a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even 40 years. This could not be obfcure to the Ifraelites, who were accuftom'd to this style; and who knew there were weeks of years in their Calendar, as well as weeks of days; and that a week of years anfwered to that of days, one year for one day? The third principle is this, that here the number of three years and a half, 42 months, and 1269

A a 3

days

ber 1260

definite

not an in

Part.2. days, cannot fignify an indefinite time. As it fomeThe num times happens, that the Holy Spirit by a determimust be a nate number means an undetermin'done. A way that would be extreamly advantagious to the parnumber, tifans of Rome. For when one fhall have demondefinite ftrated, that 'tis abfolutely impoffible, that that CAC. which is predicted concerning the Antichriftian Empire, can be fulfilled in the compafs of three years and a half, it would be very useful for them, if they could fay, we must not take this fo ftrictly in the literal fenfe; that it may fignify three times ten, three times twenty, or more, according as the Holy Spirit oftentimes mean's an indefinite number by a definite one. But here that cannot be. There are certain numbers by which the Prophets use to defcribe an indefinite time, by reafon of a certain priviledge thofe numbers have. As that of three, becaufe 'tis the firft odd number, & the number of the perfons of the Trinity; that of feven,because of the feven days of the creation; that of twelve because of the twelve Patriarchs, the twelve Tribes, and the twelve Apoftles; that of 100, and that of 1000, becaufe these are numbers, that according to the cuftome of men, are often defigned to- fignify a great undetermin'd quantity. But we shall not find any examples of broken numbers, as that of three and a half, of 42, and 1260 taken for indefinite numbers. 'Tis true, the Revelation fpeaks of the 144 thoufand fealed ones. Now the number of 144, is not Jefs a broken one than that of 42. But 'tis becaufe 144 is the product of that of 12 multiplied by it felf. The Holy Spirit takes twelve thoufand fealed perfons of every Tribe, 12 times 12 make 144. Here a reafon can't be given, why God fhould choose 1260 days to mark out an indefinite

.

or 12661

time. There is no middle way therefore; they Part. 2. must be fo many years, or fo many fimple days. It must be So that when we fhall have proved, that the 126 years, course of this Empire is not three years and a half, days, and we fhall have proved alfo that 'tis 1260 years. To no more. prove that 'tis not three years and a half, we need but run through the History of this Empire, according as we find it in the book of the Reve lation.

The firft

Argument

thre years

of the Re

raken up,

in giving

of the e

First of all we must know, that according to the greatest part of Interpreters, almost the whole against the Revelation is Ipent in fore-telling us, and fetting and half. in order the events that must happen to the One half Church during this reign of Antichrift. At least, velation it is certain, that 'tis the fubject of one half of would be this book: the 11th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th and 19th Chapters contain the birth, progrefs, an accou finishing, ruin, and fall of this Antichriftian King-vents of dom. Let any one judge, if there be any likely- only three hood, that this only prophetical book, which the half. Apoftles have left us for the time of the N Teftament moves but upon three years and a half, and hath omitted the events of almost two thousand years. So that the general Idea of this Prophecy can't bear this imagination; but let us come to particulars.

years and a

gument,

half can't

of the firf

Second, The 11th Chapt. begins to fpeak of this Second ArAntichriftian Empire; but because this is but as a thefe three general Hiftory, and an abridgement, 'tis in this years and a general account, that the vifion of the three years agree with and a half is hid, and 'tis from hence it hath been what is faid taken. Let us fee if this can agree with the places beat in the where the Prophet enlargeth this fhort defcri- the ite ption. We have in the 13th Chap. a reprefenta- velation, tion of this Empire under the emblems of two keafts, of which one had feven heads and ten

of

Part. 2. borns, and the other but one head aud two horns.

We there fee in the first place a beast with seven beads and ten horns. It hath been confeffed to us, that this is Antichrift. We have proved, that the word beaft fignifies an Empire, confifting of a founder and his fucceffors. Now fee a fine fucceffion, and a very confiderable time, that fame of three years and a half, to be called an Empire, and to be meant by a beaft. Certainly this beaft with feven heads and ten horns, is the Roman Em pire in its whole extent, from its founder Romulus even to Antichrift, who must be according to Bellarmine, the last Roman Emperour, though without the name of a Roman Emperour. And this Roman Empire is brought in anew exprefly, for the feventh head with ten horns, which make Antichrift, i.e. the ten Kings his vaffals, which give him their power. In truth, three years and a half would they well deferve, that the Holy Spirit fhould represent them to us, and lay before our eyes afresh, all this great Empire of almost 3000 years duration? For by the confeffion of our adverfaries, the Roman Empire doth yet laft, and fhall continue even to Antichrift, who fhall be the laft King of it. Now there is about two thousand four or five hundred years fince the firft foundation of Rome. Moreover Antichrift is the feventh head of the Roman Empire. This is fa evident, that it can't be gain-fayed. Now muft there not be fome proportion between the heads and their durations? The head of the Kings lafted near 200 years, that of the Emperors above 500 years what proportion is there between fo long a duration, and this of three years and a half? As for us, we pretend, that the laft bead muft endure as long as the other fix. Rome under Kings, Con

1

Juls,