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thofe in the Open One; as 'tis eafy to fee upon the Parallel. And this is agreeable to Dr. Allix's opinion, who believes the Sealed Book to be fo call'd, becaufe it contained things that had been foretold, but had been fo obfcurely spoken, that they could not be understood but by the help of a new Revelation. But the chief Circumftances of that kind which diftinguish the Sealed Book from the Open Codicil, and give the fulleft account of the reason why the one is ftiled a Sealed Book, and the other an Open One, are the exact durations of the feveral Vifions diftinctly fet down and connected together in the Open Codicil; but either wholly omitted, or at least not connected together in the Sealed Book. Thus in the Sealed Book we find no other durations of any of its Judgments and Vifions, but that the Locusts fhould continue to torment Men Apoc.ix.5, ro. five months, and this twice fet down; and that the four Angels were let loose from Euphrates to flay the third part of Men for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year; where ver. 15. still there is a great obfcurity in that there is no Connexion exprefs'd between one Duration and another: Thus, if the five months twice fet down be taken, as I think they may well be, feparately; we have yet no hint that the one ends, when the other begins; or how long an interval was to be between them: Neither is there any hint, that the commencing of the bour, and day, and month, and year, is to be at the conclufion of the latter of the fore-mentioned Numbers; nor that the Trumpet, to which they belong, fhould begin and end with that Duration. This Darkness and Obfcurity there is in the Numbers of the fifth and fixth Trumpet, which are the only ones through all the Sevens, the Seals, Trumpets, Thunders, and Vials, that have any Numbers belonging to them at all: And if those be still fo obfcure, what degree of Obfcurity must the reft be fuppos'd to have as to this matter; which have not fyllable of the Dates, and the Durations of each Interval-2 and therefore how agreeably may this be called a Book Sealed? But then if we come to the Open Codicil, we find the cafe quite different, and the Date and Duration of each Vision is almost always included therein; frequently in exprefs Numbers; and, when not fo, in clear Types implying them and

G

all

Apoc. xi. 2.
See Prop. 13.

infra.

Ver. 3.

all ufually fo exactly connected together, that the intire Duration, both of the feveral Parts, and of the whole Series, may be readily underftood. Thus the first Prophecy in this Open Codicil, of the two States of the Church reprefented by the Two Courts of the Temple, determins both their Durations; the One by an explicit Number; and the Other by an eafy Type: For the Outer Court is exprefsly faid to be given to the Gentiles, to be troden under foot by them' 42 months; and the Inner Court being to the Outer, as 12 to 42; the Inner by Analogy to the Outer, will probably contain 12 months and fo the Inner Court will relate to a pure State of the Church, during 360 years; and the Outer to the Antichristian State of 1260 years afterward. Thus the fecond Prophecy in this Open Codicil, of the two Witnesses prophecying in fackcloth, directly tells us they were to do fo for 1260 days. Or that thofe two Eminent Bodies of Men, who publickly bear their Testimony against the Antichriftian Worship, fhould do fo in a low and afflicted condition for 1 260 years together; i.e.during its intire duration, as we shall fee prefently. Thus the third Apoc. xij. 6. Prophecy in this Open Codicil of the Woman, firft with Child, and after the Child's birth nourish'd in the Wilderness, includes both Periods; and by the Type of a Woman with Child, intimates the former State to be 40 weeks, or z80 days; and by exprefs words affures us, the latter is to be rz60 days. So that here we have the State of the Primitive Church ftruggling to fettle Chriftianity in the Throne of the Roman Empire for 280 years; and the fame Chriftian Church driven into the defert, and nourish'd there by Providence in obfcurity and affliction for 1260 years together, fome time afterwards: i. e. again, during the whole Tyranny of the Antichriftian Powers. Thus the fourth Prophecy in this Open Codicil of the Tyranny of the Beast with seven heads and ten horns, fhews its Duration by Apoc. xiij. 5. an exprefs Number; affuring us, that He is to make war with the Saints, and to prevail against them for 42 months; or the very fame Duration we have often mention'd already: fhewing, that the Over-bearing and Antichriftian Tyranny of the 10 Idolatrous Kingdoms of the Roman Empire over the Church, was to laft 1260 years. The fifth Prophecy in the Open

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Open Codicil of the Two-horned Beast, or False Prophet, has not indeed any Numbers or Types in it. But the reafon is

plain, that it needed none; not fo much because he is defcrib'd Ver. 12,&c. & as a mighty Companion of the former Beaft, that the fame Chap. xix. 20. Numbers might feem fufficient for both; As, because his Du

ration had been already stated by Daniel at a time, times, and Dan. vij. 25. a divifion of time, or at three Prophetick years and a month.

For we shall fhew hereafter, that Daniel's Little Horn is the Lem. 10. infra. fame with this fecond Beaft or falfe Prophet in St. John. So that we plainly fee, that the Duration of the Antichriftian Dominion of the firft Beast is 1260 years,as well as that of his intimate Friend the fecond Beast 1110 years. The fixth Prophecy in the Open Codicil of the Image of the Beast (if it may not rather be esteem'd an addition to the laft mention'd Prophecy, than a new one diftinct from it) has not indeed particular Numbers, nor Types to fupply their place. But then the Rife of this Image is fo clearly determin'd to be fome confiderable time Apoc. xiij. 14. after the Rife of the Two-horned Beaft; and his End to be 15. very little before the utter end of the former Beafts, that there Apoc. xiv. 9. was little need to fet down any diftin& Numbers for him. And then, as to the remaining Branch of this Open Codicil, the Epitome of the State of the Undefiled, during all the Events, Apoc. xiv. from the beginning of Antichrift till his deftruction: It ought not to be fuppofed to ftand in need of diftinct Numbers; both because 'tis intirely contemporary with both Beasts, and therefore their Numbers fuffice for it: and because this being only

an Abridgment of a larger account in the Sealed Book, it was See Prop. 12. not proper to expect that additional exactnefs here; but to infra. leave this Epitome to be judg'd of, and determin'd by that large and parallel Difcourfe on the fame Subject. But indeed, fince both this fhorter, and that larger Account of the State of the Undefiled, does all along correfpond with the other Prophecies, from the beginning of the Trumpets till their conclufion there; or, which is almoft the fame space, from the Rife of the two Beafts till their utter Deftruction here; The right stating of thofe Periods, which have Characters of their own, cannot but fufficiently direct us to the right stating of these collateral and contemporary ones alfo.

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6. As to the Object of thefe two different Systems of Prophecy, the Sealed Book and the Open Codicil, Mr. Mede and Dr. More after him, fuppofe it to be double; and that the former contains diftin&tly Res Imperii, or Secular Affairs; and the latter as diftinctly Res Ecclefia, or Ecclefiaftical Affairs : or in other words they fuppofe that the former contains properly the Fates of the Roman Empire, and the latter as diftinctly the Fates of the Chriftian Church. But how to make out this diftinction of Objects either from any particular Characters inferted into either of them; or from the Obfervation of the particular Matters included in each of them, I confess I can. not tell. Neither do I fee how it is wholly confiftent with their own Scheme: fince they make the firft Seal to be the Apoc. vi. 1,2. Commencing of our Saviour's Kingdom, fpreading it felf thence forward in the World; and alfo allow the Virgin Company, Apoc.vij.1,&c. fealed out of all the Tribes of Ifrael, or the undefiled Followers of the Lamb [the best part of the Church of Chrift] to be a part of the Sealed Book: and because the Open Codicil was not then introduc'd, it was impoffible to place it otherwife. Nay inVer. 11, deed the innumerable Company with Palms in their hands reprefenting (as we fhall fee hereafter) the fame undefiled Followers of the Lamb, when vaftly more numerous towards the Conclufion of the Trumpets, ought alfo to be made a part of thefame Sealed Book for the fame reafon; as is, I think, clear in the Text, tho' it was not fo understood by them.

Upon the whole therefore, I fee no reason to separate the Objects of these two Systems of Prophecy; but fuppofe that in common they both refpect the Roman Empire, and the Chriftian Church therein to be contain'd.

VIII.

The General Series and Order of the Contents of the Seal'd Book is this, the Seventh or laft Seal, contains the Seven Trumpets; and the Seventh or laft Trumpet contains the Seven Vials.

That the feventh Seal contains the feven Trumpets, feems evident from the natural Senfe and Coherence of the words

them

Luk.j. 10.

themselves defcribing it; and accordingly it is generally, and I think very juftly taken for granted. And when he had open- Apoc. viij. 1,2 ed the feventh feal, fays St. John, there was filence in heaven about the space of half an hour, viz. during the Peoples praying without at the time of Incenfe, agreeably to the known Custom of the Temple. And I faw the Seven Angels which food before God, and to them were given feven Trumpets, &c. So that I shall not need to infift more at large on fo*plain a Text, or allege any other Arguments for the proof of that part of the prefent Propofition. But that the feventh Trumpet contains the feven Vials is not fo exprefs in its description; nay indeed, is genenerally deny'd by those who have beft explain'd this Book: And therefore I must be oblig'd to prove it fomewhat parti

* Tertio ait Lawenus me præfupponere Septem Tubas effe vifum figilli feptimi; hoc enim vult cum ait me præfupponere Tubas neceffariam habere connexionem cum Sigillo Septimo. Et hoc quidem veriffime dixit me præ-› fupponere; præfuppono autem, & quidni præfupponerem? Annon Grammaticum contextus fenfum, quo vix alius eft in Apocalypfi de rerum narratarum ferie clarior & luculentior, neceffe fuit præfupponi? Ad præcedentium figillorum omnium apertionem Vifum aliquod fubjicitur, rem figillo fignificatam exhibens. Ad apertionem primi Afpexi, inquit, & ecce equus albus &c. Ad apertionem fecundi Prodiit equus rufus &c. Ad apertionem tertii Afpexi, inquit, & ecce equus niger &c. Et fic in quarto quinto & fexto. Quis igitur pari ratione non credat quod feptimi figilli refignationi fubjicitur effe ejus figilli Vifum ? Quomodo abfurdum non eft affirmare folius figilli feptimi; aut Vifum nullum effe, aut ejus defcriptionem figilli apertioni præmitti, præter omnium Sigillorum, imo Tubarum, & Phialarum morem? Cum aperuiffet inquit figillum feptimum factum eft filentium in cœlo quafi per femihoram: & vidi feptem Angelos ftantes in confpectu Dei; & data funt illis feptem Tube. Aut hic clarum eft Rem figilli feptimi defcribi ; aut omnino fatendum eft nihil effe in hoc libro de ordine certi; fed quidvis cuivis pro libitu præponendum & poftponendum, nulla fenfus Grammatici ratione habita. Hoc viderunt ex veteribus Andreas & Aretas: ex Pontificiis Lyranus, Aureolus, Ribera, Alcazar, Viega, Cornelius a Lapide: ex noftris Junius, Graferus, Brightmannus, Napierus, Reverendiffimus Epifcopus Aberdonenfis, Clariffimus Alftedius: Qui omnes pro conceffo habent Rem feu Vifum figilli feptimi effe myfterium Tubarum. Nec crediderim quenquam Intepretum id unquam negaturum fuiffe, nifi in vifionum difpofitione magis ad apparentem nefcio quam interpretationis concinnitatem, quam ad naturalem & fimplicem Textus Sacri mentem, refpexiffent. Med. Refponf. ad Laweni Strict. p. 684. Illud jam oftenfum eft in Textu difertiffime haberi: neque in re tam manifesta ut cedam, ullis unquam fidiculis extorquebit. p. 699.

cularly.

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