The Wonderful Confirmation of the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ at 1697
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A27636.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The Wonderful Confirm • tion of the Succession of the Kingdom of Christ at 1697, Deriv'd from the 42 Moons of the Beast, then Ending; Given by Prophecy, so as to be Calculated according to the Famous Cycle of the Moon, still'd, the Golden Number, found out first by the Famous Athenian Astronomer, Meton, about the Year of the World, 3574. Embraced by the Fathers of the Nicene Council, about the Year of our Lord 325. for the settling their Antipaschal, or Easter, supposited to the True Christian Paschal of the Lord's Supper, and of the Lord's Day, Ordained by Christ: Digested into these Propositions following.
Proposition 1. IT is evident Letter of Scripture That the Comprehensive Line of Time from Cyrus to the Kingdom of Christ, or to the Sanctuary Cleans'd; Given by Daniel very early, c. 8. (and therefore must needs comprize in it the 1260 Days, and 42 Months ) is composed into Eves, and so hath a Seed of Moons in them, as Time of the Night.
Prop. 2. It is also as evident Letter of Scripture, That the Prophecy of the Revelation Assigns Forty Two Moons to the Gentiles, and Forty Two Moons to the Beast, as Time of the Night, to the Children of the Night, and of Darkness. Rev. 113. c. 13.5.
Prop. 3. The same Prophecy hath out of the 2300 Morns in the same Vision of Daniel, assigned 1260 Days to the Witnesses, and to the Woman the Church, as Time of the Sun, and of the Day, as to the Children of the Light, and of the Day. c. 11.3. c. 12.
Prop. 4. The Moon is said by the Psalmist, Psal. 104.19. to be Appointed for Seasons, in their great Variety, according to the many Wandrings of its Motion; But the Sun knows its Going down, according to the Certainty and Steddiness of its Motion, and Constancy to its own Path; Words very little differing from that saying of the Wise; The Sun knows its and is firm to it; The Moon doth not so.
Prop. 5. Accordingly, as th • • 260 Days, settled by the Spirit of Prophecy, as the sure and steady Gauge of Time, so the Moons are fitted by the same Spirit of Prophecy, to describe some Unevennesses, and Inequalities in the State of the Apostasy; viz. such as arise from the Beast's not coming into his Succession so soon as the Apostasy began: To define which Time, and what space it was, and how it was supplied and born up, the Moons of the Gentiles, and of the Beast, are of most peculiar, particular, and especial Use.
Prop. 6. One of the greatest Performances of Astronomy, assisted by him who Teacheth Man Knowledge, hath been to Adjust the Time of the Moon to the Time of the Sun, that there might be both a double Character, and Assurance of Time, as by knowing, not only what Year of the Sun, but what proportionable Time of the Moon Answered to that of the Sun, that there might be by the compare a Proportioning any Time Depending on the Moon to that of the Sun.
This, after several former Attempts, that failed, was perfected by Meton, near the Beginning of Daniel 's Weeks, and received by All the Knowing World since; and Celebrated by that Great Name of the Golden Number, or the Decem-Novennal Cycle, the Cycle of Nineteen Years: By which it is certainly found, the Motion of the Sun takes up a Thirty Third Part more than the Moon, apply it to whatsoever part of Time: Apply it then to 1260 Days of Years of the Sun, • 4 • Moons are 38 Days of Years less than the 1260. But besides, by applying the Proportions of the Golden Number to Any Year, either of the Sun, or of the Moon, of which we have the certain Epoch, or Time of Commencement, or to any part of the same Year, we may equal the Times of the Sun and of the Moon to one another, by taking away a Thirty Third part of the Sun 's Time; or, which is most Natural, by Adding a Thirty Third part to the Moon, because the Sun's Motion is the most steady Gauge of Time. And this is done by Adding an Allowed or Granted Proportion of Time, as if it were Real Time, and placing it as we find fittest for our purpose; but under this Caution, if it be public Time, it must be by public Agreement, as we double every Fourth Year a Day in the Latter End of the Twelfth Month, we, too Pagan-like, call February; not that so much is due to that Year Alone, but to everyone of the Four Years, 〈◊〉 Fourth part, to keep the Course of Time somewhat near equal. And this is called Intercalation. And thus Maimonides, to adjust the Jewish New Moons, to the Time of the Passover, allows Seven Intercalary Moons, to Seven Years in every Nineteen, viz. 3.6, 8, 11, 14, 17. 19th, year.
And to the very same purpose, the Entring Antichristian Apostasy, even at the Time of the Nicene Council, made the same Use of this Cycle, and took it in: as Thought: into the Service of Christianity; when they were growing then to be the Synagogue of Satan, saying, They are Jews in observing a Pasch, or Easter, in Remembrance of the Death and Resurrection of Christ; but are not, but do Lie; For Christ ordained the Lord's Supper, and the Lord's Day on purpose to Fore-prize such Human Institutions upon Time: But however, this Golden Number hath herein all the Confirmation that can be, it being wonderfully Order'd by Providence; Time of the Moon should be made so Remarkable in such a Solemnity as that of Easter, so great in the Antichristian Synagogue, and on which in Victor, the first Effort of Antichrist Fell; and which is yet Retain'd in Protestant Churches, that did not Reform lower than that Synagogue, Rising in that Nicene Council.
Prop. 7. There is just Reason, seeing the Spirit of God hath positively Nam'd Moons, taken out of the 2300 Eves, (which must needs be the Time therefore of the Moon) to observe where the Beast's Moons begin, and where they end. The Succession of the Beast to the Seventh King, but no Head; is so positively declared, Rev. 17. that it can be no way doubted or denied. For that Those Seven Heads are Heads of the Roman Government and City; Even the most Zealous Romanists, that are Judicious, neither do nor can so much as call into Question; and hath been fully made out; as also, That the Law of Succession requires, That the Heads and Kings should not enterfere, but come orderly, one after the other. So then the Beast, that was the Eighth King, must immediately succeed the Seventh, but not enterfere with him, or come before he was wholly Gone off.
Augustulus then being the Last of those Christian Emperors of Rome, who made up the Seventh King, when he went off, immediately the Eighth King came on, at 38 years after, the 1260 days of years began, or at Just Two Nineteens, Order'd by Providenceso, to Lead by the Golden Number, to Time of the Moon.
That being at 475. ending, and in the Year 476. the proportion of Lunar Time will Allow but 1222 Years to the Forty Two Months of Years: So then hereby it is most certainly known, that the Beast's Reign must End at 1697 For so 1222 Added to 475 make. And thus that so Celebrated Golden Number Assures the Kingdom of Christ in its Succession at 1697. seeing the same Law of Succession holds in the Kingdom of Christ, that, as in all Successions, Admits no Gap.
And then according to the Law of Intercalation, the Beasts Months are supplied by the Gentiles Months; because the Beast had Time, Times and Half a Time; and he not coming into Succession time enough for that Time, Times and Half a Time, the Months of the Gentiles, as his People, intercalate, or supply the Beast's Months; where they are to be supplied, and where there is Supply ready for them : And then the Gentiles Months become one with the Beast's, as they must needs; because Power was given to him over Tongues, People and Nations, as the Time, Times, Half Time were given to Him also.
Thus every way that Great Position, That the Kingdom of Christ shall be in its Succession 1697. is Assured to us, and this way particularly, I cannot but look upon it assured beyond any Possibility of Doubt; For we do but thus plainly Reckon; The Beasts Moons or Months Begin 475 Ending, They can, as Time of the Moon or Eves of years, make no more than 1222 years; These from 475, end therefore with the 1260 days of years at 1697. And therefore I heartily pray, we may take notice, the Kingdom of God is come nigh to us.