II6 cvf n Ex P o sr TI oN r~ then the whole Time from John downward, would be known alfo by them that ~ live in thefe latter Days ; for whofe Benefit and Comfort (as moll concerning them to know it) this Computation was made, and here given. 3· This Beall, the Pope, being the !all Head of the Fourth or Roman Mo– narchy, (which but for him had failed, but was in him healed again and rello– red) i To know when he fhould end, and with him that Monarchy, this would be inkling enough of the approach of Chrill's Kingdom which is immediately to fucceed it. To give the inkling of which, for the Church's comfort in thefe latter Days, was the thing herein principally aimed at. And, 4: this Bcall being to be the moll eminent Opprelfor of the Church in the Times after Chrifr. Therefore the Computation. of his Time, beginning and ending, and the opprdlion of the Wnnelfes by htm, would be mofr accep· table to be known, and fo be mofr enquired after by the Church. And thus much for the Computation of the Times here mentioned. Seer. 2. The Occurrmces that (all out towards the expiring of thefe Times here com• puted. .d11d firft, .d general View and 'DiJJifion of them. AS Chrifr was thus careful (as you have feen)to give us this Computation of Times; fo further, for our Comfort, he makes a Relation of fuch Oc– currences alfo as fhould fall out towards the ending ond expiration of thefe Times, which is the fecond Head we are to explain. And as the C~rnputation of Antichrift's Times was two-fold ; fo anfwera– bly the chief Occurrences of things appertaining to the accornplifhrnent of thofe Times, are two. · 1, The re-givi11g 11p the Outward Court to the Gmtiles, with tqe tre.uding down whereof they are to end their whole Reign and Time of the treading down the Holy City. 2. Their k,j/li"g the Witnejfes, with which their 1260 Days of prophefying in Sack·cloth do end alfo. The one is annexed as the fignal of the Period of their Reign, and the ending of their 42 Months; the other as the Signal of the Ac– compli!hment of thefe Witnelfes Oppreffion for 1260 Days, with tbis mofr emi– nent Victory of the Gmtiles over them. And then again obferve, how each of thefe Occurrences have two others here mentioned with them, as conjunct Appendixes to them, or Occafions of them. I. The giving up the Qutward Court to the Gmtiles, is accompanied with a meajitring the Temple by joh11, reprefenting the Godly of that Age; who /eaver 0111 the 011tward Co11rt, as being-ordained by God to be given up to the Genti!et. 2. This!aft killing the Witnelfes, is much occafioned, and in a more efpecial manner Enemies are provoked unto it by the lmrt thefe Witnelfes did them by Fire, in the Times jufr afore (as we fhall fee anon); in revenge of which, they are encouraged to kill them. . Or, (for the better conceiving all thefe) I caft them into this Mould. john and the Angel ftanding here in the very extremities of Time, even the Times of the fourth Vial, (this Age, as I take it) wherein Antichrift's Reign is drawing near to its end ; john hath reprefented to him (as an Introduction unto all that follows) the Face of the Church in that Age, and is himfdf bid– den to reprefent the Work of the Godly of that Age towards that Church. And,
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