of the REVELATION. Moreover, there may be infinuated fome mitigation of this Rage of thefe "--A./""'1 Ger.tiles in the purfuing this their bft Victory, in that which follows the fore- Chap. f.. cited Place in Daniel; where although it be faid, that he fhall go forth in fi. 1 ch \..fV'-l Fury and Rage, and with an intent to root out 1}ltl11)' ; yet all his prevailing is in the Ilfue and SucceiS expre!fed but by this, that he Jb.,U pl,wt his Tabemacle upon the Glorious Holy Mo11nlain. Which may imply, that although his Intention is utterly to deflroy; yet for the execution of it, no more !bJII be done, than getting a polfeffion again in the Church, and a planting his Tabernacle, his Power and Throne therein ; which is therefore called a Tabernacle, becaufe it mufl prefently be pulled down again. The Event only mufl: declare how £1r this prevailing fl:1all fucceed. In the mean Time, we have caufe to fear, and to prepare for the worft; both from the Sins of the Witne!fes in yielding too far unto the Superflitions of 7f!me, and in fuffering fome of thofc Superflitions to be left in their Churches, by the overflowing of the Romifh Sea, (as we fee much filth ufeth to be left on the Shore by the overflowing of the Ocean) and from many other Sins of theirs, as Carnal-Gofpelling, Worldly-mindedneiS, &c. and alfo from their bafe yield– ing up the Outward Court, and deferting the Caufe. For (as the Angel in Ddniel lays) many among them fhall do wicf;sdly. Now to conclude this Point; That whereto my lafl and utmo!1 Thoughts and hopes concerning this Matter do chiefly encline and fway me, is, to th;nk, that it will be but fuch a Time with the Church, as that under }ulia11 was ; and that haply that Perfecution of his, was a kind of Type of this: That being the lafl prevailing of HeatheniG11, as this of Popery. Juli,m abflained from extre– !Jiity of Cruelty, in refpe/1 of Blood, efpecially at the firfl:: but having the Power in his Hands, he endeovoured, by crafty means, to undo and extinguifh Religion, by denying the Chriflians the ufc of Schools of Literamre and Books, &c. (as I before told you) and rather !11ewed his Malice, in flouting and jeering of them, than in killing them ; and ftudied Snares for their Ccn– fciences, letting up his own Image with the Idols of the Heathen Gods round about it, in the Forum or Market-place, that fo in doing reverence to his Image, they might feem to reverence the Gods, and refufing to bow towards thefe Falfe Gods, they might be accufed, as denying reverence to the Emperor. Which courfe, in the end, was the caufe of much Blood-!hed, though by no Publick Edict of his made, (as formerly by other Emperors). And the People know– ing his hate unto the Chrifl:ians, they fell upon them in diverfe Parts of the Em– pire, and perfecuted them even unto Death. Now for this Prevailing to come, I think that through many Temptations and Snares laid, together with Cruelties inflicted, it may prove worte than Death and Martyrdom it felf. And it may perhaps be eminently rather an Hour of Temptation and Trial, then of the blaclzneft a11d dark,zlf_fj of Martyrdom unto the generality of Believers; though haply accompanied with the Martyrdom of many; and therefore the Gentiles are a!fo laid to k,zll thtfc Witnefles. Thefe Times are like to be (as Paul to Timothy bath it, 2 Epijl. 3· 1.) '-"'E'J) xxt-<ml, dijfic11lt Times, rather than Bloody Times, (the Apofl:le there fpcaki ng of the laji Dap, as in his lirfl Epiflle, chap. 4· verf I. he fpeaks of the latter D.IJs of Popery). And thefe are called Dijfiwlt Times, becaufe of the cnnning and fubtilty that fhall be ufed to enfnare Men, and the Temptations laid for them; and yet they may be flained with much Blood alto. Yet fo, as however this we may be fure of, that many !hall furvive this War, and only be made white and tried, (as it is in Daniel). Which is the rather to be hoped, becaufe fo fuddain a Refi.1rreaion of fo great a Multitude, as cbap. '9· r. are mentioned, who !hall poffefs that glorious State of a Church defcribed in that Chapter, from verf. I, to 10, after that three Years and a half once ended; is not likely to arife meerly out of a Suceeffion of New Converts; but is probably to be made up of the fame Perfons Curviving, and out-riding that great Storm. SECT.
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