THE Prophetick Line of Time, from the Death of Solomon, to the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ; which I have, for several Years last past, established upon the greatest Reasons of Scripture Prophecy, and its Chronology; with the fairest Agreement of Univer­sal History, and Chronology; is now confirm'd to [Page 2] me, by the Indictional Frame, or Fifteens of Years, of which it is composed; that doth demonstrate it to be one and the same entire Line, th [...] given at several Times, in several Cantons or Parts; and that it was so constitu­ted by the Divine Spirit, that we might know it to be one Line: And that by the Laws of Indiction, we may know where the Distributions Begin and End. That even as by the Historical and Propheti­cal Assignations of them, we have one view of them; so by Indictions we may have even Arithmetical De­monstration of their Bounds.

The Line it self, I present in the very Letter of Scripture, in plain open view.

The distribution of this long Line of 2300 Evs Morns, into its several Parts.

That the Divine Spirit hath put an Honour upon the Number Fifteen, in chusing it for the Day of the so solemn Feast of Tabernacles; which he made a great Type of his Kingdom, as appears by the most awful reading the Law on an indicted Time in it, in the Year of Release, Deut. 31. 10. Adorning it with Paradisiac Appearance in the most goodly Boughs; and by the Pro­phetick Representation of the state of the Kingdom of Christ, under the keeping that Feast, Zech. 14. 16. and the Misery of those who are shut for ever out of that Kingdom, in their not keeping it, and the pecu­liar mention of it in the Vision of Ezekiel's glorious Tem­ple, Ezek. 45. 25.

But that he hath chosen it in this Line of Time, is the Business now in hand, and to be made out be­yond Contradiction; for the whole Twenty seven hun­dred thirty is all composed of Fifteens: Some peculiar Parts of it are given in such Numbers, as Fall into Fifteens of themselves; as 390, 1260, 1290, 1335; each of which deserve great Consideration: The Three hundred Ninety, as the First Part of the Line of Time, hath this peculiar Remark; That as it is the First Part, so it gives Measure and Frame to the whole: For as it is perfectly compos'd of Indictions; So it is most ob­servable; Three Hundred Ninety multiplyed by the Number Seven, of which Scripture makes so great Use in all Things, and in all Prophecy; both on Accounts of Mercy, of Grace; and of punishment for Iniquity, Levit. 26. [Page 7] I say the First Three Hundred Ninety multiplied by Seven, makes up the whole Prophetical Line of Twenty seven Hundred Thirty; and so casts all into Indictions, or Fifteens, as any one moderately skill'd in Accoun­tancy, will easily find.

In the Thirteen hundred thirty five, the End, and shut­ting up of the whole Line, in the Fulness of all Times; There is, as I may humbly express, a Care and Dili­gence, and even an Industry of the Divine Spirit, to compose it into Indictions, or Fifteens. For in the twelve hundred and sixty, as the whole is all Indiction, so each Division is according to indicted Time: Time, or one Time 36 [...] Years: Two Times, or one Time doubl'd, 720 Years. One time halv'd or 180 Y. each is perfect Indictional, and so the Hebrew first gave it its Style סועד: And that the Prophetick Spirit might awaken us to know, All is intentional; when he makes an Addition to 1260. It is by two Indictions, or Fifteens, in, 1290. When he makes an Addition to 1290, it is by Three Fifteens, 1335.

Whoever considers these Things, can no more think This could be by Chance, Then that Things argu'd from their Train, Series, and connexion in Creation, and Providence, to be the Products of an infinite Mind, could be by Chance. Could any one come after the Divine Spirit, and find that in his Writings, that he had not laid there? Or, could He lay them there and not know he laid them there himself; and could He be suppos'd to lay them there but as a Depositum, a Pro­phetical Treasure, prepar'd for great Ends and Purpo­poses: As

1. That we might know beyond the power of Ob­jection, That this whole Line, beginning at the Death of Solomon, when Israel and Judah became two Hou­ses, [Page 8] or Kingdoms, is one solid, real, and not imagi­nary one continued, and Progredient, and not di­vided, tho' distinguish'd Line to the Blessed State: It therefore begins in the Indictional 390, and so ends in 1335; so even curiously contrived into Indictions, and the middle part compriz'd between both, into the whole Indictional Frame, tho' in various Numbers, as is presently to be shewn.

The supreme Wisdom of the great Arithmetician, or Wonderful Numberer, as he is call'd, Dan. 8. 13. (see Margin there) is seen in his Arithmetick Frame. We cannot attain to its Persection; for there is Wonder and Secresie in it: But there is what we may apprehend, by considering, how, and when that style of Time, Indictions, or Fifteens of Years, came into Use; Lustres, or Account of Time by fives of Years, had been long before; but then these Fives triplicated, or three join­ed together, and call'd Indictions, according to the ve­ry Hebrew Word, before noted, came into known and publick use at a peculiar Time, when Providence knew Prophecy would have need of it: And as In­dictions are constituted of the Number Five, which is the Number giving spring to all Parts of these Num­bers, and indeed of all the most Cardinal Numbers; the whole Composure is most wonderful of Fives, so join'd by Threes.

The Time then of Indictions coming into known and publick Use, is that time agreed by all History; when the Roman Empire from Pagan, became Christian; un­der Constantine, memorializ'd, The Great, the First Chri­stian Emperour: Since which time, it hath continued in use at Rome, and in what is call'd the Empire, to this day: Now from its first entrance, it had a time of settlement, and of growing into a generally us'd [Page 9] Character of Time: The Roman Papacy was prepa­ring for its Supremacy; and the Barbarous Nations, that were to be the Kingdoms of the Ten Kings, its Horns; and who should give their Kingdom and Pow­er to it, were pressing into the Empire, as into an Outer-Court of Christian Profession, without the Power, being so much declin'd; and so began the [...] two Moons af the Gentiles; and the Witnesses beginning their 1260 Days of Prophecy, cloathed with Sack-cloath, both for the Ruine of the Empire, as a Publick Ca­lamity; and for the Visible Beginnings of the Apo­stacy. And just about the Time when Providence had prepar'd the so now universally known Language of Indictions, or Fifteens of Years; by which Time, Times, and Half Indicted Time, might (had Prophecy been un­derstood) have been certainly known to have Entered, viz. Some time between the Gentiles Pressing in upon the Empire, and their having settl'd into Kingdoms, and the Papacy with them.

Thus the whole Line is setled upon its Frame of Indictions, as in its general view; but that we may more particularly and distinguishingly understand it, and how to discern Times by these Indictions, as un­der particular Distinctions of Time, is what I would now present: For, as if there had been a Line of Indictions, and yet no Distinctions in so long a Line, we could have made by Indictions alone, no Judg­ment of Time; So if there had not been Indictions, we could not have so exactly, and assuringly Judg'd of the Bounds of Time according to those Distinctions, in some Parts of the Line.

That we may therefore the better Judge hereof, we must observe: This Indictional Line, though so [Page 10] wholly made up of Indictions, or Fifteens, as hath been shewn, yet the Parts of it are variously given.

• 390
• 1335

• 40
• 490

Some neither in Number; nor in Indictions, viz. The Time between Cyrus his Decree, and the Weeks begin­ning: The Time after the Weeks to the beginning of the 1335 Days, And yet both fall in with the whole Line into Indictions. And we may humbly conceive of the Reasons of all This.

1. It was necessary, the First Time of bearing Isra­el's Sin, or the First Three hundred Ninety Years in the Line, should be given in perfect Indiction, because it was to introduce the whole indictional Line; and to give, as it were, the Soul of Indiction to it.

2. It was as necessary the 1335 should be indictional, not only as shutting up, and consummating the indi­ctional Line, but more principally, because that was the Course of Time, God was pleased to give the Cri­terion, or Knowledge of by Indictions; and Providence had prepar'd according to Prophecy.

3. The giving these two Parts of Time in Num­ber, viz. The Forty Days of bearing Judah's Sin, was necessary, that the Time of the Babylonish Captivity end­ing, as a notable Pillar of Time, might be plainly known.

But most necessary, the Weeks to Messiah should be [Page 11] so precisely given: That that lofty Pyramid of Time, called the Fulness of Time, might be prepared for, be­fore 'twas erected; and then stand firm to the End of Time, and fulness of Times, viz. All Times, Gal. 4. 4. Ephes. 1. 10. or the Kingdom of Christ.

But they are not given in Indictions; even as the Time before the Weeks, and after them, not so much, as in Number, because Prophecy was Pleas'd so far, to Veil it self; That it might, by close Search and En­quiry, be understood, and open'd to those only, who, through Desire separating themselves, are stirr'd up by God, to intermeddle with that Wisdom: And withal, this Fluency of the Line of Time, from the End of the First 390, to the Beginning of the 1335, through the several successive Indictions, and the several distinctive Divisions of the Line by its Titles of Event upon it; as the words going forth, the Weeks, the Time of the Seals, is yet by them kept united, and conjoyn'd with it self, while the same Indiction takes hold of one Part, and of the other in each Distinction; and will shew, how according to the Laws of Indiction, those Years that are not numbred, are to be determined in their Numbers: And even in the very Parts of the Line, that are most under the guard of Indiction, yet those most lofty Columns of Event, distinguishing Time, may fall in the middle of an Indiction, or of a Fifteen; that though they divide Time, doe not di­vide the Indiction from itself; each of which will now be seen.

The most stately Pillars of Event, distinguishing Time in the Line, I look upon to be,

1. The Time of the Last Week of the 70, viz. The lofty Boundary of Time which the Christian Era of Account hath kept known and sure; and Extoll'd by the [Page 12] Style of the Fulness of Time, in Scripture; the Publick Apostolate of the High-Priest, and Apostle of our Pro­fession here on Earth; his Death, Resurrection, Ascen­sion, and giving his Spirit in the Ministry of the Apo­stles, during the opening the First Seal within the last Week; going out on his White Horse, of Gospel-state; Conquering, and to Conquer. Rev.6.1.

2. The Roman Empire becoming Christian, under Constantine, a very magnificent Pillar of time before mention'd, for the sake of Indictions, brought into publick Knowledge and Use soon after.

3. The middle part of the Time, between the first Insults of the Barbarous Nations upon the Empire; and the very subjugating of it. For at that time, about the middle Point, viz. Four hundred Thirty Seven of Vulgar Account, then the Gentile 42 Moons entred; and the 1260 Days of the Witnesses Sackcloth begin; and therefore Great.

4. The Western Roman Empire, and the Imperial Ex­altation of Rome, ceasing; and the Papacy entring with its 42 Moons, with which the Gentiles 42 Moons Co­lesce, and together make a Parallel Line, with the 1260 Days. This is a great and Cardinal Event of Time.

5. The Mahometan Imposture, and Tyranny, and Hegira beginning with the Saracenick Five Months of Torment, and five Months of Hurting Men, and five Months of Intervals, Revel. 9. v. 5, 10. Fairly allow­able in its Intermissions, or declining State; and so given, as it were, Indictionally, with which admirably agrees the Duration of their Tyranny; as made out by the Reverend and Learned Annotator on the Revelations, to be 435. And then the Hour, Day, Month, Year of the Ootoman Empire, perfectly Mahometan also, endures [Page 13] a Judgment on the Anti Christian Papal state, while it lasts.

6. The Papal Supremacy made an Image to the Ro­man Imperial Power, by the other Beast, the Roman Hie­rarchy when it came to its Number: Its Command of Image-worship, and Interdiction of those who would not Worship: Its Anathematizing upon Emperors on that account, Ratify'd by that Second Council of Nice: Its deposing Emperors, and taking upon it self a Right of disposing Crowns, and Kingdoms; all which bear a great Relation to the Indictional Time, in its two times at 1157, and unto 1517, tho' not proper here to in­sist upon.

7. The very stately Pillar of the Reformation, the most to be Celebrated Partition of the Beasts, or Papacy's First rising Time; and his two Times of Strength, and full Potentacy; and his half Time of De­clination; from 1517; Are each and all exactly In­dictional, and the Last by a Recent Agreement of History found at 1517.

That which we now expect, is that greatest Glory of Indictional Time; the finishing of Wonders, or of the Mystery by the Angel of the Seventh Trumpet, at the End of the three Years and half, from the 1260, ending at 1697; and those three Years and a half to End at the next following Vernal Equinox of the Year, in Vulgar Account 1700, or 1701.

That which remains now; is, to shew how by the Rules and Laws of Indictions, in a whole Line consti­tuted of Indictions, or Fifteens of Years; We may find, what Number, or propoportion of Years is to be determin'd to those two Parts of the Line, viz.

First. From the Forty Years of Bearing the Sin of Ju­dah, to the beginning of the 70 Weeks, or of the 490 Years (which was the time of the Words going forth.)

Secondly. What proportion of Time, or Number of Years we may fix upon from those Seventy Weeks end­ing, or the Last Week, (That so lofty Pyramid of Time) to that so grand Indictional Time of the 13 [...]35 Years, by which we may exactly know, at what time, and in what Year of Vulgar Account it began. The First of these I affirm to be 75. The Second 400. The whole we have to work upon are 1005 Years, perfectly Indictional. viz. 40 75 490 400

To this great purpose I would lay down these self­evident Rules and Laws of Indiction, which I thus ap­ply,

1. That seeing the Line consists of Twenty seven­hundred and thirty Years; and 182 Indictions, there can be no Number added; not so much as an Unit, or taken away; even in those Parts of the Line not given in Number, much less in those given in Number; for as Room cannot be spared for more, so there can be no Vacuum or Emptiness in such a Line strictly given.

2. Whatever is given in Indiction by the Divine Spirit, must rest in Indiction, and not be stirred out of it, because the Spirit of Prophecy hath canoniz'd it; so the 390, and the 1335 cannot help any portion of this Line not given in Indiction.

Rule 3. When the whole Frame is perfectly Indi­ctional, and yet there are several Portions not in them­selves Fram'd into Indictions; those Parts must Borrow and Lend, out of, and to another, That they may be all Indictional; for though each Portion, as it is gi­ven in such a Number, and so consider'd, cannot be chang'd; yet when the whole Line is consider'd, as such a whole Entire Line composed of several Parts, and [Page 15] all Indictional. One Indiction or Fifteen succeeds ano­ther, without regard to each particular Number, but respects the whole as Indictional.

Thus the Forty of bearing Israel's Sin, is not given by even Fifteens; but wants Five; Though then as a Portion of time so given, it cannot be more then Forty; yet as in the Indictional Frame it goes to the next Portion; the Time of the Words going forth, and borrows Five of that: That Portion accounted (as I affirm it should be) at 75, having lent Five, wants them for it self, as Indictional; it therefore goes on to the 490 of the Weeks, and borrows five of them: The Four hundred ninety of the weeks in the Indictional Frame then becomes but 485, by lending Five to the former Portion; but that Number having Five still supernu­merary to Indiction, it offers those Five to the 400 fol­lowing the Weeks, which receive them, so all becomes Indictional to perfection: And this hath nothing strange, but what is found in all Numbers, in a pro­grediency. Four Fives may be accounted as each a distinct Number; and as together making Twenty: Con­sider'd as Five, each stay in themselvs; Consider'd as making up Twenty, they flow in single Units one after another into Twenty; so in this Indictional Line, Numbers may be consider'd as limited to themselves, or flowing on Indictionally into such a number of Indi­ctions. Thus Forty, and Four hundred ninety are Numbers limited to themselves, as such Numbers; but in an Indictional Frame, they freely take, and give ac­cording to the Law of Indictions, and the whole Line is as beautifully conjoin'd, as if each Part had been given in Indiction, even as the 1005 in the whole.

But the great Doubt still remains, what Proof from Indictions may be given? That the time of the Words [Page 16] going forth, before the Weeks, was 75; for if that be prov'd, then it undeniably follows; the Time after the Weeks must be 400, and no more; and so what Proof can be given, the time after the Weeks was 400; for the Time, if that be prov'd, before the Weeks must be 75. the whole Line requiring there be neither more nor less; and the Thousand five of these Portions of Time are even as Indiction requires the same: And this further is absolutely necessary to be known, to fix the Time, viz. when the Twelve hundred sixty of the Witnesses Sackcloth began, and where we now are in Time: To fix this, I therefore consider these further Rules of Indiction.

That there be no more taken or given from one Joint of the Line to the other, then just makes up the Indicti­on; now in the Rule of Proportion I have given, there is no more, then just Five making the First Forty five, which it wanted to make up three Indictions; the seventy five I settle upon before the Weeks, receive back the five, they lent, viz. Five from the 490 of the Weeks, making them just Five Indictions. The 490 of the Weeks having Ten supernumerary to Thirty two In­dictions, and having lent five to the Time before the Weeks, lends also five to the Time after the Weeks, making them 405, and Twenty seven Indictions; Thus there is as little taken, as the very nature of Indictions will bear.

Whatever is added to, or taken from any Partition of Time, must be added to, or taken from the Begin­ning and End of each Portion; For so this Law of Indi­ctions requires, as the Forty have added to their End, taken from the Beginning of the Four hundred ninety of the Weeks: The Four hundred after the Weeks have Five taken from the End of the Weeks, set before their [Page 17] their Beginning; for thus only Indictions and Portions of Time will bear, and not to be Intruded upon in their intimate Parts.

3. That which exceedingly gives Beauty to this Frame is, That all is by three Lustres or Fives, gathered up into one Indiction: Although therefore there might be other Numbers then 75, and 400; and other tran­sposes from one to the other: Yet it is even Arith­metical Evidence, there could be no other Fixation so Curious, Beautiful, Symmetrall, and agreeable to an Indictional Line, as this.

And it is not to be pass'd by; That these 75, as Five Indictions, are Symmetrally agreeable to the Seventy Five, or the Five Indictions, that Run beyond the 1260, to 133 [...], at the End of the 2300; So the same Number Be­gins and Ends that long Line.

4. There is yet one Assurance more from the Indi­ctional Frame, that fills up the measure, shaken together, pressed down, and running over: And it is that the For­ty two Moons of the Beast enter at that so Recorded Time of the Roman Western Empire ceasing in Vulgar Account, 476, and according to the Golden Number of Ade­quation of Lunar Time to Solar; broght in so long ago by Meton. Lunar Time bears the proportion of 1222 Years to 1260. There must therefore have run out from 475, Those 1222 Years at 97 ending; and they being to be join'd to the Thirty Eight Years of the 1260 before them, and to the Moons of the Gen­tiles; All making up the Time, Times and half Time, or whole, 1260 Days: There is Room for no more then 400 Years, the time of the Seals open'd from that so of­ten mention'd lofty Pyramid of Time; the last of the Seventy VVeeks ending 37 Years from the Christian Era or Incarnation; so generallly known and accounted by: [Page 18] And if there be Room for no more then 400; there must be 75, and no more between the 40 of bearing the Iniquity of the House of Judah, and the 490 of the Weeks according to the Prophetical Line given.

And thus God hath been pleas'd to give such an Assu­rance to this stating of the Line of Time, as is deferr'd to the Julian Period, found by Scaliger; and so Ap­proved of for its certainty: The adjustment of Solar, Lu­nar Time, and Indiction, one to another.

Now seeing all this leads so demonstratively to Nine­ty seven elaps'd, and that Scripture cannot be broken or dissolv'd; As hath been made out, It must needs be, That there must be a Reserve of Time, in the secret Counsels of Prophecy, of the Three Years and half so remarkably given, Revel. 11. And that have their Place in the First three Years and half of the 30, beyond 1260, viz. in the 1290, which 3 Y. and half shall Expire at the next Springs Equation of Day and N.

I humbly therefore present this so Full Representati­on, that I could not, nor durst Conceal: That when God had upon the several Arguments from Prophetick Images join'd with Scripture and general Chronology, and History, been pleas'd to Found me on this very Scrip­ture Line of Time, as appears by the Treatise Entituled, the Scripture Calendar of Prophetick Time, Publish'd 1684. About an Indiction past at 1699. He should be pleas'd to shew me then such a Frame from Indictions or Fifteens of Years (of which it is so undeniable, his Word makes so great Account) even Arithmetically demon­strative; That it is even to my Admiration and Asto­ment. And I desire it should be wholly to the Glo­ry and Praise of his Grace, and for the exciting Faith, Hope, Prayer. And I most freely submit it to the se­verest [Page 19] Examination, that is Scripturally Rational; I am most assured, Except very Letter of Scripture only, Nothing depending on Argument can be more Firmly, proved. And I find such an inward Assurance That if God should call me to it, I hope I should, through the Blood of the Lamb, and the word of his Testimony Overcome, even to the not loving of my Life to the Death on Account of it: Nor could I rejoice to survive it, if a Failure could possibly be suppos'd; but most humbly beg, with submission to the Divine Will; that he would grant me so much more of Life, as to see Ezekiels Ha-Galgal, that great Revolution of his Kingdom, That it might be cryed in my hearing; Oh wheele, c. 10. 13.

And because what I have now Written is the very highest, I can hope should be reveal'd in this great Point: I have added this Publication as an Appen­dix to a Treatise, Entituled; Indiction, or accounting by Fifteens, the Great Style of Prophetick Time; Pub­lish'd 99. and to another, Entituled; The Good Hope through Grace, The Jubilee of the Kingdom of Christ shall come on the Popish Jubilee. Published this 1700. And have nothing now to do, but with the Spirit, and the Bride, restlesly Day and Night to say, Come in the great Preparations to thy Kingdom at the next Spring­time of thy Resurrection; viz. the Cessation of Anti-Christian Persecution, the Down-fall of Antichrist, the ri­sing of the Witnesses, &c. Making it the Beginning of the sacred Year Anew; and then in thy Kingdom it self. And oh that all Saints would Joyn in the Harmony. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.