Theorems evincing, that the subject of the fourth and fifth chapters of the Revelation, is the Church of England, B.L.E. With answers to objections. Humbly offered to the serious consideration of all enemies of the Church of England, dissenters and separatists. By Wal. Garrett, rector of Everly in Wiltshire: sometime fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge. Garrett, Walter. 1700 Approx. 23 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2014-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A42415 Wing G271C ESTC R218820 99830377 99830377 34828

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Early English books online text creation partnership. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A42415) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 34828) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2091:1) Theorems evincing, that the subject of the fourth and fifth chapters of the Revelation, is the Church of England, B.L.E. With answers to objections. Humbly offered to the serious consideration of all enemies of the Church of England, dissenters and separatists. By Wal. Garrett, rector of Everly in Wiltshire: sometime fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge. Garrett, Walter. 9, [1] p. printed and are to be sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, [London : [1700?]] Caption title. Imprint from colophon; date of publication conjectured by Wing. In two columns. Reproduction of the original in St. David's University College Library, Lampeter, Wales.

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eng Church of England -- Early works to 1800. Bible. -- N.T. -- Revelation, IV-V -- Commentaries -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2012-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2012-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2013-02 Sampled and proofread 2013-02 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2014-03 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
THEOREMS; Evincing, That the Subject of the Fourth and Fifth Chapters of the REVELATION, is the Church of ENGLAND, B. L. E. With ANSWERS to OBJECTIONS. Humbly offered to the Serious Conſideration of All ENEMIES of the Church of England, DISSENTERS and SEPARATISTS. By Wal. Garrett, Rector of Everly in Wiltſhire: Sometime Fellow of Trinity College in Cambridge.

Who hath Believed our Report, and to whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed?

Eſai. liii. 1.

The Harveſt is Plenteous, but the Labourers are Few,

Mat. ix. 37.

I Have Already (by God's Aſſiſtance) Giv'n-forth an Expoſition of Every Particular, in the Fourth and Fifth Chapters of the Revelation; and now come to Evince the CERTAINTY of it: by laying down ſuch Theorems, or Propoſitions, of Unqueſtionable Verity, as will ſerve at Once both to Eſtabliſh my own Expoſition, and to Refell All Others Whatſoever.

(I.) The Church Deſcrib'd in Rev. iv, and v. was not in Being, when St. John Receiv'd the Viſion. For the Viſion is Expreſly Entitl'd by the Spirit Himſelf, Chap. iv. 1. Things that muſt be HERE AFTER. (II.) The Throne in thoſe Chapters therefore, is not the Throne of God, in the Higheſt Heav'n; nor the Sitter on the Throne, God Almighty Himſelf in Perſon; (for Theſe were not Things to Come, but have been the SAME from All Eternity:) but the Sitter on the Throne, is God Ruling in and by ſome Earthly Potentate; and his Throne is a Throne on EARTH. And Conſequently, The Church in which this Throne is Set, and over which the Sitter on it does Preſide, is a Church on Earth. (III.) Whereas they are ſaid, Not to Reſt Day and Night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty; Which Was, and Is, and is to Come: It cannot hence be Concluded, That they ſhould Never take any Reſt in Sleep; nor that Always, when Awake, they ſhould be ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, &c. but that they ſhould Say it Every Day, and Every Night; or Every Morning, and Every Ev'ning; and That, Often at Every Time; and very Obſervably; or to Some Such Senſe, as That is. As, when S. Paul enjoyns Every Chriſtian, to Pray without Ceaſing, 1 Theſſ. v. 17. So, Eph. vi. 8. Act. xx. 31. Rom. i. 9. 1 Theſſ. i. 3. For it is a very Common Phraſe; and Can Mean no other, but Conſtantly, at certain Returns of Time; or ſome Such Thing. (IV.) Neither ought it hence to be Inferr'd, That this Church was to make uſe of No Other Words, in her Addreſſes, but Holy, H, H; L, G, A, &c. But only, That ſhe was to Uſe a Conſtant FORM, of Prayer and Praiſe; in which, One of the moſt Remarkable Things ſhould be, her Glorifying the Bleſſed Trinity Only. For that this Church is here ſet forth, as Uſing a FORM, is Undeniable. And therefore No Church that does not uſe a Form, of Glorifying the Bleſſed Trinity; (Nay, that does not uſe it Much, and very Obſervably,) can be the Church here Deſcrib'd. For, How Odly would it look, to pretend to Give an Idea, of a Church that is a Profeſt Enemy of Forms; or that hardly Ever Mentions the Trinity Diſtinctly in their Prayers, by telling us, That they Reſt not Day, and Night, Saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which Was, and Is, and is to come? As on the Other ſide, it is the Very Characteriſtic of Our Church's Service. Inſomuch that I cannot Forbear to ſay, That to him that is in Search, after the Church here Prefigur'd, That One Circumſtance is Sufficient to Fore-ſtall his Judgment for the Church of England. (V.) There is No Neceſſity, That they ſhould uſe Thoſe Very Words neither; It is Enough, if the Words be LIKE them. For Identity is not Requir'd in Viſions, but Likeneſs Only. Thus a City, in Prophecy is call'd a Woman; a Tyrant, a Beaſt; &c. Becauſe of their Near Reſemblance, as to thoſe Things the Prophecy Reſpects in them; as, the Parturiency of the One, and the Savageneſs of the Other. It is therefore, for the Fulfilling of the Prophecy we are Speaking of, Sufficient, if the Church gives Glory to the Bleſſed Trinity in Words LIKE Theſe, Holy, H, H; L, G, A: Which Was, and Is, and is to Come; Such, for Example, as are Theſe of Our Church, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghoſt; As it Was in the Beginning, Is Now, and Ever ſhall be, World without end. Where we ſee the Words [As it Was, Is now, and ever ſhall be,] Perfectly to Correſpond to Thoſe in the Type, [Which Was, and Is, and is to Come.] And (in the Former Clauſe) Father, Son, and H. Ghoſt, Anſwer as Directly to Lord, God, Almighty; and Glory, to Holineſs. For God is ſaid to be Glorious in Holineſs, Exod. xv. 11. For as the Uſual Notion of Holineſs in Scripture, is Separation: So the Glory of God is, that Nothing can be Compar'd to him, Eſai. xl. 18. xlvi. 5. (VI.) The Sealed Book is That, whoſe Viſions are Diſtinctly Set-down, in the Sixth, and Following Chapp. This is Plain to Senſe (VII.) By Op'ning the SEALS of this Book, is Meant Explaining it. There is No Other Senſe of Op'ning the Seals of Any Book, throughout the Scripture. For Sealing Always ſingnifies Concealing the Senſe of a Myſtery; and Op'ning is Explaining it. For which, ſee Dan. ix. 24. and xii. 4. Eſai. xxix. 11. Luk. xxiv. 32. Acts xvii. 3. And I am very well Aſſur'd, there is No One Place to the Contrary. I do not ſay, That Barely to Op'n a Book, is to Explain it: but to Op'n the SEALS of a Book; or to Op'n the Text, or Writing, of a Book: for the Seals are Always upon the Text; and Not upon the Cover, Paper, or Parchment of a Book. And if the Book we are ſpeaking of, had been Sealed only with Wax, Lead, or Ir'n, &c. What Needed All That Ceremony, (Setforth ſo Particularly, and Pompouſly, in the vth. Chapter) about the Looſing of its Seals, when Every Mechanic could have done it? But it is There Affirmed, That No one in Heav'n, nor in Earth, nor Ʋnder the Earth, could do it. What? Not Break, or File, or Cut, or ſome way or other Get-off, a Seal from a piece of Parchment? That's ſtrange indeed! (VIII.) It is not God's Giving his Son the Revelation, that is Deſcrib'd in Rev. v. For That was Done Before the Viſion was Exhibited to S. John. But the Viſion of Rev. v. is Manifeſtly a Part of thoſe things, which the Spirit Entitles, Things that were to come to paſs AFTER Chap. iv. 1. (IX.) The Viſion therefore of Rev. v. is a Prefiguration of the Circumſtances, that were to Accompany the Explaining of the Said Book; when the Time was Come for it. Which is an Indiſputable Reſult from the Two next-foregoing Theorems. (X.) The Preciſe Time for the Fulfilling of Rev. v. 5. is That, wherein the Firſt Notice was to be giv'n, of the True Way of Expounding the Book. For when upon Loud Proclamation made, No One in All the World was Found Able to Do it, to the Great Grief of ſuch as Earneſtly Deſir'd it, Weep not, (ſa s one of the Elders;) Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda, &c. hath Prevail'd to Op'n the Book; that is, He hath Op'n'd it by Mee. For if he meant Only, That Chriſt Could Do it, if he Would; it is Gratis Dictum. And one might as well ſay, of the hitherto-Unintelligible Parts of Ezekiel, That Chriſt hath Prevail'd to Op'n Them too. But we are ne'er the Wiſer for it Yet. The Elder's Meaning therefore muſt be This; Behold, The Lion of the Tribe of Juda, &c. hath Inſtructed ME to Op'n the Book, and Looſe its Seals. (XI.) Mr. MEDE is the Pers'n, that gave the Firſt Notice of the Book's Op'ning, Anno. 1632. and made a very Conſiderable Progreſs in it. And is Conſequently That Elder Spok'n of Rev. v. 5. For This, we have the Teſtimony of Monſ. Jurieu, Accomp. of Scrip. Proph. Part. I. Chap. VIII. Joſeph Mede, in my Opinion, is the Firſt that Ʋnderſtood Any thing of the Sealed Book. We have alſo the Concurrent Evidence of All Proteſtant Interpreters (excepting H. Grotius, and Dr. Hammond, Deſerted by All Proteſtants, and Rejected ev'n by Monſieur de Meaux Himſelf, in his Explication of the Apocalyps, Pref. pag. 62.) that have Joyn'd their Suffrage with him. But This Propoſition can be No Otherwiſe Demonſtrated, than by Aſwering Any Man's Objections, that Diſſents from us, which he will find Enow, that will be Ready to Engage in. But Thus much is Certain, That, (if Mr. Mede be not the Firſt;) Whoever Is, or ſhall be the Firſt, is the Elder There Mentioned; I Mean in Rev. v. 5. And Conſequently, of the Number of the 24 Elders, Rev. iv. 4. And the Church, he is a Member of, is That, whoſe Eſtabliſhment is Predicted, Rev. iv. (XII.) Before the Reformation No Man Underſtood the Book. This is So Apparent; that the Contrary is not, I believe, ſo much as Pretended by Any Man whatſoever. (XIII.) The Sealed Book therefore, whoſe Op'ning is Prefigur'd, Rev. v. Said to be Writt'n Within, and on the Back-ſide, is a Book in the Form We Now have them; and Not, in a ROLL; as Books were Wont to be Made-up in S. John's time. Of which Book, the Outſide-writing is the Text; as it lies before Us in Theſe Days; and is Read by Every Child at School, as ſoon as he can Speak. But the Senſe contained Under That, is the Inſide-writing; which is Found Only in the Skilful Interpreter. The Seal is the Myſterious Expreſſion. And whereas the Whole Book is indeed but One Continued Myſtery All along; the Holy Spirit, by Dividing it, (as his Uſual Manner is) into Sev'n Parts, makes, as it were, Sev'n Myſteries of it; which He Calls, (according to the Uſe of Scripture in Such Caſes,) Seven Seals. This I Obſerve, with reſpect to the Learned, and Ingenious, but yet Needleſs, Fancy, of thoſe, who have tak'n the Pains to Excogitate a Way, How a Roll might be Seal'd with Sev'n Seals, ſo that the Op'ning of the Firſt, might not at the Same Time Diſcloſe the Viſion of the Second. As if, at the Time, when the Viſion was to be Explain'd, the Faſhion for Books, was to be in Rolls. (XIV.) The Lamb Revived after Slaughter, Standing in the midſt of the Throne; who Came, and Took the Book, out of the Hand of the Sitter on the Throne, Chap. v. 6, 7. Cannot be Chriſt in Pers'n, who Comes not to Any Earthly Throne, (as the Throne we Speak of is;) but it is Chriſt, in Some Good King, who was to be Slain, as was his Maſter; and to Riſe again in a Figure, (as Iſaac is ſaid to have Done, Heb. xi. 19.) and as our Good King Charles the Martyr Did, in his Son of the Same name; when he was reſtor'd, as it were to Life again, Anno, 1660. Such kind a of Reſurrection, is No Stranger to the Prophets; for which ſee Ezek. xxxvii. 11.-14. Rom. xi. 15. Now Whoever Firſt was to Op'n the Book, his Performance was to be Seconded with ſuch a Reſurrection, Rev. v. 5.6. Which, as it Never Happen'd in the World Before; So we may Hope, that there will Never be Occaſion for Such Another. And if there ſhould Not, the Book muſt have been Op n'd Before the Reſtauration of King Charles The Second. (XV .) Alſo, Before the Op'ning of the Book, there was to be a Loud Proclamation, by a Strong ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Mighty, or Powerful) Angel, for Any one to come and Op'n the Book, that Could. Which, Before Mr. Mede's Op'ning it, was made by King James I. According as I have Shew'd at large, in my Expoſition of Chap. v. All which things, with a Great Many More, Conſpire to Fix the Honour, of Shewing the Way to Op'n It, upon Mr. Mede; and Conſequently, That, of being the Church Prefigur'd in Rev. iv, and v. upon This Church of Ours. For indeed (to Sum-up All in ſhort) upon This Hypotheſis, not only the Expoſition of the ſaid Two Chapters; but alſo, of the Three Foregoing ones, and of Every Particular in them, Runs Strangely Smooth, and Natural, and Ev'ry way Unexceptionable; as I have made Appear, by a Thorow-Expoſition, I have Publiſh'd, of them. Which, if the Hypotheſis had been Wrong, would have been As Impoſſible at leaſt, for Me to have done; as it has been for All Other Interpreters, (Men of as Great Learning, Wit, and Fancy, as the World afforded,) who have Proceeded on a Wrong Hypotheſis. But inſtead of That, I have Shewn the Sev'n Epiſtles, and the Fourth and Fifth Chapters, to be a Prophecy of the Church, from the Beginning, to the Times We live in, by Such a Clear, and Solid Explication, of Ev'ry Type and Paſſage in them, as may Defie All Oppoſition; and which Cannot Reas'nably be Aſcrib'd, to Any thing but its TRUTH.

The Only Objections, worth the Mentioning, that are come to My Knowledge, are Theſe. Obj. 1. We have No Nocturnal Service; and therefore cannot be ſaid, not to Reſt Day and Night, Saying, Holy, H, H; &c. Anſ. 1. We account, as from Midnight to Noon, Morning: So from Noon to Midnight again, Night. Thus, at Any Time After Noon, we are Taught to Pray, Light'n our Darkneſs, &c. and Defend us from All Perils and Dangers of This NIGHT. Anſ. 2. By Day and Night (as by Ev'ning and Morning, Gen. i. 5, 8, &c.) in ſenſu Conjuncto, by a Hendiadis, may be Meant a Natural Day of 24 Hours; Call'd alſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Cor. xi. 25. And ſo the Senſe will be, That Every 24 Hours, (or Every Day,) they Fail not Oft'n to Rehearſe the ſaid Hymn.

Obj. 2. Neither is England Large enough, nor the Pers'ns, I mentioned as Concern'd in the Prophecy, of Eminent Regard enough (for Grandeur, Fame, or Piety,) for the Spirit to Intend in This Admirable Viſion. Anſ. Then Ought it to be ſhown, That I have either Miſinterpreted, or Miſappli'd the Words, or ſome Conſiderable Part of them. For if, Without Either of Theſe Faults, the Words be Granted to be Well Adapted to a People, that was not Intended by the Author; Whoſe Honour, pray, will That Reflect upon? Such Objections therefore as Theſe, that have No Foundation in the Prophecy, are Mere Prejudices. For, Why is not the Church of England Large enough? Only becauſe we Fancy ſo. For, Where does the Prophecy Require, either a More Extenſive Church, than This of England, to be Fulfill'd in? Or, more Eminent and Renowned Pers'ns (in their ſeveral Stations) than were Queen Elizabeth, King James I. King Charles I. and II. and (for an Elder) than Joſeph Mede? But Particularly, as for King Charles II. it is Plain, that He had Piety Enough, to Anſwer All His Part in the Prediction, to the Full; and with That, let Every one, that pretends to Reas'n, Reſt Satisfi'd. For it cannot be Deni'd, but that King Charles II. with All his Faults, was, in the Hands of CHRIST, a Noble Inſtrument of our Political REDEMPTION. And if we think his Private Converſation to have been hardly Suitable to That High Character; yet ſince, at the Same Time, we Cannot but Confeſs the Prophecy to be Accompliſht in him; give me leave to Remember you, That God ſometimes, in the Unſearchable Depths of his Wiſdom and Juſtice, is Found to have made, of the Chief Stones in his Edifice, Stones of Stumbling; at which however, it Becomes not Us (nay, it is very Dangerons for us) to he Offended. From which Danger we can only be Secure, in Taking our Meaſures from the Word of God; and Not from our Own Deluſive Fancies and Prej dices. And, May Our New Jeruſalem, in This, take Warning by the Old one. For it is grown too Plauſible and Popular a Humour (becauſe ſo well Attemper'd to Moſt Mens Capacities, or Deſigns) to Vilifie Prophetic Speculations, upon Affected Ignorances, and Miſappreſions. Wherein we are not a little Uncharitable, upon many Accounts. But Eſpecially, in reſpect of Thoſe, who Otherwiſe might be Converted by them, from the Error of their ways. As, in Particular, in reſpect of Non-Conformiſts, and Separatiſts; to whom it would be a Singular Piece of Service, to have it Made-out Clearly to them, That the Church of England, By Law Eſtabliſht, is the Church Predicted of in the Fourth and Fifth Chapters of the Revelation: That they Periſh not in their Dividing Practices, and Unchriſtian Strifes, and Emulations. For Our Sectaries do More than cry, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, &c. And yet ev'n That, is by the Apoſtle Term'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Diviſion, Sedition, Faction; Envying, or Emulation, Strife, Contention, 1 Cor. i. 11, 12. iii. 3, 4. and Said to be (in its Own Nature) Damnable, Gal. v. 20, 21. Accordingly the Same Apoſtle lays a Grievious Curſe upon Such Makebates, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. If Any Man Love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema, Maran-atha. For he had moſt Earneſtly Beſought them, Chap. i. 10. BY THE NAME OF OƲR LORD JESƲS CHRIST, to Speak All the Same Thing; and that there be No Diviſions among them; but Perfect Concord, in the Same Mind, and in the Same Judgment. With reſpect to which, in the end of the Same Epiſtle, (as is ſaid Already) he, in his Zeal for the Churches Unity, does Solemnly Denounce Anathema, Maran-atha, upon all Thoſe Pers'ns, with whom, for want of LOVE to the LORD JESƲS CHRIST, his Obteſtation ſhould prove Ineffectual.

I am not therefore of Their Mind, who give-out, That the Fomenters of Unreas'nable Diviſions, may be Sav'd: Grounding themſelves upon 1 Cor. iii. 12,-15. For the Apoſtle does not ſay, (as They Imagin,) That the Builders of Ill DOCTRINS ſhall be Sav'd; but, of III Pers'ns. For the Building he is There Treating of, are Pers'ns. He Explains himſelf ſo, Expreſly, ver. 9. YE are God's Husbandry: YE (Pers'ns, Not Doctrines.) are God's Building. Agreeably in the Next Verſes, CHRIST (ſays he) is the Foundation. The Foundation therefore, wee ſee, and Whole Structure, are not Doctrines, but Pers'ns. Whereof Some are Gold, and Some Stubble. But tho' the Stubble be Burnt, yet the Builder ſhall be Sav'd; if he were not in Fault. But This, in Building of Dividing Errors, (which is indeed, Deſtroying, or Pulling-Down, and Not, Building,) Cannot Rightly be Affirm'd. I am Sure S. Paul, in That Place, is very Far from So Saying. Be Zealous therefore, Brethren, and Repent; and Joyn your ſelves, with All Alacrity, to the Communion of That Heav'nly Church, which, in the Fourth and Fifth Chapters of the Revelation (and I might Add, the Tenth, and Many More, as will Appear Hereafter,) is Adorn'd and Honour'd with So Glorious a Teſtimony from the Spirit of Prophecy.

Laſtly, Ev'n ſuch as will not Believe without a Sign from Heaven, might hence Receive Incredible Satisfaction. For the Revelation, Set in its True Light, (as Now it is,) What is it but A STANDING SIGN from Heav'n, A PERMANENT and PERPETUAL MIRACLE? For therein is Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of Glory, Conſpicuouſly Reveal'd from Heav'n, for Sixteen Hundred Years ago, to have ſet in Order, the Grand Affairs, and Revolutions, of the moſt Conſiderable Parts of His Empire in the World; from its Beginning, to our Own Times, Incluſively. Which Conſider'd, with What Conſcience can any Man Deny the Being, or the Providence of God? or, that the Scriptures are his Genuine Oracles? (among which he finds the Revelation, to be So ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,) Self-Evident, and to Carry the Authority of the Others, Shining in it;) or Call in Queſtion Any Point, or Article (Eſpecially of the Prime, and Fundamental ones) of Our Religion? For it is not Poſſible to be Objected againſt the Revelation, (as was of Old, by Porphyry, againſt Part of Daniel's Prophecy,) That it was Compoſed After the Things were Done. Hieron. Praef. Com. in Dan. And yet it is as Plainly, and as Fully Accompliſht, as if it had been So Indeed; or, as if the Hiſtories of More than 1600 Years, had All been Writt'n Purpoſely, in Favour of a Prophecy but Newly Ʋnderſtood; and yet in Every bodies Hands So Long Before.

And Can we make a Trivial Matter, Sirs, of Such Diſcoveries? Which are, in True Eſteem, the Glory of Chriſtianity; and which, if Duly Cultivated, and Improv'd, (as they both Might, and Ought to be,) would Equal the Condition of Our Times, to That of the Firſt Ages of the Church; as to the Certainty, that we might Gain Thereby, of our Religion; and the Proof, they would enable us to Make of it. And let No Man Here Cry-out upon the Strength of Imagination; till he has Well Weigh'd the Aſſertion, and Knows himſelf Able to Confute it. For, How Eaſily are the Miſts of Fancy, Diſpell'd by the Light, and Warmth of Sound Reas'n? For My Part, I am very Senſible (I Bleſs God for it) That the Wiſdom of the Spirit, has So Contriv'd the Texture of This Prophecy, that a Foreign Expoſition of it may as Eaſily be Blown away, as a Looſe Feather. A Lock, with ſo Many Subſtantial Wards to it, is not to be Pickt. Which is the True Cauſe, that not One of the Admirers of H. Gr. or Dr. Hammond, has at Any time Appear'd, in Vindication of Their Expoſitions; they are ſo Manifeſtly, and ſo Groſly Faulty. And ſo All Others Needs muſt be, that Err, (as They do) in the Main Subject of the Viſion. For a Concluſion therefore of this Paper, I Heartily Commend it, to the Good Bleſſing of the Great God our Saviour; To Whom be All Glory for Ever. Amen.

LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by the Bookſellers of London and Weſtminſter.