AFter I had the Opportunity of perusing in MS. Dr. H. More his Paralipomena Prophetica; so it hapned, that a Friend of mine gave me notice, and also procured me the sight of what Mr. Baxter had done upon the Revelations; of whom I having heard heretofore, what a confident Man he was of the unintelligibleness of that Book, though I was assured of the Vanity of that Confidence, yet I thought he had studied that Sacred Writing with that Care and Searchingness, that he was able to find such Flaws in what Mr. Mede and Dr. More have writ, that it might give the Doctor just occasion to enlarge his Paralipomena, in clearing such shrewd Difficulties as R. B. was able to propose, and rectifie, if any thing were amiss in the Doctor's Interpretations, by what R. B. had searched out by his anxious Diligence. But things have fallen out quite contrary to my expectation, there being nothing either in his Notes on the Revelation, or in his Advertisement or his Postscript, offered as Difficulties, but such as with reading either Mr. Mede or the Doctor, (if R. B. his Parts be not very low sunk) he might easily satisfie himself in.

But I perceive it was never his Intent to be satisfied in these Studies, preferring an affected ignorant Pride, before humble and useful Knowledge; nay, before the Glory of God, and a due Acknowledgment of his Care and Providence over his Church, in setting out the State thereof from the Beginning of it to the End of the World; which is incredible but he should do in this Volumn of Visions, the Apocalypse, which begins with the Church, and reaches to the Day of Judgment, according to R. B. his own acknowledgment. Wherefore that there should be no Visions touching the great Degeneracy of the Church, and of the late Reformation from such gross Corruptions, which R. B. himself confesses that they deserved greater Punishments than the Beast and False Prophet mentioned in the Revelations, (Advertis. p. 10.) is a thing incredible altogether, nay, I may say, impossible. Nor can all the Wars, Persecution, and Victories of the Church, prefigured in this Book, be restrained to the Pagan Empire, and the Times of the Primitive Christians: A thing which R. B. disowns, on Apoc. ch. v. 1. where, says he, I cannot conceive those two Learned Mens Exposition (meaning Grotius and Dr. Hammond) who make the Apocalypse an History in a Prophetick Stile, and say, that most or very much of it was done before it was written: And yet to slur the Learned and Pious Labours of Mr. Mede, he equally, if not more, inclines to their two senses of the Prophecies, than to the other. So inconsistent is he with himself.

And indeed he has quitted himself so sorrily and triflingly, if I may be so free as to censure the Writings of one who has writ so much, that some toying Wit may be tempted to fansie the weakness of his Performance, and professed Ignorance, a flat Contradiction to the very Physnomy of his Face prefixed before his Book, whose vast, eminent, arched Nose promises no small reach of Wit, and comprehension of Understanding: But behold the Todcaster. Prodigy, —Lignosum structum sine flumine Pontem. an huge, massie Nose, devoid of all Sagacity under it.

But to vindicate R. B. and his Nose from any such slur, though he makes nothing of flurring the Learned and Pious of others; it is not that he wants either Nose or Wit to find out the true Sense of the Book of the Apocalypse, which he slurs, together with the best Intepreters, not to say the Spirit himself that writ it, in making the Sense thereof so desperately uncertain and unintelligible, and so to signifie nothing: but he has been, according to his own Confession, either rash or lazy in the matter, (Advertis. p. 1.) Forty four years ago, says he, I studied it, I doubt, too soon, (so do I, or at least that you did it too carelesly); and then he reckons up several Authors which he read, names some, and intimates more. And amongst those he names, are Mede and Potter; and after that he read Mr. Durham, Dr. More, Grotius, and Dr. Hammond, but withal he confesses he did it superficially. So that rightly to plead his Cause, it was not for want of Nose or Wit, but due and seasonable Industry to master the Books he read, or for want of good luck or direction to betake himself to the best Writers in the Kind, or the best Pieces of their Writings, that has rendred him such a puzzled Thing as he professes himself. I appeal to him, if he ever was fully Master of Mr. Mede's Synchronisms. I dare say, his desultory and tumultuary Phancy would never be fettered to so close Animadversion. But if he had with patience and steadiness of Mind applied himself to the Synchronistical Part, so as thorowly to have understood it, it is impossible but he should have avoided this foul Scepticism touching these holy Visions. But without this Synchronistical Skill, and the Knowledge of the Prophetick Style, to pretend to understand the Apocalypse, or to judge whether it be intelligible or no, is as fond, as to pretend to give the true and certain Meaning, or to be able to judge whether the said Meaning can be given, of a Greek or Latin Author, while one is very raw and ignorant in the Lexicographal Part, and quite devoid of the Skill of Grammar or Syntax. And this has made R. B. that he can onely (having read a World of Authors to no better purpose), in stead of informing the Judgment of him that peruses his Notes, onely distract his Mind with abundance of variety of Opinions, not able to decide which is Truth. Which is such an impertinent Stuffage of the Mind, that the Understanding is not thereby perfected, but burdened; and serves for no use, unless for R. B. his vain Ostentation of having read so many Books, though he has concocted nothing: Like Marriot of Grays-Inn (as I remember), who was a prodigious Eater, but neither a stronger Man, nor a better Lawyer, for being such an Helluo Ciborum, as this other, Librorum.

But not to be wanting to R. B. in any just Defence that may excuse the matter; his producing all along so many several Opinions, is not altogether useless: For though he himself cannot decide what is true, yet the Reader may; and for this end he sets down so many Opinions, that others may decide what is true. Which is something like the Story a Friend told me, of one Robbin, an Hind in a Country-Gentleman's House, that could no read a Letter on the Book, but yet was earnest with the Gentleman's Son, a young Scholar, that went to School, and could write well, to teach him to write. To which the young Scholar saying, Why, Robbin, thou canst not read; to what purpose therefore is it to learn thee to write? O Master, says he, do but teach me to write, I will get some body else to read it. So R. B. has got the Faculty of Writing and Reading, or rather of Reading and Writing of multifarious Opinions, but he must leave the Office of Spelling out which is the truest, to some other.

That also further recommends his great Modesty, in that he so seldom takes upon him to decide; forasmuch as when he does it the most peremptorily, to any indifferent Man he must needs seem to do it most injudiciously; as in that of the Vision of the Seven Churches having a Prophetical meaning: This, says he, being impossible to be proved, is rather to pretend another Revelation, than to expound this. This is very pertly and magisterially spoken. But the Doctor with no less than Twenty solid Arguments, in his Exposition of the Seven Churches, has so demonstrated there must be a Prophetical Sense of that Vision, that he may well challenge R. B. or any more able than he, to confute them if he can. And Apoc. 5. 13. he dogmatizes there again, and tells us, those under the Earth are the Antipodes, on the other side of the Earth. As unphilosophically as magisterially decided! The Antipodes are no more under the Earth, than we are; both being above and equidistant from the lowest Center of the Earth. But this is pardonable in a Person so little conversant in Philosophy.

And now to shew how impartial I am, I will take notice of something that is commendable, and that I would recommend to the rest of his Fanatick Brethren, such especially as fansie Monarchy and Political Government inconsistent with the Reign of Christ, or his Kingdom. And it is his Note on Apoc. c. 12. v. 10. Now is come Salvation, and Strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Christ. Note, says he, If Christian Kingdoms be so honourable, and called the Kingdoms of God, and the Power of Christ, and the Fall of Devils; let them better consider it, that cry them down under the name of National Churches, and would have Churches onely to be some gathered out of the Multitude. This is the onely remarkable sincere Stroke that occurs in all his Notes on the Revelation, so far as I can remember, if he be therein sincere, and heartily contradict his Opinions and Practices in former times. To pass by therefore the mawkish, raw, and dough-bak'd Fancies that are scattered in his Annotations on the Apocalypse, I proceed to his Advertisement, where I will use all possible brevity that can be.

I have already noted out of the first Page, how unseasonably, according to his own Confession, some Forty years ago he betook himself to the Study of the Apocalypse. I doubt, too soon, says he; and I do not doubt but too negligently. But then, says he, I read Brightman, Napier, Pareus, &c. and after that, Mede, Potter, and many more, besides Dounhamus de Antichristo, Broughton, and other such; and also the Answerers of Bellarmine. He conversed with his Fellow-labourer Mr. Stevens, (during the Schism against the Church of England) who has written of it, and was much upon it in his Discourse; but I durst not be drawn to a deep Study of it. And when since I read Mr. Durham, Dr. More, &c. and Grotius, and Dr. Hammond, and many Annotators, I confess Despair, and more needful Business, made me do it but superficially. This is his own Account of his Preparedness to write on the Apocalypse, when he having scambled through a multitude of Authors carelesly and superficially, he was, for any certain sense of the main and most weighty Visions of that Divine Writing, as unresolved of the Truth of things, as when he first began. So that having nothing to deliver to satisfie the Understanding Reader, or confirm the Faith of them that want a Guide; yet, as if he laboured under the Scripturient Disease even to a Tenesmus, could not forbear to write on the Apocalypse, though he had nothing to write.

Wherefore, according to his own confession, the Case stands thus; That his Mind wanting those Faculties, which in the Bodily Nourishment answer to the Concoctive and Expulsive Faculty, which secernes that which is Exerementitious from what is good Nourishment; he wanting, I say, this secerning Faculty, was not edified by the reading, or rather gutling up so many Books as he has hastily read, being not able to distinguish betwixt what was sound Food, and what was to be sent packing and egested as course Excrement. And therefore, as he has taken them in, so he has put them out all alike, or rather vomited them up altogether without any Digestion or Concoction; contrary to the Boast of that considerate Writer, that excused his slow Performances with an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I am not of the number of those that vomit, but that weigh accurately what they publish to the World. This I declare, to the end that no man may be so foolish as to think the Apocalypse really the less intelligible for R. B. his not understanding it, after his reading so many Authors about it, in his tumultuary and superficial way: When as intended Concealment, as well as certainty of Revealment, was the measure of the framing of the Visions of the Apocalypse. And as they are not to be understood by the lazy, perfunctory, or prejudiced Peruser of them, and of their best Interpreters; so are they clearly and certainly to be understood by those who with diligence and humility, by those who orderly and methodically set themselves to study them, as Mr. Mede to his everlasting Commendation did.

And therefore he first published his Clavis Apocalyptica, a little Book, but of vast moment for the right understanding of the Apocalypse. R. B. should have first so fully understood that Book, as that he might be able to judge whether his Synchronisms would hold or not: This is the course the Doctor took, whereby he was enabled as to be assured of the truth of most of his Synchronisms, so to reject his placeing of the Vials before the Seventh Trumpet and rising of the Witnesses, which was an unlucky mistake of Mr. Medes, and which therefore the Doctor has rectified in his Synchronistical Scheme, which R. B. may see in his Epilogue placed after his Exposition of the Apocalypse, where he defends the rest of Mr. Medes Synchronisms against the Allegations of R. H. which small Treatise, that Epilogue, I suspect R. B. never read, no not so much as superficially. But if he had read it diligently, and made himself Master of it, it is impossible I think he should remain so ignorant of these Apocalyptick Points as he pretends he is. It is the firm ground the Doctors Exposition stands upon, and we may safely challenge R. B. to enervate it if he can. But to read an Author superficially, and then to slight him, is like the Villany of those Men that insinuate themselves into the company of such as they have a mind to have a pretence of saying of them what they please. And thus has R. B. served the most Pious, Serious, and Learned Performances of the best Interpreters of the Apocalypse.

But what a Wooden Soul this R. B. has, one may further discern (pag. 4.) by his huge averseness from the calling of the Iews, and his marvelous weak arguing against it: And yet his strait and narrow Mind hugs her self in this cold and crudled Infidelity. And indeed R. B. seems to me not only to have a Wooden Soul, but a Stony Heart, which neither the Authority of the Ancient Church, which generally held that there would be such an illustrious calling of the Iews towards the end of the World (as you may see in Cornelius a Lapide upon Rom. 11. 25.) nor those many Predictions of the Ancient Prophets, which plainly imply as much, nor that noble Discourse of St. Paul in the eleventh to the Romans about this Point, have been able to pierce, for the admittance of so glorious and gracious a Catastrophe of Gods Providence towards his own peculiar People the Iews, who have suffered so great and durable Calamities and Severities of Affliction from Him, who yet is stiled the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and is said to have an everlasting Covenant with that People. To let go those several pertinent Passages in the Old Testament, we will only set before the Eyes of R. B. what St. Paul says, Rom. 11. 25. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come, and so all Israel shall be saved. Here Israel in both places is evidently opposed to the Gentiles, and Israel's being detain'd in unbelief for a time, till the fulness of the Gentiles come in, opposed to the Gentiles Belief. And this is called a Mystery, a great Arcanum of Divine Providence, concerning which the Apostle breaks out into those expressions of profound admiration, v. 33. O the depth of the riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his Iudgments, and his Ways past finding out. That this belongs to such a shriveled account as R. B. gives of this Chapter, is a thing incredible. So that I wonder with what Face he could put out his Notes on this Chapter to the Romans, after he had perused those of Sam. Clark; who has given so easie, Natural, and Genuine Sense of the said Chapter all along, and of whom R. B. himself gives this Testimony, that he is a person of great Judgment, Piety, Integrity and Meekness, Humility I suppose he means, and he should have remembred in the perusing his Notes on this Chapter, that God resisteth the Proud, and gives Grace and Wisdom to the Humble and Meek. The want of which made R. B. impatient of being better instructed by his Iunior. But that a Man so operosely and affectedly professing himself for Peace and Love should be content that God should be so irreconcileably in Wrath toward the Nation of the Iews, as to leave them in the lurch for ever, after so many splendid Predictions and Promises by his Prophets, is a sign that there is little in the bottom of that Principle in him, but that it is onely an Hypocritical boast thereof. But I have run out further on this Theme than I intended.

R. B. his crude Indigestion of the many Books he has read, has filled the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and part of the ninth Page of his Advertisement with a number of Objections, first bred in his Brain, and after scattered on the Paper, like so many little crawling Worms or Serpents; but such as can sting none but himself, or such as are as ignorant or more ignorant than himself: They are about the Whore, and the Beast, and the like; and he renders his Reason of producing these pretended Difficulties, pag. 9. I mention, says he, what I have done, to tell you why I understand not the Revelations. But by this I plainly understand, that he has not at all consider'd the Doctor's Exposition of the Beast and the Whore, though he pretends to have read his Books. For not one of this numerous Fry or Swarm of Difficulties do in the least enervate his Exposition of the Apocalypse. But he raises Difficulties against such Authors, or Passages in them, as are most obnoxious to delude and seduce the ignorant. This seems to me very disingenuous Dealing.

But now, from his tenth Page, to the seventeenth, there are miscellanious Matters scattered in him, of a different Interpretation, some better, some worse. The better sort are such things as these: That Popes and Papists, that allow all those things which he sets down as the Miscarriages charged on that Church, (pag. 10.) are liable before God to greater Punishments than the Beast and False Prophet mentioned in the Revelations, &c. And, That Love is Christ's Work and Character, and Hatred the Devil's; and that we must avoid all unnecessary Division, Wrath, and Hatred. And, pag. 11. That we must not call every thing Antichristian that displeaseth us, or that the Church of Rome has used, or doth use. And, p. 15. To own Christ and his Gospel, and to murder Thousands or Millions in his Name, for not obeying the Pope in professing Transubstantiation, is incomparably a more aggravated Crime, than the most bloody Pagan Persecution was. And, (p. 16.) Christ has one diffused visible Church over the World, and the Pope made another by Usurpation and Rebellion, which was Regnum in Regno, as any Rebel might do that could get Strength to set up a Party in Power, to call himself King in some part of a Kingdom. Such an Antichristianity as this, says he, I make no doubt but the Papacy became guilty of. And I will insert here what he says in his Notes on 2 Thess. 2. I can easily see many and great Points in which Popery is contrary to the Word of God; and I am most moved by such Moral Arguments as Dr. H. More useth in his Mystery of Iniquity; he means that Part which is called Idea Antichristianismi. But to return to his Advertisement, pag. 16. where he says, Let them prove that Popes have not been Antichrists, that can; it's none of my Work. But if you are never so sure that it is he indeed, pull him not down by calling Truths, Duty, or Things lawful, Antichristian; nor by telling men, that all Protestants are Idolaters or Antichristian, if they forsake not the Communion of all our Parochial Protestant Churches, that the Papists may re-enter into them as deserted Garrisons, &c.

Now let any man judge what an Humorist this R. B. is, who allowing that such things are found in the Papacy that may well furnish out an Antichrist, and that are worse than Pagan as to the matter of Persecution; and whose Constitution is such, that those that act accordingly, deserve greater Punishment than the False Prophet and the Beast mentioned in the Apocalypse; and intimates, that the Doctor's Idea of Antichristianism is a right Representation of such Points of Popery as are contrary to the Word of God; and yet will not acknowledge this strange Degeneracy of the Church to be prefigured in a Book of Prophecies, the Apocalypse, which was writ on purpose to set out the State of the Church from the Beginning thereof, to the End of the World. What can be more incredible? As many as acknowledge the gross Superstitions, Idolatries, and most salvage Persecutions of the Church of Rome, and yet deny that they are prefigured in the Apocalypse, seem to envy Christ the Glory of so faithfully and punctually predicting the State of his Church; and the Church yet unreformed, such an excellent Help to her Reformation; and the whole Church such a special Corroboration of their Faith in God and Christ, and of a Divine Providence that watches over the Affairs of Men, and of his Church especially; and seem peevishly to obscure that Privilege that Christianity has above all other Religions in the World, the Visions of Daniel and the Apocalypse clearly understood, being the peculiar Strength and Glory of our Christian Religion. And therefore I must consess it has raised my Zeal and Indignation against R. B. his mawkish Notes on the Apocalypse, which look more like prophane Buffonry, to rogue and abuse so Sacred a Writing, than a Business of any edification to the People of God. And for R. B. his Care that those things should not be called Antichristian that really were not so, that was one of the Ends of the Doctor's writing his Idea of Antichristianism, as himself has declared in the very first Chapter thereof. And what he speaks for Christian Love, and against unnecessary Division, O that Mr. Baxter had had those Sentiments about Forty years ago, and that he had been as tender of unnecessary dividing from the so well constituted Church of England, as he would now make shew he is from the Church of Rome; certainly he might enjoy a more peaceful Conscience, and serene Mind. But I take no pleasure in raking into such a Sore.

The things I like not in some of these eight last Pages, are such as these. (1.) He intimates, p. 10. That they that interpret Babylon of Rome Papal, turn Religion into Love-killing Faction; and they that believe such an Interpretation, hate and abhor all Romanists merely because they are such, nor have any Evidence for their Opinion, but that such or such a Private Teacher has told them so. (2.) He conceives, That this interpreting the usual Places of the Revelations, (p. 11.) of the Papacy, that all Romanists are tempted thereby to hate us and destroy us. (3.) To make such Interpretations as these, is to add to the Sense of the Book, and to incur the Curse thereof, Rev. 22. 18. the Plagues written in the Book. (4.) He says, The Sense must needs be uncertain, where five of the wisest are of four minds. (5.) I blame not modest Conjectures, saith he, if men will but confess their uncertainty when they are uncertain, nor use their Interpreting to kindle a partial, hating, dividing Zeal. (6) I confess, saith he, I am less able to expound Prophecies than Daniel, who yet thus concludes, ch. 12. 8. And I heard, but understood not. Then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. And yet, he says, he makes no doubt but the Revelation is God's Word, though he understands it not. (7.) And lastly, pag. 12. To them that say▪ saith he, The Pope is the Beast, the Whore of Babylon, the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, you have a shift of the contempt of his Words, as of a controverted, uncertain thing; but who knoweth not that the plain Law of God concludeth, that the Proud, the Worldly, the Malignant, the Idolatrous, Murderers, Persecutors, Liars, the Enemies of Christ's Gospel and serious Godliness, are Satan's Slaves, and shall not enter into the Kingdom of God? There is something of Good mingled in some of these Sayings; but little Good intended, so far as I discern. But I shall briefly answer to each Particular.

To the (1.) first, I say, Here R. B. bewrays an ill Nature (as they that have the Jaundies, things seem to them yellow.) I know by experience the contrary, and the Doctors Interpretations of the Apocalypse, of the truth of which I am sufficiently confident, though they make the Papal Corruptions concerned in the Vision of the Beast, the Whore and False-Prophet, yet I never had the more hatred or disgust against the Romanists for that. But as for their Corruptions, I thought their being shewn them in those and the like Visions to be so lively prefigured, were the most likely way to make them reflect on their Condition, and seek timely by an orderly Reformation to amend it, those Interpretations ever avoiding the least shew of encouragement for such a Reformation as is to be carried on by Popular Tumults and the Sword, and suggesting also that the most effectual Instruments in the Hands of Princes and Prelates will be those that he calls the Philadelphian Church, who are made up of Loyalty to their Prince, be he of the Reformèd or Unreformed Religion, and of an hearty sincere Love to all Christendom, and to Universal Mankind. This Spirit Aromatizes the Doctors whole Interpretation of the Apocalypse. But there are some Diseased Persons that cannot bear the scent of sweet Odours. Grosser Minds are for a Gross War, and Gross Revenge, which is Diametrically opposite to the Doctors Interpretations. Which it may be therefore, R. B. being of a more Iron, Martial Spirit, may be the more averse from, if Age has not, as he pretends, mellowed him into a better Mind. And as for such Interpretations as concern the Papacy, that they are onely the dictates of some private Teachers, the Antichristianity of the Papacy was the general Doctrine of the Reformed Churches. And R. B. upon his Private Spirit adventuring to be a Separative Guide, has thus bewildred himself and his followers. Whenas this Antichristianity of the Church of Rome is a Doctrine own'd by the Church of England, and Jewel against Harding was ordered to be placed in every Parish Church. And the main things of this kind are so plain, that ordinary People are able to understand them, and not believe them onely because the Reformed Churches say so.

To the (2) second, It seems to me to be a piece of uncharitableness in R. B. that he should have such an harsh opinion of the Romanists, when they cannot but see, that it is not any malice in us Protestants, but the Natural Interpretableness of the Apocalypse that way, that we use those Prophetick Scriptures to defend our own Religion, and convince them of the errour of theirs. For my own part I think better of them, nor can I (who have so often admired those Divine strains of Morality in that Pagan Emperours Meditations, M. Antoninus, notwithstanding his Idolatrous Religion that could not debase his noble Nature,) forbear heartily to imbrace that Virtue, Piety, Faithfulness and Generosity that shines forth in any Romanist in despight of his Romanism that cannot suppress it. These horrid conceits of R. B. of Hatred and Murder from the Papists on this account are effects of Melancholy and Old Age. If the Doctor be Murdered for speaking Truth in the behalf of the Church of England, he will find good Company in the other World, and be bid welome by that glorious Martyr of our Church, the Pious, Wise, and Virtuous Charles the First; or rather our Blessed Lord Jesus, who was Martyr'd and Crucified for us, will be ready to receive those that conscientiously suffer for maintaining his Truth and Honour. Ye believe in God, believe also in me, saith he, in my Fathers House there are many Mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and recieve you to my self, that where I am, there you may be also. As certainly as Christ himself after his sufferings enjoys any thing in the other State, he that Conscientiously suffers for him, will thereupon be happy in the other World. And who would not adventure all in one Bottom with him to whom the Prophecies of old have given such ample Testimony (besides the History of his Miracles, and that Stupendious Volume of Visions the Apocalypse imparted by him to his Church) and whom so great a part of the World acknowledge to be the Son of God and Saviour of Mankind? Certainly Divine Providence is more benign and faithful, than to lay such a train as to entrap the most intelligent and sincere to the loss of their lives in the World (as it fared with the Primitive Martyrs under the Pagan Dragon, and with some hundred thousands under the healed Beast) if there be no Recompense for such sufferers in the World to come.

To the (3) third, If to make such Interpretations as R. B. counts uncertain, which yet may be true, according to his own account, for ought he knows, be to add to the Book, and incur the Plagues written therein, what does his Buffonry incur in his Notes, that takes away in a manner all that is writ of chiefest concern for the Instruction and Amendment of the Church, Roguing all the most useful Visions, and indeed all in a manner (casting away also the Prophetical Sense of the Seven Churches) into a meer sapless and useless Unintelligibleness? Let him scape the Plagues as well as he can, he will certainly incur the loss of all the precious Promises recorded in this Book.

To the (4) fourth, I answer; It is meer Sophistry, and such as whereby all Philosophy and Religion would be taken out of the World. There is the Christian Religion, the Jewish, the Mahometan, and Pagan. Here any Three disagree from the Fourth; therefore they are all Uncertain, or False. But besides this, there is a general Consent of Protestant Interpreters touching those Visions that concern the Corruptions of the Papacy, viz. That they are concerned therein, though some expedite the matter better than others. And Grotius his way, and Dr. Hammond's, is meer: Novelty; and they may be both excused for so strangely straining their Wits for such Glosses. For Passion edges the Invention, Hatred as well as Love. And Grotius was deeply sensible of what he suffered from the States of Holland, and Dr. Hammond more highly and nobly concerned for that Outrage which was done to the most Vertuous and Pious King, and best Constituted Church in the World. To which Villany and Misery the Vulgar Expositions of the Apocalypse were made use of, which frighted the good Doctor into another way. But the usual Protestant way, well rectified, does infinitely more Service to the Crown of England, and the Church, than such forced, incredible Glosses, such as R. B. himself is able to confute, though he be so staggering that he can stand to nothing.

To the (5.) fifth, That men should confess their uncertainty, when they think themselves uncertain, I easily admit. But I do not think it fair, that any trouble themselves, much less the World, with what they are conscious to themselves is a meer Conjecture. For this makes but a rumble and babble in the Minds and Mouths of Men, and makes them think, because they read much, and write much, they are learned and knowing, when there is nothing but Noise and empty Fancy and Ignorance at the bottom. Assured Knowledge, and useful, is the firm Food of the Soul. Uncertain Fancies and Opinions are no more than superfluous and noxious Humours in a bloated Body. For my part, I should make a conscience in abusing the World with such Trash. And therefore the Doctor has openly declared, especially for the main and most useful Parts of his Exposition of the Apocalypse, that to him it is most certain and undoubted Knowledge. And his Confidence thereof he hath publickly professed, both at the end of his Epilogue annexed to his Exposition of the Apocalypse, and also in his Preface to his Exposition of the Visions of Daniel, Sect 42. And he hath invited and provoked all that he could, to find what Flaws they could in his Expositions: And how he hath quit himself against S. E. the Remarker, let the World judge; and also how well he further makes good what he hath writ, by his Paralipomena Prophetica. Every one is bound, before he publishes a thing, to study the Point so throughly, that he can discern whether it will amount any further than to a Conjecture, or whether it is a firm and solid Truth; and then if it be also useful, to impart it to the World; and the more useful, with the greater expression of confidence, he being assured of the Truth. And the Doctor's Exposition of the Apocalypse being so apparently useful, for the shewing the Excellency of the Constitution of the Church of England, it being the most choice part of the Completion of the Prophecy of the Rising of the Witnesses, a Church that had the Honour to be so learnedly defended by the Royal Pen of King IAMES the First of Blessed Memory, and to be witnessed to by the Sacred Blood of that Glorious Martyr King CHARLES the First, the most Pious and Vertuous Prince that ever sway'd Scepter in Christendom; a Church renowned for singular Loyalty and Love of Monarchy, insomuch that King CHARLES the Second (whose late Death we all still lament, though we are abundantly comforted in so Gracious a Successor) was heard to say, That the Church of England-Men were the best Subjects in the World; and lastly, such a Church as our present Gracious Soveraign King IAMES the Second (whom God grant a Long, Peaceful, and Prosperous Reign over us), though (for our Sins, I fear) of the other Religion Himself, yet has graciously promised to maintain and support; this doing, of His Own most Noble and Free Mind, which was the onely thing that could with Reason and Equity be desired. But thus has His Heroical Spirit found the Opportunity to remonstrate to the World His Right to the Crown, not onely by Lineal Descent, but Personal Merit. I say therefore, That the Doctor's Exposition of the Apocalypse tending to the winning of Men to such a Church as this, where not onely Truth and Purity of Worship, but Loyalty and Monarchy is secured against Republicanism, Blood, and Rebellion; so that he has disarm'd the Fanaticks from either Pretense of Right, or Hints of Time, to plot their mischievous Designs, he having demonstrated the 1260 days to be passed, and the Rising of the Witnesses but a partial Fall of Antichristianism. Which things tend naturally, as I conceive, to the keeping of the Crowns of Monarchs on their Heads, and their Heads on their Shoulders. And therefore I say, the matter being of so mighty moment, I hope R. B. will excuse his Novice (who yet is somewhat older than himself, though he write 70.) whom he would tutour and instruct, if he cannot be so demure and modest as he would have him to be, in matters that are so plain to him, and of so mighty importance for the Peace and Security of Princes against the Fanatical Rabble, who are as mad against Iesus Christ's Vicegerents, as the Iews were against Iesus himself, who would have no King but Caesar; nor these any Monarchs but a fictitious King Iesus of their own, and domineering Presbytery, or shattered Anarchy.

I will not be so uncharitable as to think R. B. seeing the Fanatical sort of Men so disappointed by the Doctor's Exposition, from hatching any Evil against the Church of England and Monarchy out of the Apocalypse, has been so peevish as to represent the Book, as much as in himself lies, utterly unintelligible, that because they can breed no Mischief our of it, it may prevent its doing any Good. The thing looks over-suspiciously on it. But I leave that to the search of his own Conscience. The latter part of his fifth Particular concerns not the Doctor, whose Expositions are onely for the evincing of Truth, and the convincing of the Conscience, against Killing and Slaying by the Arm of Flesh. He is for no Division as to Civil Society, nor for Re-union of Protestants with Papists in Religion, till they be better Reformed in Doctrine and Worship. But R. B. expresses himself so odly in these things, as if he insinuated himself Popishly and Protestantishly affected in one Breath. Such a way of Writing, to me smells very mustily of Juggles and Hypocrisie.

And now, (6.) To that freakish and impertinent Application of that Passage of Daniel, I oppose the very following Verse in that Chapter: Many shall be purified, made white, and tried, (ver. 10.) But the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Now whether it be the want of Holiness or Wisdom in R. B. or both, that he understands so little in Daniel and the Apocalypse, I leave him to consult his own Heart therein, and to consider what a pleasant thing it is to Flesh and Blood to be a Segregative Rabboni, and to be applauded by a Sect, though wise and good Men understand as little the Reason why, as he understands Daniel and the Apocalypse. But while he acknowledges the Apocalypse to be the Word of God, and yet to be unintelligible, what is it but to reproach God and his Word too at once? Daniel tells us better News: The wicked shall not understand, but the wise shall understand. And yet this vain R. B. affects the esteem of more than ordinary Wisdom, in pretending not to understand these Visions; else why does he take the pains to ostentate his Ignorance, and so in effect to glory in his Shame?

And, (7.) to the last, I say, The Romanists do more familiarly elude all those Charges of Idolatry, Murder, Persecution, Lying, and the like, charged upon them from Reason and Scripture. For to these they will answer; but since this demonstrative way by Synchronisms, that so plainly prove that those Visions which the Ancient Fathers interpret of Antichrist, necessarily fall into the Times of the Papacy, they have, so far as I know, ever had the Discretion to decline answering. Indeed R. B. tells us, That the Arguments he has writ against Popery in eight or nine Books, the Romanists have not answered; he, like a Suffenus, fancying they forbear to answer them till he be dead or disabled; when questionless it is because they slight them; or else, why is it that they have answered the ablest Champions of our English Church, (who yet meddle with no Prophecies) and thus declined the answering him? When the Writings of these, excel those of R. B. as much as the richest Arras, the meanest Kedderminster-Stuff, as one wittily has made the Comparison.

This Conceitedness of his Performance I meet with in his Postscript, which I have read over, thinking to meet with something new; but it is but Crambe bis cocta, and his Seventeen Questions so poor, that the meanest Capacity, that has any kind of propension to these Studies, may easily satisfie himself, by consulting the latest Writers touching these Points. To read R. B. his Writings, is as tedious to me, as to walk upon unsound Ground, Quagmire, or Quicksand, Arena sine calce; and therefore I will give my self no longer a Fatigue: though I cannot but take notice, how again he harps much upon that jarring String, where he supposes the Romanists so brutish and salvage, that they will kill and murder all such as from the Prophecies of Scripture conclude their Church Antichristian; when as himself cannot deny, but what they hold and practise, is so.

What Disease of Ferocity has so tinctured the Mind and Fancy of R. B. that he should have such horrid Conceits of the Pontifician Party in England? When as they and our Church of England Men, both of highest and lowest Degree, have lived in all Civility, Kindness, and Neighbourliness, for these many years, notwithstanding their difference of Religion, though the Romanists in the mean time, according to the Language of their Church, could not but deem us Hereticks, of what Quality soever we were, Noble or Simple: When as yet no Phrase, neither proper nor symbolical, imports a Man a more vile, detestable, and criminal Wretch, than an Heretick, with them; they adjudging them also to the worst and most reproachful Punishments, such as the most execrable Criminals are adjudged to: And yet I am certain our Church of England Men have not at all been enraged or provoked against the Romanists, for all this. Why then should R. B. have so uncharitable a Conceit of the Romanists, (they are Men, or rather English-men, as well as we) that they should be so enraged like Wolves and Tygers against the Church of England Men, though they, keeping to the Style of their Church, must deem the Constitution of the Romish, as R. B. himself does, Antichristian; and that this State thereof is predicted in Scripture? This looks as if he still retained his inveterate spite against the Church of England, and even now in his grunting and groaning condition, as he represents himself, as if he had one Foot in Charon's Boat, yet would shew us a Mischievous Dog-trick at the last, and excite the Roman Wolves (as he Fancies them, he Cloathing them in his own Skin, or as much as he can transfusing his own mischievous Spirit into them at his hour of death) to tear us and devour us. —Quanquam media jam morte tenetur, Non tamen abstinuit—

So fierce and unreconcileable an hatred does he bear (or acts so as if he did bear it) to our Church, that the approach of the extinction of this life cannot extinguish it. But having once injured the Church, he knows how, and not the Church him, he seems desirous to follow his first blow with repeated strokes even to his last Breath. The Finis rei in this carriage of his, or Natural Tendency, is truly such: but whether it be Finis Personae, I leave to his own Conscience to examine.

I will note but one thing more in this Post-script, which is his mentioning David Blundel and Pope Ione; which I should have omitted, but that it put me in mind of what fine sport Mr. Gadbury makes on that Subject in his Cardines Coeli, &c. which would make a Man suspect R. B. to have let drop this in his Post-script to please Mr. Gadbury, whom he seems humbly to beseech to give him a Cast of his Skill in Calculating Nativities. For if not, why does he conclude his Advertisement thus? London, 1684. Nov. 12. Natali Authoris. Aetat. suae 70. It is true, he has not set down the Hour of his Birth: But Mr. Gadbury, by Animodar, Trutina Hermetis, or Accidentia Nati, by any one of these, as well as by the rest will rectifie the Time to a Cows Thumb, and then will find in a trice some Cardinal Sign in the Ascendent of this great Man, R. B. which of all the four is least likely to be Libra, he having writ so much, and weighing so little what he writes: Or if it be Libra, it may denote, that in his Balance the moments of Reason for all different Expositions of the Apocalypse are of equal weight with him, even as the Sun at his entrance into Libra makes the Day and Night equal.

But as for Mr. Blundel and Pope Ione, I will refer Mr. Gadbury, or any other judicious Reader, to Bishop Iewel against Harding, from pag. 348, to pag. 353, and to Mr. Foulis his History of Romish Treasons and Usurpations, pag. 180. who at last concludes thus, As for mine own Iudgment, I shall wrap it up without Partiality or Passion, in this, That I am so far from being satisfied with the Reasons brought against the being of such a Woman Pope, that I may fancy those that assert a Pope Jone afford better Authority, Testimony and Arguments, than those that deny it. And as Cook in English has sufficiently answered Floromondus and the rest, so does Maresius in Latine, and Congnard in French abundantly confute David Blundel, though a Man of great Reading. But be it this way or that way, it shall never trouble me, and so let every Man think as he pleaseth. To which I easily say, Amen. For the Church of England's Cause against her Opponents, whether Romanists or Fanaticks, depends not on such Curiosities.

I find my self concern'd to say little more than to advertise seriously Mr. Baxter's followers, and in them all Sectaries, what a dreadful and dangerous thing it is to separate from an Authentick Church, reformed to the Pattern of the Symmetral or Primitive Ages, and to follow the guidance of a Private Spirit; and I shall pray God, that Mr. Baxter may repent sincerely, as of his former enormous sins against the Church of England, and the Crown or Sacred Monarchy thereof, so likewise, that he may become really sensible and ashamed of his present Crooked Versuteness and Hypocrisie, and of Rogueing and Abusing the Divine Visions of Iohn and Daniel (which the Lord Iesus out of his Faithful Care and Providence has procured of his Father for the Guidance and Instruction of Christendom) by this his rude and profane Buffonry.