the rage and fury of the world, in perfecuting them to death, God fhould not only receive their fouls to glory, but also raise up others endued with the fame fpirit, which fhould preach, profefs, and witness the fame truth conftantly and continually, even unto the end of the world.

Lastly, It fheweth, that after the preaching of the gospel fome good time in this laft age, the feventh angel fhould blow the trumpet, and the world fhould end.

And there was given unto me, a reed like unto a rod, and the angel stood by, faying, Arife, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. Rev. xi. 1.

Here Jefus Chrift giveth a reed unto John like unto a rod, and hereupon he is commanded by an angel to go about the meafuring of the temple, altar, &c.

By this measuring with a reed like a rod, is fignified the restoring and building up of God's houfe, which now was greatly ruinated, and run into decay through the long prevailing of Popery. Measuring with a reed, is taken for the building up of God's church, after the decayed estate thereof, both in Ezekiel, Zechariah, and this prophefy. John in the perfons of all faithful minifters, hath this measuring rod given him, because the church was to be restored

and built up by the minifters and miniftry of the gospel.

The thing to be meafured is the temple, the altar, and them that worship therein.

This is an allufion to the legal worship, whereby our fpiritual worfhip is reprefented. For by the material temple, is meant the fpiritual temple, or church of God. By the altar of stone, is meant the fpiritual worship. By them that worship therein with carnal facrifices, is meant all the true members of the church, which worship God in fpirit and truth.

Now then, both the church, the true worship and worfhippers, were all to be measured, repaired, and built up by minif try of the word, which all were decayed and almost laid waste, by the Pope's tyr

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ranny.

But the court which is without the temple caft out and measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles: and the holy city fhall they tread under their foot two and forty months.' Rev. xi. 2.

John is here forbidden to measure and build up the court which is without the temple. Whereby is meant all heretics; hypocrites, worldlings, and all fuch as have a place in the church, but are not of the church. This phrafe of fpeech is taken from the old fhadowifh worship as the rest

before. For in the temple of Jerufalem there was an outward court which was common to all good and bad: the holy place which was proper to the priests and Levites; and the holy of holiest, or most holy place, where none might come but the high priest only.

Here is a reafon added why the LordGod refufeth all Papifts and hypocrites, and all fuch as belong to the outward court only, and it is this: that this outward court is given unto the Gentiles,' that is, to all falfe Chriftians and counterfeits in religion, which are members of the visible church, but have nothing to do with the invifible.

These are compared to Gentiles in two refpects: First, In regard of profanenefs, for they are as profane as the heathen. Secondly, In refpect of perfecuting the truth: for hypocrites and Atheists are as forward in perfecuting the people of God as the heathen emperors, which perfecuted the church by the space of three hundred years. All comes in this, that when the church fhould be gathered and built by the preaching of the gospel, God would have all Papifts, Atheists, and hypocrites fhut out.

Moreover, here is the fecond reafon yielded, why the outward court should be caft out, and not measured; to wit, because they fhould tread the holy city under

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foot, forty and two months:' that is, they fhould perfecute the church all the time of Antichrift's reign. For forty two months in this verfe: and one thousand two hundred and fixty days in the next verfe: and three days and a half,' verfe 9. ' and time, times, and half a time,' in the twelfth chaptér, the fourteenth verfe, and one thoufand two hundred and fixty days in the twelfth chapter, the fixth verfe, do fignify all one thing, which is the fhort reign of Antichrift; for thefe months, thefe days, and thefe times, do every one of them nake three years and an half, for who knoweth not that forty two months make juft three years and an half, and that one thousand two hundred and fixty days, maketh even fo much alfo: and by time he meaneth a year, by times, two years, and by half a time, half a year. Now the reafon why Antichrift's reign is numbered by days, months and half times, and all amounting but to three years and a half, is to note the fhort continuance thereof, for the comfort of the church, as appeareth more fully and plainly in fundry places of this prophefy, where it is fet down in plain words, that Antichrift fhould reign but a fhort time; for what is five or fix hundred years in comparison of eternity.

But here the Papifts do fhew themselves

moft fottifh and ridiculous, in that they would gather from hence, that the Pope is not Antichrift: for (fay they) Antichrift shall reign but three years and an half, but the Pope hath reigned many years, therefore the Pope is not Antichrift.

Now to answer the propofition of their argument taken from this place. First, it may be anfwered, that this place is not to be understood literally, but myftically: as many other things in this book.

Secondly, Here is a certain number put for an uncertain, a definite number for an indefinite, which alfo is ufual in this book, as we heard before concerning the fealing of the tribes, of every tribe twelve thoufand, which maketh a hundred and forty four thoufand. Now no man is fo mad as to think there were juft fo many fealed, and neither more nor lefs.

Thirdly, Here is an allufion to Daniel's weeks, and other prophetical computations, wherein fometimes a day is put for a year, a week for feven years, as in Daniel's feven months and a month for thirty years. So then I conclude that it is extreme folly to interpret this place literally. The curious and frivolous interpretations of this place, and fuch like in this book, by fome writers, I do of purpofe omit, as matters untrue, unfound, and unjudicial: for I only in this