ADVERTISEMENT BY The PUBLISHER. T HE Judgments of God upon Chriftendom, by the SWORD, the PESTILENCE, and FAMINE Or Dearth, which have fucceffively ravaged the most populous and flourifhing Parts of it for fome Years last past, though in part to be accounted for by the Agency of Second Caufes, both Natural and Political; are yet fo very remarkable and extraordinary in their Circumftances, as evidently fhew the Superintendency and Direction of a First Mover, that is at once Wife, Juft and Good; and may fairly Challenge fuch a ferious Confideration of all Thinking Perfons, as is the Defign of the following Treatife to recommend and excite. For whatever may become of the Hypothefis which is here advanced, there can be no Doubt of the Facts which are every Day feen, and felt and by which it is fupported. And if thefe be but allowed, and reflected upon as they deferve, the Defign is fufficiently answer'd. There are feveral Particular Hypotheses of Divines for the Explication of the Subject here treated on, fome of which may be plaufible enough to take with many, but none of them without infuperable Difficulties; forafmuch as the Matter is not yet clearly Revealed: nevertheless it will appear that This, upon a free and fair Examination, doth as well or better than any other folve the Phanomeof Providence, leading to the Confummation of all Things, * A 2 The The very Learned and Pious Dr. Grabe was fully convinc'd hereof, when he first encouraged the Author to profecute this Defign, who had acquainted him with it: And though the Doctor was fenfible that there are feveral Exceptionable Paffages, and many Rhetorical Flights, to be found in the Antient Writers, when they have occafion to make mention of that Great Catastrophe bere pointed at, which is to conclude the most wonderful Drama of the Divine Dramatist Acted upon this Grand Theatre, fet forth to us under Prophetical Schemes; get be was fatisfied enough, that the Foundations and Principles which they proceed upon are not overthrown by what any of the Moderns, in their new Schemes and Notions have hitherto been able to fet up against them. This will appear from the following Extract digefted out of fome Manufcript Papers and Letters of this excellent Perfon: by which the Reader may fee what his Opinion was concerning God's Judgments upon the Church of Rome, and the Preparatory Scenes to the Finishing of Evil in this World, and the introducing into it fuch a New and Heavenly State of Things, as by Scripture and Primitive Tradition he thought himself warranted to expect and pray for. The Reafons for his Opinion would have been more fully explained, but that he was prevented from finishing what he had begun upon this Subject in the Latin Tongue. This however us in good measure Supplied by the Learned Author of this Treatife,who was honoured with his Friendship, and knew his Sentiments in this matter exactly. It was written about Nine Years ago, when the State of Affairs both at Home and Abroad had a different View, from that which they at prefent have: But there remaining the Jame Natural and Moral Causes of the the Publick Evils, which then were most justly apprehended and foretold, there is reafon more than enough to enquire into thofe Caufes, as this Author bath done,and to examine well the Signs and Characterefticks of this Prefent Time, and among thefe more particularly the Overflowing Scourge of Antichriftianism. It must by no Means here be denied that before the Destruction of Jerufalem by the Romans there were most or all of thefe Signs and Characterifticks, even as they had been exactly predicted: and that nothing could ever be more punctually verified than the Prophecies both of CHRIST and bis Apoftles concerning the Great Evils which were to fall upon the whole Jewish Nation within the Limits of One Generation: and that both the forerunning Tokens, and the concomitant and fubfequent Circumftances of the Total Destruction of their Temple and Polity, are defcribed by them with that Accuracy, fome Twenty, fome Thirty, others Forty Years before the Completion; as no more evident and more amazing Proof can be given of the Truth of the Prophetick Spirit, if duly and nicely confider'd, as to all the feveral Particulars, as recorded in our Gofpels and the Apoftolical Epiftles, and in the corresponding Relations of the Jewish Hiftorian, befides the corroborating Teftimonies of other profeffed Enemies to the Chriftian Name, as might easily be fhewn. But we are always to remember that the fame or like Caufes must necessarily produce the fame or like Effects, according to the stated Laws both of Nature and Providence; and that fo the Jame Scriptures may be feveral times fulfilled, both as to Judgments threatned and Mercies promis'd, by the fame Causes recurring, whether they be with Refpect to one or to the other: + and that the Destruction of And Jerresalem typical of what shall be at the End of the world. And have furely great reafon to reflect that the Prefent State of the Gentile Chriftians (in these European Nations I mean) as the fame is divided into Three main Bodies, as the City appointed for Deftruction divided into Three Parts or Fations, is not fouery unlike the State of the Jews just before the Roman Army compaffed Jerufalem,but we may be justly apprehenfive of fome fuch Fate impending likewife on the Churches of Chrift that have fo fadly fallen away from their FirftLove. Nevertheless, because our Blessed Lord foretelling thofe Days of Vengeance and Great Tribulation to the Jewish Nation that had rejected him, fuch as never had been, declared with a strong Affeveration, that the then Generation fhould not pass away, before all thofe things fhould be fulfilled, as it actu ally came to pass accordingly; but fpeaking of the End of the World,and confequently of the preceding Judgments which are to fall upon the Apostatized Chriftians, or Antichriftians, according to the purport of the following Treatife faith, exprefly, But of THAT Day and Hour knoweth no Man: to fhew us with what Modesty we ought to think and fpeak of thofe Times and Seafons,the Knowledge of which GOD will have referved to himself; tho' He is graciously pleas'd to let us know fuch Signs and Prognofticks of them,as whereby we may be able infallibly to judge, when all these meet together, that the End is then near at Hand. And if we do not difcern the Signs of Thefe Times, there must be fomewhat of Jewish Blindness in us that bindreth: and it may be faid to us now, as it was to them of old with full as much Reafon, How is it that ye difcern not the Signs of THIS TIME? For The 1. |
