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lick; a Rifque fo much the greater, in that treating of Prophecies, no man thinks himself obliged to fubfcribe to the thoughts of those who interpret them. I may well expect to be ill treated by others, the learned and the wife, as they pretend to be, who mock at all Prophecies, and all those who go about to interpret them; thefe men are upon the borders of Impiety, if they are not already plunged into it.'Tis not for their fakes that I write; I defpife them, at least their Judgment; but I pray God for their falvation: 'tis for the comfort of the Good and upright that this work was undertaken; God grant it may contribute to it; if I am deceived I Thall have but my common Lot with many others; nevertheless, I deferve fome thanks for my good Intentions. Let me add one word, that this is not a book to be read Curforily over, and that but I confent that it be read the firft Time as a Romance, but let fuch a one return to it, and lay afide his Prejudices by little and little, and at length accuffom himself to thofe Idea's that at first feemed ftrange. This advice I give chiefly to Roman Catholicks, affoon as they perceive by the title of a Book, that the defign is to perfwade them that their Religion is Antichriftianifm, they fall into a rage, and their Paffion blinds them. But yet for once let them take the pains to read it as a Romance, and afterwards let them think that the matter deferves at leaft to be examin'd, because no lefs than their Eternal Salvation is concerned in it: I have no defign to anger them; I defire their Salvation, Tis the only end I propofe, God is my witness.

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A Supplement to the Advice to all Chriftians.

This is what I have advertifed the publick in the firft Edition; in this fecond I find my felf obliged to remove two fcandals, which I have learnt have been taken on the account of this book. First, there are fome who believe the hopes I give of a Re-eftablishment, within a few years, may do much Hurt, because all thofe who are thus perfwaded, will fuffer themselves to fleep fecure in the mean time in the Communion of the Roman Church, faying, if it be thus, we may expect a while, and bear our Captivity as well as we can, we shall ere long fee the end of it. During which expectation they will still go to mafs, and joyn in the fuper ftitions of the Church of Rome. To this I have two things to fay; First, that God's ends and ways are different from ours; at this rate God fhould never have promifed to deliver his Church, that men might not grow fecure in the Expectation of it. God hath almoft always hid Events from us, and would not that at all times the Prophecies fhould be understood, left the knowledg and underftanding of them fhould prejudice their accomplishment; left men fhould oppofe it, and stand upon their guard in that refpect. But who knows whether God ought not at last to make the Prophecies be understood, that they may the more eafily be fulfilled? who knows, whether fo many of the Romish Communion, who are already difgufted with their Religion, may not open their Eyes by the Light which we fet before them, and refolve to become inftruments in the hand of God, for the accomplishment of this great work? 'tis certain that oftentimes Prophecies, Counterfeit, or Real, have

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have infpired thofe for whom they were made, with the defign to effect the things that were promised them after all, when God difcovers any truths of this nature, he hath his reasons for doing fo, and we ought not to refift it, upon pretence of fome ill Confequences that would follow. Ieremy, during the fiege of Ierufalem, declared to all the world, that the Chaldeans would take the City; fhould he have forborn to speak that Truth, which God had revealed to him, because of fome ill Confequences? 'Tis evident, that nothing was more properto leffen the courage of the Inhabitants, and to promote the taking of the City of Ierufalem, than fuch a difcourfe of the Prophet.

The other thing which I have to fay on this first fcandal, is this, that fuch who take occafion from this Book to continue in the Roman fuperftition. waiting for deliverance, have no need of this book to cherish the difpofition they are in to remain there. They are people who only fearch for Pretences, to flatter themselves in the condition they are in, and can never want them either here or there, from this thing or another. But in truth, nothing can be more ridiculons than to take occa fion from hence, to continue in the Roman Church. In three or four years or more there will be a great change in the Papacy, we muft than remain there, waiting till that Change happen; 'tis to the fame effect as if I fhould fay, I am in an house that is on Fire, and that is ready to Fall, I have good affurance that in three or four years it will be rebuilt, therfore expecting that, Imust fuffer my self to be burned in it, or to perish under its ruines. I am near a filthy and poisoned water in a little time fome one will come and cleanse the fountain, and render it whol fame; in the mean time expecting that, let us drink

of it. A man must be befides himself, that fhould argue after this rate; no lefs muft he be, that fhall reafon as these cowards and Apoftates do. Within fome years the Reformation shall revive, waiting for that, I will continue in a wicked Religion, whertn I cannot be faved; I will pertake in its Idolatry and bafely fuppress the truth of God within my breast. A fin of a quarter of an hour is enough to deftroy a man Eternally; and fhall it be thought, that the Idolatry and moft fhamefull Hypocrify of two or three years are venial crimes? To betray a mans Confcience and the Truth, by one fingle act, deferves Hell; and they flatter themselves, that God will Indulge them in a treafon continued in for feveral years: they who reafon after this manner have they any revelation from God, that they shall live three or four years longer, or that they fhall have the leasure to repent? and what will become of them if they dye in that treasonable state? fo far is the Hope that I give from being capable to make them continue where they are, that nothing can be more effectual to make them quit it. Their Poffeffions and profit is that which retains them; could they be perfwaded that in a few years they fhould recover them again, it would not be fa difficult to forfake them now.

The other fcandal which I know hath been taken, is concerning the Reign of a thousand years; many Divines in this country have greatly murmured at it, even fo far as to threaten to complain of me. I am forry it is fo; for I fhould be glad not to displease my Brethren. In the mean time, I patiently expect what they will do in it; and by waiting, I fhall know whether our Conducters intend to make new Articles of faith, and whether Cocseanisme be become an intolerable Heresy. M. Cocceius

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Coeceius, upon the 11th. Chap of the Apocalypfe, proves this Reign of Chrift upon earth, by the fame paffages and the fame arguments as I do, Except that he refers not to this the thousand years of the Dragon being bound, in the 20th. Chap. Since my arrival in these Provinces, I have fallen in with nothing of that famous Divine but in this article. If I fhould have agreed with him in fome others, I fhould not be a fhamed of it, and I know not what trouble any one can give me for one only article of agreement with many Able Divines, who are Good men, and very orthodox. But I would fain know what it is in this opinion that so much offends these Gentlemen. Is it any thing contrary to any Doctrine of faith, and which doth directly or indirectly ftrike at the foundation? It is worth while to know, that fuch as can produce a little of their own, and labour ufefully for the glory of God, if they hate the Spirit of Licentioufnefs, are not like to become flaves to certain prevailing opinions, only on this account, because they are prevailing. I fhall conclude by advertifing the Reader, that he will find this fecond Edition to be inlarged throughout the whole book, cfpecially. as to what is Prophetical in the Apocalypfe, which was not explained in the first Edition. It was believed, that by fhowing a compleat fyftem of all the Events foretold in that book, we should give the more light to each of the feveral Visions; for we fhall find that every thing is well followed, and that the order of the Prophecies is the fame with that of the Events, or for the most part is fo.

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