Secondly, The prophesies of the New Testament, are like those of Daniel in the Old; shut and sealed up, till the Time of the fulfilling; according to that of Saint Augustine; Prophetias implericitius quam intelligi; that prophesies are fulfilled before they are understood; agreeing with that (Rev. 1. 3.) blessed is he that reads and understands, for the time is at hand; 'Tis the speech of Irenaeus aAll prophesies before they are fulfilled, are riddles unto men; but as soon as the time is come, and the thing prophesied is come to pass, they have a clear and certain exposition, our apprehension conceives no ⟨p. 109⟩further then our experience reacheth unto. That old Adage, Veritas est temporis filia, truth is the daughter of time, hath its place here, and in this sense, the day shall declare it; and therefore Andraeas Caesariensis, in his Commentary upon the Revelation, speaking of Babylon, and who should be meant by it, though he had his suspicions, as living near the time of the revealing of it; yet suspended his direct application, only saying that theb accurate knowledge of the person, time, and experience will reveal it to the diligent observers. What our Saviour said of John the Baptist, for his knowledge of some mysteries foretold in the old Testament, and living after the Prophets, That he was greater then they, and the least of the Ministers ⟨p. 110⟩of the Gospel by surviving him, to be greater then he; so is it in this sense appliable, to the after-ages of the Fathers, who lived to see the fulfilling, what is foretold of this subject by Saint Paul in the Thessalonians, and Saint John in the Revelations; Which is according to the judgement of Bishop Andrews in his Tortura Torti, page 186. where having fully applied that of Revel. 17. & 18. to the See of Rome, he adds this cBut it is no wonder, those things which I have said, have not so clear or certain an interpretation in the writings of the Fathers; for it was then a mystery of iniquity; which wrought, the book of this prophecy ⟨p. 111⟩was as yet sealed up; And it is a most true speech, every prophecy is a riddle, while 'tis not fulfilled.
Secondly, The prophesies of the New Testament, are like those of Daniel in the Old; shut and sealed up, till the Time of the fulfilling; according to that of Saint Augustine; Prophetias implericitius quam intelligi; that prophesies are fulfilled before they are understood; agreeing with that (Rev. 1. 3.) blessed is he that reads and understands, for the time is at hand; 'Tis the speech of Irenaeus aAll prophesies before they are fulfilled, are riddles unto men; but as soon as the time is come, and the thing prophesied is come to passe, they have a clear and certain exposition, our apprehension conceives no ⟨p. 109⟩further then our experience reacheth unto. That old Adage, Veritas est temporis filia, truth is the daughter of time, hath its place here, and in this sense, the day shall declare it; and therefore Andraeas Caesariensis, in his Commentary upon the Revelation, speaking of Babylon, and who should be meant by it, though he had his suspitions, as liviug near the time of the revealing of it; yet suspended his direct application, only saying that theb accurate knowledge of the person, time, and experience will reveale it to the diligent observers. What our Saviour said of Iohn the Baptist, for his knowledge of some mysteries foretold in the old Testament, and living after the Prophets, That he was greater then they, and the least of the Ministers ⟨p. 110⟩of the Gospel by surviving him, to be greater then he; so is it in this sense appliable, to the after-ages of the Fathers, who lived to see the fulfilling, what is foretold of this subject by Saint Paul in the Thessalonians, and Saint Iohn in the Revelations; Which is according to the judgement of Bishop Andrews in his Tortura Torti, page 186. where having fully applyed that of Revel. 17. & 18. to the See of Rome, he addes this cBut it is no wonder, those things which I have said, have not so clear or certain an interpretation in the writings of the Fathers; for it was then a mystery of iniquity; which wrought, the book of this prophesie ⟨p. 111⟩was as yet sealed up; And it is a most true speech, every prophesie is a riddle, while 'tis not fulfilled.
- aOmnes prophetiae priusquam habent efficaciam, aenigmata sunt homi•ibus, sed cum venerit tempus, & evenerit quod prephet a•um est, habent liquidam & certam exp siti•nem, &c.
- bAccuratam calculi notitiam, tempus & experientia r• velabit vigilantibus.
- cMinimè verò mir•m, si i•ta quae dixi tam vel clar am, vel cerlam in-scriptis patrum interp•aetationem non habeant: Ope•abatur enim modò mysterium tum iniquitatis. Signatus ad•uc liber erst bujus prophetiae. Verissimum autem verbum est, aenigma esse propheti•m omnem, cùm nondum completae est, ut quamvis prisci illi omni genere Charismatum▪ vitae v•rò sanctimonia longo nos intervallo supererarint, mirari tamen non debeat quis, si illis t•m non adeo explicata omnia sue•int qu•m robis per gratiam Dei jam surt, quicon summaetam jam prophe•iam illam qu•tidiè o•usis usurpamus▪ pag. 186.Minimè verò mir•m, si i•ta quae dixi tam vel clar am, vel cerlam in-scriptis patrum interp•aetationem non habeant: Ope•abatur enim modò mysterium tum iniquitatis. Signatus ad•uc liber er•t bujus prophetiae. Verissimum autem verbum est, aenigma esse propheti•m omnem, cùm nondum completae est, ut quamvis prisci illi omni genere Charismatum vitae vrò sanctimonia longo nos intervallo supererarint, mirari tamen non debeat quis, si illis tm non adeo explicata omnia sueint qum robis per gratiam Dei jam surt, quicon summaetam jam propheiam illam qutidiè ousis usurpamus pag. 186.
