What is truth. Or, the patern in the mount Wherein many places of scripture are (in pursuit of truth, and the churches peace) explained. Therein, most false opinions and heresies (both modern and ancient) are clearly detected and refelled. By Tho. Harby.

The daration of the threefold City of the grand Apostacy.

THat the tenfold body of the Churches Antithesis (Rome Papal) was (for matter and form) threefold, and had three (the foresaid three) heads synchronizing in 1260 years, is (from sundry texts) sufficiently proved: And there∣fore, that tenfold City (until it should begin effectually to dis∣continue) must have, with them the same Epoche: For, if these three heads of it were to continue 1260 years; Then this City (their threefold body) must (by a necessary, indivi∣dual continuity) have the same Epoche. But,

Secondly, their and this Cities durations are (in these two texts) thus terminated: It is done, Rev. 16.17. There shall be no longer time, ch. 10.6. These two texts intend a time and thing.

The thing intended is this threefold City: And the great (this great) City was divided into three parts, &c. ch. 16.19.

The time intended is first: The duration of that Ci∣ty.

Secondly, the Period of that duration,

The duration of it is necessarily imply'd.

Its Period is, positively exprest. And first,

Its duration is imply'd from its period in both texts.

Its period at the beginning of the seventh Vial, is thus e••¦prest: It is done, ch. 16.

Its period, at the beginning of the seventh Trumpet, is thus exprest: There shall be no longer time ch. 10.

No longer time, that is, the more entire duration of this threefold City, or Mystery of Iniquity, should be no longer than the sounding of the six Trumpets: For, the duration of that threefold City (and indeed of all these twelve Epochaes) is commensurated by the spaces of six Trumpets sounding, and terminated with the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet: For, when the sixth Angel was about to end the sounding of his sixth trumpet, then the Angel of the Covenant sware by him, that liveth for ever and ever, that there should be time no longer: But, in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the Mystery of God should be finished, &c.

Should be finished: That is, the City of God (begun to be adorned as a Bride for her Husband) should then begin to be free'd effectually from her former, too careless, contempt of things sacred, of highest concernments; or from treading them, as it were, under her feet; And free'd also (from the punishment, and effect of that profaness: to wit, from being troden under foot of the Gentiles: And those Gentiles (this threefold City, or Mystery of Inìquity) should then begin (as they shall be more by degrees daily convinc'd of their own wickedness, and folly) to abate their enmity, and embrace U∣nity of sound Faith, and Manners.

Secondly, It is done, that is, the duration (the more entire duration) of this City should be done at the period of the sixth Vial, or at the beginning of the pouring fourth of the

seventh Vial. That is, This City should stand all the time of the six Vials pouring forth; all the time of the six Trum∣pets sounding, and all the time (which is one and the same time, and thing)of the Witnesses Sackcloth-Prophesie, for 1260 years. For, as we have proved, that the six Trum∣pets sounding, and (which is all one) the Witnesses Sack∣cloth Prophesie run parallel in the same Epoche: So the six Vials, and this Cities duration, synchronize with both, which is plain from their temporal periods: For, The period of this threefold Mystery of iniquity, in the tenth Chapter, is thus exprest, There shall be time no longer. And its period, in the sixteenth Chapter, under, or at the beginning of the seventh Vial (as the former was under, or at the beginning of the seventh Trumpets sounding) is likewise thus exprest, It is done: And what is done?

The answer is made in the next verse but one, And the great City was divided into three parts, &c. That is, this threefold City was done, ver. 19. The scope (and almost the express words) of both texts is the same, shewing; That this threefold City, or Mystery of iniquity, should (at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, and pouring forth of the seventh Vial) begin, vigorously, to be made manifest, and the Mystery of God (her Antithesis) to be compleated: that is, The true Church should then be∣gin, more vigorously, and visibly, to expatiate, and appear to all Sects and Nations: For, those periods (It is done; Time shall be no more) are terms of expression, that are syno∣nymous in sense, and are, in both texts, a twofold sacred record, that the duration (the more entire duration) of this threefold City should be 1260 years, synchronizing with the six Trumpets, with the six Vials, with the Witnesses Sackcloth-Prophesie, and with all the rest of these twelve Epochaes.

Thirdly, the duration of this threefold City is commen∣surated (which are also the Epoche of the death of the Witnesses) by three dayes, and an half, Rev. 11.9, 11. In which texts, the two former texts are more fully explained, and the same period of this threefold City the third time repeated: And first,

We see that the two Witnesses were to lye, in that Ci∣ty, dead for three dayes and an half, ver. 8, 9. Therefore, the end of those three dayes and an half, was the period of the Witnesses death, and of the duration (as will appear) of that threefold City: For; After three dayes and an half (saith the text) the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them, ver. 11. Therefore, the end of those three dayes and an half, must be the period of their lying dead in that City, and the period also of that Cities duration: For, The same hour saith the text) the tenth part of that City fell, ver. 13. And fell (not to, but) from Apostacy in manners, to pursue sincere truth, and peace in Theory, and practice, or (to use the words of the same text) shall then begin to give Glory to the God of heaven: that is, Shall then begin to give Glory to God with greater vigour, and visibility of true obedience then formerly.

And these three dayes, and an half, of the duration of the death of the Witnesses in that City; and of that City, till it should begin to fall, as aforesaid, are also contermina∣ted (as the same period the third time exprest) with the be∣ginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet, vers. 13. And the seventh Angel sounded, &c. Therefore, these three dayes, and an half (of the more entire duration of this threefold City, and of the death of the Witnesses therein) synchronize with the six Vials, the six Trumpets, and the Witnesses Sackcloth Prophesie in 1260 years: For, those (in this Chapter, twice repeated) three dayes, and an half,

are the same three times, and an half, chap. 12.14. the same forty two Months, chap. 12.2. And the same 1260 dayes in the next verse, which (being 1260 dayes annual) are 1260 years. For, the durations of the death of the Wit∣nesses, and of this threefold City, were pre-signified in Scripture, both by three dayes, and an half, artificial (or 42 hours) and by three dayes, and an half Annual (or forty two Months) as we shall fully, and that (so soon as we shall first lay down these twelve Epochaes) instantly shew.