The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

III. Hooke-End of Papal 1260 Years Approaching

WILLIAM HOOKE (1601-1678), pastor at New Haven, Massachusetts, and colleague of John Davenport, was born in Southampton, England, and educated at Trinity College, Oxford. Coming to New England, he first went to Taunton, where he was ordained, and then settled in New Haven. He later returned to England, where he served as chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Through Davenport, he became a pre-millennialist, and was joint author of a preface to Davenport’s The Saints Anchor-Hold in all Storms and Tempests. ³⁴ In this, Hooke writes of the “last days, in which God is shaking Heaven, Earth, and Sea” before the “appearing of the Desire of all Nations.” ³⁵ PFF3 105.3

Hooke “loved the study of prophecy” and the second advent, and wrote eight treatises thereon between 1640 and 1681. His best-known work was The Privilege of the Saints on Earth Beyond Those in Heaven to which is added, A Short Discourse of the Nature and Extent of the Gospel-day (1673). He endorsed Increase Mather’s strong position on the pre-millennial advent and literal resurrection, writing an extended preface to Mather’s The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation Explained and Applied (1669). In this, Hooke declares, quoting the words of Scripture: PFF3 105.4

“As the lightning corneth out of the East and shineth even to the West, so shall the corning of the Son of man be, who shall come as a thief in the night, under the sixth vial, when he shall appear at the setting up of his Kingdom.” ³⁶ PFF3 106.1

1. ANTICHRIST AND TURK PERISH BEFORE ADVENT

Antichrist, Hooke insists, must be finished and destroyed under the seventh trumpet, and the power of the Turk dried up under the sixth vial, with the destruction of Rome coming about the same time—the second coming of Christ being after the sixth vial. ³⁷ PFF3 106.2

2. SIXTH TRUMPET, OR OTTOMAN POWER, BEGAN

1300 Hooke places the beginning of the papal apostasy period in the sixth century, adding, “As the Centuries increased, so did the Darkness,” ³⁸ through increasing errors and heresies. As John began to show “things to come,” he revealed them through the seals and trumpets and vials. ³⁹ The first four trumpets were judgments, the fifth was the papal “smoak” from the bottomless pit, ⁴⁰ while of the sixth trumpet Hooke says, “The Sixth Trumpet, which began to sound about the Year 1300. when the Ottoman Power arose, which yet continueth to this day.” ⁴¹ PFF3 106.3

3. ONLY GOD KNOWS EXACT EPOCH OF BEAST

The greatest height of the papal Antichrist was shortly before the Reformation, Hooke believed. Some suppose its rise was in the fourth or fifth centuries. The experience of the Two Witnesses must parallel it, and continue 1260 days, “a day put for a year.” ⁴² Only the Lord knows the precise “epoch a of the reign of the Beast, and his Number, 666.” ⁴³ But Antichrist shall be “greatly consumed with the breath of Christs mouth.” ⁴⁴ Then the Pope and the Turk shall be destroyed. ⁴⁵ Hooke declares that darkness grew in proportion to the exaltation of the Man of Sin, but the night is far spent and the day is at hand. ⁴⁶ PFF3 106.4

4. BABYLON’S FALL COMES AT ADVENT

Babylon’s fall, and the establishment of the kingdom, come at the second advent. Agreeing with Davenport’s views, Hooke adds his longings for the accomplishment of the great things of those last days. He fervently declares: PFF3 107.1

“We should love the Kingdom of Christ above all the Kingdoms in the World.... Let the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus come, whatever become of any Kingdom, or of all the Kingdoms under Heaven.” ⁴⁷ PFF3 107.2