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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43131	The meaning of the Revelation, or, A paraphrase with questions on the Revelation of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Divine in which the synchronisms of Mr. Joseph Mede, and the expositions of other interpreters are called in question, and a new exposition given of the prophecies of the revelation, never heard of before, nor extant in any author whatsoever, from the sixth chapter to the eighteenth, with variety of reasons for the exposition / by Richard Hayter ...	Hayter, Richard, 1611?-1684.; Mede, Joseph, 1586-1638. Clavis apocalyptica.	1675 (1675)	Wing H1225; ESTC R21644	180,756	260

Beast Rev. 12. 17. Rev. 13. 7. 6. The first Fruits are less than all but these sealed ones are the first Fruits and no more Rev. 14. 4. 7. It may well be thought that these sealed ones be men and not women and that for these reasons 1. Because it is not usual in Scripture to count the number of men and women but of men only thus when they went into Egypt the men are counted and not the women Gen. 46. 8 9 c. and again when they came forth of Egypt the men were counted and not the women Numb 1 2. 20 21. c and so the like in other places the males are counted and not the Females Ezra 2. 2 3 c. Nehemiah 7. 7 8 9 c. and therefore these that are counted here be only Males and not Females 2. The first Fruits that were dedicated to God of men and of Beasts were the Males only and we may not think that the first Fruits were only of vegetables for then these sealed ones could not be first Fruits as they are said to be Rev. 14. 4. but the first born of men and Beasts were first Fruits as well as vegetables Exod. 22. 29 30. and such were males only Exod. 34. 19 20. Exod. 13. 2. 12. 15. Now these sealed ones are called the first Fruits of God and to the Lamb Rev. 14. 4. not in respect of sanctification as all believers are Iam. 1. 18. but by peculiar dedication to God and to the Lamb as the first born were and therefore they be Males only 3. Because these are said to be redeemed from among men Rev. 14. 4. Now what redemption is this not the common redemption by the blood of Christ from sin and condemnation which belongs to all the elect in general but the peculiar redemption of the first born which belongs to the Males only Exod. 13. 2. 12. 13. 15. Exod. 34. 19 20. Lastly because it is said Rev. 14. 4. These are they which were not defiled with Women and therefore they be men and not women and what kind of defilement doth he mean not a spiritual defilement with Idols which is as much as to say that these men be not Idolaters nor yet a carnal defilement with Harlots which is as much as to say that these men be not Adulterers but a ceremonial defilement with VVives which is as much as to say that these men be Virgins and unmarried persons and had not known a woman of which kind of defilement see Exod. 19. 15. 1 Sam. 21. 4 5. 1 Cor. 7. 5. 4 Quest. VVhat kind of Seal is meant in this place whether the Seal of Sanctification or of corporal preservation Ans. 1. The seal of sanctification is not committed to the Angels but to the Spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. but the seal here spoken of is committed to the Angels v. 2 3. 2. The seal of sanctification is chiefly inward in the heart but this here spoken of is only outward in the forehead v. 3. 3. They are called the Servants of God before that they be sealed v. 3. and therefore they are sanctified before this seal is given unto them 4. The seal of sanctification is a common seal and doth belong to all believers but this is peculiar to the persons here spoken of 5. The seal of sanctification doth not exempt from bodily danger Rev. 11. 7. Rev. 13. 7. But this is therefore given them that their bodies might not be hurt Rev. 9. 4. see the like Ezek. 9. 4 5 6. Exod. 12. 13. Gen. 4. 15. 6. The seal of sanctification is given successively in all ages of the World but these are sealed all at once in one day 7. The seal of sanctification is given by degrees to some more to others less but these are all sealed alike one as far forth as another 8. The seal of sanctification doth admit degrees after it is given and a man is sanctified more at one time than another 2 Pet. 3. 18. but these were sealed as much at one time as another and as the mark which Cain had Gen. 4. 15. and which the men in Ierusalem had Ezek. 9. 4. did not diminish or increase so the seal which these men had continued in the same condition all their life afterward 5 Quest. VVhether the great multitude mentioned v. 9. were sealed Ans. 1. It is not said that they were sealed and therefore we may not think they were unless we have some reason for it 2. They are a distinct company from the sealed v. 4. 9. 3. They are more in number than the sealed and therefore they could not all be sealed for the number of the sealed is but finite one hundred fourty and four thousand and no more but this great multitude were so many that no mortal man could number them v. 9. 4. Iohn knew the sealed who they were and what their number was v. 4. but he knew not these who they were nor the number of them v. 9. 14. 5. The sealed were preserved from destruction and the seal was therefore given that they might be secured v. 1 2 3. Rev. 9. 4. But these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb v. 14. and therefore these be Martyrs but the others are not 6. The sealed be the men which are to live in the time of the seven Trumpets but are not to suffer under them Rev. 9. 4. Rev. 14. 3 4. but these latter be the men which shall suffer for the Faith of Christ before the Trumpets shall begin and the reason why they are introduced in this place is not to shew the time or causes of their sufferings but to shew the blissful state and happiness which they have in Heaven at this very time when the other shall be sealed upon earth 7. The sealed be the men which are to get the Victory over the Beast and over his mark and over the number of his name Rev. 14. 2 3. Rev. 15. 2 3. but these latter be the men which shall die for the Faith of Christ before the Beast begins his Reign and shall be then in Heaven in unconceiveable bliss and happiness when the other shall be sealed upon earth 8. The sealed be some eminent members of the Church Militant which shall be in jeopardy of their lives in the time of the ensuing Prophecies but are therefore sealed that they might be preserved from suffering in the time of those dangers the latter be some eminent members of the Church Triumphant which suffered while they lived but when the sealed ones are sealed they shall be in Heaven secured from suffering any more CHAP. VIII The Prophecy of the seventh Seal divided into seven Prophecies called seven Trumpets 1. ANd when he had opened the seventh Seal it did not immediately appear what the Prophecy of that Seal should be there came nothing forth of that Roll as there did out of the other Rolls

I answer that the Angels cannot create them out of nothing for that is only Gods work and therefore they had them from God who did either create them out of nothing or else did make them out of matter preexistent as the Locusts in the former Trumpet out of smoak v. 3. And if it be asked again what became of these bodies when they laid them down To this I answer that they returned into their former principles again and in case they were created out of nothing they returned into nothing and in case they were made of matter preexistent they returned into it again but whatever became of these bodies afterward this is certain out of Scripture that the Angels can assume them and lay them down again for they have done so heretofore and therefore they may do so again in the case that is now before us 6. The Angels can make use of living bodies that were before created and leave them when they have done as Satan made use of the Serpent to beguile the woman Gen. 3. 1 2. and the good Angel made use of Balaams Ass to speak unto his Master Numb 22. 28. and the Angel in the former Trumpet made use of the Locusts to torment men with their stings so the Angels in this Trumpet may make use of these Creatures to destroy the third part of men though they assume them not 7. If we read the fifteenth verse we shall there find that the Angels have a special hand in this business for they were prepared to slay the third part of men which this Army were to slay and therefore we have reason for to think that either these Horse-men be Angels or else had the guidance of the Angels in this work and we need not say that there were as many Angels imployed in this work as there be Horse-men mentioned v. 16. but four Angels besides the Angel that did sound this Trumpet may suffice to guide these Creatures in this work as one Angel did suffice to guide the Locusts in the former Trumpet 8. The Book sealed with seven seals of which this Prophecy is a part was such a special Book of Prophecy as no man in Heaven or on earth or under the earth was counted worthy to open the Book and look into it but Iesus Christ Rev. 5. 3. therefore we may not think that this Book of Prophecy containeth only things ordinary usual or accustomed such as Church Heresies and Turkish Wars are which though they be grievous and calamitous while they last and continue yet they be common usual and accustomed things which the World and Church of God is well acquainted with We must rather look that in this Book of Prophecy should be things extraordinary unusual rare and unaccustomed such as the plagues of Egypt were which were never known before nor since and such as the Locusts were in the former Trumpet and the Horses and Horse-men in this sixth 9. The Horses be not usual Horses such as men use in War and therefore they that sit on them be not men for how should men come by such Horses as be here described and what men will adventure for to ride them in case they could come by them First it is said that they had heads as the heads of Lions and out of their mouths issued Fire Smoak and Brimstone v. 17. 2. They had tailes like to Serpents bodies v. 19. 3. They had heads behind at the end of their tailes 4. They had mouths in their heads so that they had two mouths as well as two heads one before and another behind and the head before was like a Lions head v. 17. and the head behind in the tail like a Serpents head v. 19. 5. Out of both their mouths issued Fire Smoak and Brimstone 6. By this Fire Smoak and Brimstone were the third part of men slain v. 18. Never any men did ride such Horses as these were nor ever will do 10. The Army here spoken of was two hundred thousand thousand but the Turkish Armies never were so many at one time nor ever will be They say Bajazet the Turk was once in the Field with five hundred thousand and Tamerlan the Tartar with thirteen hundred thousand but what be all these to two hundred thousand thousand There never was such an Army in the Field at one time nor ever will be 11. The Turkish Armies do consist of Foot as well as Horse though most of them be Horse but the Army here spoken of be only Horse and no Foot 12. The Army here spoken of did send Fire Smoak and Brimstone out of their Horses mouths and slay the third part of men therewith this the Turks never did nor ever will or can do And as for those who think that this is meant of Gunpowder in which there is Fire Smoak and Brimstone when they shoot I think it fit to tell them that Guns and Gunpowder were not invented by the Turks but by Bertholdus Niger alias Swart a German Alchymist and a Franciscan Monk about the year of Christ 1380. And Guns and Gunpowder are used not only by the Turks but by other Nations in their Wars all the World over And 't is not the Gunpowder which doth slay men of it self but the Bullet which it driveth forth And the Turks shoot not Gunpowder out of their Horses mouths and tails but out of their Iron and their Brasen Guns and that at one end only so that Guns and Gunpowder are not intended in this Prophecy but Fire Smoak and Brimstone to kill the third part of men therewith and that without either Gunpowder Guns or Bullet 13. By this Army were the third part of men slain which were dwelling at Euphrates Now the Turks be the men which dwell there and therefore it is likely that the Turks be the men which shall be slain by this Army and not the Army which shall slay the third part of men so that the Turks be intended in this Prophecy not as Agents but as Patients not as killing others but as killed by others and God hath shewed in this Prophecy how the third part of Turks shall be destroyed not by Jews nor by Tartars nor by any other men but by Angels in a fearful manner and yet not by them alone but by strange kind of Horses newly created for this purpose and never known in the World before and by Fire Smoak and Brimstone which proceed out of their mouths 〈◊〉 the wonders that be in these Prophecies so wonderful and strange and unaccustomed that men will not believe them nor think upon them in a literal sense because they do not see them but what said Christ to Thomas in a matter as hard to be believed as this Be not faithless but believe John 20. 27. and such things as these or very like them in some kind or other or at least in some degree or other have been done already if we believe the Book of Wisdom c. 11. v. 18 19. CHAP.

a short time as hath been proved already ch 6. Disp. 2. q. 5. CHAP. XII The Prophecy of the Woman and the great Red Dragon representing the conversion of the Jews and the opposition and persecution of the Devil 1. AND I saw a great wonder in the Starry Heaven prefiguring what should be done upon the earth and the wonder which I saw was a woman representing the Nation of the Iews cloathed with the Sun in token of her future Glory and the Moon beneath her Feet in token she should change no more and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head which are the twelve Tribes of Israel 2. And their conversion shall be like the pains of a woman in Travel which hath hard labour and strong pains and throws before she be delivered even so they of this Nation that be converted first shall have hard labour and Travel to convert the rest 3. And I saw another wonder in the Starry Heaven and it was a great Red Dragon representing the Devil and his mighty Agents upon earth which shall oppose the Church of Israel in her Travel and hinder their conversion what they can and they be seven Heathen Kings which shall have Crowns upon their Heads and ten Heathen Kingdoms which shall have no Kings of their own in them at this time 4. And he shall be in a great rage to hear of the conversion of this Church and Nation and in this rage of his shall with his tail in which as some say his main strength doth lye seek to overthrow the frame of nature and had rather Heaven and Earth should have an end than the conversion of that Church be brought to pass Or else his tail may represent the vulgar people that be in his Kingdoms as his seven heads do represent his Kings and by the help of this vulgar people he shall turn aside some part of that Nation from minding their conversion at the present and draw their hearts away from Heavenly things to earthly or else do some other hurt unto them and he himself shall stand before the Church of Israel now ready to be converted to the Faith of Christ threatning to devour them and their Children so soon as they become Christians 5. Yet for all this they shall be converted to the Christian Faith and the Child that shall be born of them is Jesus Christ who is then said to be born spiritually whenas a Church or Nation is brought to believe in him and after their conversion he shall subdue all Nations that War against them with the Sword but he himself shall sit in Heaven at Gods right hand and on his Throne 6. And when they be converted a great part of that Nation shall flee into the Wilderness especially they that be instrumental to convert the rest where they shall have a place prepared for them by the Lord their God as their forefathers had when they came forth of Egypt that they may be nourished and preserved there three years and a half from the fury of the Devil and his Agents 7. But before that this is done there shall be a great battel in the Church Michael and his Angels shall fight against the Devil in behalf of the Church of Israel that they may be converted to the Christian Faith and the Devil shall fight against Michael and his Angels against the others Angels that they may remain in unbelief 8. But Michael and his Angels shall prevail and the Devil and his Angels shall be overthrown and there shall be no place for them any more in the Church of Israel 9. And the great Red Dragon that old malicious Serpent otherwise called the Devil and Satan who deceived our first Parents at the first and the whole race of mankind ever since shall be cast forth of the Jewish Nation and all his evil Angels cast forth with him 10. And there shall be great joy in the Church of Israel and loud acclamation and Thanksgiving saying Now is salvation come to the Church of Israel from the Lord our God he is the Author of it and to him be it ascribed for evermore And the might and Kingdom of our God shall now be seen and made known unto the World and the power of his Christ for the accuser of that Church and Nation is cast forth who before their conversion accused them of their unbelief before our God day and night but from henceforth shall accuse them of that crime no more 11. But they shall overcome him by the merits of his blood who died for them and by their Faith which they have in him and the open profession of the same and they shall not love their lives more than they love their Christ but expose them unto death rather than remain in unbelief and deny their Faith in him and for this it is that Satan shall be cast forth of that Nation 12. Rejoyce ye Church of Israel because Satan is cast forth of your Nation and from ruling any more therein but wo be to the unbelieving Gentiles after this is done for the Devil will be among you altogether and have great wrath as knowing he hath but a short time to stay among you 13. And when Satan shall perceive that he is cast forth of the Jewish Nation he shall set himself to persecute that Church and Nation especially those members of them which were converted first and shall be instrumental to beget the rest to the Faith of Christ. 14. But power and opportunity shall be given to those members of that Church to fly into the Wilderness to the place prepared for them where they shall be nourished and preserved three years and a half from the power of the Devil and his Angels 15. And when the Devil shall perceive that they are fled into the Wilderness he shall send a flood of Water after them to drown them in the Wilderness or drive them out from thence 16. But God shall cause the dry and thirsty earth to open her mouth and swallow up the flood of Water which the Devil shall send after them and the Water thereupon shall do them no hurt 17. At which the Devil shall be very wroth and thereupon shall leave the Wilderness where they be and make War with the remnant of that Church and Nation which shall not flee into the Wilderness as the other shall but keep the commandments of the Lord their God and profess the faith of Jesus Christ in their known and open dwellings 18. And to accomplish this design of his he shall stand upon the sea shore representing the heathen people and Nations of the World out of whom he shall raise a beastly Tyrant to make War against that part of the Church of Israel which shall flee into the Wilderness as hereafter followeth Disputation VIII 1. Quest. Whether this Prophecy doth belong to the seventh Trumpet and be a part thereof Ans. 1. The seventh Trumpet doth not end with the former Chapter

as they were should be fulfilled therefore that Seal is to continue but a little season after the cry of the souls is over and consequently the seven Trumpets which contain Gods Judgments on their persecutors are to come shortly after ● The sixth Seal is a Prophecy of the signes which Prognosticate the day of Judgment and the second coming of Christ to be near at hand Mat. 24. 30. Mark 13. 26. Luk. 21. 27 28. therefore the fifth Seal is to continue and the Saints to suffer under it till those signs begin and because those signs are not yet begun therefore the fifth Seal is not yet fulfilled 4. From the coming of those signs unto the day of Judgment is but a short time as our Saviour also saith Mat. 24. 33. therefore all the Prophecies in the Revelation from the sixth Seal to the nineteenth chapter v. 11. where the day of Judgment doth commence are to continue but a short time and consequently it is a long time before the four first Seals do end and for ought we know it is a long time before any of them shall begin 5. The opposition between the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that must shortly come to pass Rev. 1. ● and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that must be done hereafter Rev. 4. 1. intimate so much The first are a Preface to the things spoken of in the Epistles to the seven Churches and shew they were to begin shortly after Johns time the second are a Preface to the Prophecies in this chapter and in the chapters following and shew they were not to begin so soon but a long time after 6. The conjectural expositions of these Prophecies signifie as much for time is the best interpreter of Prophecies and if these Prophecies were fulfilled already men would not speak upon conjecture nor write so variously and uncertainly of the meaning of these Prophecies as they do CHAP. VII The Prophecy of the Sealed which were to be secured from suffering 1. ANd after these doleful sights were over I saw farther what should come to pass in the time of this Prophecy before the seventh Prophecy should begin to wit that four Angels should stand upon the four corners of the earth upon each corner one which should have power over the four winds that be in the earth to let them loose or to keep them in that they should not blow upon the earth nor upon the Sea nor upon the Trees but as they pleased 2. And I saw that another Angel should then come with a Commission from the East and bring the Seal of the living God along with him and that he should cry with a loud voice to the four Angels which had power to hurt the earth and the Sea 3. Saying That they should not hurt the earth nor the Sea nor the Trees until we have sealed the Servants of God in their fore-heads 4. And I heard the number of them which were to be Sealed and they were a hundred and fourty and four thousand young men of the Iewish Nation which are to be reckoned in this manner 5. Of the young men of the tribe of Iuda shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Reuben shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Gad shall be sealed twelve thousand 6 Of the young men of the tribe of Aser shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Naphthali shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Manasse shall be sealed twelve thousand 7. Of the young men of the tribe of Simeon shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Levi shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Issachar shall be sealed twelve thousand 8. Of the young men of the tribe of Zabulon shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Ephraim shall be sealed twelve thousand of the young men of the tribe of Benjamin shall be sealed twelve thousand The Prophecy of the blessedness of the not sealed Martyrs after death 9. But lest any should be discouraged from suffering for the cause of Christ because they be not sealed and secured from suffering as the other were there was presented unto me the great felicity and transcendent bliss which the Martyrs should enjoy in Heaven at the same time that the sealed ones should be secured on earth and I saw they should be more in number than the other were to wit an exceeding great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues which should stand before t●e Throne of God and before the Lamb in white robes of Glory and Palms of triumph in their hands 10. Where they shall laud and praise the Lord for that Heavenly Glory and felicity which they shall be in at this time acknowledging and saying Salvation proceedeth from the Lord our God which sits upon the Throne and from Jesus Christ the Holy Lamb and to them be it ascribed for evermore 11. And not only they themselves but also all the Holy Angels which are in Heaven shall laud and praise the Lord for that Heavenly bliss and happiness which the Martyrs shall have in Heaven at that time when the sealed ones are sealed on earth 12. Saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanks and Honor and Power and Might be ascribed to the Lord our God for evermore 13. And that I might understand the meaning of the Vision one of the four and twenty Elders asked of me saying What be these comely persons whom thou seest arrayed in white robes of Glory and Palms of triumph in their hands and from whence came they to that blessed State and transcendent degree of happiness which thou seest them now to have 14. And I said Ah Sir thou knowest who they are and I would learn of thee who they be and from whence they came to that blessed State and transcendent degree of happiness which I see them in at this time and what it was that brought them hither Then he said unto me These be the Holy Martyrs of the Church which were in great affliction in the World and suffered death for the cause of Jesus Christ and shed their blood for professing of his Gospel for this cause it is that they be now in white robes of Glory which were made so by his blood and are given them as a reward for their suffering for him 15. For this cause it is that they be now before the Throne of God and serve him in the Church Triumphant as in their life-time they did in the Church Militant and God shall dwell with them and be their God 16. They suffered hunger heretofore but now they suffer it no more they suffered thirst heretofore but now they shall suffer it no more they suffered persecution heretofore but they shall suffer it no more 17.