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A43282 Seder olam, or, The order, series or succession of all the ages, periods, and times of the whole world is theologically, philosophically and chronologically explicated and stated also the hypothesis of the pre-existency and revolution of humane souls together with the thousand years reign of Christ on earth ... : to which is also annexed some explanatory questions of the book of the Revelations ... : and an appendix containing some translated out of Latin by J. Clark, M.D., upon the leave of F.M., Baron of Helmont.; Seder olam. English Helmont, Franciscus Mercurius van, 1614-1699.; Clark, J., M.D. 1694 (1694) Wing H1394; ESTC R235336 106,660 246

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we live comprehending within it all visible things from the remo●est Stars even to the Earths profundity which is therefore called the Wo●ld of Fabrication because Death and Stupidity so p●evails in the most parts of it that all things in this World seem rather to move in a manner Mechanically than from a vital principle which nevertheless is to be understood in comparison to the superiour Worlds where indeed the vital principle is far more predominant than in this inferiour World nor is this inferiour World in any even the most stupid part of it wholly and in every degree deprived of Life 40. Nothing th●re●ore which belongs to this vi●ible World is immediately created ●or this vi●ible World is not properly a created World but made and composed of pre-existent principles which pre-existent principles belong to the World of Formation and the World of Formation owes its original to the Pre-existent principles of the World of Creation the World of Creation only is properly and strictly created and its production is properly called Creation for this doth not exist from any Pre-existent principles or from a Subject or parts making a whole but has only God the Father and Ch●ist his only begotten Son for its Author and Original 41. Therefore Men born into this World to speak properly are not immediately created neither in respect of Soul nor Body the external or o●●ward Body with the Life thereof is that which belongs to this World of Fabrica●●on but the Soul which is called Neshama pertains to the World of Creation Lastly the Spirit pertains to the World of Formation which possesseth the middle place between the Soul and outward Body and this Spirit by the Hebrews is called Ru●ch but the Life and Spirits of the external Body are termed by the same Nep●esh ther● are therefore three vital principles in every Man Nesha●a Ruach and Nep●esh Neshama of the World of Creation Ruach of the World of Formation and N●phesh of the World of Fabrication moreover Nephesh is the Cloathing or Vehicle of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruach and Ruach is the Vehicle and Garment of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neshama 42. First of all therefore Men are created in the World of Creation secondly formed in the World of Formation where they assume their Cloathing or Vehicle which is called Ruach and this Ruach is a certain Subtile and Spiritual Body of which sort are the Bodies of Angels and just ●en made perfect thirdly they are made or fabricated in the World of Fabrication and all this is expresly confirmed by Testimony of the Scripture it self Isai. 43.7 Every one that is called in my Name have I created formed and made and consequently according to these words of Scripture the Hebrews call the World of Creation Briah the World of Formation Iezirah and the World of Fabrication Asiah which three Hebrew words are expresly to be met with in the place of Scripture above cited 43. Moreover besides this World Briah higher than which our Original doth not reach if we have respect to the parts composing humane Nature there is understood another World more noble and in the Order of Nature more antient than the rest immediately ●lowing from the Author God himself called in Hebrew Aziluth which signifies the nearest to the most high and supreme God himself and this cannot agree to any other than Christ the Saviour and Mediator b●tween God and Men. 44. Therefore those Hebrew Doctors do rightly and truly teach and that altogether according to Scripture Testimony that those four Worlds above-mentioned do exist to wit the Aziluthick which is of Christ the Briatick which is of Souls the Ieziratick which is of Angels not yet consummated and the Asiatick which is of Men cloathed with an external Body But as the A●ziluthick as it is the noblest of all so it is the greatest and but only one altho' the Hebrews distinguish it into ten Emanations the distinction of which Emanation nevertheless is only modal and not essential But the Briatick Ieziriatick and Asiatick Worlds ●s to their number and multitude in respect of us are infinite and innumerable because as I have said before God is continually a Creator for the Attribute of a Creator is essential to him and therefore he doth ●nd will continually create new Worlds to all Eternity And lastly from these new created Worlds other new Ieziratick and Asiatick Worlds arise and therefore 't was truly said of Solomon we cannot search out the beginning nor the end of God's works as true also was that saying in another passage The mighty Works of God are past finding out 45. Now the Ieziratick World from whence as from its root the Asiatick World proceeded penetrates and pervades the whole Asiatick World in every part with its vital and essential Rays also the Briatick World by the difusion of its vital and essential Rays penetrates the whole Ieziratick and Asiatick World and lastly the Azilutick World not only penetrates and pervades the three inferiour Worlds by the transfusion of its essential and vital Rays but also most intrinsecally comprehends and embraces it in its Bosom as a Mother doth her O●f-spring and so indeed all these four Worlds are intrinsically present one with another yet so that the ●hird is more subtile and Spiritual than the ●ourth the second than the third and the ●irst than the second and consequently more penetrative and per●usive 46. From what has been said it evidently appears that humane Souls did pre-exist before they came into these gross and Earthly Bodies for nothing which is properly created is of this visible Wo●ld but the Soul is properly created● therefore the Soul had not its original or first exis●ence in this visible World but it first existed in the World of Creation then descended from the World of Creation into the World of Formation and lastly from the World of Formation into this World of Fabrication 47. But as for this Asiatick World this hath its rise and Original from the Ieziratick World by reason of some great falls of the Souls contained therein for transgressing the Law of God And if these Souls had nev●r fell this Asiatick VVorld which is the VVorld of Fabrication had never existed 48. Nevertheless the Souls of the Ieziratick VVorld are not changed into the parts of the Asiatick VVorld that is to say into the Dust of the Earth Stones Plants and Trees for such a change of Souls is plainly impossible but the Bodies of those Souls distinct ●rom the Souls themselves and by the Sins of those Souls separated from them as by a certain kind of Death were subjected to such a change or conversion into the parts of the Asiatick VVorld 49. There●ore this Asiatick VVorld is truly call'd Golgotha or the place of Sculls and ●●p●lchres to wit because it is nothing else in a manner but a certain mass and heap of Carcasses and dead Bodies which those Souls have put off by reason of their Sins in the Ieziratick World and being thus devested they at length grew into this Grosness Death and
time of Christ's Incarnation and many more be●ween the Murther of Abel and that time therefore those very Iews had divers times lived in the World before that time yea Cain who killed Abel lived at that time Now That the Fathers of those Iews did kill the Prophets is true for all the Prophets which were killed were either killed by the Fathers of those Iews but in the space of four Generations or by those very Iews themselves 24. Fourthly 'T is proved in that Christ affirms that those very Iews to whom he spoke whilst in the Flesh had killed the Prophets O! Ierusalem Ierusalem said he that killest the Prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee but thou would'st not 25. Fifthly it is proved in that St. Paul 1 Thess. 2.15 affirms that the same Iews killed Christ and the Prophets 26. Sixthly In that Christ in his Parable af●irms those Husband-men to have ill treat●d the Servants of the Lord and at last killed the Son himself 27. Seventhly from Christ's Parable of La●ourers hired and sent into the Field some in the Morning others at the third Hour others at the sixth Hour others at the ninth Hour others were called at the eleventh Hour but they who were called at the eleventh Ho●r stood all the Hours of the day idle in the Marke● By those Labourers who were called in the eleventh Hour the Gentiles are to be understood who were called into the Church of Christ by the Minstery of the Apostles after Christ's Resurrection By those who were called in the Morning and at other Hours of the day the Iews are understood the Morning is the beginning of the Wo●ld ●nd therefore certain Iews who lived in the Apostles days liv'd from the beginning of the World and laboured twelve Hou●s in the Field some laboured nine others six three c. And when the Evening came th●y all received a Peny the Gentiles were made equal with the Iews the Iews mu●mur●d but without reason for the Gen●i●es ●h●t believed in Christ and laboured in the Field had done as much and some of them more in the last hour than the Iews had done in the whole day for they had done but little before Christ's Incarnation and Passion and many of them did not labour without grudging therefore Christ said of them Many are call●d but few are chos●n 28. ●ighthly 'T is proved from the Words of P●ter 1. Epist. Chap. 3. v. 18.19 For the same Souls or the same Men who lived before and perished in the Flood liv'd also in Bodies of Flesh upon the Earth when Ch●ist ●u●fer'd Death in the Flesh who being mortified in the Flesh was quicken'd in the Spirit and poured out upon Men a more abundant Life of Grace after he arose from the Dead and then indeed by the ministery of his Life and Grace he preached to those Souls who from the beginning of the World were detain'd in Prison and in Chains of Darkness under the Power of Satan which Souls notwithstanding wer● restor'd to Life in a Body of Flesh to hear the Gospel Pr●ached For the Gospel is not preach'd to Souls that live out of the Flesh but to such as live on Earth in Bodies of Flesh Iohn 1.9 Iohn 3.11.17.59 Luke 2.14 29. 9 ly 'T is proved from the Words of Peter where he affirms in his 1 Epistle Chap. 4. vers 6. that the Gospel was preached to the Dead That they might be judged as Men in the Flesh and therefore they who in time past were dead lived again in the Flesh that they might live to God in the Spirit 30. 10 ly 'T is prov'd in that Christ preached that the Hour should come and was already come in which the Dead should hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Whereby the Dead he means not only the Spiritually Dead but such as are naturally Dead also who were to live again in the days of Christ that they might hear the Gospel and in hearing might believe and in believing might have eternal Life 31. Proof 11. St. Paul in his Epistle to Romans ● 25 affirms that Redemption is made in Christ Jesus to the remission of Sins past in the patience and long suffering of God Now the aforement●oned Sins are all the Sins committed by all Men from the beginning of the World 32. Proof 12. Christ is said to have reconciled us to God by his Death even when we were enemies to him and to have born our Sins in his Body on the Cross which he could not have done if we had not lived some time before the Death of Christ. 33. Prof 13. Christ dyed for all Men as well for those that had been dead from the beginning of the World as for those who were then alive and therefore the Efficacy of his Sacrifice extends unto all that have ever lived from the beginning of the World that they might repent and obtain forgiveness of their Sins If they would but believe in Christ and obey his Commandments for the time to come And how absurd is that opinion that Christ should suffer Death for all that dyed since the beginning of the World and yet that the greatest part of them should be wholly ignorant of so great Grace and Favour neither should ever taste of the Fruits of the said Grace after the Death of Christ 34. Proof 14. Christ hath affirmed that all Sins should be forgiven exc●pt the Sin against the Holy Ghost but there were no Sins committed against the Holy Ghost before the Death of Christ. 35. Proof 15. Paul said God winked at Men in the times of ignorance but then he called all to Repentance Therefore he called those also to repent whom he hath formerly winked at ever since the beginning of the World 36. Because otherwise the Patience and long Suffering of God cou'd not be explained for God forbore with much long Suffering the vessels of Wrath c. And the great long Suffering of God allowed much time for Repentance because in the sight of the Lord a thousand years are but as one day 37. Proof 17. Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 3 said God did not come on purpose to execute his tremenduous judgments in the conflagration of the World because he is long suffering and wills all to come to Repentance and therefore the long Suffering of God bears with Men almost two thousand years after the death of Christ before the beginning of the Millenium an● three thousand years before the last Judgment and Conflagration of the Wo●ld which three thousand years are with the Lord but as three days Now to what purpose did God grant Men so long a time But that such as had not lived a thou●and years from the beginning of the World might have the same time to live in a Body of Flesh before the end of the World that they might at last repent and in case they did not repent should be justly punished
excepted which is more illustrated by this Hypothesis there are sundry other places of Scripture which seem to be very much illustrated by the said Hypothesis no●withstanding that where Christ is said to have once appeared in the end of the World to purge away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself because indeed that Soul bore the name of Christ and Lord only in his twelfth Revolution For neither Abel nor Isaac or any other of those 12 Revolutions was called Christ nor ought any of them to bear the dignity or Character of Christ till they had performed their 12 Revolutions whereby that Soul ought to be fitted and prepared to Assume this excellent Title and Dignity Wherefore it is true that Christ was but once born in the Flesh and but once suffered for the Sins of all Mankind even according to the aforesaid Hypothesis because Christ did not assume that Soul in a personal unity as the seed of Abraham till the 12 Revolution 12. Lastly because Moses foretold that God would raise up a Prophet to the Israelitish People from amongst their Brethren like unto him The Word raise up seems to intimate that the Soul of the same Prophet had lived before in the Flesh yea was at time living in the Flesh. Moreover the aforsaid Hypothesis if it shou●d gain admittance would arm us with the most effectual Argument to convince the Iews that that was the very Messiah who was Born of the Virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate For he ought not to have come sooner nor later into the World than he did because if he had come sooner he could not have perform'd his Revolution o● 3996 years 〈◊〉 ought not to come later because 〈◊〉 some Souls would have fin●shed all their Revolutions before the Messias was come and so would have been frustrated and disappointed of the Fruit of his coming which could not be 107. But laying aside the aforesaid Hypothesis still the Argument remains as strong as before to convince the Iews that the Messias ought not to have come later into the World then he actually did The Iews themselves deny his coming sooner because indeed if he had come later then certain Souls would have compleated their 12 Revolutions before he came and so would have reaped no benefit by the Messias coming into the World 108. This Argment will be more forcible to convince the Iews because the Iews themselves do acknowledge the Revolution of Souls to live divers times in the Flesh altho' they are ignorant of the number of those Revolutions yet they expect that all shall at last be rais'd up and restor'd to ●ife in the days of the Messias that they may enjoy the Benefits of his coming when he shall come Now if it can be made appear to them from the Old Testament which they acknowledge and believe that there are 12 Revolutions of humane Souls living in a Body of Flesh and neither more nor less even till they are at length perfected in a good or evil I think we need not doubt but may positively conclude that the Iews at leastwise all who are ingenious and covet in any Measure or Degree the knowledge of the truth will be convinced that the Messias is come and in the next place believe his coming in the Flesh that he suffered Death and rose again from the Dead and in believing be converted and become true Christians which God of his Mercy hast●n and accomplish Amen 109. Paul in 1 Cor. 15.51 saith We shall not all sleep● but we shall be all changed in which Words he plainly hints that some of the Saints shall sleep after they shall be bor● a●ain in the Flesh and be again rais'd from 〈◊〉 ●●ead this indeed is affirm'd of 〈…〉 El●as ●ho are to come into the 〈…〉 Yea●s before the Millenium and 〈…〉 in the Flesh who shall proph●●● three Years and an half in the Wor●d and chiefly to the Iews and People 〈◊〉 Israel which three Years and an half being expir'd they are to be kill'd by the Beast and in three days and an half rais'd up to Life again in the same Bodies wherein they were slain and being thus rais'd up to Life they shall not remain on Earth but ascend into the Heavens and there remain with Christ till the end of the World and then indeed they shall come with him in the Clouds of Heaven 110. And that those two Witnesses Rev. 11. are those two Prophets who in a proper and litteral Sense were to be kill'd seems to me most evident which will be between the sixth and seventh Trumpet viz. in the end of the Interval of the sixth Trumpet as it is to be seen from the words of the Revelations Also the days of their Prophesie are 1260 Days not signifying so many Years but only so many common Days because there are not 1260 Years between the sixth and seventh Trumpet but only 260 and yet this admirable event will happen● between those Trumpets yea in the end of the sixth Trumpet for they shall be born and slain in the space of 45 Years before the beginning of the Millenium 111. That Elias shall come before the beginning of the Millenium appears from the words of Christ Elias truly shall come and restore all things 112. And lastly That Moses and Elias were to come and be slain and raised again from the Dead and then ascend into Heaven and remain with Christ the whole Millenium appears from Christ's Transfiguration in the Mount where were seen with him Moses and Elias and these are they whom God the Father hath ordain'd to sit the one at the Right Hand and the other at the Left Hand of Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven 113. Wherefore they are of an higher Order and Rank than all the Prophets and Apostles 114. Therefore diligently weigh and consider whether Abraham Isaac and Iacob that sit in the Kingdom of Heaven be not Moses Christ and Elias of whom Christ has for the greatest Dignity Consider also whether the same Moses was not Enoch and whether or no what is written o● Enoch and Elias that they should be translated into Heaven doth not answer truly to this Translation of M●ses and Elias for in the first Translation they did not obtain the Resurrection of a glorified Body but it ●a●her happen'd to them in a figure for Ch●●●● only was the first of all that attai●●● the R●surrection of a glorified Body 〈…〉 is call●d in Scripture the first 〈…〉 among the De●d and the first 〈…〉 the Resurrection from the Dead 〈…〉 ou● Lo●d and Saviour Jesus 〈◊〉 arose ●ir●t of all from the Dead 〈◊〉 ●ore to suffer Death then the first o● all● who s●●ll arise after him is Moses and Elias and then the other Prophets and Apostles with all the Saints every one in his Or●er 115. And that those two Prophets and W●●n●●ses in the Revelation were indeed Moses and Elias is tacitely signify'd in these Wo●●● they shall have power to withhold the Rain
born o● Flesh and Blood And tho' it may be granted that the Hypothesis of the Revolutions may some way illustrate the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead as Minutius Felix improved it to that purpose to convince the Heathen Philosophers of the verity of the Resurrection yet the Resurrection of the Dead tho' it be call'd a Revolution is not like those other Revolutions wherein Men's Souls are supposed after Death to revolve into other Bodies by humane Generation Page 71. ad fin Emend That none had finished their Revolutions according to that Hypothesis before the Death of Christ must be granted but that all Souls had begun their Revolutions before Solomon's time unless it be restrained to the Souls of the Iews is not so apparent but rather according to the Mystick Writers of the Iews many Souls do still begin their Revolutions until 6●00 Years be ●xpired from the beginning of this World Page 81. ad med Emend That it is more probable those 144000 mentioned Re●el ch 7. and c● 14. are to be understood of the first Fruits of the raised Saints sometime before the beginning of the 1000 Years viz. about the time of t●e opening of the sixth Seal Page 88. l. 22. Emend and Explic. This is only to be understood of all such Souls to whom the Period of 4000 Year● is given because of the dark times preceding but in the Ages of more Light under Christ less time is given the shortness of time being supplied sufficiently wi●h the greater Light Page 93. l. 20. Emend and Explic. This present time is the last to any that have had sufficient time formerly giv●n them but not to others that have not had their ●ull day and time given them Page 95. l. 5. Emend and Explic. That Souls revolve but thrice in the space of 1000 Years and consequently but once in the space of 333 Years● is to be understood of such Souls as have committed such hainous Crimes as for which they deserved to be ejected or cast out for so long a time which Ejection is called by Mystick Writers Excision that is either for such a long time as 333 Years or if they do not amend may prove at last a final Excision But such Souls 〈◊〉 do amend the Mystick Writers say do quickly revolve in order to their perfect Restitution so that the Soul of the deceased Fa●her may revolve in his Grand-child which is only but Historically related but not Dogmatically a●serted yet not so that the Father is the Grand-Child for that would be great Confusion but that as they say the Soul of the Deceased Grand-father doth revolve to cohabit and live together wi●h the Soul of the Grand-Child in the same Body even as the Soul of the Grand-Child did live together and cohabit with the Soul of the Grand-father in the Grand-father's Body out of whose Loins he did at last proceed according to which Hypothesis it may be understood how the Souls ●f Er and Onan who died in the Land of Canaan yet went with their Brethren into Egypt making in all together with Er and Onan but 70 Souls as pl●inly appe●reth from Gen. 46.12 27. it being granted that they revolved in P●a●ez and Zerah their younger Brethren who had also their own proper distinct Souls all whi●h were great distinct Roots of their r●spe●tive Families Page 105. lin 1. Correct The Years from Chris●'s Resurrection to the beginning of the first Trumpet are 180 to which adding the Y●ars ●rom Christ's Bir●h ●o his Death and Resurrection viz. 34 Years current make 214 and therefore correct the Intervals of the Trumpets thus 214 474.734.9●4.1254.1514.1774 ●034 The occasion o● the difference of four Years is above-noted and corrected at Page ●6 Page 1●8 109. Emendat and Explic. If the seven Thunders and seven Vials have some Analogy as is ●robable th●se Intervals of Numbers Page 108. may ●ather be referred to the seven Thunders than to the ●even Vials● And it is rather more probable that the 〈◊〉 of the seven Vials begins not to be poured out until 〈◊〉 year from Christ's ●●rth 1●0● and if we allow ten Years to each Vial the last shall be poured out 〈◊〉 the year 1770 after which allowing three Years and to the personal Antichrist that is then to come whose time● according to the general Sence of Antiquity is limited to that short space of three Years and ½ an● who at the end of that short space is to be destroyed by Christ's coming it brings us to the beginning 〈◊〉 the 1000 Years about the year 1774● which yet 〈◊〉 not Dogmatically a●●●r●ed but by way of a probabl● Hy●othesi● and modest conjecture But that the Papal Hi●rarch● will not expire a●out the year 1700 〈◊〉 apparent ●rom M●●●chi●●'s Prophec An Irish A●●●● who lived abo●t 〈◊〉 Y●ars ago and had a Vision of 〈◊〉 the Popes that should be fr●m hi● time to the 〈◊〉 See Fl●re's 〈◊〉 according to w●ich Fifteen 〈◊〉 Sixteen Popes are yet to come but they may all happen to come and p●●s before the year 1●5● be 〈◊〉 expired But a●ou● the year 1●●● which is th●●g●● by strict account to 〈…〉 or 16●● some gre●● change may be probably expected in 〈◊〉 to a 〈◊〉 Reformation in the World tha● very 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 beginning of the sixth Seal according to this Ch●●●●●logical H●po●hesis The seventh Seal may either 〈◊〉 suppos'd to comprehend in a ●●ner●● way● all the 〈◊〉 Seals and Intervals of ●he ●rumpets and V●●●s ●r wi●●out any change of the Chronological Per●ods 〈◊〉 numbers of Years the seventh Seal may ●e supp●●● to be Synchronous or Contemporal with the 〈◊〉 Seal and consequently the half hour's silence may 〈◊〉 re●erred to that time to great Peace and Quiet 〈◊〉 the Church of Christ shall enjoy ●rom the year 1●●● to the year 17●0 ●ithin which space of ●0 Yea●● the seven Via●s called the seven last Plagues● are to poured out upon the false Church the Whore ●●●bylon and chie●ly the R●m●● ●ierarch● a●d Pap●●● Page 110. a●●ed 〈◊〉 It is a great mista●● that needs C●rrec●i●n 〈◊〉 ●hich the Author 〈…〉 had corre●ted in ●is Manus●●p●s a● if the Prophe●s 〈◊〉 Apostles or ●ny other of 〈◊〉 d●●e●sed Saint● sha●l born agai● into the World of Women Virgins or any others But all the deceased Saints shall ●e raised up● and ●eceive their Resurrection Bodies by ●he immediate Power of God and Christ. And t●o ' it is called in Scripture Re●eneration yet it is properly and truly a real Resurrection as well as Re●enera●●on w●ereb● according to the Body th●● shall be the Children of God as well as according to the Soul and ●●●rit Mor●over as ●oncerning the order of t●● R●su●●e●●ion the Scrip●ure is plain Fi●st 〈◊〉 the first Fr●its af●er they t●at are Chri●● a● 〈◊〉 Co●i●g But i● is worthy ●o be conside●●d w●ether ●here ●●y no● be a first Fruits of t●e R●s●r●●●●●on before the general Re●●rrection o● the 〈…〉 to the R●v●lati●ns Chap. 7. an● Chap. 14. Page 11● an●
Stupidity which they now suffer 50. And therefore our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ after he came into the Flesh in the likeness of sinful Flesh was to be c●u●ified in Golgotha which is the place of Scu●●● or Sepulchres by which is typically signif●●● this Asiatick VVorld or VVorld of Fabrication● that so in this place of Death he ●●g●●●vercome Death it self who is our Saviour and Prince of Life yea Life it self which that he might do by the Ordination of divine VVisdom he was to die in a Body of Flesh and then to rise again in the same Body in which he died that he might become the first Fruits of the Resurr●●tion of the Dead and his B●dy being Glorified and Immortalized might at length glori●ie and immortalize the Bodies of Saints in which Bodies they shall live and reign with Ch●ist for ever in the Heavens 51. Therefore this Asiatick VVorld is to be again converted and reduced into the Superiour and excellent Ieziratick VVorld that all its parts may be re-united to these antient Souls whereunto in times past they belonged that so at length the Souls and Bodies may be purified in this VVorld from all dreggs of Sin and Death as in a refining Furnace of Affliction and Suffering and lastly eternally glorified in a indissolvable incorruptible union of both Body and Soul 52. And then indeed the natural and animal Body will be changed into a Spiritual Body which is far nobler yea all this gross and material VVorld where Death and Stupidity so wonderfully reigns will be rendred full of Life and Spirit 53. And yet this great and truly wonderful change and conversion of all even the vilest things of this Asiatick VVorld may not be suddenly and altogether but by parts and in various Successions of Ages according to the predestination of divine VVi●dom 54. Therefore the Ages of VVorlds i● respect of human Intellect are truly infinite and innumerable and that not only in regard of things to come but in regard of things past 5● Moreover this Asiatick VVorld hath had its existence ●or many more Ages than we Mortals are able to number 56. Therefore this Asiatick VVorld wherein we live must be distinguished into many and various VVorlds as a Whole is distinguished into its parts beyond the reach of Mortals understanding 57. But those particular Asiatick VVorlds are most commodiously distinguished in respect of the Years whereof they consist 58. Now every particular Asiatick World consists of seven Thousand Years which make up as it were one week consisting of seven days 59. For a thousand Years with the Lord are as one Day and one Day as a thousand Years as it is in the 90th Psalm and confirmed by the Apostle Peter in hls second Epistle ver 3. 60. And the seventh Millenium or seventh Thousandth Year of each VVeek of the World is the Sabbath of this VVorld 61. Therefore this World of ours consists of Seven Thousand Years whose seventh Millenium is the Sabbath or Sabbatism of this our present World as it is in Heb. 4. 62. And indeed that Sabbath of days which God commanded the Iews to observe was a Type or Figure of this Mystery the same also was that of the Sabbath of Years Months and VVeeks which in times past God likewise command the Iews to observe 63. Now whereas every fiftieth Year comprehending seven weeks of years was a year of Iubilee wherein every Captive was to be set at liberty and every one to return to his own Family House and Posses●●on this certainly signifies fifty thousand years which contain seven weeks of Worlds therefore in the fifty thousand year or end of every seventh World many Souls are to be saved and reconciled to God by Christ which as yet could not obtain Salvation in the preceding weeks or VVorlds but suffered for their Impieties by the most just Judgmnet of God the execrable torments of Hell Fire 64. Others there are whos● Sins God doth pardon in this World for the sake of Christ such as are Sins of Ignorance and all others of which Men sincerely repent but there are some whose Sins are n●i●her forgiven in this World nor in that which is to come and yet are forgiven in some third World and lastly there are others which are not remitt●d till the ●ourth and so on even to a seventh according to the most just Judgment o● God nay far beyond a seventh even to the seventy seventh thousand year the Remission of ●ome very notorious and wicked Sins seems to be deferred that ●s not less than eleven weeks and such a kind of a Sinner that wicked Lamech seemed to be who predicted of himself his to Wives that Vengeance should be taken on him seventy seven fold that is as it seems 77000 Years But on Cain who was not so wicked Vengeance was to be taken but seventy fold which is 7000 Years to wit the whole time of this World 64. Then if one day with the Lord be as a thousand years by the same reason one year i.e. 365 days will be as 365000 years which Period of 365000 years ●eems to be some vast Age comprehending about 52142 Worlds within which space of time whatsoever is of humane kind on Earth will doubtless be converted unto God Nevertheless the Asiatick VVorld doth not cease to be upon this account because the parts of the Asiatick World are continually multiplied by reason of the continual Multiplication of other VVorlds to wit the Ieziratick and Briatick whereof we have already made mention 66. Therefore they err extreamly and conceive too unworthily of God yea do not righ●ly know nor consider the na●ure of him who think the punishments o● the damned are to be perpetrated to all Eternity without any end or termination For the very nature of God is Love it self according to the express words of the Apostle Iohn and finally because the nature of God is unchangeable therefore he did necessarily love all his Creatures and that constantly and unchangeably too nor could he absolutely hate any thing that ever he created and because love is of the nature of God himself and whatever he operates or doth in relation to his Creatures even when he most severely punishes them for their Sins proceeds all from Love therefore God loves his Creatures in the most miserable and wretched state and condition they can exist in and therefore cannot but benefit them and so at length bring them out of misery Therefore all the punishments which the most just and truly tremenduous Justice of God inflicts on Sinners are t●ue effects and real tokens of his divine Love towards them the most certain end and design of all which is the Redemption and Deliverance of those Sinners ●rom all their Sins and Punishments inflicted on them for Sin and their final Glorification and Restoration to Justice and Holines● which is apparently confirmed by St. Iohn
he shall quicken us and in the third Day he shall raise us up and we shall live in his Sight What can be here signified by two Days but two thousand years● as in Psal. the 90. as in 2. Pet. 3.8 And therefore by the third Day he plainly means that Sabbatick Millenium of the World wherein he and all the Saints were to be raised up to live intirely a thousand years neither to dye any more but to ascend into the celestial Country when the Millenium o● thousand 〈◊〉 is fi●i●hed Now Osea lived in the fourth Millenium and therefore when said after two days c. he had respect to the seventh Millenium but compare this Prophesy with that of Daniel concerning 2300 years and thou shalt plainly perceive that both extend unto the Sabbatick Millenium 9● But because those 1335 Days Dan. 12.12 contain 1335 years to wit the whole time of the Apostacy after the Apostles to the beginning of the Millenium therefore from 2300 years 1335 years are deducted and the remainder 965 contains the time from the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity to the beginning of the Apostasie after the Apostles and therefore subtracting 556 from 965 there remains 409 years the time from the Resurrection of Christ to the beginning of the Apostasie to which add 33½ from the Nativity of Christ to his Resurrection the sum is 442 years and an half ●rom the Nativity of Christ to the beg●nning of the Apostasie 95. Add to this Number 442 1260 years mentioned in the Revelation the sum is 1702 years from the Nativity of Christ to the end of the first Period of the Reign of Antichrist 96. The second Period of 1290 years in Daniel extends 30 years further that is from the Birth of Christ to the year 1732. 97. The third Period of the reign of Antichrist extends 45 years further which is 1335 years viz. to the year of Christ's Nativity 1777. 98. Therefore the year 1777 from the Nativity of Christ ends the reign of Antichrist and the four Monarchies and all the Kingdoms of the World and from that very year begins the reign of Christ and of the Saints over the whole Earth 99. But 't is uncertain whether this present Epocha or date from the time of Christ's Nativity in the Flesh commonly received among Christians be true or no for Usher thinks the Vulgar Epocha to fail of the true Epocha about four years 100. Also the great Coversion of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel in its purity and efficacy must preceed this happy Millenium of the World and then will follow the Conversion of the Iews to the Christian Faith to wit from the year 1702 unto the year 1777 but 30 years from the ye 1702 unto the ye 1732 have respect to the Conversion of the Gentiles then 45 years from the year 1742 unto ●777 do in a special manner respect the Restoration Conversion and return of the Iews into their own Country 101. But from the year of Christ's Nativity 652 to the year of Christ 1702 are prepar'd and gather`d unto God and the ●amb 144000 Saints which are the first Fruits for as the Feast of the first Fruits under the Law was kept 50 days before the Feast of Autumn so also now the Feast of the first Fruits preceeds the Feast of Autumn 50 years 1. But the time of the ●uture Millenium seems to have been prefigured to Abraham in the Sacri●ices which God commanded him to offer Now God commanded Abraham to take a Hei●er of three years old a Goat of three years old a Ram of three years old with a Turtle Dove and a young Pigeon Now suppose the Turtle Dove to be one year old and the Pigeon twenty days old the days of all those years according to the prophetick Style signifie years and all being added together make up 3620. Admit also that Abraham saw this Vision when he was 83 years old which was the year of the Wo●ld 2120 according to the aforesaid Chro●ology the number 3620 being added to the number 2120 makes up 5740 the year of the World when the Millenium will begin 2. In the future Millenium all the Saints that ever lived since the beginning of the Wo●ld will be rais'd up to live a Holy and Blessed Life upon Earth for the space of a thousand years Dan. 12. Hos. 6. Revel 20. 3. This Resurrection of all the Saints to Life is the first Resurrection expresly so call'd by the Apostle Iohn Revel 20.5 4. In this first Resurrection the Saints are raised to Life in a Carnal and Terrestial Body not such as we now have but such as Adam had in Paradise before he had eaten the Fo●bidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and such a Body likewise had Christ wherein he suffer'd Death for all Mankind 5. Therefore there is a twofold Resurrection of the Saints the first is in a carnal and Terrestrial Body in which they shall all live for the space of a thousand years The second is that in which that Carnal and Terrestrial Body after the expiration of a thousand years shall not dye but be changed in a moment or in the twinkling of an Eye into a Spiritual and Coelestial Body and ascend into Heaven even as Christ ascended into Heaven after his Resurrection from the Dead 6. Of which twofold Resurrection of the Saints the Apostle Paul speaks clearly in 1 Epist. to the Corinth Chap. 15. That is not first which is Spiritual but that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual as we have born the Image of the Earthly and we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly But we shall not bear the Image of the Earthly in the Body in which we now live viz. of the ear●hly Adam as he was after the fall but in the first Resurrection we shall bear the Image of the earthly in the future Millenium living such a Blessed and Holy Life as Adam ●ould have lived if he had not sinned ●hen at the end of the Millenium we shall not dye but be changed and this Mortal shall put on Immo●t●lity and this Corruptible Incorruption 7. Yet the Body of the first Resurrection may be said in some sence to be Mortal and Corruptible not that it shall ever dye or be corrupted but because in respect of a spiritual Bo●y it is as it were Mortal and Corruptible that is at least not beyond a possibility of dying or being slain by external violence if God were so pleased even as the Body o● Christ suffered Death which notwithstanding in it's own Nature cou'd not dye 8. And that the Saints shall be raised to Life in a Carnal or Natural Body appears from that which Paul said speaking of himself and others we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed and this Mortal shall put on Immortality Paul therefore expected to be raised up to Life in a Body of Flesh in the future
space of seven thousand years being finished the same Souls are again sent into the World for a fresh Tryal of their Obedience But those whom the space of seven thousand years wherein they shall be punish'd in Hell Fire with the most grievous and tremendous Torments will not deter from Sin these certainly are so stupid and obdurate that not any even the longest Torments that words can express can deter from it nor hath that infiniteness of Ages wherein wicked Men are to be punish'd tho' preached up by many re●orm●d Men but rather led many into despair and hardened their Hearts against the Goodness and Mercy of God 16. Now every one making his Revolulution from the first to the twelfth comes three times into the World in a carnal Body in the space of one Millenium which is like one year Consider then whether this be not that which was figured under the Law when all were to appear thrice every year before the Lord at the Temple of Ierusalem which typified the temple of the Body neither doth this seem to want a Mystery that the Temple of Ierusalem stood about a thousand years before it was utterly and totally overturn'd and demolish'd Moreover also this is worthy our animadversion viz. that all Souls whatsoever that had lived in a Body of Flesh ought to have lived once in some hour between the hours Ten Eleven and Twelve including part of the ninth and Thirteenth in Case they had finished their twelve Revolutions from the beginning of the World 18. Therefore all Souls not yet perfect lived in the compass of one hour to wit in the interval of 333 years viz. from the year of the World 3996 to the year of the World 4329. 19. And therefore all that have perform'd their twelfth Revolution within the said hour or a● leastwise their eleventh tenth ninth or eighth ought to hear the Gospel because all Souls who were in their twelfth Revolution were not to return as yet but oth●rs that were to return had not su●●icient opportunity of hearing the Gospel sincerely preached by reason of Antichristian Darkness 20. Others also who were making but th●ir s●v●nth sixth and fifth Revolution ●rom ●he Death and Resurrection of Christ if so be within the said hour they have not heard the Gospel preach'd they must hear in their succeeding Revolutions before the beginning of the Millenium to wit within the year 1700 and 1777 ●rom the birth of Christ. 21. In Revel 20. It is said the rest of the Dead lived not again till the thousand y●●rs were finish'd this certainly is to be unders●ood of those Dead who had compleated their twelve Revolutions but those who had not as yet ●inished their twelve Revo●l●tions were to live again in the Mill●nium ●●t none who belonged to Bab●lon w●re to live again in the Mill●nium because they b●gan th●ir fi●●t Revolution at the year 1●●4 and ●here●ore ●inish ●heir twel●th R●●olu●ion at the year o● the Wo●ld 6740 The TABLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 000 I                   000 A Bull. 333 II 1                 333 A Man 6●6 III 2 1               666 A Lyon 1000 VI 3 2 1             1000 An Eagle A Bull. 1333 V 4 3 2 1           1333 A Man 1666 VI 5 4 3 2 1         1666 A Lyon 2000 VII 6 5 4 3 2 1       2●0● An Ea●le A Bull. 2333 VIII 7 6 5 4 3 2 1     2333 A Man 2●66 IX 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   2666 A L●on 3●00 X 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2   3●00 An Eagle A Bull. 3●33 XI 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3   3333 A M●● 3●00 XI 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4   ●6●6 A Lyo● ●●0 XIII 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5   4000 An Eagle 4333 XIV   12 11 10 9 8 7 6 1 Seal 4333 33● 1 ● A Bul 40●6 XV     12 11 1● 9 8 ● 2 〈◊〉 ●6●6 6●6●● ● A Ma●● 5●● XVI       12 11 10 9 8 3 ●eal 5●00 999 ● 3 A Lyo●● 5333 xvii         12 11 10 9 4 Seal 5333 13●2 4 3 An Eag●●● 5666 xviii           12 11 1● 5 Seal 5666 1665 5 ● A Ma●● 6000 XIX             12 11 6 Seal 6000 1998 6 ● A Ly●●● 6333 XX               12   6333 Millen An Eagle ●666 ●XI                   66●6   ●●d what 's worth our serious Consideration 〈◊〉 that these very Men which shall be at ●●st destroyed in Spiritual Babylon were ●●e same Men who in a litteral Sence ●●ilt the outward Babylon 79. The foregoing Scheme exhibits to our view one great Wheel being the greaest of all then four other great Wheels ●●stly twelve little Wheels The great ●heels containing 1000 the little Wheels ●33 and the greatest of all 4000 years The Explanation of the Figure● 1. In this Figure the great outward ●ircle represents the greatest Revolution ●f Humane Souls 2. The other four great Circles signifie ●he same 4000 years so as that one of them ●akes 1000 years 3. And lastly the lesser Circles signifie ●●ch one only Revolution or Face of 333 ●●ars 4. The chief use of the figure is to ●●ew that there are but 12 Faces altho' ●●ch great one contains four less ones 80. The greatest Revolution of Souls ●omprehending 4000 years is fairly shadowed out to us under the type of the six days Creation For as the first days wo●k was finished in the fourth the work of the second day in the fifth the work of the third day in the sixth a●d finally all in the seventh so the Souls that begin their Revolutious in the first Millenium finish it in the fourth and so fulfill their Mystical year and are either made perfect in Goodness or have filled up their measure of Evil those which are perfect in Goodness shall be rais'd up to Life in the Body and after the Millenium is expir'd their Bodies shall be chang'd and spiritualiz'd and they shall ascend into Heaven but such who have fill'd up their Measure o● wickedness shall be rais'd up to live in a Body of Flesh that they may suffer God`● Judgment in the Conflagration of the World whose Resurrection is to Death and Condemnation Mor●over Souls that begin their Revolutions in the second Millenium compleat them in the fifth and finally those that begin their Revolutions in the third compleat them in the sixth Millenium And forasmuch as in the sixth day of the Worlds Cr●ation Man was created perfect in the Image of God therefore in the sixth Millenium all the Saints shall be raised up to live in the Body and be born in●o the
the second Face is of a Man therefore the number 666 is the number of a Man to wit containing 666 Years from the Year sin●e Christ's Nativity 1036 to the Year 1702 for about the said Year 1036 the second Beast whose number is here computed Ascended out of the Earth vix in the time when Gregory the seventh flourish't who Exalted himself above the Emperor 2 Seeing the Intrerval of every Seal except the seventh contains 333 Years hence it appears that from the Death and Resurrection of Christ to the first part of the Millenium there are about 2000 Years and therefore from Christ's Death and Resurrection to the end of the World there are about 3000 Years which confirms the aforesaid Chronology the same is also confirmed by the Intervals of the Trumpets 3. Now whereas the Interval of each Trumpet is 260 Years this doth not seem to want a mystery for so many days as it were doth the Infant remain in his Mothers Womb and in Esdras the Lodging Rooms or Chambers of the Soul are likened to the Womb of a W●man because then exactly in 260 Years the Soul is recall'd to live again in a Body of Flesh as it were at the sound of the Trumpet of God himself therefore the Interval of every Trumpet is 260 Years to which if 73 Years be added for the age of M●n in a Body of Flesh the sum will be 333 Years aforesaid 4. Mor●over God out of his great Goodn●ss and Wisdom has so decreed that Men should not live altogether and at one time a thousand Years compleat in the corrupt ●tate of a Carnal Body and it stands with the justice of God that they shall live the said thousand Years by parts for by the frequent Death of Men Mankind is better provided for and their Benefit and Advantage consulted for thus God often cuts off Men to plant and ingraft them anew Whereas if Men should at once live a thousand Years compleatly in the State of Corruption they would so degenerate that their Repentance and Salvation wo●ld be far more difficult 5. But if any shou●d demand to what purpose God should call his Saints to live in a Terrestrial and Carnal Body a thousand Years and whether it were not better for them and more desirable to them to remain with God in the Heavens I answer God knows better than we what is most conducive to our Profit and Advantage And therefore the Saints ought to live a thousand Years on Earth partly that they may receive a visible Reward from God in the sight of the Wicked and Ungodly to their greater shame confusion and Condemnation and partly and indeed chiefly that they may be prepared and quali●ied in that Millenium or thousand Years of Life to obtain so much and so great Glory as they shall be invested with when they shall ascend Bodily into Heaven A FEW QUESTIONS BY Way of Exposition ON Each Chapter of the Revelations of St. Iohn Wherein little or in a manner nothing except what pertains to the History is positively concluded but all are left to the free and Impartial Iu●gment and Ezamination of the lovers of Truth CHAP. I. QU●st 1. What may we understand by the seven Churches of Asia By Churches seven States of the Vniveersal Ch. to whom Iohn wrote Whether seven Churches then in being Or rather whether they were not seven States of the Universal Church from the time of our Saviour Christ's Resurrection to that so famous and noted time of the Restoration of all things called in sundry places of Scripture a Sabbath And in the old Testament prefigured under the common Sabbath of Days and Years Which if Iohn had intended of particular Churches then in Being why did he confine himself to a septenary Number● were there not in Asia more than seven Churches Again seeing he termed that which he wrote unto them a Prophesie which hath respect to the time to come this doth not seem to agree so well with certa●n particular Churches then in being as with the Universal Church understood by seven States or Conditions this Church was in for the space of 2000 Years and seeing a septenary number is a mystical Number whether or no this doth not seem to be adapted to the Mystery of the seven Spirits Stars or Angels Quest. 2. Who are we to understand by the seven Angels of the seven Churches Whether are they Presidents or Pastors or Angels properly so called having distinct Administrations over those Churches For it appears from D●niel and other places of Scripture that they were set over Kingdoms and Nations as God`s Vicegerents Why not then over Churches Seeing they are call'd mi●●●t●●ng Spi●its sent out to minister t● all those who shall be Heirs of Salvation He● 1.14 And Heb. 2.5 it is 〈◊〉 unto the Angels he hath not as y●t put in subjection the World to come Whether or no this doth not intimate that this present World is subject to Angels but the World to come only subject to God and Christ And lastly seeing the Kingdoms of this World have their Ages and periods of time the Church will likewise have her Ages and Periods And why may not peculiar Angels be understood to preside and govern in particular Ages of the Church appointed and ordained by the most high to execute that Function CHAP. II. QUest 3. Whether or no the interval of the Church * The Church of Ephesus from the year 1● to the year ●●● since Christs Resu●rection of Ephesus according to the a●ores●id Hypoth●sis will not contain 33●● years from the Resurrection of Christ and in like manner the Church of Smyrna the same and so understand o● the rest except the Church of Laodic●a concerning which it may be qu●stioned whether it doth no● belong to the interval of the Church of Philadelphia For in respect of its State and Condition where●of Iohn gave an excellent description it extends to the Sabbath of the World Then whether the Church of Laodicea will no● have the same interval of time with it tho● it be not the same with the said Church but widely different from it Who are to be understood by the Church of Laodicea ● but certain luke-warm professours of the Christian Religion having a great notion and profession of the truth but possessing in a manner nothing of the Life and Power of it And doth not this clearly appear from the signification of the Words Philad●lphia and Laodice● For Philadelphia signifies the love of the Brethren including certain Christian Virtues but Laodicea imports as much as popular Justice which for the most part is in a manner none at all● Furthermore by the same Reason th● whole interval of two thousand years may be distributed into six equal parts● whereof each will contain 333 years and ⅓ of a year Whether is it not more consentaneous to reason that those intervals of the Churches be equally divided if the Historical events of them do better agree with these
happen'd in the same Intervals of time yet many of them were attended with different consequences others with very ●ike Events as will appear from the ensuing ●ines Quest. 29. Wherefore did Iohn say at the opening of every of the ●our first Seals that he heard one of the Beasts say * Come see why Come and see except it were to shew us that the Interval of every Seal the seventh only excepted comprehends the space of a mystical Hour viz. 333⅓ Years For is not the Face of some Animal stirr'd up or awaken'd in every Mystical Hour which may be therefore said to be on the Watch Veni● vide Come and s●e Quest. 30. If the Events which were to come to pass and are in great measure elapsed from the time of our Lord's Ascension to this present day do better answer to the Intervals of 333⅓ Years assigned to each of the first six Seals than to any other whatsoever doth not this elegantly prove the truth of the said Intervals Quest. ●1 What may we understand by Iohn's Vision of a White Horse and him that sat thereon who held a Bow in his Hand and went out at the opening of the f●●st Seal conquering and to conquer Is not he † He that sat thereon that sat thereon our Lord Jesus Christ And doth not the * The White Horse white Horse mean h●s Ministers arayed in the white Robes of Righteousness and inward Holiness bringing the Gospel unto Men viz. the glad Tidings o● P●ace † What was the Bow in his Hand and doth not the Bow in his Hand signify the Power and Energy of his Heav●nly Gospel and Doctrine Which Gospel indeed in those Primitive times Conquer`d many thousands of Men and subjected them to the Obedience and Faith of Christ. From the Year of Christs Bi●th 366 And moreover did not this pu●e and exceeding prevalent Dispensation of the Gospel remain on Earth at least the space of 333 Years and ⅓ after ou● Lords's Ascension or from his ●●carnation 366 which Interval indeed reacht beyo●d Constanti●e and his Sons nay beyond Iulian the Apostate Iordan Valens Valentinian and indeed the power and purity of the Evangelical Doctrin did still prevail in the World notwithstanding the sottish Superstitions foolish Traditions and wrangling debates of some concerning Arrius and his Disciples Quest. 32. What may we understand by Iohn's Vision of a red Horse What the red Horse is at the opening of the second † The second Seal Seal Is it not Soldiers and Captains of Armies and such as stir up terrible Wars in the World to the shedding o● much Blood and who is he that rides upon this red Horse * He that rides upon the Horse but some great Angel or Daemon who by God's permission inspires and prompts Men to Bloody Wars which Wars doubtless came chiefly in those parts of the World where the Gospel had been Preached and were sent by the most hol● God as a Just Punishment on Men for dispising the Gospel And indeed they who delivered the faithful Servants of God to various kinds of Death in the first Interval because they believed in God and Christ are slain themselves together with their Children by others in the second Interval God punishing the Iniquity of the Fathers u●on the Children even to the third and fourth Generation Besides do not the events or historical effects plainly answer to this second Interval to wit from the Year of our Saviour Christ's Resurrection 333 to the 666 or from the Year of his Birth 366 to the Year 700 for within that Interval of time was not the whole West●rn Empire miserably torn and at last almost totally erased and aboli●hed in the said Interval Moreover also Rome her self as it were ●he Empress of the World was often taken and after some Revolutions she was burnt within the same Interval b●t the chief Authors of these terrible Wars wer● the Go●hs Vandals Hunnes and Persians with th●i● Kings and Leaders Then about the latter end of this Interval viz. about 600 and odd Years after the Birth of Christ comes Mahome● with his follow●rs who were at that time call'd Saracens and these indeed were the Authors of dreadful W●rs in many places Quest. 33. What ●s to be understood by Iohn`s Vision of a black What he ●lack Horse was● ●or●e and him that sat thereon holding a Balance in his Hand when the third Seal was to be opened Is not te●rible Famine hereby signified and indeed that which is natural an● exte●nal as well as that which is spi●it●al an● internal And indeed both ●f these compleatly happened within the third Interval of time to wit from the year of Christ's Resurrection 666 to the year 1000 as the History of those times do clearly evince for in this Interval there was a great Spiritual F●mine or Want of the Celestial Bread of Life and the time of this Interval was the same with that of the Church of Pergamus above recited within which Interval God promised to feed the Faith●ul with hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 for all that whole Interval was full of Ignorance in the extremity of Darkness and very few famous Men flourished in it Lastly as to what pertains to natural or outward Famine that indeed in a manner continually attends horrid and bloody Wars Quest. 34. What is meant by the * The pale Horse pal● Horse and him that sate thereon whose name was Death whom Hell followed having power to kill with the Sword with Famine and with Death and with the Beas●s of the Earth which was to come to pass when the four●h Seal † The 4 th Seal open'd was opened Doth it not seem to be the whole and entire Body of all the Wick that have gone before with Addition of many others For what doth the killing with the Sword signifie but W●r Scarcit● and Famine And was no● Death which was the name of him that sat thereon the Devi● himself whom Hell followed Lastly what is signified by the Beasts of the ●arth but foul and unclean Spirits or Terrestrial Demons which miserably beguile and deceive the Ignorant and Unthinking Mobile with their Cheats and Delusions For in Holy Writ the Devil and unclean Spirits are called Beasts of the Field or Beasts of the Earth as it is said of the Serpent in Genesis that he was more subtile than any Beast of the Field which doubtless could not be understood of common Beasts Moreover doth not the event or Historical effect apparently answer this Inter●val viz. from the Year * From the year of the Resurrection 1000 to 1333. o● Christ's Resurrection 1000 to the year 1333 within which time the foulest Superstitions and most detestable Idolatry abounded among Christians falsly so called also the Pride Covetousness and Luxury of the Antichristian Clergy within this Interval exceeded all bounds besides many damnable Opinions and Here●ies were preached and published by the Antichris●ian Emissaries to wit the
of 1000 Years after ●he ●ate of 1000 years to one Watch of the Nig●t as it is P●al 90. v. 4. each Watch consisting of thre● hours and 12 hours making ●p one intire Night or Day CHAP. XIX QUest 93. What is that multitude of People whom Iohn saw in ●eaven crying ●allelujah Salvation and Glory a●d Honor and Power to our Lo●d God Do not these signi●ie that ●ast Multi●ude which shall be Converted as well of Iews as of Gentiles over the whole Globe of the Earth under the Interval of the sixth Seal and the seventh and last Trumpet together with the Saints raised to Life again under the seventh Trumpet Therefo●e in the same hour of 2●●½ years viz. f●om the year of Christ's Nativity 1●0● to the year 2●33 or from the year of His R●●u●rec●ion 1666 to the year 2000. Will not the City Babylon be destroyed and t●e City or Church of God Glori●●●●y ●●ilt Whether or no that very hour is not that which is ●aid Rev. ● 8.● to be the hour o● Tr●al or Tem●ta●ion which sh●ll come over the whole ●arth from w●●ch● viz. f●om the Dan●●r a●d Evil of this ●our God hath p●omised to preserve t●e Church of P●●●ad●●phia aforesaid Quest. 94. What i● the Marriage of the Lamb which I●●n 〈◊〉 to come at t●e ●●me af●●●●aid And again what is that ●●pper of the L●m● to w●●ch whoso●●●r were called were Blessed v. 7 9 Do not both the Marriage and Supper of the Lamb denote the first Resurrection of the Saints unto Life among whom all Matrimony with the carnal use of it shall cease among Men and Women agreeable to Christ`s saying that in the Resurrection they neither Marry nor are given in Marriage But the Souls of the Saints are Married to the Lamb remaining in the mean time pure and chast Virgins Quest. 95. Doth it not clearly appear from chap. 18. v. 14 15. that the Army of the Lamb was to use no carnal Weapons For their Captain whom they followed Arrayed in white Garments and on white Horses will smite their Enemies with a Sword proceeding out of his Mouth And what are those white Horses which the Saints shall have Are they not pure Bodies Bodies of the first Resurrection above-cited CHAP. XXI QVest. 96. What is that Angel which Iohn sa● coming down from Heaven having the Key of the Bottomless Pit and a great Chain in his Hand who lay hold of the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand Years Is not this Angel Christ But whethe● he shall descend corporally in his Glorified Body or only Spiritually I leave to be farther determined Quest. 97. Do not the 1000 Years six times mention'd in this Chapter signifie 1●00 Years properly so call'd And did not that Sabbath of Days and Y●ars made under the Law pr●●igure this Sabbath of the World to be in the seven thousandth year of it even as the six preceding thousand Years of the World were figur'd out or typified und●r the six Work-days And do not ●hese places of Scripture Psal. 90. v. 4. 2 Pet. 3. v. 8 r●late unto the mystery of 1000 Years put for a day And have not the Prophets prophesied of many great and glorious things touc●ing this ●amous time or gl●rious day of the Lord Also doth not that of Psal. 92. w●ere 't is treated of the Sabbath relate also unto that renowned tim● Moreover is not that day the same whereof Es●ias prophesied saying The Light of o●e day shall be as the Light of seven Days and the Lord alone shall be exalted and magnified in that da● B●sides also not only the more Learned among the I●ws but many also of the Fathers among the C●ristians in the Primitive Ag●s of the Church have declared and asserted their Faith and Hope concerning this Glorious Sabbath and Millennium to come wherein all t●e Saints being recalled from De●th unto Li●e shall lead a most Ble●●ed and also a most Holy L●fe upon Earth in the firm Belief and Perswasion wher●o● t●ey rejoyced and triumphed in the greatest Suff●rin●s and Dang●rs of this mortal Li●e Quest. ●8 Shall not all the Saints that ever lived ●rom the beginning of the World whethe● they w●re killed for the Testimony of God o● died ● natura● Death be raised up to live a Corpor●al Life in the fu●ure Millennium And is not this Resurrection som● part of the Saints Reward both of sma●l and gre●● according to Rev. 11. v. 13. and E●●d 20. v. 2. Quest 9● Shall not the Saints when they shall be rais●d to Life have Bodies of ●lesh not indeed su●h as Men now have but far more excellent such as was Adam's Body whilest he lived in the Earthly Paradise before the Fall and such also as was the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ before his Death which Bodies of the Saints shall at length in the end of the seventh Millennium be changed into Spiritual Bodies in which they shall ascend into H●aven to meet the Lord And did not Paul touch upon that Mystery 1 Cor. 15. saying As we have born the Imag● of the Earthly Adam viz. as he was before the Fal● we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly now glorified in the Heavens And did not the Prophets prophesie of such a Resurrection and especially Hosea and Daniel Dan. 12. v. 2. Hos. 6. v. 2. and finally doth not Paul 1 Cor. 15. plainly describe the s●ate of a two-fold Body the first indeed natural and then after the Expiration of the Millennium and the end of the Worlds Ages is come a Spiritual Body but that is not first which is Spiritual b●t that which is Natural and then that which is Spiritual and is not that Reward one of the Promises of Christ in that Age when he shall come in the Glory ●f his Father Quest. 100. And as the Iews Sabbath began in the end or evening of ●he sixth day will not also this most blessed Sabbath o● the World begin in the end of the sixth Millennium to wit b●fore the sixth Milennium of the World is expired And seeing the whole time of this Worlds duration seems to be a Week consist●ng of 7000 Yea●s th●re woul● be no Rem●inder of Years af●er the end of the Millennium if this h●ppy Age of 1●●0 Years did not commence b●●ore the 6●00 Years were expired And that th●re is some Remaind●r of Years after the Millennium plainly appears ●rom the Revelations which Iohn calls a little Season Rev. 20 v. 3. Now wh●ther or no that little Season may not contain 260 Years making that most happy Age of the World to begin about t●e year of the World 5740 and of Christ's Resurrection 1●4● I leave to be determined by ●ny on● to w●om God shall vouchsafe to open these things by a purer Chronology Quest. 101. How shall the Saints be raised up again to live a Corporeal Life on Earth seeing Matrimony and carnal Conjunction of Male and Female shall cease whether all
from 〈…〉 Explic. It ●●s well th 〈…〉 tion●d of ●a●c c. is s●●d ●xpre●l● 〈…〉 not to be 〈…〉 time the A●t●●r as ●●p●●r 〈◊〉 ou● o● his own M●nu●crip●s ●●d Paper● 〈…〉 stion ne●●●iv●ly 〈◊〉 a pos●●ive an 〈…〉 That Isa●c was 〈…〉 the Woman whi●h Christ 〈◊〉 w●en ●e c●use i● th● Fl●sh and t●at ●or 〈…〉 To 〈◊〉 I●aa● ●●s the promis●d 〈…〉 Ch●ist 〈◊〉 into that mos● 〈…〉 Un●●● wi●h himself is ●o ●ay 〈◊〉 I●●ac ●●com● Chri●t and so wa● 〈◊〉 own S●vi●ur b●t that is a●●u●●d fo● Is●ac ●o ●ll ●●●●r Men need●d an●ther to ●ave them from thei●●i●● and t●a●●t●●r was Chris● 2. It is the Tes●im●n● of 〈…〉 t●at all M●n d●s●●nded o● A●am ●●r●st 〈◊〉 have sin●ed and t●●r●f●re I●aac as we●● as A●raham and Ia●●● ●●●ve sinned so●e ●ime ●r ●the● but if Isaac ●●d ●●en Chr●st to wit the Man Christ th●n Ch●ist h●d d●●d ●●r his own Sin● but Christ died not for his 〈◊〉 that ●ver a● any time ●e h●d for he ne●●●●a●●●ny Sin D●n ● 2● compared with Isaia● 53.5 1 Cor. 15.2 2 Cor. 15.21 3. Isaac was to be saved justified and pardoned by Faith in the Man Christ but Isaac was not to believe or have Faith in himself 4. That promised Seed of the Woman that descended out of the Loins of all the Fathers in a straight Line of Succession from Adam to Christ and from Eve to Mary was no part of the defiled Nature of Man tho' it was conveyed or transmitted thro' them that had been defiled with Sin as David and Solomon were great Sinners and yet their Seed was conveyed and transmi●t●d through them And this is easie to understand how an holy and undefiled Seed or Principle can pass through them that have been defiled and be no more defiled therewith than how the Sun-Beams can shine on an unclean place and not be defiled ther●with Now that the Seed of the Woman so conveyed and transmitted from Adam to Christ was never defiled with Sin and so was no part of the fallen Nature of Man is clear because to signifie his Primitive Purity and Holiness he was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a Virgin and not after the ordina●y manner of Humane Generation And it is written of him Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity c. Psal. 45.7 5. That of our Nature which Christ assumed if it had been defiled at any time with Sin how could it have been cleansed o● how could it ●leanse other parts of Man's Nature that had been defiled by Sin For it is the clean that cleanseth the unclean and the cleansing must begin in that which is clean that is the Root and Original to cure● and cleanse that which is unclean and by ●aith in the promised Seed of the Woman all they who were saved from the beginning of the World were cleansed and sanctified But if it be enqui●ed was this Seed of the Woman conv●yed from Adam to the Man Christ the Seed of Christ or only a Bodily Seed or Principle To this it is answered● That the hig●er degree of the Soul of Christ was not that Seed that was conveyed through the Loins o● Abraham and David to wit that degree of his Soul called the Spirt and Mind in Hebrew Ruach and Neshamah for that was in Heaven and came down from Heaven when the Child Jesus was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin as Christ himself said Ioh. 6.38 For I came down from Heaven not to do my own Will but the Will of him that sent me This was not the Godhead of Christ but that Superiour or Higher degree of his Soul called Ru●ch and Neshamah but the inferiour degree or Animal part called N●●h●sh in Heb. may be well allowed to have been in that Seed of the Woman which Christ assumed together with the Bodily Seed and Principle of Christ's Body and tho' it was conveyed and transmitted through all these Generations from Adam to Christ mentioned in Luke ch 3. yet that is not in the common sense of the word Revoluti●n because R●●olution in the common sense of the word used by M●●tick Writ●r● is used to signifie the returning of the Souls of deceas●d Men to live again in other Bodies of their Posterity or Kindred But when a Man begets a Son and the Soul of his Son comes out of ●is Loins as it is said the Souls of Iacob's Children came ●ut of his Loins that is not called Rev●lution in the common sense of the Mys●ick Writers Beside that Souls revolved are sa●d to suff●r t●e Bodily Pains and Affliction● that the Body suffers into which it revolveth and Death also and therefore the S●●l of Christ did not after this manner revolve for then he would have often died whereas Christ died but once and having once died he dieth no more Death● hath no more Dominion over him Rom. 6.9 Nor is there any cause to suppose that Isaac's Soul needed any Revolution more than the Soul of any ●f the holi●st Men for these holy Men being perfected in Faith Love and Holiness according to the H●pothesis of the Revolutions after Death need no Revolution but rest in perfect Peace and Joy until the Resurrection of the Dead But what is the mystery of these 76 or 77 Generations from Adam to Christ described by Luke Chap. 3. i● best to leave to God's further opening and no● t● intrude in●o things not s●en P●g●● 119 120 121 122. Emend That the two Witn●s●es shall be M●ses and Elias that shall be slain and ris● again from ●he De●d I find to be the opinion of some of the A●cie●ts particularly of H. Cozi●s ●●t they who did not h●ld t●at Opi●ion did not think they s●●uld be born again of Women but that they sh●●●d c●m● and s●ffer in these very Bodies wherein they ●ormer●y ●●v●d and should rise again But these two Wi●nesses sh●ll n●t 〈◊〉 M●s●● and Eli●s as some s●y or 〈◊〉 and E●●●s as o●hers sa● it is certain that they sh●ll be ●wo excellent and eminent Serv●nt● of G●d endu●d wi●h such a Prophetick and w●nd●r w●●●i●g ●pirit as M●ses and Elias had No● 〈…〉 appear that any of the deceased Sai●ts ●h●ll by 〈◊〉 be b●rn ag●in of Women ●ut they sh●●l ●e immediately raised up by the power of God a●d Christ. Pag● 122. ad ●i●em ●●●nd a●● 〈◊〉 That the S●in●s shall be ra●sed up t● live and reign with Christ on ●r over the ●●rth● is no●●o be understood as i● th●y should n●ed or 〈…〉 the Meats or Drinks o● the Ea●●h or any 〈◊〉 E●r●hly Convenience● b●t t●a● the●●hall appear ●o ●h● S●ints not yet 〈…〉 livi●g 〈…〉 Animal 〈◊〉 to their great 〈◊〉 and h●v● that Rule and Government over ●●l t●e E●rth that the Angels now have i● clear from Heb. ● 5 1 Cor. 6.2 Page 125. ad ●in●m Emend That the Church of 〈◊〉 shall ●ollow t●e latter part of the Thousand Yea●s is n●●●●o●able but rather that it shall be contemp●rary 〈◊〉 th● Church of Philadelphia for some
c●nsid●r●ble t●me the one being a pure holy Church exactly a●●wering to the Church in the Apostle's days in Puri●y of D●ctrine Holiness of Life and Plenty of S●iritual Gi●ts to wit that of Philadelphia the other to wit t●at of La●●icea having a form of Godlines● very ●●ar resembling the true Church but l●cking the Power and Life of Christianity See the second Treatise Page 132. The Emendations and Explications in the second T●e●●ise with the Corrections of the Err●rs o● the Press MOST of the Emendations and Explications b●longing to this second Treatise are already noted in the first beside that it will be obvious ●o the Reader that the second Treatise doth it s●lf correct divers things in the former whereby it is mani●es●ly apparent that as the second Treatise w●s d●ne by the Author sometime a●ter the first the Auth●r himself had come to a more mature and rip● understanding in many things of gre●t weight at his w●i●ing the second Treatise than he had at first Page 131. l. 21. read 333 1 ● and page 134. tow●rds the end r●ad on the Margin Ann● 700 from the Birth of Christ. Pag. 137. lin 12. read 666 and on the Margin read from the year 700 to 1●34 Page 154. t●wards the end Emend and Explic. As the sixth and seventh Churches are esteemed contemporary so may the sixth and seventh Seals See the Emendation in the first Treatise Page 125. Page 157. l. 2. Dele Io●●on and read to Valens and V●lentinian 〈◊〉 1●2 l. 4. read 1333. P●●e 167. That the Saints in t●e Resurrection shall be raised up in a successive order as Men are born into the World in a successive order is no wise probable and has no Ground from 1 Cor. 15.23 For the orde● there described as it ●ath relation to time is thus Christ the first Fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming then cometh the end when the unjust shall be raised at the end but order may also relat● to the several degrees of Glory that the Saints shall have some above others according to their higher attainments in Holiness For as one Star differeth from another Star in Glory so is also the Resurrection of the Dead 1 Cor. 15.41 42. Page 170. Emend and Expli● It is noted above at p●g 109 that the half Hour's Silence may be referred to that time of great Peace and Quiet that the Church shall enjoy from the year of Christ's Birth 1700 to the year 1770 though if it be referred to that time of Peace from Christ's Resurr●ction to the year 180 following it maketh no considerable Alteration in the Chronology or order of things but the great Peace and Flourishing of the Church f●om about the year 1700 to 1770 co●taining 70 Years the number of the Years of the Desolation and Devastation of the ●a●se Church mystically designed by Cyrus Isaiah 23.15 as elsewhere by Babyl●n seemeth to suite best with the half Hours silence and then that space of 180 Years from Ch●●st's Resurrection before the first Trumpet sound shall signifie the time of the seven Ang●ls preparing t●●ms●lves to sound Rev. 8.6 Page 181. l. 7. for 1574 read 1774. Page 185. l. 6. Correct the error of the Press thus according to the Latin Copy Did not Christ sa● after the death of Iohn Baptist Elias cometh and shall r●store all things But this was not done in Iohn Baptist's time but remaineth yet to be done at Elias's coming Page 194● l. 21. For Two r●ad Se●en Page 196. l. 8. read Su●●●ss●rs p. 199. l. 2. read were p. 201. l. 15. read t●at all Page 204. Emend and Explic. Whereas the Author in this place r●ferreth the times of the seven Vials to the seventh Trumpet viz. from the year of Christ's Resurrection 1740 to the year ●●00 ●hich some may judge a probable H●p●th●sis the same Author in some of his Manuscripts hath set down ●nother probable Hypoth●●is to which he seemeth most inclined viz. That the tim●s of the seven Vials belong to the last 70 Years of the sixth Trumpet the first Vial beginning at the y●ar of Christ's Birth 1700 allowing to each Vial ten Years succ●ssively to the last according to which r●ckoning the Papal Hi●rarchy and pe●haps Rome it self signified by the Throne or Seat of the Beast shall be destroyed by the pouring of the fifth Vial about the year of Christ's Birth 1750. but which of these two Hypotheses is nearest to the Truth seeing the Author pretends not to a Spirit of Prophecy in the case Time and Event will determine Page 206. See the former Emendation See also the Emendation P. 109. Page At Question 9● 99. Emend The Saints Bodies in the first Resurrection and Adam's Body before the Fall do most resemble the Body of Christ as it appeared at the Transfiguration before his Death which was indeed glori●us a●d so will the Saints Bodies appear in the first Resurrection● so that in respect of our gross Bodies they may be said to be Spiritual yet capable of a far higher degree of Spirituality at the last Page At Questi●n 101. See this Question answered in the Emendations in the first Treatise● ad P. 110. Page At Quest● 106 107. Explic. It is clear from Scripture that the mortal Bodies of the Saints after the Thous●nd Years begin shall not die as M●n now die so as to need any Burial but they shall be changed in a moment when duly sitted for that Change according to 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Page At Quest. 1●8 ●xplic It is no● to be und●rs●ood● that the raised Saints living on Earth in the Thousand Years shall need or use any of the Meats o● Drinks or other Re●reshments a●d Conveniences that this material or visible Earth affordeth but they shall live rather above the Earth than on it for then shall the Paradisiacal Earth be revealed and given to them to live in that was given to Adam to live in which since the Fall h●th been hid but shall then be opened which is most properly that new Earth that is called new because it never waxeth old as for the same reason the new Heavens are s● called whereas the visible Heavens and Earth grow old and shall be changed Page At Quest. 186. Corr. read as 52 to 1. 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