we live comprehending within it all visible things from the remoâest Stars even to the Earths profundity which is therefore called the Woâld of Fabrication because Death and Stupidity so pâevails 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 thâreâore which belongs to this viâible World is immediately created âor this viâible 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 Châist 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 oââward Body with the Life thereof is that which belongs to this World of Fabricaââon 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 Ruâch but the Life and Spirits of the external Body are termed by the same Nepâesh therâ are therefore three vital principles in every Man Neshaâa Ruach and Nepâesh Neshama of the World of Creation Ruach of the World of Formation and Nâphesh of the World of Fabrication moreover Nephesh is the Cloathing or Vehicle of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ruach and Ruach is the Vehicle and Garment of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 âen 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 âlowing 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 bâtween 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 Aâziluthick 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 âs 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 ând 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 Oâf-spring and so indeed all these four Worlds are intrinsically present one with another yet so that the âhird is more subtile and Spiritual than the âourth the second than the third and the âirst than the second and consequently more penetrative and perâusive 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 Woâld but the Soul is properly createdâ therefore the Soul had not its original or first exisâence 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 nevâr 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 ârom 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. Thereâore this Asiatick VVorld is truly call'd Golgotha or the place of Sculls and ââpâlchres 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 beâween 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 afâirms those Husband-men to have ill treatâd the Servants of the Lord and at last killed the Son himself 27. Seventhly from Christ's Parable of Laâourers 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 Hoâr stood all the Hours of the day idle in the Markeâ 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 Woâld ând therefore certain Iews who lived in the Apostles days liv'd from the beginning of the World and laboured twelve Houâs in the Field some laboured nine others six three c. And when the Evening came thây all received a Peny the Gentiles were made equal with the Iews the Iews muâmurâd but without reason for the Genâiâes âhât 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 callâd but few are chosân 28. âighthly 'T is proved from the Words of Pâter 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 Châist âuâfer'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 werâ restor'd to Life in a Body of Flesh to hear the Gospel Prâached 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 â 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 aforementâoned 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 excâpt 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 anâ three thousand years before the last Judgment and Conflagration of the Woâld 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 thouâand 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 noâwithstanding 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 shouâd 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 oâ 3996 years ãâã ought not to come later because ãâã some Souls would have finâshed 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 âife 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 hastân and accomplish Amen 109. Paul in 1 Cor. 15.51 saith We shall not all sleepâ but we shall be all changed in which Words he plainly hints that some of the Saints shall sleep after they shall be borâ aâain in the Flesh and be again rais'd from ãâã ââead this indeed is affirm'd of ãâ¦ã Elâas âho are to come into the ãâ¦ã Yeaâs before the Millenium and ãâ¦ã in the Flesh who shall prophâââ three Years and an half in the Worâd and chiefly to the Iews and People ãâã 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 happenâ 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 oâ Enoch and Elias that they should be translated into Heaven doth not answer truly to this Translation of Mâses and Elias for in the first Translation they did not obtain the Resurrection of a glorified Body but it âaâher happen'd to them in a figure for Chââââ only was the first of all that attaiâââ the Râsurrection of a glorified Body ãâ¦ã is callâd in Scripture the first ãâ¦ã among the Deâd and the first ãâ¦ã the Resurrection from the Dead ãâ¦ã ouâ Loâd and Saviour Jesus ãâã arose âirât of all from the Dead ãâã âore to suffer Death then the first oâ allâ who sââll arise after him is Moses and Elias and then the other Prophets and Apostles with all the Saints every one in his Orâer 115. And that those two Prophets and Wâânââses in the Revelation were indeed Moses and Elias is tacitely signify'd in these Woâââ they shall have power to withhold the Rain
born oâ 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 6â00 Years be âxpired from the beginning of this World Page 81. ad med Emend That it is more probable those 144000 mentioned Reâel ch 7. and câ 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 tâe 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 Yearâ 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 wiâh the greater Light Page 93. l. 20. Emend and Explic. This present time is the last to any that have had sufficient time formerly givân them but not to others that have not had their âull 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 Yearsâ 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 ãâã do amend the Mystick Writers say do quickly revolve in order to their perfect Restitution so that the Soul of the deceased Faâher may revolve in his Grand-child which is only but Historically related but not Dogmatically aâserted 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 wiâh 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 âf 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 plâinly appeâreth from Gen. 46.12 27. it being granted that they revolved in Pâaâez and Zerah their younger Brethren who had also their own proper distinct Souls all whiâh were great distinct Roots of their râspeâtive Families Page 105. lin 1. Correct The Years from Chrisâ's Resurrection to the beginning of the first Trumpet are 180 to which adding the Yâars ârom Christ's Birâh âo his Death and Resurrection viz. 34 Years current make 214 and therefore correct the Intervals of the Trumpets thus 214 474.734.9â4.1254.1514.1774 â034 The occasion oâ the difference of four Years is above-noted and corrected at Page â6 Page 1â8 109. Emendat and Explic. If the seven Thunders and seven Vials have some Analogy as is ârobable thâse Intervals of Numbers Page 108. may âather be referred to the seven Thunders than to the âeven Vialsâ And it is rather more probable that the ãâã of the seven Vials begins not to be poured out until ãâã year from Christ's âârth 1â0â and if we allow ten Years to each Vial the last shall be poured out ãâã the year 1770 after which allowing three Years and to the personal Antichrist that is then to come whose timeâ according to the general Sence of Antiquity is limited to that short space of three Years and ½ anâ who at the end of that short space is to be destroyed by Christ's coming it brings us to the beginning ãâã the 1000 Years about the year 1774â which yet ãâã not Dogmatically aââârâed but by way of a probablâ Hyâothesiâ and modest conjecture But that the Papal Hiârarchâ will not expire aâout the year 1700 ãâã apparent ârom Mâââchiââ's Prophec An Irish Aââââ who lived aboât ãâã Yâars ago and had a Vision of ãâã the Popes that should be frâm hiâ time to the ãâã See Flâre's ãâã according to wâich Fifteen ãâã Sixteen Popes are yet to come but they may all happen to come and pââs before the year 1â5â be ãâã expired But aâouâ the year 1âââ which is thââgââ by strict account to ãâ¦ã or 16ââ some greââ change may be probably expected in ãâã to a ãâã Reformation in the World thaâ very ãâã being ãâã beginning of the sixth Seal according to this Châââââlogical Hâpoâhesis The seventh Seal may either ãâã suppos'd to comprehend in a âânerââ wayâ all the ãâã Seals and Intervals of âhe ârumpets and Vâââs âr wiââout any change of the Chronological Perâods ãâã numbers of Years the seventh Seal may âe suppâââ to be Synchronous or Contemporal with the ãâã Seal and consequently the half hour's silence may ãâã reâerred to that time to great Peace and Quiet ãâã the Church of Christ shall enjoy ârom the year 1âââ to the year 17â0 âithin which space of â0 Yeaââ the seven Viaâs called the seven last Plaguesâ are to poured out upon the false Church the Whore âââbylon and chieâly the Râmââ âierarchâ aâd Papâââ Page 110. aââed ãâã It is a great mistaââ that needs Cârrecâiân ãâã âhich the Author ãâ¦ã had correâted in âis Manusââpâs aâ if the Propheâs ãâã Apostles or âny other of ãâã dââeâsed Saintâ shaâl born agaiâ into the World of Women Virgins or any others But all the deceased Saints shall âe raised upâ and âeceive their Resurrection Bodies by âhe immediate Power of God and Christ. And tâo ' it is called in Scripture Reâeneration yet it is properly and truly a real Resurrection as well as Reâeneraââon wâerebâ according to the Body thââ shall be the Children of God as well as according to the Soul and ââârit Morâover as âoncerning the order of tââ Râsuââeââion the Scripâure is plain Fiâst ãâã the first Frâits afâer they tâat are Chriââ aâ ãâã Coâiâg But iâ is worthy âo be consideââd wâether âhere âây noâ be a first Fruits of tâe Râsârâââââon before the general Reâârrection oâ the ãâ¦ã to the Râvâlatiâns Chap. 7. anâ Chap. 14. Page 11â anâ
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 câuâified in Golgotha which is the place of Scuâââ or Sepulchres by which is typically signifâââ this Asiatick VVorld or VVorld of Fabricationâ that so in this place of Death he ââgâââvercome 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 Resurrââtion of the Dead and his Bâdy being Glorified and Immortalized might at length gloriâie and immortalize the Bodies of Saints in which Bodies they shall live and reign with Châist 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 VViâdom 54. Therefore the Ages of VVorlds iâ 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 5â Moreover this Asiatick VVorld hath had its existence âor 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 Possesââon 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 whosâ 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 nâiâher 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 remittâd till the âourth and so on even to a seventh according to the most just Judgment oâ God nay far beyond a seventh even to the seventy seventh thousand year the Remission of âome very notorious and wicked Sins seems to be deferred that âs 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 âeems 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 righâly know nor consider the naâure of him who think the punishments oâ 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 tâue 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 ârom all their Sins and Punishments inflicted on them for Sin and their final Glorification and Restoration to Justice and Holinesâ 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 yearsâ 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 oâ thousand ãâã is fiâiâhed 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 9â 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 ârom the Nativity of Christ to the begânning 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 â777 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 âamb 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 âuture Millenium seems to have been prefigured to Abraham in the Sacriâices which God commanded him to offer Now God commanded Abraham to take a Heiâer 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 Woâld 2120 according to the aforesaid Chroâology 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 Woâld 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 Foâbidden 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 earâhly 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 âould have lived if he had not sinned âhen at the end of the Millenium we shall not dye but be changed and this Mortal shall put on Immoâtâlity 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 Boây 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 oâ 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 reâormâd 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 aâ 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 othârs that were to return had not suââicient opportunity of hearing the Gospel sincerely preached by reason of Antichristian Darkness 20. Others also who were making but thâir sâvânth sixth and fifth Revolution ârom âhe 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 ârom the birth of Christ. 21. In Revel 20. It is said the rest of the Dead lived not again till the thousand yâârs were finish'd this certainly is to be undersâood of those Dead who had compleated their twelve Revolutions but those who had not as yet âinished their twelve Revoâlâtions were to live again in the Millânium âât none who belonged to Babâlon wâre to live again in the Millânium because they bâgan thâir fiâât Revolution at the year 1ââ4 and âhereâore âinish âheir twelâth Rââoluâion at the year oâ the Woâld 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 6â6 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    2â0â An Eaâle A Bull. 2333 VIII 7 6 5 4 3 2 1   2333 A Man 2â66 IX 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1  2666 A Lâon 3â00 X 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2  3â00 An Eagle A Bull. 3â33 XI 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3  3333 A Mââ 3â00 XI 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4  â6â6 A Lyoâ ââ0 XIII 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5  4000 An Eagle 4333 XIV  12 11 10 9 8 7 6 1 Seal 4333 33â 1 â A Bul 40â6 XV   12 11 1â 9 8 â 2 ãâã â6â6 6â6ââ â A Maââ 5ââ XVI    12 11 10 9 8 3 âeal 5â00 999 â 3 A Lyoââ 5333 xvii     12 11 10 9 4 Seal 5333 13â2 4 3 An Eagâââ 5666 xviii      12 11 1â 5 Seal 5666 1665 5 â A Maââ 6000 XIX       12 11 6 Seal 6000 1998 6 â A Lyâââ 6333 XX        12  6333 Millen An Eagle â666 âXI          66â6  ââd what 's worth our serious Consideration ãâã that these very Men which shall be at ââst destroyed in Spiritual Babylon were ââe same Men who in a litteral Sence ââilt the outward Babylon 79. The foregoing Scheme exhibits to our view one great Wheel being the greaest of all then four other great Wheels ââstly twelve little Wheels The great âheels containing 1000 the little Wheels â33 and the greatest of all 4000 years The Explanation of the Figureâ 1. In this Figure the great outward âircle represents the greatest Revolution âf Humane Souls 2. The other four great Circles signifie âhe same 4000 years so as that one of them âakes 1000 years 3. And lastly the lesser Circles signifie ââch one only Revolution or Face of 333 ââars 4. The chief use of the figure is to ââew that there are but 12 Faces altho' ââch great one contains four less ones 80. The greatest Revolution of Souls âomprehending 4000 years is fairly shadowed out to us under the type of the six days Creation For as the first days woâk was finished in the fourth the work of the second day in the fifth the work of the third day in the sixth aâd 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 oâ wickedness shall be rais'd up to live in a Body of Flesh that they may suffer God`â Judgment in the Conflagration of the World whose Resurrection is to Death and Condemnation Morâover 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 Crâation 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 inâo 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 sinâe 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 Wâman 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 Mân in a Body of Flesh the sum will be 333 Years aforesaid 4. Morâover God out of his great Goodnâss and Wisdom has so decreed that Men should not live altogether and at one time a thousand Years compleat in the corrupt âtate 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 woâld be far more difficult 5. But if any shouâd 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 qualiâied 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 Iuâgment and Ezamination of the lovers of Truth CHAP. I. QUâst 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 Numberâ 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 certaân 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 Dâniel 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 miâââtââng Spiâits sent out to minister tâ all those who shall be Heirs of Salvation Heâ 1.14 And Heb. 2.5 it is ãâã unto the Angels he hath not as yât 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 1â to the year âââ since Christs Resuârection of Ephesus according to the aâoresâid Hypothâsis will not contain 33ââ years from the Resurrection of Christ and in like manner the Church of Smyrna the same and so understand oâ the rest except the Church of Laodicâa concerning which it may be quâstioned whether it doth noâ belong to the interval of the Church of Philadelphia For in respect of its State and Condition whereâof Iohn gave an excellent description it extends to the Sabbath of the World Then whether the Church of Laodicea will noâ have the same interval of time with it thoâ it be not the same with the said Church but widely different from it Who are to be understood by the Church of Laodicea â 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 Philadâlphia and Laodiceâ 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 allâ Furthermore by the same Reason thâ whole interval of two thousand years may be distributed into six equal partsâ whereof each will contain 333 years and â
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 âike Events as will appear from the ensuing âines Quest. 29. Wherefore did Iohn say at the opening of every of the âour 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. 333â
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 Veniâ vide Come and sâe 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 333â
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. â1 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 fââst Seal conquering and to conquer Is not he â He that sat thereon that sat thereon our Lord Jesus Christ And doth not the * The White Horse white Horse mean hâs Ministers arayed in the white Robes of Righteousness and inward Holiness bringing the Gospel unto Men viz. the glad Tidings oâ Pâace â What was the Bow in his Hand and doth not the Bow in his Hand signify the Power and Energy of his Heavânly 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 Biâth 366 And moreover did not this puâe and exceeding prevalent Dispensation of the Gospel remain on Earth at least the space of 333 Years and â
after ouâ Lords's Ascension or from his ââcarnation 366 which Interval indeed reacht beyoâd Constantiâe 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 â 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 oâ 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 holâ 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 uâon 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 Westârn Empire miserably torn and at last almost totally erased and aboliâhed in the said Interval Moreover also Rome her self as it were âhe Empress of the World was often taken and after some Revolutions she was burnt within the same Interval bât the chief Authors of these terrible Wars werâ the Goâhs Vandals Hunnes and Persians with thâiâ Kings and Leaders Then about the latter end of this Interval viz. about 600 and odd Years after the Birth of Christ comes Mahomeâ with his followârs who were at that time call'd Saracens and these indeed were the Authors of dreadful Wârs in many places Quest. 33. What âs to be understood by Iohn`s Vision of a black What he âlack Horse wasâ âorâe and him that sat thereon holding a Balance in his Hand when the third Seal was to be opened Is not teârible Famine hereby signified and indeed that which is natural anâ exteânal as well as that which is spiâitâal anâ internal And indeed both âf 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 Fâmine 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 Faithâul 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 palâ 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 Beasâs of the Earth which was to come to pass when the fourâh Seal â 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 Wâr Scarcitâ and Famine And was noâ Death which was the name of him that sat thereon the Deviâ himself whom Hell followed Lastly what is signified by the Beasts of the âarth 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 Interâval viz. from the Year * From the year of the Resurrection 1000 to 1333. oâ 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 Hereâies were preached and published by the Antichrisâian Emissaries to wit the
of 1000 Years after âhe âate of 1000 years to one Watch of the Nigât as it is Pâal 90. v. 4. each Watch consisting of threâ hours and 12 hours making âp one intire Night or Day CHAP. XIX QUest 93. What is that multitude of People whom Iohn saw in âeaven crying âallelujah Salvation and Glory aâd Honor and Power to our Loâd God Do not these signiâie that âast Multiâude 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 Therefoâe in the same hour of 2ââ½ years viz. fâom the year of Christ's Nativity 1â0â to the year 2â33 or from the year of His Rââuârecâion 1666 to the year 2000. Will not the City Babylon be destroyed and tâe City or Church of God Gloriâââây ââilt Whether or no that very hour is not that which is âaid Rev. â 8.â to be the hour oâ Trâal or Temâtaâion which shâll come over the whole âarth from wââchâ viz. fâom the Danââr aâd Evil of this âour God hath pâomised to preserve tâe Church of Pâââadââphia aforesaid Quest. 94. What iâ the Marriage of the Lamb which Iâân ãâã to come at tâe ââme afââââaid And again what is that ââpper of the Lâmâ to wââch whosoâââr 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 saâ 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 whetheâ 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 1â00 Years properly so call'd And did not that Sabbath of Days and Yâars made under the Law prââigure 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 undâr the six Work-days And do not âhese places of Scripture Psal. 90. v. 4. 2 Pet. 3. v. 8 râlate unto the mystery of 1000 Years put for a day And have not the Prophets prophesied of many great and glorious things toucâing this âamous time or glârious day of the Lord Also doth not that of Psal. 92. wâere 't is treated of the Sabbath relate also unto that renowned timâ Moreover is not that day the same whereof Esâias prophesied saying The Light of oâe day shall be as the Light of seven Days and the Lord alone shall be exalted and magnified in that daâ Bâsides also not only the more Learned among the Iâws but many also of the Fathers among the Câristians in the Primitive Agâs of the Church have declared and asserted their Faith and Hope concerning this Glorious Sabbath and Millennium to come wherein all tâe Saints being recalled from Deâth unto Liâe shall lead a most Bleââed and also a most Holy Lâfe upon Earth in the firm Belief and Perswasion wherâoâ tâey rejoyced and triumphed in the greatest Suffârinâs and Dangârs of this mortal Liâe Quest. â8 Shall not all the Saints that ever lived ârom the beginning of the World whetheâ they wâre killed for the Testimony of God oâ died â naturaâ Death be raised up to live a Corporâal Life in the fuâure Millennium And is not this Resurrection somâ part of the Saints Reward both of smaâl and greââ according to Rev. 11. v. 13. and Eââd 20. v. 2. Quest 9â Shall not the Saints when they shall be raisâd to Life have Bodies of âlesh not indeed suâh 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 Hâaven to meet the Lord And did not Paul touch upon that Mystery 1 Cor. 15. saying As we have born the Imagâ of the Earthly Adam viz. as he was before the Falâ 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 sâate 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 bât 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 âf his Father Quest. 100. And as the Iews Sabbath began in the end or evening of âhe sixth day will not also this most blessed Sabbath oâ the World begin in the end of the sixth Millennium to wit bâfore the sixth Milennium of the World is expired And seeing the whole time of this Worlds duration seems to be a Week consistâng of 7000 Yeaâs thâre woulâ be no Remâinder of Years afâer the end of the Millennium if this hâppy Age of 1ââ0 Years did not commence bââore the 6â00 Years were expired And that thâre is some Remaindâr of Years after the Millennium plainly appears ârom the Revelations which Iohn calls a little Season Rev. 20 v. 3. Now whâther or no that little Season may not contain 260 Years making that most happy Age of the World to begin about tâe year of the World 5740 and of Christ's Resurrection 1â4â I leave to be determined by âny onâ to wâom 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 ãâ¦ã Explic. It ââs well th ãâ¦ã tionâd of âaâc c. is sââd âxpreâlâ ãâ¦ã not to be ãâ¦ã time the Aâtââr as ââpââr ãâã ouâ oâ his own Mânuâcripâs ââd Paperâ ãâ¦ã stion neâââivâly ãâã a posââive an ãâ¦ã That Isaâc was ãâ¦ã the Woman whiâh Christ ãâã wâen âe câuse iâ thâ Flâsh and tâat âor ãâ¦ã To ãâã Iâaaâ ââs the promisâd ãâ¦ã Châist ãâã into that mosâ ãâ¦ã Unâââ wiâh himself is âo âay ãâã Iââac ââcomâ Chriât and so waâ ãâã own Sâviâur bât that is aââuââd foâ Isâac âo âll ââââr Men needâd anâther to âave them from theiââiââ and tâaââtââr was Chrisâ 2. It is the Tesâimânâ of ãâ¦ã tâat all Mân dâsâânded oâ Aâam âârâst ãâã have sinâed and tâârâfâre Iâaac as weââ as Aâraham and Iaâââ âââve sinned soâe âime âr âtheâ but if Isaac ââd ââen Chrâst to wit the Man Christ thân Châist hâd dââd ââr his own Sinâ but Christ died not for his ãâã that âver aâ any time âe hâd for he neââââaâââny Sin Dân â 2â compared with Isaiaâ 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 transmiâtâd 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 therâwith 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 ordinaây 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 oâ how could it âleanse 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 cureâ and cleanse that which is unclean and by âaith 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 enquiâed was this Seed of the Woman convâyed from Adam to the Man Christ the Seed of Christ or only a Bodily Seed or Principle To this it is answeredâ That the higâer degree of the Soul of Christ was not that Seed that was conveyed through the Loins oâ 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 Ruâch and Neshamah but the inferiour degree or Animal part called Nââhâsh 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 Revolutiân because Rââolution in the common sense of the word used by Mââtick Writârâ is used to signifie the returning of the Souls of deceasâd 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 âis Loins as it is said the Souls of Iacob's Children came âut of his Loins that is not called Revâlution in the common sense of the Mysâick Writers Beside that Souls revolved are saâd to suffâr tâe Bodily Pains and Afflictionâ that the Body suffers into which it revolveth and Death also and therefore the Sââl 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 Deathâ 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 âf the holiâst Men for these holy Men being perfected in Faith Love and Holiness according to the Hâpothesis 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. iâ best to leave to God's further opening and noâ tâ intrude inâo things not sâen Pâgââ 119 120 121 122. Emend That the two Witnâsâes shall be Mâses and Elias that shall be slain and risâ again from âhe Deâd I find to be the opinion of some of the Aâcieâts particularly of H. Coziâs âât they who did not hâld tâat Opiâion did not think they sââuld be born again of Women but that they shâââd câmâ and sâffer in these very Bodies wherein they âormerây ââvâd and should rise again But these two Wiânesses shâll nât ãâã Mâsââ and Eliâs as some sây or ãâã and Eâââs as oâhers saâ it is certain that they shâll be âwo excellent and eminent Servântâ of Gâd enduâd wiâh such a Prophetick and wândâr wâââiâg âpirit as Mâses and Elias had Noâ ãâ¦ã appear that any of the deceased Saiâts âhâll by ãâã be bârn agâin of Women âut they shââl âe immediately raised up by the power of God aâd Christ. Pagâ 122. ad âiâem ââând aââ ãâã That the Sâinâs shall be raâsed up tâ live and reign with Christ on âr over the âârthâ is noââo be understood as iâ thây should nâed or ãâ¦ã the Meats or Drinks oâ the Eaââh or any ãâã Eârâhly Convenienceâ bât tâaâ theââhall appear âo âhâ Sâints not yet ãâ¦ã liviâg ãâ¦ã Animal ãâã to their great ãâã and hâvâ that Rule and Government over ââl tâe Eârth that the Angels now have iâ clear from Heb. â 5 1 Cor. 6.2 Page 125. ad âinâm Emend That the Church of ãâã shall âollow tâe latter part of the Thousand Yeaâs is nââââoâable but rather that it shall be contempârary ãâã thâ Church of Philadelphia for some
cânsidârâble tâme the one being a pure holy Church exactly aââwering to the Church in the Apostle's days in Puriây of Dâctrine Holiness of Life and Plenty of Sâiritual Giâts to wit that of Philadelphia the other to wit tâat of Laââicea having a form of Godlinesâ very ââar resembling the true Church but lâcking the Power and Life of Christianity See the second Treatise Page 132. The Emendations and Explications in the second Tâeââise with the Corrections of the Errârs oâ the Press MOST of the Emendations and Explications bâlonging to this second Treatise are already noted in the first beside that it will be obvious âo the Reader that the second Treatise doth it sâlf correct divers things in the former whereby it is maniâesâly apparent that as the second Treatise wâs dâne by the Author sometime aâter the first the Authâr himself had come to a more mature and ripâ understanding in many things of greât weight at his wâiâing the second Treatise than he had at first Page 131. l. 21. read 333 1 â and page 134. towârds the end râad on the Margin Annâ 700 from the Birth of Christ. Pag. 137. lin 12. read 666 and on the Margin read from the year 700 to 1â34 Page 154. tâwards 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 Ioââon and read to Valens and Vâlentinian ãâã 1â2 l. 4. read 1333. Pââe 167. That the Saints in tâe 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 ordeâ there described as it âath 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 relatâ 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 Expliâ It is noted above at pâg 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 Resurrâction 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 fâom about the year 1700 to 1770 coâtaining 70 Years the number of the Years of the Desolation and Devastation of the âaâse Church mystically designed by Cyrus Isaiah 23.15 as elsewhere by Babylân seemeth to suite best with the half Hours silence and then that space of 180 Years from Chââst's Resurrection before the first Trumpet sound shall signifie the time of the seven Angâls preparing tââmsâlves 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 saâ after the death of Iohn Baptist Elias cometh and shall râstore all things But this was not done in Iohn Baptist's time but remaineth yet to be done at Elias's coming Page 194â l. 21. For Two râad Seâen Page 196. l. 8. read Suâââssârs p. 199. l. 2. read were p. 201. l. 15. read tâat all Page 204. Emend and Explic. Whereas the Author in this place râferreth the times of the seven Vials to the seventh Trumpet viz. from the year of Christ's Resurrection 1740 to the year ââ00 âhich some may judge a probable Hâpâthâsis the same Author in some of his Manuscripts hath set down ânother probable Hypothââis to which he seemeth most inclined viz. That the timâs of the seven Vials belong to the last 70 Years of the sixth Trumpet the first Vial beginning at the yâar of Christ's Birth 1700 allowing to each Vial ten Years succâssively to the last according to which râckoning the Papal Hiârarchy and peâhaps 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 9â 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 gloriâus aâd so will the Saints Bodies appear in the first Resurrectionâ 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 Questiân 101. See this Question answered in the Emendations in the first Treatiseâ ad P. 110. Page At Questâ 106 107. Explic. It is clear from Scripture that the mortal Bodies of the Saints after the Thousând Years begin shall not die as Mân 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. 1â8 âxplic It is noâ to be undârsâoodâ that the raised Saints living on Earth in the Thousand Years shall need or use any of the Meats oâ Drinks or other Reâreshments aâd 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 hâth 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 sâ 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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