last Revolution Qu. 67 87. or last time of living upon Earth to many that were then alive and that therefore Christ was then to come and could not stay way any longer no more than he could come sooner that being the Fulness of Time appointed by God Gal. 4.4 That from that time forward it has been all along and shall so continue to the End of the World to the the last Time Revolution and â—our to many in all Ages in which they must be converted or they cannot be saved for Men having once heard the Preaching of ' the Gospel Qu. 87. after the wilful rejection of it there remains no more Sacrifice for the Sin of such but a fearful looking for of Judgment and violent Fire which shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10.27 1 Pet. 1.20 1 John 2.18 That therefore this Doctrine cannot give any encouragement for any Mans persisting in his Sins or for the procrastinating of his Repentance and Conversion in hopes that he shall live another time upon the Earth Qu. 81 82 84. and then be converted because first No Man knows but this is his last Hour nor yet if he should have yet more Hours to live upon Earth but that it will only tend to his farther hardning against the Doctrine of the Gospel to the aggravation of his Damnation and not at all towards his Conversion because he has now neglected and resisted so great Salvation That as no Man is reputed righteous before God only for the Righteousness of Jesus Christ who hath not consented to and received it Qu. 161 162 167 171. by a living Faith to the purifying of his heart so neither shall any Man be reputed before God a formal Sinner only for the Transgression of Adam who never consented to it that all Souls did so and that that 's the reason why all Men do so partake of the dismal Effects occasioned thereby Except some few excellent Souls who not consenting thereunto did cleave unto Christ their Head and are therefore in holy Scripture called his Fellows Psal 45.7 Heb. 1.9 That all the great and manifold Promises made to the Jews of which the greatest part are yet to be fulfilled in these last days were made to that whole People Qu. 48 49 50 54 55 56 57 60 to all the natural Branches of all Ages and not only to the Children which shall yet live in the last days with seclusion of the fathers of former Ages who died in unbelief which caused the Apostle to say most expresly That all Israel shall be saved and that those Branches that were then cut off though unbelief should be grafted in again Row 11.12 16.17.19 That the Twelve hundred and sixty Days of the Prophecy of the Two Witnesses Qu. 79. Rev. 11.3 must be understood of so many natural Days not of so many Years But that on the contrary the Twelve hundred and sixty Days of the Kingdom and Reign of Antichrist Qu. 180. must be understood of so many Prophetical Days i.e. Years accounting a Day for a Year as the Prophets were wont to do That the Land mention'd Exod. 20.12 is that New Earth of which Peter writes Qu. 97 98. and that the Promise in the Fifth Commandment is not yet fulfilled to the generality of Men whose Days since that time have been not long but short upon Earth 2 Pet. 3.13 That no Man hath nay not any of the Saints have hitherto ever compleatly born the Image of the Earthly Man 1 Cor. 15.49 Qu. 100 102 103. that is of Adam before the Fall or in the State of Innocence but that THAT is reserved as the peculiar Privilege of the Saints in the first Resurrection when they shall live a thousand Years upon Earth in Bodies free from Sin leading a Life of perfect Holiness without the least Sin or Disorder That there is a State of greater Perfection than a being free from Sin and that if Adam had not sinned he should have known it and lived a thousand Years so on Earth in order to his being perfected in Holiness that he might thereby be faced and prepared for his entrance into that future Glory That in the first Resurrection the â—â—aints shall not all be raised up at â—â—â—e as in the second Resurrection but that they shall be born into the 1 Cor. 15.52 Qu. 108 181. World of Holy Women and Virgin-Mothers that so they may even in that respect be like their Head tho' still inferiour to him and that for this cause this Time is called by Christ the Regeneration Matt. 19.28 That they shall every one be born in their Order as they died 1 Cor. 15.23 1 Thess 4.16 Qu. 105 181 79 80. saving the Two Witnesses Moses and Elies who shall live again among the first even in the Interval of Forty five Years before the thousand Years begin about which time John also is to live again and to measure the Temple That the Saints shall be a bringing forth into the World Two hundred and sixty Years Qu. 181 110. in which time they shall all be born And that afterwards before the end of the World all Generation shall cease for a full thousand Years that so every one may have at least a thousand Years to live upon Earth and so the Day of Christ be as long as the Night of Antichrist that is Twelve hundred and sixty Years That this Divine Generation shall begin in evening of the sixth thousand Years Two hundred and sixty Years within the sixth Millenium in the Year of the World 5740 Qu. 113 180. or from the Birth of Christ 1777 if his Chronology holds good by which I am told that he thinks that the Conversion of the Jews shall begin 1666 Years after Chist's Resurrection i. e. about Anno 1699 or 1700. That the Saints shall receive great advantage by their return to live upon the Earth a thousand Years because they shall then receive Bodies Qu. 186 187 190. as Adam's in the State of Innocency free from all Sin and Disorder together with all the other Privileges belonging to that State and therein be more and more perfected in Holiness and so fitted to receive in the second Resurrection the Divine and Celestial Body from the second Adam and that that State shall so far transcend the former State as the Image of the Heavenly doth the Image of the Earthly and as the second Adam's quickning Spirit doth excel the first Adam's living Soul 1 Cor. 15.45 That those that are not converted before the expiration of the Sixth thousand Years shall not be converted in this World Qu. 178. but shall in the Conflagration thereof be burâ—ed and afterwards be tormented for Ages of Ages Time without end with respect to the Knowledge of Man but not of God That those dead which are said not to live again till the thousand years be exprired Rev. 20.5 are probably such as had ended
their Infancy others live and die in Frenzy and others natural Idiots never being in any capacity 〈◊〉 either doing good or evil while they are in the Body Except this Doctrine be received which supposes them to have lived before when they had a Capacity or that they shall 〈◊〉 after and shall have a Capacity of doing good and evil in the Body â—â—d of receiving a Reward accordingly Besides How is the common Doctrine of all Christians both Papists and Protestants with respect to these Creatures reconcileable to the Justice Wisdom and Mercy of God and to the Scriptures alledged with many more that might be produced For Whither shall these Infants Franticks and Fools go What shall become of them Shall they all go to Heaven and partake of that eternal Weight of Glory prepared only for those that have overcome For what I pray What good have they done that they sâ—ould reap so great a Reward Shall they all go to Hell For what I wonder What evill have they done that they should be condemned to so great Damnation How doth the Wisdom of God appear in the former or his Justice in the latter Shall they go to the Popish Limbus where they shall be free from Pain or Pleasure but for ever secluded the Presence of God But where do the Scriptures speak of any such middle Place or State Not to speak of the inconceivableness of such a State as in which Intellectual Beings if these can be said to be such deprived of all outward Objects to divert their Thoughts upon should while to all Eternity deprived of the Enjoyment of the Presence of God be void of Torment Or shall they as the Socinians say of the Wicked be annihilated But what Glory can accrue to that Supream Intellectual Being who created all things for his own Glory by annihilating any of his Intellectual Creatures To say no more What more reasonable Solution then of this Difficulty hath hitherto â—â—n found than this Hypothesis which â—â—ars both the Wisdom Justice and â—ercy of God in rewarding or conâ—â—mning them because he hath affordâ—d or will afford them other Opporâ—â—nities of living upon the Earth in â—hich they received or will receive a â—apacity of doing Good or Evil of â—â—â—ving in Christ or persisting in 〈◊〉 belief What Doctrine doth the Scripture â—specially the New Testament seem 〈◊〉 teach more expresly more plainly 〈◊〉 with more earnestness than the â—â—â—cessity of Faith in the Man Christ 〈◊〉 order to Salvation Saying That there is no other Name under â—â—â—en by which any Man tan be saved Acts 4.12 〈◊〉 that of Jesus Mat. 26.8 Luke 24.47 Acts 2.38.10.43 Rom. 2.25 Heb. 9.22.10.18 That Remission of Sins is only attainâ—â— through Faith in his Name and â—â—â—d That he that believes not shall 〈◊〉 damned yea is condemned already â—hat God shall judge all the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus Rom. 2.16 and that according to that very Gospel which Paul preach'd How is all this by any other Principle but this Hypothesis reconcileable to the Infinite Justice and Mercy of God's Nature not only with respect to that numberless number of Infants Franticks and Ideots already mentioned but also with respect to the many Millions of Souls of Men and Women even whole Nations for many Ages together who have lived in the Body and died without ever having heard of the Man Christ Jesus or of that Law of the Gospel or of any Necessity of believing in his Name for the Remission of their Sins or that they should for want of it be condemned to so terrible Damnation Shall we to avoid the manifest Injustice that there seems to be in condemning Men for not believing in him of whom they never heard and for not conforming to a Law never promulgated in their Nation Shall we I say to avoid this gross Absurdity fall into another almost is bad viz. give the Lie to this â—ain Doctrine of the Gospel Or by Fetches of Wit no where to be â—ound in Scripture seek to evade or elude it and so as some think and call it introduce a certain kind 〈◊〉 Paganism or Salvation without â—y explicit knowledge of Christ cruâ—â—hed Or is it not better and more â—â—â—e to embrace this middle Way in which the Justice of God is sufficiently cleared on the one hand and the Doctrine of the Gospel on the other hand preserved asserting That every Man shall at one time or other live in one place or other where Christ and Remission of Sins through Faith in his Name shall be preach'd to them outwardly as well as inwardly The Scripture saith That Christ by his Death Heb. 9.15 became a Ransom for the Sins that were under the First Testament and that in that time of Ignorance God winked Acts 17.30 But how is this Scripture Doctrine consistent with the vulgar Opinion which equally condemns the Sinners under the First Testament to the same everlasting and endless Damnation with the Sinners under the Second Covenant The Scriptures which Christ says cannot be broken say most expresly That with what measure men do mete Mat. 7.2.26.52 Rev. 13.10 Luke 6.38 it shall be measured to them again That he that kills with the Sword shall with the Sword be killed and he that leads captive shall be led captive But do we not see saith he Men daily die without receiving in this Life the same Measure they have meted to others and that divers die on their Beds at liberty that have killed and enslaved others How is then the common Doctrine true That no Man lives more â—an once upon the Earth or how 〈◊〉 it consistent with these Scriptures 〈◊〉 this Doctrine is For that tho they â—eet not with the same Measure in â—is Life they may hereafter upon â—is Earth and have the Reward of 〈◊〉 their other Sins at last to boot The Scripture saith in so many Words That when we were Enemies Rom. 5.10 〈◊〉 were reconciled to God by the death 〈◊〉 his Son on the Cross But how could we at that time 〈◊〉 Enemies if we had not then any â—â—ing at all but did first begin to â—â—ist above Sixteen hundred and â—â—ghty Years after The Scripture saith Rom. 9.22 That God enâ—â—â—th with much long-suffering the â—essels of Wrath fitted for destruction But is it probable that ten twelve 〈◊〉 twenty Years at which Age we 〈◊〉 many die in their Sins is a time 〈◊〉 much long-suffering with God with whom at thousand Years is as one Day The Scripture saith That after Christ was put to death in the Flesh 1 Pet. 9.20 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. and quickned by the Spirit that is was raised from the dead he went by the Spirit and preached to the Spirits in Prison which once were disobedient in the days of Noah But how could this be if those very Souls that lived and were Captives of the Devil in the Days of Noah were not then again living upon
to the Consideration of Men in the most modest way possible I suppose there are no Sort or Sect of Christians that do think that any part or Scripture dropt by chance as Men call it from the Pens of the Holy Men tho' there might be more sometimes in the manner of Expression perhaps than the very Penmen themselves did then apprehend which might be reserved to be farther opened in future Ages according to the Counsel of God's Wisdom in whose Hands the Times and Seasons are Nor do I at all doubt but it will be readily granted by the most sober of all Parties but there have been Truths so couched in Scriptuee that they have for many Ages not been so clearly and generally understood even by serious heedful and pious whether learned or not learned Readers as they have been in after-Ages when the appointed time in the Providence of God for the more clear opening and general spreading of them has come Nor do I believe that any Man will deny but that there may be some such and very probably are so which are reserved for the latter Ages of the World more especially seeing the. Scripture speaketh of them as of Times in which Knowledge should more generaly abound and Christ saith That there is nothing bidden which shall not be revealed I doubt as little that all will confess that there are deep Mysteries in Scripture which tho' not equally necessary to be known and believed by every Christian upon pain of losing all Fellowship and Communion with Christ are yet to those that shall see them in true Light and receive them in pure Love of great advantage to â—onfirm their Faith and increase their Love to God and their Neighbour which as Christ saith is the Law and the Prophets Nor do I think that there is any one Man in any one Sect whatsoever that hath that overweening Conceit of his Attainments and Proficiency in Scripture-knowledge as to imagine that he knows not only all things necessary but even all the most deep Mysteries and Truths Natural and Divine contained in the Scriptures that are knowable by the Illuminations of God's Spirit which at any time ever have been now are or ever can be of any true advantage to any one Soul But it may be you may ask to what purpose I say this which no prudent Man will contradict Truly to no other purpose at all but to put Men in mind that every thing is not an Error that they nor their Forefathers before did not see Nor that all is Truth that they have taken for such That on the one hand every Erâ—â—â— merits not to subject those that â—â—ieve it to an Anathema Maranathâ— Nor every Truth of that concern â—hat it merits a particular Altar to â—e erected to it or that a new Fraâ—â—ion or Sect be made among Chriâ—â—ians for it if Men could but once â—â—me to be wise and considerate I would from my heart that I could move all Men to that Moderaâ—ion and Tenderness towards each â—thers Principles Persons and Repuâ—â—tions as not to be so censorious as they are till they are sufficiently saâ—â—sfied in themselves and at least in â—â—me measure capable to evince to â—thers that they are so satisfied that â—â—e Principles which they do impugn â—â—d condemn have some tendency 〈◊〉 not to subvert the Christian Faith in whole or in part at least to weaken it as some think that the Doctrine of the Salvation of the Heathens that never hear of Christ doth or that they do on the other hand tend to the propagation of Loosness and hindring of a Godly Life as People of divers Persuasions do judgâ— the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as it is maintain'd by some Men naturally to do In both which Parties we yet cannot doubt but that there are very serious Christians that hate the thoughts of reducing Christianity to Paganism on the one Hand and on the other that detest any thing that leads to Profaneness The next thing I would I could persuade all Men to is That when they think themselves obliged and qualified to proceed to censure any thing in any Man they would take care to proceed with that evenness of Ten per and Spirit as to endeavour more in Live to detect the Error to the Persons engaged and entangled â—n it in order to the better informing and reforming of their Judgments than as great Doctors of the Chair pro authoritate to condemn them without ever vouchlasing to enter into any arguing the base with them A way so disingenuous that certainly it cannot prevail in the least degree with a free Mind which as it is most easily led by the Powers of Light or Love so it is as immovable as a Rock by any the Thunderbolts which weak and empty Heads can utter against them Tools only adapted to the State of enslaved Minds Fâ—â— suppose this Man and others do think that they see more than most Men from Psal 90. ver 4. and do apprehend that from those Proportions is deducible the whole Chronology of the Scripture being confirmed in it by several Examples alledged in the Queries and that the Doctrine of the Revolutions is sufficiently intimated to be just Twelve and no more nor less being compar'd with other Scriptures Must they for this admitting it to be a Mistake become the Objects of Ecclesiastical Fury or be delivered over to Satan as Men given up to a Reprobate mind Or shall they on the other hand if it be a Truth therefore be authorized to separate themselves from their Brethren the may be willing to bear with them tho' they judge it an Error God forbid that either of these things should come to pass and grant on the other hand that through an amicable discussion of things if this Hypothesis will not fully do it some other that may go farther may be found that so that bright Light of Truth by the agitation of the various Measures in which Men do stand may clearly shine forth of which that Prophecy speaks which honest George Withers publish'd in his Britain's Genius above Forty Years ago reprinted by Richard Janeway 1681. pag. 51. of a Treatise called Multum in Parvo where the Confusions of the late evil and boisterous Times and as the Margin tells us the Restauration of his Majesty being foretold these Lines do immediately follow Then shall Righteousness ascend the Throne Then Love and Truth and Peace re-enter shall Then Faith and Reason shall agree in one And all the Virtues to their Council call For tho' Men by their shallow and narrow reasonless Conceits and stiff adhering each to their own Sect Separation Divison or Church imagining themselves to have hit the Mark and gotten to the Herculean Pillars beyond which they think there is no going cannot being prest satisfactorily either to themselves or to others reconcile any one of their Systems or Confessions of Faith to Reason or Scripture by a clear Solution of all the Difficulties with which every one of their particular Ways may be justly charged Yet seeing it is with me a Truth past all doubt That all Truth doth pâ—oceed from the same Divine Root and Fountain from which Right Reason doth proceed that is even from Jesus Christ who is the Truth it self the True Light which at one time or other doth enlighten every man I say every man that comes into the world I see no reason why as the little Crafts of Men and that ridiculous empty Thing called Authority without Light and Conviction comes to be worn out of Mens Minds and they come to mind what 's propounded to them to be believed e're they receive it and not to receive any thing but upon a sound and previous Examination by that Light of Truth which God in Christ has imparted to them I see I say no Reason why we may not hope to see this fulfilled so far as the Mind of Man is capable of it provided we be but as ready to give up our selves to obey what we have or shall come to discover to be the Will of the Father as we are greedy of knowing if And that this is a necessary Requisite Christ himself hath testified saying He that will do the will of my Father shall know of my Doctrine Nor is there any other lawful way of striving And thus having trespassed upon your Patience too far I crave leave to subscribe my self Dear Sir Yours in all Offices of Love N. N. Philanthropos FINIS