the want of which discovery occasioned many learned men to err as Assert 5. of the Key also of several senses of Christs comings in the New Test Assert 6. and large proofs of his personal appearance coming and reign Assert 7. also many needful distinctions not known to many before as two sort of Christs subjects 1. Raised Saints at his coming 2. Converted Jews and Gentils Assert 13. and for them two Jerusalems Assert 14. also the twofold consideration of Christs execution of his three great offices Assert 17. not in any former works that I have known c. the difference of the two last Trumpets namely of the last mystical and last sounding Trumpet above 1000 years after Assert 18. and note the distinction of the two Gogs and Magogs one in Ezek. 38.39 the other Rev. 20. Assert 19. also observe that as the spiritual divine foundation of Redemption of the souls of the Saints was surely wrought by Christs first coming so the visible glorious perfecting of Christs work of Redemption for the bodies of his Saints with the restitution of all things c. will be performed at his second coming with all promised Mercies and Covenants to and with the Fore-fathers Assert 21. with the consideration of those Covenants pag. 5 6 7 8 9 10. besides many other profitable matters in divers other former Assertions in the said Key Also take special notice of those great foundations of these truths in our last practical piece on Rev. 20.5 pag. 1 2. where many great differences of Christs second personal coming and his descending at the last Trump with those other great foundations mentioned pag. 2 3. with the hints of the subject nature times and end or scope of Revelation Prophesie p. 3 4 5 6. which last is largly proved in our System and in that whole next ensuing Treatise by the use of Christs own Divine Key Rev. 20.21 22. as may appear by this our last and great discovery through divine grace pertinently applyed to other proofs of the first bodily Resurrection of the Saints 1000 years before the rest of the dead with many other evidences and improvements of these Doctrines now needful to be known in these last times by the observant perusal of these matters and references men may by Gods blessing apprehend much Divine truth of this nature which God hath been pleased for a time much to set forth mystically by many divine Hieroglypsicks and resemblances of a weak woman for the Church and of strong and cruel Beasts for the successive enemies and the womans Divine Seed first to be her Saviour at his first coming about the 4000th year of the world 2. Her great Redeemer at his 2d but her head and Husband in their Sabatism of the world to come and 4thly to be actually her all in all with the Father and Holy Spirit in full reconciliation and perfect fruition upon Christs sentence of approbation and his delivering up his Mediatory Kingdome for all eternity Which way of these Divine Doctrines I have often in my thoughts compared to the Astronomers teaching that art the tearms of the circles seem strange at first to the learner as the Polar Circles Collures Tropicks Eccliptick Line Zodiark Meridian Orizon with the Zenith Nadir and the like but easie to be understood when their use is discovered so in the turning of Gods great Sphere of the worlds Millenniums of which Moses first made an Ephemeris viz. of the old world of the new world or now world and the world to come as in ch 5. of the Iren. about the middle whereof Daniel makes his great Kallender in his 2 3 8th chap. of the four Gentile Kingdoms for 2300 years until the Messiahs second coming and his little Calender of 70 weeks or 396 years ch 9. to his first within the compass of the former and John adds the last of that world to come in the three last chap. now discovered to be Christs Divine Key of all times with Gods great design in them from the fall respecting the Lamb and the Bride in that said designed estate by God of the 1000 years Rev. 20. before Christ shall give up the Kingdome to the Father and when such Scripture Chronologie is a little well considered with the carrying on of Gods said design therein as in our last Systeme of the seven millenniums may be observed these Divine Doctrines will by degrees appear I doubt not more and more easie to many See our Table of Chronol in the beginning of the Iren. with ch 5. Ibid. and the book of the Parallels of Dan. and Rev. to that purpose if they seem at first hard they will soon be familiar and after both enlightning and delightful as Divine Discoveries have ever been formerly and there is an excellent Divine art to be observed in them which by practise and due application with observing their right seasons may be made familiar and more and more perfected 3. But 3dly as for those seasonable Prodromal texts of Scrip. in the Revelation respecting these latter times p. 5 6 7 8. we shall hint a few things observable as first of that Rev. 16.12 to the end of the sixth Vial on vers 13. by the three unclean spirits according to Paraeus may be meant 1. Those Legatia Latere or plenipotentiaries sent to Princes 2. Popish Bishops and Doctors 3. Priests Jesuits c. by a joynt mission 1. from the Devil the old Dragon by instigation 2. from the Popes Councel of Cardinals and their associates by advice 3. By the Beast himself by his authorized Commission pag. 4. The latter part of that prophesie seemeth according to Mr. Mede to concur with that which followeth Rev. 14.14 to the end which he conceives may be fulfilled in the utter ruine both of Pope and Turk who seems to be therefore called Gog in the Land of Magog Ezek. 38.2 as having gotten a great part of the old Roman Impire and is that King of the North that overflowed with his multitudes after the Saricens pushings in the Holy Wars were over as Dan 11.40 who will be both probably destroyed then v. 45. at Christs appearance Rev. 19 20. ch and the discription of one in a cloud with a Crown and sharp Sickle Mr. Mede noteth always to belong to Christ and v. 16. by the reaping of the harvest he understands the Turks ruine and by the gathering the Clusters of the Vine v. 19. the distruction of the Pope though probably like to be of both suddainly See Joel 3.2 to 13. being gathered then with their Armies as those Tares Mat. 13. into bundles to be burnt and both as is conceived making up together one mystical Antichrist the one holding the worldly Babylon the other the spiritual to the great prejudice both of Jews and Gentils then to be united in one sheepfold The 3d. Prophesie more fully setting forth the destruction of Antichrist is Rev. 19.11 to the end of the ch after that joyful exultation
holy Catholick Church upon earth that we are to believe or hope for and the excellent Communion of Saints that we are in this world to expect And likewise that we are now especially by our prayers to labour to promote as God of old directed his people when their time of deliverance from Babylon drew on Jer. 39. Then said he they shall call on me and I will answer c. And when Daniel by Books understood the mind of God therein he set himself by fasting and prayer to seek for and help forward if it might be the accomplishment of such revealed Grace So now also that new Babel is abundantly revealed to God's People to be shortly to be thrown down and the New-Jerusalem much more abundantly revealed in Scripture shortly thereupon to be set up The Faith and Prayer of God's People ought in their sphear to seek to promote it and I observe the Dutch Notes though by men of different Judgments yet in the Preface of the nine last Chapters of Ezakiels Prophecy apply what is there said to some wonderful Glory of a Jerusalem to come of which the former restoring of the Jews from old Babylon was but a Type Besides I observe many Psalms and many passages in many other Psalms more than I read in Mr. Archers Book to tend so this way that otherwise as such prophetical-Scriptures besides seem not to have any probable fulfilling but according to Revelation Interpretation as I may call it which I must acknowledge I never did nor ever was like rightly and groundedly to have understood but according to the tenour of that blessed book And as Israels coming out of Egypt tended to the actual giving of them after forty years space the possession of Canaan of old so God's Peoples coming out of the spiritual Egyptian Antichristian bondage now approaching tends to bring all God's true Israel into the New-Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven Rev. 20. and is it not a main drift of the most if not of all the petitions in the Lord's Prayer to this purpose for when hath Gods Name been so comperably hallowed in Earth as it is in Heaven as then it will be both by Men and Angels in all he is made known by to his People When will his Kingdom come with such power to any suitableness in Earth as it is and will be in Heaven but when the Kingdoms of this World are the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 And likewise when at the same time Rev. 19. God's People shall so rejoyce when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth because as it followeth in the next verse his Bride hath made her self ready And consequently when will the Will of God be done in Earth as it is by the blessed Aegels in Heaven but when his Subjects are of most obeddient hearts and loyal spirits as they will be under suh a prevalent reigning of Christ When my daily Bread this day any day be so comfortably and confidently prayed for and expected as when the particular promises of the greatest confluences of Temporal and Spiritual Blessings are to be fulfilled in their proper season to their best purposes c. When may we with such comfort and confidence pray for forgivieness of our Trespasses this day any day as when our hearts shall witness with us we least allow our sins When shall we be so assured of our own pardon as when our spirits are most free and clear in pardoning others in case they offend against us When can we so confidently pray to be delivered from the evil one and evil works with the consequents thereof this day any day as when Satan shall be known to be bound Rev. 20.3 and many great temptations removed and a very great measure of Grace attained and neer Communion with Christ enjoyed in this World Yea and will not the following enforcements of Prayer set down by our Saviour be then most clearly aplicable when the Kingdom is most manifestly Gods and the Power both to obtain it at his own time and pleasure and so likewise to retain it appears clearly his and consequently all Glory as his due shall be rendred unto him to all eternity Amen Amen And for the Martyrs and Saints to be raised at the entrance of Christ on this his Kingdom to have their part in the New Jerusalem I had the like thoughts before to what I find in other Authors That they should be in a state such as Christ was in after his own Resurection while he was not acssended to his Father but when I consider the many Prophesies of all those great things in the Old Testament so confirmed in the New and especially applyed in the Revelation to the New Jerusalem not only by allusion but by application of the Spirit of God and Christ himself in a special manner Rev. 10.7 as he declared to his Servants the Prophets And at that time reward is to be given to his Servanis the Prophets Rev. 11.18 and to his Saints and to them that fear his Name both great and small as it follows in the same Scripture And it is of main weight in this point that when the Chorus was set about the Throne Rev. 4.1 2 3. c. when Saint John was to receive the visions of that Book there is a Glorious appearance of God described and the Rainbow round about the throne as doing all to his Church through the Covenant of Grace through the Blood of Christ his only begotten Son and the seven Lamps burning before the Throne deciphering the seven Spirits or the Holy Ghost with his Gifts and Graces as Rev. 1.4 more clearly in Rev. 5. there is a Book in the hand of him that sat upon the Throne which none was found worthy to open but the Lamb that had been as it were slain having seven Horns and seven Eyes vers 6. which occasioned the four living Wights and twenty four Elders to sing a new Song and afterwards fall down and worship but the top of rejoyceing for all that was in the Book and after all that should be done and suffered by and for and in Christs Church which they represented in that vision it was this which was the great enforcement of their joy while the World was to continue And say they vers 10. we shall reign upon Earth And that Subject of such their reign there after all their labours and sufferings of the Saints as their time of refreshment Acts. 3.19 and Sabbatism or rest Heb. 4. is largely treated of in sundry Particulars in the 19 20 21 22. the four last Chapters of the Book of the Revelations and that those things therein contained must necessarily be understood of the state of God's Church upon earth according to the series and order of the Book in the last times and therefore were never yet accomplished take into serious consideration the brief abridgment of Reasons and Testimonies following to that purpose 1. The New Jerusalem is said to come down
ended Isa 60.19.20 Her Joy everlasting Isa 61.7 For ever shall her Land be inhabited Isa 60.21 Zech. 14.11 For to the Lord is she married Isa 62.4 who sweareth by his right Hand and the Arm of his Strength to give her no more over to her Enemies Isa 62.8 As that day the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one Zech. 14 9. Thus we see what glorious Promises are made to the New Jerusalem when the Promises of the New Heavens and the New Earth shall be accomplished with many other of the like nature whence it may appear how strongly pre-possession of prejudice against an Opinion of Doctrine may carry grave and otherwise judicious men away from the Way of Truth sometime upon one advantage or other as by Prescription by Multitudes of wise learned or even good men If they try not all things to hold that which is good which was mine own late Error in this particular or at least want of defecation of appendant Errors cunnigly by Satan affixed on this Truth as we observed in antient and modern seducements not distinguishing between the Depravation and Corruption of that Truth and Truth it self which in its Original was pure and untainted as in other cases many times when the corrupt super-additions of men have long prevailed to mingle themselves with anciently untainted Truths which when men can learn to view with unprejudiced minds and adhere to with uninteressed Affections will soon appear to them in their native excellency But for the said New-Jerusalem the more I observe many places of Scripture not only in the New Testament and Revelations but in the Psalms the Prophets and even the Historical Parts the more I am minded thereof from time to time And besides Psal 2. 8. 96 98 99. which one mentions especially I have taken notice of sundry others since God hath opened my eyes as he did Hagers of old to see these refreshing Waters of Comfort as Psal 89. 50. and divers passages in others which seemed to tend that way as Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9 10. 148.11 12 13 14. 149. throughout and those nine last Chapters of Ezekiel 〈◊〉 the Dutch Bible reckons like Daniels to be Revelations of the old Testament which set forth things to be accomplished in the New though they seem not to own the Opinion yet sometimes again lay grounds of it The second and seventh of Daniel speak much of Christs Kingdom and many other places too largely here to rehearse The Spirit of God seems to me to have spoken so largely thereof and in many specialties likewise to these purposes and the things themselvs seem so to approach as evidently may appear from the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ th best Expositor of the meaning of his own Prophetical Spirit that it much concerns all Gods People diligently to search and examine all such Truths as he hath set down there for our now seasonable Instruction and Consolation being sunk down near to the very dregs of the Worlds evil Times And as our Saviour on Earth directed to search the Sciptures for Salvation so now being in Heaven he directs his people to search them in this for consolation And as then he said In Moses the Prophets and the Psalms as it is written of me for the former so for this he not only points out Moses the Prophets and the Psalms in the old Testament but hath likewise taught the Apostles the Evangelists with many other persons divinely inspired in the New Testament to give witness to these things and lastly by his own wonderful gracious divine Vide the Irenicon or Peaceable Consideration of Christ's Kingdome c. though mystical Revelation to the beloved St. John wherein very much is held out concerning his own Kingdom and the New Jerusalem and as it was when by the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles the Doctrine of the Resurrection had been more cleared than in former times yet afterwards the Apostle Paul shews a farther Mystery concerning the same 1 Cor. 15. We must saith he all be changed though not all dye so many things are still Mysterious to us concerning both the New Jerusalem and the Resurrection though concerning both our Saviour in his Revelation hath last super-added greater farther Discoveries in both than any were before at least in evidence and clearness Yet how are the Eyes of very many withheld from discerning these things and in great part it is like to be so to all save to them to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which he uses to do as Christ himself informeth us to Babes and Sucklings when they are hid from the Wise and Prudent Mat. 11.25 and therefore to be humbly and faithfully sought And though the Apostle Paul concerning the Jews general Conversion had discoursed largly in the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans yet still he reckons that Doctrine mystical v. 25 c. Let all such therefore as are of truly Christian Spirits wait upon God as by other means so by faithful and earnest Prayer to the true Teacher of his own Mysteries as may appear requisite in a matter of so great importance concerning all Gods faithful People who seem to have their peculiar interest therein Rev. 3.21 and 20.4 5. and 10.18 which is incomparably greater and better for that thousand years than all the Crowns and Scepters and Kingdoms of the World not improved in Christs service in the mean time This part of a Letter of May 20 1664. to Mr. Cal of the order of the times of the Seals Trumpets and Vials perused with that Abridgment of the Seal-Prophesie with the large Note page 26 27 28 29. of the Irenicon with the following Paper of two defects in Mr. Durhams book of Scotland may to observant Readers give much light to the book of Revelation and the Scheme of that whole book and Summarie of Daniel before the Parallels after drawn up when many hundred of both the other were burnt Anno 1666. serves for the like use but with somefarther advantages therein observable c. THe first six of the seven Seals are the first Times after the giving of the Revelation to St. John toward the end of the first Century or first hundred of years after Christs coming in the Flesh the which said six Seals reached to the time wherin Constantine the Great threw down the Heathenish Idolarry 〈◊〉 Romane Empire about the year 320. after Christ they are set â—ow Rev. 6. But out of the seventh Seal proceeded the Seven Trumpets whereof the six first contain all the ensuing time of the Roman Empire both Christian and Antichristian and the seventh Trumpet will begin at the ruine of Antichrist Vide Paper of Decemb. 7. 1664. where divers Reasons are given for it and continue as some conceive to be the last day of Judgment or
verse 21. the little Horn prevailed until the Ancient of Days came verse 22. which is farther explained vers 26 27. And Mat. 24. after the coming of the Son of man was described by the Lightning from one part of the Heaven to the other and after the trouble then to be upon the Earth vers 29. it is said Immediately shall appear the sign of the Son of man which is probably conceived to be Christ himself as a sign then to the whole World and the time seems decyphered vers 24. that that Generation shall not pass namely in that the Nation of the Jews was to remain distinguished from all other People for they have been and will be preserved mostly unmixed with others untill the appearing of Christ and as 2 Thess 2.8 Antichrist is to be destroyed at the appearance of his coming So likewise Mat. 23.39 Ye shall not see me till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord implying that then they shall see him And in that Parable upon the occasion of the time of the appearing of the Kingdom of God vers 11. having before chap. 17. compared the days of the Son of man to the days of Noah and Lot which latter of Lot seems to resemble the next appearing of Christ and the former namely of Noah his last coming to judgment those two days of the Son of man Now as Lot and his Family were sent out of Sodom first before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in that particular destruction so the faithful shall first come out of Babylon and spiritual Sodom before it be destroyed in that partial destruction though like to be very great and terrible and as Noah and his in the general Deluge were carried by the Ark above the destruction of the old World by Water so in the general conflagration of the World at Christs last coming all the Faithful at their great and general change shall be caught up to Christ their safe Ark in the Air above the destruction of the Wicked by Fire at the Worlds last destruction and as the Rabbins speak from the Prophet Their strength shall then be renewed like the Eagles and be there with Christ in safety as neither lyable nor capable any more of any such misery I say then in the 11th Chapter he speaks of such a coming vers 13. when he will reckon with such as would not have him reign over them and with the unprofitable Servant at his coming verse 23. and will have those his Enemies then brought and slain before him vers 27. when he shall receive his Kingdom and return vers 12. and this Parable was particularly spoken by our Saviour to resolve the mistake of such as thought the Kingdom of the Messiah should then immediatly appear vers 11. And many of the Prophets expressions import as much which I shall now insist upon But for how long and in what manner he may be personally present so as Rev. 1.7 he is said to come with Clouds haply to vail the brightness of his Glory which otherwise mortal Eyes could not endure I dare not say for as the Apostle Paul speaks he dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto otherwise As no man hath seen him so no man can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 and whether after some time of his appearing personally that expression of the Tabernacle of God its being with men as Rev. 21.3 imports some wonderful Glory and Grace upon the New Jerusalem as upon the Tabernacle of his Grace of old or the Glory of God shining upon it as Isa 60.1 whose Sun and Light setteth not day nor night vers 19 20. by some brightness of Glory and Grace shining upon them continually making glad the City of God when the Lamb shall be her Light as Rev. 21.23 or their beholding of him as Stephen did miraculously at his death sitting at Gods right hand or in what manner the Ark of Gods Testament shall then be seen when the Temple of God is opened in Heaven Rev. 11.19 with many expressions to like purpose or how long that Resurrectio Justorum shall be in finishing which Mr. Mede in one of his Letters seems to conceive may be a great part of the thousand years and according to their order as the Apostles phrase is first of the Martyrs and most eminent Saints and so of the rest successively concerning which and the like as I am in the dark so I must be silent God in his own time will reveal what he knows best for his People in the mean time there is matter enough of Comfort and Rejoycing in respect of both Quick and Dead in the good and blessed condition of his Church in the said thousand years upon Earth to all such as so wait upon Christ here as the true Followers of the LAMB Rev. 14. that they may be in a capacity of the Happiness reserved for either sort in those times for which the Holy Scriptures give plentiful Evidence if Men will not hide their eyes from the Light thereof But besides what was said of the personal Appearance Coming and Reign Assert 7. of the Key the strongest evidence above all others is the undoubted fulfilling of all revealed promised Mercies and Covenants to and with the Fathers carried on also in old and new Testament by the spirit of God till Christ by his Divine Key hath so graciously unlocked the Mysteries of them as we shewed on Rev. 20.5 of the first bodily Resurrection 1000 years before the rest of the dead for at his Appearance and Kingdome 2 Tim. 4.1 he Personally judgeth Quick and Dead Personally comes in the Clouds and brings his Saints with him Personally raiseth their bodies is Personally seen of the Jews his Enemies are personally slain before him Luke 19. his Saints personally behold his glory his bodily Tabernacle will personally be with men Rev. 21.3 he will personally sit upon the Throne of David to order it c. Isa 7. will personally inherit all Nations will from te marriage of the Lamb personally be the Husband and Head of his Bride the Church with many other things peculiar then to himself c. FINIS