pass through that momentany change and be wrapt up with the Faithful likewise then raised to meet Christ in the Air in a glorious condition For though such as were raised before in the beginning of Christ's Reign were before in an excellent state in regard of their bodies suitable to what Christ's was in before he ascended unto the Father yet then it seems probable they will be more glorious bodies than formerly mortal eyes could endure to behold therefore saith the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 15.51 We shall not then all sleep but we shall all be changed both living and dead All be changed both living and dead or raised before namely all that are faithful and he repeats it again the more strongly to assertain it ver 52. latter part of the verse for the Trumpet saith he shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed It seems also necessary that there be a distinct consideration of the state of such as are of the New-Jerusalem come down from Heaven which seems to be the City whose Maker and Builder is God as it is said Heb. 11.10 which is again said ver 16. to be prepared by him for the faithful Fore-fathers that dyed not having received the Promises ver 13. who without us will not be made perfect ver last having all dyed in Faith which is probable to he meant by our Saviour when he calls it the City of the great King Mat. 5.35 where his Deputies the twelve Apostles shall sit on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.30 on whose twelve foundations of the Wall thereof shall be written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb Rev. 21.14 and seems to be the chief mansion-place of the blessed holy then raised Saints having part in that first Resurrection wholly then freed from the second death Rev. 20.6 upon which the Glory of the LORD will then eminently shine continually to the eclipsing of the glory of the Sun and Moon Isa 60.19 Rev. 21.23 22.5 Very glorious things saith the Psalmist in a prophetical rapture are spoken of thee O City of God Psal 87.3 as is observable in that whole Psalm Again the then happy estate of the converted and reduced twelve Tribes of Israel and Judah those two sticks united into one Ezek. 37. together with the converted Gentiles in their fulness then come in Rom. 11. who together with very large endowments of inward spiritual Grace and therewith abundance of temporal prosperity which the Prophets largely spake of with very much exemption from the evil of sin and suffering when Satan is bound the Churches enemies destroyed or subdued and brought under which happy estate they and their posterity will successively enjoy through all the Generations of the said thousand years according to the Prophecies or Promises Deut. 30. ver 1 to 11. Isa 61.9 The Seed which the Lord hath blessed Ezek. 37.25 They and their Childrens Children for ever and my Servant David that is Christ the Messiah shall be their Prince for ever Isa 59. last Deut. 4.30 31. with many texts more and which were theirs not in a mortal that is a changeable condition from a natural life by some removal or Translation as otherwise they should have no Seed or Posterity to enjoy those many Promises all the thousand years so neither should they at last be lyable to any evil attempt of Satan and wicked men called Gog and Magog though by gracious Promise such as live at that last Period of time are secured from the evil even of the attempt likewise Many other things the holy Scripture seems to hold forth in reference to the differing state of the naturally living and the Saints raised at the beginning of the thousand years and as for the restitution of all things in respect thereof without Scripture-Warrant why look we for any more than Gods removing the Curse as the inflicting that from the Fall hath been the efficient Cause of all that Bondage that hath been ever since upon the Creatures held on by the means of Satan till then when he shall likewise be bound Thus in such a way if the distinction between the last mystical Trumpet and the last said sounding Trumpet and the state of the raised Saints and such as then will remain in their natural Life be well observed it may greatly make way for the clearing by degrees by the help of Gods Word and Spirit many excellent Truths respecting these things wherein much caution and moderation will still be very useful and necessary in what things are not clear and evident c. Decemb. 7. 1664. This Paper sent upon occasion of a Book to be perused not having the right Series or Order of the Book of the Revelations and is added here as a Supplement to the former Letter AS for the perused Author he was manifestly a man of great Abilities Worth and Piety as is evident from his grave judicious and truly pious Determinations Discourses Cases and Treatises of several Subjects and many Expositions along that large Book of his upon the Revelations and first more particularly in the most things handled by him on the three first Chapters to the seven Churches of Asia and on the fourth and fifth Chapters setting forth the Glory of God the Creator and Christ the Redeemer But as for the right series of things following in that Divine Book he appears not to have attained the right Key so far as I can by the guidance of God's Word and Spirit as I believe with such other helps which in special mercy have hitherto been afforded me discern and to this purpose I shall endeavour by his Grace to set down some brief hints of Differences between him and others which upon the former accounts I much rather approve of as namely of judicious Mede and some others since him yet living though haply in some things I may differ from all yet I conceive Light and Darkness may so thereby the better discover themselves and illustrate each other that whoso like the Noble Bereans shall search the Scriptures answerably concerning what shall be set down may probably find whether all these things be so for as no mans eminency should lead us into error so no mans meanness should make us neglect or despise the Truth he tenders especially the Divine and Heavenly Truths which God hath set forth in his Word for the true Comfort and Edification of his Church I shall briefly for what is past give onely some hints of both for the most part refering to a former Letter to such purposes dated May 20. 1664. which this Paper may be a supplement unto but haply somewhat more largely of what is to come as God shall direct and enable me whose assistance I must confess to his Glory I have formerly experimentally found First then What this Author understandeth in the Seals That the Horses signifie the Church and the Persecutions thereof along the Primitive Times seem to me
what Country man Antichrist should be and what Language he should use in his Laws and Worship wherein I conceive the wonderful Divine Wisdom of God is much to be acknowledged in setting down Mystery Babylons name so to exercise the several gifts he hath given to several men several ways to have their apprehensions agreeable to truth and considerable in reference to this manifold monstrous Beast wherein they are to be found in one respect or other and so the largest comprehensive sence is like to prove the true sence and many of them to be acknowledged real in such a strange compounded Creature of many as he is described Dan. 7. And in this Book chap. 14. is conceived by judicious men upon considerable grounds to be contemporary with the two Beasts Rev. 14. setting out the opposite state of the true Church in the same time not successive as this Author takes it though the Beasts ruine is therein more fully described yet he hath many considerable things against and concerning Antichrist in this Chapter and likewise he is very excellent upon the seventeenth and eighteenth being a like subject to prove the Pope to be Antichrist But for the particular Vision concerning the Vials chap. 15 16. Rev. 15 16. which appears to be a larger explication of what was spoken of Antichrists downfal and ruine in the latter part of chap. 14. As the seventeenth was an explication of divers things concerning the Antichristian Church of Rome and the eighteenth a special Vision of the terrible suddain irresistable and cursed destruction and desolation of Rome about the sixth Vial after which probably will succeed the conversion of the Jews and the Armageddon-Battel of which he hath many profitable notes upon chap. 19. But for the beginning of the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the pouring out of the seven Vials and placing so many of the Vials after the time wherein the thousand years chap. 20. is begun and making the casting of Satan into the Lake after the Battel of Gog and Magog chap. 20. to be the seventh Vial I conceive to be much differing from the sence of the Scripture and for that the seven Vials are called the seven last Plagues which phrase is the same in sence with the end of the dayes Da. 12. both setting forth the period of wicked Monarchy when the Feet and Toes of the Image he saw before are wearing out toward the expiring of the Roman Monarchy and are both spoken of the Beasts ruine and poured out to accomplish it by degrees which the last Vial finisheth and reach no further and in this sence learned men understand the 〈◊〉 of the Angel of the Covenant chap. 10. That time should be no longer viz. to that wicked Dominion for thenceforth was to begin a new VVorld as after Noahs Flood wherein Christs Glorious Reign on Earth should take place in an eminent manner for then the Scene of the World will be visibly changed the old being ended and the new begun wherein a King shall Rule in Righteousness whose Officers shall be Peace and his Exactors Righteousness as the Prophet foretold c. then will come in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that world to come Heb. 2.5 but the Vials are the last Plagues because they at last dispatch and rid Antichrist and all his supporters out of the Earth neither are any such Plagues suitable to or seasonable in the state of things in the said thousand years while that happy World remains and the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ which this Author applies to the time of Luther which he judges to be the beginning of the Vials I conceive unwarrantably when he thinks the Witnesses were slain chap. 11. not distinguishing of the former and last flaying as we observed Grounds of the Doctrine of Christ's Kingdom on Earth throughout the whole Book of the Revelations ANd here I shall take occasion to hint what I have all along observed this Learned and Religious Author to have been defective in namely as one not owning the Doctrine of the Glorious Kingdom of Christ to come on Earth in the thousand years Rev. 20. That he passeth over many things in the Book of Revelation which evidently respect that time without observation as first in the Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia wherein those promises are set down again repeated c. 21 22. concerning the New Jerusalem many of which are evidently incompetible to any other state of affairs but of that time as to have power over the Nations chap. 2.26 to receive the Morning Star and to eat of that Tree whose Leaves shall be for the healing of the Nations to sit on a Throne of Christ distinct from his Fathers Throne chap. 3.21 and to have a Name written of the New Jerusalem which comes down from Heaven which are inconsistent with the state of the Church Triumphant in Heaven with divers others which the Primitive Christians were so well resolved of in the best times to belong to those that obtained a better Resurrection as the Spirit of God expresseth it Heb. 11.35 which Saint Paul seems to aim at the attaining to by the fellowship of Christs Sufferings Phil. 3.10 11. whence the Faithful are called the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 Yea observe further they are called by our Saviour Such as are accounted worthy to attain that World and the Resurrection of the dead And to this purpose it is storied of the Primitive Christians such was their Faith in this particular that out of an holy-ambition as it were to have a share amongst the raised Martyrs they were forward to suffer upon that account for the Name of Christ But in the next place likewise he passeth over what evidently refers to that state chap. 5.10 though he spake of what the representative Church are said there to obtain from Christ to be Kings and Priests spiritually unto God but he altogether passeth over what the holy Ghost teacheth them there to praise God so for the time to come and which they greatly exult in and rejoyce in aforehand for the time to come as a duty belonging to all Saints in that happy priviledge upon Earth till then and say they We shall reign upon Earth which is joyned to the other as another part of their joy and matter of praise foreseen by the eye of Faith as if they had said For so we all Ministers and People shall then reign not only as we did spiritually in our former condition in the world but as will be suitable to that world to come in Christ's Kingdom on Earth We shall reign with him there a thousand years as chap. 20. is further explained and to make it clear it must not be taken for Celestial Eternal Glory the place is set down where that Reign shall be namely on Earth and for the time future noting that it was not their present spiritual Reign but they shall so
the Pope should not be Antichrist in his forty two months much less Christ have a thousand years Reign on Earth afterwards And lastly The seventh Vial that Satan hath to pour on Christ's Kingdom seems not unfitly to be conceived to be by displacing the Vials chap. 16. from their own time unto Christs Reign whereunto they are not competible whereof the subject matter will be then taken away or making a groundless great Chasm of above a thousand years difference from the sixth to the seventh when Satan is to be cast into the fiery Lake which is a business of a much differing nature many wayes from all the Vials as well as in time c. And thus of Satans seeming seven Vials on Christ's Kingdom but the glorious appearance of Christ will shortly abolish all appearance of truth in them and so all Satans Vials upon Christ's Kingdom will be utterly ended and yet will not that Kingdom be thereby in the least degree impaired Lastly Whereas the said learned Author interpreteth the New Jerusalem to be the Church Tryumphant besides the many considerable reasons to the contrary in the Letter of November 3. 1664. he might have observed that the Lamb's Wife was spoken of before chap. 19.7 by which he there understands the coming in of the Jews to the Catholick Church I conceive rightly and that the beloved City cap. 21.2 spoken of chap. 20. as being before the Battel of Gog and Magog when the Devil stirred up the Hypocrites of those times which had been long held under by good Government then to attempt to besiege that Beloved City though to his and their utter ruine that so they might receive that portion of Hypocrites as the Antichristian Scoffers had theirs before when both sorts should meet with their Leaders the Pope and the Devil in the Lake of fire and chap. 21. being but a further decyphering of the same City should therefore be expounded accordingly of that City that was in the thousand years it being the observable Method of the Holy Ghost in that Book after some more obscure expressions of things more generally afterwards to give more full and particular explications of the same as in the seventeenth Chapter an Explication of Babylon and the Beast c. and what was said of the ruine of Babylon chap. 14. explained by the Vials chap. 15 16. and further of the last Vials chap. 18 19 and part of 20. and so sometimes in the 19 20. further explained chap. 21 22. besides many things belonging to the New Jerusalem are incompetible to the state of the Church Triumphant in Heaven see the forementioned Letter Novemb. 3. 1663. And for the first Resurrection it may appear not to be of the Spiritual Resurrection of the Soul from sin both from the drift of the Holy Ghost further to open the Mystery of the Resurrection which Saint Paul had in some respect shewed before 1 Cor. 15. And the Doctrine thereof hath been gradually set down in the Scriptures and this chap. 20. giveth light thereunto above all others both as to the Resurrection of the Just and Wicked which are opposed one to another as first and second and their distinct times set out for as chap. 11.18 When the Kingdoms of the World shall be Christs then he gives reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to his Saints and to all that fear his Name both small and great such as not only suffered for him who are said chap. 20. to be beheaded for him c. but such as have done his Will on earth shall have such reward from him in earth as 2 Tim. 2.12 And for such Souls that is Persons in Scripture language to live again what sence in Reason or Religion can fitly be applyed to such sufferers or others but such first Resurrection I know many learned men have tired their parts to find shifts to avoid this but have been more sollidly and substantially answered besides many others by Mr. Mede and Dr. Homes in his Answer to Pareus Dr. Predeaux and others in one part of the Dawning of the Day-Star read them seriously c. Mr. Mede conceives that Resurrectio Justorum will be in acting all or most of the thousand years every one in their own Order and the Ancients conceived there will be mora delay in respect of some c. but that the living again of such as were so beheaded to be meant of the Spiritual Resurrection is far from the scope of the Text besides all other considerations about it see the Appendix in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the forenamed Authors it is actum agere to say much of it c. And for the number of a thousand years to be taken indefinitely as it is contrary to the judgment of learned men on both sides for many considerable Reasons so somewhat this learned Author mentions himself namely That that that Thousand Years so often spoken of in respect of Saints and Satan and with all the considerable circumstances what was done at the beginning of them with all the continuance and what should be at the end of them c. might have swayed his judgement otherwise if he had not been prejudiced against the whole Doctrine thereof and all that concerns it for those Souls said to be Beheaded cannot fitly be said to live again but in respect of that state namely of their bodily living again wherein they had died before for as the Spirits of just men they lived ever since their departure from their Bodies so that living again denotes their living bodily and living in a different manner then they had done before Now the drift of all these things being for the comfort and edification of all God's People in this great point of the Resurrection of the Just and being specially useful against the evil times going before the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ when Antichristian Tyranny should most rage in the World God in Mercy to his People is pleased now again to cause the Light of these Precious Truths to break forth again more then they have done in many Ages last past when that said Glorious Appearance of Christ and beginning of the Day of Judgement and Joyful Resurrection following upon it do in their order neer approach It is much to be desired and earnestly prayed for that true Christians would duly weigh and consider them being so mainly for their Edification and sound Consolation if they will not overlook their own good or put it off from themselves since the great goodness of Christ is therein manifest towards them And now for a summary of these things I shall add to make up the former Theses concerning the third Period of Christs Kingly Office to be eminently manifest therein where he will work as I said by his Spirit of Power and Domination as he did in the Old Testament by his Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and in the New till his Glorious